Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Ups and downs

So I am still on drops from the vitrectomy. My eye is healing slowly. I am still in pain, but doing the best I can. I am having more surgery on the left eye next week, but this one will be laser.

I have been trying to get out and about as much as I can to get exercise in as much as I can.

I still don't have a CPAP machine. The company actually called yesterday to tell me that I was all set and someone would be out soon to set me up. They called not 5 minutes later to tell me that "wait a minute... you might not be approved" meanwhile, I stop breathing at night and cough up a good couple of tablespoons of nearly solid gunk when I wake up choking. It isn't fair.

I can't remember if I mentioned that my endocrinologist thinks I may have gastroparesis and she put me on a medicine called IC metoclopramide. She also upped my Levoxyl to 100 mcg.

Other than that, my med list remains the same as the last update.

I guess that's all for now.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

As best I can...

I am fairly blind right now, so I apologize for the many typos that wull likely appear here. I had the vitrectomy on the 8th of September and am still recovering. I can not see text very well, though i can see other thoings a biot more clearly than I could on day one.
When I went in for my 24 hour follow-up, the docs had to put anestetic on my eye just to be able to open it because it hurt so nad. I'm not going to lie, I screamed. It was dreadful.
Now, it is itchy and painful, but a little clearer, and I am keeping up with my drops and not taking percocet as frequently as I originally needed to.
I had an endovrine appt o the 10th and teh doc saod she wanted to up my thyroid med because she though I need that, and also that I probably have gastroparesis (?) and she prescribed a med for that.
We shall see, I guess....
Well, this is taking a lot out of me, so I can't really type any mmore right now.
Just wanted to update briefly.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Previous post

I have no idea why the previous entry is not showing up as a normal entry.
If you just click on it to highlight the text, you can read it.

Apparently you need to highlight this to read it, my apologies.

Below is a letter to my PCP from my kidney doctor, with names, locations and such removed.

Kidney disease. They kind of left that out... like, ever.

Also, I don't eat a lot of salt. I don't eat a lot, period. I am very active, as I am able.

The weight went from 165/170 to 250 in a matter of THREE DAYS, not the course of a year. It has been over a year that I have been fighting to find out WHY. This is all fluid.

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Dear Dr. Xxxx,



I had the pleasure of seeing your patient today for follow up of edema,
weight gain, and chronic kidney disease. As you know, I saw her a few weeks
ago. Since then, the following events have been notable:

5/19: upro/cr 316/439, na 131, cr 1.0, gluc 366

Received echo report from OSH - normal

6/10 saw endo, dc'd actos. Considering metformin. antigad ab's 4.6 (high),
a1c 10.9. vit D 6, using insulin pens and finding that easier

Saw pcp who rx'd vitamin D. LDL 163. rx'd gemfibrozil which she stopped.
Planning to refer to lipid clinic

Had ucx positive for klebsiella. Rx'd cipro.



Renal history and history of edema: patient reports acute onset edema and
SOB on the evening of 5/9/08. She went to the ER and was told it was all in
her head and shortly thereafter was discharged home. SOB improved, and
edema somewhat improved, but since then, she has experienced recurrent
episodes of acute onset edema, as well as steady massive weight gain (170lb
> 250 lb per her report). She has been tried on diuretics, but this led to
increase in bun and creatinine (cr 0.9>1.3) and did not significantly help
her symptoms so it was discontinued. Work up to date has been significant
for the following tests:

- creatinine 0.9 on 3/11/09

- bun low teens > low 20's over past year (20 on 3/11/09)

- urine protein: no microalbumin 7/30/07, 24 hour urine protein 254 on
incomplete collection 3/11/09

- BNP 20

- Tsh 2.7 on 3/6/09, 3.0 on 2/23/09

- Ana positive 1:320 11/5/08, 1: 160 on repeat, then 1:80, then negative.
Esr 47 then 27, c3 169, c4 37.

- Cxr normal 3/11/09

- Ch7 3/11/09: na 137, k 4.3, cl 97, bicarb 31, bun 20, cr 0.92, gluc 146,
ca 9.1, phos 4.5, lft's normal, wbc 11.3, hb 12.8, plt 314.

- Abd ultrasound: liver coarse echogenicity, 24x16x23 mm echogenic lesion,
spleen normal, MRI recommended.

- labs 4/28/09: tsh 1.86, ESR 27, 24 hour urine 129 mmol Na, 1695 mg pro,
pro/cr ratio 1165/845, vol 1455, free cortisol 19.7 (normal). cr 1.13, IFES
no abnormal bands, rf neg, rpr neg, ana pos 1:80, nucleolar pattern, anti
centromere neg, anti histone neg, lyme neg, aldo 1, renin 1.

- labs 5/09: bnp 21 (normal), ds DNA neg, anti scl neg, anti rnp neg,
sjogren's neg, ana neg, c3 and c4 not low



PMHx:

- DM1 onset 1987. on insulin from outset. Retinopathy post laser rx x 2 so
far. A1c's have been 12 for years, though recently 9.5 per her report.

- Asthma

- Fibromyalgia

- Hypothyroidism

- No history hypertension (on diovan for proteinuria/DM)

- 2 LEEP's. ingrown toenails, cyst R thigh removed 6/99. no pregnancies.

- Pyelo 2/98

- C-scope 1.5 years ago normal

- Gastric ulcers

- Emotional lability

- (hospital) records (hosp for F/desat, MRN xxxxxxx, 000-000-0000): 1/23/09
CT: Effusions, several areas of patchy consolidation. Bronchial PNA and
likely also flash pulmonary edema. Irregularly enhancing liver lesions rec
MRI, and fatty infiltrate. Irregular lovulation of R kidney, kidneys
otherwise normal appearing. CT abd noncontrast otherwise unremarkable.



SocHx: no tob, rare ETOH, no drugs. On disability. Schooling: some college.
Lives alone (wi 3 cats), steady boyfriend, supportive family nearby.



Fam Hx: mat GM died of kidney failure onset after heart surgery. Mat uncle
kidney stones. Otherwise no renal history. Father had DM and stiff-persons
syndrome



ROS: says ballooned up again June 9th to >260 lb, shiny skin. Went to (hospital). Rx'd lasix 40' for a few weeks and wt came down to 243 and has
hovered there since then. Now on lasix 80'. Cough improved. Walking and
swimming. Says PO intake less secondary to n/v/diarrhea. Believes she has
a low sodium diet. No dysuria. Had hemorrhage in R eye (retina appt
tomorrow). No nsaid use. Chronic DOE (few stairs, not at rest), Chronic
pain - different kinds, throbbing and shooting in bilateral extremities,
also LLQ abd pain. Constant L subchondral (lateral) pain, worse with
valsalva. Acne neck, back and chest past year or so. Intermittent
headaches. Neuropathy hands and feet. Snores a lot and fatigued during the
day. Menstruates regularly. No dysuria, hematuria, urgency. ROS otherwise
negative or noncontributory.



Meds: per logician, is taking diovan. ranitidine prn, albuterol prn, flonase
prn, rare Tylenol, rare advil (not in some time), No herbal or other OTC
meds. Allergies: actos ? contributed to edema. lisinopril > cough, sob and
wheezing, sulfa, cephalasporins, statins, acyclovir, codeine, bactrim.



PE: 104/70, HR 100. wt 243 (from 248 at last visit, 248 prior). Alert and
oriented young woman, obese, in NAD. JVD difficult to assess secondary to
habitus. Lungs CTA bilaterally. H RRR, no MRG apprec. A soft, nontender.
nonpitting edema bilateral LE's, with 1+ pitting bilaterally.



Urine: Sed accidentally omitted today. Prior visit was: WBC's, +bl, rare
dysmorphia, no casts.



Labs: cr 1.18, k 4.2, upro/cr 60/641, microalb 43, ua 2+gluc, no pro, no bl,
no wbc. Ucx negative. Renin 54, aldo 8, wbc 14.9, hb and plt normal. Pth
36, vit D 17.



A/P: 30F, history poorly controlled DM1 with retinopathy, treated
hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia and obesity, following for edema, wt gain from
170>250 lb over the past year, in the context of near-normal creatinine,
minimal proteinuria, and dips positive for blood with relatively benign
sediment.



GFR: cr slightly elevated today 1.2 from baseline of 0.9-1. likely
intravascularly volume depleted. Elevated bun/cr ratio supports this, as
does elevated renin (though these both could also be effect of diovan).
Follow, and if increases further would consider cutting back on diuretics.
Review sediment next visit. Can have dysmorphic hematuria just from
diabetic nephropathy, and as long as creatinine and proteinuria stable
would not necessarily investigate further, but will follow. (flagged endo
and asked to get a ch7 when she is in on sept 10th)



Re: the weight gain and edema, likely multifactorial, endocrine following
and working on diet and insulin dosing. CHF, hypercortisolism, myxedema,
and secondary lymphedema from CTD have all been ruled out. Increased
dietary sodium intake likely playing a role, supported by fact that she had
modestly elevated 24 hour urine sodium on check 4/28/09 and suppressed
renin and aldo then (has since come up on lasix). Has been counseled on low
salt diet/ hidden salt. Classic edema from actos may also have been
contributing. Timing was not suggestive of edema from diovan. Primary
lymphedema hasn't been ruled out yet, though relatively rare. Will defer
to PCP to work up further if they feel indicated.



Re proteinuria: IFES no abnormal bands. Likely from poorly controlled
diabetes for many years (has other sequelae as well - ie: neuropathy,
retinopathy). At goal on diovan. Continue diovan and continue to avoid
nsaids (has been counseled on this).



Re: polydipsia/polyuria, intermittent nature of symptoms consistent with
effect of hyperglycemia. Not an issue on recent urine collection.



Misc: referred for sleep study last visit -scheduled but hasn't happened
yet. Will defer to PCP for MRI to follow up liver lesions.



HCM: recommend pneumovax. Will also need flu vax and H1N1 vax this season
when available.



Thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate in the care of this
patient. I look forward to seeing her back in 6 months, or sooner should
any acute issues arise.



Sincerely,



Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, M.D.

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I am fairly certain that I am allergic to the pneumonia vaccine. I seem to recall having a pretty bad reaction to it a few years ago.

Not quite sure how I feel about this H1N1 thing. Seems to be jumping the gun a little bit. We don't know much about what I have OR about H1N1...why combine two mystery illnesses?


As for the MRI, I had that repeated a few months ago. I will have to see about getting the report to the new PCP and the kidney doc and see what they think about comparing the two studies.