posted on February 18, 2007 08:25:38 AM newSEMI-UPDATE:
Have had a very difficult time getting over the side effects from the KADIAN (morphine, timed-release) caps...
They have really knocked me on my butt with nausea and extreme mush-mindedness. It's been 3 weeks since I've stated them, and I had hoped the side effects would have decreased by now, but, so far, they are pretty extreme.
My pain clinic doctor saw me as an emergency on FRIDAY (very kind of him to do so, as that's really breaking the rules), and he wants me to try again to stick to the regimen & has increased the PRECOCETS (for breakthru) to 4/day. The KADIAN does kill the pain, but half the time I don't want to do anything other than crawling into bed and sleeping my life away...
I was supposed to go 1 week ago for the MRI, but I was too nauseous to face being stuffed into that sausage tube, so it has been re-scheduled for the 26th at 5 pm (YIKES!)...
I'm trying the individual dental insurance again so I don't have to pay $175-$200 for a new patient exam. Dental insurance thru your employer is GREAT, but, if ya have to buy INDIVIDUAL (non-group) insurance, it's kinda a FARCE.
This time, I'm trying CARE GUARD -- only costs $11.95/month, and, on paper, it looks very good. The problem with all of these is that you have to pick a primary care dentist from a list, and how does one do that? PLUS, they are allowed to ignore some of the goodies included in the insurance
For example: I tried before with this because the benefits state that AMALGAM fillings are co-pay of $0.00 -- but, when you call the PCD, they immediately state: "We don't do amalgam fillings" -- I don't know, seems like everything in FL is some sort of SCAM
Sorry it took so long for an update, but my ambition has been LOW for a few weeks...
RALPHIE is still plagued with the ticks, and, I think my apartment is gonna have to be fumigated...
My kid is coming up again this week & he will spray Ralph and his area again, but I think we are losing the battle & this has really taken a toll on both Ralphie & me -- I really didn't need this right now...
posted on February 18, 2007 08:52:43 AM new
Hi there, take care of yourself and your 'fur baby', I sure hope something works for you soon, thank you for the update.
posted on February 18, 2007 09:00:13 AM new
tom - the vet sells a VERY good tick collar called Preventic if Ralphie can wear one. They don't cost very much.
Are you not using Frontline? Remember you can buy a higher dosage and save money by splitting it in half. Say Ralphie weighs 12 pounds, you can get the dosage for a 25 pound dog etc. Just put half of it on and save the rest for the next month. The containers have markings on them so it's easy to do.
posted on February 18, 2007 09:12:34 AM new
THANKS pmelcher!
THANKS GG!
I had a HARTZ tick collar on him when this began 3 weeks ago -- when I saw a tick crawl over the collar, I began to doubt the collar's effectiveness
I will ask my VET about that collar...
Ralphie gets SENTINAL once per month as prophalixis against HEARTWORMS, and it also contains an anti-flea med, so I was hesitant to add FRONTLINE as ya have to be careful and avoid overdosing the kid with too much pest killers...
Ralphie turns FIVE next month (St Patricks Day, of course), and we've lived here for 4.5 years and have NEVER been bothered by ticks!
BUT, this place has been bought & sold FOUR TIMES in the past FOUR years! When I moved in, it was owned by LINCOLN PROPERTIES, and they were WUNDERFULL! They used to spray the lawns at least every TWO months!
The newest owners seem un-interested, and I haven't seen the lawn-care truck for the past 6 months...
Iffen I dwern't so damn sick all the time, I'd be raising a big stink, but, like I say, my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone on me...
posted on February 18, 2007 10:29:26 AM new
Hang in there, Tommy.
_____________________
Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine . . They start out as grapes; and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with. ~Dave Barry
posted on February 18, 2007 12:21:50 PM new
I'll be flying overhead on March 2nd, have to get out of this snow for a couple of days, going to Clearwater, St. Pete to see my cousins. I'll wave to you, wish I could stop and meet you and Ralphie.
posted on February 18, 2007 12:37:48 PM new
I had hoped you would have had better news - so sorry you've had to put up with all this pain.
I wish there was something I could do to help?
posted on February 18, 2007 07:28:23 PM new
"I have this fear of FAT-BOY scarfing down a Percocet & then croaking on me, so my kid has vacuumeed the ole dumperoo extra thoroughly..."
{{shudder}} A flashback to the horror of finding my 2 year olds mouth full of Fen-Fen (the diet wonder pill of the 90's). What a horrible night spent with poison control!
Hang in there, Tom. We're all rooting for you.
[ edited by pixiamom on Feb 18, 2007 08:16 PM ]
posted on February 21, 2007 06:09:53 AM new
Tom, Glad you could post an update. Your name is still on our prayer list and we raise you up daily. Your on my personal list... I do hope you can make it through the MRI they are not easy but do some mind control things in the days before hand. Calming .. go into a space that is OK to be and stay there ... work on this and I do think it will help you. Kind regards.. BJB
posted on February 21, 2007 10:30:02 AM new
Tom: I've heard from friends who've had MRIs that you can be given sedatives to make it easier for yourself. Do ask about that.
_____________________
People who want to share their religious views with you almost
never want you to share yours with them.
posted on February 21, 2007 11:40:17 AM new
Tomwiii, Morning Sickness? How about the open MRIs? Don't they have such things now?
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on February 21, 2007 03:46:18 PM new"morning sickness?"
Well...
All "we" can say is: Neither I nor Prince Ralphie von BowWow is the daddy...
OTOH: yes, some places have the nifty keeno-kewl "open" MRI's, but, I doubt that UF/SHANDS does, as they asked me if I were claustrophic before making the appt, and, due to my HMO, I can ONLY go to UF/SHANDS for things like this...
posted on February 21, 2007 04:43:38 PM new
Any drug opiate based, like PRECOCET (I don't know about kadian) Can cause nausea
See: http://www.drugs.com/percocet.html
What is Percocet?
• Oxycodone (related to codeine) is in a class of drugs called narcotic analgesics. It relieves pain.[p]
Percocet Side Effects
Percocet may cause constipation, stomach upset, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, or flushing. If any of these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly
I talked to my pharmacist. Kadian, which is also opiate based, can cause nausea and drowsiness but since it is time release, it isn't so bad
OF COURSE YOU ARE NAUSEATED and very sleepy, you are taking a double whammy of some opiates. I strongly suggest you get rid of the percocet and try something else in it's place. Talk to your doctor again.
posted on February 21, 2007 07:14:56 PM new
Will keep you in my prayers. I heard that lavender oil and pepermint oil mixed in water? shook up and sprayed in area of pets bedding helps keep the ticks and fleas away, I have not yet tried that but want to. It is also supposed to keep spiders away also.
Keep us posted sure hope they can do something for this problem you are having. Those meds make me sick big time not many I can take for sure. Did they give you some phenergan to take while taking those, it helps a lot with the nausea, see if your Dr. will give you 25mg tablets, the suppository is the pits. They really do help if taken about 15 minutes before taking pain meds. BUT it enhances the pain meds so may knock you for even more of a loop.
************** I married my wife for her looks, but Not the one she gives me lately!
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Got my kid to take me yesterday afternoon at 5pm, and, actually didn't chicken out this time...
Much more pleasant MRI than the last one I had back in 2000... UF/SHANDS was not an "open" one, but twas MUCH roomier than I remembered, plus I wore my street clothes into it, including my metallic BELT BUCKLE (!!! ???) -- I kept bugging the tech: "Are ya sure I can wear my pants?" I think she was starting to wonder about my "kinkiness" level after awhile, but, I'd never before been allowed anywhere NEAR an MRI room with ANY metallic ANYTHING, much less been placed into the machine wearing my regular sartorial street splendor...LIVE & LEARN, as Ralphie always reminds me...
Was only inserted up to my ribs, and, it only took 30 minutes, so was definitely not too bad...(STOP making POULTRY noises, Ralphie!)
See the MF SURGEON on the 16th, but, I'm gonna call and beg for an earlier appointment, as the face is a'killin me (NO wise cracks, PLEASE!)...
posted on February 27, 2007 04:04:18 PM new
Thanks for updating us, Tom. Glad the MRI is over and not too bad for you. Yes, get the MF surgeon to see you sooner. Sick Ralphie on him if need be. Take care and sorry you are still in so much pain.
posted on February 27, 2007 09:37:32 PM new
Keep the calories coming - cup of soup noodles, chili con carne without beans - whatever it takes to avoid chewing. Malnutrition can bring a myriad of complications you don't want to deal with.
[ edited by pixiamom on Feb 18, 2007 08:16 PM ]
send them to me send them to me 
I married my wife for her looks, but Not the one she gives me lately! 