The Sick Room

[Caslon]

Umm, sudden inexplicable weight loss can me many things, cancer among them.

 

[GotGarlic]

Umm, sudden inexplicable weight loss can me many things, cancer among them.

Ummm, no kidding. See the winkie? I was joking. Because, you know, earlier you said you had either cancer or the medication you just started. You seem to have decided it was the medication, ipso facto, you don't have cancer. Right? [emoji38]

At least you acknowledge there are other things that can cause sudden weight loss. But yours wasn't inexplicable. You said yourself you lost your appetite and didn't feel like cooking and eating. That will definitely cause weight loss.

 

[Addie]

Ummm, no kidding. See the winkie? I was joking. Because, you know, earlier you said you had either cancer or the medication you just started. You seem to have decided it was the medication, ipso facto, you don't have cancer. Right? [emoji38]

At least you acknowledge there are other things that can cause sudden weight loss. But yours wasn't inexplicable. You said yourself you lost your appetite and didn't feel like cooking and eating. That will definitely cause weight loss.

I was in the hospital. Any idea how bad hospital food can be? Then I go to a nursing home. Any idea how bad their food can be? Both are bad enough to kill any ones appetite. Thus the weight loss to just 90 pounds. I haven't been 90 pounds since I was 12 years old. A year ago I was 168. Grant you my appetite seemed to wane. But I was not surprised. I was a lot less active and my appetite seemed to disappear. Never did I think it was cancer. Common sense told me the reason for the weight loss. Less activity thus less appetite.

 

[Caslon]

By genetics or whatever, I have an extremely fast metabolism (5'-10" 147 lbs). Having no appetite meant I started losing a pound or more a day for a week. That set off alarm bells with me for awhile. I usually tolerate various medications well, with little or no side effects. This is the first time I'd experienced significant side effects with any medication prescribed to me.

 

[Caslon]

By genetics or whatever, I have an extremely fast metabolism (5'-10" 147 lbs). Having no appetite meant I started losing a pound or more a day for a week. That set off alarm bells with me for awhile. I usually tolerate various medications well, with little or no side effects. This is the first time I'd experienced significant side effects with any medication prescribed to me.

Except for Atenolol too, which did the opposite and stopped my metabolism altogether. I started gaining a pound a day. After a 15 lb. gain that wasn't going anywhere but around my gut, I cut myself off of Atenolol too. I'm still weighing my options with other BP lowering drugs to augment the Lisonopril. They're actually not that many.
I was given a list of 4 BP meds by my doctor to augment Lisinopril. I've Googled them. Norvasc and Atenolol was a among them. The next choice was a diuretic and the last one was something people take for angina pain and take twice a day.

I don't write off the importance of ones blood pressure, but wow. I'll pass on Atenolol and Norvasc. Not everyone should.

 

[Caslon]

Advertisements of drugs on TV may be getting out of hand. [side effects may include stomach discomfort, tingling sensations, death.]

Why would a drug company be promoting a drug on TV to keep cancer patients alive 8 months longer? Shouldn't that be a concern of the primary doctor? It's getting confusing Googling this stuff for ourselves.

 

[LPBeier]

Advertisements of drugs on TV may be getting out of hand. [side effects may include stomach discomfort, tingling sensations, death.]

Why would a drug company be promoting a drug on TV to keep cancer patients alive 8 months longer? Shouldn't that be a concern of the primary doctor? It's getting confusing Googling this stuff for ourselves.

They have to acknowledge any side effect that anyone has ever had just to cover their tushies. Once I was given a new medication and it said that one side effect was a fatal rash. I got a really bad rash on the first day of taking it and we were quite terrified. So we phoned the doctor who said to get to the ER immediately. It was determined that the rash was from the medication but obviously wasn't fatal. Thanks to me the disclaimer says "may cause a severe rash that may or may not be fatal".

 

[taxlady]

Advertisements of drugs on TV may be getting out of hand. [side effects may include stomach discomfort, tingling sensations, death.]

Why would a drug company be promoting a drug on TV to keep cancer patients alive 8 months longer? Shouldn't that be a concern of the primary doctor? It's getting confusing Googling this stuff for ourselves.

They have to acknowledge any side effect that anyone has ever had just to cover their tushies. Once I was given a new medication and it said that one side effect was a fatal rash. I got a really bad rash on the first day of taking it and we were quite terrified. So we phoned the doctor who said to get to the ER immediately. It was determined that the rash was from the medication but obviously wasn't fatal. Thanks to me the disclaimer says "may cause a severe rash that may or may not be fatal".

Well, yeah, they really do need to let you know what the possible side effects are. But, as Caslon wrote, why are they advertising this stuff on TV?

 

[GotGarlic]

Well, yeah, they really do need to let you know what the possible side effects are. But, as Caslon wrote, why are they advertising this stuff on TV?

It's more than that. They have to disclose every adverse event that happens to someone while they're taking the drug in clinical trials, whether it turns out to be related to the drug or not.

The reason they advertise these drugs is because they can, and because advertising is effective. Thirty-five years ago, it was illegal to advertise prescription drugs because obviously they can only be used with the permission and monitoring of a medical professional. It's one of the things that was deregulated during the Reagan administration. I think it's the stupidest thing ever, but lobbying by business won this one.

 

[Dawgluver]

^^This.

 

[LPBeier]

Well, yeah, they really do need to let you know what the possible side effects are. But, as Caslon wrote, why are they advertising this stuff on TV?

The drug companies rallied for advertising when doctors weren't spending as much time with the reps or giving out samples. Doctors were just too busy and the days of someone driving around to the different offices and/or hospitals to show them the company's latest and greatest wasn't happening. Yes, there still are drug company detailers (my Dad was one in Saskatchewan and then BC before buying his own pharmacy (he and my grandfather were both pharmacists). Now they want to advertise on TV and in print to have the public pressure the doctors. But the catch was they had to list all side-effects in each and every commercial.

 

[Addie]

I worked for Wyeth Pharmaceutical in the Records Department for more than two years. One of my jobs was to read over the entire form after the medical rep did to make sure nothing was overlooked. The med rep would check off in black and I would check off in red with special markers. Specially "death" of the patient and the cause. You would be surprised at how many items were overlooked by the med rep. The rules and regulations covering the pharmaceutical companies are in a book that is thicker than a Physician's Desk Reference in small print. From my desk, the forms and files went to the doctors' department. They checked everyone's work. Too many missed items in the med reps ink, and they found themselves collecting unemployment insurance. Very rarely did I miss one. But only because the unmarked empty boxes really stood out.

Sometimes I would feel bad for a new employee and send the record back to her/his desk with a notation to please recheck their markings. There were some real snotty ones who thought I would continue to do their work for them forever. It never happened.

But the rules and laws of the FDA are really strict. To some of the public, I am sure they were thought to be rather stupid rulings. But not if it involved the death of your loved one. Say a silent "thank you" to the FDA.

 

[caseydog]

I always thoroughly research my meds -- including the one I take for OCD.

I mostly use two web sites, WebMD.com and MayoClinic.org . My sister is an RN, and always has a current PDR, and she recommends WebMD for looking up medications prescribed by your doctor.

Both of those sites are accurate, and written in plain language I can understand.

Obviously, one shouldn't use these websites to "play doctor," and self-dianose, but I like to understand my treatment and medications.

CD

 

[Addie]

CD, there are so many new meds on the market today, it is almost impossible to keep up with them.

Due to the cost today of developing these new meds, pharmaceutical companies are putting more and more pressure on the FDA to get theirs out on the market before any other company. I can't tell you how many times my supervisor would come into my locked room and tell me to get a certain protocol in order, boxed up and ready to ship out for the next morning to the FDA. Fine by me. It meant overtime.

 

[Chef Munky]

Woo Hoo I've made it to the sick room.Kinda feels like I've graduated at something... at least...

My son finally talked me into going to see a Dr. I had to go to one of those walk in clinics.
Now I know why my heads been feeling like a football lately.I have an inner ear infection that's causing me to have vertigo.Acute sinus infection and bronchitis.$40 bucks.4 medications and I should be all set to be cured in a week. Like bacon.

Munky.

 

[LPBeier]

Woo Hoo I've made it to the sick room.Kinda feels like I've graduated at something... at least...

My son finally talked me into going to see a Dr. I had to go to one of those walk in clinics.
Now I know why my heads been feeling like a football lately.I have an inner ear infection that's causing me to have vertigo.Acute sinus infection and bronchitis.$40 bucks.4 medications and I should be all set to be cured in a week. Like bacon.

Munky.

Munky you never fail to crack me up. You are excited to be here in the sick room and I want nothing better than to break out...but I don't have the energy LOL.

My chronic pain is absolutely through the roof. Nothing will even mask it anymore. There are a couple of things we can try but I can't see my family doctor until the middle of May.

But I am not sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I am getting to the dog park more, parking my walker under a shady tree with a bucket of water for Miley and my E-reader for me. I am also on an anti-inflammatory diet with no processed sugar, white potatoes (of any kind or cooking style), or dairy products.

Okay, I cheated last night and had a small piece of rhubarb pie with three of a kind Vanilla frozen yogurt. YUM!

 

[CakePoet]

According to Swedish experts I have a inflammation in my central nervous system, most country just this a mental dissorder or chronic pain. Here you only get meds to ignore the pain, because nothing will remove the constant chronic pain and muscle problems. I do not have time for this, I have a cake to bake and I can barely move today.

LPBeier, I am no pain meds since it wont to any good, instead I have learned how to breathe trough the pain and relax into it, it works a little bit too well.

 

[Chef Munky]

Munky you never fail to crack me up. You are excited to be here in the sick room and I want nothing better than to break out...but I don't have the energy LOL.

My chronic pain is absolutely through the roof. Nothing will even mask it anymore. There are a couple of things we can try but I can't see my family doctor until the middle of May.

But I am not sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I am getting to the dog park more, parking my walker under a shady tree with a bucket of water for Miley and my E-reader for me. I am also on an anti-inflammatory diet with no processed sugar, white potatoes (of any kind or cooking style), or dairy products.

Okay, I cheated last night and had a small piece of rhubarb pie with three of a kind Vanilla frozen yogurt. YUM!

Lp,
I could say sooo many things to your comment on cracking you up.
But, the Mods would ban me.Then everyone would miss the show.

Tomorrow I'll probably add a broken heart to my list.Our Golden Retriever isn't doing well.

Sooo...To keep things going. It's good to see you. Was just thinking of you and Monkey the other night.I was watching (The Office) with hubby in a scene Michael and what's his name? Dwayne? The obnoxious one, were scheming yet another plot in his office.Michael said "Monkey see, Monkey do.Monkey BEEE all over you!" Made us both laugh.He's like yeah, that's sooo you!
Made me think of my cat.Is she walking with her tail in the air like a stray cat strut yet?

Try and relax, enjoy Miley.She sounds like a sweetheart.

Munky.

 

[Addie]

Woo Hoo I've made it to the sick room.Kinda feels like I've graduated at something... at least...

My son finally talked me into going to see a Dr. I had to go to one of those walk in clinics.
Now I know why my heads been feeling like a football lately.I have an inner ear infection that's causing me to have vertigo.Acute sinus infection and bronchitis.$40 bucks.4 medications and I should be all set to be cured in a week. Like bacon.

Munky.

I mentioned to my nurse the other day that I am no longer fighting the pain. I am now on Fentynal patches (25 Gr.) and have decided to do what I need to do in order to feel better at the end. My nurse said to me, "Decided to listen to your body for a change instead of fighting it all the way?" I have a problem? I head out the door to Winthrop so someone else can tell me, it is all in my head.

I just want to be able to get out of this dang wheelchair.

 

[Caslon]

Besides chewing on beef jerky causing two root canals, I just found another food that causes molars of mine to flare up because of my eating habits. Red Vines licorice twists. Not the regular size, but the bigger size. I got to grinding on the bigger sized Red Vines recently and my back molar's gum is swollen and tender now. I should probably see my dentist about it soon. I even think I had a root canal recently on it. The gum swelling is subsiding, no tooth pain, but wow, stupid me. They're both similar types of food in the way I grind both with my overly strong bite.