HEALTH #1

[Foamy T. Squirrel]

Here we members can discuss our health problems, experiences, and give each other emotional support when necessary. Ideas expressed are not to be construed as useful to you, or even safe. Medical problems should be directed to your licensed medical physician and accredited health care services.

 

[Thestarider]

As many of you know, I lost my wife of 22 years at the young age of 43 to a 5 year battle with stage 4 colon cancer. I have also lost 2 of my very good friends long before their time to cancer, and currently I have one of my very best friends since I was young dealing with chemo for stage 4 exofacial and stomach cancer. 

I HAVE HUGE HUG for anyone dealing with cancer, and if anyone wishes to contact me please feel free to do so. I am here for you.

""""""""""CANCER SUCKS""""""""""""

[rammer]

Well let's see if this works.  What do I have to lose?

[StnCld316]

The Topic is still here and has not gone anywhere  @ipiratemedia  

[ipiratemedia]

27 minutes ago, StnCld316 said:

The Topic is still here and has not gone anywhere  @ipiratemedia  

Nice

[Dave 27]

On 6/26/2018 at 12:01 AM, Thestarider said:

As many of you know, I lost my wife of 22 years at the young age of 43 to a 5 year battle with stage 4 colon cancer. I have also lost 2 of my very good friends long before their time to cancer, and currently I have one of my very best friends since I was young dealing with chemo for stage 4 exofacial and stomach cancer. 

I HAVE HUGE HUG for anyone dealing with cancer, and if anyone wishes to contact me please feel free to do so. I am here for you.

""""""""""CANCER SUCKS""""""""""""

This is a very late response to your post as I have just read it.Needless to say you have all my sympathy for your huge loss.I am replying with a luckily for myself and family a more positive side to this dreadful disease.One year ago Approx.my wife was diagnosed with stage 2 colonic cancer but luckily for us she had her op.(removal of half a metre of bowel and some lymph nodes and her recovery has been a complete success no chemo or anything.Obviously there were worrying times as to outcomes but my family and I are the fortunate ones.What this did for our us is to realise that people like your self have been dealt a devastating blow and that we got lucky and we all now do what we can to help others less fortunate.The whole episode has been a great leveller.All the best to you and yours in the future.

[StnCld316]

Any ideas on the Subject of Pitting Edema.

This is something that I have had an issue with since 2006.  I was fine and everything going well and then I went to bed one night and woke up the next day my lower extremities were swollen like a water balloon and was almost 30 Pounds heavier.  I made an appointment to see the Doctor and he told me the only reason for this too happen is the Kidneys, Liver or Heart is not functioning properly.  So he put me on Lasix figuring this would help alleviate the issue but to no avail. Since then I have had every test done possible. 2 Liver Biopsies, 2 Kidney Biopsies, my heart was checked and told it's strong as an Ox and have been Hospitalized twice for a week at a time just to try and drain the fluid. Last Hospital Trip they put drips on my ankles & toes for 5 days just to get rid of 40 Pounds.  After returning home the 40 Pounds removed came back within a week. I have also had numerous trips to the Hospital over the last 3 years just to get fluid removed from the lungs. Been seeing Doctors for 13 Years and to this day they can't tell me anything or give an explanation as to why this is happening. All they keep prescribing is Lasix & Potassium Chloride Tablets and send me too the Lab for Blood Tests to see whether they need to up the dose of Medication or Lower it. Currently the Lasix is 40mg Tablets and have to take 4 of those along with 4 Potassium Chloride Tablets which are 600mg each on a daily basis. All they do is make you take a Piss 30 to 40 Times a day but the weight doesn't seen to diminish much.  They take off 5 Pounds but after I go to sleep for the night and wake in the morning the 5 Pounds lost is right back so the Pills really offer no relief whatsoever. I even took a 1 Month Membership to a Gym a couple years back but that didn't even help. I even drank nothing but water for 4 days and that didn't even help. Before this began I was 185 Pounds and 13 Years later I am tipping the scales at 295 Pounds.  It's only worse in the Summer Months when it's Hot & Humid. Most days I can't even get my shoes on or fit into any clothing and feel comfortable. 

I have to sleep in an upright position so I have an Electronic Recliner I sleep in which was covered by the Disability Plan I am on. I also have a Mobility Scooter which gets me from Point A to Point B and back again. Without it I wouldn't be able to get out anywhere which is also covered by my Disability Plan.  My Back and Knees are shot from standing on a cement floor for 20 Years of being a Pinsetter Mechanic in a Bowling Center.  Other than that they claim I am Healthy as an Ox. The only thing Bogging me down is the Fluid Build Up they can't give me no explanation for it's happening.  Going to the Doctor to me is just a waste of time. Go for a Test then I have to go to see a Doctor to get the results but in reality they could have just picked up the phone and tell me but no they make me travel 15 Miles just so they get my Health Card Number so they get $150 for my Office Visit just to tell me the Tests didn't turn up anything.

Anyone else have this problem and if so what are you doing for relief to rid of the Fluid Retention or are you like me Fighting a Losing Battle.  

[happyone]

2 hours ago, StnCld316 said:

Any ideas on the Subject of Pitting Edema.

This is something that I have had an issue with since 2006.  I was fine and everything going well and then I went to bed one night and woke up the next day my lower extremities were swollen like a water balloon and was almost 30 Pounds heavier.  I made an appointment to see the Doctor and he told me the only reason for this too happen is the Kidneys, Liver or Heart is not functioning properly.  So he put me on Lasix figuring this would help alleviate the issue but to no avail. Since then I have had every test done possible. 2 Liver Biopsies, 2 Kidney Biopsies, my heart was checked and told it's strong as an Ox and have been Hospitalized twice for a week at a time just to try and drain the fluid.

My wife is also on Lasix and Potassium Chloride---but she has bouts of a-fib and had a ischemic heart attack ended up with 2 more stints---after that the swelling in her legs subsided.  Now again she is short of breath, legs swellings again--

the cardiologist has scheduled an angiogram.  She has also had stress tests done for the heart, but did it not show anything wrong and that was before the heart attack. 

So when you say your heart is strong as an ox---what kind of tests have you undergone???   What kind of blood tests have been done--simple liver function, kidney function tests for AFR and GFR??

My mom had ankle and limb swelling and was stage 4 kidney disease according to kidney blood tests which caused her swelling, but urinated normally.. 

[StnCld316]

1 minute ago, happyone said:

My wife is also on Lasix and Potassium Chloride---but she has bouts of a-fib and had a ischemic heart attack ended up with 2 more stints---after that the swelling in her legs subsided.  Now again she is short of breath, legs swellings again--

the cardiologist has scheduled an angiogram.  She has also had stress tests done for the heart, but did it not show anything wrong and that was before the heart attack. 

So when you say your heart is strong as an ox---what kind of tests have you undergone???   What kind of blood tests have been done--simple liver function, kidney function tests for AFR and GFR??

I have had an Ultrasound done on the heart and also I had a stress test done. They injected me with something in my veins to make my heart feel like I was running the mile.  The blood test I have has were mainly just to check the level of my medication to see if I need more or less.   Have had 4 biopsies done 2 on the Kidneys and 2 on the Liver.  One of these days somethings bound to show up.

[Dave 27]

9 hours ago, StnCld316 said:

Any ideas on the Subject of Pitting Edema.

This is something that I have had an issue with since 2006.  I was fine and everything going well and then I went to bed one night and woke up the next day my lower extremities were swollen like a water balloon and was almost 30 Pounds heavier.  I made an appointment to see the Doctor and he told me the only reason for this too happen is the Kidneys, Liver or Heart is not functioning properly.  So he put me on Lasix figuring this would help alleviate the issue but to no avail. Since then I have had every test done possible. 2 Liver Biopsies, 2 Kidney Biopsies, my heart was checked and told it's strong as an Ox and have been Hospitalized twice for a week at a time just to try and drain the fluid. Last Hospital Trip they put drips on my ankles & toes for 5 days just to get rid of 40 Pounds.  After returning home the 40 Pounds removed came back within a week. I have also had numerous trips to the Hospital over the last 3 years just to get fluid removed from the lungs. Been seeing Doctors for 13 Years and to this day they can't tell me anything or give an explanation as to why this is happening. All they keep prescribing is Lasix & Potassium Chloride Tablets and send me too the Lab for Blood Tests to see whether they need to up the dose of Medication or Lower it. Currently the Lasix is 40mg Tablets and have to take 4 of those along with 4 Potassium Chloride Tablets which are 600mg each on a daily basis. All they do is make you take a Piss 30 to 40 Times a day but the weight doesn't seen to diminish much.  They take off 5 Pounds but after I go to sleep for the night and wake in the morning the 5 Pounds lost is right back so the Pills really offer no relief whatsoever. I even took a 1 Month Membership to a Gym a couple years back but that didn't even help. I even drank nothing but water for 4 days and that didn't even help. Before this began I was 185 Pounds and 13 Years later I am tipping the scales at 295 Pounds.  It's only worse in the Summer Months when it's Hot & Humid. Most days I can't even get my shoes on or fit into any clothing and feel comfortable. 

I have to sleep in an upright position so I have an Electronic Recliner I sleep in which was covered by the Disability Plan I am on. I also have a Mobility Scooter which gets me from Point A to Point B and back again. Without it I wouldn't be able to get out anywhere which is also covered by my Disability Plan.  My Back and Knees are shot from standing on a cement floor for 20 Years of being a Pinsetter Mechanic in a Bowling Center.  Other than that they claim I am Healthy as an Ox. The only thing Bogging me down is the Fluid Build Up they can't give me no explanation for it's happening.  Going to the Doctor to me is just a waste of time. Go for a Test then I have to go to see a Doctor to get the results but in reality they could have just picked up the phone and tell me but no they make me travel 15 Miles just so they get my Health Card Number so they get $150 for my Office Visit just to tell me the Tests didn't turn up anything.

Anyone else have this problem and if so what are you doing for relief to rid of the Fluid Retention or are you like me Fighting a Losing Battle.  

Hi Stone,I can relate to these symptoms,fluid retention,weight gain etc.but not as serious as you:

I have a kidney condition called Membranous Nephropathy which I am currently in remission from.

This condition is caused by to much filtration through your kidneys and allows extra protein into your bloodstream with the result being swelling of the feet,legs,hands etc.I was put on a drug called Tacrolimus for a year or so but it made no difference.In the end I was given two infusions of Rituximab which doesn't cure and hence remission only.Luckily for me I am absolutely fine now.I hasten to add that I was nowhere near as serious as you and I can only hope the medics can help you further.

All the best

[happyone]

14 hours ago, StnCld316 said:

I have had an Ultrasound done on the heart and also I had a stress test done. They injected me with something in my veins to make my heart feel like I was running the mile.  The blood test I have has were mainly just to check the level of my medication to see if I need more or less.   Have had 4 biopsies done 2 on the Kidneys and 2 on the Liver.  One of these days somethings bound to show up.

I am not a medical doctor, but I would think that it would be important for those 2 kidney blood tests to be done.  And as Dave indicated in his condition, kidney protein and filtration is a simple blood test. Biopsies in by limited experience only disclose tissue that  might be abnormal--such as cancer. 

[StnCld316]

10 hours ago, Dave 27 said:

Hi Stone,I can relate to these symptoms,fluid retention,weight gain etc.but not as serious as you:

I have a kidney condition called Membranous Nephropathy which I am currently in remission from.

This condition is caused by to much filtration through your kidneys and allows extra protein into your bloodstream with the result being swelling of the feet,legs,hands etc.I was put on a drug called Tacrolimus for a year or so but it made no difference.In the end I was given two infusions of Rituximab which doesn't cure and hence remission only.Luckily for me I am absolutely fine now.I hasten to add that I was nowhere near as serious as you and I can only hope the medics can help you further.

All the best

 

2 hours ago, happyone said:

I am not a medical doctor, but I would think that it would be important for those 2 kidney blood tests to be done.  And as Dave indicated in his condition, kidney protein and filtration is a simple blood test. Biopsies in by limited experience only disclose tissue that  might be abnormal--such as cancer. 

My next trip to the Doctor I'll suggest trying the other instead of the same old thing and getting nowhere.    I have written it down so I don't forget.  

Thank You very much for the information.     

On a Note:  I had forgotten to mention the Abdominal Swelling.  I look like a woman who is 9 Months or more Pregnant.   Funniest thig about that is there is no flab or as some call it a bib that hangs down like someone with a Beer Belly. It's just a round ball that sticks out. When I lose my balance and fall over I am like a Turtle on its back. Takes a good 5 Minutes just to get upright and mobile.When I go for Ultra Sounds I just tell the Receptionist I am here to find out when my Baby is Due.  It usually sends a chuckle through the waiting room. After 13 Years it sure would be nice to get rid of it all or at least most of it.