Changing Medications (Level of Trust Required)

[CritterKeeper 1,102]

On 8/26/2019 at 3:12 PM, ProfessorTomoe said:

The podiatrist is part of an Orthopedic Specialist group, so someone there's got to do knee replacements. I've lost enough weight that I might qualify now.

Congratulations in the weight loss!  Not an easy thing to do, no matter the method.

On 9/2/2019 at 2:45 PM, Don Edwards said:

She is not going to complain about that...

 

On 9/2/2019 at 4:03 PM, The Old Hack said:

Damn straight I won't.

So tell me, Hack, do you get a little thrill seeing that "she" the same way I got a little thrill at being called "Doctor" when I got my DVM and license?  :-D

On 9/23/2019 at 1:53 PM, mlooney said:

I'm also out of spoons, as the saying goes.

I am not familiar with this saying.  Spoons?

On 9/23/2019 at 2:18 PM, ProfessorTomoe said:

I had a sliver of metal buried way up inside that wasn't visible upon earlier examinations.

It explains why my foot hurt so bad even when I wasn't putting pressure on it. Anyway, he managed to remove it, and my foot feels different already. Not 100% better yet - just strange, like a weight has been lifted from it. I'll be on Augmentin antibiotics for 2 weeks or so, and Mrs. Prof will be putting Iodosorb on it and bandaging it until she leaves on Saturday. After that, no Iodosorb and no bandages.

Prognosis is, finally, good.

Cool!  As we point out to clients, it's usually better to find something that's treatable!  We see pets with hidden foreign bodies like that sometimes; if they're a plant awn or other organic foreign body that's the same density as the surrounding tissues, instead of being metal that will show up on a radiograph, it's a real pain in the butt to find the darn things.

5 hours ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

Nothing to get furious over, my old friend. I've been inconvenienced worse. It's not like she broke both my ankles or anything.

Yeah, but I think I agree with TOH that it's time to start looking into a new dentist.  I know you may have to see this one to the end of the year because someone new would charge more to fix their mistakes than they will, but it's still time to get a second opinion on the later work, once the insurance starts paying again.

[The Old Hack 2,448]

2 hours ago, CritterKeeper said:

So tell me, Hack, do you get a little thrill seeing that "she" the same way I got a little thrill at being called "Doctor" when I got my DVM and license?  :-D

Yes. As well as a feeling of relief. And it is still there, and not getting less.

2 hours ago, CritterKeeper said:

I am not familiar with this saying.  Spoons?

It is used by depressives to describe their energy levels, coined by a woman who was attempting to explain "why she couldn't just grit her teeth and power through her depression". Imagine that your entire energy levels can be described by possessing, say, a number of spoons. On some days you have more, on some less. Everything you do -- everything -- costs spoons. Just getting out of bed costs spoons. Cleaning house costs spoons. Heading out to shop costs spoons. Talking to friends costs spoons, talking to strangers costs more. Maybe a lot more. Watching the news costs spoons and when the news are bad they cost a LOT of spoons. And when you have spent all your spoons, you. Are. Done. You can't manage anymore and everything is overwhelmingly difficult.

And on some days, you barely have the spoons to get out of bed and eat. Cleaning? Doing the dishes? Personal hygiene? Forget all about that. You're out.

That's what severe depression is like. And sometimes you can't even get out of bed.

[mlooney 3,417]

14 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

16 hours ago, CritterKeeper said:

I am not familiar with this saying.  Spoons?

It is used by depressives to describe their energy levels, coined by a woman who was attempting to explain "why she couldn't just grit her teeth and power through her depression". Imagine that your entire energy levels can be described by possessing, say, a number of spoons. On some days you have more, on some less. Everything you do -- everything -- costs spoons. Just getting out of bed costs spoons. Cleaning house costs spoons. Heading out to shop costs spoons. Talking to friends costs spoons, talking to strangers costs more. Maybe a lot more. Watching the news costs spoons and when the news are bad they cost a LOT of spoons. And when you have spent all your spoons, you. Are. Done. You can't manage anymore and everything is overwhelmingly difficult.

And on some days, you barely have the spoons to get out of bed and eat. Cleaning? Doing the dishes? Personal hygiene? Forget all about that. You're out.

That's what severe depression is like. And sometimes you can't even get out of bed.

What he said

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

1 hour ago, mlooney said:

What he said

She.

[ijuin 572]

That’s what I call “normal”—mainly because I have been depressive since before puberty and have no other frame of reference.

[mlooney 3,417]

12 hours ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

She.

Right, my bad.

 

[ChronosCat 155]

13 hours ago, ijuin said:

That’s what I call “normal”—mainly because I have been depressive since before puberty and have no other frame of reference.

More or less the same here, though unfortunately I didn't actually consciously realize I had finite energy to work with until a few years back. As a child I assumed I was just lazy or a wimp depending on the situation (which did nothing good for my self esteem), and even after being diagnosed with depression it took a long time for me to figure out the difference between "I don't want to do this" and "I don't have the energy/spoons to do this".

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Dental/Facial Nerve update:

The dentist's office called this morning prior to their opening time to check up on me. I explained that the pain is continuing, and that the gabapentin isn't helping all the time. After a consultation with the dentist proper, they scheduled me for a 2pm appointment to follow up. I agreed. Why the fark not. She did the damage - let her figure out what she did, if anything.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Well, that escalated quickly.

The dentist verified first-hand that she got her needle in a bit too close to a major nerve, causing the skin numbness and the jaw/face pain. She agreed with the gabapentin treatment.

However, I pointed out a stationary point of pain which she identified as a lymph node under my chin. She suspected infection, but saw none on the lower teeth. However, X-rays confirmed a problem with one of my upper teeth - one which another dentist had done a root canal and a crown on. Apparently, my root canal wasn't complete, and I have an abscess beneath that tooth. That's what's causing the infection and pain in the lower lymph node.

She's referred me out to a specialist to get the abscess dealt with. Depending on the situation, they'll either go through the crown and fix it, or they'll cut the crown off, fix it, and put on a new one. If the latter is the case, I'm going to be in trouble, because I'm not going to be able to afford it. I don''t have enough insurance left this year to cover it.

[The Old Hack 2,448]

50 minutes ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

If the latter is the case, I'm going to be in trouble, because I'm not going to be able to afford it. I don''t have enough insurance left this year to cover it.

Maybe we could run a gofundme here on the site to chip in. I could probably dig out fifty or a hundred bucks if I dug deep enough into my wallet.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

I'll be going in on Monday to get my root canal retreated through the crown, thankfully. No new crown needed.

Total out-of-pocket cost: $1,811.00 USD.

Could have been worse. Now we've just got to figure out which credit card to put it on.

[The Old Hack 2,448]

6 hours ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

Could have been worse. Now we've just got to figure out which credit card to put it on.

I'm very glad it isn't worse. Here's hoping you are free of pain soon.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

I'm done with the root canal. Turns out to have been less expensive than expected: just around $1570 dollars. Long story.

I asked for nitrous oxide, and I'm glad I did. I was relaxed throughout the procedure. I was a bit woozy for a while afterward, though, and I had trouble controlling my body temperature.

Neurologically, I seem to be having an issue with my upper left lip recovering from the shots. It doesn't want to do what I tell it to do. I hope that'll go away overnight.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Had my final GELSYN-3 injection into my knees today. My left knee went okay, except that it bled like a stuck pig, but my right knee? WHOOOOOO! Ohmydearlord. Man, did that one hurt. I was doubled over after that one. It hurt worse than all the previous ones combined.

Fortunately, the pain has worn off. Both knees are doing okay, although I still can't tell any immediate relief from the GELSYN-3. The real relief is supposed to kick in between weeks 4-6. We'll see what happens then.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Saw my podiatrist for the umpteenth time yesterday. My right foot has started forming a callous once more and it's painful to the touch in the same spot where the ulcer and metal splinter once were. I also reported pain in the ball of my big toe when I walk barefoot/in socks. The doctor shaved down the callous and put an order for an MRI into gear. I go in for that on Wednesday of next week. Something is causing this thing to repeatedly erupt, and damn it, we're going to get to the root of the matter.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Busy, busy week this week, medically.

• Monday: go in for a venous ablation procedure on my right leg to prevent swelling in my ankle. Hopefully. Not a pleasant procedure - they insert a catheter into your blood vessel and literally burn it to death.
• Tuesday: go in for an MRI on my right foot in an attempt to try and find out why my ulcer spot on the ball of my foot keeps flaring up.
• Wednesday: Cardiologist follow-up appointment.
• Thursday: appointment with the physician's assistant for my chronic pain management doctor, in an attempt to get a lumbar rhizotomy scheduled on my left lower back scheduled before the end of the year. My back has been hurting worse and worse - it needs help.
• Friday: Psychiatrist appointment, where I find out it's all in my head anyway.

Busy, busy week.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

11 hours ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

Monday: go in for a venous ablation procedure on my right leg to prevent swelling in my ankle. Hopefully. Not a pleasant procedure - they insert a catheter into your blood vessel and literally burn it to death.

Done. I'd forgotten that the procedure is preceded by a dozen or more injections of numbing medication. Those hurt like smeg. Plus, they missed a spot toward the end. Ow ow burnie burnie ow ow. To add insult to injury, I have to take a sponge bath tomorrow, since I can't remove the dressing prior to my MRI - hell, I can't remove it until 2pm Wednesday, which means I'm going to have to take a sponge bath prior to my 1pm cardiologist appointment on Wednesday. Crap.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

On 11/18/2019 at 9:17 AM, ProfessorTomoe said:

Tuesday: go in for an MRI on my right foot in an attempt to try and find out why my ulcer spot on the ball of my foot keeps flaring up.

Done. Uncomfortable as hell. My back doesn't like not having lumbar support for 30+ minutes.

I've gone ahead and had Mrs. Prof unwrap my leg. I've got to have a shower before I leave for the cardiologist today.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

On 11/18/2019 at 9:17 AM, ProfessorTomoe said:

Wednesday: Cardiologist follow-up appointment.

Done. Relatively clean bill of health. Blood pressure and premature ventricular contractions still under control. Would have been a great appointment if it weren't for two things:

• The doctor squeezed my right leg, looking for edema (and found my freshly unwrapped still-recovering endovenous ablation site).
• The check-out clerk argued that I had a co-pay, when I met my catastrophic deductible back in May (we had to call Blue Cross and get them to clear it up for us).

Left the office limping, dehydrated, and pissed.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

On 11/18/2019 at 9:17 AM, ProfessorTomoe said:

Thursday: appointment with the physician's assistant for my chronic pain management doctor, in an attempt to get a lumbar rhizotomy scheduled on my left lower back scheduled before the end of the year. My back has been hurting worse and worse - it needs help.

Done. Damn. Lumbar rhizotomies are only covered by insurance once every 6 months. My last one was in July, which means I'll have to wait until January to have it done. There goes my budget for January. On top of that, the doctor's office wants a new MRI of my back (my last one is years old). That'll probably happen within the next week or two, and it'll be damned uncomfortable. Fortunately, I got the doctor to call in some Xanax to relax me during the MRI, so there's at least that.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Speaking of Monday's endovenous ablation, apparently I'm still recovering from it:

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

On 11/18/2019 at 9:17 AM, ProfessorTomoe said:

Friday: Psychiatrist appointment, where I find out it's all in my head anyway.

Done, I think. At least, that's what the voices in my head tell me I did.

Now I get to go back to the Vascular specialist on Monday and have a followup ultrasound of my right leg post-procedure. I then get to schedule an appointment with my foot doctor, now that I have the MRI CD-ROM with the report. (BTW, I read it - no more metal shards. There's some other stuff there, but I need to talk to him before I say anything.)

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

BTW, the ultrasound reading came back normal, according to the nurse who ran it. I still have to have a follow-up appointment with the doctor to officially get the good news.

Today, Monday, December 2nd, a date which will live ... erm, scratch that. It's just a Monday. An extremely early Monday. I've got an 8:30 a.m. appointment with my foot doctor to go over the MRI and figure out why the hell the ball of my right foot hurts so much on occasion. I'm hoping it's something he can fix surgically so it'll go away once and for all. He's a good surgeon, otherwise I wouldn't be wishing this.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, at a much more reasonable hour, I get to meet the physician's assistant who's been injecting my knees with GELSYN-3 and tell him the injections haven't done a damned bit of good. I'm going to request arthroscopic surgery on my left knee. If my main knee doctor refuses, I'm going to ask for a second opinion. You see, I've now read the MRI report on my knees, and it turns out he left out a LOT of stuff when he explained what was going on with my left knee. Brace yourself - here comes the report:

 === cut here ===

FINDINGS:

 

LIGAMENTS:

Low-grade interstitial tear of the anterior fibers of the distal MCL. The PCL is intact. ACL and LCL complex are intact.

MENISCI AND FEMORAL-TIBIAL HYALINE CARTILAGE

Myxoid degeneration of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus. Small free edge radial tear of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. Myxoid degeneration of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. Scattered partial thickness tearing of the cartilage of the medial compartment. Few areas of suspected full-thickness fissuring with partial delamination within the lateral compartment and mild subchondral cystic change and marrow edema of the lateral femoral condyle.

PATELLOFEMORAL JOINT AND EXTENSOR MECHANISM

A diffuse full thickness chondral loss of the lateral patellar facet, trochlea, and median ridge with subchondral schlerosis and joint line osteophytes. Thickening and edema of the superior patellar fat pad which cam be seen in settling of patellar fat-pad impingement.

OSSEOUS/BONE MARROW

Tricompartmental osteophytes. Patchy marrow within the proximal tibia which may represent heterogeneous red marrow. Subchondral sclerosis and edema within the lateral femoral condyle.

GENERAL

Small joint effusion. Mild subcutaneous edema surrounding the knee.

 === stop cutting already ===

Good to know that I can still transcribe a document like that - phew! Anyway, that's just my left knee. My right knee isn't as bad. Still, I don't understand why he said my left knee showed signs of normal wear for someone my age. My right knee, maybe, but my left knee? Hardly.

I'm making back-up copies of everything I take to the doctor and having them ready for a second opinion.

[The Old Hack 2,448]

1 hour ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

I'm making back-up copies of everything I take to the doctor and having them ready for a second opinion.

Good idea. Take good care of yourself, Prof. :/

[Pharaoh RutinTutin 1,586]

1 hour ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

...ready for a second opinion

I may not be approved by your insurance provider, but I've already developed more than two opinions about the medical professionals you have been seeing...