Im bitchy, I moan, I groan.....anyway.
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Thank you all for your best wishes.
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Wow---been a long absence, but not much sux! Shhhhhh...
Hugs & thanx to everyone for your support! I start rads on Thurs...guess it is a blessing the way things work out sometimes cuz I'm ready to accept this & get 'er done!
I will check into the steroids/glaucoma issue cuz I have both as well-------stay tuned!
As for docs who don't LISTEN-I often call them by their first names--it tends to get their attention. I them proceed by asking whether or not they believe we know our own bodies better than they do...that might give sessna1 a good jumping off place with Dr X!!!! If that doesn't work we'll call out the shovels & whomp him in the head!
HUGS all--be well & stay strong
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Drive by to say hi! Glad to see we are slow
I thought we were going to clear out the rain today but it looks like another crappy day. What is it about rain that makes you want to sleep in and then munch out all day? None of that for me...the job and the scale are waiting for me!
Have a GREAT day you guys!
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Ok Sessna1--I can not find the actual drug names, but here's what I know for sure: STEROIDS ARE STANDARD TX FOR GLAUCOMA!
I have been getting inter-ocular injections for years! Since glaucoma is caused by swelling on your eye "floor" it makes sense that the local injection would have a desirable affect without all the bodily se's the oral gives most of us. So it would stand to reason that even tho injection to the site is preferable, oral steroids should NOT be harmful...........
Sorry I couldn't find more info, but it makes sense to me. I can't imagine there would be a negative affect on your eyes. As the "arguer" in my docs' offices, I would push your doc to SPEAK to you about this & other issues when you don't agree.
Hope that helps! Be well & stay strong
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When my husband was at the pulmonology dr office for a check up and I had to drive him, I had a list of questions written down. After the exam, I asked the doctor one particular question and he stood there with hands on hips and said " and where did YOU get your medical degree ". That set my "irish" off (1/8 irish ancestry) and I stood up, pointed to the large framed diploma on the wall and said something like: You proudly display this diploma on your wall. It indicates you studied hard and long and you might be considered an expert. IF I should not ask you, please tell me who should I ask? He then sat down and politely answered all my questions. Flatter the daylights out of them and they have no recourse but to bask in the glory.
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AKA--you are CLASS-personified to my back-alley-street-girl! LOL
YOU ROCK!
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But IRISH we BOTH are!!!!!
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Dear saint:
Thank you so much for writing back. I appreciate your input. I really do.
Do you recall the physicians saying a line over and over again? It was a line that you learned to hate hearing and then you accepted it?
Everybody is different.
My ocular pressure did become highly elevated with nasal spray that contained steroids to treat my allergies.
I can't afford to have a cataract develop (one of the possible side effects) or not to know what else the steroid effect on my organs and tissue is. I just can't buy that.
My oncology nurse says taking steroids every three weeks isn't that much (chemo cycle). I think that taking 10 mg IV and 8 mg by mouth for three days (before, day of, and after) adds up to 34mg total during a three day period.
I can't take that bet.
sessna1
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This is for learning purposes only. We are here to help each other. We are here to help each other. Not to have urinating contests like men often do.
I found the following on the Internet (source follows):
What medicines should glaucoma (POAG) patients avoid?
Steroids (cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisolone, etc.) increase eye pressure. If you need to use steroids for longer than 2 weeks, your eye pressure has to be monitored during use. This includes use of steroid-containing eyedrops, steroid pills, and steroid creams over large areas of the body. Use of steroid creams for small skin lesions is unlikely to increase pressure. If you are taking steroids now, do not discontinue them - just tell us about it and come in for a re-evaluation. Steroid use for less than 2 weeks generally does not require special monitoring of eye pressures.0 -
P.S. Dear saint:
I have had to take it one step further. The oncology nurse is the doctor's self proclaimed "right arm." She has him fooled or something. Maybe he approves of her bullying, ignoring, and shining patients on.
I got a bad vibe from her the first time I met her. She looks at you like a starving barn owl and YOU are a fat mouse. She is just waiting to pounce on you and shut you down, she is listening for something to pounce upon.
I really don't believe I will ever see that onco's office again. You can't work with an onco if his "right hand" onco nurse looks like a cancer herself to you. At least, I can't. With her attitude, she could get someone killed. She helped get me sick with pneumonia. She ignored my concerns two days in a row and that was instrumental in leading to me getting advanced pneumonia. How can I forget that? This is my life, not theirs.
sessna1
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Wait, Ladies, there's more: Steroids ARE for some people
http://www.glaucomaassociates.com/examined.html
Q: I have been told that prednisone (a type of steroid) can cause glaucoma. Why does this happen? Is there a difference in taking it orally or having it seep into the nose through eyedrops?A: Steroids are best known for their use (or abuse) as medications, but the body normally produces a small amount of natural steroids which are involved in regulating its energy requirements (also known as metabolism).Underproduction or overproduction of these internally produced steroids can result in illness. Steroids as medications are powerful drugs, with many effects on the body. They are most often used to suppress inflammation. For inflammation within the eye, steroid eyedrops are the most commonly used treatment.
Steroids are used in many forms of medicine under many names. For example, prednisone is commonly given as an oral medication or an eyedrop. Cortisone may be used as an ointment. Beclomethasone is used as a nasal spray to treat allergies. There are others.
Steroids in any form have the potential to suppress the body's natural production of steroids. When large amounts are used, side effects can occur. This is most common when steroids are administered by mouth as a pill.
Steroids given as eyedrops or by mouth can cause the eye pressure to increase, leading to a form of open-angle glaucoma known as steroid glaucoma. In addition, the eye pressure of patients who are already known to have glaucoma can increase.
Any form of steroid has the potential to raise eye pressure.
These effects are most commonly seen with eyedrops where the medication is absorbed directly into the eye and with oral medications (pills) when a large amount is taken. But it is even possible, though rare, for eye pressure to increase with the steroids inhaled through the nose or placed on the skin as an ointment or cream. If the elevated eye pressure is recognized to be associated with steroid use, the steroid may have to be discontinued.
If this is recognized early enough by your eye doctor and the steroids are discontinued, the eye pressure most often returns to its original level. However, if this is not recognized until it is too late, then the eye pressure will remain high and damage the optic nerve, even when the drug is discontinued.
It is not known why steroids tend to raise eye pressure. They appear to affect the trabecular meshwork (the internal drain of the eye) and cause the resistance to fluid leaving the eye to increase.
It is important to let both your eye doctor and your medical doctor know if you are taking steroids in any form. These medications can have significant effects on the body and the eye.
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WHOA GIRL! You are on a roll!
I have NO fear that you may be railraoded after reading this! You are one feisty-warrior-survivor woman! I will follow up in your advise since I am on oral steroids for about 2-3 weeks & don't want to undo all the efforts my eye doc has put into getting my glaucoma stable......
YOU GO GIRL--I think the barn owl has met MORE than her match!
Be well & stay strong
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saint: When I began reading your reply, I wasn't sure you were talking to me. WOW. What powerful compliments. I thank you, as my parent's daughter. I thank you, for myself. You made me feel good. I am nit-picky, detailed, and my last job title was business analyst. It is just how my brain works. Have five (5) ways to do it figured out and then launch your offense/defense - whichever is necessary.
Some people don't like nit-picky detailed people; however, IF I was your accountant, you would love me. If I was an accountant, my clients would love me.
I'm gonna starve that ol' barn owl, this fat mouse has tactics, maneuvers, and strategy!
May God strengthen, bless, and keep you, and all that you love and all that love you.
Sincerely,
sessna1
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I second SAINT. And I love nit-picky detailed people. Just ask my husband. Mr. Anal Retentive himself.
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ok ladies - need your expertise. Would someone please explain to me (in NORMAL people terms) if you have a cyst on your ovary, what is meant by "echogenic area"? I know I don't want to know the difference between 2 cysts vs a septated cyst (that's the other ovary!).
thanks,
Trish
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echogenic just means that when they did the ulstrasound, the sound waves "echoed" off that area.
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Sooooo, does that mean that there is something inside the cyst???? Sound waves bounce off other cysts and there is no mention of an echogenic area. I am really sooo confused. I'm getting a headache.
T.
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I cant explain anything but am offering up 2 tylenol extra strength
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Thanks Dream!
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Hugs everybody and thanks for all the woo hoo's.
Trish, sorry girl I have no idea what that means.
Oops...boss is back. Later!!
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alright guys, I take a little "cancer vacation" and come back to over 700 new posts on this thread! I started reading, but there is no way I'll catch up. Here's a blanket "THAT SUCKS!" for all who need it.
I've had a few more IOSs than SOIs since I've been gone, but shit happens....right?
I've missed you all and am hoping that the SOIs are outweighing the IOSs for everyone!
((((HUGS))))
Diane0 -
HS DIANE!!!! HOW THE HECK ARE YOU??? WE MISSED YOU!!! GLAD TO SEE YOU!
drive by...system is running too slow for me to try and read a page and a half...so as Diane said...a "blanket that sux"
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WhaSux....a fly-by......
Rads delayed til Monday.....flying low in steroid mode......keep the IOS at a minimum (please)
Be well & stay strong.... HUGE hugs to my sistas!
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Quick THAT SUCKS as needed. Hugs and Blessings, Nancy
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STEROIDS SUCK..............!
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Idiot doctors: GRRRRRRRRRR. I had a message from the rad onco yesterday AFTER a very long discussion that I am NOT doing rads and my reasons why not. The medical onco and breast surgeon agree with me, and say I always have the option of a mastectomy in the future. Then I get the news from one of my chemo buddies who had rads and she has permanent lung scaring from radiation...
The current IOS, the first insurance I had when I began chemo, way back last year in June - yes, almost a year ago - has declined all appeals for paying for my first chemo and neulasta. That leaves me with a bill of over $ 10 K to pay off now. Maybe I should stand on the street corner with a can displaying " CANCER SUCKS".... The hospital has agreed to a payment plan, so I guess I might live another 5 years to be able to pay it off in installments... I got a different insurance and only have minimum co pays for doctors visits. Most everything else has been covered.
THAT SUCKS for all who need it. HUGS, Nancy
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Nancy the dove is right. Call your OMBUDSMAN first. I think you have those in the states. After you appeal to the Ombudsman, it goes on record and your insurance co hates that. And they do not want you suing for the coverage they should have approved in the first place. Get a lawyer to agree that he will take your case before the letter so you can end... all future correspondence should be through my Attorney... Mr. George BeattheSystem. CC the lawyer with address and phone no. Oh and I worked in insurance for 20 yrs and I didnt say this.
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How can insurance NOT pay for chemo?! With all the money we pay for premiums...I agree with filing a complaint.
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LeftyAKAnancy, please try dreamwriter's suggestion. Locally, here, a woman in the process of chemo was canceled from her health insurance and it got to the TV, Channel 7, "Eyewitness News." She got a lawyer, her insurance back, and a settlement.
Not that ANY amount of money gives you back hours, days, weeks, or years of your life. I'm glad the court punished that company.
WAIT. I'm the nit-picky detailed poster (with thanks to saint and dreamwriter
) Let me go Google it.http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/570631_print
There you go. It was Health Net. It had to be an HMO, them and their "cost cutting" measures. A Universal Health plan will mean rationing of services, people. The elderly (aka they are going to die anyway) will be shortchanged. We will go from a "whoever has coverage gets care" system to a "whoever the government decides needs it most will get care." Neither one is fair, but the latter is very scary.
A Universal Health Care System depends upon young people, healthy young people, putting money into the system. Guess what? Many of our healthy young people are failing the high school exit exam in California. We had an "exit" exam in high school... it was called finals week! Honestly. What happened to the children, parents, society, and education?
Given the brave sons, daughters, moms, and dads in the war now, there are some other otherwise healthy people that are not putting money into the system.
Given the economy, the Octomom (only for having more children than she could afford), John & Kate plus 8 (ditto), and the selfish attitude that we saw clearly from Wall Streets fiasco, we have troubles in our country. This is not your grandparents "sacrifice for the future" mindset.
These days, the young and older think their time is being spent wisely by writing to others about themselves (Twitter, tweet), blogging, or walking around town talking to someone on their Bluetooth or cell phone.
It's a waste of time to make yourself into a non-stand alone product that advertises YOU. You make yourself dependent, needy, unfocused, and scatterbrained. Come on, is that super-selfish or what?
This has been my public service announcement. Thank you. We now return you to your important local post topic.
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Hey WhaSUx?????
Oh, sessna1---you are a delight!~!! Hahahaha
IOS- still fighting the steroid thrumming fatigue! But made it thru my son's grad party. It was an amazing success! I think everyone had a good time & ppl's generosity amazed us.
HUGE SOI- a friend created a scholarship with her mom & awarded it to my boy in a card--not a word--just stopped, had a beer & sandwich & dropped a check for $1000 in his card box! The ppl who surround us continue to bless our lives & restore my faith in the future on a daily basis..........(that is especially for you sessna!)
I start rads tomorrow & I'm so ready to end these steroids! I'm getting schizophrenic...close to tears all the time......somebody stop me...from eating! HUGS
Be well & stay strong
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