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Scary Sleep Adventure

One morning I woke up only to go into the kitchen to find the computer on, and one of my pills laying on the table.  My first thought was of course I was sleep  walking again, but the frightening part is wondering if I took medicine I wasn't suspose to take.

carpal tunnel

This is really nerve wrecking!  The doctors want to do my right hand as well, but I don't think so.  Six months to a year is a long time to wait for the left hand to return to normal.  The doctor told me go ahead and type well can I tell you, I am still doing the peck and hunt thing.  To do this all over again I am thinking I am better off not.

Carpal Tunnel #3

OK now I really thought it would be over by now, well tomorrow, is Friday, May 23 I go in for my one month check up for my left hand.  Still not 100% usable, and I won't even talk about lifting, I don't dare pick something up.   Funny how even the simple thing you do become such a reality when you normally wouldn't think about it.  Like washing your face in the morning, not a simple task any more I squeeze the water from the facecloth only using the right hand.  No squeezing with the left, no pulling open the refrigerator door.  Like I said the small things become a reality.  You take it for granted when you do simple chores everyday--what happens when you can't any longer?

fondly,

from a patient's perspective,

Adrienne

Carpal Tunnel

Well it's four weeks after surgery, I don't see any results, but then again the doctor says it could take up to a year to feel the full results.  This entry will be short, thankfully I do have a new computer with voice recognition. I did the first training lesson with it, have 2 or 3 more to go not sure.  But can I tell you I love it already.  It even makes new paragraphs when I say enter.  Is that slick or what?

fondly,

from a patient's perspective,

adrienne

Carpal Tunnel

At this point I am saying to myself, God are you kidding me? Well I have the worst case of carpal tunnel, not one hand both hands.  I had no idea no pain could throb so severely, especially at night.  It seems to me when ever something goes wrong it gets worst at night.  If you have a cold seem like you cough the worst at night.

Well, I had surgery on the left about 3 weeks ago now. I don't feel any difference, but the Doctor told me mine was so bad not to expect to feel a noticeable improvement for several months.  I dread having the right hand done, mainly because I am left handed. 

To tell you the truth I ready to just get it over with, but I can't walk around with two weak hands, have wait until the left one is strong enough before we do the right one anyway.

misty

Daisy

Sleep Adventures 104

OK I have been off Ambien for a month now and I am still sleep walking I don't get it, my next scheduled appointment with the doctor is May 8th.   My first question two him will be how long does it take for the side effects to wear off?   I still find it alarming to clean the house during my sleep and not be aware of the adventure. 

Not only do I clean but I love to go to the computer and work during these episodes . 

As always ,

From a patient's perspective ,

Adrienne Manson   

Sleep Adventures 103

I am sure most people are familiar with the side effects of the medicine ambien--the sleep walking. I first heard about it one morning while watching the news.  At that point I wasn't currently taking a sleep medicine, so I really didn't much about it.  But I did find it interesting.  Well as life would have it I have been on ambien for awhile now.  Guess what I have concern that I am sleep walking.  At first I think I would experience any side effects, but one morning I got up and noticed my computer was on.  I was like did some one use my computer during the night, or maybe I forget to turn it off.  I feel it is highly unlikely that I forget to turn it off.  But the next episode, we generally sleep with a nightlight on in the house, one night I woke up and the house was pitch black, I said well maybe the bulb just blew.  I checked nothing wrong with the bulb I switched the light, and the nightlight came on. 

I said now there is really something funny going on here.  I still didnt think I was the culprit.  Now again I get up and my computer is on again.  I am thinking you have got to be kidding, am I really sleep walking??  It crazy you don't remember, and have no knowledge that you were ever up.  I spoke to my doctor about it.  He confirmed that yes some people do use their computers while sleep walking, and alot of people eat, anyway I have scaled way back off of the ambien.

as always,

from a patient's perspective,

adrienne

you can also visit my other blog at www.rx-info.blogspot.com

The Yuck Test!

I call it the yuck test because in the days of old they were yucky.  I am referring to the colonoscope, you know the one where you spend the previous day on the toilet emptying your whole insides out so they can take a look up the rectum to see whats going on. 

Actually I didn't have it done, my mom did, and also a friend of mine.

So really I want to post about her experience, and encourage anyone to have it done if your doctors advises one.  My mom constantly had stomach troubles for years on end.  She was diagnose with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) so she took as that, and didn't bother to take it a step further.  But the problem still existed this very sensitive stomach, that would only tolerate certain foods.  If she eat the wrong foods look out because all hell is broke loss.

To really get to the heart of the matter my aunt constantly encouraged her to have a colonoscopy.  Of course she dreaded it, but scheduled for one anyway.  As it turned out it wasn't as bad as they use to be in the days of old.  She was asleep during the whole procedure, not only that but they found 2 pockets in her intestine, along with a bacteria that was causing her stomach problems.

The polyp's have been corrected, and medication was given to her to clear up the bacteria, and now stomach problems be gone!

Fondly,

from a patient's perspective,

Adrienne

Echo Stress Test

About five weeks ago I had my stress test and echocardigram, it wasn't to bad.  It was just a matter of being hooked up to a few monitor to watch my blood pressure, and heart rate.  The whole idea was to get pictures of my heart to make sure it is functioning properly.

Today I received my results, I didn't actually see the doctor I saw the "advanced practicioner".  I didn't there was such a thing as advanced practitioners.  I am well familiar with the PA - Physician Assistants. You know the ones who actually think they are the doctor, but they are not.  But I must say they are very professional at treating the patient's with great bedside manners.

But back to the results.  It was interesting she give me a mixed explanation she said well everything looks normal, but we did see you have a grade 1 enlargement of the top left and right values.  You know your heart is divided into four sections.  She also when on to say your heart muscle isn't relaxing as well as it should when its pumping.  I thought well, that doesn't sound 100% normal to me.  But she assured me alot of people have a small enlargement its nothing to worry about.

The one thing she was concerned about was the chlestoral level which were elevated 40 points higher than normal.   I didn't know practitioners could write prescriptions either.  She wrote out a script for Zetia 10m.g. and ordered new blood work to be taken in 6 weeks. Which is pretty much routine after begining a new regiment of medicine.

There you have it todays test results.

fondly,

from a patient's perspective,

Adrienne