Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Good news, bad news, hopeful news

Well, yesterday (Tuesday) was .... interesting.  (I'm getting to hate that word.)

First some good news.  After 3 years of enduring the ravages of d^mn deer, the 3 prairie fire crabtrees that I planted at the same time as the Robinisons in the crab bed, are in full bloom this year!  Sure you'll notice that all of the bottom branches have had to be cut off - all broken/ eaten by deer, but I guess (hope!) that the rest are now growing out of reach of the 4-legged plague.  I really like how deep the color of the blooms are (compared to the Robinsons which are a decided light pink).

Notice the teeny weeny one on the right?  That thing used to be twice as big, but now a mere shadow of itself due to deer.  There are few branches left, but still, this year, somehow those buds were overlooked and are blooming away like the big guys.  I call it - The Little Prince.

Now, for the bad news.  Yesterday, around 11:00 am, I suddenly realized I was going to have another of those terrifying episodes of fizzing, weakness, panic, etc.  I knew it was coming.  I don't know how.... but it was.  It's like if you were in a room and everything looked fine and then somehow, the light changed and things didn't 'feel' the same.  That's what I felt.  These episodes are like nothing else that I've had in the past - this isn't prickles/numbness, this isn't hunger/light-headedness.  This was --- different.  And scary.   What the hell could these be?  What?

I'm relatively smart.  And lately, I've had to get smarter (as my doctors seem to be getting dumber).  These episodes start from the middle of my head, move down my neck and then I'm in full fainty - abject fear mode.   Now what....

I headed for the web.  And found an answer.  And it was terrifying.  I may well be having hypoglycemia-induced seizures.  Not enough glucose in my brain.  Probably compounded by my continued dehydration problem (I'm drying out no matter how much fluid I get).   Y'see, I give these symptoms to my GP and she wants me to see a shrink.  I TOLD her I'm hypoglycemic.  Did she react?  Did she offer to do any glucose testing?  Did she give a damn?  No.

At the first 'hit' on the web, I ran and got some glucose tablets, chewed them down, then slurped down a Klondike bar while I continued to research.  These spells sure read like seizures.  (Don't panic.  The glucose tablets went right to my blood/brain and, thankfully, reduced this current event to a minimum, though the 'hangover' from it lasted most of the rest of the day.)

Now the good news.  While at the neurologist on Friday, I convinced him to refer me to an endocronologist.  I WAS worried about my hypoglycemia and even though it was NOT in his bailiwick, he asked if I was fatigued?  Hell yes!  Okay, he referred me to an endocrinologist.  How fortunate.  By yesterday, however, I'd not heard from the endo people (and with this new discovery, I needed attention RIGHT NOW) so called over there to see when they were making my appointment based on the referral.  "What referral?"  You guessed it - no paperwork was ever sent.  *FUME*   I explained the situation and they set up an appointment and then I called the neuro people and got them to fax the referral.  GOOD FRACKING GRIEF do I have to do everything?

So tomorrow (Thursday) should be busy.  Not only do I have a Therapy evaluation for the cervical DDD in the morning, I have an appointment with the endocrinologist in the afternoon.   Maybe now I'll get some answers - or help.  Because I never knew (and it was never explained to me by my GP) that hypoglycemia is not just "oh eat something, you'll feel better".   No!  Without sufficient glucose in the blood and the very-demanding brain, you can have seizures!  Or worse...

So tomorrow, hopefully, we'll take my endocrine system to the shop and have all those pesky little glands put up on the rack, so to speak.  Because somewhere, something is very very out of whack....  Please, keep your fingers crossed that the 6th time (with doctors) turns out to be the charm.  I'm so due for one!

11 comments:

  1. I have had episodes exactly like you have described. I was diagnosed as epileptic - and I refuted that completely -l didn't take the medication that was prescribed (beta blockers).

    Turns out I was experiencing syncope which was as a direct result of blood starvation to the brain due to a mitral valve prolapse.

    Now I know to eat small meals throughout the day, and, if I feel an occurence coming on I lie down with my feet raised for 10 minutes to get the blood back to it's normal flow to the brain.

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    1. Yes yes! I read that mitral valve prolapse was another of the triggers for non-epileptic seizures! Oh Dani, you don't know how you've made me feel, knowing someone else out there can relate! I knew I wasn't epileptic - all those CT/MRI showed a clear brain (although no EEG). Still, everything FITS. I'm so glad you didn't take a doctor's word for it. And thank goodness you're able to circumvent episodes. No prolapse here (the heart test), but I don't go ANYwhere right now without glucose tabs. Thank you for your comment!! *BIG HUG*

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  2. i'd love to kick some of those doctors in the arse for you, though i'm really not a violent person. i kinda think you should take them up on the offer of a psych, if for nothing else than to help you cope with asinine doctors.

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    1. Better to turn to friends for relief than yet another idiot doctor. One should not have to 'cope' with bad/useless doctors - they should be professionally accountable for their actions (or inactions as it were). Thanks for sticking up for me, Icebear. And thanks for commenting - makes me feel a lot less alone in this. :-D

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  3. Kris, I had the same 'referral' problem when I needed to see the rheumatologist. I kept waiting for them to call me with an appointment and after a week, I called their office. She said "what referral?". She kept me on a conference call so I could hear and she called them to get the proper forms faxed to them and then scheduled me for an appointment. She couldn't understand the snafu in the GP's office. They have been using the same forms for referrals for a long time. You have to be on top of things all the time...... just like you have been.

    I do hope the endocrinologist gets to the bottom of things.

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    1. I feel so bad for those that do not have the wherewithall to assert themselves in these kinds of situations or do not have a friend/relative to do it for them. Yes, I'm afraid I've got a lot of hopeful eggs in today's doctor visit basket. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

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  4. I have hypoglycemia. If my blood sugar crashes, I'm screwed for the rest of the day and I can always feel it dropping. Not eating is never an option for me or I'll pass out. I minimize my sugar (except for chocolate, which I cannot live without) and use carb/protein combos to keep me going. Good luck! I said a prayer for you. :o)

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    1. Tammy - thanks for the prayer. I really appreciate that. I'm going to shoot you an email later today, ask about your diet regimen for this situation as I'm sure I don't have a clue how to manage this well. And NO one should have to live without chocolate! :-D

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  5. Ummm.... I don't have a diet regimen. Here's what I don't eat: crap. I avoid processed, sugary food, and anything refined, except for the occasional Oreo or chocolate chip cookie. I eat protein almost every morning/evening and keep nuts, peanut butter, whole grains, cheese (plus a ziilion Lactaid), and fruit handy. I have a tendency to forget to eat but the consequences are my blood sugars crash so I'm a great nibbler. Exercise and plenty of sleep (ha!) help me stay stabilized. Every now and then I'll have a weird day when I can't keep my sugar up but they're rare. A bacon/egg/cheese sandwich on whole grain bread is pure heaven and keeps me going for a long time. I hope this helps. :o)

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    1. Yes, it does help. I, too, have a tendency not to eat or find when it's time to eat I don't have an appetite. But when I do, I don't do 'crap' either - whole foods is my game, and lots of dairy (no Lactaid needed here). We're going to try gluten free for a while, see if it slows down my system and lets me keep some weight. Really appreciate your help. I was over an hour at the PT eval yesterday and 4 hours at the endocrinologist - I'll put up a post. Thanks for the info... :-D

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  6. Sweetie, so sorry not to have come in on this sooner, please don't think I am ignoring you or no longer care because nothing could be further from the truth.

    I am wracking my brain but I know I have read recently about severe lack of glucose in the brain being triggered by a medication for something completely different ... might be statins but I am pretty certain you don't take them. I'll do some Googling and see if I can recall what it was.

    Thinking of you :}

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