Fibronews

Its been quite a while since my last update and many things have happened. I have tried several more medications for pain control, I have gone through many tests ad procedures.

I believe I left off after learning I had Hemochomatosis and all the enjoyable blood lettings that I had.Well time moves on and new things arrive, Developed a case of costochronditis, must have picked it up from Marilyn, she has had it for a week. This thing is painful, left 2 lower ribs on the side, can’t touch them..

I can’t believe how painful that was, I guess even my doctor believed it because he prescribed percoset for the pain and you all know how stingy he is with the narcotics but finally it is over.

Well the tests have come back on my pancreas and they are normal!!! Whoo Hooo!!!! that’s a load off my mind, I was really worried for the last year or so about possible cancer, they had seen lesions on my pancreas but now they don’t..Awesome.

It’s time to come off the imipramine as it is no longer working, well it was good for 6 or 7 months, no onto Cymbalta 30mg to start. Follow up in two weeks to see if I can tolerate it.

Day 6 on Cymbalta, not having any side effects, I am sleeping pretty good, up to 5-6 hours straight, no trouble getting up in the morning. Went to the golf driving range on Saturday and hit a bucket of balls, don’t sound like much, but its more than I’ve done in a while, other than the NORMAL muscle pains, no additional Fibro Stuff.

Results on Kidneys are ok, some cyst cells but nobody is worried..

June 16, 2009

2 Week check up, staying on Cymbalta 30mg for now if the insurance will pay.. Will find out later today. No side effects except mild constipation so far! Feel a lot better, Peripheral neouropathy is way down. Tingling almost nonexistent, pain levels down, motivation and ability to do things has increased. Have not been to bed with pain in two weeks.

Discovered through blood testing that my morning highs are partially due to having coffee with sugar before taking the reading “stupid” I must cut out the sugar in my coffee, maybe I will try Stevia, I don’t like the other ones..

Aug 3, 2009

Annual Checkup, Dr Tannenbaum. Things seems pretty good, sleep a bit of a problem, leg cramps! Dr. T added Quinine to the mix to relieve the cramps, Also added Chantix to help me stop smoking..
Ldl 107 total 189 Triglyiserides 257 HDL 03 % 6.2 A1C 5.8 check back in 2 weeks.

Forget the Quinine, I cant afford it and the co pay is 50 bucks, I have some warm milk before bed instead..

Sept. 9 2009

Minor Update… Have not smoked in 30 days! Have cut back Chantix to ½ mg at night only. I have been slowly tapering off the chantix. Should be all done by next week. Things all in all ok, my moods suck, I don’t want to do anything, including getting out of bed! I attribute this to the chantix on top of my other meds. It is worth it to get off the butts…….

Tuesday was a lost day, in bed, in pain. Most likely from going on every ride at 6 flags on Saturday.. Why it took until Tuesday is beyond me. Marilyn called Tannenbaum and he hooked me up with a few Vicodins, first time since May. Hell it was worth it, we had a great time and I love coasters…

October 5 2009

Well its been 2 months off the smokes and 3 weeks off Chantix, I weaned off slowly . My moods suck, and swing a lot… By late afternoon I easily get very pissed off… PAIN levels have been higher ever since stopping… Maybe the Cymbalta needs to be upped or changed. I will try to wait until my next appointment…. Also feel tired all the time, Like right now I feel like lying down, its 3:30 pm and I got up at 11 am.. Should not be tired.. Have to stop now my hands are hurting.
Figure I have saved about $1,000.00 so far by stopping smoking, If I can do it after 42 years, any one can just find a reason, mine was the cash!!!!

November 3, 2009

3 Month Follow up at Tannenbaum, stopped the Cymbalta. Putting me in a fog, no desires, no nothing. Added Savella A new Fibro med.. This one appears to be only for fibro, it is not certified for depression but it is a anti depression type drug.

Now with Savella, you start with a special package that has increasing dosages, kinda like chantix. You start off at 12.5mg and end up at 100 mg per day in 2 weeks time.

November 17th 2009

Follow up on the Savella and blood sugar. Doing Ok on Savella, pain levels are bearable, head is clear a little irritable just like I use to be… fingers and toes get cold, also get hot flashes shortly after taking it. ** Brain Zaps ** seem to be decreasing. Been 3 months off the butts!!!! Weight is still a factor, I am at 188 lbs I feel huge and hungry. Have to go back in a month, see how the Sugar is doing, Doc put me on a pill for Diabetes.. Increased testing to 3 times a day  Need to lose weight and get some exercise.

** need to mention the brain zaps and crappy feelings were cause from Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms. My doctor thought the Savella would counter act it but I guess at those low levels it couldn’t. Be aware if you are going to come off Cymbalta either do it real slow or get something strong to take in its place.

January 5, 2010

Missed a few updates… Been to Dr. T for anxiety and Irritability during the day, He has upped my Savella slowly to 200 mg a day, I seem somewhat better but not 100% still take a Klonopin on occasion. Fibro pain levels are low but there is a new pain in my right knee mostly when I bend it, not when walking. Also I ran out of pravastatin a few days ago and today my blood sugar readings where back to normal ? They did start going up after T increased the Pravastatin. I mentioned it but he felt it was unrelated, we will see.

Going up a flight of stairs tires me out, any amount of exertion wipes me out, don’t understand it, Might be the Savella, I would so like to quit all meds !!!! duh! Oh ya alcohol does not mix with Savella very well, I blacked out after 3 glasses on New Years Eve.

January 25, 2010

Well This Sucks! Dr T sent me for a Radio Active Stress Test I didn’t think I needed it and really tried to get out of it. Guess what? I failed, results suggest that I have a arterial blockage in my heart….. I am waiting for the results of the sonogram. Dr Miller the Cardiologist has scheduled a Scope of my heart for next Monday the 31st. plus he added some more meds like Nitroglycerin.

Back on Pravastatin didn’t seem to actually effect sugar levels, added another sugar med.

Things just keep getting better!
February 1 st 2010

Had Angiogram, 90% blockage of left descending artery, cannot put in a stent as there is an Aneurysm of the vessel just after the blockage, I will need a single by-pass operation all the other arteries appear fine and I have quality pictures of them… I am scared shitless !!!!! WTF I am only 56 years old at this point, I take an aspirin every day for the last 12 years, a glass of wine for the last 6 years, this should not be happening now, I quit Smoking, I stopped eating greasy yummy foods.

Thanks Dr T. if not for you insisting on the stress test I would not be here, the blockage is also called the widow maker! because out of nowhere you have a major heart attack that usually kills.. At least we adverted that. but I am still scared.

More to come in

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