Too many Complaints To List

[cindym]

I am losing my mind and therefore hit submit before typing in all my complaints! ha! I am now fighting severe high blood pressure brought on by kidneys and heart problems brought on by high blood pressure! The list just goes on and on! Arthiritis brought on by cdiff..........etc etc etc.
Know anyone who does full body transplants???? I am ready! ha! Now not only do I have to know where all potties are for intestinal issues but for the heavy duty diuretics they are giving me for the blood pressure! They wonder why after 7 frigging years I have blood pressure problems with all these problems? ha! Other than that I am just peachy keen!

[beth22]

I can empathize with you about the blood pressure. It is really scary when it all of a sudden shoots up. I love how the info about high blood pressure on the internet tells you that most people don't even know they have it! I guess I'm not like most people. Mine is controlled with a beta blocker for the most part- helps my fast pulse too, which I think was c diff related.
My brother has severe high blood pressure and he does take a diuretic, but also another blood pressure pill, as does my mom. I was under the impression that taking a lot of diuretics was not good, unless you have too much edema around your heart or in your extremities. It might be a good idea to check with a cardiologist about it - or just get a second opinion. I tried a diuretic, but it made me very jittery and lowered my potassium too much. Sometimes you just need to find the right combination of medications to see what works best for you and also the body needs to adjust to the meds. It took me awhile to adjust to mine.
Don't know if it helps at all to know that many people over 50 have high blood pressure. Eating potassium rich foods has helped me - this was before c diff and I could eat bananas, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. I read a good book on it though that said your intake of potassium has to be higher than your intake of sodium. It did help some. Exercise is also good.
But, then again, there's stress!! Funny how when I'm not working in the summer the blood pressure is lower and I take less medicine. It sounds like you've had your share of illnesses and it is really hard not to be stressed. Again, I know how you feel. I find that if I try and make time for some quiet activities it sometimes helps - reading, just talking to a friend.
Venting is also good sometimes. Hang in there. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Beth

[cindym]

Thanks Beth I am so sensitive to meds now that everything they give me seems to make me ill. The duretic is making me feel like YUCK and also I am keeping a headache. This is the second one he has given me and so far it is doing nothing other than making me visit the bathroom more. My blood pressure is down (for me) now but not down enough for him to consider it enough to stop kidney problems and heart problems. He said in 3 weeks we would do something different if this does not work so I do not have any idea what I am in for. I do know if I continue to feel like this it will not be 3 weeks before contacting him. I am walking on treadmill every day for about an hour (30 minutes each time) and along with all the up and down the stairs etc. feel I am getting enough exercise for the moment or at least all I feel up to. To think prior to cdiff I was worried about low blood pressure. What a mess!

[fire7163]

Cindy:

Has your Doctor run a full panel blood draw since you've started the duretic ? You could be coming increasingly deficent in some very important items such as potassium, Vitamin D, or B...A sudden increase in urine discharge can cause a whole bunch of things to become out of whack. The headache is the symptom that caught my attention, as well as my ER Doc's. At least it's a place to start.

Fire

[beth22]

Also ask if the diuretic you are taking is "potassium sparing" - some are and some are not. My brother has really high pressure and he takes the diuretic, but not a really high dose along with atenelol (which is what I take) and I one other pill - the combination seems to keep him under control. My mother-in-law also takes a diuretic - diazide I believe and Tropol which is also a beta blocker - so you see there are all kinds of combinations. I think Fire is right about so much urinating possibly depleting your potassium and other vitamins. Ask the doctor about taking the levels and perhaps adding something else and lowering the diuretic. I am very sensitive to meds and the atenelol is ok for me - but it did take a while to adjust. At first I was really tired from it. But, there are lots of other medications - some come in a combination that has a diuretic so that you only have to take one thing. Good luck.

Beth

[cindym]

Yes Fire and Beth I have had every blood test known to man I think. All counts are in good shape for now. He is going to re-check everything in 3 weeks unless I call before then. He told me that this pill would possibly give me a headache or have other side effects until which time my body adapts to it. The idea is that they have to get pressure down quickly and I suppose this he feels is the best route. Just another stupid thing on my neverending list! Thanks for the concern.

[beth22]

He's right about the body adapting to it. It does take awhile though, more like a couple of weeks rather than days, so that is most likely why he wants to see you in 3 weeks rather than before. I'm sure you'll go in earlier if you have to. Good luck - things will adjust - sometimes they try out different things until they find the right combination for you. Good luck

[cindym]

Well I stopped the diuretic today because I felt like I was going to pass out everytime I got up last night. Too strong I think! Also, sweat attacks!
Calling him in the AM.

[fire7163]

Very smart decision !!!

Fire

[fire7163]

Cindy:

You might consider some Gatorade or a similar product, especially with the sweat attacks...we swear by it. Rehydration is a very important part of our job. Your sweat attacks are similar to us in a structure fire scenerio.

Fire

[cindym]

Thanks Fire and I do drink RAIN Green Gatorade (because it is light in taste) and have been giving it and bananas alot of attention the last couple of days. Spoke with doctor today and he immediately told me to stop the med (which I already knew that- duh!) and if I am not better by tomorrow since I have been off it for two days to contact him in the morning and most likely I will be hospital bound.......geez, I would prefer to skip that! However, I can not go on like this.......walk across the floor and have to change clothes from sweating so heavily and feel like yuck! He said it should take approximately 3 days to get it out of my system. Tomorrow is day 3. I have not felt this rough since my initial days of cdiff in the hospital. I NEED A VACATION- even with the bears Fire! ha!

[fire7163]

I will be doing just that in 2 1/2 weeks. Amazing how a close encounter with a "Brownie" will make you forget about all of your aches and pains. If only I could find a MD to prescribe it and if the insurance would cover it. We could just be on the edge of a medical break through......

Fire

[cindym]

If I thought it would work I would get a bear for a PET! ha! We have had several bears traveling here in South Carolina close to our home but we have never seen them as I think I would freak out! I can't run that fast anymore!

[beth22]

Cindy - Was wondering how you were doing. Did the side effects from the meds go away?

Beth

[cindym]

Beth- I stopped the duretic and it took having home health come out and put me on IV to rehydrate me and 4 days to feel like I was going to be okay. Funny thing is the blood pressure never did go down except for the bottom number. The doctor wants me to do nothing else (medicine-wise) for awhile until I recoup and then I guess another wonderful drug will be introduced. Geez, is it never ending or what?