Changing Medications (Level of Trust Required)

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

I've finally heard from my doctor about my echocardiogram. The aorta and left atrium of my heart are enlarged, but not to the point where they're abnormal for someone of "my size." So, for my edema problems, he's checking me for vascular/circulation issues to see what's causing my swelling. It's apparently not heart related. Got an appointment with a vascular specialty clinic on Monday.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Follow-up: my PCP wants me to go back to the heart doctor for a follow-up to the echocardiogram. I've got that scheduled on the 28th.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Just got back from the vascular doctor's office. He's not 100% sure what's causing my trouble. He thinks I've got a combination of lymphedema and venous insufficiency, with some other stuff I can't describe thrown in for good measure. He's ordered a CT scan of my legs and lower abdomen to see what's going on. I've also got home health coming out to administer some wraps and some pumps of some kind to my legs. I'll follow up with the doctor at the end of January.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

Good luck, man, sounds like things are moving forward for you.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

59 minutes ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Good luck, man, sounds like things are moving forward for you.

Not really. All I did today was get an ultrasound scan done of my legs, listen to the vascular doctor lay out some dire outlooks, and schedule a follow-up appointment, in addition to getting a couple of home health things started. Show me one of those people on my doorstep, and then I'll agree to say things are moving forward.

I'm sorry. I'm a bit medically grumpy right now.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

I am now scheduled for yet another surgery. During my time when my leg swelling bloomed up to its absolute worst, I could not walk 20 meters without my lower back hurting like all hell. I reported this to my PCP, who said I should report it to my pain management doctor. They recommended a bilateral rhizotomy to relieve the pain. That's what I'm going to have done, on the 27th of December. They'll do some magic with the nerve endings in both sides of my back to kill the pain transmissions. It won't be the first one I've had - far from it. It will be the first bilateral one I've had, though, so that'll be interesting. Wish me luck.

[mlooney 3,417]

59 minutes ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

Wish me luck.

Good luck!

[Darth Fluffy 302]

19 hours ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

Wish me luck.

Indeed, I hope it goes well; get a medical breakthrough for Christmas this year.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

Many thanks.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Prof and I are both getting new hearing aids: https://www.soundly.com/product/oticon-more-3

This will be her first pair of hearing aids. She's got a hearing loss profile that shows some loss in the low and high frequencies, with a spike of normalcy in the 2kHz range. As for me, this is my second pair. My hearing is perfect in the low frequencies, but then starts dropping off around 4kHz and becomes more profound around 8kHz. (I guess that explains my proclivity for bass lines in my music. ). It's gonna be interesting.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

I suppose bass swim in schools of music at the bottom of the lake.

Thanks for the link. I need to get a hearing aid. I think, "But that will let me hear people!", but sometimes, it's necessary.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

34 minutes ago, Darth Fluffy said:

I suppose bass swim in schools of music at the bottom of the lake.

Thanks for the link. I need to get a hearing aid. I think, "But that will let me hear people!", but sometimes, it's necessary.

You should probably look at this link as well: https://www.oticon.com/solutions/more-hearing-aids . It's got more info on Oticon's basic types of hearing aids, although not their specific types of hearing aids, frustratingly enough (hence the Soundly link earlier). Our hearing aid is a More 3r, or at least that's what the audiologist wrote on his business card. It's got the basic Oticon level of boost and resolution, plus Bluetooth and rechargeability.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

4 hours ago, ProfessorTomoe said:

You should probably look at this link as well: https://www.oticon.com/solutions/more-hearing-aids . It's got more info on Oticon's basic types of hearing aids, although not their specific types of hearing aids, frustratingly enough (hence the Soundly link earlier). Our hearing aid is a More 3r, or at least that's what the audiologist wrote on his business card. It's got the basic Oticon level of boost and resolution, plus Bluetooth and rechargeability.

I'm not sure I'd want a continuous Bluetooth signal that close to my brain. Need to research. Rechargeability is good.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

As if I didn't have enough crap to deal with...

My right hip began to hurt like hell yesterday as I was out going to physical therapy. I literally couldn't get out of the car. Mrs. Prof had to pull my right leg out for me at the therapy place, and in and out again at Harbor Freight when we bought a Christmas present.I was able to walk with it and get up from my recliner, but twisting to get out of that car? No couldn't do. Aaugh.

I don't know if it's doing any better today. I've got an appointment for a CT scan of my legs and my lower abdomen, but it's been ordered with contrast media, which I'm allergic to. The doctor ordering the scan has put in prescriptions for benadryl and steroids to fight my allergic reaction. However, if the prescriptions aren't ready in time, I'm not going to the CT scan place, therefore I won't know if my hip is doing any better.

I hate my body.

[Don Edwards 548]

The guy who owns the RV park we're in, tried to do a bit of construction surfing a couple weeks ago. He's getting surgery to install a new shoulder on the 4th.

I told him that the next time he wants to go surfing, he should find some water.

[mlooney 3,417]

I just tested positive for Covid with a home test kit.  Gonna go back to bed in a few and stay there for a while.

 

[mlooney 3,417]

[Darth Fluffy 302]

Well, crap. You've had your shots? If so, it should be just a bad long drawn out flu.

Any idea where you picked it up?

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

7 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Well, crap. You've had your shots? If so, it should be just a bad long drawn out flu.

Any idea where you picked it up?

Good questions.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

Just found out one daughter got COVID, tested positive and could not join us for Christmas Eve. She has shots, also pretty sure she got it from a guy she was sitting near on an airline who was obviously sick. Asked her to contact the airline to let the other passengers who sat near him know.

[mlooney 3,417]

On 12/24/2022 at 9:27 AM, Darth Fluffy said:

Well, crap. You've had your shots? If so, it should be just a bad long drawn out flu.

 

I've had my shots.

 

On 12/24/2022 at 9:27 AM, Darth Fluffy said:

Any idea where you picked it up?

Had to have been at the supermarket I went to Wednesday.

 

[mlooney 3,417]

I seem to be over most of my COVID symptoms other than a sore throat and an occasional cough. Hopefully I can get over this in a few days. 

[mlooney 3,417]

Even though it's only a little after 9:30 I'm going to lay back down. I'm fairly sure that I have a fever again and my chest is getting tight again. This sucks.

[ProfessorTomoe 1,308]

I just had my follow-up with the cardiologist concerning the echocardiogram. Turns out it did not rule out heart failure, or so he said. What he now suspects is something called "Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction," or HFpEF for short (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3056204/). It's a tricky little deal where, as he put it, the heart builds up fluid, but also gets stiffer. We think. Anyway, he's ordered more blood work and a nuclear chemical stress test on me for some time in the next week or so to further diagnose the situation, as well as to try and give me cardiac clearance to FINALLY get my torn right rotator cuff operated on come January 19th (yes, all of that came down today!). Until the tests, I'm on an 81mg aspirin per day regimen (baby aspirin).

[Darth Fluffy 302]

Got my third COVID booster today, Moderna bivalent. So five COVID shots, total, within about two years.

[mlooney 3,417]

Symptom free and negative test this morning.  Glad this is over.