Yesterday’s appointment with the new internist when okay, I think. He was quick and thorough and there wasn’t a whole lot he was able to do other than take brief history until my medical records reach him. I have to go Thursday or Friday morning to a lab to have blood drawn. My blood pressure was low and his nurse wasn’t able to get it and it took him two tries. The reason for going to the lab is that I have tiny veins on a good day and they can only rarely be hit on a first try.
I like the nurse at the new clinic. She stopped after the second stick and sayd, “Honey, I’m sending you to the lab. I refuse to hurt you again.” See, the only clear vein she could find was in my hand. I have so much scar tissue on my hands on wrists and inner elbows from lab sticks and iv sticks it’s not even funny. I was once told by the obstetrical nurse who took care of me the first time I was hospitalized for dehydration do to severe “morning” sickness when preggers with Boy #1, that after that bad bout of dehydration, nurse would forever have a difficult time sticking me. She wasn’t lying. I can’t recall the exact number of times that if in the hospital I’ve had to stop an over zealous lab tech and beg them to please call an for someone in anesthesia to get the vein.
My previous doctor was forever treating my COPD with steroid medications even after seeing the effect they were having on my mind and body. Whenever I asked the previous doctor if there was anything he could do that didn’t involve steroids he was emphatic that steroids were the best. He ended up concluding that I must have some sort of metabolic thing going on because even a 3 day course of prednisone would have me rapid cycling through hypo-mania and depression and wanting to eat the house.
The new doctor understood my medicinal sensitivies right away and said in his heavily Egyptian accent, “There is one thing but I don’t know if your insurance will pay for it. We will try.” That one thing is Spirivia Handihaler. *I just tried linking and WP’s editor didn’t play nice.* Within 30 minutes of the first dose I could tell a dramatic difference and it iss supposed to get even better by the end of the 30 days. I’ve also noticed a dramatic decline in the frequency in which I have to reach for the rescue inhaler. This is good stuff.
There is always a downside, though. It makes me feel speedy for about 6 hours after taking it. Try being physically crippled by a fibromyalgia flare-up and wanting to crawl out of your skin because you hurt but your mind and body are saying, “We don’t care how bad you hurt we need to do this and that and this other thing and you should go up and down the stairs a few more times.”
I’m exhausted. The package insert says this will dissipate over time. I sure as heck hope so.
