Medical stuff

[Standing Wolf]

The area one is dealing with is much smaller than most of us realize. Occasionally I will get dehydrated from my medications. The sinuses will ball up a bit and thats the start. Then if I get undue emotional stress the muscles in that area constrict. It makes it very difficult to speak with the 1,2 punch. It will feel like a tennis ball is in my throat. Once I get hydrated and calm down I will spit it out and the obstruction is no larger than a bb. Its a terrifying realization and makes me realize how easy it is for someone to choke

I had a relatively mild case of pneumonia about five years ago. It started with my waking the wife up at midnight, asking her to drive me to the ER; I'd awakened not being able to take even a moderately deep breath and some moderate chest pains. No hospitalization - just sitting at home for three weeks with no taste for anything but saltines and orange juice.

Anyway, that memory was prompted by your mention of terrified feelings. For more than a year after that incident, if I was even a little bit congested I couldn't make myself sleep - terrified that I would wake up gasping for air. My doctor at the time prescribed a benzo called Lorazepam, which really helped. Eventually I weaned myself off of it, and didn't take it again till I was in the hospital earlier this year. Benzos, along with opiates of course, are much harder to come by these days, fears of addiction and liability being what they are. I had a discussion with my new GP earlier this year, and I told her that I didn't understand how benzos could be addictive, but she assured me that they are for some people. She, herself, can't take them because they cause her to have bizarre hallucinations.

[Standing Wolf]

@Standing Wolf did you get the procedure ? if so how are you doing

Thanks, but no. It took me two months just to get an appointment with this guy, and that's with a referral from another ENT doctor. They are going to call me with a date when they have one, but I'd be surprised if it turns out to be before the first of next year.

Kind of a funny story, and one that involves telling on myself a bit. When I was first given the referral to this specialist, I had a moment when I thought, "I wonder how good his English is" - because he has a yard-long east Indian (I think) name, first and last, and not all of the medical practitioners I've seen in recent years had a great command of the language. (One of the nurses in the physical rehab facility I was in was Chinese and neither spoke nor understood English worth a damn.) Anyway, it turns out that Dr. S. actually speaks English somewhat better than the average American, and was obviously raised in this country. Shame on me for assuming, I guess.

[Adelaide]

I had a relatively mild case of pneumonia about five years ago. It started with my waking the wife up at midnight, asking her to drive me to the ER; I'd awakened not being able to take even a moderately deep breath and some moderate chest pains. No hospitalization - just sitting at home for three weeks with no taste for anything but saltines and orange juice.

Anyway, that memory was prompted by your mention of terrified feelings. For more than a year after that incident, if I was even a little bit congested I couldn't make myself sleep - terrified that I would wake up gasping for air. My doctor at the time prescribed a benzo called Lorazepam, which really helped. Eventually I weaned myself off of it, and didn't take it again till I was in the hospital earlier this year. Benzos, along with opiates of course, are much harder to come by these days, fears of addiction and liability being what they are. I had a discussion with my new GP earlier this year, and I told her that I didn't understand how benzos could be addictive, but she assured me that they are for some people. She, herself, can't take them because they cause her to have bizarre hallucinations.

Benzodiazepines actually follow almost an identical neurological pattern as alcohol or opiates in terms of activating the brain's dopamine reward/mesolimbic pathway, specifically the ventral tegmental area. Increasing amounts of dopamine and glutamate are released with use, mimicking other addictions.

I think many physicians erroneously thought that because benzodiazepines primarily activate GABA receptors that they would not be addictive or as addictive as substances that interfere in other receptors, but clearly they started to recognize patterns of addiction fairly early on or the guidelines would not have included short-term prescriptions and the eventual development of a formal withdrawal syndrome specific to benzodiazepines.

I was prescribed Clonazepam for anxiety when I was 17 or 18, and I still take it for anxiety 12 years later. I maxed out at the top dosage, although I often choose not to take that dose and to take a lower dose (two-thirds). I take it at night for anxiety attacks and sleep disturbances related to PTSD, and because my sleeping medication makes me feel immobilized and I panic. It is a pretty $#@!ty situation because I know that I am dependent on it and many medical professionals want to decrease my dosage, but most recent literature suggests that I will experience life-long, "protracted" withdrawal symptoms if I reduce my dose or stop taking it. Previously, I have tried taking alternative benzodiazepines in order to lower my dosage and it was $#@!ing brutal so that plan was abandoned.

If you can avoid taking them, you should. If you do take them, do not take them longer than a few weeks.

[Standing Wolf]

Benzodiazepines actually follow almost an identical neurological pattern as alcohol or opiates in terms of activating the brain's dopamine reward/mesolimbic pathway, specifically the ventral tegmental area. Increasing amounts of dopamine and glutamate are released with use, mimicking other addictions.

I think many physicians erroneously thought that because benzodiazepines primarily activate GABA receptors that they would not be addictive or as addictive as substances that interfere in other receptors, but clearly they started to recognize patterns of addiction fairly early on or the guidelines would not have included short-term prescriptions and the eventual development of a formal withdrawal syndrome specific to benzodiazepines.

I was prescribed Clonazepam for anxiety when I was 17 or 18, and I still take it for anxiety 12 years later. I maxed out at the top dosage, although I often choose not to take that dose and to take a lower dose (two-thirds). I take it at night for anxiety attacks and sleep disturbances related to PTSD, and because my sleeping medication makes me feel immobilized and I panic. It is a pretty $#@!ty situation because I know that I am dependent on it and many medical professionals want to decrease my dosage, but most recent literature suggests that I will experience life-long, "protracted" withdrawal symptoms if I reduce my dose or stop taking it. Previously, I have tried taking alternative benzodiazepines in order to lower my dosage and it was $#@!ing brutal so that plan was abandoned.

If you can avoid taking them, you should. If you do take them, do not take them longer than a few weeks.

I guess I was fortunate in being able to stop taking them as easily as I did, then. I took two or three doses a week all through 2015, then when my doctor balked at giving me another scrip I just didn't take anything like that till I was in the hospital and physical rehab earlier this year; then I needed something to put me out because of the noise out in the hallway every night - all those caring, thoughtful medical professionals whooping it up like they were working in the stockroom at Walmart. I think I've got a half dozen pills left in a bottle in the medicine cabinet - what's left of a discharge prescription from rehab - and they've been there for probably three or four months.

[Adelaide]

I guess I was fortunate in being able to stop taking them as easily as I did, then. I took two or three doses a week all through 2015, then when my doctor balked at giving me another scrip I just didn't take anything like that till I was in the hospital and physical rehab earlier this year; then I needed something to put me out because of the noise out in the hallway every night - all those caring, thoughtful medical professionals whooping it up like they were working in the stockroom at Walmart. I think I've got a half dozen pills left in a bottle in the medicine cabinet - what's left of a discharge prescription from rehab - and they've been there for probably three or four months.

It's not so bad if it is intermittent and low dose, but the potential for addiction or dependency is still there. They're amazing drugs for sleep and anxiety so it is unfortunate that they are considered somewhat highly addictive. I can do all the deep breathing and relaxation exercises that they throw at me, and still pass out from hyperventilation during a panic attack (and those exercises are impossible during sleep terrors or paralysis), so it's hard for me to imagine not being able to take something specifically for that panic (fast-acting anxiolytics). It is hard to imagine not taking them although I know that at some point someone will try to once again titrate me off, and that is going to be super fun. I feel bad for anyone who gets panic attacks and cannot take medication, although I know it's healthier to develop other methods of managing it.

There are less addictive hypnotics and tranquilizers that you could take that are also relaxing, but that wouldn't help with the terrifying feeling. In fact, I find that taking a hypnotic/tranquilizer increases my anxiety quite a bit, but I have no choice about it since I have insomnia.

[Common]

I have an appt with a spine surgeon, to see if im a candidate for Kyphoplasty, recently Ive had alot of back pain, and neuropathy, its gotten bad enough to wake me out of a sound sleep and keep me from sleeping.

My Dr sent for an mri and the radiolist report said I have spine fractures exercise and age and arthritis related. He had suggested a consultation with a minimally invasive spine surgery to discuss this procedure and if im a candidate.

My wife has had 2 neck surgeries, major back surgery with bars and bolts and a total shoulder replacement. I do most of the house stuff to keep her from doing it and I do the shopping and cleaning and whatever. I dont mind doing it all and im good at it. She has alot of days she doesnt or cant go out.

I cannot afford to go down, I have to stay up and do for both of us, thats why im even considering this, if it werent for that I would just live with it until I couldnt. Im waiting for them to call with the appt

[Standing Wolf]

I have an appt with a spine surgeon, to see if im a candidate for Kyphoplasty, recently Ive had alot of back pain, and neuropathy, its gotten bad enough to wake me out of a sound sleep and keep me from sleeping.

My Dr sent for an mri and the radiolist report said I have spine fractures exercise and age and arthritis related. He had suggested a consultation with a minimally invasive spine surgery to discuss this procedure and if im a candidate.

My wife has had 2 neck surgeries, major back surgery with bars and bolts and a total shoulder replacement. I do most of the house stuff to keep her from doing it and I do the shopping and cleaning and whatever. I dont mind doing it all and im good at it. She has alot of days she doesnt or cant go out.

I cannot afford to go down, I have to stay up and do for both of us, thats why im even considering this, if it werent for that I would just live with it until I couldnt. Im waiting for them to call with the appt

Getting older has its occasional perks, but on the whole it kind of sucks.

[Cotton1]

Getting older has its occasional perks, but on the whole it kind of sucks.

True. A few hours ago I began having a chest pain. It was mostly left side and now only hurts if I stand up. I think I just slept funny on it. I am not in the mood to go to er and hang out there for 12 hours. If i take a nitroglycerin and im not compromised heart wise will it be ok?

[Cotton1]

I have an appt with a spine surgeon, to see if im a candidate for Kyphoplasty, recently Ive had alot of back pain, and neuropathy, its gotten bad enough to wake me out of a sound sleep and keep me from sleeping.

My Dr sent for an mri and the radiolist report said I have spine fractures exercise and age and arthritis related. He had suggested a consultation with a minimally invasive spine surgery to discuss this procedure and if im a candidate.

My wife has had 2 neck surgeries, major back surgery with bars and bolts and a total shoulder replacement. I do most of the house stuff to keep her from doing it and I do the shopping and cleaning and whatever. I dont mind doing it all and im good at it. She has alot of days she doesnt or cant go out.

I cannot afford to go down, I have to stay up and do for both of us, thats why im even considering this, if it werent for that I would just live with it until I couldnt. Im waiting for them to call with the appt

Good luck on getting better. Its admirable you have taken on the house chores etc. I am scared to death of surgeries and hospitals.

[Common]

Getting older has its occasional perks, but on the whole it kind of sucks.

Its not for sissys