If you're going through hell, keep going.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Gotta Love Steven Wright
There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.
Back on Diuretics and Continuing Antivirals
I stopped taking diuretics about a month ago. I had been on hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg once or twice a day for the past two years. At my last appointment about six weeks ago with Dr. Harris, he suggested I discontinue the HCTZ and try 20 mg of Lasix twice a day instead to see if any of my symptoms improved.
I tried the Lasix for about three or four days, then I decided to just go off of the diuretics altogether for awhile and see what happens. It didn't help that the Lasix distinctly tastes like burned rubber. Yuck!
It's been a month and, honestly, the only difference I have really noticed is that I gained at least five pounds in the first few days and I feel all puffy. I have continued to try to eat a low sodium diet as always which is probably in the ballpark of 2,000 mg per day, plus I have increased my water intake significantly to about 1-1/2 to 2 liters a day.
In the past few days, though, my right ear has been feeling a little sloshy and my left -good- ear has been feeling a little full, too. This all happened on the diuretics in the past, too, so I can't say it is something new. But it is disconcerting. So I decided to hop back on the diuretic bandwagon. I will give the Lasix a fair trial.
In the meantime, I continue on the Famvir 250 mg twice a day. I am on Day #5. Nothing new to report yet. I have been feeling well overall this week with the exception of a couple of days of worse than usual balance and some mini-spins similar to those I had shortly after the last round of gent. Since I had a pretty good attack last weekend and ended up with mild vertigo, how I am feeling this week is pretty typical of how I feel post-attack.
I go back up to House Ear Clinic on July 5th to see Dr. Wilkinson, the doctor I saw for my second opinion back in December and who kindly prescribed the antiviral therapy for me this week. His colleague, Dr. Lorenz, returned my call to Dr. W on Tuesday and, in the course of discussing my history, he strongly encouraged me to go through with ENG (vestibular) testing. Sigh. I have to admit he gave very valid reasons for having the testing done, so I suppose I will agree to it. I go back up to House on July 5th for a follow-up, so maybe I will call before then and see if they want to do the testing then.
So I continue on guinea pig status...
I tried the Lasix for about three or four days, then I decided to just go off of the diuretics altogether for awhile and see what happens. It didn't help that the Lasix distinctly tastes like burned rubber. Yuck!
It's been a month and, honestly, the only difference I have really noticed is that I gained at least five pounds in the first few days and I feel all puffy. I have continued to try to eat a low sodium diet as always which is probably in the ballpark of 2,000 mg per day, plus I have increased my water intake significantly to about 1-1/2 to 2 liters a day.
In the past few days, though, my right ear has been feeling a little sloshy and my left -good- ear has been feeling a little full, too. This all happened on the diuretics in the past, too, so I can't say it is something new. But it is disconcerting. So I decided to hop back on the diuretic bandwagon. I will give the Lasix a fair trial.
In the meantime, I continue on the Famvir 250 mg twice a day. I am on Day #5. Nothing new to report yet. I have been feeling well overall this week with the exception of a couple of days of worse than usual balance and some mini-spins similar to those I had shortly after the last round of gent. Since I had a pretty good attack last weekend and ended up with mild vertigo, how I am feeling this week is pretty typical of how I feel post-attack.
I go back up to House Ear Clinic on July 5th to see Dr. Wilkinson, the doctor I saw for my second opinion back in December and who kindly prescribed the antiviral therapy for me this week. His colleague, Dr. Lorenz, returned my call to Dr. W on Tuesday and, in the course of discussing my history, he strongly encouraged me to go through with ENG (vestibular) testing. Sigh. I have to admit he gave very valid reasons for having the testing done, so I suppose I will agree to it. I go back up to House on July 5th for a follow-up, so maybe I will call before then and see if they want to do the testing then.
So I continue on guinea pig status...
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