After I had Elisabeth I often wished I had gone to medical school. It just isn't enough to mother and care for a child with medical needs. I wanted to know how to avoid complications, I wanted to know all my medical options, I wanted to spare my child any unneeded discomfort. Instead I was left to search and read and rely on my intuition as to the medical professionals I allowed to make those decisions I was not educated enough to make.
I have been ill for the past 15 years. Diabetes. Yes I am overweight. I have battled with weight since I was Ten years old. In fact I was tested for Diabetes then. My grandmother was a diabetic. Diabetes runs on both sides of paternal grandparents. As far back as the 1800's I found a death certificate of an ancestor with the cause of death listed as diabetes.
In addition to the 104 degree temperature I had when first pregnant with Elisabeth diabetes contributes to a mother giving birth to a child with spina bifida.
For the past three or four years I have been progressively been becoming more lethargic. It had gotten to the point last winter that I could hardly go. I could not eat. It was depressing. I had told the doctors for years I just didn't have any energy. But since my AC1 was between 5.4 and 6 they were all happy. In December my lab results showed dangerously high potassium levels. They had me take a medicine to reduce my potassium quickly. And they put me on a diet with total potassium restrictions. Have you ever looked at what has potassium in it. Everything! Banana's , cantaloupe, oranges, kiwi, potato, avocado, tomato, squash, beans, nuts, spinach, milk, chocolate, eggs, cereal and the list goes on and on. What on earth can you eat. So I stumbled through that ordeal. The follow up blood test showed extremely high potassium. What the heck. I had to take the medicine to quickly reduce my potassium again. And then they tell me the medicine they have me on is causing the high potassium levels. (Also renal failure)and they took me off the Lisinopril. It has been four months now. I am feeling about 50% better. I actually drove myself shopping for a few hours . Much improved from sitting around the house for days on end.
Yesterday I saw my endocrinologist. My AC1 was again great 5.4. But another big news flash. My kidneys are working at 39%. And I can no longer take Metformin. I have been reading this morning (http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/180_02_190104/nis10631_fm-2.html) Metformin can cause kidney failure and death in some patients. Wonderful. I can die because I have diabetes and I can die from the medicine they use to treat diabetes.
I again wish I had gone to medical school. I need to know all I can about diabetes and the medicine used to treat it and the possible side effects. I do realize I do need to take medicine. And that totally doing nothing is not an option either. However , perhaps when I was fatigued four years ago I would have known to squeak louder and come off the medicine before I became so ill.
As for Elisabeth her health issues are continuing to grow as well. She is on medicine for her bladder . It has a side effect of constipation. She has no bowel control so at thirteen years old she opted for the mace procedure. This allows her to irrigate her bowel from a button similar to the type button they use for feeding tubes. The button is placed at the top of the colon where the appendix used to be. Because of the other medicine Elisabeth has been taking her mace as not been as effective. Darned if you do and darned if you don't.
I will no longer just take medicine prescribed for me or allow anyone else in my family to take medicine unless I have thoroughly researched it and make the decision knowing all consequences.
No more, No more, No more, NO MORE! Hit the road Jack . I am not doing that no more!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been ill for the past 15 years. Diabetes. Yes I am overweight. I have battled with weight since I was Ten years old. In fact I was tested for Diabetes then. My grandmother was a diabetic. Diabetes runs on both sides of paternal grandparents. As far back as the 1800's I found a death certificate of an ancestor with the cause of death listed as diabetes.
In addition to the 104 degree temperature I had when first pregnant with Elisabeth diabetes contributes to a mother giving birth to a child with spina bifida.
For the past three or four years I have been progressively been becoming more lethargic. It had gotten to the point last winter that I could hardly go. I could not eat. It was depressing. I had told the doctors for years I just didn't have any energy. But since my AC1 was between 5.4 and 6 they were all happy. In December my lab results showed dangerously high potassium levels. They had me take a medicine to reduce my potassium quickly. And they put me on a diet with total potassium restrictions. Have you ever looked at what has potassium in it. Everything! Banana's , cantaloupe, oranges, kiwi, potato, avocado, tomato, squash, beans, nuts, spinach, milk, chocolate, eggs, cereal and the list goes on and on. What on earth can you eat. So I stumbled through that ordeal. The follow up blood test showed extremely high potassium. What the heck. I had to take the medicine to quickly reduce my potassium again. And then they tell me the medicine they have me on is causing the high potassium levels. (Also renal failure)and they took me off the Lisinopril. It has been four months now. I am feeling about 50% better. I actually drove myself shopping for a few hours . Much improved from sitting around the house for days on end.
Yesterday I saw my endocrinologist. My AC1 was again great 5.4. But another big news flash. My kidneys are working at 39%. And I can no longer take Metformin. I have been reading this morning (http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/180_02_190104/nis10631_fm-2.html) Metformin can cause kidney failure and death in some patients. Wonderful. I can die because I have diabetes and I can die from the medicine they use to treat diabetes.
I again wish I had gone to medical school. I need to know all I can about diabetes and the medicine used to treat it and the possible side effects. I do realize I do need to take medicine. And that totally doing nothing is not an option either. However , perhaps when I was fatigued four years ago I would have known to squeak louder and come off the medicine before I became so ill.
As for Elisabeth her health issues are continuing to grow as well. She is on medicine for her bladder . It has a side effect of constipation. She has no bowel control so at thirteen years old she opted for the mace procedure. This allows her to irrigate her bowel from a button similar to the type button they use for feeding tubes. The button is placed at the top of the colon where the appendix used to be. Because of the other medicine Elisabeth has been taking her mace as not been as effective. Darned if you do and darned if you don't.
I will no longer just take medicine prescribed for me or allow anyone else in my family to take medicine unless I have thoroughly researched it and make the decision knowing all consequences.
No more, No more, No more, NO MORE! Hit the road Jack . I am not doing that no more!!!!!!!!!!!
4 comments:
My heart feels broken to hear of all your health worries for you and Elisabeth.
I'm a firm believer in a person has to take their health into their own hands. They can't leave it up to the medical field to pick the best options for them. The doctor can give their opinions and guidance but truly we should be searching it out before a decision is made {talking of course if it's not something that needs immediate, instant care}. I think it's great that you will be doing this. It's stressful though, huh? It would be nice to be able to sit back and not need to research such things ourselves.
Cayman's Naturopathic Doctor has treated several people for Diabetes. It takes 18 months for the pancreas to fully renew itself. He did a study on this. He took 20 diabetic people, and in 18 months had 18 out of the 20 of them completely off of their medication and not even needing it. Sounds almost true good to be true huh? He's an amazing, smart, gifted man. Don't give up hope. There's answers out there. I will be praying you will find them as you research.
I am so so sorry for all you have gone through and are going through and for these trials. I agree - no more!!!
Oh Stephanie. So sorry to hear about your worries and what you are going through right now. Take care and I hope that you will beable to do the no more with strength.
Stephanie,
I am sorry to hear about you and Elisabeth's health issues. I totally agree with you on the medication issue. I was DX with Rheumotoid Arthritis a week before Rob & I got married, we suspected for awhile, the meds for RA can cause cancer, liver disease, lymphoma, and all sorts of bad side effects, we really did our research ahead of time and decided the med route wasn't for me yet. I see an herbalist in Chinatown, an accupuncturist in Arlington Heights, take 30,000MG of Omega 3 Oil,and of course the most important I'm under Chiropractic care,my 1st episode lasted 9 months,the weather plays a huge part in how I feel, rain is bad, sun good. We see a lot of patients that are having some strange reations to the drugs that are on. If you ever want to talk just email me, I'm excited for you getting a new house, I'm sure you're counting the weeks now. Take care
Gail
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