Waves of exhaustion followed by med-incompetence

re: episodes of extreme fatigue?
Been experimenting with things: Doctors have given up or stonewalled my problems - even told me to go to the hospital.

Been eating a lot of small and healthy meals - like soy milk, apple, good nutrition cereal bars, steamed vegetables, turkey, chicken - seems in small meals my stomach pains / pangs lessen, my shakiness declines even goes away, the eratic beat settles down. What exasperates these things is getting chilled, so I dress like an eskimo in San Diego and get funny looks like on sunny days. I seek sunny spots, no longer shady ones, when I play for sev. hours in the local park until my legs get a bit chilled, (under neath two pairs of long pants). I am sure people think I am homeless and desperate as I keep getting pity offers of loose change. I just tell them I am playing music for psychotherapy and it's working, cause I am becoming more psycho every day.

Also joined a indoor health club with a hot therapy pool and a lap pool. It's close by because sometimes I crash on the way home - just cannot predict that will happen, but I take it slow and make it home and quickly eat something light. But the swimming has really had excellent results, I feel much better although immediately exhausted and sleep much better. I think that I must change many details in my life - I have programmed a mid-day rest and will go out a second time, (after playing music in the park), if I feel an improvement in my energy level. But if there is a decline after 4 hours, I take a hot bath, eat something and take a short walk - and keep walking if my energy level improves - it depends. So sometimes you have to challenge your energy level, sometimes that's it for the day. Ambien is the only medication I take which makes me very drowsy and I can being my arduous 9-10 your sleep session. I often take a hot bath in midnight without turning on the lights - carefully correographed?? for safety including bathtub shoes. It works! I am back to sleep - I put on and take off extra shirts, sweat pants, wear sleep sneakers to keep my toes warm and constantly adust a small safety heart to coincide with my crazy body's demands including hot flashes and cool downs. I move from mattress to lazy boy with a heating pad. With this routine down pat, I manage an effective sleep session, mostly on the right side. I cannot sleep on the pace maker side nor ride on a rough bus without double pillows on the seat - that just sets off the arrythmia?? and pains in my chest. There is a lot the doctors haven't told me. My main chest specialist doesn't like talking at all.

I am really tired of being extremely tired, but no medical person seems interested in finding out why. Got a heart specialist to give me a second opinion on Jan 6, but I am trying not to raise my hopes about this. So far I've been given numerous blood tests until my primary doctor concluded I had aids and when I passed yet another test, he shook his head and gave me up to the hospital. He did not choose to pursue a second opinion heart spcialist, thank God my medicare person went to bat for me and told an out of town doctor they had to see me, because some petualant medical staff person refused to see me - "We don't do second opionions" Any way, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.


walter878@juno.com


5 Comments

Thank you for your response

by ansbible - 2010-12-20 02:12:19

Thanks so much. I will attempt to mention this in a diplomatic way to the heart specialist. It's amazing that indifference and arrogance seem to be the biggest hurdles to overcome when one is not well.

I'm thinking......

by Pookie - 2010-12-20 06:12:03

you might ask to be tested for Sleep Apnea....I'm always profoundly exhausted/fatigued and I also had a Pulmonary Function test and both showed something not quite right so I'm waiting to be seen by a respiratologist as my oxygen saturation is falling to 87.5% and something about improper gas exchange, so that I'm guessing has something to do with my vascular system...I think:)

as to why you are so cold??? that could be something to do with your autonomic system...ask to be referred to a Neurologist.

I have NO medical background, just lots of experience feeling the same way you do....

It's sad that when we feel so awful that we have to be our own advocates, doctors are just so busy these days that most just don't have the time any more to actually sit and discuss things with the patient....very few in my experience treat you as a person and not just a number.

It took me 5 yrs to finally find a doctor who would listen, and now my life is finally starting to take a turn - for the better:)

Keep pushing the doctors as tactfully as possible. I know it's hard feeling so bad for so long, but never ever ever give up hope.

take care,
Pookie

it's the ambien

by keveri - 2010-12-21 03:12:07

read drug literature, side affects etc. i had just about every side affect mentioned.
ambien is very hard to discontinue as it is very addictive and other than caussing extreme fatigue it also causes insomnia.
i tapered off the ambien( with md advise), it was very difficult but what a difference without it. i am alive again.
read the drug literature. the drug can become accumulative and one day gets worse than the other for tiredness, depression and insomnia. one of the side affects can be arrythmias. mds are so quick to give you any meds, they should read the drug literature. good luck. jan

Don't give up

by Toxicological - 2010-12-21 10:12:01

I had a similar situation - I just got progressively more and more fatigued (and chills) and although I had very erratic and unstable heart rate, I also got the run around from multiple doctors. Including several well-regarded specialists who essentially wrote me of as a basket case. Eventually I was so sick that my GP pushed for a pacemaker (my heart rate was in the mid-30s) and it has made a world of difference. Mind you, this was after five years of on disability.
Stay tactful, but stay persistent! I have to say for me personally, having a GP who really pushed the cardiologists made a huge difference.

Thanks, Pookie

by ansbible - 2010-12-21 12:12:07

Everybody's been so thoughtful and helpful. Wonder where the humanity goes when one enters the medical field.

You know you're wired when...

You have a high-tech ticker.

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