Silly Myrtle was so worried about her appointment today that she had a migraine last night. SIGH.
I was disappointed in the appointment in that the doctor had read nothing of my file, not even the private note of introduction that my old GP wrote for her. This GP was not very welcoming or affable, so I struggled with trying to condense a complex medical history into just 15 minutes, especially since she questioned THREE of my medications. Yes, all the ones I was worried about. And, yes, I received a lecture about talking about just one health issue per visit. SIGH.
How can one do that? I mean, I'm supposed to report on migraines, blood sugar crashes, fainting, blue feet, and nausea each time I go, as well as any new symptoms. Does that mean I basically need to have an appointment weekly????? Paying for one every eight weeks was a great compromise on my part.
I know we were looking at the thyroid, but my latest new symptom is that I now regularly bite my cheeks or lips when eating. It is as if I have forgotten how to chew. I have to really, really, really concentrate when I am eating so that I don't maul myself. I find that counterproductive to enjoying one's food. SIGH.
The upside to the visit was that her staff were really helpful and approachable and patient and kind, so I think that if I address things through her nurse and email contact, perhaps I can make this work.
I tried and UTTERLY FAILED at asking how I will know if it is time to stop the erythromycin. SIGH. I am not sure I can get that information from the nurse. I wish there was some sort of hotline I could call. I mean, shouldn't there be some kind of scale for measuring the efficacy of taking a particular drug.
The new GP did take a throw-the-kitchen-sink-at-it approach with blood work, so anything that can be tested will be tested in eight weeks, before my next appointment.
The odd results with my thyroid was that the T4 was slightly higher, and I do better when it is LOWER. The T3 was high, but she was not as concerned with that. That overwhelming-exhaustion-where-I-was-falling-asleep-so-early is gone, as is the ash on my skin from it being so dry. I'm all for staying at the higher thyroid medication dose.
However, I've been having problems with the theophylline. This GP does not know anything about dysautonomia or about theophylline and, belatedly, it struck me that I ought to venture back to the cardiologist, despite the cost, because he does understand dysautonomia and theophylline.
The new GP is wanting me to do the rounds of ALL the specialists and that's just too much money for testing that will say the same thing, especially a gastro doc and his/her tests. So, seeing the cardiologist ought to help me and assuage her concerns ... hopefully ... to keep on as a GP.
I will say that I am rather thankful for one of the tests she is requesting: A1C. Because I am not diabetic, but reactive hypoglycemic, my old GP was not really concerned about that test. However, given how sensitive I am about blood sugar, I think it is prudent to look at it once a year.
Sadly, just like clockwork, I am 3 pounds heavier ... each 8 weeks, it's been 3 pounds heavier, despite having a significant negative weekly calorie balance according to my Fitbit. Frankly, I think I should go back to drinking Dr Pepper daily and live on a milk and dessert diet. Eating healthy, real foods has not helped me. Well, my blood sugar crashes are now much less frequent. Still, I do NOT like the weight gain.
On the way home, I called the cardiologist nurse and had a bit of a chat about my secret happiness about dropping off his radar because of 1) the cost of the visit and 2) it REALLY bothers me that it does NOT bother him that I have chest pain all the time. She said that a lot of their dysautonomia patients struggle with both feeling their heartbeat, as do I, and the chest pains. Whether that was said before, I didn't hear it. Today, I found it truly comforting. I felt like I was in confession, admitting that I was avoiding the regular appointments partly because of the money and partly because I have been so frustrated. The short of it is that I am going to end up with an appointment, which as I said above, is probably going to make the new GP happy and is better for me with regard to the theophylline.
The nurse asked me if I was fainting every day. I said I didn't particularly want to answer that question because I did not want to lie and I did not want to hear lectures about safety. I think from their standpoint, they'd opt for theophylline over the thyroid medication, where as I am most firmly in the camp that thyroid takes precedence over fainting.
Besides ... the problem with sudden blood pressure drops most is not standing or getting up from a prone position. It is with stool pressing against my STUPID vagus nerve. And, frankly, I am just not interested in exploring that issue in detail since there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Anyway, before the migraine started, I spent yesterday resting, too. If the forecast holds, the next three days will be good painting weather. I would like to see if I can get two coats on the porch railing.
The only non-resting that I did was to use a toothbrush to work baking soda into the couch.
You see, my beloved fluff-ball adores monitoring the emptiness of the front sidewalk from the back of the couch. IF I had a brain in my head, I would have put a pad up there for him four years ago. Instead, I totally and completely and utterly neglected that part of the couch.
Frankly, it stank.
Now, it does not.
I was worried about ruining the couch with the baking soda, but I also did not want to spend any money on odor products. So, I threw caution to the wind, dumped a mound of baking soda and set to brushing it deep within the fabric. I think I would like to do it one more time and allow the baking soda to sit longer, especially since my beloved Dyson sucked up all the baking soda as if I never use it. However, I am all tuckered out from my doctor visit today (too much walking) and need to think about repeating the task later. In the meanwhile, I fetched my last dog's car blanket (he was a most fearsome shedder) and brought it inside to drape across the top of the end of the couch.
I'll give you three guesses as to what color the doggie blanket is..............
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