Octopus Overlords

Looks like next year will bring a visit to the podiatrist if things continue as they are now.

My fundament continues to hurt. It's been a few months now and not getting better, but not getting worse either. I don't want to let a team of butt doctors puzzle over my butt, so this is just going to be the new normal.

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 2:31 am My fundament continues to hurt. It's been a few months now and not getting better, but not getting worse either. I don't want to let a team of butt doctors puzzle over my butt, so this is just going to be the new normal.

You've earned the right to make a team of doctors puzzle over your butt. Don't waste that opportunity.

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 4:37 pm So a couple of weeks back I decided I had something to prove and did double my normal bicycle route, meaning 20 miles.

I guess I wasn't up for it, because I seem to have wounded the IT band (a long connective tissue "stabilizer") in my right leg.

I thought it would work itself out, but after two weeks I can still barely put weight on that leg after sleeping or even sitting for any real length of time. I always have to limp painfully around for five minutes and do a few stretches before I can walk normally again, but the pain comes back the next time I'm immobile for a while.

I'm stepping up my stretching techniques, but I wonder if anyone has experience with this. Will I eventually be able to stretch it away, or do I need to consult an orthopedist?

I've been limping along for *months* since this issue first developed.

I did see an orthopedist in September, and he confirmed that the problem was the IT band. He gave me a bunch of stretches to do (which I didn't do faithfully enough) and recommended that I consult a physical therapist if the pain didn't go away on its own.

Since then, I experienced a gradual healing of the IT band but a gradual weakening of my right leg. The original pain made me favor the left entirely, and as the band has healed I've made my left leg do all the work of walking and climbing stairs. I'm now at the point where the IT band is fine but the muscle is too weak relative to the other leg.

I had my first physical therapy session today (after waiting far too long). The therapist confirmed that it's all about strengthening my thigh now. Hopefully this won't take too long--I've always had strong legs. I wish I'd acted sooner, but there is hope that someday I'll be able to bike again.

Lately I've been sucking down a fistfull of ibuprofen daily. Arthritic elbow, shoulders and fingers have been severely hampering physical activity.

Jeff V wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:12 pm Lately I've been sucking down a fistfull of ibuprofen daily. Arthritic elbow, shoulders and fingers have been severely hampering physical activity.

Ibuprofen and alcohol don't play nice together. They each irritate the stomach lining and can lead to ulcers and bleeding, as well as kidney damage. If you're drinking beer regularly, be judicious with the ibu, and vice versa. More info

I’ve had issues with my left elbow. Turns out a combination of sitting at my desk with my elbow on the hard surface for hours, combined with resting it on the side of my car door while driving is to blame. Trying to figure out a way to alleviate both issues.

In addition, I think I’ve finally figured out the source of my wrist pain too. Bench pressing with your wrists somewhat limp puts a lot of strain on the joints. Stiffening my arm has helped. Now I don’t scream like a howler monkey at the gym unless someone tries to take my ash tray away.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 12:05 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 2:31 am My fundament continues to hurt. It's been a few months now and not getting better, but not getting worse either. I don't want to let a team of butt doctors puzzle over my butt, so this is just going to be the new normal.

You've earned the right to make a team of doctors puzzle over your butt. Don't waste that opportunity.

It's not my butt, exactly. I have pain in a triangle from my right nut to my bunghole to my right hip, and I can't localize it. Hemorrhoids are probably contributing, but not defining it.

The discomfort has slowed me down from 16 minutes to as much as 17.5 minutes per mile, but I'm still walking 12-16 miles a week, weather permitting. As long as I can still do that, my fundament is fundamentally OK. I'll alert the medical establishment if it starts to interfere with my ability to walk. The truth is that I hate the medical/insurance complex and will always avoid doctors until I can't anymore.

If it's still bothering me when I have my next physical in May, I'll mention it then.

hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:21 pm I’ve had issues with my left elbow. Turns out a combination of sitting at my desk with my elbow on the hard surface for hours, combined with resting it on the side of my car door while driving is to blame. Trying to figure out a way to alleviate both issues.

Drive on the other side of the road, obviously.

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 11:08 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:21 pm I’ve had issues with my left elbow. Turns out a combination of sitting at my desk with my elbow on the hard surface for hours, combined with resting it on the side of my car door while driving is to blame. Trying to figure out a way to alleviate both issues.

Drive on the other side of the road, obviously.

Actually, drive on the other side of the car. Just reach over

Well, after my not so good PSA test, I went to the urologist who took blood and urine and sent the samples away for tests. Silly doctor, he sent them to the lab I use so I got the results myself this morning along with explanatory information about what the results mean at the same time as the doc (I assume). So taking the numbers and plugging them into a provided table, it says that I have a twenty percent chance of having prostate cancer . Or, as I would like to think of it, an eighty percent chance of not having cancer.

When I got the results this morning my wife convinced me to call the doctor's office since, as she assured me, the doctor gets the results much earlier than I would . I thought that was bogus advice, but being a good husband I called their office and got an assistant who, in a somewhat less than pleasant tone, told me that the doctor would call me when he reviewed the results. So much for my wife's assurances . And no call from the doctor's office the rest of the day. So now I'm thinking that maybe the assistant is pissed and has somehow manipulated the doctor into waiting to call me so I can stew in my own juices. My wife says that's nuts, but then, her track record is a bit spotty right now. And so I wait to find out if I need to get even more anxious than I am now

Take matters into your own hands...so to speak. First you'll need a particular episode of Deadwood. Now that one deals with kidney stones but you're looking at the same tools in the same general area......next,..well next you're gonna want to be unconscious for the next part so you're gonna need a doctor or a good friend..

Actually my dad had them use a needle to insert like 100 radioactive pellets into his....didn't sound like a party Id ever find myself intentionally at but he said it worked for him.

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 11:59 pm
Well, after my not so good PSA test,

I hope this works out for you. in most cases, having prostate cancer doesn't end up being your cause of death; but then sometimes it does. A friend of mine (and friend of OO, having attended an Octocon) died from it at age 56. Coincidentally, during the time he was fighting it, I read a book on statistics that said outcomes were actually worse getting treatment than not....but that did not involve aggressive forms of the disease like my friend had.

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 9:44 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 4:37 pm So a couple of weeks back I decided I had something to prove and did double my normal bicycle route, meaning 20 miles.

I guess I wasn't up for it, because I seem to have wounded the IT band (a long connective tissue "stabilizer") in my right leg.

I thought it would work itself out, but after two weeks I can still barely put weight on that leg after sleeping or even sitting for any real length of time. I always have to limp painfully around for five minutes and do a few stretches before I can walk normally again, but the pain comes back the next time I'm immobile for a while.

I'm stepping up my stretching techniques, but I wonder if anyone has experience with this. Will I eventually be able to stretch it away, or do I need to consult an orthopedist?

I've been limping along for *months* since this issue first developed.

I did see an orthopedist in September, and he confirmed that the problem was the IT band. He gave me a bunch of stretches to do (which I didn't do faithfully enough) and recommended that I consult a physical therapist if the pain didn't go away on its own.

Since then, I experienced a gradual healing of the IT band but a gradual weakening of my right leg. The original pain made me favor the left entirely, and as the band has healed I've made my left leg do all the work of walking and climbing stairs. I'm now at the point where the IT band is fine but the muscle is too weak relative to the other leg.

I had my first physical therapy session today (after waiting far too long). The therapist confirmed that it's all about strengthening my thigh now. Hopefully this won't take too long--I've always had strong legs. I wish I'd acted sooner, but there is hope that someday I'll be able to bike again.

This sounds exactly like what happened to my right leg early this year. My google skills said it was likely my IT band. I did not goto the doctor for it. I jog regularly and I thought it would work itself out but it only got worse. I could barely put weight on it each morning. It made running no fun. I tried taking a month off, but it came back pretty quickly. A medical site recommended to take 12 weeks off, so I did. I restarted jogging on Oct 31st. I took it very slowly working my way back to normal. No issues at all so far. Hope you recover.

Torfish wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 8:21 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 9:44 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 4:37 pm So a couple of weeks back I decided I had something to prove and did double my normal bicycle route, meaning 20 miles.

I guess I wasn't up for it, because I seem to have wounded the IT band (a long connective tissue "stabilizer") in my right leg.

I thought it would work itself out, but after two weeks I can still barely put weight on that leg after sleeping or even sitting for any real length of time. I always have to limp painfully around for five minutes and do a few stretches before I can walk normally again, but the pain comes back the next time I'm immobile for a while.

I'm stepping up my stretching techniques, but I wonder if anyone has experience with this. Will I eventually be able to stretch it away, or do I need to consult an orthopedist?

I've been limping along for *months* since this issue first developed.

I did see an orthopedist in September, and he confirmed that the problem was the IT band. He gave me a bunch of stretches to do (which I didn't do faithfully enough) and recommended that I consult a physical therapist if the pain didn't go away on its own.

Since then, I experienced a gradual healing of the IT band but a gradual weakening of my right leg. The original pain made me favor the left entirely, and as the band has healed I've made my left leg do all the work of walking and climbing stairs. I'm now at the point where the IT band is fine but the muscle is too weak relative to the other leg.

I had my first physical therapy session today (after waiting far too long). The therapist confirmed that it's all about strengthening my thigh now. Hopefully this won't take too long--I've always had strong legs. I wish I'd acted sooner, but there is hope that someday I'll be able to bike again.

This sounds exactly like what happened to my right leg early this year. My google skills said it was likely my IT band. I did not goto the doctor for it. I jog regularly and I thought it would work itself out but it only got worse. I could barely put weight on it each morning. It made running no fun. I tried taking a month off, but it came back pretty quickly. A medical site recommended to take 12 weeks off, so I did. I restarted jogging on Oct 31st. I took it very slowly working my way back to normal. No issues at all so far. Hope you recover.

Yeah, it's a mess.

Do everything you can to stretch/massage/use the affected limb. Leaving it aside (as I did) only makes recovery harder.

Burnt 2 months of sick leave with the bunion surgery. Foot feels great, but the knees, both of them, are still garbage. I'm basically going to retire in about a year, or a little bit longer, so the idea of getting surgery is less likely.

hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:21 pm I’ve had issues with my left elbow. Turns out a combination of sitting at my desk with my elbow on the hard surface for hours, combined with resting it on the side of my car door while driving is to blame. Trying to figure out a way to alleviate both issues.

In addition, I think I’ve finally figured out the source of my wrist pain too. Bench pressing with your wrists somewhat limp puts a lot of strain on the joints. Stiffening my arm has helped. Now I don’t scream like a howler monkey at the gym unless someone tries to take my ash tray away.

Points awarded to anyone who had ‘limp wristed bench pressing’ down for Hepcat’s wrist-pain lottery.

Why is "limp wrist" funny? Wait, is it the 20th century again and I didn't notice?

Sigh.

I'm pretty sure I sprained my right wrist tearing down a box last week. I'm not going to a doctor with a sprain in the Age of COVID, and I can't completely immobilize it because my left arm has its own problems.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:59 pm Sigh.

I'm pretty sure I sprained my right wrist tearing down a box last week. I'm not going to a doctor with a sprain in the Age of COVID, and I can't completely immobilize it because my left arm has its own problems.

Yes, but is it limp?

Get you an ACE bandage and some Aspercream.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:23 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:59 pm Sigh.

I'm pretty sure I sprained my right wrist tearing down a box last week. I'm not going to a doctor with a sprain in the Age of COVID, and I can't completely immobilize it because my left arm has its own problems.

Yes, but is it limp?

Let me get my javelin and check...

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 3:36 pm Get you an ACE bandage and some Aspercream.

For now I strapped a lifting support on it (a wrist brace for power lifters.) I need to support it without interfering with the hand itself.

My blood work that my urologist took came back from the diagnostic center saying I might have that 20% chance of having prostate cancer, which I mentioned above. Well, after almost two weeks, my urologist called (after saying it would be only a few days) and spent, no exaggeration, less than twenty seconds on the phone with me, telling me that I would be called by the Prostate MRI folks . Surprisingly, they called the next day; she was very pleasant and efficient, got me an appointment (more than three weeks from now ) and told me I needed to have more blood work done.

And just to make it more convoluted, since the MRI folks work for a different health giant, they could send the blood work request to my doctor, but I would have to call my doctor's office, again, to make sure they got it and processed it . And when I did call my doctor's office I got a temp, since the regular staffer was off, and found that while they did get the request, they sent it to the wrong diagnostic center, even though they have the one I use listed in my file. The temp promised to have the doctor fix it by the end of the day, but I have very little faith in this step coming out right on the first try either.

When I related this tale to my wife, she offered to do the follow up calling for me, seeing on how she's pretty much an expert on dealing with medical staffers. However, that's like sending in Muhammad Ali to a school yard fight; you might win the battle, but there aren't going to be a lot of people happy to see you the next time. I'll think about the offer.

Oh good, I've got a runny nose and a sore throat.

Better than a sore nose and a runny throat.

Feel better and good luck.

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:09 am Oh good, I've got a runny nose and a sore throat.

So, last night around three or four I got out of bed to head to the bathroom. I felt a little light headed, then heard a funny sound and discovered myself on the floor. The funny sound was my head hitting the edge of the desk. No real damage done, but my neck is a little sore. So, rubbing my head, I walked into the bathroom, peed, then found myself on the floor between the toilet and the hot water heater - about an 18" space. It was remarkably uncomfortable, and collapsing into that position did a number on my back.

The thing is, this isn't something new for me. I've had really bad light headedness when I stand after sitting or lying down since I was a child. But it's only caused me to pass out twice before - once when I was 14 and had the flu, and once during my cancer treatment. This is the first time it's happened twice, and the first time it's happened when I wasn't sick.

My blood pressure has always been normal. The only thing odd about me is that I have a fairly low resting heart rate - my average from 2021 was 49 BPM, but with a normal rate the rest of the time and a good heart rate recovery after exercise.

In normal days I'd probably see my doctor about it, likely leading to a massive wave of tests. But these days? I'll likely hold off until after the spike has subsided considerably.

POTS?

Plain Old Telephone System?

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:41 pm Plain Old Telephone System?

Don't make me https://lmgtfy.app/?q=POTS you.

POTS will always be Plain Old Telephone System to me.

Really am falling apart. Next on the surgery list is both knees(suggested by doc). And to go along with the ADHD, I have complex PTSD too, according to the new therapist. My new social life includes many people in white coats, it seems.

Make sure they sinch you up nice and tight. Dont need arms flailing about.

The Meal wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:36 pmPOTS?

Just like a Coloradan to go there first!

I think I had that back in my mid thirties and I was in a major diet and exercise program. I would lay out in the sun for twenty minutes and almost faint when I would try to get up.
My resting heartbeat was 40 bpm.

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 6:39 pm I think I had that back in my mid thirties and I was in a major diet and exercise program. I would lay out in the sun for twenty minutes and almost faint when I would try to get up.
My resting heartbeat was 40 bpm.

Doctors always freak out when I get my heart rate checked at their offices and it's close to 100. It's been that way all my life. I once was getting checked in by the assistant and I was at 120 BPM which got me lots and lots of attention .

Sorry, my daughter suffers from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and it's not terrific. It also has significant overlap with the tales told by Blackhawk.

Cheers.

The Meal wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:16 pm Sorry, my daughter suffers from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and it's not terrific. It also has significant overlap with the tales told by Blackhawk.

Cheers.

It was a great observation (despite the kidding.) Looking into the symptoms earlier, there are a lot of other overlaps, too. Fatigue, brain fog, forceful heartbeats/skipped beats (although I haven't felt that in a few years), pale face, periods of jitteriness, more than normal shaking after adrenaline surges.

Definitely something to talk to the doc about once things settle down.

Over the years I've learned that as soon as the lightheadednes hits, I take a knee and put my hands on the floor. Last night I didn't have time. As soon as I noticed it, I was out. A kinked neck from hitting my head on a desk on the way down and a kinked back from falling in a cramped space are, from my perspective, lucky.

The first time I passed out when I was 14 I took out a Christmas tree.

The second time (during the cancer treatments) I went backwards into a lower kitchen cabinet door. It tore the door off of the hinges, and the door handle left a deep, bleeding, 12" long gash down the middle of my back.

The Meal wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 3:08 pm I probably don't have some significant underlying root cause which is manifesting like this. My issue could be way way way worse.

I go for outpatient surgery (general anesthesia) for a severely deviated septum the first week in February. It's not the root cause of my ear troubles, but it's likely hampering my ability to spray medicine into my middle ear through my sinus cavity.

In addition to adding an ENT to my stable of specialists, I've also got a second eye specialist in my health harem as I am now not only seeing a retinal specialist, but also seeing a separate specialist to observe the progression of my glaucoma as identified by my ophthalmologist.

Blackhawk wrote:So, last night around three or four I got out of bed to head to the bathroom. I felt a little light headed, then heard a funny sound and discovered myself on the floor. The funny sound was my head hitting the edge of the desk. No real damage done, but my neck is a little sore. So, rubbing my head, I walked into the bathroom, peed, then found myself on the floor between the toilet and the hot water heater - about an 18" space. It was remarkably uncomfortable, and collapsing into that position did a number on my back.

This happened to me once about 8 years ago. Like you, woke up in the middle of the night to piss and the next thing I knew I was lying on the floor of my bathroom. I had no idea what happened.

I looked it up the next day and apparently it’s not super uncommon, especially in men, to pass out going to the bathroom in the middle of the night due to low blood pressure. It’s never happened again, so not sure what was going on that night. Never got it checked out, though.