I HATE PILLS

CAUTION - BORING BLOG!! Read only at your own risk!!

It seems like every time I go to the doctor I get put on another pill. I must say that I am feeling alot better this last few weeks than I have for a long time. I think that having my saliva and blood tested for hormone levels and then working with the doctor and the pharmacist to correct those levels has really helped. I have alot more energy and I am getting alot more accomplished lately. I still worry about the chemical mix in my body as I take all these pills - Just to get an idea I have listed them ALL out for you
Rx: morning noon dinner bedtime
Bi-Est Pro/DHEA - vag sup. (hormone replacement)bedtime
Detrol LA 2mg (for overactive bladder) 1 morning
Lisinopril 20 mg (to protect my kidneys from diabetes meds) 1 morning
Pro Biotics VSL #3 DS (for diahhrea) (1 month only) 1 morning/bedtime
Nexium 20 mg (for heartburn) 1 noon
Metformin 1000 mg (for diabetes) 1 morning/dinner
Pravastatin 10 mg (for high tryglycerides) -have Rx -not taking it
Lovasa (fish oil) 1GM (for high tryglycerides) 1 morning/dinner
Foot cream ½ to 1 ml rubbed into L5-6 or feet -Amitryptalene; Clonidine ; Gabapentin; Ketophrophen and Ketamine (for foot neuropathy) rubbed into lower spine bedtime/as needed.
Ibuprofen 800 mg As needed (for foot neuropathy and/or aching joints) usually at bedtime
Nascobal nasal spray (B12) once weekly (for foot neuropathy)
Garapentin (Neurontin) 100 mg (for foot neuropathy) morning/dinner/bedtime
Ropinirole (Requip) 1 mg tid (for foot neuropathy) morning/dinner/bedtime
Tramadol (Ultram) 50 mg bid (for foot neuropathy) -have Rx-not taking it
Zolpidem (ambien) 10 mg (sleeping) -have Rx-not taking it
Over the Counter - MD suggested
Complete Multivitamin - 1 at dinner
Glucosamine Chondroitin 1500/1200 mg (for aching joints) dinner
Calcium Citrate +D3 630 mg/400 IU (for bones and lowVit. D levels in hormones) breakfast/ dinner
Magnesium with Zinc 400 mg/15 mg - breakfast/dinner
L-Arginine Powder [pharmacist recommended-for foot neuropathy) bedtime
1 Tylenol PM tablet (instead of ambien to help sleep) bedtime

Thank Heavens for great insurance because the prescription drugs cost me a total of $47 a month- soon to drop to $18 a month as I quit taking the pro biotics (which has really helped) and I change from a prescription for Lovasa ($22 a month) to OTC fish oil pills - probably about $8 worth a month. I will have to check in Mexico and see if I can get them cheap there.

I quit taking the Ambien last weekend - Dr Anderson has been concerned that I am (and I AM) addicted to them - though I must not be too addicted as it only takes me about three bad nights and I am off of them. After I did a trial run of no Ambien last summer I found that I could either take the ambien and sleep all night or not take it and be awake for a minimum of three hours each night with foot neuropathy pain and itching and burning - and/or restless leg syndrome which is another discomfort altogether. So I finally talked Dr. Anderson into sending me to a neurologist. And he did - last week I went to see Dr. Chowdhury at Tanner Clinic. He put me on SIX new tablets every day!! Three Neurontin and three Requip - morning, dinner, and bedtime. And they have helped!! As I said, I d/c'd the Ambien last weekend and I am now sleeping most of the night. I do wake up every couple of hours but I can simply roll over and go back to sleep. ...and best of all I am off the Ambien which was addicting.

Another pill I have taken myself off of for a short while is my cholesterol med, Pravastatin. It has very strong warnings that if I start to get muscle aches to contact my Dr. immediately. I was on a different statin last spring and started having deep horrid muscle aches all over my body. I went in to see my Dr. and he took me off that onefor about a month and then put me on Pravastatin. Its been about three months now and the aches weren't all over my body but in my left arm, in my right foot and in my lower back. So I quit taking it. It hasn't been helping my Tryglicerides anyway...I will go back on it in about one month and see if the pains return. If they do I will go see the Dr. I hope the Lovasa (fish oil) will help the tryglycerides. I don't know why I have high 'good' cholesterol...I eat very few eggs and not alot of meat - AND not a lot of fat...most everything is low fat. YUCK. I really eat quite healthy - blah!

I also will soon go off the Pro Biotics = they have helped greatly and maybe that is one reason why I've been feeling better. Before this regimin, I would have uncontrollable diahhrea and who knows how much good any of the pills I was taking was doing, cause they went right through my system!!

One more thing I will go off of as soon as I complete the stuff I have at home is the vitamin B12. I have never felt like it has done me that much good.


Well - enuf already - I need to go up and put a disclaimer at the first of this blog - CAUTION - BORING BLOG!! Read only at your own risk

FEET!!!

It is 2 am and here I am trying to keep my mind off of my itching burning hurting feet. I even took an ambien tonight to help me sleep and it woke me up and I am sitting here with a combination of diabetic neuropathy and restless leg/foot syndrome.

I hate it!!!! I haven't slept for more than three hours straight for weeks. I do have some medicine that will help it (Lyrica) but it numbs me all over and I have been only taking a half dose - something needs to give though cause this can't go on!! I meant to ask the doctor about Neuroton and instead asked him about Neuragen which is a topical ointment that I would rub into my feet. I am going to buy some on Monday and see how it helps.

I talked myself into staying on the Lyrica (half dose) and going back on the vitamin B12 nasal spray - I quit taking it about two months ago thinking that it wasn't helping but just realized this last week that my feet have been getting worse and worse and worse this last 6-8 weeks ...duh! maybe it is related!!

If I knew how to find a cute picture on the internet to represent my burning itching feet I would insert it right here!!

Well, nuff complaining - maybe I'll just take a Lortab!! :-)

Neti Pot

Ever since I started on my diabetes medications I have had an almost constant runny nose. I had always been so thankful I didn't have to suffer with the hay fever Ed has but the end result is practically the same (except when his eyes get into the act)...sniff sniff sniff sniff sniff all day long
S0 - Last week I got me a neti pot! I had watched the Oprah show where Dr Oz and Oprah discussed the benefits of a 'nose bidet' and I watched as a total stranger came out of the audience and with just a little instruction from Dr Oz proceeded to pour water into her nostril from the pot and after about 5 seconds I watched as that same water drained from her other nostril. About six months later they had that same lady back to visit and she said that the neti pot had stopped her sinusitus and constant nasal problems. So I decided I wanted to see if it really worked.

I found one on ebay and ordered it and tried it for just one week. I immediately tried it out with just plain tap water and that was a MAJOR mistake - owwwww! plain water and sinuses HURT!! So then I searched on the internet and found that you needed to add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt to the cup of water to create a saline solution closer to your body's own levels.

Then I poured into the right nostril and after a few seconds the water made its way up my nasal passage through the sinuses and back down the other nasal passage and out the left nostril!! I found that if I could feel it running down my throat I needed to lean my head more to the left. Amazingly there was no discomfort in pouring the water from the neti pot through my nose and out again. At the end I would sneeze and totally clean out my sinuses. And then I had NO drainage for at least 10 hours!!! Wonderful.

What was even neater was Kelly's reply. Ever since he had a missionary companion fly off the handle and sock him in the nose (breaking his front teeth and giving him a deviated septum) he has suffered with sinus problems and sinusitus. I gave him my neti pot after using it for one week and told him to try it for two weeks. If he didn't like it or it didn't help he could give it back to me. BUT, if it did help him he could keep it and I would order me another one!! He took it on Saturday, tried it on Sunday and called me Monday night as he was driving to work to tell me how great it worked!! He was sold on it in 24 hours. I am going to buy me another one and let him have his!!

Mauri says that she just sniffs salt water - I would be interested to know how she does that. It is so fantastic to find a solution to health problems that doesn't involve drugs!!!

Feeling better each day

I commented on Jamie's blog that she needed a new blog - she hasn't put anything new since Monday - of course it is hard to write when you are under stress and she definitely is under STRESS!!

So I decided I better let you all know how I am doing. I feel like I am improving each day but it is still slow and I am so thankful for drugs.

I am mainly taking Ibuprofen 800's with maybe one or two Narco's each day...I can go all night on one Ibuprofen but during the day I am taking them every four hours. I tried the combination of Ibuprofen and Tylenol but it doesn't seem to help any extra so I put the tylenol back in the cupboard.

The recovery is a lot easier than my surgery last April - the pain is alot less - without the pills I am probably at a level 3 or 4 on a 1-10 scale. It really hurts when I try to lean over to put dishes on the bottom level of the dishwasher or take clothes out of the dryer - but with an Ibuprofen in me there is either no pain or only a level 1.

I can sit up for hours at a time without feeling like I have a screwdriver stuck in me just below the rib line like I suffered with the first week. That is a great improvement.

I still am forced to sleep on my back which I hate. I have always been a side sleeper and I love to spoon up to Ed's back when I am going to sleep at night and I managed to lay on my side for almost ten minutes last night and then it started hurting so back on my back I went!!

I go see my surgeon on Monday for follow up. Then I will be able to take a bath again instead of showers!! I love a hot tub to soak in and have to fight with myself every day to keep from filling the tub - but instead of stitches or staples I was stuck back together with glue and it will dissolve in a tub of hot water...so I will be good for now.

I hope to start walking again next week - but Cheryl and I will probably walk at the mall instead of facing the icy walks at the park (she said it was 11 degrees when she walked this morning!!)

I want to recommend having a freezer full of meals that just need to be defrosted!! That has been so nice!! We have had ribs and rice or squash soup or chili beans or spaghetti or white beans and ham, or funeral potatoes with ham slices!! Each afternoon I decide what we are going to have for supper and defrost it. Then I add a salad or bread or veggies and dinner is ready!! And I cooked it all on one day (pre-surgery) and froze it in two people meals - and voila! I have two weeks worth of dinner ready to go!

Last but certainly not least, I want to tell everyone thanks for the love and the care, the phone calls, and the visits, and the thoughts and the prayers and all the good soup!!

My insides are prettier than yours!!

Well - its official - I have sparklies inside of me now!!! :-)

This is a picture the doctor took of the inside of me after he had the mesh rolled out and in place!!

I just wish it felt as good as it looks!

Visitors

was a
I had plenty of visitors yesterday - Kecia came up early in the day to just help - and she did. She was a great nurse and help - and of course she brought Emma to help. Emma just wore herself out entertaining grandma all day - this precious picture was snapped about 6:00 pm - after she had worked hard keeping grandpa Ed and grandma Susan and Aunt Mauri and Aunt Jamie all entertained. She looks so sweet and soft here - which she is.

She also managed to get her outfit changed -from the skin out and her mama's shirt changed too - between pooping and upchukking she keeps life interesting!! Most of the day Emma had a really really stuffy nose and struggled with breathing and was not really happy. Finally, just before Mauri got here, Kecia was able to get enough of the saline drops into her nose to soften the buggers and squegee them out. After that - the smiles and coos and goos just kept coming.

Later on, Shawn and Makae came over to visit too, and also my next door neighbors. Fun and busy day.

I tried too hard yesterday to cut down on the pain meds and really felt it this morning. Ed was going to go back to work today but stayed home an extra day because he was afraid I would have a problem and be all alone. I got back on the medications though and finally felt up to having a nice long shower this afternoon. Doing good.

Scary

Well - tomorrow is the day!! I have decided that I would much rather have 20 minutes notice pre-surgery rather than 2 1/2 months. Especially when the doctor tells you it is going to be a very painful recovery!! Words you don't want to hear from a doctor. Today I cleaned my bathroom, washed and changed my sheets, vacuumed the whole upstairs and mopped the kitchen floor. I also went and visited my dad, and Jill and Bruce and Becky!! And I bought a cute pink outfit (jeans and top) a pair of lavender jammies and some infant sized tights for a baby shower that is this Saturday (for Rachel Hatch)!! I have about 16 meals frozen in my freezer and almost 3 gallons of milk and several loaves of bread. I think I am ready to take the next couple of weeks off!!

I finally had Shawn come over on Saturday and give me a priesthood blessing and I feel much better about it all. I am so thankful for these blessings - Not only have saved my life in the past but they have helped me feel peaceful and comfortable about what was happening that is totally out of my control otherwise.

Shawn and Kris and kids all showed up at my house tonight too, with dinner and family home evening lesson, fun game, and dessert. Plus a gorgeous bouquet of flowers - that I think Kristanne arranged for me! And we had a ball tonight!! Kristanne said they figured this way I would be so glad to enjoy the peace and quiet of laying around the house with nothing to do after having her herd here for two hours!! I thoroughly enjoyed them all. They are such a precious crew and everyone of them were on their best (though noisy) behavior. We played a Book of Mormon game and it was us three females plus Ethan against the guys. The guys won but since the winners had to dish up the icecream we gladly let them do it!! I can handle those kind of wins all the time.

I will be so glad to get tomorrow over and done with though. Even though I won't be able to stick my fingers into the hole in my belly any more....amazingly no one else wanted to feel the opening!! Wonder why!

I am stating here and now that since I was in the hospital in 2003 for gall bladder, 2005 for pneumonia, 2007 for partial colon removal, this is my 2009 surgery !!! NO ARGUMENTS ALLOWED!

I have appreciated all your emails and phone calls and visits. Your Dad will probably send you an email tomorrow night telling you all is well - I hope I don't have to stay overnight in the surgical center cause she said they don't have much food - that the families are invited to bring in shakes or soup or such!! If they ain't gonna feed me, I ain't gonna stay!

University of Utah - Diabetes Clinic

As all of my kids know I just spent Thursday and Friday at the University of Utah hospital. It was year two of a four year study on the neuropathy of diabetics.

When I got there on Thursday morning I was 12 hours into a 12 hour fast so that they could do an A1C which is way to see how well a diabetic is controlling their sugars. My last A1C in july was 5.3 - they like it to be under 7 so the doctors were pleased with my diet and exercise. The A1C tracks the amount of sugar in my blood. This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new red blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in your blood reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of a red blood cell.

They probably took about 3 quarts - oh! I mean 3 vials of blood for various tests. Then they gave me time to empty my suitcase and put my clothes away as I was staying overnight. Over the two day period they ran laser tests on my nerves and heat tests and cold tests and sweat tests and pin prick tests. They also removed small areas of skin on my hip, by my knee and by my ankle which they will study for nerve damage. And last but not least they took pictures of the back of my eyes to check for macular degeneration which is a big worry with diabetics. My eyes looked good they said.

To me the pin prick tests told me the most. When the doctor poked my big toe with the sharp end of a safety pin I couldn't feel it. When he pricked the top of my big toe I could feel the pressure but no prick. When he pricked about two inches about my big toe and about five inches above my big toe it felt like a ball point pen. Finally when he pricked the front of the ankle I felt the 'pain' of a needle prick!! Also on the hot and cold nerve studies on my feet I was at 97% - that meant 97% of the people tested felt more than I did!! I only 3% of the people felt less!

The studies at the University of Utah are to track the increase of neuropathy in extremities of diabetics over a four year period. The main focus is to be able to find tests to pinpoint diabetes BEFORE it does any damage. Hopefully there are other studies going on out there to help AFTER the damage is done but right now the doctor said there is no way to recover what has been lost.

They treat the patients in the study royally with good food and friendly helpful staff. A few of the tests HURT, some of them were uncomfortable and some of them downright interesting. I will go back in a year and let them poke and prod my poor hands and feet some more. All in the interest of science.