If it's not one thing...

[jenepherre]

Huge thanks to everyone for their well wishes on my last post.  It must have helped - no pus pockets here!  It was 'just' a cold, although I feel like I'm still recovering from it.  I've just been exhausted and sleeping a ridiculous number of hours a day - though never more than 2 or 3 hours at a time UGH.  Add to that my monthly loathing of my uterus and my gradually increasing problems - back, neck and chest pain and headaches - due to my over-sized boobs... and things aren't fun physically.  But... that's all taking a back seat for the moment. 

Mom spent most of the day in the emergency room today.  Her blood pressure was really low (74/46) and she was really dizzy and lightheaded and nauseated.  They gave her IV fluids and did a ton of lab work and got her BP back up into the normal range.  The lab work really didn't show anything that just jumped out and said "this is what caused the drop in BP."  There were a few levels that were slightly off, but nothing really significant.  She's home tonight, but still not feeling well and has a doctor's appt. tomorrow.  I've had major issues with her doctor's prescribing habits for years now, and the fact that he's had her on BP medicine when she hasn't had high blood pressure in quite some time and has never had excessively high blood pressure makes me especially irritated now.  I've never met the man, but I plan to tomorrow.  One way or another, I'm going to that appointment with her.  I've been 'threatening' to accompany my Mom to one of her doc appointments for a long time now, and this ER visit today was the last straw.  There have been all sorts of other medication issues too, but I won't get into all that here.  My Dad sees this same doctor and has had the same kinds of problems with prescribing issues.  Nothing illegal, mind you.  Just an excessive belief in 'better living through chemicals' and dosing and drug choices that constantly make us all go "huh?"  So we'll see what he has to say tomorrow.

Now, I must try to get some decent, restful sleep.  Drugs will probably be necessary.

Comments

[llvoncan.livejournal.com]

Too many doctors (especially older ones still have the mentality of "cure" rather than "care.") If a drug doesn't work, then "I" don't know what to do. that is one huge reason I LOVE the docs on the lists that I am on. They are the younger "caring" doctors. Maybe it will happen more and more with newer ones coming out. The pushing drugs plus the not sitting down and explaining to patients what exactly is going on kills me. "I take a pink pill the doctor prescribed, but I don't know what it is for. He just told me to take it." I hear it all the time with my older adults in the clinic.
I'll be keeping you and your mom in mind.

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Thanks Lois. Thing is, my Mom is a RN. She knows what everything is for. I don't understand why she doesn't stand up to this guy. And my Dad - who sees this same doctor - is the same way. Dad doesn't have any formal medical training, but he's one of those people who is always reading and keeping up on the latest breakthroughs, but doesn't get unrealistically excited about every new thing. This doctor *does* get all worked up about every new thing. His latest is giving all of his patients ridiculously high doses of vitamin D, even if their lab work shows that they're getting enough of it. We're going to have to go through all my Dad's meds the same way we went through all of my Mom's yesterday. I got the doc to D/C 2 of Mom's meds that she flat out didn't need, and cut her dose in half on another. But I swear... he just doesn't get it. No matter what's wrong with you, he's got a pill - or 4 - for it. And loves to give out samples of the latest drugs - only to have his Medicare patients find out they can't afford them or they aren't covered. And he has this nasty habit of putting people on high doses of everything. He actually told me yesterday that the reason he prescribed the maximum dose of a certain drug for my Mom was so "she'd feel better faster." Uh... at that dose, she is *not* going to be feeling good. Idiot. I could go on and on about this but no point in getting myself even more worked up about it. Oh - and he would *never* admit that he didn't know what to do. No way.

Anyway, thanks for the support. I totally agree about our docs on the list. Wish we had a primary care doc like that here in town that was taking new patients.

[mlleelizabeth.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

::hugs back:: Guess we're both at that point where we have to watch out for our parents and their health, huh? Is your dad home from his trip yet?

[mellicat1963.livejournal.com]

Go with your mom to the doctor. I started going with my mom a few years ago. I was afraid of upsetting her when I asked, but she seemed almost relieved. It really has been a blessing and now she wouldn't even consider seeing a doctor without my sister or I present.
Take care
:)

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I did go, and boy am I glad I did. But like I mentioned to Lois above, my Mom is a registered nurse. She has a lot more medical training than I do. I was a pharmacy technician for 10 years, so I might know more about drugs, but still... she ought to be able to stand up to him. I probably won't go with her every time she sees him, but I will be going more often and keeping on top of her meds here at home too. Same with my Dad, who sees the same doctor and is also on a bunch of meds he doesn't need.

I'm glad you and your sister are able to help your Mom out with her appointments. Was the role reversal a little unsettling for you at first? It is for me. But I'm glad it's something I can do to help them.

Thanks for the kind words. :-)

[mellicat1963.livejournal.com]

Yes it has been unsettling. Still is. Every time I have to take over another task for her it is like a splash of cold water on my face. It's like I'm slowly losing her, little pieces at at time.
Up until now I have been letting her make her own drs appts and tell me when they are so I can take her, but the last few times she would make them, then forget when they were and not be able to find where she wrote them down. So it looks like I'm going to have to start scheduling her appts for her.
She still handles her own bank accounts, but I know it's coming to a day when I'm going to have start helping with that too.
So yeah, it is very unsettling. But I just keep telling myself that she took care of me when I needed it, and now it's my turn to care for her.

Take care
:)

[drkcherry.livejournal.com]

Why on Earth would he put your mom on blood pressure meds if she doesn't have high blood pressure? Or is there a specific blood pressure med for those who have low blood pressure?

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

And that would be the question of the day. Week. Month. Year. Whatever. Whether it's blood pressure or vitamins or glucose levels or whatever, he thinks that even if your levels are normal, a pill is going to make it even better. As if there was something better than normal. Basically, he's an idiot. ::shrug::

Did you go look at the Nick site again? Your icons are up and they look pretty. ;-D

[drkcherry.livejournal.com]

Did you go look at the Nick site again?

It looks greats. I really love that background color.

Your icons are up and they look pretty. ;-D

I'm so excited.

[http://users.livejournal.com/bliss_/]

*sends positive vibes your way*

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Aw... thanks. Mom is doing much better. Her doctor... well, you know the saying about 'if you don't have anything nice to say...' Heh. Thanks for the positive vibes. They must have helped at the appointment yesterday, because it's pretty rare for me to be *that* assertive and tenacious. Definitely took the doc by surprise. hahahahaha