The doctor said my white count was in the normal range (but on the high side), and figures the fever I had (which is gone - now is 96 and 97) and the headaches, chills and sweats are a sign of an infection that might be due to the two small polyps that were removed, and put me on an antibiotic. I really appreciate your concern! Thank you!
So I have had diarrhea since almost the last time we posted on this - since about Sept 12. It is possible (I now think) that it is related to the doctor having upped my thyroid med slightly (.075 to .088). So last week I called the gastro guy I'd seen before; he prescribed lonox and had his person call to set the appointment which is tomorow.
I'm in the throes of the movi-@#$% now. Havent eaten since this morning although I had some green jello and yogurt at lunch. My husband has been awful all day, restless, going to the bathroom (so I have to run to the other one and I do mean run, even before taking the meds) but not having diarrhea, just needing to pee for ten minutes or so. And cussing all the time, loud enough so I'll be sure to hear and run see what his problem is, which is usually that he has the walker turned around and can't figure out how to turn it back the right way. Or he's left his cane (which he carries along with the walker) upstairs when he's down, or his stair glide in the wrong place.
I realize that me being sick has always stressed HIM out, and with his bad leg, when he's stressed out, he gets sick so I have to take care of him no matter how I feel. THis has nothing to do with AZ. It is infuriating. And tonight he didn't want to go to bed. I had started drinking the stuff at six and knew I'd have to start moving pretty fast; and I'm like, okay, take off your shoes, here I'll do it == oops, back in a minute. Flush. Now take off your trousers ==oops.. etc. With him cussing (not particularly at me, just cussing) on and on. The boy-cats even picked up on this and started fighting for the first time in days!! My procedure's tomorrow at noon.
briegull, preparing for a colonoscopy is bad enough without having to take care of someone else while doing it. My heart goes out to you. Life just isn't fair. We will be thinking about you and I hope everything turns out Ok.
It went and went. I was SO glad I'd gone back and read Miss B's posting of Dave Barry's tale. Gave me, er, perspective. I was also very glad that I had a Depends to wear (from my husband's closet) when I got driven in. Those things work pretty well!!
As usual, the procedure itself was not much of anything, and I felt ok although glad to have a ride home. The diarrhea continues though they said that might happen. There were a couple of polyps going for biopsy but that's common, and there were diverticulosis pouches which is also normal for someone my age (74). So nothing to indicate the cause. I'm back on the lomox.
The whole thing took more out of my than I'd thought, and I asked my husband to PLEASE let me take a nap which he did - a nice 1.5 hour one. So right now I'm feeling much better.
AND INCREDIBLY SYMPATHETIC to all of you who daily and always deal with physical problems of your own while trying to deal with your spouse!!!
The GI doctor asked me to come in for a follow-up and there was actually an opening today, so in I went. It seems that a) I have a very convoluted colon. He had to use a pediatric probe as well as the usual one. Just what you want to know. This is unimportant. b) I have, upon examination of the polyps, NO cancer, but something called microscopic colitis. An inflammation of the lining of the colon. Possibly/probably caused by taking NSAIDs like Aleve and Ibuprofin. Not really cured, but apparently one can either take a lot of pepto bismol, or some "poorly absorbed" steroid called Entocort, which is $600/mo - but I'm still before the donut hole so it will only cost me $75, and it's supposed to work (and can be discontinued) within a couple of months. Oh, Joy.
Looking it up, my symptoms fit the diagnosis exactly, and I HAVE been taking aleve more or less daily because of my arthritis. At the moment that's in recession so maybe I can get along without it.
My husband was very sympathetic and started to tell me about HIS diarrhea, which he does not have.
Lomox is a new anti-hypertension drug, aka Moxonidine.
Lonox is another trade name for Lomotil. Lomotil is a mixture of diphenoxylate hydrochloride and atropine sulfate (which are the generic names for these drugs). Diphenoxylate is an anti-diarrheal and atropine is an anticholinergic. Diphenoxylate is related to a narcotic, so the atropine is added to discourage overdosage -- it has no anti-diarrheal properties but will cause tachycardia when over-used.
I trust the doctor gave you Lonox. Don't take too much...
LoNox it is, Sunshyne!! THANKS for the correction!! He said not to take more than 8 pills a day, and I'm not often going over 4. But that waking-in-the-night-and-barely getting to-the-bathroom is pretty annoying.
What is your opinion on your AD spouse having a colonospony? It just occured to me next year may be the year for him to have one. Since a problem would indicate major surgery, which he is not well enough to have, I believe we should not have one. I don't know how he would handle the prep. What are you doing about this.
Imohr-does your husband have a history of colon problems? Sometimes small lesions can be removed during the colonoscopy. I agree that the prep would be a nightmare. There are many prep options besides the Golightly but they all produce great urgency.
I've discussed this with our PCP regarding my hubby. Since his only problem has been med. induced constipation, which we've got under control, we have agreed not to put him through tests which he can't cope with and which would probably not lead to any changes in treatment. Basically, all testing (outside bloodwork for med monitoring) will be event driven.
This is for those of you that have Ad spouse's at least 75.Just last week I read in our paper (Toledo Blade)that if anyone is 75 or over some doctor's DO NOT recommend colonoscopy because the risk is greater than the benefit.I'm just passing on what I've read.
There's no way i'd put my husband through a colonoscopy (prep) now. Yesterday at a support group a poor harried son who takes care of his mom (his sister's a crack addict, and his brother already has HIS wife's AZ mom living with him; his business is cratering) said he couldn't get his mom to go to the doctor. Or to take more pills. She had had a probably benign tumor on her bladder the last time she was checked. She's well into her eighties and very stubborn. I said, well, if she DID get checked and the doctor recommended an operation, or chemo, or radiation, would you DO it? And he looked puzzled as those of us with Stage 6-or more AZ patients said well, WE wouldn't...
I think that's the hardest thing for us to really face: they are not going to get well, even if we fix some non-AZ related thing which will cause them much pain in the fixing - so why fix it?