Hope I Can Make It Till AM

Hey all:

I am currently laying in bed and can't move w/o hubby's help! I have been in SO much pain today, I literally thought I was going to loose my mind.

I went on Sept 28th and had my massage. My therapist found a really tight knot mid back on the left side. It hurt when she worked the area, but that's normal for me. I felt fine went to bed and woke up in pain. It felt like a pulled muscle, well the pain hasn't improved it's only worsened. Today, I couldn't get out of the chair at all, had to wait till hubby got home.

I hurt just above my left kidney and the pain wraps around my side onto my upper left stomach. Hubby got me into a boiling hot shower, then applied a lidocaine patch to my back. I can't bend over or lean to my right at all. Hubby had to lift my legs to get me into bed.

I will try to avoid making a trip to the ER tonight, but I just don't know if I will make it. It's 20 miles to the military ER and hubby can not take me tonight or in the AM. Not even sure i will be able to drive myself there or not. We live only 5 miles from a cilvilan hospital so i will take each step at a time. I will try to get to the military hospital as thats where all my Drs are. I am on methadone, dilaudid for BT pain which I have hit my max dose. I take soma four times a day.

It almost feels like I have broken ribs, how that would happen I have no idea. I know do to my "health issues" that my bones are really soft. I do have lupus/RA/Fibro/MDS. I know I need some blood but just can't figure out this terrible pain. It is sitting at a solid 8 and pushing 10 when I move.

Any suggestions as to any possibilities? I worry about my kidney due to the lupus and my lungs have issues I am on oxygen 24/7. I also have had two blood clots in my IVC and SVC, I am on Coumadin tho. Anyway sorry for the long venting post I am just plain old fed up with my body. I think I should be the first ever body transplant, just put my head on a young healthy pain free body. LOL

Hugs,
Barbara

Hi Barbara, I'm so sorry you're in so much pain tonight. I really hate to say this, but from the location of the pain, I think you need to get into the hospital tonight. It could be something simple, but it's not worth taking the risk of something bad happening. Whatever you do, keep us posted on what happens. Take care, and God bless.

         Barb...I'm so sorry that you are suffering this much! I agree with Tina, in that the ER may be the way to go at the moment. When is your next appointment? Also going to the ER may trigger your Dr to change meds or up sopmething for you.

    I feel helpless here to help you...but we all are concerned and worried for you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

    SE

 

      Hello Barb...just hoping that you are getting some help there today. It can seem very bleak at times...and I have been there recently and still not out of the woods just yet. Your support for me was greatly appreciated. Trying to do the same for you.

     Thinking of you,...and all the best to you. Sincerely so!

 SE

Hi Suzane, SE, Randy, Tina, Matt, and Boxerlover:

Thank you SO much for supporting me. I am just struggling so so hard right now. Sometimes getting the help I need can be hard at times.

I go to a military teaching hospital and it's hard to do something's. My Internal Med Dr has been taking care of me for six years now. She knows me so well, but she an Active Duty Military Dr, and she may get orders and have to leave. She only has clinic hours twice a week. She does try to fit me in if I have an emergency. However, she's currently away on duty elsewhere in the states.

So I had to see a NP in the clinic. Because I am on methadone and dilaudid I have what's called a Sole provider contract. My Dr is the only person that can write me controlled substances. The NP did a CT scan to make sure I didn't have a kidney stone. She also did a UA and some blood tests but only did labs to tests my kidney function. She DID not order a CBC, which would show if my WCB is up. I told her it felt as if my rib was broken, she refused to do a chest X-ray.

She said the labs were ok, except she didn't have the UA in at the time I left. She also said CT was normal. So my DX was a muscle strain. Said to follow up with my Dr on my scheduled appointment on Monday.

Well I have six dilaudid pills left to hold me for BT pain, NOT GOOD. I managed to stretch out the 200 pills I was given for almost 2 months. I am allowed a max of 6 a day if needed and she always gives me 20 extra just in case. At our last appointment I asked for an increase in my methadone she said no not at his time. I am getting ready to start a new drug for my lupus. I take soma 4 times a day, my methadone and dilaudid. She usually give me 2 months worth of methadone and like I said 200 dilaudid as needed.

I guess I will spend the next few days laying on a heating pad or taking hot showers. I am reluctant to go to the ER, because I am so sick they end up admitting me. Which at my hospital I get the group of Drs that are on call for that week. Also, having NO immune system, the hospital isn't the best place for me, unless I am really really sick. I will NEVER see my Dr till I am out. So I guess i wait till Monday at 1pm. Ok I'm done venting, thank you all for your well wishes, I really need them.

Hugs,
Barbara

Hated reading your story, made me cringe all over. With what you described, you need to be in the ER immediately, or you might be putting yourself at risk for futher damage or harm. Something majorly is not right in you.

I didn't see this thread till just this evening, so hoping to read an update about some kind of treatment/diagnosis, etc. Will be looking for it.

Hope you can get to the bottom and get some immediate relief. I know I would be out of my mind in panic at this point

David

I don't feel like I can really add anything other than to say I wish I could make it better for you. I hope that's some relief.

Peace and prayers.

 

       morning Barb!...I hope you can get some sort of miracle relief until you see the Dr on Monday. I never realized just how bad of pain and problems you were having...and again we all feel badly for you. I'm praying that Monday will come quickly, and that a change in your meds may help.

   Thanks for the update...and feel free to vent anytime here, as we will support. I myself have been hitting the sack early and falling asleep...so I seem to miss the evening post.

      Take care, and I wish you some comfort,

 SE

Hi All;

Thanks for caring so much, you have NO idea how much it makes me feel loved and wanted.

Well it's 2:00am Friday morning, I just got home from spending 14 hours in the ER at the military hospital. I emailed my Dr at her home email, she isnt here, she's at a conference in Arizona. She contacted me and told me to go to the ER.

She was worried about pancreitis, and with me having NO immune system she was worried about me. Well my WBC is elevated and of course I'm anemic, which I knew. I had to get a CT, but my mediport isn't a power port. So they tried to get an IV, ended up with anesthesiology trying to get it with ultrasound. They stuck me three times, she got it on the third try. As I was being rolled back to the ER the corpsman said "man you are one tough lady", she put the IV in my bicep.

I drank my contrast and had to wait two hours, they get me back there and realize my IV infiltrated it looks like I have a tangerine in my arm. So no IV contrast, they did the scan w/o IV contrast, but the oral contrast I drank didn't show up to well. They can see inflammation around my pancrea. They gave me some IV steroids, and gave me enough dilaudid to get me thru till I see my Dr on Monday.

My left arm looks like heck, and I am wiped out. My hubby was unable to take me so I couldn't have any IV pain meds as I had to drive home. He did say to double my dose of dilaudid. I am sure some are wondering why I wasn't admitted. The answer is unless I am in any danger, they prefer to keep me at home. I have caught several bad bugs from being in the hospital. With no immune system I am a huge risk.

So that's the update, I'm gonna go to bed now. Will post tomorrow sometime. Again, thanks for caring.

Hugs,
Barbara

 

    ...morning Barb!....I'm glad you went to the ER to get checked out, but sorry that they could not get the contrast in properly. Hopefully Monday, your Dr will do something to get you out of this serious health situation and get you stable.

    I have to agree that you must be a tough lady...and you drove yourself there and back! WOW! It's not easy to do that while in that much pain.....I could never do that.

   Take care, and let us know what happens on Monday,

  SE