Misery and Mirth

May Medical Updates

It’s been forever since I blogged I’v just been uninspired, moody…..
So what’s been going on?

May 3rd I started on quarter doses of Diamox. (250mg tablet) but even at that low dose I was experiencing all the same debilitating negative side effects; Intense back pain, muscle weakness, sluggish, achy all over, Pins and needles tingling in my feet hands, blurred vision, vertigo and Bad mouth/breath taste, so after 3 days I quit taking it.

I also started the Pancreatic Enzymes on May 3rd.They do seems to be working some. I’m still having very few “normal” bowel movements but I am having fewer diarrheas.

May 10th I was at the Saint Joseph mercy hospital in Howell for my follow up with the diabetic nutrition/health program.
The Nurse was looking over my medical files and confused. She remarked my blood test show I don’t have diabetes even though I do have lot of other problems. I said I know but maybe Dr. Nemeth thought a nutrition program would help me get my insulin lower to lose weight. Then she checked my feet which is just part of routine she has to go through, cuz diabetics often have problems with nerve loss or skin on there feet. Since I was already there she figured she do it.
Then I was sent off the dietician, this was a younger women than the one I met before. She spent maybe 5 min going over stuff with me, saying same thing, you’re not diabetic? But Oh you have way too many health problems for some one your age! If I got $10 every time someone said that to me I’ve have all my medical bills payed off LOL.
When I was leaving the older dieticians saw me in the hall and stopped to ask how I was, the younger dietician and the nurse both came over too. I told them about being on pancreatic enzymes; they wanted to see the bottle which was in my purse. It’s funny every time I’ve seen them I’m showing them something new, teaching them.

I thinks that maybe I’ve have an enzyme deficiency for a very long time. Which has gradually gotten worse over the years and maybe the diagnosis of IBS from 2000 was a misdiagnosis. But with my record I could have both.

May 10th I also visit my Neurologist since her office is in the same hospital, I gave her receptionist photos of my back after the botched Lumbar puncture, and discussed my intolerance to the Diamox.
By the 12th I had a prescription called into the pharmacy for 20 mg Lasix, another type of diuretic not as powerful or clinically useful for PseudoTumor Cerebri but usually more tolerated.

I had been on Lasix for few weeks last year and don’t recall having any notable side effects so after a week on it this time I was concerned and confused that it was making me a ill. Nowhere near as bad as the Diamox but still. So I read up on it and found out that Aspirin can interact, sometimes fatally!! So I stopped taking my daily Aspirin which I know will make my hematologist, Dr. Winegarden upset because he prescribed me to take it for his fear I might stroke or something. On 16th He told me he was sending me to another Hematologist at U of M to further to get a 2nd opinion on my Antiphospholid Antibody Syndrome (APS).But even after quitting the Aspirin I was still having side effects so I quit the Lasix for couple days and then I thought maybe a its interaction with my other prescriptions. So I began taking Lasix again but trying to take it with food and few hours after my five (5) other morning prescription. That did seem to work some. The pain, blurred vision and leg weakness got better but still gives me headaches and it’s causing me to have worse diarrhea and sexual side effects. Win some, lose some I guess.

On the 17th I saw my Rheumatologist, Dr. Dowd as usual it seem just a waste of time and money.
Same ole stuff -keep taking supplements, go on a diet using HIS food plan, come back in 6 months.