Update from docs

Hey everyone. Saw each member of my "team" (PCP/GI/nephrologist/endocrinologist) in the past two days. PCP is changing my anti-depressant to Effexor, which is a dual serotonin/norepinephrine-reuptake inhibitor (so slightly different from Zoloft); GI wants me to just keep on keepin' on with the VSL#3 and see him in a month; endocrinologist just sat there like a bump on a log; nephrologist was very nice but, of course, wants to do 293847 tests on my blood and urine, followed by a renal ultrasound, with a follow-up in six weeks. My proteinuria was again 3+ today and the weirdest thing was that the urine was so opaque it looked like orange juice! For crying out loud. He says it's stage 1 chronic kidney disease. Which can be caused by 2394872 things.

I seriously don't even care anymore. That's the worst part. I don't care about anything! I'm hoping the anti-depressant change has some effect because I am more worried about my mental health than anything else. There is no joy, enthusiasm, or motivation in my life right now. I felt a brief uplifted feeling for about a day after I volunteered at the homeless shelter clinic a couple nights ago, but then I just got more depressed because I realized there was no way I could truly help these people other than giving them Tylenol for their headaches.

I have to stop being a downer, I'm so sorry, I am going to snap out of this one way or another.

Sarita,
I am sorry for the 23769042 tests that your going to have.  I am so sorry that you are feeling depressed and I think, sweetie, that you have some very legit things going on that would keep you in the depressed zone.
I have heard good things about Effexor.  I went to my Dr. and told her I wanted to try Effexor as I don't think the Cymbalta is so great.  She looked at me and said you already did, you didn't like it............I said "chit". I still continue to  hear people that do wonderful on it.
You don't have to be the life of the party right now, we just want you feeling better so it is ok if you did not save the homeless today.  Your chance will still come.  I believe that for you great things are in your future.  It is the mountains and the mole hills you need to get over first.
Take Our hand and let us pull you up.  I hear the view is great at the top.  I keep slipping back and keep on climbing up again so maybe we will see it together.
Mucho hugs to you my friend.
Kitt

Hi Sarita-
Sorry things seem so frustrating. I would be frustrated too.
I'm wondering if you may need a second opinion from another GI doc. Putting you on a month of VSL for non-stop diarrhea just doesn't seem right. Did you have a kidney biopsy by any chance?

Hang in there...you'll feel better when there are more concrete answers...it will ease your anxiety

Thank you so much, friends. I am up early today and getting ready for a full day of school. I am not going to let this crap keep me in this down-and-out mental state. When it does, it worsens the downward spiral. I will do the stupid kidney tests but not before I bust some arse on my next set of exams (3 in the next 10 days). Luckily the big D hasn't been very terrible the past few days; seems my guts are giving me somewhat of a break. I am definitely soakin' up the positive energy here, so again, thanks for your responses :) You guys are my lifeline!

Sue, I think my poor GI has my guts' best interests in mind and I would venture to say that he's the best GI I've had in all these years, so I trust that he won't just "let it go;" I did tell him my D has improved somewhat on the VSL#3 and I think that's why he didn't want to pursue other avenues, especially during this kidney saga, but if it gets worse again I might ask him about the Flagyl route. Nephrologist will probably want a kidney biopsy but not before my next visit to him in six weeks; he wants to more closely check my GFR, autoantibodies, rheumatoid factor, creatinine, etc. and get an ultrasound. I'm glad he's not going all invasive before it's absolutely necessary!