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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 10:37:17
With a fistful of prescriptions for IBS, migraine, and eczema because the OTC stuff has quit working. And a referral to the headache specialist whose first appointment is in May. And I'm going to try going off the glucophage, which is great, but will have to start taking my blood sugar and (yeah, right) watching what I eat, which isn't great.
I got all the standard CYA questions about depression and harming yourself or others.
I think I'll call this my neurosis visit.
Posted by Penny on October 20, 2003, at 11:11:03
In reply to Back from the internist, posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 10:37:17
I'm glad your internist took the time to deal with all of those things in one visit! It seems like mine is so concerned with sticking to the 15-minute rule that she can only focus on one problem per visit. So, I rely on my pdoc to handle most everything. And he does. But, he is an anomaly.
Amazing how long it takes to see a headache specialist, isn't it? I got a referral to the headache clinic here back in January and my appointment was for October 2!!! But, by the time the appointment came around, my pdoc had sent me for an MRI, I had been to the sleep clinic and had a sleep study, I had taken several different meds for my headaches, I had been hospitalized, and then, miraculously, my headaches had all but disappeared. Part of me still wanted to see the headache docs, but there was no reason to do so.
And I had been getting headaches DAILY since age 10. For 16 years. And now I get one every now and again, but they're not severe.
I suspect I will get them back again at some point. But, I suppose time will tell!
P
Posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 11:25:13
In reply to Re: Back from the internist » Dinah, posted by Penny on October 20, 2003, at 11:11:03
While I was on the phone making the appointment, referral now clutched in my hot little hand the receptionist forgot me. But... While I was on terminal hold, someone cancelled their Wednesday appointment. So now instead of next April, I see the specialist on Wednesday.
Now the pessimist in me is saying she'll advise me to do all sorts of things I'm just not going to do, and so it's a total waste of time. But at least I'll know that a lot sooner. :D
Posted by Penny on October 20, 2003, at 11:52:57
In reply to Re: Lucky happenstance » Penny, posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 11:25:13
Cool! Wednesday is certainly *a lot* better than April or May!!!
YAY!!!
What kinds of headaches do you get? Mine were all different kinds - sometimes migraines, sometimes tension, and thankfully no cluster headaches - but the fact that they weren't all one type was what threw my docs.
My theory? Allergies. I could be wrong (it certainly wouldn't be the first time!) but I really think my headaches are allergy-related.
I even went to an ENT, and he did a nasal endoscopy (my nose is constantly stuffy, not always the same side) and said that he thinks I need to see an allergist.
But I know that if I do, he's going to tell me something like, "You're allergic to milk, you're allergic to wheat, etc. etc." and that's not going to help matters. B/c it's not like I'm giving up bread or ice cream! ha!
So, I know what you mean. But maybe, just maybe, the headache doc will have something helpful to share.
Maybe...
keeping my fingers crossed.
P
Posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 13:19:15
In reply to Re: Lucky happenstance » Dinah, posted by Penny on October 20, 2003, at 11:52:57
You know, I'm filling out the questionnaire, and I really have no idea. Memory and linear time are not my strong points. I've got the notes from the headache doctor I consulted back in '98, but they seem to have changed a bit. (He wanted to put me on all kinds of meds I didn't want. OTC stuff was still working at that time.)
I can tell when I'm going to get a bad one because my vision gets all vibrating and solid objects don't look solid. I also get extra sensitive to light and noise, though I'm always sensitive to light. And I feel far away, really derealized.
They seem to come in cycles, although I haven't been able to definitively tie the cycles to either mood or hormone cycles. But I'll get a bunch of them for a week or two with slight provocation, then none for a week or two even with a lot of provocation.
Flickering lights, strong lights, odors, and emotional upsets are my biggest triggers.
And sometimes I get optical migraines, with patches of lost vision in my right visual field but no pain. Those are scary.
The prior doc said migraines. And I guess I would agree, but there might be some tension ones thrown in too. Or some sinus ones. My nose sometimes opens like a floodgate during them, but since I get vasomotor rhinorrhea I'm guessing that's from the blood vessel changes in the migraine.
Between those and the IBS, my productivity is compromised so I hope they have some useful suggestions. But I'm guessing it'll be exercise more, sleep more regularly (tough when insomnia is part of my illness), and eat better. Ugh.
But I think I've heard they do biofeedback too. That could be interesting.
Posted by Penny on October 20, 2003, at 14:48:27
In reply to Re: Lucky happenstance » Penny, posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 13:19:15
Yes, it certainly does sound like migraines. I've had a few in my life, but fortunately not many. Most of mine, I suspect, are tension headaches. But, like I said, all of a sudden they've just gone away (almost). I can't explain it, but I'm not complaining!!!
I HATE the 'exercise more, eat right, get better sleep' advice!!! After my sleep study this summer, I went back to the sleep docs for the follow-up, where they told me that I don't have sleep apnea, I don't have restless limbs, I don't snore, I don't have any particular sleep disorder, but I do experience alpha-delta sleep. Then the doc looks at me and says, "Really, the best thing you can do for your sleep is to get stabilized on your medication." Uh....duh! Really??? Thanks for the advice, doc! Cause I wasn't already trying to do that...jeez.
My pdoc got a copy of the results from my sleep study and was unhappy with the kind of data they collected. Said he's seen better. But, what are ya' going to do?
So, I continue to struggle with sleep - I fluctuate between insomnia and hypersomnia. I'm in the sleeping all the time phase right now. I slept nearly all day on Saturday and then again nearly all day yesterday. And while I haven't really had any problem staying awake at work today (I was having a major problem with that recently!), I could go to sleep pretty easily if I could lie down. And I'll be tempted to do just that when I get home. I feel like I'm sleeping my life away, but I'm just so friggin' tired all the time! And I've had every test run that they know to run, so I don't know what else to do - but I get the 'exercise, eat right' advice from docs and friends all the time. I figure they've never been there, or they wouldn't say that...
!!!!!
P
Posted by fallsfall on October 20, 2003, at 15:23:00
In reply to Back from the internist, posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 10:37:17
Sounds like a productive visit. I hope the new meds work better than the OTC ones. It would be nice to have relief. And good timing on the headache specialist. I hope it all helps.
Posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 16:07:05
In reply to Re: Lucky happenstance » Dinah, posted by Penny on October 20, 2003, at 14:48:27
Yeah, I figure that too. I have the insomnia/hypersomnia problem too. But it is *very* clearly tied to my mood cycle. Is yours?
I suspect that the only way to fix it is to fix the cycling, and I don't see any clear way to do that.
Posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 16:08:25
In reply to Re: Back from the internist » Dinah, posted by fallsfall on October 20, 2003, at 15:23:00
Thanks. At the very least, I'll find out what won't help, which is something in itself.
Posted by noa on October 20, 2003, at 19:04:48
In reply to Back from the internist, posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 10:37:17
UGH, sorry to hear about all the medical woes, Dinah. Am I mistaken or do you have several different things that are believed to be autoimmune related?
Posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 19:32:47
In reply to Re: Back from the internist » Dinah, posted by noa on October 20, 2003, at 19:04:48
Probably just the eczema is auto-immune.
All of them are stress related, and all except diabetes have something to do with acetylcholine. Too bad they haven't put as much research into that as they have into serotonin or I'd be all set. :(
At least I finally broke down and got prescribed medications. I've been trying to do it with the small guns (OTC) for probably far too long. And I'm sort of looking forward to biofeedback. I hope they consider me a good candidate for that approach.
Posted by Penny on October 21, 2003, at 8:22:46
In reply to Re: Lucky happenstance » Penny, posted by Dinah on October 20, 2003, at 16:07:05
I can't tell if I *have* clear cycles or not. I'm just up and down all day. And, no, I don't know how to fix that. Unfortunately.
My pdoc's old office did biofeedback therapy. I thought about it as a treatment for my headaches - but then I moved and his office here didn't offer it. Which is just as well, b/c then he left the clinic. But there's another place here that offers it, though I don't know how much insurance would cover, and I'm sure I couldn't afford it outright.
P
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