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I wanted to add - since my daughter has adrenal insufficiency, when there is a stressful event in her life - an illness, a flare, a procedure and even something psychological, like a death, she will need "stress doses" of steroids because her adrenal glands will not be able to compensate.
 
I love, love, love my new GI! She is the best one I've seen yet and her office is super attentive which is awesome! I called them today to let them know that my insurance pinged the prescription for the Xifaxan and, within 1 hour, the nurse called me back and told me she had taken care of it. She also referred me to the allergist connected with the group and they called today. I have an appointment with the allergist on August 3rd at 8:30am and I'll be having the allergy testing at that appointment. I was told to stop taking anything with antihistamines or antihistamine properties so no Singulair or Pepcid for a few days. I can still use my rescue inhaler for asthma, though. I'm really interested to see the results. I've been off corn for a few days and, already, my face is clearing up quite a bit. I'm pretty sure I had hives on my face, too, so those are getting smaller. Weird...
 
Sarah, a whole month of it?! Ugh that sounds horrible! A month is a long time, but it feels like forever when you're miserable. I don't blame you for wanting to take a little break from your feeds. That's definitely understandable!

Cat, I'm so, so sorry about your dog. I definitely understand the physical consequences of grief. My symptoms first started about three weeks after my mom died. I feel like my illness was just kind of hiding before, and then after her death, it reared its ugly head and came out full force! Exactly five months after my mom died, I had to get my cat put to sleep. My mom and my cat were literally my two best friends and my favorite people (yes, animals count as people!) in the whole world. I had my cat since I was 8 years old. She was 15 1/2 when she died. I can't even describe our bond to you, but I'm sure you have something similar with your dog. There's nothing quite like that relationship. It's incredibly painful to lose a pet. I spend more time with my pets than I do with any humans. And they know more about me too! I remember sitting at the vet all alone with my dying cat in my arms. It was horrible. It was one of those times where I needed my mom, and I knew she would've been there for me if she was alive. I told everyone I'd never get another cat because it was too painful losing mine. But then my house felt SO empty without her, so about a month later, I adopted a kitten. I never thought I could love something again so much, but I did. And then, a month later, the kitten died. I was devastated. Anyway, sorry for my rambling, but I guess I just wanted to say that life is so unfair!! Your dog is only 8 years old, and you should have many more years together. By the way, your dog is so cute!! Unfortunately I don't have any words of encouragement or anything to say to make you feel better. It sucks. But I know you'll cherish your remaining time together. <3
 
Also, Cat, it's funny that you mentioned Addison's Disease, because my dad texted me the other day and suggested that maybe that's something that I have.
 
Akgirl, I totally get what you are talking about with your cat - my cat is 14 and I've been lecturing her lately that she has to stay healthy and stick around awhile longer, because I could not stand to lose her around the same time that I'm losing my dog. I don't have kids, so my hubby and pets are my family. And yes, I agree, pets do count as people - my pets are my favorite people. :) I'm so sorry that you lost not only your cat but the kitten as well. That's awful. I've thought about that too - I think I would like another dog, but not right away. I think once Lily goes, I will take at least a few months to absorb that blow, and then when I'm ready, I think I might foster a dog to ease myself back into dog ownership. I know a girl who works with a rescue organization, so I'm sure she could find me a dog to foster, when I'm ready for that. My neighbor also told me about a corgi rescue group somewhere in the state, she got her 2 corgis from there, so if I want another corgi then I might look into that too. But for now I'm focused on taking care of Lily and making sure she's comfortable and happy for whatever time she's got left. (The vet said the average survival rate after surgery is 3 months - she had her surgery 1 week ago, but the cancer has already spread to at least 1 other organ and also probably to her brain, hence the seizures she started having on Saturday, so I don't think she's going to make it to 3 months.)

As for Addison's disease, my GI had told me that it can mimic some IBD-like symptoms (diarrhea, nausea, etc) and it responds well to a low dose of pred. I had done a trial of 10 mg of pred not long after I had gotten sick, just to see how or if I responded to it, and I responded very well. So well that my GI thought we'd better at least check me for Addison's. And fortunately, it's not invasive to check for it, just a blood test, although it is longer than most blood tests. They do a blood draw to get a baseline, then they inject you with something which should make your cortisol levels rise, and then they periodically check your blood over the course of a couple of hours to see where your cortisol levels are at. If your cortisol rises, that's normal, but if it doesn't rise or if it barely rises, then it's Addison's. (I'm probably over-simplifying it but that's my understanding anyway.) It was a very easy test to do, just make sure to bring a book or tablet or something to occupy the time if you do have that test. I seem to recall that it took about 2 hours.
 
Cat, that's a great idea about fostering a dog. Ease yourself back into it. It's hard to open yourself up to loving again when your heart just got broken. But yes, for now just focus on spending time with your dog while you still can. The good news is that you can really appreciate this time together, since you know how special it is. I hope your cat lives for much, much longer!

I've seen three different GIs and not one has mentioned Addison's. No one has even suggested steroids for me. I've been telling my husband for a while now that they should just give me a low dose of steroids and see what happens. At this point, it's worth a shot. I'm actually surprised no one has even suggested it. Maybe the doctors I've seen haven't been the best.....or maybe after all this time they still don't believe me. Every doctor I see just seems to try to pawn me off on someone else. I told my husband I'm going to take matters into my own hands and find a drug dealer and get me some steroids. Obviously I'm kidding! I don't even know any drug dealers. ;) But after all the tests I've had (some ridiculous ones), you'd think the one for Addison's would've been suggested by now.
 
Cat, that is a wonderful idea! My niece fosters dogs and loves it. Of course, the first dog she fostered, she couldn't bear to part with and kept - that's called a "failed foster" ;).

I would spend all the time you have with your sweet dog and then later look into fostering. Fostering can be a lot of work (often you will get rescue dogs who have had a very hard time) but it's very rewarding.
 
Thanks guys. I actually looked more into the corgi rescue here in the midwest, and they actually do fosters as well as adoptions. It looks like their process is pretty strict, you have to fill out an application and there's a waiting list and stuff. But when I'm ready, I could at least get on the waiting list. And I think I'd be an okay applicant - it sounds like they prefer experienced corgi people with a place where the dog can run around. I have a yard but it's not fenced - but, there is a large fenced off-leash dog park about a block from my house (Lily has been there approximately one zillion times, it's her favorite place). And obviously I'm an experienced corgi person! So yeah, I'll continue making Lily happy and comfortable (I just zoomed home on my lunch break to feed her and let her go potty and pet her and check up on her - she seems to be doing okay although she had to poo like 4 times in 30 minutes). And then when Lily goes and I've grieved and I'm ready, I think I'll fill out an application to at least foster if not adopt through the corgi rescue group. I've heard of "foster fails" as well and I do like the idea of fostering first, it's like taking a potential dog on a test drive. ;)

Akgirl, my GI said that Addison's isn't a very common illness, it's fairly rare and some doctors (maybe most doctors?) haven't even heard of it. I just sort of lucked into the fact that my GI even thought of it. It is something you should probably bring up with your doctor - maybe print out some literature showing the symptoms of Addison's and how that correlates to your own symptoms. And for what it's worth, even though it was my GI's idea, I seem to recall that he wasn't able to order the blood test himself as that doesn't fall under the umbrella of GI illnesses (even though it can cause those symptoms). My primary care doc had to order the test. So check with your primary care doc.

As for steroids, I also had to ask for a trial of those. That was actually the straw that broke the camel's back. It was my first year of being ill, and I just got sicker and sicker and nobody could tell me what was wrong and the test results were coming back normal or inconclusive or negative. I was getting so scared and frustrated. I had a really horrendous night one night - I flared and that was the day that I decided to start counting how many bowel movements that I had. And I ended up being up all night going to the bathroom. I got a bit delirious around bathroom trip #30, and I lost count, but I went about 5 or 6 times after that, so I'm comfortable with saying that I had diarrhea about 35 times in a 24 hour period (that's still my record, I haven't beat it yet).

So I was exhausted and dehydrated and extremely fatigued and just plain feeling horrendous. I tried to get in to see my GI the day after that night but he was all booked up, so was my primary care doc. But the person on the phone said that another primary care doc in that same clinic had an opening, so I went to see that doctor. And he was absolutely horrible, worst doctor I've ever seen. He walked into the exam room, and without even saying hello or asking me what was going on, he announced, "You have IBS. And you look depressed. Would you like some Zoloft?" UM, seriously?! I "look" depressed? Maybe that's because I was pooping all night and didn't sleep and feel like I'm dying, I guess that would probably make anybody "look" depressed, but gah, how condescending and insulting.

That was it, when he said that, I was at my limit and something broke in my brain. I'm normally meek and shy but he turned me into someone else, someone much more assertive and confident. I put down my foot at that moment. I said very sternly, "No, I think I have IBD, and I would like to try prednisone." He hemmed and hawed and then he said he would like me to try a couple of IBS meds first, and then if they didn't work he'd be okay with me trying a short trial of a low dose of pred (5 days at 10 mg per day). I agreed to that. So I tried the IBS meds and they didn't do a thing for me. Then I tried pred, and it was like magic. I felt so great for those 5 days! I guess it's common to get "euphoria" as a side effect, especially the first time you're on pred, and I definitely got that side effect. I felt like a million bucks, I felt like bursting out into song and dance (I didn't, because I didn't think my co-workers would appreciate that, hah). And then, after the 5 days was up, my symptoms all came back with a vengeance and I felt worse than ever. I reported all of that back to my GI, and that's when he started taking me more seriously and treating me as though it is IBD - both my GI and GP agreed that pred works on inflammation, so obviously I have something inflammatory going on, and not IBS. So yeah, putting my foot down and demanding a pred trial ended up working really well for me. Obviously your experience may differ, but I think it is worth a try.
 
That day you went from a normal cat to a roaring lioness! Good for you, sometimes we need to stick up for ourselves and summon our inner super-hero. It takes courage, but it feels good to be assertive sometimes. :)
 
Cat, thank you for all the info! It's actually really, really helpful! A little euphoria from prednisone sounds amazing! I can totally picture myself dancing around! I can't even remember what it feels like to feel good, or even "normal," so I cannot tell you the excitement I'd have if I found something that made me feel like that. But I'm sure all of you understand that!

Today I've been doing a spit test to check my hormones and stuff. I'm sure everything will come back normal, because everything always does, but it's good to rule stuff out, right? But maybe not so good to waste more money.....
 
Akgirl, I hear you on the money thing. I think my finances are just always going to be a mess. I was doing okay financially for a short time. I finally got all of my medical debt paid off a couple months ago. Then about 10 days ago, I bought myself a car. I felt like I was being responsible - I used most of my savings to pay for the car (it's used, not brand new) so that I wouldn't have a car payment. I was planning on then working to replenish my savings account, but only 3 days after I bought my car, my dog got sick. We ended up spending over $3000 at the emergency vet, and that all went on the credit card because we no longer had enough in savings to cover it all. Ugh. Soo, now I'll be paying off medical debt... for my dog. It's like, same crap, different day. I'll still be paying off Lily's bills for awhile, and then maybe hopefully I can start putting money back into my savings and get some semblance of being back on my feet financially again. It sucks, though. It is good to rule stuff out, but the medical debt that comes along with it is not so good.

Yes, the euphoria was perhaps the best I've ever felt! If pred did that to me all the time (sadly, it was a short-lived thing and only happened during that initial trial), I'd probably never want to get off of the stuff. It really did suck coming off of the pred at the end of the 5 day trial, though, because then I felt worse than ever. So do take that into consideration if you ask for a pred trial.
 
Just when you start feeling good about your finances, something always has to happen. Vet bills are always ridiculous! I think they charge more because they know we love our pets and we'll pay pretty much anything for them.

That's good to know about the pred. It makes me a little nervous, but I always have anxiety when I start new medication. In this case, I'd have it while stopping it. But I still think it'd be worth trying. I just have to get up the nerve to ask for it! I still have an antidepressant sitting in my medicine cabinet, waiting for me to try. I've developed super bad anxiety (like physical symptoms of it), so my doctor prescribed me an antidepressant that's supposed to help with panic-type feelings. So of course I have anxiety about trying something for my anxiety. ;)
 
Ron, I know you are retired and on a fixed income. That has to be really challenging. I bet you have to be really frugal. I am super frugal and thrifty as well. Basically my entire wardrobe has come from thrift stores and yard sales/garage sales, or sometimes I sew my own clothes. The only clothes I buy brand new are underwear, bras, socks, and shoes - and I try to find clearance sales for those. I've only ever bought used cars, never brand new. My old car was 16 years old with over 200,000 miles on the odometer. My "new" car is a 2010 model year with 84,000 miles on the odometer, and I paid about $6000 for it which is a bargain. My house is a fixer-upper and we paid about 2/3rds of what it was appraised at - we have a 15 year mortgage and are still paying less on our monthly mortgage payments than we were when we were paying monthly rent on an apartment. So yeah, I'm a champion of thrift! Partly by choice and partly by necessity. It does feel good to find a really good bargain on something that I needed anyway, though. But yeah, I feel like all my thrifty efforts are sort of for naught when I get hit with a large expense, like doctor bills or vet bills. That is a big blow to my already tight finances.

And yeah, Akgirl, the emergency vet is even more expensive than the regular vet here, and of course Lily's two medical emergencies both happened when the regular vet wasn't open. She got sick & needed emergency surgery last week Tuesday evening and our regular vet had already closed for the day. And then last Saturday she started having seizures, and of course our regular vet isn't open on weekends, so back to the emergency vet we went. I swear they charge you a fee just for walking in the door. They were nice enough to give us price estimates up front, but it still was a major dent in our finances, and our dog is dying anyway so it just totally sucks all around. We've decided that if/when she has another medical emergency, we're likely going to put our dog down at that time. It's not fair to her to keep suffering through these things, she's dying anyway, and we can't afford much more either. My dog's well-being ranks above finances, but finances are nonetheless a consideration that we have to factor in. Ugh. Everything is just ugh right now.
 
Really quick update because I feel rubbish but changing to an elemental feed next week! I will get the delivery sometime in the week then I go in to see my dietician Thursday to do the starter regime and all that stuff as well as a general check up :)
I have also finally had a doctor listen and acknowledge my pain and have been prescribed some painkillers to try so that's a relief. I'm hoping the two things together will mean things pick up a bit soon!
 
The doctor's office called me today and I'm really irritated with my HMO. They keep denying things that the doctors prescribe! My Xifaxan is on hold because it was denied by my insurance for some crazy thing - apparently they will only let you try it if you were on an antidepressant and failed?!? It's not an antidepressant - it's an antibiotic - so I'm not sure why that would have any bearing on it! The good thing is that I have tried several antidepressants so I will be approved but it's a waiting game.

The good news is that my doctor's nurse is VERY good with communication - she called me today to follow-up and apologize that the Xifaxan has not been filled yet even though I haven't called her since Monday. :)
 
MissLeopard83 said:
The doctor's office called me today and I'm really irritated with my HMO. They keep denying things that the doctors prescribe! My Xifaxan is on hold because it was denied by my insurance for some crazy thing - apparently they will only let you try it if you were on an antidepressant and failed?!? It's not an antidepressant - it's an antibiotic - so I'm not sure why that would have any bearing on it! The good thing is that I have tried several antidepressants so I will be approved but it's a waiting game.

The good news is that my doctor's nurse is VERY good with communication - she called me today to follow-up and apologize that the Xifaxan has not been filled yet even though I haven't called her since Monday. :)
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Hope you can get it soon
 
Really quick update because I feel rubbish but changing to an elemental feed next week! I will get the delivery sometime in the week then I go in to see my dietician Thursday to do the starter regime and all that stuff as well as a general check up
I have also finally had a doctor listen and acknowledge my pain and have been prescribed some painkillers to try so that's a relief. I'm hoping the two things together will mean things pick up a bit soon!
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I'm SO glad Sarah!! Hope you start feeling better soon.
 
Thanks Cmack. She's the best dog ever and I'm just trying to make her happy and comfortable. I found a new lump on her yesterday in the right armpit area, so my guess is that the cancer has now spread to at least some of her lymph nodes (there's no lump in the left armpit area, I checked her like 10 times to make sure I wasn't imagining things). I bought her some more steak and carrots yesterday - her favorites. So she's eating really well and seems very enthusiastic about food, so I am hoping that means she's still feeling reasonably well. I know that animals will often hide their pain, so I hope she's not in pain.

For awhile I was in the crying phase, and I had no appetite and some nausea and abdominal pain. Then I entered the anger phase and my guts felt better, but I felt like I wanted to punch everybody. It was like, my dog is dying and I'm so angry about that and I want to take my anger out on the world! But since I found the new lump on Lily yesterday, I went right back to the crying and my guts are unhappy all over again. I hate every single thing about this situation. It sucks so much.
 
Thanks Ron. Please give Alex a big hug for me. Is Alex doing well these days? How old is he? I know you've said he's a yellow lab, and I believe you've said he's a service dog for your wife, right? Give him some pats and treats on behalf of me and Lily.
 
The prescription for Xifaxan was approved by my insurance yesterday and I started on the new medication. I have to take it 3 times a day for 14 days. I've noticed that, like any antibiotic, it causes fatigue. Not a fun side effect, but at least it's not extreme.

Also, I saw my new psychiatrist yesterday and I like her. She's not the best I've ever had, but she's definitely better than the last one I saw. I've seen a handful of psychiatrists and my favorite passed away from a brain tumor in 2006. He was wonderful. Anyway, she asked me many questions and recommended that I start on a second antidepressant while lowering the dose of the first. She is hoping that this will reduce my irritability and mood swings and balance out my depression/anxiety. She gave me a few choices (I've tried several antidepressants in the past and have been on Wellbutrin since 2010) so I opted to try a low dose - 10mg - of Prozac. I was given specific instructions to take 1 capsule every other day (cannot cut in half since it's a capsule) and then increase to 1 capsule daily on the second week. I'll see her in about 2 weeks to report progress. :)
 
Cat, I'm super frugal as well! I'm all about couponing and getting good deals. Sometimes I make money buying stuff! I put a lot of time and effort into saving money, so I completely understand how frustrating it is to then have to pay ridiculous amounts of money for things, such as vet visits or doctor visits. I always cry when I have to pay a bill like that. I had an appointment with my primary care doctor today. She now gives the option of doing video appointments where you don't even have to leave your house. I opted to try that out this time, since it's gotten sooo difficult for me to go anywhere because of how bad my symptoms have become. I had been emailing with her prior to the appointment, and I had asked about prednisone. She said she wanted to get an update on me and my symptoms first, and then she would consider it. At the beginning of my appointment, she told me that my insurance would not pay for a video appointment, and she asked if I wanted to proceed. I said yes (because I'm SO desperate to feel better, and all I could think about was getting something that might help with my symptoms). My appointments with her usually cost me $15. This one cost me $260. It might not sound like much, but that's a lot of money for me. I cried when I saw the charge on my credit card. And guess what? I'm not getting the pred. Somehow I ended up with yet another antidepressant. I burst into tears as soon as our appointment ended. (I've obviously cried a lot today!) It's just so frustrating! I know there's something wrong with me, and I'm so tired of everyone saying it's all in my head. Sorry for the rant, but it's been a rough day. :(

MissLeopard, keep us posted! I tried that same medication (I think) for my small intestine bacterial overgrowth. It didn't end up working for me, but I've heard many people say that they felt much better while on it. I hope it works for you! And I'm so glad you've found a good doctor. Why are they so hard to find?! Cherish this one!
 
akgirl said:
MissLeopard, keep us posted! I tried that same medication (I think) for my small intestine bacterial overgrowth. It didn't end up working for me, but I've heard many people say that they felt much better while on it. I hope it works for you! And I'm so glad you've found a good doctor. Why are they so hard to find?! Cherish this one!
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My doctor said she thought it would help take care of my bloating issues. Even though the hydrogen breath test came back normal last year for SIBO, she thinks I still have underlying bacterial issues, especially since I had severe food poisoning in April. I haven't noticed any difference from the medication yet, but the nurse said it would take a week or so and I just started on Friday. :)
 
Akgirl, that sucks all around, I'm so sorry to hear it. Can I ask what antidepressant it is? Some of them can supposedly help with chronic pain and with some bowel issues (although I'm skeptical that it's helped my issues). I'm on amitriptyline 25 mg for my migraines, and my GI also says it should be helping "calm" my guts as well, but I honestly have never noticed it having that effect. It maybe makes me a bit constipated at times, but that's about it. My guts are not "calm." Sometimes they're as far from calm as a thing can be.

On the subject of money, this might be quite morbid, but I took my dog to the vet this morning to get her staples out from her surgery 2 weeks ago, and while I was there I asked about the cost of cremation. When Lily dies (which will be soon), I want to get her cremated and I'd like to put a little bit of the ashes into a pendant so that I can wear it on hikes and walks. That way she can still come on walks with me, in a way. So yeah, I got a price quote on cremation for my dying dog. Morbid but necessary. In case anybody is curious, it sounds like the cremation cost, with her ashes being returned to me, is $140 (that doesn't include the euthanasia cost, that's just for cremation). That sounds pretty reasonable because I think human cremation is more like $1000? And I've already ordered the pendant online, that was less than $20 and should be arriving today. I'm going to clip a lock of her fur to keep, too. I always like to have a plan, I feel nervous when I don't have a plan. So even though it's kind of horrible, I'm planning for my dog's death, because I can't not plan for it. It's going to happen, it's coming soon because her cancer is aggressive, and I hate it, but I have to confront it and plan for it and deal with it. So this is my way of dealing with it. Well, that and alternately crying a lot and getting really angry.
 
MissLeopard, that makes sense! I hope it helps with your bloating. I have issues with bloating as well. Most days I could pass as a few months pregnant!

Cat, I believe she's giving me nortriptyline. I've actually tried it before for my gut issues, but I was on a really low dose, so she wants me to try getting up to a higher dose this time. I've tried several different antidepressants for my digestive issues, but none have ever helped. I feel like that's what doctors give me when they aren't sure what to do anymore. At least it might make me leave them alone for a few weeks. She did say it should help me have less frequent bowel movements, so I guess we'll see. We also agreed that I should try going off my birth control pill to see if that helps with anything. I take quite a bit of zofran sometimes, so whenever I'm on an antidepressant I worry about seratonin syndrome. Anyone else? Am I just paranoid? I'm pretty much always paranoid about medications. Ha!

I actually think it's a great idea that you're planning all that out about your dog, Cat. I am also a planner! For everything. I love the idea of putting some of her ashes in a necklace. That's so sweet! I saw online once that there's someone who does tattoos using ashes from people and animals. I thought that was really cool. It made me kind of wish that my mom had been cremated.
 
I'm somewhat paranoid/overly concerned about medications too, especially new ones. I think after what most have us have been through we have a reason to be that way. Side effects can really suck!

JMHO
 
I'm no longer paranoid about medications because there are now so many in my household that it takes a lot of my energy just to keep them all straight and make sure everybody's had their meds and at the correct dosage and time of day! I'm on pred (5.5 mg), Lialda, LDN, amitriptyline, ranitidine twice per day, esomeprazole (Nexium), claritin, and as needed I take zofran and bentyl/dicyclomine, plus I also take some supplements. My cat is also on prednisone, at a different dose than I'm on (she takes 2.5 mg) and now my dog is on phenobarbitol for the seizures, 3/4ths of a tablet every 12 hours with food, and she has a rescue med for the seizures as well which I forget the name of, and she also has tramadol for pain from after her surgery as needed. So in the mornings it can get especially confusing - I give my animals their meds and then I have some of my meds and supplements. I have to really concentrate to make sure I'm giving the right pill in the right amount to the right human or animal at the right time and pay attention to who takes which med with food and just generally that I don't miss anything or screw anything up!

Akgirl, yeah, it's neat the things they can do with cremated ashes now. They can mix ashes into glass beads to make mourning jewelry, or (I'm sure this one is quite pricey) they can press the ashes into a man-made diamond. And my dad had an old friend who was a Marvel comics editor back in the 90s, and when this friend died suddenly of a heart attack, his ashes were mixed in with comic book ink and used to print a comic book that he had written. I thought that was really neat.

I think, with the rest of Lily's ashes that I don't put in the pendant, I kind of want to spread them by my grandpa's grave. I don't think I want to do that right away, though. I want to hang onto them until the worst of the grief has passed, so that I make sure I still feel like that's the right thing to do. I know I want Lily to be near my grandpa, as they both really were fond of each other and that just feels right, but I also feel right now like I'm going to want to hold onto her for a bit, you know? I'll let her go to my grandpa's resting spot when I'm ready though.

Speaking of planning, the vet today brought up something that I hadn't thought to plan for yet. She said when her dog died, she found it helpful to stay out of the house as much as possible at first, because her house felt so empty without her dog there. And I know my house is going to feel empty without Lily, I've already experienced it a couple of times recently when Lily had to spend a few nights and days at the animal hospital (first for her surgery, and then with the seizures they wanted to keep her overnight to observe her). The house did feel very empty and sad without her. So now I'm making a list of things I can do outside of the house when she's gone. I hope my guts cooperate because I've got a lot of hiking and kayaking on the list so far. I guess if my guts don't cooperate then I'll go sit at the park near the restrooms and read a book. I'm such an introvert, I don't really want to go spend my time with people very often. I'm sure I'll see my friends & family here and there, and of course the hubby, but for the most part I think I'm going to want to just be alone because that's what I usually want to do anyway. So I'll solo hike or kayak or read a book.
 
I had the allergy testing today and, surprisingly, the food allergies came back negative. However, I have pretty bad allergies to dust mites, dogs, cats, molds, and pollens (rye grass, local trees, etc). I was told I was a good candidate for immunotherapy and decided to do it before my insurance rolls over to the new year (it's cheaper having the shots mixed now!) and I will be going once a week for injections for over 30 weeks and then they will be more spaced out over a course of 3-5 years. It's a big commitment, but I've had symptoms all my life, so I want to do it. It was amazing to see the big wheals/hives form! The dust mite one became quite big!
 
Good luck with allergy shots
Be aware most allergist won't increase allergy extract levels during pollen seasons
So you increase slowly
Stay at a level for pollen season then increase again till maintenance level is achieved
Some take 30 weeks
Some take much longer (over a year)

Good luck
 
Got my EpiPen today! I am all set for the allergy shots which has been rescheduled to Mon, 8/14, because it's a little better for my schedule. I've never gotten an EpiPen before. I'm thinking of ordering a medical bracelet in the rare case that I pass out so medics know I am carrying one. The nurse said to use it if I get tightness in the chest that is not resolved by my rescue inhaler, vomiting, swelling, hives, etc as this could indicate anaphylaxis. I'm hoping to find a medical bracelet for a low price. If anyone knows of a good company that doesn't charge a fortune, please let me know. I'd really like one in stainless steel. :)
 
MissLeopard, you could also just write your info on a card and/or put it in your phone. That's what I did. I wrote out 2 index cards with all the meds I'm on - being on LDN, if I should become unconscious, it would be very bad if they gave me any sort of opioid pain meds. So I wrote all that info on 2 cards, I put one in my wallet and one in my phone case. That way, even if my phone dies, the info will still be there with my phone. It was simple and free, and if I need to update it, I just toss the existing index cards and write out new ones.
 
We use Medic Alert - which is a service as well as a bracelet. It has all my daughter's medications as well as contact info for her doctors.

Paramedics are trained to look for a medic alert bracelet/necklace. In my daughter's case, we list Crohn's Disease, Adrenal Insufficiency, Ankylosing Spondylitis and a blood disorder she has.

She is on 18 medications or so, so it's very important that they look at her medication list before giving her anything. She could also go into adrenal crisis, so they absolutely HAVE to know that she has adrenal insufficiency.

So people carry wallet cards, but generally the safest option is a bracelet.

The bracelets themselves are not too expensive, and you can choose what to have engraved on them. The service is more expensive but it is 24 hours/7 days a week and for a medically complicated person, I think it makes a lot of sense.

I'll tag my little penguin because she has experience with epi-pens and allergies.
 
https://www.foodallergy.org/file/emergency-care-plan.pdf
Please talk to your allergist )not the nurse )
Epi pen is first line of defense (especially if you have asthma )
Waiting to see if albuterol works is something we have been told to avoid
Epi first -save the life -
Much better than waiting
The faster the reaction is treated the better the chance of survival

Epi pen must be kept at room temp
Do not store in your car

Medic alert is cheap
Has a service and stainless steel bracelets
Ds has had one since age 4
They run sales all the time and offer financial aid

Lauren's hope has more girlie bracelets
Ds could care less so his is standard medic alert


See the action plan attached
Discuss with your allergist and have them sign it

If you add ICE as the company

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.slat..._make_your_emergency_medical_information.html

Shows you how to use your phone
 
My kiddo (who is now 20 and in college!!) also has the standard stainless steel medic alert bracelet.

Funnily enough, people always think it's a real bracelet and she gets a lot of compliments :lol:.

I've told her I'll get her a nicer one once her diagnoses/diseases stop changing ;) and we stop having to change the bracelet!

It does not come off ever, because she'd probably forget to put it back on. She showers with it, swims with it etc.

The only time it comes off is for procedures in the hospital (and not all - some doctors are VERY careful to check her bracelet if they haven't made her take it off).
 
Cat, I don't know how you keep track of all those medications! Holy cow! And yes, one of the worst parts about losing my cat was how quiet and empty and lonely my house felt afterward. It's definitely a good idea to have a plan to keep yourself busy. I'm so glad you're thinking ahead. Obviously when the time comes, nothing will make it easy, but I think you having all these different plans in place will really help.

MissLeopard, it sounds like you're making a lot of progress in all kinds of areas, regarding your health! I'm so happy to hear it. :)
 
Cat I know I haven't been around here but you and Lily have been in my thoughts.

MissLeopard I'm so glad you're finally getting somewhere with your doctors and hopefully figuring out what is going on!

Yesterday I started on the elemental feed, it's got a build up programme which my dietician has me following so for the next couple of weeks I won't be getting enough calories at all but that's life hey! I have put some on since swapping to the NJ so it's not the end of the world if I lose a few pounds over the coming weeks. It's too early to tell if it's suiting me any better but hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will know how it's going :)
 
I totally thought I had posted an update earlier, but it must have not posted.

Anyway, had my upper endoscopy Wednesday, and while I'm still awaiting biopsy results, the images look like allergy/immune EoE for sure (there is longitudinal furrowing and inflammation of the esophagus) not the PPI resolving kind :( because I'm still taking 40mg of omeprazole daily. So the thought is we just "missed" the eosinophils on the 2nd upper endoscopy, and that I wasn't really helped by the PPI at all. Bummer.

I go back to GI in October, or maybe sooner if they can get me in faster, once the official results from the biopsies come back.
 
Wildmtnhoney said:
I totally thought I had posted an update earlier, but it must have not posted.

Anyway, had my upper endoscopy Wednesday, and while I'm still awaiting biopsy results, the images look like allergy/immune EoE for sure (there is longitudinal furrowing and inflammation of the esophagus) not the PPI resolving kind :( because I'm still taking 40mg of omeprazole daily. So the thought is we just "missed" the eosinophils on the 2nd upper endoscopy, and that I wasn't really helped by the PPI at all. Bummer.

I go back to GI in October, or maybe sooner if they can get me in faster, once the official results from the biopsies come back.
Click to expand...
Wish you the best.
 
Hi I've been on before but still have no definite diagnosis. It started last July with a small amount of rectal bleeding with bowel movements and some rectal mucus which varies in colour between clear and brown . My gp treated me for piles . When it wasn't going away I pestered my Dr to do stool samples and blood tests . The blood tests were fine but the stool samples showed my calprotectin levels were slightly raised so I was sent to a gastroenterologist. He ordered a sigmoidoscopy which showed mild inflammation in the 1st 10cm . 7 biopsies were taken and I was diagnosed with mild proctitis and prescribed asacol suppositories . I received a letter 3 weeks later stating my biopsies were normal . I had a follow up n April with the gastroenterologist who said I didn't have proctitis so I was to stop the suppositories. The symptoms continued off and on so I went back to my Dr armed with a photo of my piles . She agreed I had them and referred me to a colorectal specialist who I saw today . She had a look and agreed I had piles and used a proctoscope to have a look and said I had 1cm of inflammation so she's referring me for another sigmoidoscopy marked as urgent to see what's going on . She's marking it as urgent because of the length of time it's been going on and understandably I want a definite diagnosis. I'm so confused as to what's going on . Any advice would be appreciated
 
Hi Shelly,

I would consider asking about a stool softener such as Lactulose, it is OTC in Canada. I have taken it before on the advice of my surgeon and it really helped me not to pass anything hard that would cause any further damage. The last thing you want right now is to become constipated.


Regards,

Chris
 
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I was told to buy some stool softener yesterday so I will try it . I'm just confused as to how my symptoms come and go without any treatment . Surely with colitis this wouldn't happen
 
I'm not to sure about colitis Shelly as I seem to have gotten more crohn's type symptoms. All I know is when things hurt inside my rear end from fissures and hemi's,the lactulose made it so at least I wasn't in so much pain that I was afraid to use the toilet. I hope it helps you and things start getting better. Keep in touch.
 
I would be confused, too! I'm also puzzled as to why your GI felt you should stop the asacol. Were your symptoms no better while on it? Did he give you any idea what had caused the proctitis? And your recent exam showed inflammation again? If your symptoms improved while on asacol, even if the biopsies were negative (most biopsies are "negative" for crohn's patients; the biopsies don't show signs of crohn's specifically), why was there inflammation in the first place? An infection? Was he saying his previous diagnosis of proctitis was incorrect and that you never had any rectal inflammation? Sorry for the barrage of questions! I would think you could ask for a full colonoscopy not just a sigmoidoscopy so that they can see the entire colon. Let us know how you go on.
 
cmack said:
I'm not to sure about colitis Shelly as I seem to have gotten more crohn's type symptoms. All I know is when things hurt inside my rear end from fissures and hemi's,the lactulose made it so at least I wasn't in so much pain that I was afraid to use the toilet. I hope it helps you and things start getting better. Keep in touch.
Click to expand...

Thank you I 'll let you know how things go
 
Jabee said:
I would be confused, too! I'm also puzzled as to why your GI felt you should stop the asacol. Were your symptoms no better while on it? Did he give you any idea what had caused the proctitis? And your recent exam showed inflammation again? If your symptoms improved while on asacol, even if the biopsies were negative (most biopsies are "negative" for crohn's patients; the biopsies don't show signs of crohn's specifically), why was there inflammation in the first place? An infection? Was he saying his previous diagnosis of proctitis was incorrect and that you never had any rectal inflammation? Sorry for the barrage of questions! I would think you could ask for a full colonoscopy not just a sigmoidoscopy so that they can see the entire colon. Let us know how you go on.
Click to expand...
The symptoms have always been very intermittent and have only ever been slight bleeding and mucus this never changed whilst on the asacol . He said the inflammation could have been caused by the prep but that was the only explanation I was given . I 've never been checked for infection but have read it could cause proctitis symptoms so maybe that's something I need to ask . The colorectal surgeon has said the small amount of inflammation I have now could be from the constipation and hemmorhoids but I'm never given a definite answer only could be . Would I have more symptoms with crohns?
 
I went and saw my GI doctor yesterday for a f/u appointment and I am so glad that I found her. She seems to be the only doctor who really takes the time to understand my symptoms and understands how sensitive I am to certain foods and medications. The Xifaxan she put me on last time didn't do anything to improve my symptoms so we are going a different route to try to get a handle on my dyspepsia and nausea symptoms as well as my IBS-M. She gave me a sheet on low-FODMAPs and asked me to follow it strictly for 2 weeks and then slowly add things back in to see what foods bother me as the food allergy test is not 100% conclusive and I may still have allergies to foods that didn't show up - like corn. Also, she has asked me to restart my Paleo diet for weight loss as I did that before I had surgery last year and lost 20 lbs. The only thing I'm having trouble with right now is what to eat! My diet will be very restrictive for these 2 weeks and I went to the store with the low-FODMAP list in hand and had to put things back on the shelf because it contained stuff that was on the list. My favorite veggies are all high-FODMAPS (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, artichokes, asparagus) which is difficult! Thankfully, I can still have squash (zucchini, spaghetti, acorn, pumpkin and butternut are my faves, as well). I'm going to have to be creative. Rice is allowed on low-FODMAP but not Paleo as it's a grain. I also have to lower my dairy intake and only eat/drink lactose-free dairy. Fortunately, I found some cheese that is lactose-free and bought DairyPure lactose-free milk last night. I plan to buy Organic Valley's LF version though as I love their milk. I can also substitute almond/coconut/hazelnut/other nut milks in place of dairy but no soy is allowed (I think I'm allergic or intolerant to it anyway?.

So, anyway, I'm starting off slow this weekend as I just went to the store and bought groceries so I'm planning to finish those and then start as I don't want to take it back or throw it away. I'm also weaning myself off diet soft drinks (i.e. Coke Zero :( ). Those are my real weakness so I'm going to have to find a good replacement. I love green tea so I might do that. :)

If anyone has any good recipes for Paleo diets that are low-FODMAP friendly, let me know! I'm doing some shopping for good cookbooks as I will need to be creative!
 
Hey MissLeopard,

I hope you are able to make the transition to your new diet fairly easily. I found it hard to become 95% vegetarian at first. Now it seems pretty normal to me. I'm allowed to cheat 5% so I make it something good like crackers and cheese. :)

I used to be a diet pepsi or diet ginger ale fan. My doctor said the artificial sweeteners are straight up poison and that they kill our natural gut flora, besides stevia which actually comes from nature. I quit drinking that stuff and switched to Brita filtered water. I only drink water now and I find I no longer miss the other stuff. I do also have 1-2 coffee or green tea in the morning and the odd beer in the late afternoon. Other than that I don't really want anything else. Once I went for a while without soft drinks I found that I don't even want them anymore.


Best of luck to you,

Chris
 
Hi MissLeopard:

I don't drink much milk anymore because I'm fairly sensitive to it (found that while I was teaching in China and not drinking milk for over six months). I haven't been tested for "official" lactose intolerance but that doesn't matter much. But I love Organic Valley lactose-free milk too! It's the only milk that tastes like actual milk! Can you eat goat cheese or sheep's milk cheese? I can't remember whether only specific cheeses are allowed in the Paleo diet. Hope the new eating regimen helps.
 
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Thought I would pop in with a quick update, Elemental is going SO much better! I had a little bit of diarrhoea at the start but now if anything I'm edging into constipation most of the time which is I guess not perfect but frankly personally is a lot better than the diarrhoea was! Because it's been a significant drop in calories from before while we build up I have lost weight but I'm not worrying about that. It will come back. Oh and I've got my rate up to 80ml an hour which is amazing. So yeah, overall it's all going pretty good :)
 
Jabee said:
Hi MissLeopard:

I don't drink much milk anymore because I'm fairly sensitive to it (found that while I was teaching in China and not drinking milk for over six months). I haven't been tested for "official" lactose intolerance but that doesn't matter much. But I love Organic Valley lactose-free milk too! It's the only milk that tastes like actual milk! Can you eat goat cheese or sheep's milk cheese? I can't remember whether only specific cheeses are allowed in the Paleo diet. Hope the new eating regimen helps.
Click to expand...

Both goat and sheep cheese are allowed on Paleo since they are not actual dairy cheeses made from cow's milk. Both are allowed on the low-FODMAP diet since they are lactose-free, as well. Also other cheeses are allowed on low-FODMAP diets like Parmesan, Swiss, cheddar, etc. but dairy is strongly discouraged in the Paleo diet. I did the modified Paleo (aka Primal) diet before so this time around will be more restrictive. Both diets strongly encourage cooking your own food so you know exactly what goes into it and can get better results. I'm looking online for cookbooks and recipes so I can get a good idea of what to make. :)
 
I've received a copy of a letter the specialist sent to my Dr which states on examination I have a couple of small skin tags with associated mucosal prolapse and on rigid proctoscopy it looked like distal proctitis but I need the flexible sigmoidoscopy to assess this mucosa and biopsy it again . My understanding after consulting Dr Google is mucosal prolapse is rectal prolapse and distal proctitis is inflammation of the rectum going up to the sigmoid colon . Is that right As she told me the inflammation was only around 1cm
 
I have had a pretty rough week. I called out sick on Monday after not feeling well last weekend - I couldn't put my finger on why I felt so bad. This whole week, I just didn't feel well. Thursday, it got really bad - I called my mom from work because I was having horrendous pain in my pelvic area on the right. I was doubled over and crying I hurt so bad! She picked me up and I made an emergency appointment with my OB/Gyn since I thought it was a ruptured ovarian cyst like I had last year. I was so nauseous, too. The doctor said she couldn't find a mass in my pelvic area, but prescribed pain medication and told me to report to the ER if the pain gets worse or I run a high fever because it could be my appendix. Yesterday, I called off work again because I was having cramping again and a low-grade fever. I spent most of the day resting and I'm doing the same thing today. I'm having a sonogram on Monday at 11am to check for cysts or other things that could cause the pain I was experiencing. I'm really worried I may need surgery again like last year. :(

As a result of this past week, which was the same week I started class, I dropped my classes - opting to wait until next semester at least. The subject was nothing to mess around with and I don't want to risk having problems because I'm having surgery or something. I am also planning to move this November to my first apartment when it's done being built and exams interfered with the dates I'm expected to move.
 
Thanks everyone. I have gotten a lot of rest this weekend - even missed Church today - because I wasn't feeling well. I have my ultrasound tomorrow and I'm missing work for the morning and planning to go in afterward. I can't afford to miss anymore time as I have no more PTO left. Please say some prayers that I feel well enough this week to work like usual. :)
 
MissLeopard83 said:
Thanks everyone. I have gotten a lot of rest this weekend - even missed Church today - because I wasn't feeling well. I have my ultrasound tomorrow and I'm missing work for the morning and planning to go in afterward. I can't afford to miss anymore time as I have no more PTO left. Please say some prayers that I feel well enough this week to work like usual. :)
Click to expand...
Will pray.
 
I got the ultrasound yesterday and I was right - I have a ruptured/hemorrhagic ovarian cyst on my left ovary. The good news, at least for now, is that it's not bleeding. It only released serous fluid and seems to be resolving on it's own, but the doctor told me to contact the office immediately or go to the ER if the pain becomes unbearable or new symptoms develop. I'm praying it resolves completely on it's own because I do NOT want a 3rd surgery within a 12 month period! If it gets worse, they will have to perform a laparoscopic cystectomy. Last time, the doctor left my right ovary intact, so I'm hoping, if it happens, that I will not have to have an ovary removed (although I'm tired of this happening!). :(
 
Thank you both. The most surprising thing to me is that, between my visit on Thursday and my visit yesterday to the doctor, I lost 3.6 lbs! I was wearing the same type of clothing, too, and shoes. My appetite has been really poor - I don't eat a lot when I'm not feeling well. I've also been fighting off a low-grade fever the last several days which the doctor said she thinks is from a virus, but I think it's likely a result of the fluid from the cyst leaking into my peritoneum and causing inflammation. My mom suggested that I get some nutritional supplements and I went to the pharmacy and bought some ProNourish shakes so I can keep up on the low FODMAP regimen. I'm hoping that, within a few days, I'll be feeling much better.
 
This morning has not been a good morning at all. I woke up at 4:30am SOAKED in a puddle of sweat. My pajamas were soaked thru and my sheets were damp. I promptly woke up and changed and I also took my temperature which was 96.3! I couldn't believe I could sweat so much with my temperature being so low. My usual temperature is in the 97.4-97.6 range (I have hypothyroidism). After staying out of my bed for a while to let the dampness dry, I got back in bed and was freezing. I always have a blanket on my bed and even that couldn't warm me up.

Since getting into work, my cramps have continued to worsen and my left side feels inflamed. I'm thinking of calling the doctor back to tell her because I'm worried about an infection from the cyst fluid. I really want to go home but I'm afraid I might lose my job. :(
 
I ended up leaving work because I was in horrible pain and my doctor wanted to see me ASAP. After seeing her, she's put me on medical leave until further notice and I have surgery on the horizon if it doesn't resolve soon. She seems to think that a laparoscopy to remove the cyst and check for endometriosis is warranted. It sucks to be out of work, but I cannot take the pain medicine while I'm at work and Advil doesn't work by itself anymore. :(
 
MissLeopard, it sounds like you've had a horrible week! I hadn't been on to read everyone's posts in a while, so I read all your updates all at once. Whenever I'd read one, I'd be hoping the next one would say you were feeling much better, but it never did. I'm so sorry! I really hope they can get things straightened out for you. That really doesn't sound like any fun at all. And three surgeries in 12 months is ridiculous! Is there anything they can do to help prevent this in the future? Besides take out your ovaries. I hope you've been able to get some rest. <3
 
akgirl said:
MissLeopard, it sounds like you've had a horrible week! I hadn't been on to read everyone's posts in a while, so I read all your updates all at once. Whenever I'd read one, I'd be hoping the next one would say you were feeling much better, but it never did. I'm so sorry! I really hope they can get things straightened out for you. That really doesn't sound like any fun at all. And three surgeries in 12 months is ridiculous! Is there anything they can do to help prevent this in the future? Besides take out your ovaries. I hope you've been able to get some rest. <3
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, there is nothing that will prevent it 100% besides a bilateral oophorectomy. Most doctors prescribe birth control to prevent ovulation but my body is so sensitive to medications that I cannot tolerate it in any form - pills, shots, patches, etc. I am currently on Metformin, which is a diabetic medication, because it is supposed to reduce insulin resistance which in turn reduces testosterone formation and helps the ovaries release follicles normally. My cyst is a "functional" cyst which means that, because my ovary didn't release an egg at the time it was supposed to, fluid began to build up. Therefore, I don't think the Metformin is working the way it should with me. I don't know what else I can try. I am scheduled to see my endocrinologist again on Sept. 28th and I plan to ask her what I can do since she prescribed the Metformin.

I was up late last night into this morning because of pretty severe anxiety. I was very tired but my body was in overdrive and would not let me sleep. I finally fell asleep at 4:30am after experiencing cramping and I took another painkiller. This morning, I woke up and my whole left side is just really inflamed. It feels like I have a balloon on that side because there is a lot of pressure. :(
 
cmack said:
Well if all else fails I'm still here to have a chat. I'm so sorry for you to be struggling like this, I wish there was more I could do to help.
Click to expand...

It helps to know I have a community that cares just like I care about you all. ;)

I have a f/u appointment tomorrow with my gynecologist to ascertain if I do, indeed, need surgery. I'm certain I will because I struggled this whole weekend with pain issues - especially last night. I think I had either another ruptured cyst or the other one tore some more because I went to get up off my bed and had to get down on the floor because the pain over my left hip was horrible! It felt like something was ripping inside me and that's how it felt on the 24th when the first cyst ruptured. I had to take a Vicodin to get it to stop because Advil wasn't working. I could have surgery as early as this Wednesday. :(
 
cmack said:
I hope the pain goes away soon. Hang in there MissLeopard.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Unfortunately, my worst has been confirmed - I have been scheduled for outpatient surgery tomorrow afternoon. The doctor performed another ultrasound and saw that my left ovary has MANY cysts on it (I have PCOS) but could not see the hemorrhagic cyst that was there last week. Therefore, she is opting to do the same surgery I had last year - laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and D&C - to figure out the cause of my pain. She, too, seems to think I have endometriosis which is what my last surgery was supposed to diagnose. Either it was missed or not visible at that time. Since I wasn't in pain during my last surgery, I'm hoping this will provide more answers. I'm thinking, if it's not endometriosis, it could be an infection from the burst cyst. My mom wonders if I have diverticulitis because of painful bowel movements, but that can occur with endometriosis and cysts.

Please send your prayers. I am very confused and upset about surgery again but I accept that it's necessary so, while I'm reluctant, I agreed to it. At least, if there are no complications, I'll be able to go home tomorrow but I'll be out of work for 2 weeks, at least, since that's how long it took me to recover last year. :(
 
Hi MissLeopard,

I'm sending you my prayers. I wish you a successful surgery and speedy healing. I know it sucks to have surgery, maybe they can get you feeling better this time. Keep in touch.

Best of luck,

Chris
 
MissLeopard I've only just caught up on everything and I'm so sorry you have to go through surgery again. I hope all goes smoothly and will be thinking of you!
 
Thank you, everyone. It really sucks, but I might have more answers to my problems, so I'm hoping that the doctor is able to find what's going on. I'm planning to ask either this doctor (gynecologist) or my endocrinologist in the next few weeks about starting on micronized progesterone to stop these cysts from growing. I'm very sensitive to traditional hormone therapy but natural might be the way to go. I printed out an article about managing PCOS and it even has the dosage on it. :)
 
MissLeopard, I'm so sorry you have to have surgery again! But at least it will hopefully provide you with some relief from all the pain you're experiencing. I know it's hard to look on the bright side when it seems like everything is falling apart, trust me! I hope the surgery can also give you some more answers. I'm glad you've done your research and are equipped with info to give to your doctor! Please keep us updated. I'll definitely be thinking about you tomorrow.
 
I just caught up, too. I'm sorry to hear about your surgery miss leopard but I hope it helps.

Wishing everyone well. Lots of updates and it seems like there has been some good progress as well as some setbacks. I messed up and must not have checked when I was sent an email, and I just thought the thread went quiet. Oops.

My GI issues have calmed down. Not quite back to normal, but definitely tolerable. Focusing on other medical issues and trying to get back to being a more functional and healthy me.
 
MissLeopard, good luck with your surgery! I hope it answers your questions, and allows you to feel much better for a very long time.
 
I had surgery yesterday and it went fairly well. Unfortunately, my mom was not informed by the doctor about what happened because she couldn't find my mom, so I will have to wait. The nurse said nothing abnormal was found, which is good news. I have two incisions - one in my belly button and the other on my lower left side. The belly button one hurts the most! I'm taking Vicodin every 6 hours and I'm waiting for my pharmacy to fill the higher dose but they had to special order it.

I checked in yesterday for what I thought would be pre-admit testing at 8am but they ended up checking me in the whole day. I had to call my mom and ask her to get my dad to drive her down so I wouldn't have to leave my car in the parking garage. I had an anxiety attack while waiting for her to get there but the nurse was very sympathetic and I was allowed to take an Ativan. I ended up getting bumped up in line because the first case of the day did not show up in time and I was already prepped and ready to go so I went in about 1:30pm instead of 4:20pm, which was great! :)
 
Thank you! My belly button is very sore today and I look like an Oompa Loompa from the betadine. I'll be able to take a shower tomorrow and wash it off, though. I have steri-strips on the incision sites which were also covered with surgical glue (Dermabond). I've been sleeping quite a bit today. I still have the scopolamine patch on that the anesthesiologist gave me and have had no nausea since the surgery. I think it was the easiest one to date. :)
 
Thank you! I just took a shower to wash off the Betadine so I don't look like an Oompa Loompa anymore. Still waiting for pharmacy to fill my higher dose of Vicodin - they had to order it and it hasn't come in yet - so I'm still using my lower dose every 4 hours. Yesterday, I couldn't stop dozing off. I'm still wearing the scopolamine patch, too, so I'm still nausea-free. Maybe I should ask my GI doctor to prescribe some when I see her later this month. Lasts longer than Zofran, too. :)
 
Finally got the higher dose of pain medicine today after my pharmacy received their stock. I've been staying in bed most of the day today since my belly button is still very sore so it hurts to get up. It felt great to take a shower earlier. :)
 

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