Help wanted (Score so far related)

[Imwashingmypirate]

Do you have any other health issues going on? When I think hernia + heart +reflux I think POTS plus EDS. Probably projecting though.

I think a hernia repair would be worth it to help ease your anxiety. Hope you get answers and everything can be resolved.

[Jersey Girl]

Do you have any other health issues going on? When I think hernia + heart +reflux I think POTS plus EDS. Probably projecting though.

I think a hernia repair would be worth it to help ease your anxiety. Hope you get answers and everything can be resolved.

My PIRATE!!!!

You don't know how happy it made me to see your post here! I'm on my way...about to post about it!

[Jersey Girl]

Appointment report: Wow! Wow! Wow!

My appointment with my primary was awesome! The result is that she has ordered the endoscopy and colonoscopy at the hospital where my cardio practice is and put right on the request that I need it to be there because, here I'll quote it...

She has paroxysmal atrial fibrillation so would like to have her scopes at (hospital) so she can have staff there to help if she goes in to afib before or during the procedure.

And she ordered a CT scan with contrast as well! Also routine blood panel which is due anyway.

I love her! I love the affect she has on me. I feel ready for this and more than anything else, I'm ready to get sorted out so I can feel fully present in my own life.

I have full faith that this is going to result in an accurate diagnosis! I am SO happy!!!



Things we briefly discussed: Hiatal hernial, celiac disease, gastric delayed emptying syndrome*

*Watch what this says I just pulled it off the internet. I'm gonna bold something that is applicable to me.

From the NIH:

What is the main cause of gastroparesis?

Diabetes is the most common known underlying cause of gastroparesis. Diabetes can damage nerves, such as the vagus nerve and nerves and special cells, called pacemaker cells, in the wall of the stomach. The vagus nerve controls the muscles of the stomach and small intestine. If the vagus nerve is damaged or stops working, the muscles of the stomach and small intestine do not work normally. The movement of food through the digestive tract is then slowed or stopped. Similarly, if nerves or pacemaker cells in the wall of the stomach are damaged or do not work normally, the stomach does not empty.

In addition to diabetes, other known causes of gastroparesis include

injury to the vagus nerve due to surgery on your esophagus, stomach, or small intestine
hypothyroidism
certain autoimmune diseases, such as scleroderma NIH external link
certain nervous system NIH external link disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease NIH external link and multiple sclerosis NIH external link
viral infections of your stomach


See that Vagus nerve involvement?

From Mayo:

Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal spontaneous movement of the muscles (motility) in your stomach. Ordinarily, strong muscular contractions propel food through your digestive tract. But if you have gastroparesis, your stomach's motility is slowed down or doesn't work at all, preventing your stomach from emptying properly.

The cause of gastroparesis is usually unknown. Sometimes it's a complication of diabetes, and some people develop gastroparesis after surgery. Certain medications, such as opioid pain relievers, some antidepressants, and high blood pressure and allergy medications, can lead to slow gastric emptying and cause similar symptoms. For people who already have gastroparesis, these medications may make their condition worse.

Gastroparesis can interfere with normal digestion, cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. It can also cause problems with blood sugar levels and nutrition. Although there's no cure for gastroparesis, changes to your diet, along with medication, can offer some relief.


So yeah,I feel confident something is going to be found out about the issues I have and even about the afib situation.

Stuff I bolded:

I am treated for hypothroidism and have a Hashimoto's Thyroiditis diagnosis which is an autoimmune disease. I also had Covid which is a viral infection that can indeed invade the digestive tract and I didn't have these symptoms until I had Covid. Well, some of them, but not the stomach discomfort. So...who knows.

Other than that, there is really nothing wrong with me but something-something about my vagus nerve and now my stomach. And I think we're gonna find out.

[Marcus]

Appointment report: Wow! Wow! Wow!

My appointment with my primary was awesome! The result is that she has ordered the endoscopy and colonoscopy at the hospital where my cardio practice is and put right on the request that I need it to be there because, here I'll quote it...

She has paroxysmal atrial fibrillation so would like to have her scopes at (hospital) so she can have staff there to help if she goes in to afib before or during the procedure.

And she ordered a CT scan with contrast as well! Also routine blood panel which is due anyway.

I love her! I love the affect she has on me. I feel ready for this and more than anything else, I'm ready to get sorted out so I can feel fully present in my own life.

I have full faith that this is going to result in an accurate diagnosis! I am SO happy!!!



Things we briefly discussed: Hiatal hernial, celiac disease, gastric delayed emptying syndrome*

*Watch what this says I just pulled it off the internet. I'm gonna bold something that is applicable to me.

From the NIH:

What is the main cause of gastroparesis?

Diabetes is the most common known underlying cause of gastroparesis. Diabetes can damage nerves, such as the vagus nerve and nerves and special cells, called pacemaker cells, in the wall of the stomach. The vagus nerve controls the muscles of the stomach and small intestine. If the vagus nerve is damaged or stops working, the muscles of the stomach and small intestine do not work normally. The movement of food through the digestive tract is then slowed or stopped. Similarly, if nerves or pacemaker cells in the wall of the stomach are damaged or do not work normally, the stomach does not empty.

In addition to diabetes, other known causes of gastroparesis include

injury to the vagus nerve due to surgery on your esophagus, stomach, or small intestine
hypothyroidism
certain autoimmune diseases, such as scleroderma NIH external link
certain nervous system NIH external link disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease NIH external link and multiple sclerosis NIH external link
viral infections of your stomach


See that Vagus nerve involvement?

From Mayo:

Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal spontaneous movement of the muscles (motility) in your stomach. Ordinarily, strong muscular contractions propel food through your digestive tract. But if you have gastroparesis, your stomach's motility is slowed down or doesn't work at all, preventing your stomach from emptying properly.

The cause of gastroparesis is usually unknown. Sometimes it's a complication of diabetes, and some people develop gastroparesis after surgery. Certain medications, such as opioid pain relievers, some antidepressants, and high blood pressure and allergy medications, can lead to slow gastric emptying and cause similar symptoms. For people who already have gastroparesis, these medications may make their condition worse.

Gastroparesis can interfere with normal digestion, cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. It can also cause problems with blood sugar levels and nutrition. Although there's no cure for gastroparesis, changes to your diet, along with medication, can offer some relief.


So yeah,I feel confident something is going to be found out about the issues I have and even about the afib situation.

Stuff I bolded:

I am treated for hypothroidism and have a Hashimoto's Thyroiditis diagnosis which is an autoimmune disease. I also had Covid which is a viral infection that can indeed invade the digestive tract and I didn't have these symptoms until I had Covid. Well, some of them, but not the stomach discomfort. So...who knows.

Other than that, there is really nothing wrong with me but something-something about my vagus nerve and now my stomach. And I think we're gonna find out.

Yea!!!!!!! Congrats, looking forward to hearing how everything works out. You have no idea how much i appreciate how clearly your doctor communicated, in that little bit you quoted.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

How are you doing with your pain management? Have you decided on a particular medication, or are you just gutting it out?

I've been suuuuuper exhausted due to my own health issue that unexpectedly happened this year. One new thing has entered my option-regimen is Delta-8, which is a hemp-derived THC that you can get in any smoke shop. I've used it approximately three times when my nervousness wasn't calmed by a Gabapentin. It works very well, and I didn't feel 'high'.

It's really good to see you're getting the care you need; hopefully you'll feel fit shortly.

- Doc

[Jersey Girl]

Yea!!!!!!! Congrats, looking forward to hearing how everything works out. You have no idea how much i appreciate how clearly your doctor communicated, in that little bit you quoted.

She is top notch. The only thing I would have added in her request would be to say Afib with RVR. The rapid ventricular response changes the entire landscape of what happens to me. It's like being in tachycardia and they don't want you hanging out in RVR for a long time. But I will make sure when I meet with folks that they know about that feature of my condition.

I described everything I experience from start to finish. When I looked up the symptoms of gastroparesis when I got home I saw myself right in that list of symptoms. I wouldn't be at all surprised if she nailed it right out of the gate. But those tests need to be done and at least one more that watches your stomach at work with a tiny little camera for 4 hours.

I'll bold the applicable so you can see what I'm talking about.

The symptoms of gastroparesis may include

feeling full soon after starting a meal
feeling full long after eating a meal
nausea
vomiting
too much bloating
too much belching
pain in your upper abdomen
heartburn
poor appetite


There was also a statement that listed unexplained weight loss.

All of these things describe what is going on with me at least since January. I'm on my way to finding out what it is and I'm more than ready for it. Something about slow stomach emptying and my vagus nerve is obviously involved.

I'm trying not to say what I'm thinking but I may as well. What if...there is treatment that will keep me from ever having afib/rvr again and I get my whole life back?

It could happen I think. Tests first. Then see what can be done.

[Jersey Girl]

How are you doing with your pain management? Have you decided on a particular medication, or are you just gutting it out?

I've been suuuuuper exhausted due to my own health issue that unexpectedly happened this year. One new thing has entered my option-regimen is Delta-8, which is a hemp-derived THC that you can get in any smoke shop. I've used it approximately three times when my nervousness wasn't calmed by a Gabapentin. It works very well, and I didn't feel 'high'.

It's really good to see you're getting the care you need; hopefully you'll feel fit shortly.

- Doc

Oh hi, Cam!

I'm gutting it out still. Like literally. Today's appointment showed real promise I think! The places for the tests I need are only 10-15 minutes from the house so we don't have to go trotting off all over hell's half acre for any of it. I asked for a specific location and that's exactly where she sent the requests.

Let me stop right here and say...I would have NEVER gotten this treatment in the military so-called health care system. You know it and I know it. We've gone to civilian providers ever since they decided we were out of range for the Air Force Academy and that was the BEST thing that ever happened to us with the military!

So what is going on with you? Nerves? Anxiety? What? If you don't want to say, just pass on the questions. I won't press you. I know how hard it is to disclose or even try to describe something like I did in the OP here. I swear, I felt like I was peeling off layers of my own skin when I wrote all of this out like it really was. But if you do want to say, I promise I will receive it with empathy and in a spirit of friendship. You could even say in messages. I did get some messages as a result of this thread. People don't want to post their whole life story around here and I get that.

I am not using any anxiety meds at current. I don't want to put one more thing into the mix. I can gut it out, I know I can. I've been doing it for a long time but since January I seemed to lose my mojo and therefore started to lose ground. I feel great most days. Then once or twice a week I'm in a spiral of digestive misery and the accompanying anxiety, loss of sleep. It's a vicious cycle and I want out of it.

One funny thing happened today. I mentioned that I might get derma fillers injected in my cheeks to fill them out a bit since I have like no fat on my body or my face...got them about 5-6 years ago and loved it. And I said I thought I would wait because then I'd have fuller cheeks on this skinny frame I have now and she said...I think it'd look fine because I was just noticing that you really don't have any wrinkles on your neck. And I took off my sweater (was wearing a tank top with denim shorts) was like, yeah, and look at my arms! See my muscles? I still have muscles!

What is this life about anyway, huh?

[Jersey Girl]

This comment isn't medical but I'm sharing it. The Boy and I just had a big anniversary, okay? I'm talking major here. Anyway, guess what? Due to all this miserable stuff...my wedding dress fits. I'm the same size as I was when we got married.

Know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna straight up get my photo taken professionally wearing that dress again. Swear. I'm going to have it taken sitting on rocks in one of my favorite places with a natural back drop of Colorado Gold Aspens with a natural stream running through the photo. If the weather is warm enough, my bare feet are going in that stream, too.

No head piece. Dress and bare feet. Just me. For me.

This is happening. I owe it to myself. I lived this long and with a Jersey Boy no less,and I'm doing it. Last week in September or early October.

Doing it and I don't care who knows it or how much it costs. This one's for me.

(I have to get the zipper fixed. I had to be sewn into the dress. There's a story there. When is the never a story there, right? )

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

So what is going on with you? Nerves? Anxiety? What? If you don't want to say, just pass on the questions. I won't press you. I know how hard it is to disclose or even try to describe something like I did in the OP here. I swear, I felt like I was peeling off layers of my own skin when I wrote all of this out like it really was. But if you do want to say, I promise I will receive it with empathy and in a spirit of friendship. You could even say in messages. I did get some messages as a result of this thread. People don't want to post their whole life story around here and I get that.

I am not using any anxiety meds at current. I don't want to put one more thing into the mix. I can gut it out, I know I can. I've been doing it for a long time but since January I seemed to lose my mojo and therefore started to lose ground. I feel great most days. Then once or twice a week I'm in a spiral of digestive misery and the accompanying anxiety, loss of sleep. It's a vicious cycle and I want out of it.

Thanks for asking, I didn't want to hijack your thread with my issues, but I do want you to know myself and others are reading your updates because you're a valued member of this board.

I'll just tl;dr my crap - out of the blue crippling fatigue with a persistent mental fog along with flu-like symptoms that come and go. add in an issue with migraines that have landed me in the ER two times. oh, also, had emergency oral surgery, but it took 4 days of suffering from a broken molar and an unending migraine before I could get it resolved. and all of this while we sold a home, moved, and buying the right house has been another crazy and lengthy layer of god-tier BS.

Ref medication, I feel you. I feel like I'm taking too much medication, and that perhaps one thing is causing side effects that I then have to deal with. For example, this migraine thing. I'm taking a prophylactic for it, but I suspect it's causing some other things that are difficult to deal with, BUT, it's been the only truly effective thing to prevent migraines. So, it's a sort of damned if you do damned if you don't situation. Whatevs. At some point when I'm settled I'll start up with my routines that have kept me active and healthy, and hopefully it works out.

I will tell you, one of the things that happened when coming out of the worst of it was a new anxiousness about death. I've been low-key obsessing about it since May, when all the aforementioned stuff went down. I also had a sort of 'premonition' when I was younger that I'd die when I was 54 years-old, so this episode hasn't helped. lol I'm not scared of dying too soon, but I'm worried what that'd do to loved ones, and I want longevity for their sakes, not mine (I could give two craps, to be honest).

- Doc

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

This comment isn't medical but I'm sharing it. The Boy and I just had a big anniversary, okay? I'm talking major here. Anyway, guess what? Due to all this miserable stuff...my wedding dress fits. I'm the same size as I was when we got married.

Know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna straight up get my photo taken professionally wearing that dress again. Swear. I'm going to have it taken sitting on rocks in one of my favorite places with a natural back drop of Colorado Gold Aspens with a natural stream running through the photo. If the weather is warm enough, my bare feet are going in that stream, too.

No head piece. Dress and bare feet. Just me. For me.

This is happening. I owe it to myself. I lived this long and with a Jersey Boy no less,and I'm doing it. Last week in September or early October.

Doing it and I don't care who knows it or how much it costs. This one's for me.

(I have to get the zipper fixed. I had to be sewn into the dress. There's a story there. When is the never a story there, right? )

That's kind of awesome.