Friday, June 8, 2012
More vomiting
Today was rough. I have been up for 24 hours straight now. I couldn't sleep last night because I kept vomiting and now I can't sleep tonight because of vomiting. I managed to have a semi productive day while working with my brothers to try and tackle Fraternity business.
While walking my friend out to her car, I vomited in the front yard and was assaulted by lady bugs. It's really unnerving to have a bug fly in your hair while you're vomiting and not being able to look and see what it is. Lady bugs are supposed to be good luck though, right?
I've been vomiting ever since. I haven't eaten anything today, other than dinner my brother brought over. So, there's not much to purge but I keep throwing up stomach acid. My stomach is swollen and painful. Also, I keep whacking my bad knee on the toilet when I'm sick.
I have a sharp, burning pain at the top of my stomach. It feels like the pins and needles nerve pain that I have in my knee plus burning. That's the best way I can describe it. I'm wondering if seeing a neurologist might be helpful? I have nerve damage in my knee and now my stomach. I'm scared that it might be a nerve related autoimmune disease or worse. I hope it's just coincidence.
I ate one small meal today. That was all I could eat. I would be happy if I could just turn a valve to cut my stomach off so that I could sleep. I haven't had a good night's rest in a while. I'm sitting upstairs watching TV so that I don't wake my husband up.
I just feel exhausted and miserable. There has to be something the doctor can do so that I can sleep. I really need rest but I can't lay on my sides like I normally do. My stomach pains intensify when I do that (I sleep in a fetal position). At least I have a bucket beside the bed in case I don't make it in time.
Please, let me make it in time. Please?
While walking my friend out to her car, I vomited in the front yard and was assaulted by lady bugs. It's really unnerving to have a bug fly in your hair while you're vomiting and not being able to look and see what it is. Lady bugs are supposed to be good luck though, right?
I've been vomiting ever since. I haven't eaten anything today, other than dinner my brother brought over. So, there's not much to purge but I keep throwing up stomach acid. My stomach is swollen and painful. Also, I keep whacking my bad knee on the toilet when I'm sick.
I have a sharp, burning pain at the top of my stomach. It feels like the pins and needles nerve pain that I have in my knee plus burning. That's the best way I can describe it. I'm wondering if seeing a neurologist might be helpful? I have nerve damage in my knee and now my stomach. I'm scared that it might be a nerve related autoimmune disease or worse. I hope it's just coincidence.
I ate one small meal today. That was all I could eat. I would be happy if I could just turn a valve to cut my stomach off so that I could sleep. I haven't had a good night's rest in a while. I'm sitting upstairs watching TV so that I don't wake my husband up.
I just feel exhausted and miserable. There has to be something the doctor can do so that I can sleep. I really need rest but I can't lay on my sides like I normally do. My stomach pains intensify when I do that (I sleep in a fetal position). At least I have a bucket beside the bed in case I don't make it in time.
Please, let me make it in time. Please?
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Pain Management?
From March until Today
I was diagnosed with gastroparesis at the end of March. I hope this blog will help me keep track of everything and help me to feel better. Now, for some background.
I was hospitalized from March 28, 2012 until April 5, 2012. The doctors preformed a gastric emptying test, after preforming several blood tests, a cat scan (with dye and a barium swallow), and an MRI. All of the other tests came back normal except for elevated lipase levels and an ovarian cyst. The doctors determined that I had liver stones, which would explain the lipase levels.
My symptoms came out of nowhere. I couldn't keep food down, not even water. I was so sick and dehydrated that they admitted me to the hospital right away. I had a pretty good hospital experience until the night before I was released. I should explain.
I am a very hard stick and I have no veins left. I am usually a pretty good sport as I'm not scared of needles in any way but keep in mind that I've had a right elbow surgery, a left and right knee surgery, my appendix out, and my gallbladder out. I've also had several nerve blocks for my knee. So, with all of these surgeries comes lots of scar tissue. I don't have a lot in the way of veins anymore. When the nurse came in to change my infiltrated IV, she had to use a sonogram machine to find another vein. Then, she hit a nerve while trying to find a vein for my IV. I screamed. I've never screamed so loudly. I sobbed for hours. That had to be the worst shooting pain I've ever experienced. Remember that I had been in the hospital for a week before this, so I was bruised and sore everywhere. This event just exacerbated that. As it turns out, I found out later, I didn't even need the IV anymore. She was poking me based on the charge nurse's instructions. The charge nurse was later reprimanded by my very angry doctor. My blood pressure went down from 154/112 to 120/82 with fluids and medication. I always have high blood pressure when I'm in a lot of pain.
I was hospitalized again, overnight, on May 25th to May 26th. I received more fluids, pain and anti nausea medicine. My blood pressure was 150/111, and was still high when I left.
Well, yesterday I had my first colonoscopy. The doctor wanted to make sure that everything was normal and that I didn't have any other issues hiding like Crohn's Disease. Everything turned out to be normal. However, the anesthesia caused me to sleep all day. My blood pressure was high again but back down to 120/80 after I received fluids and medication.
One of my biggest problems is not being able to keep anything down, not even water. I can't keep my medicine down or food. I feel like I'm being conditioned not to eat because every time I do, it burns in my stomach horribly and then it feels like I've been sucker punched in the stomach. The pain is so intense and then I start throwing up. I HATE throwing up. I try not to, but this is persistent. Also, it's usually stomach acid, which irritates and burns my throat. Even the smell of food triggers it. I'm not sure what to do about it. I've been on a gluten free diet for a few months and that does help, but not enough. I eat bland, easy to digest foods. Lately, I've been on a liquids only diet because it's the only thing I can stomach. When I do manage to digest and keep down food, it stays in my stomach up to five days.
The doctor I'm seeing now is making me see a motility specialist. I'm scared that I may need a severe treatment like the pacemaker or a gastric bypass and worst case - a feeding tube. None of the "solutions" to this problem are really solutions. They are so life changing that I want to make sure before I attempt any of them. However, I am getting quite desperate. I miss food. I love cooking, it relaxes me and I can't even do that anymore. I can't play my favorite zombie games either, because I'll get motion sick. I haven't been able to leave my house (bathroom) to even go on a short car ride to the pharmacy. I feel like I'm on house arrest, almost. The antinausea meds, I'm taking phenergan AND zofran, aren't really helping. I'm on Levsin now, too. The doctor didn't want me to take Reglan because of all of the side effects.
I'm mainly just stressed out because I don't know what the future will hold for me. I feel like I've had so many tests and they always come out normal even though I know what's going on with me is far from normal. I have lost about 15 pounds and counting. My stomach is swollen and I'm consistently and constantly in pain. The pain gets overlooked by my doctors because the pain medicine they could give me would slow down digestion more and the nausea is a problem that needs to be controlled first. I hope this medicine helps.
I was hospitalized from March 28, 2012 until April 5, 2012. The doctors preformed a gastric emptying test, after preforming several blood tests, a cat scan (with dye and a barium swallow), and an MRI. All of the other tests came back normal except for elevated lipase levels and an ovarian cyst. The doctors determined that I had liver stones, which would explain the lipase levels.
My symptoms came out of nowhere. I couldn't keep food down, not even water. I was so sick and dehydrated that they admitted me to the hospital right away. I had a pretty good hospital experience until the night before I was released. I should explain.
I am a very hard stick and I have no veins left. I am usually a pretty good sport as I'm not scared of needles in any way but keep in mind that I've had a right elbow surgery, a left and right knee surgery, my appendix out, and my gallbladder out. I've also had several nerve blocks for my knee. So, with all of these surgeries comes lots of scar tissue. I don't have a lot in the way of veins anymore. When the nurse came in to change my infiltrated IV, she had to use a sonogram machine to find another vein. Then, she hit a nerve while trying to find a vein for my IV. I screamed. I've never screamed so loudly. I sobbed for hours. That had to be the worst shooting pain I've ever experienced. Remember that I had been in the hospital for a week before this, so I was bruised and sore everywhere. This event just exacerbated that. As it turns out, I found out later, I didn't even need the IV anymore. She was poking me based on the charge nurse's instructions. The charge nurse was later reprimanded by my very angry doctor. My blood pressure went down from 154/112 to 120/82 with fluids and medication. I always have high blood pressure when I'm in a lot of pain.
I was hospitalized again, overnight, on May 25th to May 26th. I received more fluids, pain and anti nausea medicine. My blood pressure was 150/111, and was still high when I left.
Well, yesterday I had my first colonoscopy. The doctor wanted to make sure that everything was normal and that I didn't have any other issues hiding like Crohn's Disease. Everything turned out to be normal. However, the anesthesia caused me to sleep all day. My blood pressure was high again but back down to 120/80 after I received fluids and medication.
One of my biggest problems is not being able to keep anything down, not even water. I can't keep my medicine down or food. I feel like I'm being conditioned not to eat because every time I do, it burns in my stomach horribly and then it feels like I've been sucker punched in the stomach. The pain is so intense and then I start throwing up. I HATE throwing up. I try not to, but this is persistent. Also, it's usually stomach acid, which irritates and burns my throat. Even the smell of food triggers it. I'm not sure what to do about it. I've been on a gluten free diet for a few months and that does help, but not enough. I eat bland, easy to digest foods. Lately, I've been on a liquids only diet because it's the only thing I can stomach. When I do manage to digest and keep down food, it stays in my stomach up to five days.
The doctor I'm seeing now is making me see a motility specialist. I'm scared that I may need a severe treatment like the pacemaker or a gastric bypass and worst case - a feeding tube. None of the "solutions" to this problem are really solutions. They are so life changing that I want to make sure before I attempt any of them. However, I am getting quite desperate. I miss food. I love cooking, it relaxes me and I can't even do that anymore. I can't play my favorite zombie games either, because I'll get motion sick. I haven't been able to leave my house (bathroom) to even go on a short car ride to the pharmacy. I feel like I'm on house arrest, almost. The antinausea meds, I'm taking phenergan AND zofran, aren't really helping. I'm on Levsin now, too. The doctor didn't want me to take Reglan because of all of the side effects.
I'm mainly just stressed out because I don't know what the future will hold for me. I feel like I've had so many tests and they always come out normal even though I know what's going on with me is far from normal. I have lost about 15 pounds and counting. My stomach is swollen and I'm consistently and constantly in pain. The pain gets overlooked by my doctors because the pain medicine they could give me would slow down digestion more and the nausea is a problem that needs to be controlled first. I hope this medicine helps.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Surgeon Said I had Osteoarthritis
"SURGERY
Severe cases of osteoarthritis might need surgery to replace or repair damaged joints. Surgical options include:
* Arthroscopic surgery to trim torn and damaged cartilage
* Changing the alignment of a bone to relieve stress on the bone or joint (osteotomy)
* Surgical fusion of bones, usually in the spine (arthrodesis)
* Total or partial replacement of the damaged joint with an artificial joint (knee arthroplasty, hip arthroplasty)"
Severe cases of osteoarthritis might need surgery to replace or repair damaged joints. Surgical options include:
* Arthroscopic surgery to trim torn and damaged cartilage
* Changing the alignment of a bone to relieve stress on the bone or joint (osteotomy)
* Surgical fusion of bones, usually in the spine (arthrodesis)
* Total or partial replacement of the damaged joint with an artificial joint (knee arthroplasty, hip arthroplasty)"
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Surgeon Visit Summary From Today
It's just SO FRUSTRATING! The Physical Therapist said that he could not physically straighten my knee...that there is something blocking the joint; a bone chip, torn cartilage, or scar tissue. He said I have the worst knee he's ever seen. For me to dislocate my right knee cap three times in a year is unusual...he thinks there's something else going on. Symptoms include:
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Update
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-loCcuu6mRQ&feature=related
I have had that song stuck in my head for the past few days. I decided to blog about my lung infection - which is something that I have been dealing with chronically for the past six months. No one knows what it is and antibiotics make it worse. Last week, I went in for a bronchoscopy, which is a procedure that I have never had done before. The doctor found "goop" in my lungs as well as irritation in my lungs and nose. He took samples of my lung tissue and of the goop. I find out the results tomorrow. I can't say that I'm not a little terrified. I keep wondering if it is something horrible that can't be cured. It feels like I have pneumonia. It's really hard to breathe, there is a lot of pressure on my chest, and I keep coughing. I hope for the best.
I have had that song stuck in my head for the past few days. I decided to blog about my lung infection - which is something that I have been dealing with chronically for the past six months. No one knows what it is and antibiotics make it worse. Last week, I went in for a bronchoscopy, which is a procedure that I have never had done before. The doctor found "goop" in my lungs as well as irritation in my lungs and nose. He took samples of my lung tissue and of the goop. I find out the results tomorrow. I can't say that I'm not a little terrified. I keep wondering if it is something horrible that can't be cured. It feels like I have pneumonia. It's really hard to breathe, there is a lot of pressure on my chest, and I keep coughing. I hope for the best.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Field Camp Days 1 & 2
So, I made it to Montana after 34 hours of sitting in the car. We took a detour to Chicago, since we had never been. I got to see Lake Michigan and eat Chicago deep dish pizza. It was pretty nice. We walked around Lake Michigan to a man made beach and watched seagulls for a while. Then, we headed for Mount Rushmore. We ended up going through Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Minnesota, and then Montana (not exactly in that order) which was nice because I have never seen most of the states just listed. We saw Mount Rushmore, which wasn't really as impressive as I thought it was going to be. It was a lot smaller than I imagined. Also, we saw the Crazy Horse Memorial that they are still working on. It was pretty big.
After we got to Montana, we checked into the dorms. Yesterday was the first day of field camp. I actually was able to keep up with the group but lacked my knee brace. :( I paid for that today. I saw four rattlesnakes yesterday and two eagles. I also saw deer and antelope. There are a lot of critters out here. I don't know how I feel about the mapping portion yet. My lines are off and we have to make a cross section that's due Monday. I'm not sure mine is going to be correct. I'm a bit nervous about it but my classmates have been really helpful and we've had study sessions to go over what we've done so far. I'd say that we've hiked about 10 or so miles so far but that has been over anticlines and synclines...so very steep hills. One was almost the size of a mountain. It's wearing on me but I think I'll be better for it in the long run. My hiking poles are definitely proving to be really useful! They saved me from falling on my butt so many times today.
Today, I saw two snakes. One was a pretty big rattlesnake that almost struck at a classmate of mine. He didn't rattle at first and he was hiding under a rock that my classmate walked over. Thankfully, my classmate wasn't injured and was able to move quickly away from the snake. It was a bit scary. The second snake was in brush and rattled to let us know...so there were no issues.
We've seen Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary rock so far. There's been an abundance of sandstone, shale, limestone, conglomerate, and volcanic tuff. It's been amazing to see the different rock types. Limestone has been really soft and easy to identify...even without acid. It's a grayish color that can be scratched easily with a rock hammer. I need to find a way to take pictures so that I can show everyone when I get home. The anticline is really big and really interesting. It folded into a syncline, which I had also never seen in person before.
After we got to Montana, we checked into the dorms. Yesterday was the first day of field camp. I actually was able to keep up with the group but lacked my knee brace. :( I paid for that today. I saw four rattlesnakes yesterday and two eagles. I also saw deer and antelope. There are a lot of critters out here. I don't know how I feel about the mapping portion yet. My lines are off and we have to make a cross section that's due Monday. I'm not sure mine is going to be correct. I'm a bit nervous about it but my classmates have been really helpful and we've had study sessions to go over what we've done so far. I'd say that we've hiked about 10 or so miles so far but that has been over anticlines and synclines...so very steep hills. One was almost the size of a mountain. It's wearing on me but I think I'll be better for it in the long run. My hiking poles are definitely proving to be really useful! They saved me from falling on my butt so many times today.
Today, I saw two snakes. One was a pretty big rattlesnake that almost struck at a classmate of mine. He didn't rattle at first and he was hiding under a rock that my classmate walked over. Thankfully, my classmate wasn't injured and was able to move quickly away from the snake. It was a bit scary. The second snake was in brush and rattled to let us know...so there were no issues.
We've seen Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary rock so far. There's been an abundance of sandstone, shale, limestone, conglomerate, and volcanic tuff. It's been amazing to see the different rock types. Limestone has been really soft and easy to identify...even without acid. It's a grayish color that can be scratched easily with a rock hammer. I need to find a way to take pictures so that I can show everyone when I get home. The anticline is really big and really interesting. It folded into a syncline, which I had also never seen in person before.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
The orthopedic doctor did an MRI and didn't see anything major. The doctor said I dislocated my knee cap again and tore some cartilage. However, the I did fail the physical exam when I was tested for a meniscus tear. I did some research and found that meniscus tears can be missed by an MRI. The doctor then sent me to an orthopedic surgeon, because he said that MRI's don't always catch EVERYTHING. The surgeon then proceeded to call me, "kiddo" throughout the appointment and was very condescending and rude. He wouldn't listen to me at all and told me that if I wanted to get a second opinion, it would be useless because he was right. He didn't fix me, he said I didn't need surgery. He injected me with cortisone again...specifically not asking first nor telling me what he was going to do. He was extremely condescending and rude. He told me not to seek a second opinion because I would get another doctor cutting into my knee when I didn't need it. He just really pissed me off.
The cortisone made it worse. >.< class="text_exposed_show">knee surgery because that could possibly make it worse but THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG and it's not in my head. I am pretty sure I have a tear and my doctor is too - that's why he sent me to a surgeon. The guy didn't even order more tests...he just referred to a MRI taken in June.
Also, this is the third time I've dislocated my knee and this feels DRASTICALLY different from the other two times. I have kept it elevated, iced, and rested as much as possible. When this happened before, I could put weight on it and get around with a brace. It never hurt to the point where I wanted to vomit. The doctor did give me a cortisone injection two weeks ago...and it helped the pain some but now it's back with a vengeance. I am currently using a brace for a torn ACL (it has a hinge to keep from straightening my leg) and crutches to get around. The brace only helps when I try and crutch around. I keep my leg elevated at work too. Nothing seems to be helping. The pain medicine takes the edge off a little but I'm still in *a lot* of pain with the pain medicine. I'm not fishing for drugs - I WANT THE PROBLEM FIXED.
I just don't want to do physical therapy for four weeks if it's not going to improve my leg but make it worse. Tuesday made it SO much worse. My leg is so swollen, almost to the size of a watermelon. This is the second doctor I've been to and Emory is supposed to be great. I really want to take fall classes, so if I have to have surgery - I would rather just schedule it and do it as to not miss class.. I just don't know what to do anymore. I can't eat, I'm having trouble sleeping, and I can't get comfy at work. It's just so frustrating.
Enclosed is the link I found about tears:
http://www.yorkshirekneeclinic.co.uk/cartilage-tear.htm