Pacemaker Placement, Hip Bursitis both hips severe, shoulder surgery & fear of brachial plexus issues (after reverse shoulder surgery about 5 years ago)

I had my consultation yesterday with my Cardiologist about the Holter Monitor and the low heart rate about 17 hours a day... we DID decide to go ahead with the pacemaker... everyone and everything I've read, talked to etc... even a couple of my other doctors feel it's a good idea, and "may help" some of the fatigue, the weakness in my legs, even the spider veins in my ankles, plus give me back more energy that I seem to be "losing" in the past year or so... I just can't seem to be able to keep up with the house, going to the market, and just days in general. Even though I am up and around, I seem to just be so "slow" and feel like I run out of energy much sooner that things to do... 

NOW I KNOW that some of that is the RA, the Lupus, "age" of course, the chronic pain and so forth, and there are no "guarantees" how much the pacemaker will help, but I feel it will give me back some of what I seem to have lost as far as stamina, especially outside doing my yard, flowers, and I so love being outside when the weather is nice (by the way I drove through the Cemetery yesterday and those HUGE OAK trees that looked like they just completely died that are in a row of about 10 where my Mom and Dad's graves are, THEY ARE COMING BACK OUT!!! 

I was so thrilled to see them leafing out..I think when they were building all of the new apartments right next to there, they must have "sprayed" something or did something to really knock them down hard, so when I saw each one slowly but surely with the new growth on them, I knew my Dad was happy... that is why they picked that site... Dad always loved trees, lawn work, gardening and so forth... anyway, I think wrote that I got the left hip injected Monday, and even though I have to wait (this Orthopedic doctor) won't inject them at the same time and then he makes me wait three weeks before I have the right one done... which sucks... it would be better for me to have it closer together to SO HIPS are better at the same time. But I know due to injecting the joints with corticosteroids they like to be cautious.... 

I go to the eye doctor tomorrow, I am really "past due" since I take Plaquenil, and it can cause Macular Degeneration... & I usually go yearly and I've missed I think almost 2 years..jus due to everything else, it seems I never can find the time plus I can "check them at home and do frequently with a special chart I look at. But the double vision and my vision in general has also changed again... so I "may" need new lens and HOPE NOT! All of these doctor co-pays, and then the Outpatient charge for anything I have done like the Endoscopy and now the Pacemaker, have a larger co-pay now... and of course the hospital always wants is ALL up front.... and hell my glasses if I need new lenses, the "prism" in the for the double vision makes them cost even more...plus I got ready to make the eye appt and found out my "usual" eye doctor retired! 

Luckily, I had been to another one last time, and I really liked him... and he is close, just over in Waxahachie, so at least it's not Dallas. But, I went to make the Endocrinologist appt that my PCP wanted me to see, and SHE CAN'T SEE MY TILL LIKE THE END OF JULY!!! So, I found a couple that take my insurance and they are closer to me, although still in Dallas not as far as this other woman... but I've got to get everything else "caught up"... I have to see my other Orthopedic Surgeon since we think my lumbar spine is causing a lot of my severe pain also in my hips and down my legs, plus the shoulder he replaced... it's not been "the same" and feels almost like that "brachial plexus" ball of nerves, are on fire...I can't stand to "touch my right shoulder" in many places..it was never "the greatest" but was so much better after the replacement BUT after that 2nd cervical neck surgery, (I know they had to have me lying in a very odd position) they must have had that shoulder in a position, that ever since, something is just wrong.... so he is the one that does the spinal surgeries, the shoulder replacement and so forth...

Pain Patients Get Relief from Results Positive from on Opioids from U.S. Agencies!

Pain Patients Get Relief from Results Positive from  on Opioids from U.S. Agencies!

from the Scientific American

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pain-patients-get-relief-from-war-on-opioids/

By Claudia Wallis on April 19, 2019

Ever since U.S. health authorities began cracking down on opioid prescriptions about five years ago, one vulnerable group has suffered serious collateral damage: the approximately 18 million Americans who have been taking opioids to manage their chronic pain. .... Red rest of article on link above...

© 2019 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, A DIVISION OF SPRINGER NATURE AMERICA, INC.

SEVERE CHRONIC PAIN & BEYOND SERIOUS WEATHER POTENTIALLY HORRID!

The "Weather Channel" showing weather not looking good for much of the country - serious headed this way it seems! stay safe!

https://weather.com/forecast/regional/news/2019-04-12-severe-thunderstorm-tornado-wind-hail-weekend-system-mid-april

PLUS some of this MAY EFFECT US with CHRONIC PAIN and other types of severe Pain!

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/weather-and-joint-pain#1

MTX AND folic acid crucial together for many!!!

THIS IS SO TRUE!!! W/O FOLIC ACID I WOULD HAVE MASSIVE MOUTH ULCERS

Methotrexate is a medication that doctors prescribe to treat certain conditions, including adult rheumatoid arthritis, some cancers, and severe psoriasis.

https://raawareness.com/methotrexate-and-folic-acid-for-rheumatoid-arthritis/

Lupus Flare, RA Flares, UTI's, Kidney Infection Severe Pain Stiffness, Swelling and the list goes on...

Lupus Flare, RA Flare, UTI's, Kidney Infections... All of the Severe Pain, Tiredness, Fatigue, Joint stiffness, Swelling and WHY Can't they stuff fIND SOMEWAY TO RID US OF THESE HORRIBLE CHRONIC AUTOIMMUNE ILLNESSES????

Of course I get "good news" over the whole endoscopy/Colo-Guard thing... THEN after suffering for WEEKS HONESTLY with what I knew was a Severe Lupus and RA flare(s).... The pain was so horrible I honestly thought my meds were "placebo's".... 

of course I knew better, but the stiffness, pain, in my hips, lower back, ankles, thumbs, wrists, shoulder, all were just about to drive me nuts. I had appts. already with my PCPC, last week, then I see my Pain Doctor this coming Monday and was supposed to also see my rheumatologist Monday so I only had to make ONE TRIP to Dallas, - 

My Heart Doctor and I have an appt at the end of April to discuss the possibility of the pacemaker, which I had been outside during the past couple of weeks, when we had "half decent" weather trying to catch up on killing a back yard FULL OF KNEE TALL WEEDS, from so MUCH rain and more still to come, and trying to do all of the "spring stuff"... but I was in so much pain, so tired, weak, dizzy at times... I just felt it was the Lupus and tried to move through it, until the flares were better. By now, usually I would have went to Urgent Care, got a shot of corticosteroids, the huge 14 dose of prednisone, to get over the flares, but as I said I already felt so lousy, wanted to get stuff done in between the sofa, TV and trying to stand the pain... and get groceries,
etc... 

so when I noticed about 10 days ago or more now, I was having to pee so much, which hot weather, drinking lots of green tea and water, and the Lasix, does that to me... but I noticed it was "way worse" than the usual.. then I noticed I was burning, and the pain began to feel more like "kidney stones" as I had before, but it had been years ago from the last time.

I had just moved back here, and this was before I had my Medicare, but I spent 4 times in one month, at the ER in a neighboring town, with 4 kidney stones,.. trying to get them to pass with lots of IV fluids, pain meds there, then they would sent me home with a few, and within about 5 or 6 days, the pain was back and I was back at the ER... repeating... finally I passed all of them, but it was a nightmare... after that, I have probably had a couple of small ones I passed... but I don't usually get UTI's and if I do - most of the time,

I really don't have "symptoms"... or thought I didn't, but this time I KNEW this was more than Lupus and RA Flares... sure enough, a severe UTI, so shot of corticosteroids and a huge 14 day round of Prednisone, and Levaquin for the kidney infection... I got the meds on Wednesday last week, and even yesterday, I am still not getting over any of it as fast as I felt I would. SO yesterday, my Rheumy's office called late to tell me they are NOT in the OFFICE MONDAY! So that means TWO trips anyway to Dallas, because I have to see the Pain Doctor Monday, my pump has to be filled....

I have SO MUCH I "want" to get done and some I NEED to get done, but I also know I HAVE to get WELL!!!! I am thankful for the good news on all of the colon and endoscopy stuff... really, but I just wished these stupid other CHRONIC ILLNESSES and PAIN would just give me a few months break, I HATE to ask to "go up" on my daily Prednisone which now is 5 mg daily... BUT it looks like if all of the other meds, Plaquenil, MTX, Enbrel, Prednisone small dose, etc d not start working better after these flares I may face a higher dose of Prednisone for a at least while, then taper back down again,... I still have the appt also with the Endocrinologist at the end of the month ... to see if the Thyroid and/or Parathyroid is still too HIGH and what we do about that. From what I've read and researched, the Parathyroid often is cause from a small tumor (usually benign) and may take a small surgery to get rid of... and of course "thyroid: issues run in my family, and medication often fixes that, unless again you have a "goiter" that has to be removed.... so again lots of "stuff" (when it rains does it ever pour)!

More Information Below on the Parathyroid gland and the Thyroid Glands, What they Do in the body, and all of the issues that can happen due to any diseases of these glands....


http://endocrinediseases.org/parathyroid/parathyroid_background.shtml


http://endocrinediseases.org/thyroid/thyroid_background.shtml

Colo-Guard Easy Extremely Reliable (colon cancer Biomarker/lesion screening) NON-INVASIVE and 95% Accurate!

Colo-Guard Easy Extremely Reliable (colon cancer Biomarker/lesion screening) NON-INVASIVE and 95% Accurate!

https://www.cologuardtest.com/

Ever had a "colonoscopy"? Te test itself is fine.. BUT THE PREP FOR MANY IS UNBEARABLE!!!! I "tried twice" and there was no WAY I cold possible follow the guidelines for the PREP! It made me literally sick for a week!

SO MY REGULAR PCP DID THE OLD FASHIONED, CHECK FOR 'OCCULT BLOOD" in the stool sample,, which came back "positive" - I needed an Endoscopy due to Barrett's Esophagus, which is far less an issue. You don't eat or drink after midnight, go in the next morning, are put under, and within a couple few hours unless they must do ablation to the Barrett's due to changes (which mine was fine)....

So I went online and found COLO-GUARD! I saw my General Surgeon and was telling him about it and he was going to suggest it since I just cannot go through the "prep" of a colonoscopy... He sent off the orders for the lab, they sent me the testing kit, which is easy to use, you send it directly back to the lab, PREPAID by them, they file your insurance, and within a week my doctor called with my results, NEGATIVE NO BIOMARKERS AND ANY RESULTS OF LESIONS IN MY COLON! :):) 

so NO COLONOSCOPY!!!!! THE ABOVE LINK WILL GIVE YOU LOTS OF INFORMATION, AND IF YOU are being told to have a colonoscopy, and your prefer NOT to go through hell of that horrid PREP mess, then talk to your physician about Colo-Guard!

I am very, very satisfied with the test and with the results. 

New Clinical Trial sponsoroed by Cure Click Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Itchy from PBC? A clinical trial is researching an investigational medicine that aims to treat the itching associated with PBC. #sponsored #cureclick 

Learn more! https://curec.lk/2PSFzXI

New Clinical Trial for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

 Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

After an IPF diagnosis, it can be difficult to find options. Clinical trials research potential new treatments, and need volunteers to take part. A new IPF clinical trial is now looking for volunteers in your area.

The trial is researching a potential new treatment for IPF that is being studied to see if it may prevent or reduce disease progression. You may qualify to take part if you:

• Are at least 40 years of age
• Have had a diagnosis of IPF within the last 3 years

If you or a loved one suffer from IPF, click to learn more about the trial.

Learn why I’m talking about Clinical Trials

You may qualify for an #IdiopathicPulmonaryFibrosis clinical trial if you are at least 40 y.o. and have had a diagnosis of #IPF within the last 3 years. Learn more! #sponsored #cureclick https://curec.lk/2OyGYQc

Pacemaker? or No Pacemaker? - So what decision do I make???

MMMMM... Well at least I know I am NOT INSANE! (or anymore than I've always been) :)... My tests from the 24 hour Holter monitor on my heart rate DOES SHOW THAT 17 HOURS OUT OF 24... my heart rate runs ABNORMALLY LOW.... as low as 42 BPM 7 hours out of that time and then in between that and 55 ..so it never really got to "normal" even when I was out and about doing things during that time... so now I can decide "if" I want to do something, like have the pacemaker put in... or wait....

my issue is that I noticed the past 6 months, I tire so easily.... by the time I get up and do a few things either around the inside or outside of the house, or make a trip to the market, get the groceries in the car, home out of the car, and put up.... and get changed..

I feel exhausted... today I did some weed eating in the back yard, and within 30 minutes I could barely lift my feet to get in the house, change, and if I ever sit down, it's like I am just too exhausted to do anything else fr the day.... plus I am not sleeping, and I found out that could be why my ankles are swelling so badly again... and having a slow rate also can cause nausea, which I am seemingly nauseated every day darned near it. But, of course once a pacemaker goes in just like the pain pump, it is there "for life"...

you can't decide in a year or so that you 'don't want it any longer" ... and of course I know every about 8 years or more, the battery has to be replaced...good thing that is NOT so invasive like my pain pump... when it "goes out" I have to undergo major surgery to completely replace it...not just put a new battery in....so, I decided to do some research more and give it some thought over the weekend... and then see if I want to go in and discuss it more with my cardiologist....

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/pacemakers

Happy 1st Day of Spring & Hope Nice Weather Brings Less Pain, Less Flares & Feeling More Energy!

WISHING YOU AN AWESOME 1ST DAY OF SPRING! MAY WE HAVE WARMER WEATHER, LESS FLARES, MORE ENERGY, AND MAY WE FIND "SPRING" IN OUR STEP AND A SONG IN OUR HEARTS!

Wishing us all better days ahead. I .along with many of us have had a rough time this past winter from all of the rains, snow, ice, cold, bitter cold, and then from "warmer" to "cooler" over a day's time.

I found it interesting that this winter I spoke with many people who had never had a "joint" problem, or pain, stiffness and bad issues with joints. Yet, everywhere I went there seemed to be those that never experienced symptoms of arthritis, & other joint issues that have really suffered over the past several months...

It seems more people are beginning to suffer than ever before. I know I've pondered the reasons why may, that never had problems are now limping, stiff, in pain, and having major joint problems... weather? age? temperature? our polluted air water and land?, all of the "preservatives" in our food??? Makes you wonder for sure...