Health and Wellness Chit-Chat: Your Primary Care Topic

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

Well I woke up sick as a dog today. I think it’s the AC and me drinking everything cold.

My 80+ year-old upstairs neighbor has Covid, and only found out because her 90+ year-old husband is in the hospital with it. 
If they had tested sooner, he could have been treated with Paxlovid, but now it sounds like he might die, and she is in denial. 🙁
They also had their last Covid vaccines in October, but we elderly people were advised to get another this spring, and they didn't get that message.🙁

But I think you are a lot younger than 65, right @oliviabenson?
So not to worry, except you might want to get tested so you know if you are contagious to vulnerable people if you have any around you.

Do you have a fever?

[annzeepark914]

@shapeshifter I only had a "hug" to give you as I don't have any advice re: sleep apnea since your symptoms are so different from mine. Can you consult another practice? What you described doesn't sound quite right (for some reason... not sure why, but it doesn't). 

[shapeshifter]

On 6/28/2024 at 1:51 PM, annzeepark914 said:

@shapeshifter I only had a "hug" to give you as I don't have any advice re: sleep apnea since your symptoms are so different from mine. Can you consult another practice? What you described doesn't sound quite right (for some reason... not sure why, but it doesn't). 

Thanks.
I might have mentioned earlier that I wondered if my sleepiness was more neurological, and you might be recalling that? 
But this seemed like a good way to first rule out apnea.

Anyway, I'm going to give them another chance Monday with a different person.
I got a call back, and she said there should have been a mask fitting with an opportunity to try different masks, and that she would talk to "management," 
since what I attended was a group session where we received our devices and learned how to use them.
So it sounds like somebody thought they could cut out the mask fitting with a 5-question yes-or-no form and an app to take a scan of you moving your head up.
Nope.

Edited July 1 by shapeshifter

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

Well I woke up sick as a dog today. I think it’s the AC and me drinking everything cold.

I felt that way for 2 days and it went away so it wasn't a cold. I do think in my case it was the air conditioning and falling asleep on the couch without a cover. I have been home more during the very hot weather with the AC going.

[shapeshifter]

On 6/28/2024 at 2:07 PM, shapeshifter said:

…Anyway, I'm going to give them another chance Monday with a different person.
I got a call back, and she said there should have been a mask fitting with an opportunity to try different masks, and that she would talk to "management," 
since what I attended was a group session where we received our devices and learned how to use them.
So it sounds like somebody thought they could cut out the mask fitting with a 5-question yes-or-no form and an app to take a scan of you moving your head up.
Nope.

ETA:

 Just checking my email before I need to start getting ready for my follow-up appointment, and I got this:

Quote

On behalf of AdaptHealth, we would like to thank you for your recent order. Your service technician was Ed.
How Did We Do?
ᴺᵒᵗ ᴳᵒᵒᵈ                     ᴳʳᵉᵃᵗ
         ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
          1  2   3  4   5

So I clicked on a generous 2, and was greeted with a feedback form introduced by:

Quote

Thank you for your rating. Please take a few moments to leave us feedback about our company and the service we provided. Your feedback matters to us. We look forward to better servicing you in the future.

I started to explain why their procedures were not likely to result in success, but quickly discovered there was a limit of 150 characters, so I changed my response to:

• “Terrible. If my feedback really mattered, your form would allow enough characters in the response for me to explain. I may die prematurely due to your t”

…deliberately and with great satisfaction allowing my response to end with: “I may die prematurely due to your t”

Maybe my cut-off reply will get escalated to their legal division? If so, would it be likely filed in the trash bin?

Anyhoo. Off to my follow-up appointment.

And even if using a CPAP is not in my future after all, maybe this one company will contact me about what they did wrong with their procedures and methods for introducing new CPAP users to the equipment and process, and just maybe there will be one person who listens and implements at least one or 2 of my common-sense recommended changes, which might benefit future apnea sufferers.

Edited July 1 by shapeshifter

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 6/28/2024 at 12:07 PM, shapeshifter said:

So it sounds like somebody thought they could cut out the mask fitting with a 5-question yes-or-no form and an app to take a scan of you moving your head up.

Nope.

I hope this place works out for you, but I'll just throw out there that you have a Medicare Advantage plan and if it's an HMO Advantage plan, you have no choice but to go to its contracted providers, and this could very well be the only one.

Someone with traditional Medicare might have gone to this provider, but wouldn't have been required to, and certainly wouldn't have to stay with a provider who does life-saving mask fittings with a 5-question yes-or-no form and an app to take a scan of you moving your head up.

It's possible you have a PPO Advantage plan.  If that's the case, you can find out if it covers any out-of-network services.  If it does, you'll have to pay a higher copay, but it might be worth it to get someone you have confidence in.

[shapeshifter]

1 minute ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I hope this place works out for you, but I'll just throw out there that you have a Medicare Advantage plan and if it's an HMO Advantage plan, you have no choice but to go to its contracted providers, and this could very well be the only one.

Someone with traditional Medicare might have gone to this provider, but wouldn't have been required to, and certainly wouldn't have to stay with a provider who does life-saving mask fittings with a 5-question yes-or-no form and an app to take a scan of you moving your head up.

It's possible you have a PPO Advantage plan.  If that's the case, you can find out if it covers any out-of-network services.  If it does, you'll have to pay a higher copay, but it might be worth it to get someone you have confidence in.

It is a Medicare Advantage plan, but the medical technician I spoke to today (not sure of her exact title) said one company controls all CPAP business in the the greater Rochester NY area. She didn't seem too happy about it either.

But it does seem Medicare is willing to pay for an unlimited number of follow-up visits, and even trade-ins of masks while I try different styles. 
So I'm going to keep trying for at least the 2-months I've already paid for (which was less than $100 for everything). 

It would be life-changing if I can get past this fatigue.

[annzeepark914]

I'm scheduled to have an epidural at a pain mgmt practice in a few weeks. I had one there two years ago; this time they want to give me gas to make it more bearable pain-wise 🥴

I've never been given gas before. What's it like? Do people get sick from it? This is for backache issues. 

 

[Browncoat]

3 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

I've never been given gas before. What's it like? Do people get sick from it? This is for backache issues. 

Do you mean nitrous oxide?  I've had it a couple of times for dental work.  I mostly just felt kind of happy (there's a reason they call it laughing gas).  I still felt pain, but I didn't care. Everything was just sort of floaty and slower than usual, and I didn't have a care in the world.

[annzeepark914]

9 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Do you mean nitrous oxide?  I've had it a couple of times for dental work.  I mostly just felt kind of happy (there's a reason they call it laughing gas).  I still felt pain, but I didn't care. Everything was just sort of floaty and slower than usual, and I didn't have a care in the world.

I don't think so. I need to call them tomorrow to ask for the name of the gas. I think the PA said it's like laughing gas. So when you left the dental office, did you feel ok?

[fairffaxx]

"Laughing Gas" is nitrous oxide & it begins to wear off immediately after they stop administering it.  I recall being told to stay in the dentist's chair for something like 15 minutes afterward, which was at least 10 minutes after I felt perfectly normal -- no after effects at all.

[Browncoat]

15 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

So when you left the dental office, did you feel ok?

 

15 hours ago, fairffaxx said:

"Laughing Gas" is nitrous oxide & it begins to wear off immediately after they stop administering it.  I recall being told to stay in the dentist's chair for something like 15 minutes afterward, which was at least 10 minutes after I felt perfectly normal -- no after effects at all.

Exactly.  Once the nitrous is replaced in your system with regular air, the effects will go away.  And then you'll care about the pain, but not have any after effects from the gas itself.

[shapeshifter]

After being very distraught about not being able to tolerate the CPAP equipment, I've made progress, although I'm still hoping to get a better fitting "mask" on Monday. They do give you many hours of customer support at no additional charge.

But now it seems I MUST only put Distilled water in the unit, and Distilled water only comes in gallons unless I want to pay about $100/month for small bottles (??!!🤬) when the gallons are about $1.25 each. Even if I have to dump most of the gallon because it grows bacteria after a week, it would still be $5/month. 

So. What's the problem, you ask? Well, I have to haul it up the stairs, and then try to not dump it all over the machine, floor, bed, etc. while filling from something that weighs too much for me to handle anymore.
I guess I'm going to go buy a gallon and see how much I use in a week, and then when I buy the next gallon, I'll dump out 3 quarts of it (or however much I determine I can't use in 1 week) in the parking lot.

[SoMuchTV]

37 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

After being very distraught about not being able to tolerate the CPAP equipment, I've made progress, although I'm still hoping to get a better fitting "mask" on Monday. They do give you many hours of customer support at no additional charge.

But now it seems I MUST only put Distilled water in the unit, and Distilled water only comes in gallons unless I want to pay about $100/month for small bottles (??!!🤬) when the gallons are about $1.25 each. Even if I have to dump most of the gallon because it grows bacteria after a week, it would still be $5/month. 

So. What's the problem, you ask? Well, I have to haul it up the stairs, and then try to not dump it all over the machine, floor, bed, etc. while filling from something that weighs too much for me to handle anymore.
I guess I'm going to go buy a gallon and see how much I use in a week, and then when I buy the next gallon, I'll dump out 3 quarts of it (or however much I determine I can't use in 1 week) in the parking lot.

That's interesting!  My husband uses a CPAP and gets distilled water in gallon jugs, and this is the first I ever heard about needing to use it within a week (or any time period, actually).  Did they tell you that at the CPAP clinic or whatever it was?  There was nothing on the first page of Google results that said anything like that.

Of course that doesn't solve the problem of lugging the gallon home from the store, but if you can confirm that it does keep  longer than a week, maybe you can subdivide it into smaller, easier to pour containers and only take what you need up the stairs?

Or did you mean you have to dump it from the CPAP after a week and put in new water? But that wouldn't make sense, in that case you wouldn't be worried about buying a new gallon every week.

Edit:  and now you have me curious.  Looks like there are lots of options on Amazon for smaller bottles, and they'll do the lugging from the store.  As long as you're not an Amazon-avoider, which I realize some folks are.

One sample:

https://www.amazon.com/Resway-Respironics-Humidifier-Demineralized-Antibacterial/dp/B07PLM98Y7

 

Edited July 3 by SoMuchTV
did some more searching

[shapeshifter]

9 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

That's interesting!  My husband uses a CPAP and gets distilled water in gallon jugs, and this is the first I ever heard about needing to use it within a week (or any time period, actually).  Did they tell you that at the CPAP clinic or whatever it was?  There was nothing on the first page of Google results that said anything like that.

Of course that doesn't solve the problem of lugging the gallon home from the store, but if you can confirm that it does keep  longer than a week, maybe you can subdivide it into smaller, easier to pour containers and only take what you need up the stairs?

Or did you mean you have to dump it from the CPAP after a week and put in new water? But that wouldn't make sense, in that case you wouldn't be worried about buying a new gallon every week.

That's a good question. Maybe I misunderstood and they meant 1 week in the machine? But I don't think so, because you're supposed to dump it every day, right? Who knows? The people I'm dealing with seem to be mostly hired to follow the rules, not interpret them.

But I messaged the doctor and she said the Purified water was fine, so I'm going with that for now, and if I start to see any mineral buildup, I'll switch. 
Or maybe I'll buy 1 gallon of the distilled to see if I can do the dumping thing. 
Too bad there aren't any flowers close to where I park my car.

Is your husband's CPAP made by ResMed? The way they have a total corner on the market here reminds me of the Mafia types emptying the pinball machines in Illinois in the early 70s, LOL.

Does his nose-mask thing get washed in soapy water every day? 
Or just water wipes? 
 

 

[Browncoat]

It shouldn't grow bacteria in a week!  I keep gallon containers of store-bought distilled water in my fridge at work, and it keeps much longer than a week. 

We do have ultra-filtered, deionized water for most chemical preparations, but I have one very picky chemical that will only behave properly in distilled water.

[shapeshifter]

Just now, Browncoat said:

It shouldn't grow bacteria in a week!  I keep gallon containers of store-bought distilled water in my fridge at work, and it keeps much longer than a week. 

Maybe they're allowing for sleepy CPAP users who might accidentally put it in a closet or something?
Or it's probably in their script so the company that owns these CPAP distributors can't get sued.

[SoMuchTV]

13 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Is your husband's CPAP made by ResMed? The way they have a total corner on the market here reminds me of the Mafia types emptying the pinball machines in Illinois in the early 70s, LOL.

Does his nose-mask thing get washed in soapy water every day? 
Or just water wipes? 

Yes, it is ResMed.  I had to check.  He takes care of the maintenance, but I know he has some kind of separate machine that cleans it automatically in-place.  (I know this because it manages to turn on the automatic cycle exactly when I'm in the room and make me jump, every single time.)  I've heard mixed reviews on those cleaner systems but he seems to like it.

He also has a travel one, and after a trip I'll usually see the equipment hanging in the shower, for whatever that's worth.

[EtheltoTillie]

Wow that's a lot of work.  I now realize I have no idea how a CPAP machine works.  What does the water do?

I have been on an oxygen concentrator, which looks like a typical rollaboard suitcase.  It removes oxygen from the room air and sends it through a tube to your nose.  No mask.  No water is  involved. 

[shapeshifter]

26 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Wow that's a lot of work.  I now realize I have no idea how a CPAP machine works.  What does the water do?

The water moisturizes the air being pumped into your nose so your sinuses and throat and mouth don't get dried out.

My first appointment to get my equipment they didn't use water, and I started coughing. 

[PRgal]

Post-surgery update:  I went to one of the surgeons (more than one involved with the procedure since it also involved some reconstruction) and she said that everything looked fine.  Had my stitches removed too.  I still have to see the surgeon who removed the actual tumour, which is in a few weeks.  I had gauze over the stitches since the procedure three weeks ago today and there's no need for all that bulk anymore!  

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, PRgal said:

Post-surgery update:  I went to one of the surgeons (more than one involved with the procedure since it also involved some reconstruction) and she said that everything looked fine.  Had my stitches removed too.  I still have to see the surgeon who removed the actual tumour, which is in a few weeks.  I had gauze over the stitches since the procedure three weeks ago today and there's no need for all that bulk anymore!  

So good to read good news!

[shapeshifter]

On 7/3/2024 at 3:34 PM, SoMuchTV said:

after a trip I'll usually see the equipment hanging in the shower, for whatever that's worth.

I LOL'd at this because I imagined you walking in to take a shower and seeing it, but it turned out to be really helpful info for me when I finally did my first weekly washing of the tubing today. 
Thanks for sharing!

[shapeshifter]

On 7/5/2024 at 12:07 PM, shapeshifter said:

I LOL'd at this because I imagined you walking in to take a shower and seeing it, but it turned out to be really helpful info for me when I finally did my first weekly washing of the tubing today. 
Thanks for sharing!

It’s now been over 24 hours of the tube hanging over the shower rod, and it’s still got a droplets in it.

I found a YouTube video demonstrating how to dry it by running the machine without water in it.
But I’m worried that the tap water sitting in it for so long might have started growing mold or bacteria.
So I’m thinking I should rewash it first…????

[Mindthinkr]

15 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

So I’m thinking I should rewash it first…????

I would. Just not to take the chance. 

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

I would. Just not to take the chance. 

Yeah.
I'm even thinking when I go to my appointment tomorrow to ask for (demand) a new hose since the instructions have created a possible health hazard.
48 hours later now, and Still. Not. Dry. 🤨
And you're not supposed to use disinfectants.
But, of course, it will probably be dry when I arrive.
Even if is not when I leave (72 hours after washing), it will probably dry in the car.😶😑🫠

Also:
Having not used it in 2 nights sort of verifies that although I am still exhausted like I was before I started the CPAP, I am Not as tired as I was while using it. 
What's up with that??

[shapeshifter]

My appointment got postponed until Thursday, but I had a lengthy phone call with the medical person (not sure what her title is). 
She could replace my hose, but I don't think I'm going to do that at this time.
She talked me through using the machine to dry it (when hanging it over the shower is not sufficient). 
It seems they can factor in using the machine for drying (if they know) so it doesn't skew the results of the data in terms of effectiveness, etc. 
So I re-washed the long tube and the mask tubing, and dried them in well-under an hour. 

 

It turns out the reason the regular staff at the CPAP place are so militant about air-drying and using *only* distilled water is because (free) Medicaid (unlike Medicare Advantage, which I have) does not cover replacement of all parts, and not very often. 
Since this area is lower income, many do have Medicaid, which also means they have near-zero savings, are more impacted by inflation, etc., and so cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket full-price for tubes etc. every few weeks. I doubt they could even afford my copay amount. 

So, since they have equipment that's designed to be replaced every 3-6 months, but are not able to do that, using only distilled water is the way to go.

However, I'm not so sure that drip-drying is best in that situation. Since the humid part of the year is only a few months here, and since there's a lot of stuff that can go wrong when leaving the machine on for drying in a busy household (I live alone), I guess if the CPAP office people have to stick to just one guideline for each procedure, the air drying does make sense for fall, winter, and spring here. 

Edited July 8 by shapeshifter
missing word

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

My appointment got postponed until Thursday, but I had a lengthy phone call with the medical person (not sure what her title is). 
She could replace my hose, but I don't think I'm going to do that at this time.
She talked me through using the machine to dry it (when hanging it over the shower is not sufficient). 
It seems they can factor in using the machine for drying (if they know) so it doesn't skew the results of the data in terms of effectiveness, etc. 
So I re-washed the long tube and the mask tubing, and dried them in well-under an hour. 

 

It turns out the reason the regular staff at the CPAP place are so militant about air-drying and using *only* distilled water is because (free) Medicaid (unlike Medicare Advantage, which I have) does not cover replacement of all parts, and not very often. 
Since this area is lower income, many do have Medicaid, which also means they have near-zero savings, are more impacted by inflation, etc., and so cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket full-price for tubes etc. every few weeks. I doubt they could even afford my copay amount. 

So, since they have equipment that's designed to be replaced every 3-6 months, but are not able to do that, using only distilled water is the way to go.

However, I'm not so sure that drip-drying is best in that situation. Since the humid part of the year is only a few months here, and since there's a lot of stuff that go wrong when leaving the machine on for drying in a busy household (I live alone), I guess if the CPAP office people have to stick to just one guideline for each procedure, the air drying does make sense for fall, winter, and spring here. 

Not sure what emoji to apply to this continuing saga!  Good luck as you continue to navigate hose-gate.

[shapeshifter]

Just now, EtheltoTillie said:

Not sure what emoji to apply to this continuing saga!  Good luck as you continue to navigate hose-gate.

LOL: "hose-gate" 😆

Maybe we need a good luck emoji: 🍀

[roseha]

Hose-gate!  Good luck @shapeshifter!

This is funny because my physical therapist just made a reference today to my "cane-gate"!  I have been taking vestibular therapy since April, along with a weekly gym class at NYU Langone, and last week another patient at the gym class accidentally left with my cane!  So they gave me another temporary one, but even though I have hated all the balance issues I've had since February, I found I really miss my cane, it's a nice one and very stable.

The other patient is having a session again tomorrow, but  I had mine today as I am going away tomorrow for about 9 days so will have to get by with the substitute. 

On the bright side they are telling me that my balance has improved a lot, and at this point I think I really need to build up my endurance again as I was doing so little walking until recently.  At least it's progress. 

[AgathaC]

Just curious if anyone here has dealt with iron deficiency anemia? I was diagnosed more than a year ago, but supplements brought my levels back up. At my PCP appointment a few months ago, though, my numbers were back down — despite the supplements.

My doc sent me to a GI specialist (all was normal) and I saw my OBGYN, who gave me a shot to stop my cycle for a bit to at least stop the loss. But from my PCP appointment in February to my GI scope in June, my numbers dropped further. I’m regularly exhausted, easily winded, get frequent headaches.

Anyway, I have another PCP appointment in a couple of weeks where my GYN encouraged me to push for iron infusion and a hematology consult.

I was curious if anyone has dealt with this sort of thing. Other than a tendency towards kidney stones, I’ve been “disgustingly healthy” my entire adult life. So, it’s a bit frustrating and maddening.

[shapeshifter]

11 minutes ago, AgathaC said:

…iron deficiency anemia…my OBGYN, who gave me a shot to stop my cycle for a bit to at least stop the loss. But from my PCP appointment in February to my GI scope in June, my numbers dropped further. I’m regularly exhausted, easily winded, get frequent headaches.…

Don't quite understand if stopping your cycle helped or not? 
My niece had uterine ablation a few years ago for anemia from heavy periods.
Are you having heavy periods? 

[AgathaC]

53 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Don't quite understand if stopping your cycle helped or not? 
My niece had uterine ablation a few years ago for anemia from heavy periods.
Are you having heavy periods? 

It hasn’t been long enough yet to tell if it helped (just got the shot Monday). But, yes, some have been heavy. I go back to see her in a couple of months, when she’ll do an ultrasound to see if there are any problems down there.

[shapeshifter]

35 minutes ago, AgathaC said:

It hasn’t been long enough yet to tell if it helped (just got the shot Monday). But, yes, some have been heavy. I go back to see her in a couple of months, when she’ll do an ultrasound to see if there are any problems down there.

Mine were all heavy and painful. I wish I'd had the option to have the uterine ablation procedure. My mom was the same and wound up having a hysterectomy for her anemia, because that's what they were doing in the 70s. Close to menopause they get worse.

[Yeah No]

On 7/10/2024 at 3:22 PM, AgathaC said:

Just curious if anyone here has dealt with iron deficiency anemia? I was diagnosed more than a year ago, but supplements brought my levels back up. At my PCP appointment a few months ago, though, my numbers were back down — despite the supplements.

My doc sent me to a GI specialist (all was normal) and I saw my OBGYN, who gave me a shot to stop my cycle for a bit to at least stop the loss. But from my PCP appointment in February to my GI scope in June, my numbers dropped further. I’m regularly exhausted, easily winded, get frequent headaches.

Anyway, I have another PCP appointment in a couple of weeks where my GYN encouraged me to push for iron infusion and a hematology consult.

I was curious if anyone has dealt with this sort of thing. Other than a tendency towards kidney stones, I’ve been “disgustingly healthy” my entire adult life. So, it’s a bit frustrating and maddening.

I had it toward the end of perimenopause because of heavy menstrual bleeding. Supplements did bring my iron level back to normal, though, and it stayed that way.  My periods only got heavier and more horrible as I got closer to menopause, though. I also suffered from what they call "PMDD" which is like PMS to the 10th power. Toward the end I felt normal only one week a month - the rest I had PMS from bad to worse. My doctor told me I was so close to menopause I might see if I could wait it out rather than have a hysterectomy. I was never given the option of suspending my period, though. This was back around 2009 so maybe things have changed since then. I did wait it out and thankfully it didn't last too long.

My iron deficiency caused hair breakage. Once my stylist was trimming my hair and noticed a clump missing in the back. I had to cut my hair shorter for a while until it grew back in. That was scary.

Edited July 12 by Yeah No

[Cloud9Shopper]

Not sure if this is health and wellness related but I’ve been really sweaty today for some reason. It wasn’t even that warm here as it’s been..maybe low 80s? But I needed the AC anyway for a little bit after the sun went down and I think I’ll keep the air on low tonight for sleep. Was hoping to give it a break and just use the fan.

I feel fine otherwise, although I did have to get up by 6 am, which I’m not used to because I had an orientation for work that started at 8:30ish. Other than that, which wouldn’t cause me to feel like this, nothing strange is going on. My time of the month is still about two weeks away too. 

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

Not sure if this is health and wellness related but I’ve been really sweaty today for some reason

“It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity.”

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

Not sure if this is health and wellness related but I’ve been really sweaty today for some reason. It wasn’t even that warm here as it’s been..maybe low 80s? But I needed the AC anyway for a little bit after the sun went down and I think I’ll keep the air on low tonight for sleep. Was hoping to give it a break and just use the fan.

I feel fine otherwise, although I did have to get up by 6 am, which I’m not used to because I had an orientation for work that started at 8:30ish. Other than that, which wouldn’t cause me to feel like this, nothing strange is going on. My time of the month is still about two weeks away too. 

I hear you. I couldn't get over how in the past couple of days the sky has been a crisp blue with puffy white clouds but it's felt like a swamp out there. Usually when it's this hot and humid the sky is hazy and not quite blue. And it wasn't even that hot for much of the day either, temperature-wise. By early afternoon it might have been in the high 80's, although every day it peaks at just over 90 or so for a couple of hours. Next week it's supposed to go up into the mid 90s. Ugh. 

I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or what, but it feels like every year I can't take the humidity as much as the year before. And this area isn't even as humid as it is down by the shore, either. When I was in NYC recently I really noticed how much more humid it was, and my hair didn't let me forget it either!

[Dimity]

My husband got sick last week, we thought it was a cold but given that he still has it and the symptoms keep mounting, and the Covid tests are negative, it's probably a flu.  And now, oh lucky me, I seem to have caught it.  Just what we both needed,  a flu in the middle of a heat wave.  He's still recuperating from surgery so this summer has started off really, really sucking.

[ginger90]

On 7/10/2024 at 3:22 PM, AgathaC said:

Other than a tendency towards kidney stones,

Anemia is a common side effect of kidney disease.

[AgathaC]

2 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Anemia is a common side effect of kidney disease.

Interesting. I hadn’t heard that before. Well, hopefully my PCP will be helpful on next steps. I’m supposed to see him in two weeks but I got on a cancellation list. The symptoms are becoming more of a problem.

[Yeah No]

Well, I've been getting over a horrible Summer cold for the past 2 weeks. It's pretty much been gone for a week now but I still have lingering post nasal drip and night which really sucks because it was keeping me up at night coughing for a while. It's weird because I'm not stuffed up anymore or anything. It's getting a tiny bit better every day but not fast enough for me.

And yes, I probably caught the cold on that cruise I went on in late June/early July. It was very hard to avoid people the way I usually do. The elevators were packed all the time and we were always standing on lines for something on the ship or riding on tour buses. I took masks with me but it was hard to wear them all the time with the way we were romping around all the time. And I have to admit I didn't want to be the ONLY person on the entire QM2 wearing a mask....I couldn't get over it, an entire ship where I felt YOUNG compared to most people and nobody was wearing a mask, even the disabled people! I even see people in my supermarket wearing them in my town but not on this ship. I guess nobody wants to wear them on vacation.

And of course my husband never caught the cold. Go figure. Well I guess it's justice because he caught a cold a couple of months ago that I never got. 

Anyway the next time I go on a cruise I will be sure to wear a mask religiously in the elevators and other situations where people get close to me. I consider myself lucky that it wasn't anything worse. It was not the worst cold I've ever had, but the congestion was pretty annoying as is the post nasal drip.

[PRgal]

Pathology report from my surgery last month came back and it's officially NOT cancer (they were unsure when they did the biopsy).  I still need to be followed for the next few years.  They also said that it was potentially "this close" to being malignant.  

[Anela]

On 7/13/2024 at 12:50 PM, ginger90 said:

Anemia is a common side effect of kidney disease.

I think my cat has this.  He just had to have a blood transfusion, because he was really anemic.  The fleas were brutal last year, even with flea control, and I think that’s part of it (we’re still fighting them), but I’ve noticed that specific strong smell at times, when he uses the litter tray, that other pets had when their kidneys weren’t doing well. :( he’s with me right now, and seems to be fine, so I’m just happy that it helped him. 

[annzeepark914]

@Yeah No I got sick on our last two cruises: 2017 & 2019/20 (the last cruise was just before everything shut down). Those elevators, where everyone is jammed together, are the worst. I'm surprised to learn that post-covid, hardly anyone on your ship was wearing a mask...at any time. If we go on any more cruises, I'll happily wear a mask every time I'm in a crowded space. There's also some ointment we can put inside our noses to help keep out the "bugs". Heck...anything to avoid missing out on good food & fun is worth it to me. Feel better soon!!!

[rcc]

I know so many people getting sick on cruises. Never been, never will. 

[shapeshifter]

16 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

@Yeah No I got sick on our last two cruises: 2017 & 2019/20 (the last cruise was just before everything shut down). Those elevators, where everyone is jammed together, are the worst. I'm surprised to learn that post-covid, hardly anyone on your ship was wearing a mask...at any time. If we go on any more cruises, I'll happily wear a mask every time I'm in a crowded space. There's also some ointment we can put inside our noses to help keep out the "bugs". Heck...anything to avoid missing out on good food & fun is worth it to me. Feel better soon!!!

My 2 tiny grandkids are in daycare, which is probably like being on a cruise 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year. 
As soon as I return home after a few hours in their environment, I flush my nostrils with salt water using this:
https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-squeeze-bottle-kit-sinus-wash/ID=prod6363069-product

The couple of times I skipped it, I got sick.

I know I've mentioned this before, but early in the pandemic, pre-vaccines, when protective masks were scarce and often not very well-suited for the task, my primary care doctor told me she cared for Covid patients every day, and used a saline sinus flush every night, and had avoided catching it.

So, might be good for a cruise too?

Of course, it wouldn't help for food-bourne illnesses.🤮🙁

[Yeah No]

17 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

@Yeah No I got sick on our last two cruises: 2017 & 2019/20 (the last cruise was just before everything shut down). Those elevators, where everyone is jammed together, are the worst. I'm surprised to learn that post-covid, hardly anyone on your ship was wearing a mask...at any time. If we go on any more cruises, I'll happily wear a mask every time I'm in a crowded space. There's also some ointment we can put inside our noses to help keep out the "bugs". Heck...anything to avoid missing out on good food & fun is worth it to me. Feel better soon!!!

Thanks! Would you believe I'm still getting over the last of the congestion? There's very little of it now but it's still not completely gone. I have always caught colds and flus more easily than other people. My first job was as a front desk person at my college's admissions office. I must have caught 6 colds a year in that job, no exaggeration!

I too was surprised that no one was wearing masks on this cruise especially when the average age on the ship was probably over 65 and there were many people "just making it" there, poor souls.

Believe it or not, my husband (bless his heart) booked another cruise in a couple of weeks to Bermuda. His sister and her husband are also going. Of course he sprung it on me. I really want to go but I'm going to be firmly masked when around groups of people all the time and forget jumping on those crowded elevators 6 times a day!

I don't know what's gotten into him in recent years. I think he got so tired of being isolated during the pandemic that he's breaking out all over with the vacations. I can't blame him but he's got to cool his jets and not spring things on me like this. Two cruises within 2 months? He never used to do stuff like this!

(ETA: I just reread this, rolled my eyes and thought, "first world problems", LOL) 😉

If there is some kind of nasal ointment I'd like to know about it!

26 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

As soon as I return home after a few hours in their environment, I flush my nostrils with salt water using this:
https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-squeeze-bottle-kit-sinus-wash/ID=prod6363069-product

The couple of times I skipped it, I got sick.

I know I've mentioned this before, but early in the pandemic, pre-vaccines, when protective masks were scarce and often not very well-suited for the task, my primary care doctor told me she cared for Covid patients every day, and used a saline sinus flush every night, and had avoided catching it.

So, might be good for a cruise too?

Of course, it wouldn't help for food-bourne illnesses.🤮🙁

This is the stuff I use, which has the same ingredients as yours:

I brought it with me on the cruise and used it every night.

Edited July 26 by Yeah No

[shapeshifter]

28 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

As soon as I return home after a few hours in their environment, I flush my nostrils with salt water using this:
https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-squeeze-bottle-kit-sinus-wash/ID=prod6363069-product

The couple of times I skipped it, I got sick.

I know I've mentioned this before, but early in the pandemic, pre-vaccines, when protective masks were scarce and often not very well-suited for the task, my primary care doctor told me she cared for Covid patients every day, and used a saline sinus flush every night, and had avoided catching it.

So, might be good for a cruise too?

Of course, it wouldn't help for food-bourne illnesses.🤮🙁

3 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

This is the stuff I use, which has the same ingredients as yours:

I brought it with me on the cruise and used it every night.

Note your spray is to relieve congestion.
The flush is to get rid of the germs before they make a home in your sinuses.
However, you *must* use purified or distilled water with the flush kit, which may or may not be available on a cruise. 

5 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

my husband (bless his heart) booked another cruise in a couple of weeks to Bermuda.

Sounds like your DH is a smart cookie. You should still have immunity then. 

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Note your spray is to relieve congestion.
The flush is to get rid of the germs before they make a home in your sinuses.
However, you *must* use purified or distilled water with the flush kit, which may or may not be available on a cruise. 

Interesting. I'll have to look into that. Same ingredients, though so I wonder if the difference is that the flush kit is more powerful or extensive or something like that. I was reading that they are working on an entirely new type of nasal spray to prevent catching viruses and I want to keep up with that.

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Sounds like your DH is a smart cookie. You should still have immunity then. 

From a cold, yes, but who knows what else I might catch on a cruise? This one will likely have more kids on it so that's another thing I worry about. And I've heard Covid has risen a little lately too. A good friend and family all just got over it. Thanks to my cold I didn't get together with her or I might have caught THAT again!