Health and Wellness Chit-Chat: Your Primary Care Topic

[Ancaster]

11 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Does anyone here have dry eyes? I've had it off & on for years, but now it has caused several infections (like pink eye infections). I've been told that my upper eyelids aren't completely shutting the eyes when I blink so my eyes aren't getting cleaned of germs, dirt, etc., by tears). I was referred to an occular plastic surgeon last fall. He said surgery will change the shape of my eyes and there's no guarantee that surgery will help. I just might get the surgery as now I never know when there will be a flare-up (& I'll wake up with my eyes "glued" shut 🥴).

I wear gas permeable rigid lenses and have for decades - they have the incredible advantage of slowing or even halting deteriorating eyesight (or at least shortsightedness, which is what I have).  I got very lazy during covid though and often just wore my glasses, and my eyesight suffered.

When I first got lenses, I learned that I didn't blink often or deeply enough.  It was so long ago I don't remember how long it took to retrain myself, but I learned to do both better.  Unfortunately, at a recent (long overdue) visit to the ophthalmologist recently, I learned that the whites of my eyes aren't in great shape, but I was recommended some great eyedrops that are really making a difference to my eye comfort, and hopefully I can avoid further deterioration. 

Not sure if I can give a brand name here if anyone's interested?

I am definitely at an age when I'm starting to regret some earlier benign neglect in terms of health, back when we were all indestructible.

[annzeepark914]

@Ancaster So, you wear contacts? I never dared try contacts (my eyes have always been so sensitive). So which eyedrop brand do you use? I'm now on TheraTear. That's interesting about your being told you don't blink often enough or deep enough. I've been told recently the same thing. Do you blink slower???

[Gramto6]

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

@Ancaster So, you wear contacts? I never dared try contacts (my eyes have always been so sensitive). So which eyedrop brand do you use? I'm now on TheraTear. That's interesting about your being told you don't blink often enough or deep enough. I've been told recently the same thing. Do you blink slower???

I've used TheraTear for a long time, but several months ago when I had a blood vessel leak in my eye and the whole eyeball was beet red, the Ophthalmologist recommended Refresh Relieva. I like it better than the TheraTears! It lubricates and protects. I too tend to dry eyes and this is the one I like the best!

[shapeshifter]

23 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Does anyone here have dry eyes? I've had it off & on for years, but now it has caused several infections (like pink eye infections). I've been told that my upper eyelids aren't completely shutting the eyes when I blink so my eyes aren't getting cleaned of germs, dirt, etc., by tears).

I have extremely dry eyes all the time and have for decades. I also have sensitivities to a lot of chemicals and ingredients. 

I buy boxes of 70-100 Refresh Plus single-use drop vials because they don't need to add preservatives. Depending upon the humidity of my environment, I use 1-3 vials per day.

They are always sterile, which is probably important if you're being plagued by infections. 

 

23 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

I was referred to an occular plastic surgeon last fall. He said surgery will change the shape of my eyes and there's no guarantee that surgery will help.

Did he tell you eye surgery increases eye dryness? 
Or does the kind of surgery he's talking about not have that common side effect like cataract or lasik surgeries do?

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Did he tell you eye surgery increases eye dryness? 
Or does the kind of surgery he's talking about not have that common side effect like cataract or lasik surgeries do?

I didn't know that about cataract surgery (and I recently had my second one done). He did not mention dryness would increase. He said if the surgery works, my eyelids will close properly and the tears are supposed to be able to wash away any dirt, germs, etc. But surgery is not a sure thing to cure this dryness.

[Ancaster]

10 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

@Ancaster So, you wear contacts? I never dared try contacts (my eyes have always been so sensitive). So which eyedrop brand do you use? I'm now on TheraTear. That's interesting about your being told you don't blink often enough or deep enough. I've been told recently the same thing. Do you blink slower???

Yes, like I said, rigid gas permeable.  I've been wearing them for over four decades now.  They take getting used to and some people never do, but for me it was worth persevering because of the resultant stabilizing of my vision.  My prescription has changed very slowly in all that time, and it was deteriorating rapidly when I was just wearing glasses.  There are disadvantages (just ask if you want more details!) one of which is that you can't rub your eyes when you're wearing them.

When I was told I didn't blink enough, I made myself consciously blink more slowly, "firmly" and frequently for maybe a few days until it just became more automatic.  Sometimes if it occurs to me to notice, I'm aware that I'm still doing it, so that's good.

I've never used eyedrops regularly before unless I'm in a big city like New York, especially if it's windy, or dry places like high desert or beaches.

The eyedrops I was recommended are OcuSoft Retaine MGD.  They're not cheap (30 "droppers" for around $17 from Amazon).  The optician and the receptionist were both quick to tell me that even though they're called "single-dose", they're actually good for 24 hours once opened, so I usually use just one a day, before and after contact insertion/removal.  They have a little screw cap so you can close it up. 

Hope that helps - sorry for the essay!

[Yeah No]

I have good news!  I aced my colonoscopy and came through with flying colors!  I had no polyps and everything looked great.  My colon was crystal clear and my gastro. was very happy.  I survived the Dulcolax with no symptoms and was able to get away with only half of the second bottle of magnesium citrate.  I was surprised at how good I felt afterward all things considered.  No pain, nothing.  If you didn't tell me something happened down there I wouldn't have known.  They even gave me photos, LOL.  Best news was that I don't have to have another one for 10 years!

My other fear was the anesthesia but fortunately it was only "sedation" and not full anesthesia like they give you for surgery (although it does put you to sleep).  I bounced back from that right away.  I'd only had about 4 hours of sleep the night before (thanks to getting up to go to the bathroom) but after waking up from the sedation I felt great!  Wow, what a total relief!  Everyone at my procedure center was aces.  My doctor, who performed the procedure, is one of the pre-eminent specialists in the state so I was in the best hands possible.  

I have some advice for anyone going for their next colonoscopy.  Try to eat as little as you can two days before your procedure.  Of course you can't eat solid food the day before but if you can manage to eat very lightly the day before that it will make your prep that much easier.  Also, if you feel nauseous from any of your laxatives or magnesium citrate drinks, drink ginger tea, it will settle your stomach and help reduce or eliminate nausea.  

[Yeah No]

By the way, thanks to everyone for your support, it means the world to me!

[annzeepark914]

@Yeah No So glad you, finally, had a good experience and woke up feeling fine. Being sedated for these same day procedures is not like the old days...thank goodness!

[ebk57]

4 hours ago, Ancaster said:

Yes, like I said, rigid gas permeable.  I've been wearing them for over four decades now.  They take getting used to and some people never do, but for me it was worth persevering because of the resultant stabilizing of my vision.  My prescription has changed very slowly in all that time, and it was deteriorating rapidly when I was just wearing glasses.  There are disadvantages (just ask if you want more details!) one of which is that you can't rub your eyes when you're wearing them

I wore the gas permeables for 55 years (and glasses for 5 years before that).  I just had cataract surgery in December, which I knew would clear up my vision.  What I didn't know is that my vision was also corrected and I only need reading/computer glasses now.  It's all so weird, I may need therapy 😉

 

All that to say I have a pack of Boston II solution from Costco (2 bottles of conditioning solution and 1 of cleaning) and I think an extra bottle of conditioning.  Would you like me to send them to you?  No one I know wears GP lenses and I don't know what to do with the leftover stuff! 

Feel free to PM me if you'd like. 

 

[Ancaster]

4 hours ago, ebk57 said:

I wore the gas permeables for 55 years (and glasses for 5 years before that).  I just had cataract surgery in December, which I knew would clear up my vision.  What I didn't know is that my vision was also corrected and I only need reading/computer glasses now.  It's all so weird, I may need therapy 😉

 

All that to say I have a pack of Boston II solution from Costco (2 bottles of conditioning solution and 1 of cleaning) and I think an extra bottle of conditioning.  Would you like me to send them to you?  No one I know wears GP lenses and I don't know what to do with the leftover stuff! 

Feel free to PM me if you'd like. 

 

I love this community.

[Yeah No]

On 2/15/2024 at 12:07 AM, Ancaster said:

I wear gas permeable rigid lenses and have for decades - they have the incredible advantage of slowing or even halting deteriorating eyesight (or at least shortsightedness, which is what I have).  I got very lazy during covid though and often just wore my glasses, and my eyesight suffered.

Is there any specific reason you wear the semi-rigid gas permeable lenses or is it just your preference?  I've found that over the years they've made so many improvements to soft lenses in terms of comfort and vision correction that it's kept up with my growing sensitivity and astigmatism.  If we still only had hard lenses I don't know if they would work so well for me at this age (65).

I've actually worn contact lenses since 1977!  I started with regular hard lenses (as that's all they had at the time) and changed over to soft lenses in the 1990s.  In my 40s I switched to the bifocal lenses.  I currently wear Bausch and Lomb Multifocal in one eye and one for astigmatism in the other.  My left eye is more nearsighted than my right.  I have a very weak prescription in my right eye but I also have astigmatism which doesn't help.

I've always used eye drops designed for use when wearing contacts just as a cushioning aid and in the mornings when I get up just to clear things out.  I keep a bottle of "Blink n' Clean" in my purse in case any mascara or dirt gets in my eye.  My eyesight stabilized about a decade ago and has actually gotten a bit better with age.

[Ancaster]

21 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Is there any specific reason you wear the semi-rigid gas permeable lenses or is it just your preference?  I've found that over the years they've made so many improvements to soft lenses in terms of comfort and vision correction that it's kept up with my growing sensitivity and astigmatism.  If we still only had hard lenses I don't know if they would work so well for me at this age (65).

I've actually worn contact lenses since 1977!  I started with regular hard lenses (as that's all they had at the time) and changed over to soft lenses in the 1990s.  In my 40s I switched to the bifocal lenses.  I currently wear Bausch and Lomb Multifocal in one eye and one for astigmatism in the other.  My left eye is more nearsighted than my right.  I have a very weak prescription in my right eye but I also have astigmatism which doesn't help.

I've always used eye drops designed for use when wearing contacts just as a cushioning aid and in the mornings when I get up just to clear things out.  I keep a bottle of "Blink n' Clean" in my purse in case any mascara or dirt gets in my eye.  My eyesight stabilized about a decade ago and has actually gotten a bit better with age.

Yes, I think I mentioned above that wearing hard/gas permeables stopped my eyesight from deteriorating further.  Your post is also reminding me that my eyesight was also slightly improving until I got lazy during a very solitary Covid time when I let a lot of personal care stuff go.

I've also been wearing contacts since the late 70s.  This is all getting me to think that I could start some kind of Reddit forum for "Survivors of teenage NHS* glasses wearers and early gas permeable lens experimenters with imaginative ways of keeping them safe when you had an unexpected "sleepover" during university years".

Also, little things like it meaning I can just wear regular sunglasses rather than having to get expensive prescription ones, which I would then have to remember to have with me and not lose, instead of being able to have several pairs of cheap ones in various places that I'm not mad about leaving behind in restaurants or friends' houses.  And my eyesight is so crappy that the lenses are really thick unless I pay for the expensive thinner ones, which I'm not willing to do for sunglasses since (see above) I would doubtless lose them.

* National Health Service - choice of I think two equally ugly frames, maybe three.  I had the blue ones.

 

[Yeah No]

25 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

Also, little things like it meaning I can just wear regular sunglasses rather than having to get expensive prescription ones, which I would then have to remember to have with me and not lose, instead of being able to have several pairs of cheap ones in various places that I'm not mad about leaving behind in restaurants or friends' houses.  And my eyesight is so crappy that the lenses are really thick unless I pay for the expensive thinner ones, which I'm not willing to do for sunglasses since (see above) I would doubtless lose them.

LOL, you sound like me!  I often wait for my favorite sunglasses to go on clearance and then stock up on them because after a while I might lose or break a few of them.  If you saw a post of mine here a while back I told the story of going to my supermarket lost and found and they actually had 2 pairs of them in the box, LOL.  So I got 2 back!

But re: the prescription sunglasses - I have regular glasses as most contact lens wearers do and pay the extra for those "transitions" lenses that darken in the sunlight.  I usually don't wear my eyeglasses out but there are those cases I do, like yesterday when I went for my colonoscopy.  It's worth it and certainly cheaper than getting separate prescription sunglasses.  If you really want separate sunglasses often eyeglass stores will run specials offering free sunglasses if you buy a regular pair of glasses so that's another option.  It might make upgrading to thinner lenses less economically painful.  My husband did that as he's not a contact lens wearer.

[shapeshifter]

On 2/16/2024 at 1:34 AM, Yeah No said:

Is there any specific reason you wear the semi-rigid gas permeable lenses or is it just your preference?  I've found that over the years they've made so many improvements to soft lenses in terms of comfort and vision correction that it's kept up with my growing sensitivity and astigmatism.  If we still only had hard lenses I don't know if they would work so well for me at this age (65).

On 2/16/2024 at 2:22 AM, Ancaster said:

Yes, I think I mentioned above that wearing hard/gas permeables stopped my eyesight from deteriorating further. 

Back in the 60s when I was 13, before gas-permeable lenses, my optometrist said he'd never had a patient so hopelessly unable to put a contact lens in their eye. Then, 6 months later, my nearsightedness had doubled to about 600/20, and he told me wearing contacts would arrest the change, so I forced myself to do it and wore them for 10 years. 

On 2/16/2024 at 2:22 AM, Ancaster said:

This is all getting me to think that I could start some kind of Reddit forum for "Survivors of teenage NHS* glasses wearers and early gas permeable lens experimenters with imaginative ways of keeping them safe when you had an unexpected "sleepover" during university years".

During the 7 years I slept in a sleeping bag, I did things like put them in a folded dollar bill and used spit.
 

 

[Bastet]

Fun times here -- I quite unexpectedly needed my gallbladder removed yesterday.  Wednesday I thought I had gas pains, but by that evening the pain was intense and it was utter agony overnight, and once I started puking up bile, I knew that wasn't it, so went to the ER Thursday morning.  After three hours in the waiting room, I spent seven hours getting tests; the doctor figured it was gallstones based just on physical exam, but the ultrasound didn't show any (the gallbladder looked "angry" - enlarged, thickened, and surrounded by fluid - but no stones could be seen), while my blood tests showed twice as many white blood cells as the high end of normal range.  So then it was a CT to make sure nothing else looked amiss (nothing did).

The ER doc and surgical consult wanted to admit me to the hospital overnight with additional IV antibiotics, then a more detailed test of the gallbladder the next morning, to definitively see the cause of the problem, and then most likely surgery to remove it.  But I had to get home and give my cat her medication that night and the next morning (no one can touch her but me, and missing two doses would create a big risk of withdrawal seizure; obviously if hospitalization had been a life or death situation, my parents would have had to come over and figure out a way to corral and capture her, but under the circumstances the doctors agreed it was reasonable for me to sign out AMA and come back early in the morning as they'd already given me a dose of IV antibiotics and would send me home with high-dose pills).

So, back through the ER yesterday (expedited, but still a process), and then the surgical team decided the test would just waste time (3-4 hours) because it didn't matter why my gallbladder was in such bad shape, it wasn't going to recover and I still had too high a WBC count on serious antibiotics, so it needed to come out now.  I agreed.

Thankfully, they were able to do it via laparoscopy; I was warned that once they got in there for a good look, it might need to be done the old fashioned way, and if I had a shit ton of pus I'd have to be hospitalized with IV antibiotics, but none of that happened so I got to come home last night.

I was also relieved to come through anesthesia with no issues; last time (but no times before that), I had a wicked incidence of tachycardia, and I was a lot younger then, so I was a little nervous, but that turned out to be a fluke.

The worst part about it is the unfortunate timing, as I still have occasional coughing bouts, and they warned me those would be agony on the main incision.  Boy howdy.  As soon as I came to in the recovery room, I had one, and OMG.  The nurse injected something great into my IV and I no longer wanted to die.

I was supposed to have someone stay with me overnight, and my mom wanted to, but she was already bugging me and I knew it would have driven me crazy having her staying in my house so I just had my parents drop me off.  In hindsight, I should have had my dad stay, because I didn't realize just how awful it was going to be getting up from lying down, so he could have helped. 

You don't realize how much your abdomen is involved in your daily life until someone cuts into it.

When I replace my living room furniture one of these days, I am going to make sure one chair is a recliner.  They make plenty of attractive ones, and I would love to have one right now (especially like my parents have, with a remote that electronically controls all the movements), because I am not getting back in bed until tonight, or lying on the couch, but sitting on the couch, or in my desk chair where I am now in between bouts of walking around, is not as comfortable a place to rest as being in a recliner.

Edited February 18 by Bastet

[Browncoat]

Holy moly, @Bastet!  Glad you're okay now!

[ebk57]

@Bastet, Mr. ebk has a recliner that has served him well for his gallbladder removal, and his 2 knee replacements.  It's a basic La-Z-Boy with the remote and it's great.  

I hope your recovery is smooth - all the best!!

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Thankfully, they were able to do it via laparoscopy

Yes, that will at least mean (in my experience) a more complete recovery, with no annoying residual discomfort. 

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I didn't realize just how awful it was going to be getting up from lying down, so he could have helped. 
You don't realize how much your abdomen is involved in your daily life until someone cuts into it.

I still remember when my oldest daughter was born 40 years ago, about a week after the emergency C-section when I was home alone with the baby, I got myself up by putting my hands around my leg just above my knee, and then using my leg muscles to pull myself forward and up.

I think I did that after my cancer surgery too.

I wonder if you'd said you didn't have anyone to stay with you if they'd have been able to muster a home health aide to look in on you?

Back in 2016, it wasn't until months after my stage IV colon cancer surgeries that I discovered when reading paperwork that they'd taken out my gallbladder while they were at it (removing most of my liver around the gallbladder).  I was told I didn't need to worry about it. So far, so good.

Glad you're okay.

Keep us posted on your progress as you can.
💐

Edited February 18 by shapeshifter

[emma675]

Oy, @Bastet, what a hard few days you've had. I hope you heal quickly and with no complications. 

I had laproscopic surgery in late 2022 for a very large, but thankfully benign, ovarian tumor and I know what you mean about not realizing how much you use your abdomen. I got out of bed after surgery by rolling into my side and then using my arms to push myself into a sitting position. 

I still laugh when I remember trying to get out of bed after thyroid surgery. I literally grabbed the hair on top of my head and pulled my head as I sat up so I wouldn't use my neck. It was ridiculous but it worked. 

[Yeah No]

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

Fun times here -- I quite unexpectedly needed my gallbladder removed yesterday.  Wednesday I thought I had gas pains, but by that evening the pain was intense and it was utter agony overnight, and once I started puking up bile, I knew that wasn't it, so went to the ER Thursday morning.  After three hours in the waiting room, I spent seven hours getting tests; the doctor figured it was gallstones based just on physical exam, but the ultrasound didn't show any (the gallbladder looked "angry" - enlarged, thickened, and surrounded by fluid - but no stones could be seen), while my blood tests showed twice as many white blood cells as the high end of normal range.  So then it was a CT to make sure nothing else looked amiss (nothing did).

The ER doc and surgical consult wanted to admit me to the hospital overnight with additional IV antibiotics, then a more detailed test of the gallbladder the next morning, to definitively see the cause of the problem, and then most likely surgery to remove it.  But I had to get home and give my cat her medication that night and the next morning (no one can touch her but me, and missing two doses would create a big risk of withdrawal seizure; obviously if hospitalization had been a life or death situation, my parents would have had to come over and figure out a way to corral and capture her, but under the circumstances the doctors agreed it was reasonable for me to sign out AMA and come back early in the morning as they'd already given me a dose of IV antibiotics and would send me home with high-dose pills).

So, back through the ER yesterday (expedited, but still a process), and then the surgical team decided the test would just waste time (3-4 hours) because it didn't matter why my gallbladder was in such bad shape, it wasn't going to recover and I still had too high a WBC count on serious antibiotics, so it needed to come out now.  I agreed.

Thankfully, they were able to do it via laparoscopy; I was warned that once they got in there for a good look, it might need to be done the old fashioned way, and if I had a shit ton of pus I'd have to be hospitalized with IV antibiotics, but none of that happened so I got to come home last night.

I was also relieved to come through anesthesia with no issues; last time (but no times before that), I had a wicked incidence of tachycardia, and I was a lot younger then, so I was a little nervous, but that turned out to be a fluke.

The worst part about it is the unfortunate timing, as I still have occasional coughing bouts, and they warned me those would be agony on the main incision.  Boy howdy.  As soon as I came to in the recovery room, I had one, and OMG.  The nurse injected something great into my IV and I no longer wanted to die.

I was supposed to have someone stay with me overnight, and my mom wanted to, but she was already bugging me and I knew it would have driven me crazy having her staying in my house so I just had my parents drop me off.  In hindsight, I should have had my dad stay, because I didn't realize just how awful it was going to be getting up from lying down, so he could have helped. 

You don't realize how much your abdomen is involved in your daily life until someone cuts into it.

When I replace my living room furniture one of these days, I am going to make sure one chair is a recliner.  They make plenty of attractive ones, and I would love to have one right now (especially like my parents have, with a remote that electronically controls all the movements), because I am not getting back in bed until tonight, or lying on the couch, but sitting on the couch, or in my desk chair where I am now in between bouts of walking around, is not as comfortable a place to rest as being in a recliner.

Ouch, @Bastet, your experience was a lot like mine when I had my gallbladder removed in 2018.  Although I did have one gallbladder attack a couple of years before that, but no surgery was done because it looked like it was based on one stone that got stuck in the bile duct but later passed and dissolved.  At that time my gallbladder was free of stones.  I was warned that once you have a stone there will probably be more so I would probably eventually have to have it removed.  So I had some advance notice of what to expect.  You didn't!  Ouch!

Fortunately yours could be done laparoscopically like mine, and thank goodness because it's so much quicker to recover from that than the full surgery.  And these days the anesthesia is so much better and doesn't cause many of the issues it once did like nausea, etc.

You'll probably bounce back pretty quickly if there are no complications.  In my case they didn't see any evidence of gallstones still stuck in the bile duct on any of the tests they ran so they didn't look for them, but a few days after I got home from the surgery I started to feel worse, not better!  Everyone was telling me that this was not normal so I called my surgeon and told her it felt like it did before I had my gallbladder removed.  She told me to come down to the hospital ASAP for blood tests and not to get too comfortable because depending on the outcome I might have to be checked in for an ERCP endoscopy to remove gallstones still stuck in the bile duct!

The next thing I knew a few hours later she called me back at home and said, "Pack a bag, I've admitted you to the hospital".  Mind you, my husband was at work and at the time unreachable!  So there I was all by myself checking myself into the hospital!  As it turned out the gastro. couldn't get all the stones out because they were too far up the bile duct and unreachable with their tools.  So he put in a stent, sent me home and told me we would have to wait a month to see if any would move closer to the edge in that time so they could reach them.

Long story short, I had to go back for 2 more ERCP endoscopies over the next 2 months before he could get all the stones out, and he had to order a longer tool to reach up there to get them!

I couldn't eat anything with fat in it for all that time and I lost 20 lbs. before it was all over!  It was horrible!  That Thanksgiving all I could eat was turkey and steamed vegetables.

That same gastro. is incidentally the one that performed my colonoscopy on Thursday.

I hope you're lucky as to aftereffects from not having a gallbladder.  I've heard of people that develop all sorts of things and can't eat certain foods at all anymore.  At first I had acid reflux for a while but eventually my gut settled.  And I can't eat more than 3 rashers of bacon at a time without feeling yucky, but thankfully I don't eat much bacon ever anymore so it doesn't affect me.  And I never drank much alcohol either.  If I do I stick to weaker mixed drinks, not martinis.  If I have one I do feel it for a while.  And I did get fatty liver from not having a gallbladder too.  I'm told that's mostly resolved now thanks to weight loss and healthy diet choices so that's good.  I don't want to scare you but hopefully you won't have these issues especially if you avoid fatty meats.  My dad had his gallbladder removed and had no aftereffects at all, lucky him.

Hope you feel better soon!  (((hugs))) 🤗

 

[annzeepark914]

We really need our gall bladders so I wish some genius could create a replacement! For me (gall bladder removed in 2008), my main issue is excess bile that causes diarrhea. So, several years ago my gastroenterologist put me on Colestid 1gm. It absorbs the excess bile. I keep Lomotil on hand for days when I think I might have a problem while out & about, but otherwise, one Colestid each day is all I need. My sister takes 2 or 3 a day. Some folks have no problems post surgery. Others need to be careful re: certain foods. You find out what to avoid over time.

[shapeshifter]

24 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

We really need our gall bladders so I wish some genius could create a replacement! For me (gall bladder removed in 2008), my main issue is excess bile that causes diarrhea. So, several years ago my gastroenterologist put me on Colestid 1gm. It absorbs the excess bile. I keep Lomotil on hand for days when I think I might have a problem while out & about, but otherwise, one Colestid each day is all I need. My sister takes 2 or 3 a day. Some folks have no problems post surgery. Others need to be careful re: certain foods. You find out what to avoid over time.

Thank you for this! I will talk to my primary care doc at my next appointment.
I've been told (since gallbladder removal in 2016) I don't need to do anything, but…
spoiler tagging in case someone does NOT want to read about my 💩 🤣

Spoiler

My first BM in the morning is so loose I am concerned I might be not getting the nutrients from my food. 
And if I don't stay home until I have that first BM, I keep needing to go throughout the day (in smaller amounts).

 

[Bastet]

20 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Yes, that will at least mean (in my experience) a more complete recovery, with no annoying residual discomfort. 

They had to make the main incision (the one they remove it through) about 50% larger than usual (which is still teeny tiny compared to the one made in open surgery), so that plus the degree of infection means it will probably take me a little longer than typical to completely recover, but it's supposed to only be bad for the first several days.  They gave me three different pain killers to accommodate different levels of pain, and I have not felt the need for the opioid, so I'm doing okay -- it's just when I cough or have to get from lying down to sitting up (with sitting up to lying down a little less awful) that it hurts like hell even on drugs, but at least those are temporary situations.  I just desperately wish coughing was a rare occurrence like usual; the timing sucks!

20 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I wonder if you'd said you didn't have anyone to stay with you if they'd have been able to muster a home health aide to look in on you?

I think, since both my parents came, they figured they were staying with me/I was staying with them (and for all I know my mom could have told them she was, because she assumed she would be).  I'm the one who said no, you'll annoy me, just drop me off, so it's on me.  But if it had been a situation where I didn't have anyone who could do it, I don't know if an alternative would have been provided.  It's an interesting question; the instruction wasn't that you must have someone stay with you or you'll have to spend the night in the hospital, it was an "you should have someone stay with you the first 12 hours" thing.

17 hours ago, emma675 said:

I got out of bed after surgery by rolling into my side and then using my arms to push myself into a sitting position. 

That's what I'm doing, but it hurts to roll onto my side and hurts some to sit up even with my arms doing the work.  I have five incisions, two of which I never feel, two I feel only with specific movements (and just a twinge), and then the main one which hurts with many, many movements.

On the flip side, my quads are getting a great workout now that I'm squatting to do everything I would normally bend over for.

11 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I don't want to scare you but hopefully you won't have these issues especially if you avoid fatty meats.  My dad had his gallbladder removed and had no aftereffects at all, lucky him.

Yeah, it varies person to person, but most people who have trouble with fatty foods adjust a month or two after surgery.  A friend who had it done has diarrhea following every morning meal, whatever it is, but most people I know without gallbladders can eat whatever they want.  My instructions are to do just that -- eat whatever I want, adjust based on my body's reaction, and try anything that bothers me again after a couple of months to see if it's still an issue. 

The only thing I was given as an everyone without a gallbladder should do this strong suggestion was eating numerous small meals throughout the day rather than a big meal at any point, which is the complete opposite of how I eat (I cannot eat until I've been up for several hours, or else I get nauseated, so I have a little something for lunch and then my meal is dinner), so we'll see.  I hadn't eaten in two days prior to surgery, because I felt like such shit I wasn't hungry, so when I ate that night, it was something small since it had been a while.  Yesterday I had the usual amount for lunch, a little snack, and then a smaller dinner.  I can do that; it's good for me in general. 

For meat, I eat mostly chicken, then shellfish, then pork, then fish, then beef (I only like a few cuts of beef, so eat it maybe once a month).  I do love me some sausage, but I eat about half chicken or turkey and half pork.  Other than that, my fat intake mostly comes from cheese, avocado, and nuts.

Edited to say thanks for the good wishes, everyone!

Edited February 18 by Bastet

[shapeshifter]

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

…Edited to say thanks for the good wishes, everyone!

You're welcome, and I/we are *very* glad to hear you seem to be doing well.

💐🌷🌹🌸🌺

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃𓇗

 

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

A friend who had it done has diarrhea following every morning meal, whatever it is

Like me. 

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

The only thing I was given as an everyone without a gallbladder should do this strong suggestion was eating numerous small meals throughout the day rather than a big meal at any point

I do graze (eat small, frequent meals), but cannot recall whether or not it was recommended. 
Because the surgery to remove the 75% cancerous part of my liver plus the gallbladder (because standard procedure in such cases) could not be done laparoscopically, I have some internal scarring that makes me uncomfortable if I eat very much and sometimes if I get very chilled after swimming.
When I asked a nurse in the hospital about a bulge, said something about the surgeon making a fold in the wall(?) around the organs to prevent leakage(?).

Edited February 19 by shapeshifter

[EtheltoTillie]

@Bastet what a scary emergency!  I’m glad you are on the mend. I also had to do that thing where I got up by lying on my side when I had abdominal surgery. 

[isalicat]

On 2/17/2024 at 7:08 AM, Cloud9Shopper said:

I know I shouldn’t tie my worth to my career but I do. Especially because my family members and friends are nurses, engineers, have master’s degrees, get promotions. I am not proud to say I’m a customer service rep. And society does not respect customer service reps; look at the way people talk to call center employees when they’re frustrated and they get away with it too. I just want to have a job title that I can be happy to talk about with my family and earn a salary that I’m proud of and can live comfortably on and not be paycheck to paycheck.

Being rejected over and over does make me feel worthless, unwanted, like garbage. Working in a job that people don’t respect and the public can treat you badly makes me feel worse.

I know this is in the wrong forum but I really wanted to respond to Cloud9Shopper and I apologize in advance for those who are not religious:

Dear friend (Cloud9Shopper) - you have mentioned singing in your church choir so I know you attend church. Have you forgotten that you are a beloved child of God and nothing about what you do for work or your job title makes you any less loved and cherished and essential??? Perhaps Lent is an excellent time to refocus on your absolutely unique self, created to be here as no one can replace you ever. You are called to love and be loved - of course you want to support yourself and have the respect of your family and friends but nothing other than the quality and quantity of your love is going to matter in the end. Being rejected as a job applicant is naturally painful; being rejected from entering everlasting life is more than painful, eh? You are going to have to find a new way of life that includes reaching out to those less fortunate than you and being truly grateful for all that you are and have been given; that perspective, once gained, will not only give you an attitude that may serve you well in your job hunt but also put your career in proper perspective. Mental health experts say that gratitude is the first sign of mental health - and as I deal with homeless, lonely and abandoned people at the local food pantry I am reminded how blessed I am to have sufficient daily food, shelter and (currently) reasonably good health - can't you say the same? With a big hug, I wish you well!

[Gramto6]

Late to post, so sorry for what you have been through @Bastet! Hope you heal quickly and find the balance in your diet that makes you happy and feel good too!

I had to sit up that way in bed when I had my broken ribs and fractured vertebrae.  To complicate the whole process I was in a brace that was basically from neck to waist 24/7 so the maneuvering was complicated by that.

I got a recliner before my breast cancer mastectomies back in 2013, one of the best things I did because it made sleeping so much easier. It also was helpful when I was in the brace. 

I will always have a recliner now. When this one goes to recliner heaven, I will get another!! 

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, Bastet said:

Yeah, it varies person to person, but most people who have trouble with fatty foods adjust a month or two after surgery.  A friend who had it done has diarrhea following every morning meal, whatever it is, but most people I know without gallbladders can eat whatever they want.  My instructions are to do just that -- eat whatever I want, adjust based on my body's reaction, and try anything that bothers me again after a couple of months to see if it's still an issue. 

The only thing I was given as an everyone without a gallbladder should do this strong suggestion was eating numerous small meals throughout the day rather than a big meal at any point, which is the complete opposite of how I eat (I cannot eat until I've been up for several hours, or else I get nauseated, so I have a little something for lunch and then my meal is dinner), so we'll see.  I hadn't eaten in two days prior to surgery, because I felt like such shit I wasn't hungry, so when I ate that night, it was something small since it had been a while.  Yesterday I had the usual amount for lunch, a little snack, and then a smaller dinner.  I can do that; it's good for me in general. 

For meat, I eat mostly chicken, then shellfish, then pork, then fish, then beef (I only like a few cuts of beef, so eat it maybe once a month).  I do love me some sausage, but I eat about half chicken or turkey and half pork.  Other than that, my fat intake mostly comes from cheese, avocado, and nuts.

Edited to say thanks for the good wishes, everyone!

I'm lucky in that I don't have to avoid any foods altogether but eating a bacon bowl would not be a good idea, LOL.  Otherwise I usually graze anyway but I can still pack away the occasional big meal without any problem at all.   It took a while after surgery for me to get back to my normal diet, though because of those stones in my bile duct.  Once those were removed and I got past some weird acid reflux I started to gradually go back to normal.  I limit very large meals and fatty meats anyway for dietary and health reasons but I'm also determined to be kind to my liver, LOL.  And my consumption of processed foods has gone way down and whole foods has gone way up.  I am using my cooking skills making healthy foods taste great.  Fortunately I have the time to devote to it.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

We really need our gall bladders so I wish some genius could create a replacement! For me (gall bladder removed in 2008), my main issue is excess bile that causes diarrhea. So, several years ago my gastroenterologist put me on Colestid 1gm. It absorbs the excess bile. I keep Lomotil on hand for days when I think I might have a problem while out & about, but otherwise, one Colestid each day is all I need. My sister takes 2 or 3 a day. Some folks have no problems post surgery. Others need to be careful re: certain foods. You find out what to avoid over time.

That's interesting.  If anything I have the opposite issue sometimes since the surgery - BMs that are a little harder to pass than normal.  It's only every now and then.  So I take fiber supplements and a couple of prunes a day to keep me going.  And I make sure I don't get dehydrated.  I read that this problem can be caused by that.

[nokat]

On 2/18/2024 at 5:01 AM, Yeah No said:

I hope you're lucky as to aftereffects from not having a gallbladder.  I've heard of people that develop all sorts of things and can't eat certain foods at all anymore.

I can't mix acidic foods with fatty foods without trouble. Also, if I lose my appetite when I'm feeling sick, the bile is still emptying into my stomach and I feel nauseated and sometimes vomit the excess bile.

Thankfully mine was laparoscopic but you still feel it for a month or more.

[Yeah No]

20 minutes ago, nokat said:

I can't mix acidic foods with fatty foods without trouble. Also, if I lose my appetite when I'm feeling sick, the bile is still emptying into my stomach and I feel nauseated and sometimes vomit the excess bile.

Thankfully mine was laparoscopic but you still feel it for a month or more.

Sorry to hear that.  I just remembered an effect from my gallbladder surgery.  Despite the surgery being laparoscopic the surgeon warned me of the possibility of getting an umbilical hernia and told me not to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds.  It's a potential hazard after all abdominal surgery.  Several months ago I had a CAT scan for other reasons and they found a small umbilical hernia. They said it's not presenting any problems, though.  Meanwhile I never lift anything heavier than a 5 lb. bag of groceries.  Oh well. 

[nokat]

6 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Despite the surgery being laparoscopic the surgeon warned me of the possibility of getting an umbilical hernia and told me not to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds.  It's a potential hazard after all abdominal surgery.  Several months ago I had a CAT scan for other reasons and they found a small umbilical hernia. They said it's not presenting any problems, though.  Meanwhile I never lift anything heavier than a 5 lb. bag of groceries.  Oh well. 

I moved about a month after surgery and lifted more than I should.   The carbon dioxide they expand your abdomen with hurt worse than the surgery but I was sore for several weeks. 

I hope the hernia causes no problems. I've learned to lift things using either my legs or an arm to transfer most of the weight to a leg.

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, nokat said:

I moved about a month after surgery and lifted more than I should.   The carbon dioxide they expand your abdomen with hurt worse than the surgery but I was sore for several weeks. 

I hope the hernia causes no problems. I've learned to lift things using either my legs or an arm to transfer most of the weight to a leg.

Thank you, me too.  I've developed a knack for finding ways to either lift without any stress to my midsection or getting around lifting at all.  

Edited February 20 by Yeah No

[Mod-Tigerkatze]

Hi everyone,

just letting you know that a few posts have found a new home in the Stress, Depression, Anxiety and other Mental Health-related things thread.

I hope all work related troubles have had a chance to sink in and sting a little less.

Thank you and carry on. 🙂

 

[shapeshifter]

15 minutes ago, Mod-Tigerkatze said:

Hi everyone,

just letting you know that a few posts have found a new home in the Stress, Depression, Anxiety and other Mental Health-related things thread.

I hope all work related troubles have had a chance to sink in and sting a little less.

Thank you and carry on. 🙂

 

Thanks.

In the spirit of our Fresh Start, and as a retired data ontologist, I'd like to (again) suggest that the title of this thread should be changed to prevent this ongoing confusion. 

We have:

Forums

• Everthing Else
  • Health & Wellness

    • Health and Wellness Chit-Chat: Your Primary Care Topic

which implies that this thread is the primary place to chat about anything related to health and wellness.

Maybe something simple like "Medical Chat" would steer posters away from this thread when their topic is something else.

A title like "Medical Chat" might also encourage posters to comment here rather than starting a new thread for every medical situation.

[Mod-Tigerkatze]

26 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Thanks.

In the spirit of our Fresh Start, and as a retired data ontologist, I'd like to (again) suggest that the title of this thread should be changed to prevent this ongoing confusion. 

We have:

Forums

• Everthing Else
  • Health & Wellness

    • Health and Wellness Chit-Chat: Your Primary Care Topic

which implies that this thread is the primary place to chat about anything related to health and wellness.

Maybe something simple like "Medical Chat" would steer posters away from this thread when their topic is something else.

A title like "Medical Chat" might also encourage posters to comment here rather than starting a new thread for every medical situation.

We'll look into it. Thank you for the suggestion.

[SoMuchTV]

Well, boo hiss. Just found out the newest grandbaby (almost 7 months) has a peanut allergy. Fortunately they were able to get him into the allergist (“we’re booking for August but we have a cancellation this afternoon”) and they were able to determine that it’s just peanuts, not anything else. 

Seems so unexpected- no history on any side of the family, plus he got almost exclusively breast milk until they started introducing solids, and he’s been living with parents and siblings who were eating peanut products around him. 
 
I know of all the issues a kid could have, this one is definitely manageable, but still a pain in the neck. Anyone else had experience with this?

[shapeshifter]

39 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

Well, boo hiss. Just found out the newest grandbaby (almost 7 months) has a peanut allergy. Fortunately they were able to get him into the allergist (“we’re booking for August but we have a cancellation this afternoon”) and they were able to determine that it’s just peanuts, not anything else. 

Seems so unexpected- no history on any side of the family, plus he got almost exclusively breast milk until they started introducing solids, and he’s been living with parents and siblings who were eating peanut products around him. 
 
I know of all the issues a kid could have, this one is definitely manageable, but still a pain in the neck. Anyone else had experience with this?

🖐️
Lambchop had the peanut allergy and saw the allergist, but just before he turned 2 he was officially determined to be no longer allergic.

I have my opinions about this, but, as my daughter (his mother) reminds me, my sample size (of young children and peanut allergies) is too small for a basis of any scientific conclusions.

Nevertheless, I don't think kids younger than 1 year should be exposed to potential allergens in so-called micro-doses (for example, peanut dust from the bottom of the bag) in hopes of preventing the allergy. 

[Yeah No]

On 2/20/2024 at 6:35 PM, Mod-Tigerkatze said:

Hi everyone,

just letting you know that a few posts have found a new home in the Stress, Depression, Anxiety and other Mental Health-related things thread.

I hope all work related troubles have had a chance to sink in and sting a little less.

Thank you and carry on. 🙂

 

 

On 2/20/2024 at 7:05 PM, shapeshifter said:

Maybe something simple like "Medical Chat" would steer posters away from this thread when their topic is something else.

A title like "Medical Chat" might also encourage posters to comment here rather than starting a new thread for every medical situation.

Can I make a suggestion?

How about one thread entitled "Physical Health and Wellness" and another one entitled "Mental Health and Wellness" under the general "Health and Wellness" section so there's even more of a specific distinction?

[PRgal]

15 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

🖐️
Lambchop had the peanut allergy and saw the allergist, but just before he turned 2 he was officially determined to be no longer allergic.

I have my opinions about this, but, as my daughter (his mother) reminds me, my sample size (of young children and peanut allergies) is too small for a basis of any scientific conclusions.

Nevertheless, I don't think kids younger than 1 year should be exposed to potential allergens in so-called micro-doses (for example, peanut dust from the bottom of the bag) in hopes of preventing the allergy. 

That's not the view of pediatricians and pediatric dieticians these days.  They feel that it's important to expose early to limit the risk.

For many years, it was recommended to delay giving a child certain highly allergenic foods until after age 1 year. But new research shows that for babies at high risk of developing peanut allergy, giving them peanuts between 4 to 6 months can greatly lower the risk for peanut allergy.

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions---pediatrics/f/food-allergies-in-children.html

Article from Mayo which says the same thing, research comparing Israeli kids and kids from the UK:

 

https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/parenting/your-best-chance-of-preventing-food-allergies-in-your-kids-exposure/

 

[Bastet]

A week post-op and I'm probably 75% back to my normal self.  That goddamn cough really made this recuperation period a different beast altogether, but that dropped off dramatically a few days ago, which let me turn the corner.  Now <knock on wood> it's almost entirely gone, so I'm just getting my energy fully back and dealing with some twinges of soreness with certain moves, but no longer having to endure the searing pain caused by coughing as a recurring issue.  I hope I didn't pull anything internally; time will tell.

I had to talk to myself a bit in the beginning, as I bounced back very quickly from previous surgeries so would get frustrated this time -- but I was in my 20s for all of those!  Being almost 50, when someone cuts five holes in you and removes an organ, you're not going to be able to pull weeds the next day.  So I got over myself; the surgeon put me off work, even though it involves no manual labor, for a week for a reason, and I'm now completely off pain meds, so I'll be good to go Monday (I didn't think they were affecting me, until I watched Jeopardy! each night and was a fucking moron).

Now that I'm off the pain pills I'm off the stool softener (they can cause constipation, and I was supposed to barely push, let alone avoid straining, in the beginning, so supposed to take them together) and things are firming up, so hopefully that will go back to normal soon.  But even with diarrhea, it was at my usual daily time, not in response to eating, so I have high hopes I'll be one of those who can eat whatever they want despite the absence of a gall bladder.  Don't come between me and food!

Or me and drink, so it's also nice to be able to imbibe again now that I'm off the pills. 

My cat is happy to be able to roam across my torso again, although I do still cover the main incision when she's on the move lest a paw step on exactly the wrong spot.  She's been a nice little heating pad.

[Yeah No]

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

A week post-op and I'm probably 75% back to my normal self.  That goddamn cough really made this recuperation period a different beast altogether, but that dropped off dramatically a few days ago, which let me turn the corner.  Now <knock on wood> it's almost entirely gone, so I'm just getting my energy fully back and dealing with some twinges of soreness with certain moves, but no longer having to endure the searing pain caused by coughing as a recurring issue.  I hope I didn't pull anything internally; time will tell.

I had to talk to myself a bit in the beginning, as I bounced back very quickly from previous surgeries so would get frustrated this time -- but I was in my 20s for all of those!  Being almost 50, when someone cuts five holes in you and removes an organ, you're not going to be able to pull weeds the next day.  So I got over myself; the surgeon put me off work, even though it involves no manual labor, for a week for a reason, and I'm now completely off pain meds, so I'll be good to go Monday (I didn't think they were affecting me, until I watched Jeopardy! each night and was a fucking moron).

Now that I'm off the pain pills I'm off the stool softener (they can cause constipation, and I was supposed to barely push, let alone avoid straining, in the beginning, so supposed to take them together) and things are firming up, so hopefully that will go back to normal soon.  But even with diarrhea, it was at my usual daily time, not in response to eating, so I have high hopes I'll be one of those who can eat whatever they want despite the absence of a gall bladder.  Don't come between me and food!

Or me and drink, so it's also nice to be able to imbibe again now that I'm off the pills. 

My cat is happy to be able to roam across my torso again, although I do still cover the main incision when she's on the move lest a paw step on exactly the wrong spot.  She's been a nice little heating pad.

Good news, it sounds like you're doing great!  I was 58 when I had my surgery and despite my bile duct stones, after they were resolved I recovered quickly.  Here's hoping you will too.

[Bastet]

I had my follow-up appointment over the phone, and the NP asked me a lot of questions about my recovery, then concluded I'm ahead of schedule.  She said in situations like mine, it can take up to six weeks to recover completely, so I'm glad I'm not one of those people.   Her horrified sympathy when I told her about coughing for several days was entertaining. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

I hope this is the right place to post this. I am extremely upset and frustrated. I take Trulicity to manage my diabetes. But for the past month, my next order has been on back order because the manufacturer doesn't have any in stock! I have enough to last through next week. But I just found out, that it will NOT be available AT ALL for the rest of 2024. Why? Because of high demand. Why? Because those people, who aren't diabetic, but have been getting Ozembic as a weight loss drug, have caused THAT to go out of stock, so they turned to Trulicity. I blame them and their irresponsible and craven doctors who prescribed this for them as a weight loss drug and not one to help with diabetes.

I do NOT want to go back on insulin-for shallow reasons-I've worked hard, very hard to lose weight, and I don't relish gaining it back if I'm put on insulin. Though of course, back then, the horrible doctor had me taking insulin four times a day.

I'm hoping staying on metafornin will be enough. There are options--it's possible to get it from overseas. But of course, my weight loss didn't come from taking Trulicity, even though stupid big Pharma and their commercials highlight that as a benefit. Otherwise, I would have lost it when I was first put on it five years ago.

I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday to discuss other options/alternatives. GAH!!!! I hate being at the mercy of big Pharma.

Edited March 1 by GHScorpiosRule

[SoMuchTV]

5 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I hope this is the right place to post this. I am extremely upset and frustrated. I take Trulicity to manage my diabetes. But for the past month, my next order has been on back order because the manufacturer doesn't have any in stock! I have enough to last through next week. But I just found out, that it will NOT be available AT ALL for the rest of 2024. Why? Because of high demand. Why? Because those people, who aren't diabetic, but have been getting Ozembic as a weight loss drug, have caused THAT to go out of stock, so they turned to Trulicity. I blame them and their irresponsible and craven doctors who prescribed this for them as a weight loss drug and not one to help with diabetes.

I do NOT want to go back on insulin-for shallow reasons-I've worked hard, very hard to lose weight, and I don't relish gaining it back if I'm put on insulin. Though of course, back then, the horrible doctor had me taking insulin four times a day.

I'm hoping staying on metafornin will be enough. There are options--it's possible to get it from overseas. But of course, my weight loss didn't come from taking Trulicity, even though stupid big Pharma and their commercials highlight that as a benefit. Otherwise, I would have lost it when I was first put on it five years ago.

I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday to discuss other options/alternatives. GAH!!!! I hate being at the mercy of big Pharma.

My H had a similar issue with another drug in that same category. After a lot of back and forth between his doctor, the mail order pharmacy, and the local pharmacy, they were able to prescribe something else from the same family of drugs that also worked for him. He had to pay more at the local pharmacy, but after a few weeks, the mail order pharmacy had it back in stock at a lower price. So - keep after them. Good luck! 

[Yeah No]

14 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I hope this is the right place to post this. I am extremely upset and frustrated. I take Trulicity to manage my diabetes. But for the past month, my next order has been on back order because the manufacturer doesn't have any in stock! I have enough to last through next week. But I just found out, that it will NOT be available AT ALL for the rest of 2024. Why? Because of high demand. Why? Because those people, who aren't diabetic, but have been getting Ozembic as a weight loss drug, have caused THAT to go out of stock, so they turned to Trulicity. I blame them and their irresponsible and craven doctors who prescribed this for them as a weight loss drug and not one to help with diabetes.

I do NOT want to go back on insulin-for shallow reasons-I've worked hard, very hard to lose weight, and I don't relish gaining it back if I'm put on insulin. Though of course, back then, the horrible doctor had me taking insulin four times a day.

I'm hoping staying on metafornin will be enough. There are options--it's possible to get it from overseas. But of course, my weight loss didn't come from taking Trulicity, even though stupid big Pharma and their commercials highlight that as a benefit. Otherwise, I would have lost it when I was first put on it five years ago.

I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday to discuss other options/alternatives. GAH!!!! I hate being at the mercy of big Pharma.

I find it unbelievable that diabetics aren't prioritized with those medications.  And now they have similar drugs aimed only at weight loss like Wegovy, so I think doctors should stop prescribing the true diabetic drugs to people who aren't diabetics.  My husband is a type 2 diabetic and is on Metformin.  He hasn't had a problem getting that at all.  Not sure that would work for you but I thought I should mention it because at least it's available.

I only wish there was a medication I could take for weight loss.  Unfortunately my doctor told me that all those drugs would likely make me sick to my stomach like the Metformin did (I tried it).  So my doctor hasn't prescribed any for me.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

My husband is a type 2 diabetic and is on Metformin.  He hasn't had a problem getting that at all.  Not sure that would work for you

Oh I’m on that as well as Trulicity. It’s why I’m hoping that will be enough since my A1C is around 6. And yes it’s absolutely mind boggling that non-diabetics aren’t prioritized, or when these greedy companies didn’t see what was happening, didn’t increase production two years ago. But here we are.

[Yeah No]

I figure this is as good a time as any to bring this up, but on my last visit to a thyroid doctor (a new one, my old one left), she gave me a test of something called TPO antibodies. This is a measure they use to diagnose Hashimoto's disease, which is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid where the body basically attacks the thyroid, making it swell and affecting its ability to produce TSH and T4 hormones (thyroid hormone). Usually someone with this condition will have low TSH and T4, but mine are still considered normal, although at the lower end of normal.

Anyway my number on the TPO came up at 25, but even so this doctor thinks I have Hashimoto's.  Meanwhile no website including all the big medical sites lists any score less than about 100 as the threshold for Hashimoto's. I think this doctor latched onto it when I told her I thought my mother said she had Hashimoto's. I am not even sure she had a real diagnosis or not.  Also I do have a slightly enlarged thyroid, which is also a sign of Hashimoto's because if your body is essentially attacking the thyroid it has nodules and swells. But recent tests showed that the nodules have shrunk.

When I look at the list of symptoms for Hashimoto's I only have a couple - my weight issue, which I suspect could just be a result of my lower than average thyroid hormone numbers. And I have a leg/foot swelling issue that has resisted any formal diagnosis that can be caused by that too. So perhaps I do have Hashimoto's and perhaps I don't. 

Given that my thyroid hormone levels are supposedly still in the normal range the doctor is not prescribing anything like thyroid hormone. The problem is what I will do if I ever need to take it, and maybe that time is now given my weight issues. Once over a decade ago a doctor put me on natural thyroid hormone and I had a bad reaction to it. I am told that the synthetic thyroid hormone is less likely to produce this kind of reaction, but I have not been able to take ANY hormones whatsoever without a very bad reaction - bad malaise, feeling jittery and strung-out, etc. When I was going through bad menopausal symptoms I was put on very low doses of estrogen and progesterone. Even a tiny amount in a cream on my arm produced the same bad reaction!  So I am worried that eventually I'll have to be put on thyroid hormone.

Anyway, I am tossing over the idea of getting a second opinion. 

[shapeshifter]

52 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

…Anyway, I am tossing over the idea of getting a second opinion. 

Yes! Even if the second opinion is the same as the first, it will at least be coming from a different point of view
— which gives perspective both in art and in thought. 😉

 

52 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

…The problem is what I will do if I ever need to take it, and maybe that time is now given my weight issues. Once over a decade ago a doctor put me on natural thyroid hormone and I had a bad reaction to it. I am told that the synthetic thyroid hormone is less likely to produce this kind of reaction, but I have not been able to take ANY hormones whatsoever without a very bad reaction - bad malaise, feeling jittery and strung-out, etc. When I was going through bad menopausal symptoms I was put on very low doses of estrogen and progesterone. Even a tiny amount in a cream on my arm produced the same bad reaction!  So I am worried that eventually I'll have to be put on thyroid hormone.…

I have become increasingly sensitive to all medications, so I can relate to your concerns. 
So…
a few thoughts:

1. Be sure to speak up and advocate for yourself about these concerns. Dosages can be lowered, but medical professionals are understandably invested in sticking to current standard guidelines. 
    
2. Dosages and formulas are constantly changing.
   • I have been pleasantly surprised once or twice to discover that dosages were much lower than they had been a decade or more previously. 
   • New medications may have been formulated specifically because of enough people having bad reactions like yours.
      
3. My current primary care provider often suggests I take a medication every other day because of my sensitivities.
    
4. I am not familiar with Thyroid disease (although I had symptoms that caused health care providers to check me for it). But when I had stage IV cancer and it was a choice of 6 months to live or chemotherapy and major surgery, well, you know which I opted for.

Edited March 2 by shapeshifter