Angelika_23

The Zithromax seems to be working! Yay! I am feeling so much better today! I stayed out of bed all day today! Just wanted to share my joy! I am half human again! Angela

I was on Keflex, but yesterday they put me on Zithromax. I am hoping to see some improvement soon. Is Zithromax one of those drugs that will cause C-Diff? I always get weird things, so I want to head anything else off if I can. The pharmacist told me that Mucinex will only help with chest congestion, not head congestion so I haven't taken that. Angela

I have stopped the Sudafed (PE by the way, not regular Sudafed. The regular stuff would make me tachy)... The gunk coming out isn't quite as colorful, but still somewhat interesting. But my face hurts, even my cheekbones and teeth hurt! Will drag out the humidifier again. Sigh. Thanks everyone Angela

Hey All, I have had this stuff for nearly three weeks. I have been on an antibiotic (Keflex) for 8 days. I used Afrin nose spray for 3 days in the beginning. I have been doing multiple daily nasal rinses. I have been taking Sudafed PE (Which doesn't make me tachy, er, tachier, than I already am), I am taking advil for the aches and pains, and especially the pain in my face and teeth. I am extremely worn down and tired. I cannot hardly do anything. I am almost at the point of needing to be in my wheelchair if I am out and about. I have been having my son drive me places as I'm too tired myself. I've started falling again... Family doctor is hesitant to change antibiotic. Cardiologist basically says it is not his problem. I'm on a decline here, and not sure how to break the cycle. Any suggestions, I'm open to them Angela

Thanks for the update Ami! So sorry you have to continue to deal with this on top of everything else! Angela

Hi, I've been plagued with a nasty sinus problem for about two weeks now. It is really doing a number on my POTS. The best thing I did for the congestion was to use Afrin nose spray (for 3 days ONLY). It made me able to breathe through my nose. Then I started taking Sudafed PE (not regular Sudafed) to get the stuff in my head to drain. On top of those things, I've been using my sinus rinse and a humidifier. My doctor put me on Keflex for the infection, but I'm not sure how effective it is so far. Good luck! Angela

Thanks everyone for your replies and wonderful suggestions. And for those of you who do not know, I AM in the HR dept. I am the HR Coordinator for our company. "Going to HR" is not a solution for me. I went back to work, and I acted like nothing ever happened. I deserve an Emmy! I did so good! She hasn't apologised, and I guess she won't. She doesn't understand, and I guess I should be glad she doesn't have to understand, or need to. I wouldn't wish this illess (or collection of illnesses, in my case) on anyone. Thanks everyone for being there for me. You all are wonderful! Angela

I am feeling totally abused today. My co-worker and I got into a disagreement and she threw out that "I have Poor Baby Me Syndrome and want everyone to feel sorry for me and do my work for me". I have been having a terrible time with POTS (and other things exacerbating the POTS) lately. I missed work on Friday due to that upper-respiratory bug that had me coughing so hard my HR was very high and was having dizzy spells. Anyway, I felt this was an awful thing to say to me. I have never asked for anyone's pity and have not asked people to do my work for me. I try to be there as much as possible because I know the team suffers if I am not there. She was hired after I got "sick" and didn't know me from before. She hasn't seen how much things have changed for me. She obviously thinks I'm at home having fun and not suffering and missing out on lots of stuff, especially stuff with my growing children. How do I deal with this? I am extremely hurt at her horrible and insensitve remark. We've always gotten along before, so I don't know why she's doing this other than we've had a difference of opinion and she's upset about it. I don't even want to look at her now. I don't dare try to talk to her about this again. Angela

Last week, I had my two youngest children at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati to follow up with their pulmonary doc. When the nurse took the vitals, I noticed that my 13 year old's heart rate was more than 20 bpm faster than his 8 year old brother. They were sitting while the HR/BP was taken, and the 13 year old's was 118 resting. I know children run a little higher than we do normally, but that does seem kind of high to me still. My heart is heavy when I think that my son could have this illness also. I hope I am just being paranoid, and he is fine. Thoughts? Angela

My husband just noticed that my left arm and leg are darker in color than the right. I am having some pretty severe left sided pain in my limbs mostly. None in my abdomen. Could this be a problem with circulation? If so, is that a big deal? Haven't slept in three nights because of the pain, but don't want to go to ER tonight. Thanks, Angela

Hey Seth, Are they doing anything about the Chiari? Is it bad enough to warrant treatment? Angela

Sophia, The odd thing is, the ONLY place I'm NOT hurting is in my abdomen, so it doesn't seem like it would be the same thing. I called the GYN guy, he said pain all the way in my jaw and fingers would not be related to anything GYN. Sigh. Shimoda, do you have left-sided issues? I have had brain MRI's in the fairly recent past for my Chiari, and nothing has stood out. I have made an appt with a rheumatologist at Cleveland Clinic next week. I first saw a rheumatologist there earlier this year, but the doc who saw me, and diagnosed me with fibromyalgia is no longer with the clinic. I was confused by the fibromyalgia diagnosis because I only have pain on my left side, and I thought fibro was equal on both sides... Anyway, I see a new doctor this time and the person reassured me she was a good doctor who would take time and get to the bottom of this. I am in so much pain. Nothing helps. If the pain doesn't slow down, I will be back in a wheelchair. It hurts to walk. I get so stiff and sore if I walk, and even worse if I sit too long. I have no idea what is causing this. Angela

Hello, I am still not back to "baseline" since I got sick, had a cyst rupture, etc. Now I am being plagued with constant left-sided pain. It feels like my muscles on my left side are very sore all the time. I can't lift my leg too high, and even my fingers are hurting. It is in my jaw too. I don't understand why this is happening. I don't know which doctor to call. I am wondering if I should try to find a rheumatologist in this area. I don't want to go all the way to Cleveland again. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm sure open to them. I am very miserable right now. Thanks, Angela

I agree with Ernie's statement above on this. That statement seems to be tied to people who DO have the ability to push through for the time being. I am at the end of that, I am about done pushing. It is not helping me, it is hurting me. No one chooses (at least, in their right mind) to live below poverty. None of us chose to have this illness. The choices I was talking about was how we dealt with what we had. That we do have itty bitty choices in things, even if they aren't the choices we'd like to have. I'd like to choose to not be in so much pain lately. I'd like to choose to be able to do stuff with my kids. I'd like to choose to dance again on a regular basis. But those aren't the choices I have at this time. Right now I can choose how I deal with my feelings. I can choose how I treat other people. I can choose what to watch on TV. These are things I can control, except maybe the TV if my husband is around! So I guess I'll take what I can get. Angela

Melissa, as always, your posts are very thought out and eloquent. I always enjoy reading them. I thought I might jump in here from the "other" side, if you will. I am a working mother of three. I am having an extremely hard time with my illness right now. I am on the verge of losing my job due to my inability to be there when I am supposed to be there. I can "choose" to resign, or I can be passive and be let go. There is a choice there for me. Not a choice I like. Either one ends the same way. But I do get to choose the way it goes. So when some of us post about choosing, maybe people should step back and really read what we are saying. Some people (including me at times) feel they DON'T have any choice but to work, and that is looking at it from their own specific circumstances. They haven't "gotten there" yet, where they must give in. They are choosing to still fight. Good for them that they still can. This should not be taken as a reflection that they feel others have simply chosen to quit their jobs because they want to. I would hate to think that I can't vent about my particular situation on here without hurting someone else's feelings in some obscure way. If we are going to have to start watching every single word we type, this isn't going to be a very honest or supportive setting for the people who aren't totally incapacitated. Thanks, Angela

Hello, I had very bad reactions to it as well. It landed me in the ER with severe tachycardia, chest pain and a multitude of other symptoms. I stopped taking it. I have to say I am very sensitive to drugs and have had reactions to other things as well. Are you still taking it? Angela

Yay!!!!!

Can't help you there, it made me worse from the start of taking it. Hope you get it worked out. Angela

I am so sorry! Sara will be in our thoughts. Please keep us posted. It is so hard when our babies are sick... Angela

You poor thing! I am so sorry you are going through all this! It is like you have a black cloud... Let us know what the doctor says about "Gilbert". Angela

Hello, I just woke up. I came home and collapsed. There was a woman next door who talked and cried for help all night long. So, no sleep for anyone. Even with the door shut I could hear her... As Sophia posted, I did have a large ovarian cyst. It must have ruptured Friday night when I was in all that pain. The CT showed where it had been, and that the area is still inflamed, and it showed the fluid from it still in my pelvis. So, while the pain is less it is still there to some degree. I don't think that nurse will ever again doubt someone who tries to deny a specific pain medicine. My HR at least doubled, maybe more. It scared the wits out of her. She said she'd never seen anything like it, it went from lower to so high within seconds. Duh. It took them about 8 tries and 3 nurses to get an IV in me because I was so dehydrated. That has not happened before. I am usually very easy to stick. My poor arms are so bruised. My poor husband is doing better with his stomach flu. Poor guy. This has been a bad weekend all around, I guess. Thanks for all the support, Angela

My doctor never did call me back yesterday. I called his office about 4:30 and his answering service said, "He's gone for the day". How do you like that? He was so concerned Wednesday that he almost put me in the hospital, then yesterday tells me I need surgery, then doesn't call me before he leaves for the weekend. I was so upset I cried for an hour. The pain got so bad last night that even with the Vicoden I didn't know if I could stand it. Somehow I got through. I called my PCP crying after I found out the other one had left me hanging for the weekend, and I go see him later this morning. Hopefully he will listen and pay attention. Hopefully I won't get hysterical from the pain and being upset. Angela

Thanks Melissa You made me feel better about the meds. The half pill did take the edge off the pain. I can still feel something, but not as bad as it was. It is manageable now. I suppose now I just wait. He had indicated it could be next Tuesday before he could schedule me. That seems like a long time away. My littlest has his birthday party tomorrow at a skating rink. I never intended to skate, but I did want to be there. Now I'm not so sure I can. I am falling quite a bit and haven't been getting out of bed much at all. My POTS is surely working overtime with me lying down so much. Makes being upright that much harder. I am aggravated with my doctor, my friend suggested I go to the ER and I'll get quicker attention. My experience with the ER is they do bloodwork, keep me around for several hours, tell me I'm okay, then send me home. But, all that experience is with POTS related stuff and this is different. Anyone have any suggestions? Angela

just got the meds. He prescribed 750 mg of Vicoden! I only took half a pill. Now I am nervous. Doc just called, said ultrasound did not show much, couldn't see too much. He thinks since I am still in pain he will have to do a lap (whatever that is). He will call me back later and let me know what is going on. Angela

hello, I guess it's that I am scared to take the vicoden. My HR has been getting low, and when I was in the hospital last year, they accidentally gave me too much meds and my HR plummeted. The pain killer (I don't remember which one) was I guess the last straw. So now I'm just afraid to take it. I've been weathering this with no pain med. Now that I'm typing this I guess I sound kind of stupid, huh? Re the holter, did you mean things all PEOPLE have, or all people with our issues have? Guess I'm going to look into that pain med filled now Angela