brellium
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1296
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Medical websites can be helpful if you have at least some working knowledge of human physiology. The problem I see with them is that many common chief complaints could be caused by any of a thousand things. There's a reason that people are trained for years to be physicians. It takes practice to turn indications and data into a proper differential diagnosis.
Unfortunately, the primary thing that I learned in medical school was just how terrible most physicians are at their job.
Yeah, I managed to self diagnose a medical condition a few years ago which I had when I was much younger. *Mention of random acute chest pains always ends in an EKG.
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"One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. When this is done, one can be a friend to the whole human race. If, however, we look at people from the standpoint of their faults, then being a friend to them is a formidable task." —‘Abdu’l-Bahá
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NowhereMan
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Posts: 7353
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Yeah, some things to bear in mind: The human body is really only capable of stimulating a limited number of responses. That means that potentially lethal and non-serious issues can have identical symptoms (in the most part, it's the fine details and other signs that a trained doctor is there for) so the fact that you googled what you're aware of and got 'paralysis' is defintely a cause for concern but far from any real panic.
Also never make the lupus joke in front of someone who's just said their mother's seriously ill... It can end poorly.
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"Look at my car. Do you think that was bought with the earnest love of geeks?" - HaemishM
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Raguel
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Posts: 1413
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I forgot to include in my OP that the DO is going to give me some injections if it's approved by the insurance group. Like I said though I wasn't really paying attention. My insurance covers weight reduction surgery (thanks Obama! ) but first they want me to complete a weight management program that I can't afford (thanks Obama )
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Sir T
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You would be amazed at what you can do by simply cutting soda out of your diet. i drink fizzy water now and I don't miss soda at all.
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Hic sunt dracones.
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Raguel
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Posts: 1413
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You would be amazed at what you can do by simply cutting soda out of your diet. i drink fizzy water now and I don't miss soda at all.
I rarely drink sodas these days; it's too acidic for me. Little Debbies is my kryptonite.
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Tannhauser
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Posts: 4436
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You would be amazed at what you can do by simply cutting soda out of your diet. i drink fizzy water now and I don't miss soda at all.
I've cut beer, coke and other carbonated beverages from my diet too. Haven't lost much weight yet, but my belly doesn't swell out like it did.
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Raguel
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Posts: 1413
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instead of bumping both threads I'm gonna put all my weight/health stuff here:
After what felt like years of daily calling my insurance and GP I've finally gotten my lung test scheduled for next week. I'm scheduled for spinal(!) injections in June as well. Unfortunately it looks like I won't be able to get a referral for a neurologist/orthopedist until then at the earliest. MY GP is not able to make referrals w/o an appt, so I'm hoping the DO will be able to do that for me.
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Good luck, Raquel. I hope it gets sorted out. I know the frustration of having to get referrals and being denied certain meds and stuff. In fact, it's the reason I got rid of my last insurance provider.
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Raguel
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Posts: 1413
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First off thank Signe.
Secondly it's been a nightmare trying to get the right facility that does the tests, and then to get the results to my doctor. I haven't seen the report yet but I just got off the phone with my GP's office and they say I have moderate restrictive lung disease; no sign of obstruction. Now I have to wait a month to see my pulmonologist to tell me what's wrong. :P (joking but not really; I probably won't get the referral for another week or so at the earliest).
RE: Stenosis; I've had 2 epidurals out of 3; the third was is scheduled for next week. My DO has giving me a referral for a neurologist and in the meantime she suggested Botox injections for the pain.
I take back what I said earlier. Really hoping for just garden variety stenosis.
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Cyrrex
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Posts: 10603
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Are the epidurals working at all for the pain? I am assuming this is the deep tissue variety, some epidurals are superficial (and maybe are no longer even technically called epidurals at that point).
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"...maybe if you cleaned the piss out of the sunny d bottles under your desks and returned em, you could upgrade you vid cards, fucken lusers.." - Grunk
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Raguel
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Posts: 1413
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Are the epidurals working at all for the pain? I am assuming this is the deep tissue variety, some epidurals are superficial (and maybe are no longer even technically called epidurals at that point).
Not really. I feel slightly better than before, but that may be because I'm in a better place emotionally speaking.
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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Have you tried L-Theanine? It can help with the anxiety without the traditional awful side effects of SSRIs
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CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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Raguel
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Posts: 1413
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I've never heard of it tbh.
I'm frustrated that there appears to be lots of causes for restrictive lung disease. It looks like I have more tests to look forward to. :(
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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It's just a tea extract that helps with calming moods. I've found it helpful to keep a ceiling on my panic modes by taking it every morning.
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CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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junassa
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Hey guys this is Raguel. My PC crashed and I don't remember my login information (I think I mentioned that I post as junassa on marvel heroes so I just made a new account).
Finally saw a neurologist. My MRI is apparently too old so he is ordering more for cervical and lumbar. The good news is my upper body strength is good so if I do have cervical stenosis then it's probably not too bad. My balance is crap though lol (couldn't do that drunk walk test. I couldn't do one step) thus the lumbar tests.
My pulmonologist said with a straight face that I don't have copd but he thinks I have chronic bronchitis. The internet says bronchitis is a form of copd. I think I should get a second opinion.
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Or go see a doctor of semantics...? Or something. Glad to hear that it might not be too worrisome. Sorry about your balance. My balance sucks too but, evidently, it's because I don't know where I am in space and time. Whatever that means. It might be an insult but I'm not sure. I hope everything goes well with the neurology stuff.
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Lantyssa
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Posts: 20848
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Or that you're a time lord. Maybe not a good one if you don't know where and when, but one none-the-less.
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Hahahaha! I'm really good at this!
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junassa
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I wanted to make the Dr. Who joke Thanks for the well wishes.
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Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23611
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Hey guys this is Raguel. My PC crashed and I don't remember my login information (I think I mentioned that I post as junassa on marvel heroes so I just made a new account).
Did you try the password recovery feature?
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junassa
Guest
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Hey guys this is Raguel. My PC crashed and I don't remember my login information (I think I mentioned that I post as junassa on marvel heroes so I just made a new account).
Did you try the password recovery feature? I had so many emails from the time I created my account that I didn't think it was worth the effort.
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Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23611
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You are posting from a different IP and you have a different email account so it's hard for me to verify you are the same person.
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Who would try and fake people out in a Cervical Stenosis thread?
Having said that, some of you are kind of odd.
Raguel?? That you??? Tell the truth.
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Raguel
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1413
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You are posting from a different IP and you have a different email account so it's hard for me to verify you are the same person.
Turns out that email hint was all I needed.
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Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23611
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gg
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Raguel
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1413
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Turns out I have both obstruction and restriction of the lungs. Got a new doc and I'm on symbicort now.
The good news is I don't have spinal stenosis but I do have vertebrate issues.
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Engels
Terracotta Army
Posts: 9029
inflicts shingles.
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Ah, well, better than invertebrate issues.
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I should get back to nature, too. You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer. Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached. Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe
I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa
Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Do you know why you're having problems with your lungs? It sounds so uncomfortable. Besides the new meds, is there anything else you can do? I kind of have a fear of losing my breath and not being able to catch it.
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Lantyssa
Terracotta Army
Posts: 20848
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You should try a leash.
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Hahahaha! I'm really good at this!
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01101010
Terracotta Army
Posts: 12002
You call it an accident. I call it justice.
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Do you know why you're having problems with your lungs? It sounds so uncomfortable. Besides the new meds, is there anything else you can do? I kind of have a fear of losing my breath and not being able to catch it.
Pray you never get whooping cough. That shit is no fun when you feel like you can't inhale.
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Does any one know where the love of God goes...When the waves turn the minutes to hours? -G. Lightfoot
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angry.bob
Terracotta Army
Posts: 5442
We're no strangers to love. You know the rules and so do I.
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My pulmonologist said with a straight face that I don't have copd but he thinks I have chronic bronchitis. The internet says bronchitis is a form of copd. I think I should get a second opinion.
Always get a second opinion, but your pulmonologist is probably right. COPD can include chronic bronchitis, but not all chronic bronchitis will be COPD. Technically it is always a chronic, obstructive, pulmonary disease. But it's not the COPD. It can be present as well as precede COPD. But chronic bronchitis is swollen airways, usually because something is irritating them. If you stop whatever is doing that, it usually goes away. Many times though, having chronic bronchitis irritates your bronchi enough to keep you having chronic bronchitis. See another doctor and if he tells you the same thing as the first, do what they say.
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Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muß man schweigen.
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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People with chronic bronchitis should also be tested for cystic fibrosis if you haven't been already.
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CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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Raguel
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1413
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Do you know why you're having problems with your lungs? It sounds so uncomfortable. Besides the new meds, is there anything else you can do? I kind of have a fear of losing my breath and not being able to catch it.
I don't know for sure. Basically I woke up from a nap and couldn't breathe right. I've been asked if I've been exposed to asbestos when the was younger. I know I was in contact with some form of insulation but I don't know if it was asbestos or fiberglass (this would have been in the early 80s but I don't know how old the building was. Anyway I'm supposed to get a CT scan of the chest and I'm waiting on a blood test to see if I can do the scan.
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