Greetings!

Hello there, everyone. Yes, I have surfaced! Sorry for the long absence. I needed a break from talking about health stuff. That's not to say it went away. In fact, more stuff came.

I was diagnosed with stage 2 kidney disease in January. This was a long time coming, as put off the referral to the kidney doctor for a year. I was in denial that anything was wrong, but my bloodwork kept coming back "bad", so I went. He ordered a kidney ultrasound as well as his own bloodwork. No more toradol or indocin for me. No NSAIDS or anti-inflammitories of any kind. That will make the disease get worse. That is unfortunate, because indocin works really well for my head pain.

I developed insomnia, so my neurologist ordered a sleep study. I went in February. Again, this was something I wanted to avoid. It was an overnight in a sleep lab. I barely slept all night, hooked up to many wires, electrodes, and being video-monitored. They came in half-way through the study and hooked me up to the CPAP (sleep apnea) machine. It took about a week and a half for the sleep specialist to call with the results. He said I have obstructive sleep apnea as well as periodic limb movement during sleep. I question both of these diagnosis. My husband disputes these as well. To combat the insomnia, I now just stay up until 2am or 3am and get up at 7am. Previously, I was going to bed at 10pm or 11am, then waking around 3am and would be wide awake for 2 hours, and try to drift back to sleep until 7am. That just wasn't working. I have tried over the counter sleep aids and melatonin. Nothing helps.

I had my shunt adjusted in October, and I wanted it adjusted again in January, but the doctor wouldn't do it because he said I would develop high pressure again, which was what brought on the need for the shunt to start with. Instead he prescribed daily fioricet. This has helped.

I have had a fast pulse for about 3 years. My resting pulse rate is always over 100. I have given up caffeine to see if it helps. It hasnt. My over-cautious primary doctor referred me to a cardiologist, and I finally saw one in January. He sent me for an ultrasound of my heart. Everything checks out just fine. I just have a fast pulse. I have been released from his care.

I thought about repeating the radiofrequency procedure at C2-C3 to help relieve the neck and shoulder pain, and saw an anesthesiologist to see about doing this. He is on board. But then the fioricet started working for my head, and I reconsidered the procedure. I have been feeling ok, so I put this on hold.

My neurosurgeon who put in the shunt left town, so I had to find a new specialist to help with my shunt, and I did finally find someone. That was the guy who adjusted it in October. I like him. I trust him. I like his assistant, too. They are a good team, just like the team of my old neurosurgeon and his assistant.

I will see my regular long-time neuro next week and will share all of these updates with her.

My girls are well, we are still busy with Girl Scouts. My youngest is turning 10 in a week! My husband still ask "how's your head" from time to time, and he is more involved with what meds I am taking. I run my treatment ideas by him and ask his opinion. He's a pretty good sounding board.

I'll catch up on some posts and see what's been going on. More later.....

Lynelle

Welcome back, Lynelle!

It's been ages indeed, so I am very glad to see you posting again!!

Wow, your youngest girl is already 10! my my, where did the time go, eh??
And you guys are continuing with Girl Scouts, that's terrific! Kudos to you, Lynelle, for being such a trooper ;]
for indeed with having so many health problems they seem to be plaguing you lately, I just can't imagine how do you do all that!
My hat is off to you!



I am very sorry about your kidney diseases. If you don't mind me asking, are they related to the meds we are taking
for our migraines? it's always a worry to me, understandably I think,
and I can imagine how hard it must be now for you to deal with it all - to balance migraines, not being able to take NSAIDS,
probably some other meds?, the shunt, the BP, the insomnia, the upper back pain, and all this other stuff - it's so much!
How do you deal with it, I don't know, but I can understand why would you feel like not talking about it anymore.
I am also very glad your husband is a rock for you in all this. It would be so hard to go thru all this alone.

But you've been so missed here, and I am so happy to see you back on board again, hopefully to stay this time!

Yes there is plenty to catch up, and there is always the 1000th Post party you've missed
but that still can be attended by you :] somewhere on this page, lolol

Please, do have a look around, and hopefully post again!

Risa

Hi so glad to hear from you!!!!!! Seems you have been going through a lot! I'm so happy to have the update! Hope to catch up more soon when things settle more for me!

Hello Lynelle!

Glad to see you post. Very sorry about the rough time, but hang in there.

PF

Hi, Lynelle. So sorry to hear how much is going on with your health. It is hard to have so many different problems. We are glad you are back. Please keep posting!
Hugs,
Cindy

Hi Lynelle, it's good to see a familiar 'face' here!

So sorry to hear you have been going through so much, gosh I hope things get better for you soon.

I'm on my way out but just wanted to say hi.

Hi Lynelle,

So good to hear from you though I wish things were better for you. Like Risa I wonders if you would mind sharing, if you know, the cause of the kidney problems. I taken so many NSAIDS, and toradol. And I worry about my liver with vicoden and percocet.

Right now I'm battling another bout of diverticulitis. It's the only thing all the painkillers are good for. They want the bowel "to rest" and as we know these puppies make it shut down.

I'm doing something silly and fun tonight. I borrowed my sons air mattress and am camping out because it is so gorgeous out. However, is it really camping out when you have a air mattress, electric blanket, reading light, a fan to blow the bugs away and a good book? I think not, but comfort is the name of the game. The stars are so pretty to tonight I couldn't pass it up. Even is it's on my terms (yes, I tried. I couldnt figure out how to get the TV out here).

So glad you're able to keep up with your Girl Scout world. Right now my work is falling behind and I don't see anyway of catching up in the near future. Last week I missed three meetings, very unlike me and not good at all when I'm in an election year for a prestigious board in my field. On bad days I don't care if I win the election.on good days it makes me depressed that I'm not the woman I used to be.

Cymbalta continues to work well on my m's Took for my lower back and it did diddly squat for that but has me down to five moderate headaches a month. I can live with that!

Guys, it is so peaceful out here, light wind, starry sky, coyotes howling in the distance. Perfection (i did move the mattress close to the house so I wouldn't be near the deer paths. That would freak me TOO much.

Thank you for joining us Lynelle. I've missed you.

Charlotte aka Joan.

Lynelle..I'm so sorry about your kidneys...

When I had the acute renal failure I felt so darn sick..please be very careful.

Love you

Thanks for the "welcome back". Yes, the kidney issues are from the medication use. I see my endocrinologist tomorrow, to see how my hashimoto thyroiditis is doing. I saw my neuro last week. I will be having some occipital nerve blocks next week, this is something I have never tried. I am excited to give this a whirl. Just keep on plugging along, day by day.

Lynelle

Good luck with the nerve blocks, Lynelle!

Please let us know how it goes!

Risa