The catarrh

I started this post last week, then everything sort of went out the window due to the wildfires. We are fine. MPOW was closed Tuesday, but otherwise its been pretty normal. The air quality still sucks, though much improved over earlier in the week.

I know my naval-gazing on my health problems may seem pretty cavalier when there has been such bad happenings here. But so far, no one I know has been directly affected. A friend of the sister of one of my co-workers had their home burned down, but that's the closest connection I've had so far. We had evacuees from all over using our PCs at work, and apparently all the hotels near here are full, but otherwise, it's pretty normal.

Of course, my lungs have been unhappy. I went to my primary last Friday. She diagnosed bronchitis--I'd made that diagnosis 2 days earlier, and went in to get a script for an antibiotic.

From last week:

I am trying to figure out roughly how many times I've had bronchitis. I know the first time I was prescribed antibiotics for it was in college, i.e., more than 25 years ago. The doctor there kept talking about removing my tonsils, whether or not it was tonsilitis, which I must have had ten times at least. I know I'd never had antibiotics before, or had anyone talk to me about asthma before.

I remember a bad bout of bronchitis when Emily was a baby. We lived on a hill. It was before we had a car, and I couldn't push her stroller up the hill without coughing fits.

The word "catarrh" comes from the Greek "katarrhein": kata- meaning "down" and rhein meaning "to flow."

Two weeks ago, the Santa Ana began to blow. Our sunsets were gorgeous from the dust in the air. But my respitory allergies began to send mucus flowing through my head and chest. Shortly thereafter my bronchia started seizing up. I upped the Flovent for the asthma, and it got a bit better, just the dry little asthmatic cough.

Then I lost my voice entirely--a viral laryngitis. I pushed fluids and took ibuprofen like mad. The cough deepened. Matt said I had a cold. I said ok, and kept working. On Thursday, the cough was the type that people don't want to be near. It wasn't very productive, as my mother would say, but the tiny bit of mucus I coughed up was pea green. I said bronchitis, and called for an appointment. I actually got in to see my primary care MD in 24 hours.

When I got to the office, the nurse went through twenty questions. 11 days, no fever, the usual meds. There was some mix-up about the room I was in, but my primary care finally came and apologized. She did a good listen to my lungs and agreed with my diagnosis. She ordered doxycycline, then told me to use albuterol with Flovent and Sudafed along with Robitussin DM every four hours, plus Benadryl at night. I said that albuterol gives me insomnia. She said to use it anyway. I have been politely ignoring that instruction, because I felt I needed sleep more than anything. So I'm taking the antibiotic with Flovent every four hours, and a half dose of Sudafed twice a day; Robitussin and Benadryl at bedtime. I am definitely rattling with all the meds. The cough is much improved, however, so I will keep up the regimen a bit longer.

I seem to have a headache, nothing dreadful, just sort of boring, with difficulty focusing. I'm going to sleep, and hope to feel better

There are wild fires burning in the County, including one not too far from where I work. That helps with perspective.

Now:

I kept going with the meds. I think the bronchitis has mostly cleared up. The asthma was pretty bad Monday. I caved and used albuterol once that morning, and got an acute case of the jitters, which did not help me deal with the general sense of calamity. Tuesday, the whole library system was closed, so I mostly stayed in bed. So, I've been ok. I think the Benadryl and the Flovent kept the worst allergies/asthma at bay.

I finally got my schedule switched! No more six days in a row. I will now be off alternate Fridays, work alternate Saturdays, and in every Monday. I think that will work better for me and for work, as there are more meetings on Mondays than on Fridays. So that's my big new and good.

to every thing

Started Tuesday. I really was feeling good for about a week. I planned to do a post saying, see, I'm not whining! I still have to make a note of it so I don't forget it can happen. Whatever sucker-punched me last night did not magically disappear this morning.

Wednesday. Left leg still feels like somebody tied a few knots in the ligaments or something. Stretching has an effect for about two minutes, and then it's right back to cramping and aching. I'm putting it down to MS--I didn't fall or anything, it just seized up. Meanwhile more medical notes:

Got a letter from the new primary saying that my blood results were normal except for high levels of calcium and sodium. "Please drink plenty of water daily and we will recheck at next visit. HBA1C test is normal. Negative test for diabetes."

I guess this is sort of good, since the sugar level last test was what worried her. Also, getting a form letter with a stamped signature means it is obviously less acute than when I've gotten phone calls from nurses and doctors with test results. Since I NEVER leave an internist's office without orders for blood tests, i barely care she wants a redo on these.

She doesn't say to reduce calcium, which I do take. When my thyroid was removed (1997, I think. Should try to nail the procedure dates down--maybe a sidebar??), the surgeon had to remove much of my parathyroids. They regulate calcium absorption. So, he told me to take calcium. I was also told I was at risk for osteoporosis way back when I was pregnant and didn't gain enough weight (another long story). So I am cutting one dose of calcium per day experimentally. This playing pharmacist for myself stuff does get silly. The new internist made noises about not playing with dosages on my own. I am careful. I was asking her for guidance on when to take which painkiller. She basically said to stay away from the Hydrocodone. I only use it to sleep with intense pain, like a broken rib. Speaking of which...

I saw the pulmonologist yesterday. He said my PFT results were good for someone with asthma, but he wants to redo it in six months. He was very concerned about the fractured rib. When the baby internist called to cofirm there was a fracture, she was very offhand about it. The pulmonologist wasn't sure the PFT last week wouldn't still be impacted by it. He also couldn't believe I'd walked around with it for ten days before I got care. Another lecture on the evils of high pain tolerance. More about the lungs and the heart as well--did you know they are intimately related? Sorry about the sarcasm. I can never believe how many times I am given that talk. In addition, the chest Xray from June showed fluid in the lungs. It was possibly from the trauma to the ribs, but maybe also pleurisy. Of course I thought immediately of The Glass Menagerie and "blue roses."

The upshot is he wants another chest Xray. I plan to do it Friday before or after the pelvic ultrsound. At least I can get them done in the same place and time--as I fritter away the 8 hours of sick leave I actually amassed in July and August!

Pulmo-man also talked quite a bit about Serevent. Technically, Serevent did not make me delusional, sleep deprivation did. Serevent can cause insomnia. Some discussion of isomers and beta-receptors. He said that at some point we might try Xopenex, as rthat has an isomer stripped off. I was very grateful I'd paid a little attention to the Offspring's chemistry homework. I'm sure isomers were ever mentioned when I took chemistry, but at least I have a clue. Basically, I should keep my albuterol inhaler handy in case of a severe breathing problem.

I still don't take the asthma very seriously. He asked me if I get out of breath walking more than one or two blocks. I explained that I do little walking because of weakness in my legs. I will start trying to pay more attention as to whether my air intake is affected or has an affect.

K-one more moan groan. Mi piernas dolor!

pfft, puff, PFT

I finally had the Pulmonary Function Text ordered last February. It was a bit more advanced than the pre-employment one I failed last November. Remind me to type up that unappealing little scenario one of these days soon.

When I say more advanced, I am mainly talking about the equipment, but also about the number of tests. I was in a "plethysmograph, a sealed, transparent box that resembles a telephone booth, while breathing in and out against into a mouthpiece. Changes in pressure inside the box allow determination of the lung volume. " Thank you, Medlineplus.

The Pulmonary Function Lab was high tech indeed. I looked at some of the pretty colored graphs the computer displayed wen I finished some of the tests. The technician, Sarah, was very nice, explaining everything very clearly. She didn't really tell me anything, of course, being a professional, but she made mostly positive noises. Of course, that may have just been that I was able to perform the tests correctly. I did much better following the directions compared to last fall. I know I did terribly in the doctor's office in February. Of course, that was when nebulizing didn't really help. I keep thinking maybe I have a variety of asthma that just doesn't respond to albuterol.

One thing I pointed out to the Boyfriend. On the report I brought home from Thursday's primary care appointment, under allergies, it lists Serevent, and lists the reaction as "Insomnia, psychosis." He had said it was never spelled out to him that the psychosis was a product of the Serevent. He thought it might have been the MS. That didn't jibe with anything the doctors had told me, or that I'd read.

Mind you, "Certain prescription medications such as steroids, anticonvulsants, chemotherapeutic agents, and antiparkinsonian medications may also induce psychotic symptoms." McFox's Multiple Sclerosis Pages Yes folks, albuterol is a steroid.

Mind you, McFox doesn't say where he got that info, and there's no authority of any kind I can find on his site...maybe I'll do some more research on this sometime...