POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: AlanBama on April 30, 2008, 08:38:58 pm
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Tin Man has to go in to see the Wizard again. >:(
My heart is trying to 'act out' after behaving for a long time now! I saw my cardiologist on April 8th; BP had been running a little high. She increased my BP medication. Since then, I've been keeping a log of BP and heart rates....I faxed it to her today. She called me back within 20 minutes, and said I need to come in ASAP to get a Holter monitor.
So I'll be all wired up for the next couple of days....goodbye chest hair. :(
My heart rate is way too fast; at night when I'm "at rest" it is often 115 -120.
Could be a reaction to my latest sleeping med, nortriptyline, who knows...
that's the problem when you take so many meds, one thing screws up something else.
Unfortunately the yellow brick road doesn't go to Birmingham; I have to use
I-59. ;)
hugs,
Alan
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Good luck Alan with your doctors visit, and I'm sorry you are dealing with this. Hopefully they can sort out what is causing this. I'll be thinking of you.
David
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Alan, chest hair is waaaay over-rated. ;)
There's no yellow brick road to the Birmingham in this part of the world either.
And yes, it's always something. Let's just hope this latest something for you turns out to be nothing. A storm in a teacup, as it were.
Good luck sweetie; as always, keep us posted.
Heartfelt hugs.
Ann
xxx
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Alan, chest hair is waaaay over-rated. ;)
Personally, I like a nice hairy chest. The worst part of labs for me isn't the needle it's pulling the band-aids off later. All those litte arm hairs ... Ouch!!
And poor you, those little heart monitor ones are just awful to pull off. I always do it "keep your minds out of the gutter" in the shower. Good luck with getting everything sorted out. I'll be hoping for the best!
AA
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Alan, sweetie, you just keep getting hit, don't you. I'll be thinking about you and looking for an update after the Holter. Sorry about the chest hair, but if you look at the new male models, they don't have any either. I don't know if that's any comfort or not. Personally, I think a hairless chest is sexy.
Luv ya,
Betty
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"keep your minds out of the gutter"
Easier said than done, mate, easier said than done. ::)
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I thought I heard you saying O-I-L C-A-N O-I-L C-A-N. You really are held together with bubblegum and baling wire, aren't you baby?
Thinking of you.
Hal
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Dearest Alan...Here's hoping this little blip is nothing at all, just a bump in that road to Birmingham...After all we don't want our sweet tin man to have to become the scarecrow!!! ;)
Jody
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Alan,
I too hope it's as simple as a reaction to your sleeping pill. Good to see your doc is staying on top of things~
Paul
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I am with Paul on this one, I hope that this is just a reaction to the medication. My fingers, eyes and toes are crossed for you.. D
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Thanks everyone!
I just hope they don't tell me to eliminate caffeine 100%. I NEED my one cup of coffee in the mornings....and I love my sweet tea with lunch and/or dinner.
If I make it at home, it's de-caf, but if I eat out, no one uses de-caf tea.
I'll let you know what I find out.
hugs,
Alan :-*
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Best of luck Alan,
My thoughts are with you, hope it's not a big deal!
Don't you dare die on me(j/k) I need you to post my birthday in June LOL>
Love ya babe!
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Hey Alan,
I hope this is just a bit of a blip and nothing serious. I can't imagine doing without my tea. :o
Let's hope it just a reaction to the sleeping pill or something simple like that.
You are in my daily thoughts and I'm sending copious amounts of positive energy your way.
HUGS,
Mark
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Hey Alan.....hows it going? I'm thinking about you today and wondering how you are.
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Hey Alan....
Long time no hear from me but my thoughts and prayers are with you good buddy.
Incidentally:
Bare chested men are sexy too sweetie.........
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Thinking of you, Alan. Hope all is well.
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oh Alan,
I hope it is just a reaction to your sleeping meds and nothing major.
You'll be in my thoughts.
Sharkie
(don't worry the furr will grow back ;))
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Good news: no arrhythmia detected! Yay. So my heart's rhythm is fine.
Bad news: it's still going WAY too fast. So, on Friday my cardiologist and I decided to increase my cardiac med (Carvedilol) x 2. Also, I will resume the dreaded diurectic each day. >:(
So far, the results look pretty good; BP was more "normal" this weekend, and heart rates of 90 - 95. So I'll try this for awhile and see if I can tolerate it without too much difficulty. It kind of got me down, because I know that once you "double" a medication, most likely you're not going to get to "un-double" it later on.... My pill count is steadily creeping back up to the upper 30's each day.
You take pill X for symptom ___ but it causes Y. So you take pill Z for Y, but that causes some other problem.... it's a Catch 22. I'm sure that those of you who are taking several medications know what I'm talking about.
OK, now back to "it's always something"..... I have a colonoscopy on the 16th.
;)
hugs, Alan
PS - to end on a positive note, the Glucosamine - Chondroitin I've been taking seems to be doing wonders for my joints and tendons!
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It's good you have good heart rythms....we already knew that..
sorry for the diuretic and the double medication.
My BP remains high and have had my Atenolol doubled, but I did not realize that it would be like forever...BP thing is new and I am hoping it would be something that could be resolved.
good luck on the 16th...
ronnie
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Alan, I'm glad you have no arrhythmia, but sorry about doubling the medications. I can totally empathize, believe me. The longer I live, the more meds I take.
That's interesting about the glucosamine-chondroitin. I have terrible joint difficulties. It's pretty expensive though, isn't it? I know in some states, ADAP will pay for supplements (I think), but since I qualify for Medicaid in my state, of course that knocks me out of getting ADAP. And I know Medicare Part D won't cover it (if someone knows differently, chime in). Ah well.
Good luck with your colonoscopy. And take care.
Luv,
Betty
Hey, now you don't have to give up your coffee and sweet tea!
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I take 30 pills each day, and that's actually less than a few years ago. Baby steps.
But yeah, it's always something to counteract something else which then fucks up yet another thing.
I'm glad it wasn't as bad as you thought it might be, Alan. Enjoy your colonoscopy. I'm expecting to be told I need one when I go to the butt doctor in a few weeks. I've never had one, though I've had dysplasia laser zaps which aren't enjoyable.
ADAP does not cover supplements here in PA that I know of, Betty. My pharmacy, however, throws in free bottles of multi-vitamins with my order. I assume ADAP pays for that, but that's all I know of. In NY they have more, or do now -- I don't recall that being the case when I lived there but I was only on ADAP for 3 years there. They REALLY should pay for things like fish oil and calcium which one must take as a direct result of our less-than-fabulous HIV meds.
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David, Medicaid here in Indiana used to cover anything the doctor would write a prescription for (vitamins, supplements). But, that was when there was only one type of Medicaid. Of course, now in Indiana there are seven different types and no one can ever figure them out.
I agree that insurance should cover things like fish oil and calcium. I really need to be on calcium, since the last time I had a DEXA it showed moderate osteoporosis. But it can get to be expensive.
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Alan,
I'm so glad to hear your heart if OK. We've already got somebody (next2u) with heart problems and that 's enough.
I know what you mean about the pills. Sometimes I think it's all a crap shot. When you're taking massive quantities of pills, you begin to wonder if any of them work in tandem or if it's just a matter of you rolling the dice to see what's going to work today.
Good luck with your colonoscopy on Friday.
robert
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Alan,
Glad to read there is no arrhythmia.
Try not to think of it as a "colonoscopy" think it more as some sort of kinky sex with pictures and everything. :D
AA
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Alan,
Glad to read there is no arrhythmia.
Try not to think of it as a "colonoscopy" think it more as some sort of kinky sex with pictures and everything. :D
AA
I've always insisted on being kissed first. :D
ronnie
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Hey Alan,
Yep, glad its not arrhythmia, but sorry about the increase in heart meds.
I know what you're saying. It seems like we are always adding more pills to counteract the pills we already take.
Good luck with the colonoscopy. I have a feeling the doc is going to want to do one in the future.
I've always insisted on being kissed first. :D
Ronnie
OH NO! I've seen the doc. I would have to be really drunk.
HUGS,
Mark