Changing Medications (Level of Trust Required)

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

10 hours ago, Don Edwards said:

And did the medics tell you something like that might happen? Did you call and ask about it?

They gave me a warning sheet that said it might happen.

[Pharaoh RutinTutin 1,586]

2 hours ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

They gave me a warning sheet that said it might happen.

One of those multi-page stacks of fine print boilerplate that includes long lists of contradictory symptoms and alien abduction as possible side effects?

[mlooney 3,417]

I was on a sleep aid at one point.  One of the warning of a side effect was "may cause drowsiness"   I hope so, that's what I'm taking it for.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

The dizziness has gone away today, but I've been dealing with a prolonged bout of joint pain and swelling in my knees - another stated side effect. If it continues into tomorrow, I'm calling the doctor's office.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

I am finally feeling the first benefits of the iron infusion. I went to my physical therapy session for my neck today, and unlike previous appointments, I felt like I had the stamina to make it through the entire appointment. For lack of a better description, I did not feel as anemic as I had been feeling recently. A definite plus.

As for the joint pain and swelling, it's mostly gone. Only a slight trace remains in my left knee, and I really can't tell it from my normal replacement knee pain. Besides, my left leg has been remarkably swollen today - bad edema - and that's probably contributing as well.

I've got a wound care appointment set for tomorrow morning to check up on my legs again, and to check on a pressure sore I have on...well, where the rump meets the leg on the left. It's an open wound now and needs attention so that it doesn't create another vector for anemia.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

Hope it goes well for you.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Wound care went well. Got some stuff to put on the site. Now, it's just a matter of getting Mrs. Prof to stop down long enough to put the stuff on me.

In other news, the feelings of well-being from the iron infusion have worn off already. I hate to say it, but I'm looking forward to the next infusion, side effects and all.

[mlooney 3,417]

7 minutes ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

I'm looking forward to the next infusion, side effects and all.

Better than dreading the procedure 

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Having a bad bout of right shoulder rotator cuff pain this morning. My usual dose of Dilaudid wasn't doing squat. Pain levels were getting up toward a 9 again. No choice - took another dose of my Dilaudid. Finally getting to where I can see straight now. Damn, this pain can get intense. I hope the surgery come December will at least knock it down a bit.

In other news, the hand/arm surgeon called me yesterday. Told me my insurance was being declined because Medicare was showing up as primary (note: I only have Medicare part A, due to my disability status). They asked me to call my insurance company to straighten this out. I did - got the insurance company to call the doctor while I was on hold. The doctor's office wouldn't believe what the insurance agent told them, since it didn't jibe with what the Blue Cross-provided computer program said. They wouldn't accept the simple fact that a Blue Cross human could overrule a Blue Cross computer program! Sigh.

In the end, the Blue Cross agent said she'd have the preapproval department work on my surgery application, and would call me back when she got a determination. Hopefully today, but more likely on Friday.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Blue Cross called right before I left for my iron infusion this morning. They told me everything had been resolved, and that the surgery had been pre-approved. I shouldn't have any further problems with my surgeon.

As for my iron infusion...well, that's a different story.

I arrived at the oncology clinic and went to check in. They told me I didn't have an appointment today, and on further review, my appointment had been moved to Tuesday, November 1st. Why? I asked. They shuffled me over to another person at another computer. She told me that I'd needed 14 days between infusions, and that today (10 days) was too soon. I asked why no one had called me. She couldn't give me a good answer. She didn't even apologize.

So, I am one pissed-off patient, with a newly verified phone number, set for an iron infusion on November 1st. They'd better not reschedule me, or there will be blood.

[ijuin 572]

Blood and iron!

[mlooney 3,417]

54 minutes ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

I asked why no one had called me.

One thing I like about all of my clinics/doctor's office is that they are very good about calling when there is a schedule change.  Even if it's several months before the appointment.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

40 minutes ago, mlooney said:

One thing I like about all of my clinics/doctor's office is that they are very good about calling when there is a schedule change.  Even if it's several months before the appointment.

This clinic, apparently, is not. I did literally give them a rather harsh warning of retaliation in the event of Fark-up next time around.  Told them I would not stand for it, nor would I sit.

[mlooney 3,417]

Do you have a choice in clinics for your iron infusions?

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

1 hour ago, mlooney said:

Do you have a choice in clinics for your iron infusions?

No. This is Texas Oncology-Mesquite we're talking about. Rather big building. My hematologist works there, the lab is there, and the infusion suites are there. It's a one-stop-shopping place. If I went to a different branch, I'd probably have to wait on labs being done by a third party, or something like that. Besides, the place is about a five-minute drive from my house, straight up the feeder road of I-30, so it's convenient as all hell. They'll have to really be much more of a screw-up shop to lose my business entirely.

[mlooney 3,417]

3 minutes ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

They'll have to really be much more of a screw-up shop to lose my business entirely.

Hopefully they don't know that.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Iron infusion went about as well as can be imagined. I'm sitting here some 6 hours afterward, watching the World Series, feeling mostly okay as long as I don't get up (and as long as McCullers doesn't keep serving up home run balls to the Phillies), at which point I get dizzy and light-headed. Got a good headache to go with it. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow's joint pain and swelling, but I'm not dreading it, either. I should be able to do my last pre-op exam at the hospital tomorrow where the surgery will take place will few problems, if any.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

Hope it goes well.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Surgery went okay yesterday. I'm typing this one-handed, right only. I'm on 2 painkillers, staggered. Adjusting to right-handed life is not going to be fun.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Follow-up on surgery yesterday (still typing right-handed). Pain management is more-or-less working. My ulnar nerve was stable, so no transposition was required. Living with a pillow under my sling since I got sent home. No concentrated areas of pain just yet, since the surgeon put in a block, but I have had a couple of twinges in my wrist when I've bumped it into something overnight. Hoping to make it through the day with few problems, although I can't guarantee what will happen if the Astros win tonight. Post-game celebrations might get out of hand if that happens.  

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

In the middle of a massive anxiety attack right now. Just took two extra lorazepam pills to get it under control. No idea what sparked it. 

[mlooney 3,417]

If anxiety attacks had predicable causes, they might not exist.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

I've finally been able to type with two hands a lot recently. Well, with 9 fingers. My pinky finger on my left hand is too atrophied to ever be able to be used for typing again.  Still, typing with more than one hand feels good after a hiatus. Much faster, too.

[mlooney 3,417]

29 minutes ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

I've finally been able to type with two hands a lot recently. Well, with 9 fingers. My pinky finger on my left hand is too atrophied to ever be able to be used for typing again.  Still, typing with more than one hand feels good after a hiatus. Much faster, too.

Better 9 fingers than one handed.

 

[Pharaoh RutinTutin 1,586]

Can one enjoy a proper cup of tea without extending the Pinkey?