Author |
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Kstme
Member
08-14-2000
| Monday, January 03, 2005 - 8:25 pm
Herc, it might be similar, but it's caused from loss of fluid in the joints. They replace the whole joint. My regular dr's father had it done without success and my rheumatologist isn't comfortable with results he's seen in patients who have Lupus or Fibro...I have both. But I am very curious about anyone who has had it done with success!
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Monday, January 03, 2005 - 8:29 pm
Yikes. Loss of fluid in the joints! So you are like the Tin Woodsmen in the finger department? And lupus and fibro on top of that! I guess he has to consider all of that when debating how you will heal from surgery. Any studies on how fibro/lupus folks tolerate surgery? Is the loss of fluid in the joints related to those conditions, or just another happy sign of aging?
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Monday, January 03, 2005 - 8:57 pm
i'm so tired of this rain. myshoulder hurts, my elbows hurt, my knees hurt. i want my vioxx back!!!!
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Monday, January 03, 2005 - 9:19 pm
Huh! Maybe that's why I had so much trouble today! My back was REALLY bad today.
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Kstme
Member
08-14-2000
| Monday, January 03, 2005 - 10:53 pm
Herc, I can tell you...it takes twice as long to recover from surgery than the average person. I've had 14 surgeries and I really, truly, honestly NEVER want another! lol The finger thing started about 8 years ago with one finger, but this last year, two more joined in. Two on the right hand and one on the left with another beginning to hurt. It's the stupidest things that become hard to do. Handwriting is a major problem. Most things most people take for granted becomes a challenge. I have a couple of arthritic joints that, in no way, bother me like the sticky fingers! I have a dear friend who says, 'If these are the Golden Years, I want the Silver ones back!' Landi, I'm so sorry you're hurting today. Humidity is the culprit!
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Seamonkey
Member
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 03, 2005 - 11:05 pm
Youch.. my back also was really ouchy today.. I finally took a Darvocet and I really hoard my small supply of those (last ones taken in Mystic when a whole new set of muscles in my back cramped up bigtime at the aquarium..) and it has helped some.. Not sure mine is rain-or-cold-related (but it IS rainy/cold)
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Urgrace
Member
08-19-2000
| Tuesday, January 04, 2005 - 12:18 am
So sorry to hear all the ouchies. For the last two nights I've had the creepy crawly spider-walk across my shoulders/upper back. It is as annoying as it is painful, and probably related to the cool rain showers we've been having. I've had the elbow hitch, too, where you cannot straighten out your arm until you bend it first. My doc told me two years ago that I have carpal tunnel, tennis elbow and whatever they call it in the shoulder too. Since I have played tennis, horseshoes, table shuffleboard, and bowling among other sporty games and use a keyboard, write, paint etc. it was inevitable. My dh wants a jacuzzi/hot tub and I'm beginning to think it would be a good idea. Ya'll could come over and sit in it with me and we could have a comparative group session!
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Ginger1218
Member
08-31-2001
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 5:20 pm
Went to the doctor today, and as I figured I have tennis elbow (tendonitis) and he gave me a cortisone shot in the elbow. He said it can take 3 weeks to work. So, hopefully I will have some relief soon. Now to check out the knee. LOL Herck, what happened with your appt. today?
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Skootz
Member
07-23-2003
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 6:21 pm
Hi Ginger, I have tendonitis too. I have never been given a cortisone shot in the elbow, but have had one in the foot before. I just wanted to make sure you don't over strain your arm for the next while or you could hurt your elbow more. I remember when I had this done for my foot, I was not able to do anything other than ordinary walking for 8 weeks so I don't hurt or strain it more.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 7:46 pm
Hi, Ginger and Skootz. Good for you, Ginger, for following through! Glad you are going to pursue your knee issues now. Skootz, the cortisone shot caution sounds smart, but I am not sure it is needed. I was never told to be 'ginger' (pardon me, Ginger!!) with my elbow afterwards at all! Course, with the pain and weakness, I wasn't about to do anything weird with it, anyway. I met my new female doc today and loved her almost immediately. She is young--and reminded me of that actress who used to be in a sitcom about a cartoonist (Cathy?). What is her name? (I'm terrible with names.) She looked like her and acted like her--very easy-going and personable. Why did I like her so quickly? I think it was her reaction when she caught me trying to get up from a flat position (with absolutely no grace) when she entered the room. Had my notes over my eyes to shield them from the light. Picture a beached sea lion! She laughed with me and just seemed so friendly. Anyway . . . TMI, I know, but keep in mind I am age 57 when you read all this, and am posting it only as a guide for myself (to measure against in a month) and as a help to anyone else in a similar situation. My new doc, who practiced for 9 years previously in Massachusetts--and is here now cuz she was married a year ago and her hubby is employed here now) was very thorough. Spent quite a bit of time talking with me. And she had a nice way of supporting me while asking probing questions in sensitive areas. Breast Exam: In the physical exam, she found a lump in my left breast, but she thinks it is just a cyst. (I knew she had found something when she spent a longer amount of time on it.) So I will have my mammogram plus an ultrasound, per the doc. I won't fool around and will do that right away. Not overly concerned, but damn it all. Blood Pressure: It is up (130/90), as I suspected (had low blood pressure all my life til I put on this extra weight-50 pounds!), but I CAN turn it around if I lose the weight I know I have to lose. So no meds needed if I follow through. I go back to see her in a month, and that is good, cuz it will give me a short-term goal I think I can handle. Weight Loss: To help with my weight loss goal she directed that I cut back on calories and start exercising on a recumbant bicycle (which won't hurt my back or arms) 3 X a week for a half hour each. She also recommended Weight Watchers, but I told her I already belong to LA Weight Loss and would go back to that routine. (Sounded like she preferred WW, as it is a lifelong program, but I told her I was comfortable with LA Wtloss, so she said that was dandy, then.) Insomnia/Fatigue: Golly, weight, of course affects your ability to get a good night's sleep. She suspects I have sleep apnea, but will not test now. Wants to see how well I do with the weight loss. She thinks my thyroid is enlarged (I do, too) and will be testing that. She told me no more napping during the day (guilty!). So we will see how all this helps and then regroup. Hot flashes: She said 20-25% of women NEVER get rid of their hot flashes (EEEK--I think I'm one!), but addressing mine--said the weight loss would help. Because I am on Effexor (which she said is supposed to mediate that), she suggested I try Black Cohosh once again (tried it before), but never in conjunction with the Effexor. (She said to buy a good brand, not a cheapee, and look for the word remifemin on the label. Meds: The only thing I take now is Effexor. She also said she could increase the dosage (I take 150 mg now), but I said no, because my mood is elevated appropriately from it . . . not sure where a higher dosage might put me. She also suggested I take Vitamin E (400 IU) once a day. I already take Citracal, but she told me to break it up to twice a day instead of taking 2 in the morning. Acid Reflux~Esophagitis: For my acid reflux, she wants me to take Prilosec (rather than the Pepcid I've been popping on an irregular basis) once a day for a month--to see how I am doing with it. She also gave me a sheet of guidelines to follow. It looks as if I will need to cut out carbonated beverages (wah, bye bye Diet Coke!), avoid lying flat after eating, follow a low-fat diet (hmm, wonder if Atkins people all have acid reflux?), lose weight, avoid citrus fruits (including juice), tomatoes, chocolate, coffee, tea (WHAT?!!), alcohol, mints, and sme spices (?). No smoking--no problemo--I am not a smoker. Also no aspirin (so she is taking me off my baby aspirin I take daily), ibuprofen, or naproxen (Alleve, Motrin, Nuprin, Mediprin, Advil). Headaches: With respect to my headaches, she asked that I keep a headache diary. And she gave me 3 packets of a sample drug called Frova. You take one with onset of headache. If you still have the headache in two hours, you take the second (the max you can take in a day). Beginning Issues with Bladder: Have to start on kegel exercises (4 x a day--10 in morning, 10 at lunch, 10 in afternoon and 10 at bedtime), damn it. (Hate those things.) I have been having slight problems when sneezing violently, if you get the drift. She said because I have no uterus (hysterectomy at age 50), I don't have the support I would otherwise with organs holding that area up. Oh, geez, don't you think someone would have invented some kind of holder-upper by now? Heart: Had an EKG today. Nose: It was fine today! I have a final followup allergist appt tomorrow--if I make it; supposed to get 6-7" snow tonight! Anyway, it sounds as thought she is going to leave this up to the ENT guys for now. Arms: She is leaving all of this to my hand specialist. Back: Sounds as if she is leaving all that to my ortho doc. She did say she could refer me to the PT person I like if my ortho guy can no longer send patients there. Tests: Took a urine sample today--AOK. Because I have surgery (elbow of left arm) scheduled on Feb 8, she told me to wait 2 weeks before having the tests she wants run completed--so they will suffice for the presurgical clearance. Looks like: a metabolic panel, lipid panel, cardio-CRP (?), CBC with diff (?), and TSH (?).
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Mak1
Member
08-12-2002
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 8:25 pm
Good for Ginger and HP for making and keeping those doctor's appointments! I hope the injection takes care of that elbow for you, Ginger. HP, I'm glad you liked your new doctor. I just met my new doctor a few months ago, and I know the trepidation that goes along with that. It's so great when you find one that you feel comfortable with. It sounds like she's very thorough and sensitive, too, which is a good combination. TSH is a test on your thyroid hormone. C(omplete) B(lood) C(ount) with differential is routine. I just read something about cardio-CRP somewhere (pardon my CRS). It was highly recommended in the article. It measures something called C-reactive protein that can be one measure of heart-attack risk. She gave you lots of homework, didn't she? Kegels, headache diary, give up all kinds of food and drink, exercise, lose weight....lol, the darned drill sergeant! Ah well, it all sounds like good advice, and you can get lots of support and commiseration from so many here. BTW, dh takes Prilosec and has no more acid reflux, no matter what he eats. Sea, landi, Kstme, Urgrace and anyone else with aches and pains, I wish you well and hope you're getting some relief. I've been pain-free for several days in a row, other than minor stiffness sometimes. I'm not sure why I feel so much better, but I'm appreciating it.
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Kstme
Member
08-14-2000
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 8:39 pm
Thanks Maki...I wish for a pain free day, but I have a very high tolerance to pain and that's a good thing. A #10 on others, is a 5 for me. Herc, I've had the bladder reconstruction surgery and OMG! What a difference! Had to have it done twice, but the second time everything stayed where it should and it is fabulous!!! No sneezing problems and no longer getting up 15 times a night!! It was the BEST surgery I've ever had!!! <of course, i wouldn't go through it again > Ginger, I'm so glad you went and remember to not use the elbow too much until the drug kicks in! I did that with my shoulder and ended up back in for a second shot! NOT FUN!
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Seamonkey
Member
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 8:46 pm
Herck, as Mak says C-reactive protein (cardio) is a blood test that goes beyond just the cholesterol tests. TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone. CBC (complete blood count) with differential. My personal opinion is that it is all well and good to pin everything onto losing weight but I did choose to go on meds to lower my high blood pressure (lower than yours but my dr wasn't happy with it and now I tend to be in a very good range, but that came before I lost some weight.. I'm down about 27 pounds since a year ago, but would like to lose the next (harder 20lb).. Beyond the CRP there is another test and I've totally forgotten the name.. lol.. I was the one to bring in the article to my doctor.. I'll have to ask when I go back to have a blood draw. Anyway that test was a measure of the size of the granules of cholesterol (or something like that) because one size is good and another isn't. Mine was in the good range, YAY and my CRP which used to be very high, is down, as is my total and bad cholesterol.. (Again I started that when my chol was so high (365) rather than relying on the hope that I would improve my diet and lose weight.. I'm on lipitor and have been.. however things are improving even more since I lose some weight and started the regular exercise of Curves.. Mak, glad you are feeling better!
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 8:59 pm
Herk, Effexor can raise bp too. If you don't see progress with your weight loss, do consider meds. My mom had borderline bp but chose to treat it with diet and exercise (she ate very well and was in great shape/weight) but it was always a 'little high'. The doc pretty much thinks that was the cause of her heart attack.
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Seamonkey
Member
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 9:41 pm
Yeah.. I figured that.. well actually my doctor (when I first went to him.. my former doc was not at all worried about my BP, but he was "old school") simply said I should do the BP meds and explained that it was hard on my body to have it that way, but I was the one to ask about Lipitor, figuring the sooner I got it down the better.. not that it didn't mean I needed to lose weight, because I did.. I did have to wait until I had my knee surgery and did some rehab before i could start really working out.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 9:56 pm
Oh, wow, thanks for all the supportive and thoughtful comments and valuable information. Really helps. Sea and Texannie: Although I think taking a blood pressure lowering med is a good cautionary thing to do, it is also an expensive one--and, knowing me, would make me lax about following through on the healthy stuff. I'd like to see where my bp is in a month--when I give it a real try to get things back under control. I suspect my doc will prescribe meds then if things haven't changed significantly. (She did say it HAD to come down.) Texannie, never heard that about Effexor! Oh my! I will definitely ask about that next month. Kstme, shoulda known there was a surgical fix! Umm, I am getting up 15 times a night, too! Never knew about that surgery, though. Well, we will kegel it for awhile, too, and see where it takes me. Do you mind me asking how old you are and if you had a hysterectomy, too? Oh, oh--Kiefer Sutherland fans--he's on Letterman now (EST)!
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Seamonkey
Member
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 10:05 pm
I take a generic BP lowering med, lisinopril.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 10:24 pm
Oh, my dh takes Lipitor and it costs us a pretty penny til we meet our calendar year deductible. So you and your doc are evidently satisifed with the results, right, Sea?
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Kstme
Member
08-14-2000
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 10:32 pm
Herc, I am 57. I went through meno at 37. No hrt ever. In 2000, I had a 'complete' hysterectomy. OOPS, they missed the whole left ovary...couldn't find it due to massive scar tissue from gall bladder surgery done in '75. Went back in a year later...redid first bladder reconstruction...it was messed up...found left ovary and removed it, removed massive scar tissue, put in mesh netting to prevent further complications, straightened out large intestine that had adhered and wound through and around scar tissue. I have a battle scar the size of Alaska, but I have a bladder to die for!!
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 10:43 pm
Good Googamooga, Kstme! That adhesion stuff is so much common than I ever would have imagined! Nasty old scar tissue! My heavens, were you in pain when you had the wandering large intestine? Glad you got everything straightened out, netted in, etc. LOL! Wonderful to hear about good outcomes! My eyes are closing, so don't be offended if I leave now. Hope to see your replies and more posts when I return in the morning.
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Kstme
Member
08-14-2000
| Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 10:53 pm
LOL, Herc! Yep, I had a whole lot of pain, but...since I'm always in pain, what did I know!!! ROFL!! I am not kidding...ASK about the bladder surgery!!
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, January 06, 2005 - 8:14 am
Thanks, Kstme. Aw, boo boo! You are an upbeat person with such perseverance. Good for you for being so brave, hon. I'm a slowboat when it comes to signing on to surgery; we'll see where I land with everything in a month. This morning, the Today Show featured a blurb of a segment on that cardio-CRP test. Sounds like Mak remembered correctly; evidently that is an excellent breakthrough test. Yay for my doc for ordering it for me! Okay, today is Day 1 of my new life. I am really gonna apply a one-day-at-a-time philosophy, and try to be the new me all day--working in more exercise, turning down the carbs and cutting out the no-no items on my list. I am postponing heading out today to the allergist and pharmacy (for the Prilosec, Black Cohosh and Vitamin E) as we have 4" of snow, with more bad weather expected to hit anytime--making driving hazardous.
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Ginger1218
Member
08-31-2001
| Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - 5:34 am
Elbow update, the pain is subsiding. Hooray. It still sore, but I see a definite improvement.
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Kstme
Member
08-14-2000
| Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - 8:21 am
Whoohoo! Ginger, that's fabulous news!! Now you need to get rid of 'all' the pain!!!!
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - 9:34 am
So glad to hear that, Ginger! Now about that knee . . . My mammogram-ultrasound is scheduled for tomorrow at 2 pm.
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