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Posted 9/14/2015 10:13 AM (GMT 0)
This is check-in where we meet on Monday to share any weekend news or what your week ahead holds. Appointments,procedures,surgeries or life's events that may have meaning for you that you would like to share,we would love to hear about it.

Welcome all new members and hello to the old. I hope you all find your pain manageable as we head into the middle of September speaking of which prayers and thoughts to the casualties and their families at yet another anniversary of 9/11. I participated in a patriot walk and although it was only a mile the real feel that day was 103° and I about didn't make it! Took the rest of the day to recuperate. The heat just makes my COPD extremely difficult to manage. It was a awesome opportunity and a beautiful ceremony with color guards and the veterans of foreign wars officiating. It started with my 11 yr old granddaughters choir from school or rather a chosen few of them singing the National Anthem and they did a great job,at the locally owned funeral home with the mayor honoring all the area's first responders and then we walked following a empty hearse to the memorial park in memory of all the lives lost that day.

Prayers to all those in the area of the California wild fire's we have been lucky in Florida this season and got plenty of rain from all the tropical storms so thus far we have suffered no big fires.

I have a appointment with PM Thursday but just same old same and I imagine nothing new.

Hoping you all have a good week ahead and prayers for those of you heading to surgery and those hospitalized.
Posted 9/14/2015 11:07 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like a beautiful 9/11 tribute! I reflected quite a bit that morning, thinking back to that day. One none of us will ever forget I'm sure! I unfortunately was stuck at work, running around putting out fires (figuratively, I'm not a firefighter!) and trying to catch up. We are overloaded at the moment and I'm new to my position, so I'm trying to prioritize and be as efficient as possible!

I had a pretty bad weekend from a pain standpoint. I did get to enjoy some time with my kids. I took my youngest girl to parent-tot gymnastics. Then I took my older 2 to their gymnastics a bit later and just listened to my headphones in the waiting room. After that my wife took the 3 girls out for the rest of the day and it was just me and my toddler son. We both napped for a couple hours, then I just watched him, fed him dinner and put him to bed before the girls got home. Sunday wasn't as bad pain wise, but still not good. My wife took the older girls out for the afternoon, then we all went out for dinner.

It felt like an extremely long weekend with my pain level. I needed to do some work from home but that wasn't happening with that pain. My doctor has me on 2 5/325 Norco per day as needed. He knows I have days I take none and days I take more. Saturday I took 6. Even 2 at a time was only bringing me down to around a 4 or 5 for a couple of hours, then it would rise back up to a 7 or so until the next time I took 2 more pills. I have an appointment with him in a couple weeks where I am looking for some change. And if he doesn't give me any different treatments, I'm moving on to another doctor.
Posted 9/14/2015 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
Went to farmers market Sat. & saw the house that got struck by lightening you mentioned, Vickie. Wow, it does happen!
Posted 9/14/2015 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everybody. All of the craziness from dealing with the bed bug issue has my pain through the roof! I've 'over done' of course, but, what choice did I have? My back is 'screaming' unrelentingly. My right shoulder isn't in the socket right and pretty useless just now. My left shoulder has been snapping and popping loudly and painfully too.

My neighbor gave me his late sister's sofa. We got it onto a cart and rolled it over to my place. I started vacuuming it and we discovered moth larvae and mouse turds in it! Needless to say, I'm not bringing another bug infested piece of furniture into my house! It's sitting at the curb instead. He was mortified! I was in tears.

My girlfriend took me around to 5 different stores and bought me a NEW SOFA! What would I ever do without her? She had already paid for new beds for me and my daughter, paid for the exterminator and now this! And I've only just begun paying her back! Thank God for her!

My other neighbors son came over and helped her get it into the house. So, when I am done with this post, I will go lie down on my new sofa, with ice on my back and heat on my shoulders!
Posted 9/14/2015 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
my bro is very unwell.
been ripping out trees, fences and stuff. yes got sore. have a new fence up. all 41 meters. cleaning up has been a nightmare. had some nice weather, today cold. mum and I, and my bro's team are addressing some major concerns.
I am tired. being productive has been good, helps with my sleep. take care everyone.
Posted 9/15/2015 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Overnight we went from hot summer to mid-fall, 90s to 50s.

I'm trying hard to get the end of summer cleanup done so I can concentrate on scopes, shoulder surgery, whatever else I can get done before winter snows and bad driving hit.

I picked up the cat and felt something tear in lumbar. Then yesterday filling the water bags that hold down the winter pool cover whacked me today. The work has to get done and there's no help.

Testing out Opana - blurry eyes - does it go away?
I asked for something that would last overnight, and this one lasts about 12 hours and I can get up without agony.

Nausea has been bad for a few weeks. No idea why. It was before starting Opana. Funny/odd - the generic is more expensive than the brand. Insurance must get a discount for it.

Sudden onset of vertigo when bending over or rolling over in bed. If I sit up I can get it to stop. I don't think it's from my Menieres. Seeing ENT in 2 weeks to get Epley maneuver. It worked in the past. I need to learn how to do it myself. I can almost feel the "rocks" (crystals) rolling around in the inner ear. Nausea isn't at the same time, so that could be from Meniere's. Not really sure I have Menieres. I didn't react to any of the tests.
Posted 9/15/2015 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
I took Opana at my previous PMD.It did seem to last at least 10+ hours.

This morning it was 51 degrees.Felt great for a couple of hours and then the heat came back.

Had my MRI on my Rt Knee this past Wendsday.After it was over my knee was locked.It took a couple of minutes before I could leave.

Can't wait to see the report or hear it at my next appointment on the 1st of next month.

Like Vickie said,my appointments are the same old same old.Have to go through the motions though.

They treat me far and above my former PMDs so I'll sit up there for 1-3 hours once a month for a 2-5 minute face to face with the Nurse Practitioner.

Hope all y'all have relaxing low-pain weeks.

Rick
Posted 9/15/2015 9:10 AM (GMT 0)
Cary its scary stuff and they didn't even realize that the attic was on fire until the entire roof was involved. I'm fostering one of the kittens rescued from that house and its doing better,they had some smoke inhalation issues but I hear the other 2 are ok as well.
Posted 9/15/2015 11:59 AM (GMT 0)
I was hoping the kittens were OK, thanks for fostering. Is the kitten having trouble breathing? Will it recover? Is there a mother cat?

I am about 1.5 miles south of you on the beach. Speak up if you need anything.
Posted 9/15/2015 12:08 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks and this one's doing fine and the other fosters haven't said there were any lasting issues. The Mother cat was outside evidently when the fire started and she must have been terrified from the sirens and she's not returned. I have been watching for her. You live towards the Shores?
Posted 9/15/2015 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
I hope the mother turns up, will the kitties be OK without her?
I live between Castaway Cove & The Moorings if that makes sense, beach side of the island.
Posted 9/15/2015 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
Well 8 weeks out of post op on my knee and the original script for pt is over and was sent to Doctor for a requests for more physical therapy, but it has not been approved by doctor.
If I had to do this all over again, I would not pick this doctor at all, he has been a battle for physical therapy and I was not started on it right away, only thing he said to me was to do leg raises and lots of walking after surgery, Now I'm progression is slowing and I do the exercises at home and I feel that this doctor has let me down so bad.
My knee still feels so very stiff even with pt and ice therapies, and it's still to early for an injection, and I'm at a cross-roads as to what I should do.
I will ask my PM doctor on Friday if a patch might help my knee, knee still feels like that it's wrapped up in a bandage type feeling that won't go away...and I do have so issues with bending it, I need help.
Posted 9/16/2015 10:53 AM (GMT 0)
I am running late again saying hello everyone.
Things have been quiet around here. And the rain has let up, so there isn't a bunch of mud in the yard.
It's been 12 days since I saw the surgeon, finished steroids and still taking Motrin 400. Not getting any relief. End of next week if still hurting I will be calling him to have MRI scheduled.
Hope everyone else is doing well.
Posted 9/16/2015 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
Char many surgeons do not order PT post arthroscopic surgery so I was surprised yours did and the insurance company covered what amount you had so I will be really surprised if they pay for more. Most people do fine on the at home exercises and just staying mobile and keeping the knee from stiffening up on you. Not sure why your still having so much problems out of yours at this point in the game you should have been pretty much back to normal with little or no swelling and free movement of the joint.
Posted 9/16/2015 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
Vickie, I have never healed up well from anything...I had two blood patches after a spinal tap in 1013, needed 3 eye surgies on one eye to remove a boil that kept coming back in 2006, I've had a tonsilectomy and still tested positive for strep 5 times after that, ended up needing sinsus drained...I just have bad luck, I guess...I have started weaning off the duiladed (sp?) was only taking it at night. Still in pain and still sore and stiff and I'm doing my therapy at home exercises and I do the exercise bike as well it's a recumbent bike. I have actual lost weight! geezee...My knee was so swollen a week after this surgery they did a tests for DVT, I'm almost to the give up point and the only answers I get from medical professionals is: "oh, your just a slow healer" do you know how many times I hear that and want to yell back at them I know...
PT usually helps me better to heal but when they started the ultra sound therapy I literally jumped up and it set me back on everything, I had my knee Stretching to 147 before the ultrasound therapy and afterwards it's now 139, so I lost ground with that...I have a small hot tub that helps but then it stiffens up again even worse after the hot tub...Sorry, sorry about the rant, if I knew why, I'd gladly tell you...sorry...Just once I would love to be in that group that can jump up after surgery and say hooray!
I was hoping to be in that group, I was wishing...and right now they can't say that I have RA because all my recent tests say no to RA...only 1 mri in 2009 said I had RA all the recent one don't say anything...so back to square one all over again.
Anyways I do have an appointment this Saturday at "Bridal"s by Debbie" to find a Mother of the Bride Dress, so yeah on that...Fingers crossed I find something blue as I have a blue sapphire necklace to match it to...(got the necklace on sale)
Posted 9/16/2015 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
RA can be very hard to diagnose. Some patients will never have a positive RF, and just be zero-negative.

Has your CRP levels been checked?
Vectra D?

Vectra DA is an advanced blood test for adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It helps you and your doctor better understand your RA disease activity.

Vectra DA gives a more complete look at your RA disease activity by measuring 12 markers of RA disease activity. Some other tests, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or “sed rate”), only measure one marker.

Vectra DA test scores can help track your disease activity over time with an objective measure that complements your doctor’s exam and your own assessment.
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Ultrasound is often more effective than an MRI to identify disease activity.

Obviously it would be awesome not to have RA after all, but you know something is wrong and would hate to have a Dr miss something.

I hope you are able to get some relief with your knee. Healing from surgery is incredibly frustrating, even if you are a model patient.
Posted 9/17/2015 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
The Vectra DA score was on the higher side of normal a 27, so no help on that, as I need 3 more to be up from normal...primary doc said it's normal...Thank you for trying, plus insurance is not wanting to pay for this and a huge thanks to Vectra as I only had to pay $25.00...otherwise it's too expensive...
I have a letter from my foot Dr. from 1994 explaining my swollen feet, as my feet would swell way back then after my 1st and only child was born. I had normal feet with no swelling when I was pregnant but right after the birth of my daughter my feet started to swell, So I knew something was wrong from back then and I have this letter from 1994 to back me up...but no mri's were done back then...Had the CRP one done and it came back way off once, can't remember...Spinal tap pointed towards auto Immune but not much help...and even if it is a form of RA I cannot take anything for it because of the macula degeneration and I would need eye testing again every 4 months if I go on mtx.
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