We're getting old (OO medical complaints)

[Kraken]

You might try cbd oil.

I did try some of Wife's, and it did help a little. CBD isn't great for acute pain. It will work better when the pain fades to a background ache. Right now my elbow still feels broken.

[ImLawBoy]

Unfortunately I won't be seeing him for my pre-surgery consult till early April since he's so damn busy.

When I asked my surgeon why the date was a month out instead of even sooner, he pointed out that colon cancer is very slow moving (as is prostate, I understand). He seemed fond of the quote, "Cancer is an emotional emergency, but rarely a medical emergency."

[Daehawk]

Saw online where another of my old friends had died. Us teenagers are starting to fade out these days. I was with my friend Scott the night I went to an apartment and met my future wife. She shared a place with a girl I went to school with named Shannon.. Well Scott and Shannon hit it off and me and my wife to be one day Donna hit it off. They ended up getting married before us even. Scott was in a wreck a few years later and was paralyzed but lived . He died last year. Shannon died today of Covid. Saw her pic. She looked so old and sickly. Out of the 4 of us who were literally running around laughing having the time of our lives Im the only one left now. Other than my back killing me and in pain all the time I dont look or feel my age. I feel 25 look probably 35. I roll in the floor with my dog and lay on the porch in the sun and hop up.

It feels so strange when people around you in your younger days are gone and you are still here seeming just fine. My cousin died in 2015 who I grew up with like a sister next door to me at 44. That one really started these feelings. What a strange world.

[Blackhawk]

Right there with you. I had friend, Chris. He introduced me to Michelle in a roundabout way the first time he came over to my house. He and I were inseparable through high school and college. He was one of my longest-term D&D players, introduced me to all sorts of music, and was the worst of all of the influences on me (in a fun, but later-regretting kind of way.) We had a falling out after college (over Michelle), although we made peace 20 years later. He ended up getting a nasty bone infection, which combined with his ultra-dense bones, was almost untreatable. He ended up getting both legs amputated, then died last fall.

That one still stings.

And, yes. Human mortality is a medical complaint that comes along with getting old.

[Blackhawk]

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.

I think I've made a connection here. First off, Meal's suggestion of POTS really does seem accurate, but I've been paying attention, and the only times it gets really bad, to the point of 'take a knee before you collapse', is on the nights when I've taken a melatonin. It's rare that I do so, maybe once or twice a month if I've had several bad nights sleep in a row, and really just need a full nights rest, and when I do I take about half a milligram, that's half of the smallest does available. And yet, every time I've had this problem at night or in the morning, I've now realized, is after taking one. And, sure enough, some reading shows that melatonin can cause a blood pressure drop in people with POTS, leading to exactly what I've experienced.

I need to not use it anymore, or to at least be ready to respond to the side effects if I do.

[Daehawk]

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.

I think I've made a connection here. First off, Meal's suggestion of POTS really does seem accurate, but I've been paying attention, and the only times it gets really bad, to the point of 'take a knee before you collapse', is on the nights when I've taken a melatonin. It's rare that I do so, maybe once or twice a month if I've had several bad nights sleep in a row, and really just need a full nights rest, and when I do I take about half a milligram, that's half of the smallest does available. And yet, every time I've had this problem at night or in the morning, I've now realized, is after taking one. And, sure enough, some reading shows that melatonin can cause a blood pressure drop in people with POTS, leading to exactly what I've experienced.

I need to not use it anymore, or to at least be ready to respond to the side effects if I do.

Think I posted before how it happened to me once. I was around age 13 laying on the couch watching the tv. Got right up and yawned and stretched real good. Next thing I know Im picking myself off the floor. Tv and table are askew. My right front pointy tooth has bang on gone through my lip and left a bleeding hole that wont stop bleeding for some reason. Hospital visit and 3 stitches later Im back home with a swollen lip. Was very damn painful when they were pulling on my lip to remove the stitches from the scab hehehehe. Still have the scar.

Other than that and some other weird night shenanigans the worst stuff was waking up and the room spinning. No idea what that happened back in the 90s. About a couple weeks worth of middle of the night freakouts where Im laying in bed holding the wall as my world is spinning. Then was gone.

[Kraken]

I flirted with melatonin for a few months -- it's a gentle and natural sleep aid with no hangover effects. However, I gradually realized that it was worsening my depression -- like suicidal ideation bad -- so I reluctantly crossed it off my list.

On topic, my bone-bruised elbow is still semi-crippled. After walking three miles on Sunday and four on Monday I had to admit that swinging my arms vigorously for that long is not doing it any favors. So I'm back to being sedentary, at least until I get a cortisone shot on Thursday. Gonna ask my doc if I should immobilize it while I walk, and get a sling if he thinks so.

[Daehawk]

You people are old sometimes.

[dbt1949]

I got some melatonin for my wife a couple of months back to help her sleep. She said it didn't work for her. After she left I started taking it at night. Nada. I won't be repeating that.

[Isgrimnur]

I have apparently become lactose intolerant within the past year.

[Skinypupy]

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.

I think I've made a connection here. First off, Meal's suggestion of POTS really does seem accurate, but I've been paying attention, and the only times it gets really bad, to the point of 'take a knee before you collapse', is on the nights when I've taken a melatonin. It's rare that I do so, maybe once or twice a month if I've had several bad nights sleep in a row, and really just need a full nights rest, and when I do I take about half a milligram, that's half of the smallest does available. And yet, every time I've had this problem at night or in the morning, I've now realized, is after taking one. And, sure enough, some reading shows that melatonin can cause a blood pressure drop in people with POTS, leading to exactly what I've experienced.

I need to not use it anymore, or to at least be ready to respond to the side effects if I do.

I get that sort of lightheadedness all the time when I stand up. I typically stop and hold onto something to steady myself and it passes in 4-5 seconds. Ive only actually collapsed from it a couple times, and that was when I tried to walk through the spell without stopping.

I did go see the doctor about it a few months ago as a precautionary measure. He didn’t seem terribly concerned, as my heart rate, blood pressure, and all other indicators were completely normal. He said it’s fairly common but to come back if it gets significantly worse or starts to happen at other times when I’m not changing elevation.

I hadn’t considered a melatonin connection (I take it every night…helps my brain slow down), might stay off it for a week and see if that makes any difference.

[dbt1949]

Do you have low resting blood pressure? Back when I was in good shape I had that problem.

[ImLawBoy]

I AM IRON MAN!

I got my first iron infusion today. Easy peasy. Of course, one of the potential side effects is a drop in phosphorous in 1-3 weeks, so they gave a list of high phosphorous foods to eat. The fun part is that it closely matches the high fiber foods I'm not supposed to eat as I approach surgery!

[Jeff V]

I AM IRON MAN!

I got my first iron infusion today. Easy peasy. Of course, one of the potential side effects is a drop in phosphorous in 1-3 weeks, so they gave a list of high phosphorous foods to eat. The fun part is that it closely matches the high fiber foods I'm not supposed to eat as I approach surgery!

Does this mean you will glow less than normal yet have a greater magnetic attraction?

[Anonymous Bosch]

I AM IRON MAN!

I got my first iron infusion today. Easy peasy. Of course, one of the potential side effects is a drop in phosphorous in 1-3 weeks, so they gave a list of high phosphorous foods to eat. The fun part is that it closely matches the high fiber foods I'm not supposed to eat as I approach surgery!

Glad to hear everything went smoothly.

FWIW, if you're not vegan, tuna or pork chops seem like the simplest non-high fibre choices to maximise your phosphorous intake:

[ImLawBoy]

I AM IRON MAN!

I got my first iron infusion today. Easy peasy. Of course, one of the potential side effects is a drop in phosphorous in 1-3 weeks, so they gave a list of high phosphorous foods to eat. The fun part is that it closely matches the high fiber foods I'm not supposed to eat as I approach surgery!

Does this mean you will glow less than normal yet have a greater magnetic attraction?

I did ask if I had to avoid large magnets, and the nurse humored me by chuckling.

By the way, know what has a decent amount of phosphorous? Beer!

ImLawWife: Are you having *another* beer?

ImLawBoy: Sorry! Doctor's orders!

[Jeff V]

Glad to hear there is an upside!

[Default]

Honestly, it would be easier for me to make meth in my bathtub than to get this pitiful amount of Adderall on a timely basis.

[Daehawk]

My blood pressure is being good lately. I took my normal dose of bp meds this morning and walked into the other room to take it. 122/81. I was like oops wonder if I should have taken my meds lol. Took it just now and its 111/78. So I guess yay.

[Sudy]

Well, I get my first colonoscopy tomorrow morning. I'm a bit young for it, but it's investigative for the worsening irritable bowel syndrome symptoms I've had over the past 10+ years.

I loaded up on apple and white cranberry juice, 7 Up, green Powerade, and Cambell's chicken and beef stock. In retrospect this might have been overkill for one day.

T-minus 20 minutes until I take the first dose of the Moviprep solution.

[Isgrimnur]

[Daehawk]

Well, I get my first colonoscopy tomorrow morning. I'm a bit young for it, but it's investigative for the worsening irritable bowel syndrome symptoms I've had over the past 10+ years.

I loaded up on apple and white cranberry juice, 7 Up, green Powerade, and Cambell's chicken and beef stock. In retrospect this might have been overkill for one day.

T-minus 20 minutes until I take the first dose of the Moviprep solution.

[Unagi]

Well, I get my first colonoscopy tomorrow morning. I'm a bit young for it, but it's investigative for the worsening irritable bowel syndrome symptoms I've had over the past 10+ years.

I loaded up on apple and white cranberry juice, 7 Up, green Powerade, and Cambell's chicken and beef stock. In retrospect this might have been overkill for one day.

T-minus 20 minutes until I take the first dose of the Moviprep solution.

Let us know when you land.

[Pyperkub]

Orthostatic hypotension, and exercises:

Orthostatic hypotension is a form of low blood pressure that happens when people stand up from sitting or lying down, leading to dizziness or even fainting. Often, this condition can be linked to underlying neurological problems, or it can happen as a side effect of many medications, and these cases tend to affect older people. ...

...Based on Raj’s team’s earlier work, as well as other research, they hypothesized that people with IOH could short-circuit this process by activating the reflex early or by tensing the lower limb muscles as they stood, somewhat mitigating the blood pressure drop.

To test this out, they recruited 22 volunteers with IOH to try out both of the techniques they developed. One method involved pre-activating the muscles behind the reflex from a sitting position, done simply by raising the knees one at a time for up to 30 seconds. The other asked people to stand and then tense up their lower limbs, by crossing their legs and clenching their thighs and butt. As a control, the volunteers would also stand up normally.

Compared to the control condition, on measures of both the volunteers’ circulation and their self-reported symptoms, people’s IOH improved after doing either technique. And Raj’s patients in the clinic have anecdotally reported similar success after adopting the strategies. The team’s findings were published Wednesday in the journal Heart Rhythm.

“It’s free, it doesn’t have any drug side effects, and it’s totally within their control, which I think a lot of patients like,” Raj said.

Small trial, but could help...

[Isgrimnur]

Then there's the hick maneuver:

[Kraken]

It took a couple of days, but that cortisone shot took care of my sore arm/elbow. Made me wonder why that isn't the first tool a doctor reaches for when presented with a bruised tendon. Are there downsides to the occasional steroid injection or do doctors just think suffering is noble?

[Isgrimnur]

[Daehawk]

Those shots pretty much killed the Temptations bass singer Blue.

[Sudy]

Sudy's 1st colonoscopy was a delight and I look forward to many more. The highlight was being stabbed four times with the I.V. needle before they found a vein. They made us victims sit out in the hall with our asses barely covered as we waited. I considered joking that the people coming out of the procedure rooms asleep on beds were dead, but I didn't think the old Italian man I was waiting next to could handle it. When I woke up I started cracking dumb jokes to the nurses e.g. "What time is it? BUT WHAT YEAR?!" (I know anesthesia affects some other people this way, though I seemed to be the only one in this recovery room.)

My throat frigging hurts. I have a "memory" of pulling something out of my throat as I came to, but I can't remember if this was real or not.

I'd really enjoy being able to flatulate again without being scared I'm going to gush liquid out of my ass.

[Daehawk]

A terrible IV nurse is a horror story all its own. Had one stick it, miss, and slide it sideways. Dumb ass. Hurt like hell, doesn't work that way either ya stupid nurse, and bruised my arm for 2 weeks.

[jztemple2]

My wife is a very tough stick for IVs and blood draws. She had one occasion where they had to stick her twelve (yes, 12) times to get enough vials of blood for the tests. She's very stoic about it, although she really wishes they would listen to her when she tells them right at the beginning that they are going to need a butterfly needle and the phlebotomist sees that as a challenge.

IVs for surgery have been very tricky. One time they actually gave her a central line IV because they just couldn't get the ones they put in her arm to not collapse. And again, part of the problem is that the surgery staff thinks they know better than her when they bring her in to start the IVs.

Me, I hate dislike needles. When I had my one and only MRI a couple of months ago and they had to put an IV in me beforehand for contrast imaging, the nurse could just feel the vein but it kept moving around on her and she kept chasing it. I wasn't thrilled, but seeing as she was very pleasant about it I figure I could be just as pleasant about it too.

They made us victims sit out in the hall with our asses barely covered as we waited.

Good gosh, really? The colonoscopies I've had were done at a specialized clinic where each patient gets their own little curtained off area for preps. You stayed in that area on a gurney till they rolled you to the procedure room. When you were done you went back to the same little room and stayed there till you were recovered enough to leave.

[Daehawk]

I have a bad pain in my left thigh. Its the front to the inside almost. Its like a bad bruise that has an electrified nerve running through it. But theres nothing there. Sitting here I dont notice it until I touch my thigh. Even the lightest touch hurts as much as a pressured one. it hurts when I walk too. But its not a aching or throbbing pain but one that is straight on and full bloom. It really feels like a nerve is electrified. Rubbing the thigh brings no relief.

[Isgrimnur]

My ex was a difficult stick. She stopped letting them push back on her requests. Probably didn’t hurt when I was there as well.

[Sudy]

Good gosh, really? The colonoscopies I've had were done at a specialized clinic where each patient gets their own little curtained off area for preps.

Well... I was being a tad hyperbolic. I was the only one showing skin, being a fatty who can barely fit into a hospital gown. But yeah, it was done in what looks like a retrofitted wing of our aging hospital. Looks like a factory for people. Last stop is a chair in the drafty hallway because I guess they don't have enough waiting areas. (Or more likely had to strip out half the chairs for the pandemic?)

It wasn't really so bad. They made sure the less hardy folks had blankets. In part this may be a no-frills, socialized healthcare thing. I know this doctor works out of a clinic as well which I'm sure is nicer.

[Blackhawk]

I'm an easy stick. I have easy to access, easy to find veins.

During my cancer when I was getting a new IV two to five times a week they got a little worn out, though.

[Blackhawk]

Are there downsides to the occasional steroid injection or do doctors just think suffering is noble?

I'm going to see if I can get my Alexa to answer to "Isgrimnur"

[Daehawk]

My very first kidney stone my wife had to take me to the ER at our crappy hospital. They wanted to do an IVP...its where they inject dye for part of it. Anyways I was in severe pain and that place was cold so the veins in my arms were so tiny they had to put it in the top of my right hand. Said it may burn a little. Yeah F that it burned alright...all the way from my hand to shoulder and kept getting hotter the longer they left it. That was not fun. Luckily a few years later on my next one they had done away with IVP as a test.

[Blackhawk]

Yeah, all of my chemo IVs were in my hand. The fun ones were when they kept me there for eight hours, then told me I'd be back for the same thing the next day, so they just unhooked the IV, left the needle in, and wrapped my hand up. It was fun driving 30 miles, sleeping, then driving 30 miles back with a needle embedded in the back of my hand.

[Kraken]

Are there downsides to the occasional steroid injection or do doctors just think suffering is noble?

I'm going to see if I can get my Alexa to answer to "Isgrimnur"

I knew there are downsides to chronic steroid use, but I hope my arm is one-and-done. When I asked the doc how long until it wears off, he said hopefully it won't.

[Daehawk]

I had to get one in my left shoulder. It hurt me a year. They tried creams and stuff. i was already on opiates but my should still hurt. It didn't hurt worse than a regular shot really. But by the time I was outside walking to the car i couldn't control that arm well. It was as if it was half asleep and semi uncontrolable. Id go to raise my hand and my arm would flop around. But it didn't feel asleep. Kinda freaked me but wife said thats normal. It was fine the next day.