How Wednesday Went Down

::shakes head shamefully::

I missed my GI appointment. I want to find a different DR. His office is very far and requires paid parking. The walk to his office is too far from the parking meters. I can not make it with my back pain. I get weakened walking through my house.

My back is in bad bad shape.

Which prompted me to go to the ER Wednesday. I was thinking how Cushing's causes Osteoporosis, and I've read that Cushing's can weaken bones so badly that standing up or sitting down can cause spine and rib fractures, etc. So I was thinking maybe I have a spine fracture or something. It hurts so bad that I feel like I need a wheelchair, a motorized one because my muscles are messed up in my arms and everywhere else too! It's painful to stand, walk, and lay down. My lower back and hips hurt! Bending over is bad too.

So I told the ER triage my back pain is severe ("10", like back labor), my abdominal pain is very intense, I've been having blood in my stool (or following it or both, not sure), it feels like I'm being crushed in my midsection, and my breathing feels constricted. I also told her I have a lot of other symptoms but those are the ones that made me come to the ER. I also told her that I have a pituitary tumor, and Cushing's Disease. And she put into the system all the medications I'm taking ::shakes head shamefully again::

I spent about 8 hours at the ER.

A nurse came in to tell me I am not pregnant (ha ha, I would have strangled her if I was, lmao), but the stupid ER Doc forgot about me! I had to approach him and ask him if the rest of my results were back yet. The results had been back for a few hours, he just hadn't bothered to check. So he checks and says "Your urine and blood seem okay. I'll write you a script for your pain and release you." Ahh! A lot of good that did! I'm thinking they'll take x-rays of my back or something or an ultrasound of my stomach.

Plus he wouldn't give me any medication for the pain while I was there because I drove there and had no one else to come (my husband is out of town for work for the next few months). You'd think he would be courteous enough to try to let me out quickly so I could go home and take the pain medication and be relieved for the first time in the last 4 months or so! But no, he makes me wait around even longer. My pharmacy will close before I can get the script filled at this point.

I approached him again. He's in the middle of a discussion with another Doctor. Me standing right there is irritating him and distracting him, he says "I'll come to you. I need to discuss something with you." Great. I waddle back to my room still in pain, needing to take my nighttime medications. They didn't let me have any water. I hadn't eaten, I'm diabetic.

He tells me he's going to prescribe me Lortab for pain and that my blood work did show an abnormality. I have Pancreatitis. I asked him for something for my muscle spams and tightening and a strong sleep aid. He said I need to follow up with my GP (General Practitioner) in 1-2 days and to see her to get those. He also said I need to see my GI Specialist about the bleeding.

So I had to use a different pharmacy that was open 24 hours. It took over 2 hours to get my prescription, but at least I was able to get it tonight. For the first time since December when my son was born, I finally have some pain medication. It's Hydrocodone/APAP 5/500. Instructed to take 2, yeah two, every 5 hours as needed (a two day supply -only 20 pills).

Here's the messed up thing though, on my discharge papers for Pancreatitis is says to:
"Return Promptly or contact your doctor if any of the following occur:
-Continued or worsening pain in the abdomen
-Repeated vomiting: unable to keep down liquids
-Dizziness, weakness or fainting
-Vomiting blood or blood in the stool (black or red color)
-Fever over 100.5 oral
-Severe muscle cramps or seizure

The symptoms I put in bold are ones that I have already and is why I went to the ER. Pfft!

They gave me copies of my lab work. I didn't even have to ask. That was nice. Every place should do that.

I'm on pain meds now for the first time in what seems like forever, so if I make some strange grammar error, please understand.

Back to Cushing's stuff, well my lab results. The ER Doc said "You know you're not in good shape, considering that, your results are pretty good and it doesn't appear you're in any immediate danger."

My Glucose came back High at 218 the reference being 70-110 and the ER Doc says that "good". Wow! Okay, whatever.

Chloride is Low (barely) at 97 the reference being 98-111.
My RBC (Red Blood Cell Count) was Low (barely) at 3.66 the reference being 4.0-5.0. My Hematocrit (What is this?) is Low at 32.7 the reference being 34.0-47.0.
And my RDW is High at 17.3 the reference being 10-16.
Then there is a High "LIPASE" which I'm pretty sure was the determining factor for the Pancreatitis diagnosis.
My LIPASE is High at 113 with the reference being 4-51.
All the other blood stuff they tested for was within normal range.
Ooooh I just noticed something.
My Hemoglobin is at 11.5 with the reference being 11.5-16.0.
So it's teetering on Low.
My WBC is 11.9 with a reference of 4.0-12.0, so it's teetering on High.
And my Sodium is 135 with a reference of 135-150 so that's on the verge of Low.
I wonder if that has any significance?
I will be googling throughout the night I suppose.
So far these pain kills have not taken the edge of the pain, but they are affecting my head, like I kind of feel a little light-headed.

Oh those were my blood results. I forgot to post my urine results:

GLU Negative
reference=Negative (Glucose)

BIL Negative
reference=Negative (Bilirubin)

*KET - trace*
reference=Negative (Ketones)

SG >=1.030
reference=1.005-1.030 (Specific Gravity)

*BLO Trace-lysed*
reference=Negative (Blood)

pH 5.5
reference=5-9 (pH)

*PRO 3+*
reference=Negative (Protein)

URO 0.2 E.U./dl
reference=0.2-1 (Urobilinogen)

NIT Negative
reference=Negative (Nitrite)

LEU Negative
reference=Negative (Leukocyte)


More later.....