HIV or just getting old?

[rondrond]

   When I got in the shower last night, my right foot caught my attention. It had large, white, flaky, peeling patches of skin along the top on my 'toeline' and along the side. Panicking, as I had not seen anything like it before, I started peeling the skin, and it was deep in some places, but I wanted it gone, so I couldn't leave it alone and peeled and picked and a brain cell is pulsing and it's message is "you might be making this worse, leave it alone and lotion it up after shower"....I just wanted it gone. Finally, I stopped myself. When I got a grip, I remembered that this is my DVT foot, It is discolored and swells all the time. (Edema) I had these small, itchy blisters right where those patches are, so, this must be a time delayed healing? My body doesn't heal like it used to. Fortunately, after my shower, (I did give it a GOOD scrubbing) I put neosporin on it and now it is like it never happened.
   My toes are numb and the bottom of my foot is numb which I was given Gabapentin to take, which after three weeks, the numbness is still there and I have noticed no change. I still have sharp spasm and moments when it feels like I have cold blood running through my foot, though touching my foot it is warm (fried ice cream?) On my next appointment on the 17th, I will have to ask, why am I taking Gabapentin again?
 I have been sooo sick. coughing, fever, phlegm, more coughing, dry, unproductive cough, runny nose, stuffy nose, my head hurts, everything is from the chest up. (The thing that drives me absolutely CRAZY TO SCREAMING INSANE is the dripping nose...I am a pseudo dragon with white paper towel flames coming from my nostrils as I have squirreled these twisted plugs in my nose..hey, it works for me, I can't stand my nose dripping on everything) I haven't been sick in 8 years and this only proves to me that vaccines are not all they are cracked up to be. All I want to do is lie down and sleep.
   Now, two weeks after the pneunomia shot, I have stopped dripping and it has filled my head and now and then I 'suck' out a glob and gag and think, is it over yet?...Today, the exodus down the back of my throat has stopped and I just have this dry, unproductive , go ahead and bring that lung up, cough, cough, cough, coughmmmmcough...MOMMMA HELP ME..cough...
 Help me if I nick myself shaving. Being on Warfarin, I can use a whole roll of toilet paper trying to control the flow of blood. So, later, I am at the computer, with my white paper nostril flames, accessorized by a piece of white tissue under my bottom lip which I have managed to make stick there and stop the blood flow, and the doorbell rings...dang it...
   My lower back HURTS all the time. I had a back injury in '88 and had it under control, until July07. Sometimes when getting up, or sitting down, it freezes, and Katie looks over and I manage to spit out..."a little push here", and she does and once in motion, I can keep moving. ...
   I don't know what to blame on old age, HIV or DVT.....Doctor says that is all probably related either directly or indirectly to the HIV, and yes, the aging process. They will have pursed  lips and call me a 'young man' as they are in their 60's and 70's and still going, and, welcome to life after 50.  I wish they would hurry up and approve my meds. I am ready to knock HIV down and get on to aging....gracefully.....
 

[BT65]

Rond, I'm sorry, I don't remember exactly what DVT stands for.

I have neuropathy also and take Gabapentin. How much are you taking?  I take 800 mgs 3 x a day.  I also have diabetes, which makes it a little worse.  It started though, back in the early 90's from the meds from that timeframe.  Maybe you need your dose increased. 

And if you're having all those respiratory problems, why don't you see a doctor?  Surely there is a clinic there or something if you can't afford a regular doctor.  You really need to take care of yourself, sweetie.  Chicken noodle soup, as trivial as that sounds, really helps me when having those issues.  I think it's the steam and salt.  But seriously, take care of that problem, lest it turn into something much, much worse than what it is now. 
    Luv,
Betty

[rondrond]

Hi Betty,
I Love chicken noodle soup. Unfortunately, so does the rest of the house. Daniel, my nephew, who is staying with us, betwen jobs, is like a bear after micnight, raiding the fridge and cabinets.

I go to the Public Health Department to their Aids Clinic which here in Fort Worth is called PMC..Preventative Medical Clinic. I have just had my intake done three(is it now four)weeks ago. I have been self employed for ten years and not used to calling the doctor, but 'take it like a man, and shake it off'...I know that is not healthy, but I am in the midst of a lot of changes and am trying to make these changes  on my schedule, but everything seems to be 'critical' all at once and I am just overwhelmed. On calling the doctor, they have stated that I am having symptoms from the vaccine and it would pass. I have an appointment at PMC on the 16th, when I will get to address all of my issues.

DVT/BILATERAL PE: Deep Vein Thrombosis with Bilateral Pulmonary Embolism....I know...they kept saying it at the hospital and I would just give them a glazed stare...had to GOOGLE it when I was finally discharged and got home. I had a blood clot in my right lleg from the ankle to the hip, which broke up and filled both of my lungs, and they managed to stop it from going to my brain,  as if that had happened, I wouldn't be here right now. I still am in shock that I was 'temporarily dead' but the shock is fading. I remember coming to, and my entire family was in a circle around my bed. I felt like Snow White with the Seven Dwarfs ...the good thing was that it mended a bridge between my little sister and I who is/was so afraid of HIV that she wouldn't even hug me. Well, that day, I got a big hug from her and she gives them a lot more now.

[rondrond]

I am taking Gabapentin/300mgs/once a day before bedtime as he warned that it would make me sleepy. He was right. I will almost fall out of my chair from nodding out.
I opened my wallet and had a Diabetes test done ($120.00) as my maternal aunt had diabetes so bad that she died from it. She started with numb toes and then they started cutting toes, feet, leg and then she died. My test came back Pre-Diabetic/Borderline/ I was at 5.9/ 6.0 is considered diabetic. o.o

[clayboy56]

   ...I remembered that this is my DVT foot...

Deep vein thrombosis is the formation of blood clots (thrombi) in the deep veins.

• Blood clots may form in veins if the vein is injured, a disorder causes the blood to clot, or something slows the return of blood to the heart.
• Blood clots may cause the leg or arm to swell.
• A blood clot can break loose and travel to the lungs, which is called a pulmonary embolism.
• Doppler ultrasonography and blood tests are used to detect deep vein thrombosis.
• Anticoagulants are given to prevent pulmonary embolism.

[rondrond]

Hi Clayboy,
Welcome to the forum.
I tend to lump my entire right side as one entity. I have Post Thrombotic Syndrome, my valves are shot so after bieng up and about, my right foot/ankle/and leg swell up, so I refer to everything on the right as my DV foot, ankle, leg, (sometimes I just call it my bum leg,  and the left (not to be left out) as my good leg, though it was starting to get varicose veins which have started shrinking since I started taking Atenolol for blood pressure.

[BT65]

Rond, that just sounds horrible what you went through.  I've been 'dead' twice, but remember very little about coming back; one of those times I went from being 'clinically dead' to comatose. 

I sincerely hope you get to feeling better.  That is so nice of you also, having your sister and nephew there.  You must have a big heart.  Hang in and take care.
    luv,
Betty

[rondrond]

Betty,
My God,TWICE. You must really be blessed. What is comatose? Coma? If so, how long did it last?

I don't know if I am just blessed or if my Mom has a special connection somewhere. It just seems that when I am in a situation that has reached critical, she shows up and things start going right.

[AlanBama]

Ron,

I also have a DVT leg /foot (my left).   Not sure what year I had the blood clot, it was around '97 or '98 I guess....

My feet, especially the left one, look like a 70 yr old man's.   I do try to take care of them though.

hugs,
Alan

[Miss Philicia]

300 mg of Gabapentin is extremely low.  I'm on what's a low dose and mine is 3 x 300mg daily (i.e. 900mg total).  And as you can see Betty takes a total of 2400 mg.

I'm confused though.  Why do we know if this is DVT or just peripheral neuropathy, or are you saying you have both?  Anyway, if after 3 weeks of Gabapentin at that low dose is not working I don't understand why they won't increase it.  It's used off-label for HIV patients for the primary reason that there is no known interaction with HIV medications.

[BT65]

I don't know if I am just blessed or if my Mom has a special connection somewhere. It just seems that when I am in a situation that has reached critical, she shows up and things start going right.

Oh yes, mums are good like that.  (Wish mine was still around)

[rondrond]

300 mg of Gabapentin is extremely low.  I'm on what's a low dose and mine is 3 x 300mg daily (i.e. 900mg total).  And as you can see Betty takes a total of 2400 mg.

I'm confused though.  Why do we know if this is DVT or just peripheral neuropathy, or are you saying you have both?  Anyway, if after 3 weeks of Gabapentin at that low dose is not working I don't understand why they won't increase it.  It's used off-label for HIV patients for the primary reason that there is no known interaction with HIV medications.

At my last appointment, I had only been on it for a week. He wanted to see if things would get better after it had time to build in my system. My next appointment is the 16th.
I have a DVT and peripheral neuropathy. I have not started HIV meds yet. I just got my 'letter of approval' from the State medical assistance program today.

[BT65]

Hey, good news on the letter!

[rondrond]

Oh yes, mums are good like that.  (Wish mine was still around)

I never realized how much I depend on her and it was brought to my attention by my nephews asking me..."just how old is Granma Dutch? After doing the math, It came to 62. 62? they said. You were born in 53, she was born in 36, that would have made her 10 when you were born. Oh lord....so she is 72, though in my minds eye she will probably always be ageless and I wonder what would I do without her? Suddenly, I dread 'that day', as I had never thought that I would live this long to have to deal with 'that day'....then I feel a little selfish that on this line of thinking, I would have left her to deal with my 'that day'....I don't know about this getting older stuff, I think I might need a counselor, like Monk has..

[BT65]

Rond, my mum died last August and I can tell you there's not a day goes by that I don't miss her terribly.

[aztecan]

Rond, sounds like you have been getting things going.

I know what you mean about mom being there for you. Mine will be 85 in July and still has more energy than I do, most of the time.

HUGS,

Mark

[rondrond]

Rond, sounds like you have been getting things going.

I hope so. Sometimes, I feel that I am standing in front of a brick wall. So I back up and re-think just what I am trying to do. Usually, a door will open and I keep going forward. Most of the time, I have just been pushing too hard. (I want this done, and I see no reason why it can't be done...right now)

[BT65]

Rond, you sound a lot like me-I want it and I want it now.

[rondrond]

Yes..this... take two steps, stop.. wait, take another step, stop,.wait, is nothing like the two step I learned on the dance floor in the arms of an experienced cowboy...fast, and one continous moving across the dance floor until you have to stop to catch your breath... I'm not that hard to handle, as long as I'm handled right.