Saw my doctor yesterday......

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[skeebo1969]

   I went and saw my ID doctor yesterday.  Him and I are always at opposite ends it seems and it's part of the reason why I prefer women doctors.  I was explaining to him that lately I have been suffering from extreme fatigue.  First thing out of his mouth is," do you and your wife have family around?"  Kind of wondering what this had to do with anything, I answered no.  "The two of you need a break and sometime to yourself", LMAO like where did that come from. 

  "You need more sleep Thomas", I told him I beg to differ, that I already sleep 8-12 hours a day and that is not even enough.  At least that's how it feels.  So he tells me no I mean RAM sleep.  Oh come on doc, what the hell.  Why not just check my testosterone and thyroid...  and run the whole gambit of tests you can think of so we can make sure nothing is wrong?  I told him I wanted it done now since my $1200 deductible has finally been met and the insurance I pay all year for will be of use.  He always has a habit of running all kinds of tests after January, when of course my deductible is reset to zero.  Then I spend the rest of the year struggling to pay off my lab tests from earlier in the year.

   Then he started  examining me and when he listened to my chest he asked if I smoked.  He asks me this everytime we see each other.  "Yes doc I smoke" ..  He asked me to do the usual deep breaths and crap and had a strange look on his face.  "Do you mind getting a chest x-ray Thomas?", he asked.
No man not at all.  Then you know what he asked me next?  Have you ever had PCP?  Hmmm well doc remember my little stint in the hospital close to 2 years ago?  That wasn't for diarrhea....  Oh yeah he said, I remember now.

  So he gave me the scripts to get all this stuff done and hopefully I can find something out or just lay all this fatigue to working at night and just being plain tired.

Still haven't went to get the labs done though.... too tired lol.

[livebythemoon]

I prefer female doctors myself.  Does this guy not take any notes?  My ID doc seems to have an elephant's memory (or to actually care about her patients); she remembers minutiae that I myself tend to forget.

I hope that this fatigue is just a result of your current shift at work.

Now, get out of these forums (I see you're logged in) and get those labs done sir.

[skeebo1969]

  LOL actually about to go to sleep so I can go to work tonight..lol.  I'll do them and the x-ray on Tuesday.  Should make for an awesome day off.  Ohh, I can't wait!

[Inchlingblue]

It seems, based on this post and others that you really should change doctors. Maybe he's not a bad doctor but he sounds like he has too much going on himself.

There must be other good HIV doctors in your area, right?

Did he still not check the Testosterone and Thyroid?

[mpositive]

Hey Skeebo,
You want me to send Vinnie bag-o-donuts over there to talk to this doctor?

[Robert]

wow...two post from me to the skeebo.

I've got a woman Dr and I love her.  She doesn't remember everything but she remembers a lot.  When we have our visits I check in, get weighed, my temp is taken, blood pressure etc.  Then I sit in the examing room for a few minutes. She comes in with papers in hand and we start talking.  I've realized in those few minutes I'm sitting there, she is going over my file and the latest results.  I've still got problems with fatigue and sex.  I have a history with hypothyroidism and am on medication for that so we always test for that.  My testosterone is normal, I guess.  We tried the patch and I just wasn't ready for it so we dropped it.  Still no sex.  That drive is long gone but, hey, I'll be 60 in Dec.  40 years is a good run so I'm not complaining.  (But that's not one of your problems, is it?) 

I'm glad to hear you're taking those tests.  That's smart thinking about the deductable.  Now I know it's part of your life (an important part, no less) but do you think your fatigue could be due to your love of weed? 

robert

[Miss Philicia]

Out of five HIV specialists the only one I had to fire was a woman, but I won't hold that against every owner of a vagina.  Basically after my 2nd appointment with her when I called to tell her my insurance would not cover an oral version of something and needed the injectable she screamed at me about insurance companies and hung the phone up on me.  I should have reported her to the AMA but my psychiatrist said it would cause a lot of problems for her so I didn't.

Oh, and she did this to me during my worst phase where I had two simultaneous OI's.  Thanks!

[Queen Tokelove]

My last HIV doc was a male but he was gay. We never seemed to see eye to eye on much of anything at all. But he always gave me a hug at the end of every appointment. I assume he did this with all this patients.

Since being in NY, I have scheduled myself to see one but not sure what I will get. I will keep you posted....And Thomas, get your ass over there and get those labs done.

[skeebo1969]

 

  Dammit I had all this stuff typed up looking all fancy smancy and crap.   Had all the quotes lined up replying to everyone, it looked like a piece of art really and I think my verb word agreement was really good on this one...  went to edit a lil piece and erased the whole damn thing.  Have to wait til after work I guess.... uhhh I hate getting up, feel like I can use another 3 hours of sleep.

  I try to use that saying I hear other people use, "Oh I'm lucky to have a job" , but I am not feeling lucky right now and we never have lotto drawings at my job anyways.

  Going to go lay in the shower for 20 minutes.  Yes I said lay, it is part of my wake up routine..lol

  I'm weird......

[skeebo1969]

It seems, based on this post and others that you really should change doctors. Maybe he's not a bad doctor but he sounds like he has too much going on himself.

There must be other good HIV doctors in your area, right?

Did he still not check the Testosterone and Thyroid?

From the research my wife and I have done he is the only one within a 150 mile radius.  With the little one, two patients, and work; it really makes it difficult to travel a far distance.  He is the one I switched to after receiving ill care from my previous doctor up here. 

This one even suggested my wife and I should get a family doctor for treating anything other than HIV.  When I lived in Miami, my ID doctor not only treated me for HIV infection/AIDS but  for anything else as well.

It is what it is.  As long as our numbers stay good, (mine1100+/her900+) we will stay with him out of convenience.  I know it's not the smartest decision I've made.....

He did give me scripts for the lab to check my thyroid and testosterone, so it's a start.

wow...two post from me to the skeebo.

What you don't love me anymore Robbie?    This is SadTom don't ya remember me buddy?

If my love of the weed was like it was I might agree that it could be a starting point for my fatigue.  I don't really have the time to smoke during the week, so I usually save it for Sundays when I am off and watching football.  The only time I touch it during the week is if I am suffering from nausea.  Robbie the stuff is like magic when it comes to making nausea disappear.

Out of five HIV specialists the only one I had to fire was a woman, but I won't hold that against every owner of a vagina.  Basically after my 2nd appointment with her when I called to tell her my insurance would not cover an oral version of something and needed the injectable she screamed at me about insurance companies and hung the phone up on me.  I should have reported her to the AMA but my psychiatrist said it would cause a lot of problems for her so I didn't.

Oh, and she did this to me during my worst phase where I had two simultaneous OI's.  Thanks!

You would have never fired the amazing Dr. Elena Castro.

And Thomas, get your ass over there and get those labs done.

Yes ma'am first thing Tuesday morning.

[Miss Philicia]

You would have never fired the amazing Dr. Elena Castro.

Why do you say this?  Was her Cuban son hung?

[Inchlingblue]

You could check www.aahivm.org just to see if there's anyone else. You can do searches by zip code.

[skeebo1969]

Why do you say this?  Was her Cuban son hung?

Funny you should ask, maybe this is why she said I reminded her of her son.

You could check www.aahivm.org just to see if there's anyone else. You can do searches by zip code.

Cool thanks for that Blue...

[skeebo1969]

  I got my labs back today.  Everything looks really good, which disappoints me really.  My testosterone is at 725 so that is not the reason for my low energy levels.  My viral load has not changed, still undetectable.  My Cd4's are good at 930 which is a drop from last time of 1100 but that would not be the cause.  He said my sugar was low and that they would keep an eye on it.  Not real familiar with what those levels should be...  right now the test indicated that my sugar was at 62.  I'll research this and see what a normal range is suppose to be, but according to the doctor it shouldn't be causing the fatigue I am feeling.  Thyroid tests came back good as well.... Blood pressure, cholesterol, and everything else was all really good...

   So I have absolutely no answers as to why I feel the way I do.  This compels me to feel as if I have to convince those around me that I have no energy for nothing.  I did quit the Paxil I was on along with the restoril.  Not sure about the restoril, but I do know the Paxil was killing my appetite....

   So.....  My doctor thinks I am depressed.  I got to admit the Dolphins losing yesterday kind of frigged with my happiness for all of 5 minutes, but hell I don't think that's it.  So my doctor wants me to see a psychologist which I've made the appointment for in mid November.  I'll go into it with an open mind and talk about stuff I've told you all from the very beginning.

  Like I said I am a bit disappointed at all these great results and please don't be offended those of you who are having a much more difficult time than me.  I am frustrated with this having to sleep 12 hours plus a nap and still having to struggle to get up and go to work....   Since nothing came back from all the lab work that would be any sort of indicator I fear this is just the way it will be.  I'm serious my energy level is screwed and I don't like it... 

   

[BlueMoon]

Maybe you should consider sleep quality, like he suggested.

One member who was recently treated for sleep apnea reported a great increase in energy.  Can't hurt to try, since everything else seems ok.

[newbie05]

62 is low blood sugar. It is considered low in diabetics. Have you been tested for diabetes?

[David_NC]

Maybe you should consider sleep quality, like he suggested.

One member who was recently treated for sleep apnea reported a great increase in energy.  Can't hurt to try, since everything else seems ok.

That may have been me.  I thought I was sleeping soundly but was actually waking up many times during the night.  I still use a CPAP machine at night and I do sleep better, but I still don't have the energy I did pre-HIV.  I don't have the problem falling asleep at stop lights much any more!  I didn't fall totally asleep but would catch myself starting to nod off... kinda like when one falls asleep at the wheel.  As long as something has my attention or requires concentration, I'm generally OK. 

I always wonder if it's the virus or the meds.  I also had my testosterone checked, and it was fine (I figured as much based on other things  ).  I put a lot of my lack of energy down to the fact that my lungs suck; PCP did a number on them.  I can get out of breath at the drop of a hat it seems.  Much exertion at all just tires me out.  Good luck with it; I know how frustrating it can be.

[skeebo1969]

I always wonder if it's the virus or the meds.  I also had my testosterone checked, and it was fine (I figured as much based on other things  ).  I put a lot of my lack of energy down to the fact that my lungs suck; PCP did a number on them.  I can get out of breath at the drop of a hat it seems.  Much exertion at all just tires me out.  Good luck with it; I know how frustrating it can be.

That's my thought too David, wondering if it's the virus or the meds.  Not sure if you go through this with your spouse or not, but I almost feel compelled to convince her that I actually do feel...  well not my normal self.  I think this is a self imposed feeling because she has the same thing I do and she feels absolutely fine, meds and all!


I've been doing some look up on sugar levels and mine are low.  The normal range seems to be 70-99 I think it said with 50 being too low.  I wonder since my blood draw was not predetermined to be a fasting draw if my level showed up actually higher than it really was.  I drank 3 cups of coffee with the normal 3 spoons of sugar the morning of, which is my norm.  I wonder if any of that could have possibly caused my sugar level to not be accurate.

The lower end of the scale seems to put one as having hypoglycemia...  I looked up the symptoms and they all fit my profile to a tee.  Chills, inability to deal with cold temps, irritability, fatigue, mood swings, trembling, blurry vision (which I mentioned in other threads), headaches, and of course anxiety.  I just wonder if my sugar level is correct for the reasons mentioned and if perhaps something is really there...

Or..  Of course there is  always the possibility that I am just a nut and don't know it . LOL

[Robert]

your're not nuts thomas.

I have the same symptoms and gone through the same battery of tests and gotten the same results.

Like david says, it's the virus or the meds.  I'm wiped out.  I take naps every day.  I haven't had sex in years.  I'm just too tired.  michael isn't too pleased about that but i think he's a lot like your wife.  he tries to understand and actually does a pretty good job.  My whole lifestyle has changed. 

Depression is part of it too.  I guess they say if you're tired all the time, it's a sign of depression and I do get depressed but the psych didn't help.   You've said yourself you're just going to tell her everything you told us and, frankly, I just can't imagine she has that much more of offer than your friends here.  So. anyway, I have to keep busy with projects.  You've got a job, that helps a lot. 

Just keep working and try not to let what happened yesterday affect you too much.  Your Dolphins choked, that's all.

robert

[skeebo1969]

Just keep working and try not to let what happened yesterday affect you too much.  Your Dolphins choked, that's all.

robert

Thanks for the kind words Robert.

I fear the wrath of Da Queen since I've been talking lots of smack regarding her Cowboys... 

[Ann]

I always have to wonder if fatigue can sometimes cause depression, rather than the generally accepted other way around.

I know I suffer from a lot more fatigue than ever, the longer I'm poz, the more fatigue I experience. At least in my case, I know it's the virus and not the meds as I'm not on meds yet. I see my doctor (hopefully the real deal and not a registrar again!) next week and I'm hoping to have that  discussion. I think it's finally time to give my body some help in dealing with this. After all, I've been poz for twelve and a half years now and my body deserves some help.

When I've brought up the fatigue in the past, the depression card always gets played, but I know I'm not depressed. Yes, there have been times over the years when I was, but it's always been transient and situational, not chronic. And there have been times when I've been 'down' simply because I get sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. So again, I have to say, can fatigue not cause depression, rather than it always having to be the other way around?

Hmmm...

Ann

[BT65]

A normal blood sugar for a diabetic is actually 90-120.  Yours is way low, Thomas.

[skeebo1969]

A normal blood sugar for a diabetic is actually 90-120.  Yours is way low, Thomas.

I think so too..  He said he would keep an eye on it, however I guess he feels it is nothing alarming since he didn't order any new labs.  This is one of the things that frustrates me about seeing him.  I think I am going to go see a regular family practice doctor and get a second opinion or at least a follow up if needed.  


If I could just feel mildly better than I do now I would be thrilled.. would love to find the answer.

[toykoDecadence]

I don't know if you've said this/ had this done, but if not, you should also check your vitamin levels. With many vitamin deficiencies, the only apparent symptom is fatigue, tiredness, or lack of energy in general.

[BT65]

Thomas, you may want to find an endocrinologist to see.  These are the doctors who are "experts" in the field of diabetes.  A good endo could give you a "test" to see if you are really diabetic, or try to figure out what is causing your symptoms.