Thursday, May 27, 2010

Viva Las Vegas!

Well, not exactly Vegas, but somewhere nearby.
I haven't posted until now because I didn't want to jinx it, but I leave tomorrow for the great state of Nevada.
One full week of desert weather!
Enjoy your Memorial Day, folks!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Results, storms, and the possibility of warmth.

So I went to the doc on Tuesday. The test results were as follows:
-Cholesterol is still high (307 total, Triglycerides 209, LDL 166, HDL 99)
-Vitamin D is still low despite 400IU/day supplementation. Upped to 800IU/day.
-Blood inflammation levels above normal but not high enough to be worrisome.
-Holter was inconclusive.
-MRI results aren't back yet (MRI was Wednesday)

So that was my Tuesday/Wednesday. Then on Wednesday night we had our first Thunderstorm of the season, and I was in a world of pain. I haven't slept more than 5 hours out of the last 36. As for the possibility of warmth, I may be going to Nevada to visit some family friends for a week or so. I love NV because it can be 105 degrees and be perfectly comfortable, because unlike the weather here, the heat there is dry. Last time I was in Nevada I felt amazing and had energy to spare. Hoping I get to go!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

It's almost like a medical miracle.

Today I took my first dose of Lyrica.
Within two hours, I started to feel...Different.
 I haven't been this mobile and at this (very low) level of pain since I was about 8!

I actually started tearing up at one point, because for the first time since I remember, I felt normal.
My hope now is that this medication continues to help me, because so far, the change in my pain and attitude towards my life has been drastic.

To those of you who have yet to find a treatment that helps, keep your head up, you never know what's around that next corner. 

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Doctors: Throwing every test they have at me, and seeing what sticks.

My day was, to say the least, eventful. Even though it was a normal visit to my primary care doc, some of the things that have been going on with me recently concerned him enough to bring in the big guns.

He agreed with the diagnosis the Mayo Clinic doctor made of Fibromyalgia. This was a diagnosis that sort of sneaked up on me. I knew it was probable, but I really didn't want to hear it confirmed. However, that's what happened. Thankfully, because of this, he agreed to switch my pain meds from Gabapentin to Lyrica, which I am excited to try.

We addressed my current new symptoms, and they could possibly have several origins. We also discussed my random occurrences of tachycardia, and I am wearing a Holter monitor for the next 24 hours. Hopefully that sheds some light on those issues.

The rest was an EKG, blood tests (cholesterol, liver enzymes, thyroid, inflammation levels, CBC, vitamin D, potassium, and anything else he wanted), making me set up an appointment for the brain MRI I've been avoiding, and x-rays for the toe I ran over with the bathroom door.

Just another day in my life.

Tomorrow I get the Holter monitor taken off. Next week I have a meeting with my doc to go over the results of all the testing, and the day after that I have my MRI. I have a feeling this summer will be interesting.

Oh, and finals and moving are next week, as well. I'm petitioning the scholastic committee to have my grades scrapped for this semester, because my GPA is so low that if they don't, I will be on academic suspension. I know I should've taken medical leave, but I was stubborn, and I'm paying for it.