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Archive through July 05, 2007

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jul. 2007 ~ Sept. 2007: Health Center (ARCHIVES): Misc Questions: Archive through July 05, 2007 users admin

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Tess
Member

04-13-2001

Monday, June 04, 2007 - 3:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tess a private message Print Post    
Color, I'm on vacation and just saw your question now. Yes, my sister had a lot to do with the plastination exhibit. I was lucky enough to watch as it was being set up during one of my visits to Chicago. Her first exhibit was the genetics one.

JUJU -- remind me to email my sister and ask her about the zoster vaccine. I'm assuming I don't need it as I've already had shingles but I also don't know it one can get shingles more than once. I really hope not!

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Monday, June 04, 2007 - 4:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Tess, according to the statistics quoted above:

4% of people who have had one attack of shingles will have further attacks

Those are not too high odds. However, considering the level of stress you have had in the past year, it is amazing you did not get them again.

I sort of think your doc would not let you risk the vaccine.

Tess
Member

04-13-2001

Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 12:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tess a private message Print Post    
I KNOW my doc will not let me risk the vaccine. We had to get special permission from him for Sarah's pediatrician to give her the chicken pox shot when she was a baby since it's a live virus.

You can bet that I'll be in that 4%. If not now, soon. The stress level went to astronomic proportions on Friday when I was told that my case is going to federal court instead of state court and we have to start over with a new attorney who specializes in cases that are as complicated as mine.

BUT, I'm on vacation, which means I'm not really here typing this and of course that means I'm not the least bit stressed out. Nope. Not me.

4%????? really????? shit.

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Friday, June 22, 2007 - 11:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
Okay, here's a question. How do you know if you're having symptoms that indicate orthopedic pins/plates should be removed?

When I broke my ankle in 2003, the orthopedist put in several pins and a plate. When I was completely recovered, he told me that sometimes they need to take that hardware out. When I asked him how I would know if that needed to be done, all he would say was, "Oh, you'll know!" I couldn't get anything definitive out of him.

Okay, so fast-forward to now. Sometimes that ankle feels like it's coming apart again. It's unpredictable when that will happen, but when it does, it hurts pretty bad. Some days the whole thing just feels unstable and makes me limp.

But that's not the worst part. The heel on that foot often feels like someone has been beating me. It's just the heel, not radiating pain like they describe for plantar fasciatis. It's localized to the ball of the heel. It hurts even when I'm not walking on it.

I don't know if this is a symptom that means the pins/plate might need to come out or not. My insurance has a $5,000 deductable and I'm not really anxious to pay $200 or so for an office visit just to ask the doctor a question. I've searched online and can't find anything that's helpful.

Anyone here with medical connections that could find out what the symptoms are that indicate pins/plates on a joint should be removed?

:-)

Treasure
Member

06-26-2002

Tuesday, July 03, 2007 - 8:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Treasure a private message Print Post    
I have a question and I guess this is the place to ask it.

My feet and lower legs swell up when I sit at the computer. I walk 3 miles nearly every day and then when I get home and come on the computer my feet and toes turn into plump sausages and my legs get big and tight in my jeans.

I will be having a meeting with my doctor this month and I am thinking about taking diuretics to stop the swelling. I know it is all water.

So, I am wondering if their are any problems that can come about with using diuretics. I want to know about this before I go asking the doc to put me on anything.

Any information would be appreciated.

Chewpito
Member

01-04-2004

Tuesday, July 03, 2007 - 8:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chewpito a private message Print Post    
Are you having any pain, did you hurt your back or maybe have a pinched nerve... My legs fall asleep when I sit for anything longer then 30mins...totally dead numm... they dont hurt and somtimes I can forget and start to stand and fall flat on my face... I had a back injury though and have nerve problems.... I dont get swelling.
Im wondering if you could be having somthing else, Im glad your going to the doctor..I will be anxious to see what he says...

you might want to soak your feet in epson salt while your on line, (if your home that is), or maybe propping them up on pillow to keep them elavated...

Eris
Member

11-13-2003

Tuesday, July 03, 2007 - 8:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eris a private message Print Post    
I don't know anything about diuretics Treasure...just wanted to warn you-if you ever get redness with that swelling...or pain....you had better get in to a doctor as soon as possible.

I have swelling and my leg gets very red now whenever i stand, walk or sit...but that is because of the DVT....however, the swelling/redness is due to the blood pooling at the bottom of my leg and not being able to circulate back up

or so i've been told lol

Zgoodgirl
Member

08-22-2003

Tuesday, July 03, 2007 - 9:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Zgoodgirl a private message Print Post    
Treasure, your Dr might want you to monitor your blood pressure for awhile. My friend had swelling in her feet and ankles. They looked like rising loafs of bread! Anyway, she actually had high blood pressure, which caused the swelling. He put her on BP meds plus a diuretic to help with the swelling.

High blood pressure never crossed her mind, she has always been fit and very active.

Ginger1218
Member

08-31-2001

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 5:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ginger1218 a private message Print Post    
Diuretics can be dangerous unless monitored by a doctor, it can lead to a loss in potassium and other issues. So check with your doctor before you do anything.

Treasure
Member

06-26-2002

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 8:22 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Treasure a private message Print Post    
Chewpito - No back injuries or such and no numbness. Just a lot of tightness and aching because of the swelling. I swell from my toes all the way up to below my knees. My calves get to be nearly half the size of my thighs. (I think my thighs are shrinking a little from all the walking. ehehe)

Eris - That is scary! My feet do get a little color to them. But not really red. What is DVT? As for pain, it is just an acheyness (sp?) and a prickly feeling that is very annoying.

Zgoodgirl - Yep, feet and ankles are round like loaves of bread! ehehe Toes look like little sausages poking off the bread. Fortunately, my B/P has always been on the low side of normal. Though I think this last year it has been showing in the mid-normal range. But still not high. I will be having blood work done again, the week before my DR Appointment. But this time it is just for the metabolic and lipid numbers. he is a little concerned about the cholesterol. Even with all the walking, and trying to loose the weight, neither weight or cholesterol is dropping. (sigh)

Ginger - Now, that is exactly what I was wondering. I know I would have to be careful to drink lots of water, but I didn't know about the loss of potassium. Can you tell me what some of the other issues are? I want to know before I ask my Dr to put me on any diuretics. I definitely won't be doing it on my own and with out his knowledge. I hate taking medications! But I am so fed up with this swelling problem! So, I started thinking about asking him for medication for it. But, again, I wanted to know what the problems might be with taking diuretics, before I suggested it to him.

Thank you for your responses and keep coming with the information, please.

Chewpito
Member

01-04-2004

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 9:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chewpito a private message Print Post    
The fact that the swelling is only in your lower legs and feet is the concern for me... Id see your doc for sure and elevate your feet and maybe use ice or soak them till you do...
see your doctor pronto!

Eris
Member

11-13-2003

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 10:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eris a private message Print Post    
ok Treasure...now you are worrying me! A DVT=Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clot) ...lucky me I was recently diagnosed with this. I knocked on heavens door so to speak, but luckily no one was home LOL.

If you are having swelling...some discoloration...pricklyness....especially if the skin feels hotter...GO IN ASAP!

Heck, go in asap anyway...this is serious stuff...

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 11:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Treasure, sorry to hear about the swelling. Let your doctor know asap so that you can find out why this is going on.

Does elevating your legs give you any relief?

Let us know what your doctor says.

Retired
Member

07-11-2001

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 11:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Retired a private message Print Post    
Treasure - Just my but please ask your doc to do a renal panel to check your kidney values. Hope it's nothing serious. I wouldn't take diuretics without clearing it with your doc first. Please keep us posted and I will keep you in thought and prayer.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 4:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
I would never take diuretics without consulting a doctor first. What you may think is just water retention could be something completely different, and taking medicine for the wrong reason is, well, wrong. Definitely go to your doctor first. And see if you can get your appt moved up.

Ginger1218
Member

08-31-2001

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 5:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ginger1218 a private message Print Post    
Treasure, the point is not to treat it first, but to find out the cause first and then plan the treatment, and your doctor will have to do that. He will (should) also tell you any complications of any medications he gives you. So, first things first - go to the doctor and then report to us. We are waiting

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 7:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Treasure, I would try to move up the doctor appointment if you possibly can. Offer to take a cancellation if you can do it and they will let you.

Treasure
Member

06-26-2002

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 8:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Treasure a private message Print Post    
Elevating my feet does some good but depends on how much swelling has developed. I go to bed with my feet and legs miserably swollen and they are still swollen in the morning. Just not as badly so. So, then I go for my 3 mile walk. When I return, the swelling has gone down significantly. But if I sit too long at this computer, they swell right back up. Often, I have my feet propped up on the file cabinet below the roll out shelf while I am on the computer. Still they swell.

Oh, and Eris, yes, my feet are warm to the touch when they are swollen like that.

I need to go into town tomorrow to arrange for my blood test. My Dr. appointment is on the 23rd, so I was going to make the blood test appointment for the 16th. But I will stop by the Dr. office to see if his appointment can be moved up and then arrange the blood test accordingly.

Not fun putting my hiking boots on swollen feet. The first half hour the boots are not comfortable. Then by the time I get back home the boots are really loose. But then I start the cycle again by sitting at the computer. Knowing this, I do get up and move around. But I still go to bed with swollen feet and lower legs.

Thank you all so much for your information and advise. Now I just need to use that advise.

Chewpito
Member

01-04-2004

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 9:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chewpito a private message Print Post    
Treasure, You can allways call your doc office and ask to speak with the nurse..usually they will check the answer machine at the end of the day and have a specific amount of time for call backs and you could talk directly to her and she might listen to your symtoms and speed your apt up or give you some tips...
I think elevating your legs and if you have a nice jell-pack ice pack you could prop your legs on top of them... still think soaking in epson salts might help a bit for now... release toxins and just the soak alone will feel good...
also maybe wearing some nice support hose (I cant believe I said that cause I hate hose of any type) but Ive heard that with vien problems they are soppose to help..... UMMMM, ask Eris, she probably knows about that better...

Eris
Member

11-13-2003

Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 11:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eris a private message Print Post    
The compression stockings can help...but they should be measured for by a doctor to ensure the correct size is bought...they are awfully expensive and getting the wrong size could do more damage....also, so could wearing an ACE bandage because you might be making more of a tourniquet effect instead of the compression the doctors want.

Treasure, especially since you have the hot feeling i would try and get in as soon as possible with your doctor...better to be safe then sorry

in the meantime (and i am no doctor) but i would recommend taking a baby aspirin once a day, keeping foods high in Vitamin K to a minimum (leafy greens, brocolli etc...) and elevate your legs at night while you sleep

hope its nothing too serious and you can get some relief soon. Our blood circulates and flows down our legs...our calf muscles are what bring that blood back up...so maybe this is why you feel like things are better after a walk....once you are sitting or even lying still-if there is something blocking your veins (like a clot, like i have) the blood will just begin to pool down there causing swelling and such. If it is indeed a clot this is very serious because if a piece of it breaks free it will travel to your lungs causing a pulmonary embolism which will kill you...or it could travel to your brain and cause a stroke.

I don't mean to scare you...this is obviously the worst case scenario...there are probably a dozen different reasons for swelling in your legs...but this problem-the dvt/blood clot is far more common than i think people realize (certainly more then i realized) it is one of the leading causes of death. 3rd i think is what i read...immobility can cause it, but so can hormone replacement therapies as well as genetics.

Ok...gonna get off my crazy talk now...just worried bout you...

Chewpito
Member

01-04-2004

Thursday, July 05, 2007 - 12:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chewpito a private message Print Post    
Thanks so much for explaining that Eris, My Grannie had a embolism and she did not surrvive it.. She was very old and I was only in my early 20's then and never really understood what an embolism truly was... "I learn so much on this board"..
Im worried about you as well... take care of yourself, you are under Doc's care right??? Im pretty sure you are..
Its wierd how differant things effect us in differant ways, as I said above I had a back injury and I suffer cronic numbness...in my feet and (for some reason) right leg..right arm and hand... It really is a pain in the butt..as in inconvience, every time I do anything that requires sitting for any length of time it so hard to just jump up and go, Im always the last to leave a movie or play (while I wait for everything to work again)and I only drive short trips around my town. Im afraid to go any where out of town and havent in a long time..But I dont experiance swelling...
Good info here...

Both you and treasur take care..

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Thursday, July 05, 2007 - 1:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Treasure, I agree with everyone that you should try to get an appt sooner.

Those are worriesome symptoms. Undoubtedly there is a reason and a treatment, but, best to get started.

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Thursday, July 05, 2007 - 6:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
So many things can effect circulation. Being diabetic I have to worry about swelling or numbness in my extremities. Every time I see the diabetes doc they have to see my bare legs and feet. So your problem could stem from a lot of different things.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, July 05, 2007 - 6:17 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
BTW, Treasure. I'd definitely let the doc's office know about all the issues you're having. It sounds like it could be serious. And they WILL make time for you to come in if it's a serious issue. Do NOT wait till the 23rd. Call every day if you have to.

Eris
Member

11-13-2003

Thursday, July 05, 2007 - 8:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eris a private message Print Post    
yep Chewpito I am definitely under a docs care....been in and out of the hospital a bit as well. Its pretty serious, but I think I have finally come through the worst of it. Do they know what caused your grandmothers embolism? I had no idea that this (the blood clot) could all stem from a clotting disorder that could be genetic...factor V Leiden is what they test for. They wont be able to test me for another 6 months (i have to be off the blood thinners to get tested) but if it turns out that i have it then i will be on coumadin for life. They think I could have it because i had no other factors for getting the clot to begin with other then the fact i was taking birth control pills. I really think they should test for Factor V before prescribing any hormonal replacement therapies.....

but i am getting off track lol

Treasure, as I said earlier and Twinkie just said there could be so many reasons for the swelling...but I really don't think it is something to wait any longer to figure out. Not to mention it can't be comfy for you to be dealing with this!

Ok...I will stop poking you with my stick now lol