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Hospitals and Long Term Treatment: Chronic illness thread

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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Minor update from me: got the sulfasalazine started, it is having an effect on me! Hopefully I will continue to improve. The physical therapy is going well, but I still can’t do like, very basic movements without massive pain.

    But still.

    Improvements!

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    pookapooka Registered User regular
    i am currently switching to Effexor. unfortunately, there was a delay on getting the scrip because my new insurance resists everything, and i inadvertently went cold turkey on my old med while waiting a week to get the new one. so i got rebound insomnia from that and have been struggling ever since. i didn't sleep last night, just woke from ~two hours, and am wavering on regretting just having taken my dose. before all this, i'd gotten to where i had a decent sleep routine, too, ugh.

    i can't tell if the friggin' drug is working because i'm dealing with the side effects fuuuuuuuuu, and part of me wants to call the pdoc and say i can't handle going through the weekend with this status quo. but i've got a week 'til my next appointment and if i can hold out, i'll have given it a fair shake. just... losing my mind a bit, that's all.

    lfchwLd.jpg
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    cabsycabsy the fattest rainbow unicorn Registered User regular
    pooka wrote: »
    i am currently switching to Effexor. unfortunately, there was a delay on getting the scrip because my new insurance resists everything, and i inadvertently went cold turkey on my old med while waiting a week to get the new one. so i got rebound insomnia from that and have been struggling ever since. i didn't sleep last night, just woke from ~two hours, and am wavering on regretting just having taken my dose. before all this, i'd gotten to where i had a decent sleep routine, too, ugh.

    i can't tell if the friggin' drug is working because i'm dealing with the side effects fuuuuuuuuu, and part of me wants to call the pdoc and say i can't handle going through the weekend with this status quo. but i've got a week 'til my next appointment and if i can hold out, i'll have given it a fair shake. just... losing my mind a bit, that's all.

    what were you on before? generally not-medical-advice speaking if you can make it two weeks you've over the worst of the stupid DTs, but if it was duloxetine then ha ha ha nope

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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Don’t you love it when you ask your “primary” doctor for something simple, like, calling in nausea medicine, and instead of calling in phinigrine, the shit I have been using for umpteen years, he calls in the stuff that I have gone so far as to list as a gat damn allergy because it causes nausea.

    Mumble grumble

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    pookapooka Registered User regular
    i was on Rexulti. i'm pretty sure that first week+ of insomnia was withdrawal, but everything since is just the side-Effexor.
    (pdoc had me restart on a lower dose of Rexulti to step down while the venlafaxine built up, so i don't think it's a lack of serotonin. but who knows.)

    figuring out meds sucks.

    lfchwLd.jpg
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Bad news!

    I have no idea about my current medical situation. I dunno if my 'joint' issues are from my Crohn's or are a side effect of my me taking Stellara (my current Crohn's meds).

    To note: I did some deep research and found from a paper from the Mayo clinic that there is a side effect from Stellara for joint pain, but it's supposed to fade over time and I've been taking this for years and my joint pain has been getting worse over time. And to note the fact that my joint paint was getting better the past few weeks? My Stellara levels were really low recently. They did a blood test right before I took my recent shot and so we'd need to take it more often to keep it in my system better...but as soon as I took the shot basically all of my smaller joints got massively increased in pain. Like, incredibly massive. It went from just having an issue in my shoulder and being "oh hey, my joints are feeling better" to "Oh God everything is pain" again.

    So yeah.

    My medicine which is fixing my Crohn's might be fucking up the rest of my life so :rotate:

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    CalicaCalica Registered User regular
    Damn, Munkus :sad:

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    jgeisjgeis Registered User regular
    This isn't exactly a chronic illness thing but I got an eye exam for the first time in 4 years and the optometrist was like "Ok so when you get your new glasses you might as well throw out your old ones because your prescription has changed too much. They aren't good as a back up pair anymore."

    I guess I've developed an astigmatism in that time.

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    MadEddyMadEddy Creepy house watching youRegistered User regular
    I have asthma, it turns out. I'd been attributing my breathing problems to reflux, because I'm not very observant sometimes and didn't realize how bad it had gotten until I literally couldn't get enough air to talk to the doctor. (I do still have reflux, and my stomach's still fucked up, and it's given me another nutritional deficiency, but that's not news.)

    I didn't realize how much energy I was using just trying to freaking breathe every day.

    ruby-red-sig.jpg
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2018
    Well, I am like, 90% sure I have a kidney stone right now.

    I do believe I should go to the hospital.

    Edit in case ya’ll were wondering, yeah I did go and right now I am waiting in the ER for a bed to open up. So it could be one to eight hours, depending how things are back there.

    Munkus Beaver on
    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Yep, it’s a kidney stone!

    Woo

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    you know. I scheduled a consult with my gi doctor for next month when I started having bathroom issues. at the time I scheduled I was dreading the idea he will almost certainly order a colonoscopy but tonight? I really want to know what is wrong with my butthole.

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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Uriel wrote: »
    you know. I scheduled a consult with my gi doctor for next month when I started having bathroom issues. at the time I scheduled I was dreading the idea he will almost certainly order a colonoscopy but tonight? I really want to know what is wrong with my butthole.

    The vast majority of scopes are done with twilighting so you won’t remember a thing from your scope.

    I have only been to an office where they weren’t gonna do a twilight or use an aesthetic to knock me out once, and I just refused to do the test and had them reschedule with the proper medication.

    So don’t worry about it.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    Uriel wrote: »
    you know. I scheduled a consult with my gi doctor for next month when I started having bathroom issues. at the time I scheduled I was dreading the idea he will almost certainly order a colonoscopy but tonight? I really want to know what is wrong with my butthole.

    The vast majority of scopes are done with twilighting so you won’t remember a thing from your scope.

    I have only been to an office where they weren’t gonna do a twilight or use an aesthetic to knock me out once, and I just refused to do the test and had them reschedule with the proper medication.

    So don’t worry about it.

    Ah I'm mostly worried about the pre procedure diet and stuff they give you to clear you out.

    I get hangry if I don't eat for 6 hours much less 24 full ones.

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    Phoenix-DPhoenix-D Registered User regular
    Uriel wrote: »
    Uriel wrote: »
    you know. I scheduled a consult with my gi doctor for next month when I started having bathroom issues. at the time I scheduled I was dreading the idea he will almost certainly order a colonoscopy but tonight? I really want to know what is wrong with my butthole.

    The vast majority of scopes are done with twilighting so you won’t remember a thing from your scope.

    I have only been to an office where they weren’t gonna do a twilight or use an aesthetic to knock me out once, and I just refused to do the test and had them reschedule with the proper medication.

    So don’t worry about it.

    Ah I'm mostly worried about the pre procedure diet and stuff they give you to clear you out.

    I get hangry if I don't eat for 6 hours much less 24 full ones.

    You can usually eat up until around midnight the day before, just a very specific very small list very mushy list.

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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Uriel wrote: »
    Uriel wrote: »
    you know. I scheduled a consult with my gi doctor for next month when I started having bathroom issues. at the time I scheduled I was dreading the idea he will almost certainly order a colonoscopy but tonight? I really want to know what is wrong with my butthole.

    The vast majority of scopes are done with twilighting so you won’t remember a thing from your scope.

    I have only been to an office where they weren’t gonna do a twilight or use an aesthetic to knock me out once, and I just refused to do the test and had them reschedule with the proper medication.

    So don’t worry about it.

    Ah I'm mostly worried about the pre procedure diet and stuff they give you to clear you out.

    I get hangry if I don't eat for 6 hours much less 24 full ones.

    Oh. Go litely.

    Mix it with Koolaid. But yeah, not fun.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Oh, I am back in the hospital tonight. It was an excruciating six hour ER wait, but that can happen when there are lots of sudden trauma people that jump you on the triage list.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    cabsycabsy the fattest rainbow unicorn Registered User regular
    golytely is the devil, ask if you can do miralax/gatorade instead

    you can still have clear liquid foods without red dye the day before. learn to like eating clear jellos. learn to make your own, even. and Popsicles and broth and hard candy without red dye. and buy baby wipes. but honestly as a person with maybe celiac and definitely no gallbladder, I didn't find it to be any worse than the aftermath of eating a lot of things I shouldn't. tbh probably easier because at least there wasn't the awful cramping I get when I do something really stupid. plus you get to get really high on the anesthesia and get something worthwhile to eat afterwards, which was an improvement

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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Clear gummi bears count as a clear liquid. Fun fact!

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Oh and it turns out they didn’t remove the kidney stone on Monday. And now they wanna kick me out of the ER bed I have because of how busy the waiting room is.

    The damn urologist just put a stint in and called it a fucking day without telling me the stone was still there.

    I fucking. Hate. Urologists.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    TheStigTheStig Registered User regular
    So all my siblings have precancerous colon polyps found on endoscopy and I was looking forward to golytely to see how bad it was, I've heard so much about it from my patients. Of course my insurance won't cover an endoscopy because I don't have symptoms, even though I'm high risk. Go kaiser, yay!

    I think in a year or two I'll make up some symptoms just to see what's in there.

    bnet: TheStig#1787 Steam: TheStig
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    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    ...he already had you opened up and he just left the stone in there?

    Man, fuck urologists

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    knitdan wrote: »
    ...he already had you opened up and he just left the stone in there?

    Man, fuck urologists

    He didn’t open me up, he used like, a scope or some shit while I was unconscious. At least, that’s what I THOUGHT. Because it kinda seems, based on the info I have now, all he did was put a dang stint in.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    CalicaCalica Registered User regular
    I've never had a kidney stone, but I've watched someone else suffer through it. You have my sympathy :sad:

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    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    I’ve never had one but then I also don’t really have functioning kidneys so I’m not sure if I can get them or not. For all I know my kidneys are nothing but stones. But I somehow doubt it because I think I’d be feeling some pain.

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    It’s a hassle because I have damaged nerves in that area from the overstimulation of pain brought about by the chronic epididmitis. So while I have some pain in the gut region, randomly I will have way worse pain that feels like epididimitis.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Well fuck me. Now they are saying that there is not a kidney stone at all, that it was actually removed, and they didn’t find anything abnormal so because bed space is limited I gets the boot.

    This is super frustrating.

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    cabsycabsy the fattest rainbow unicorn Registered User regular
    TheStig wrote: »
    So all my siblings have precancerous colon polyps found on endoscopy and I was looking forward to golytely to see how bad it was, I've heard so much about it from my patients. Of course my insurance won't cover an endoscopy because I don't have symptoms, even though I'm high risk. Go kaiser, yay!

    I think in a year or two I'll make up some symptoms just to see what's in there.

    it may not have been QUITE as bad if I hadn't added the flavor packet, which created some kind of nightmare hyper sweet aspartame lemon salt flavor combination. meanwhile gatorade plus miralax just tastes like gatorade with a hint of sadness

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    TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    edited July 2018
    woops kidney stones hurt like hell huh?

    I'm surprised I managed to drive to the er and didn't get into a car accident.

    Tallahasseeriel on
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    I ZimbraI Zimbra Worst song, played on ugliest guitar Registered User regular
    A cool thing to hear from an ER doc is "As near as I can tell it's either nothing or necrotizing fasciitis.

    Please think good, non-flesh-eating thoughts for my wife.

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    I ZimbraI Zimbra Worst song, played on ugliest guitar Registered User regular
    edited July 2018
    Turns out it's probably not necrotizing fasciitis, but it's also not nothing. They're doing an I&D to clean up what appears to be a contained area of infection.

    So, not the worst news.

    ETA: Surgery went fine, she'll be in the hospital on antibiotics for a couple of days.

    I Zimbra on
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    valhalla130valhalla130 13 Dark Shield Perceives the GodsRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    Janson wrote: »
    :( I’m sorry for the pain you’re both in!

    I hope the MRI doesn’t turn anything too serious up.

    Lost track of the thread.

    So yeah, the MRI confirmed that both physical therapy and steroid injections into my neck will be useless. So it will have to be surgery. Its my decision and I've been sitting on that for a couple months now.

    In addition to that, I have a new problem. In the last few years, I will occasionally get what feel like muscle cramps in those two long muscles beside my spine, only they cramp and don't uncramp.

    I went to the doc twice three weeks ago and he finally had to put trigger point injections into the muscle to loosen it up. Its still sore three weeks later and is bothering me more again today.

    Moral of the story is to stay in shape while you're young and unbroken because it gets harder the older you get.

    Right now I'm soaking in a tub of hot water after walking around the block.

    valhalla130 on
    asxcjbppb2eo.jpg
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    valhalla130valhalla130 13 Dark Shield Perceives the GodsRegistered User regular
    edited August 2018
    And to underscore how much pain these "cramps" caused, I had to use my mom's walker to go to the bedroom. Anytime I stood or sat up and stopped stretching that muscle out, it felt like I was getting a constant punch to the kidney. They ruled out kidney problems though

    valhalla130 on
    asxcjbppb2eo.jpg
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    lonelyahavalonelyahava Call me Ahava ~~She/Her~~ Move to New ZealandRegistered User regular
    Had a routine mammogram today.

    Turned decidedly not routine.

    They found a small density in the right breast. Radiologist says he's not worried about it, likely just a papilloma and nothing to stress over. But due to my family history (mom's had breast cancer twice, colon cancer once. Dad's has testicular cancer, and Paternal grandmother had breast cancer) they're going to be overly cautious.

    So I have a biopsy next friday to be on the safe side.

    Logically, i know that it's probably nothing.

    Emotionally... I'm a bit of an emotional wreck and terribly scared.

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    DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    So, like, obviously: AHHHHHHH.

    On the other hand, mammograms are meant to generate a lot of hits on things that are no big deal. Ya know that. I know my mom has similar family history as you and has at least half a dozen hits on things that ended up being nothing but damn if she didn't freak out a bit every single time.

    Really your worst case that isn't absurd hit by a meteorite level stuff is "It is the bad thing but we found it early and the Docs and modern medicine are going to help you kick it's ass."

    You got this and know we're all pulling for you Ahava.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
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    TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    I feel so much better now without the Neph tube in me.

    I'm really happy they took it out and my stone is gone.

    I'm worried though since I still have those tension headaches and they're getting worse. getting really dizzy with them today...

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    valhalla130valhalla130 13 Dark Shield Perceives the GodsRegistered User regular
    Had a routine mammogram today.

    Turned decidedly not routine.

    They found a small density in the right breast. Radiologist says he's not worried about it, likely just a papilloma and nothing to stress over. But due to my family history (mom's had breast cancer twice, colon cancer once. Dad's has testicular cancer, and Paternal grandmother had breast cancer) they're going to be overly cautious.

    So I have a biopsy next friday to be on the safe side.

    Logically, i know that it's probably nothing.

    Emotionally... I'm a bit of an emotional wreck and terribly scared.

    I'm pulling for ya that it isn't anything serious.

    asxcjbppb2eo.jpg
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    lonelyahavalonelyahava Call me Ahava ~~She/Her~~ Move to New ZealandRegistered User regular
    It's nothing serious!

    Just some sort of glandular growth/calcification type thing.

    So nothing to be worried about this time!


    Thanks for the support y'all. It meant a lot last week while I was freaking out in my own head.

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    KaplarKaplar On Google MapsRegistered User regular
    My back is doing a thing I think it did when I had a seizure last time.

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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Kaplar wrote: »
    My back is doing a thing I think it did when I had a seizure last time.

    Are your muscles all tensing up?

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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