IC Disease

I now have sinus infection #5 since September.  I was doing better after my last round of antibiotics, which were very expensive, but now the old sinusitis feelings are back again and I feel like crap.  I missed work Sunday because I was so sick and I barely made it through work yesterday.  It is common for people who chronic illnesses like ME/CFS, FM and IC Disease to have problems with chronic sinusitis. 

I have tried different kinds of nasal sprays, antibiotics, and nasal rinses but so far nothing seems to help keep the infections away long term.  Yesterday at work one of the girls I work with suggested I try putting Vicks on my head for the sinus pressure headache.  So last night I tried it and it did help some.  I also put it around my sinuses and I got some relief that way, too.  I guess it’s back to the doctor again next week. 

I wore myself out today.  We are remodeling our kitchen, which is almost 45 years old, and I can’t believe how tired I am!  The pain in my leg is pretty bad also, even though I wore my compression stockings as instructed by the doctor.  The one bright spot was that my bladder didn’t act up even though I was on the move quite a bit.  I am so excited to be getting a new kitchen!  I have lived here for 15 years and I have been waiting this entire time to remodel.  Back in the 1960’s, kitchens were decorated with dark colors:  dark wood cabinets, dark stoves (cinnamon brown was the color of our stove.  Yes, we were still using the original stove!), and dark flooring.  My husband has health issues also so he has to watch how much work he does in a day’s time.  Fortunately, we can do all of the work ourselves so that saves us tons of money.

Is it worth being wore out to have a bright, beautiful new kitchen?  You bet!!

My vein surgery that was scheduled for this Wednesday has been postponed for at least three months.  You can read my previous posts on this subject here & here. 

My health insurance company won’t pay for the surgery until the doctor has tried other more “conservative” methods of treatment for at least three months.  I have to go in to the doctor’s office tomorrow to pick up my compression stockings.  The doctor’s office tried to explain to the insurance company that the problem has moved beyond the help of compression stockings and that surgery is my only option but they won’t budge.  So now I have to suffer in pain for three more months. 

I can see the insurance company’s point of view, but I also want to feel better and have pain relief.  I also feel that the doctor telling them that the problem is too severe for more conservative methods of treatment should have proven that it needed to be done.  Now I have to go through three months more of pain just to turn around and have surgery anyway.

I have less than one week until my leg surgery and I can’t wait until it’s all over with.  I am in so much pain I just want to feel better.  I have been suffering from very extreme sleepiness, different from that of my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and I think a lot of it is due to being in so much pain.  I find that every free chance I get I want to lie down and take a nap and I hate feeling like that but my body is begging for the sleep it seems.  I have little energy to research for my blogs and I am finding that just getting through the day has become even more difficult than usual.  I hate not being productive.  I like to accomplish things and when I feel like this it’s almost impossible. 

I hope surgery is the answer and I feel better once the healing process is over.

I am finding that the more active I am the more my IC symptoms act up.  When I am at work and I have to do a job where I am sent walking all over the store several times throughout my shift, I find that my urinary frequency increases tremendously.  Yesterday at work I was supposed to be a cashier, which I was, but I was also sent hourly around the store to make sure there weren’t any messes.  Each time I would make it about half way around and I would feel the need to urinate hit me suddenly and that familiar pain in my bladder returned. 

As long as I am standing and not moving too much at work, I’m fine and I can usually make it to my break without needing the bathroom.  It’s when I have to more around a lot that the problems begin.  I don’t discuss my disabilities, however, at work because I don’t want to be labeled as I have been in the past.  There is a stereotype that disabled or chronically ill people can’t ever do anything or don’t ever try to do anything and if they know all of my problems, they might be harder on me.  I’ve been down that route and I won’t let that happen ever again.  As long as I can keep a handle on the situation, I’ll continue.  If things start to get too rough physically I’ll just have to quit.

I have been having problems with varicose veins on my right lower leg for quite some time but recently the problem has gotten much worse and the pain has become really bad.  About a month ago I noticed a lump behind my right knee whenever I stood up to walk and the pain was so badly I could barely do so.  After seeing the doctor, I was sent to see a vascular surgeon.  The vascular surgeon sent me for an ultrasound and that is when the technician found the blood clots (phlebitis) in the superficial veins on my legs starting at my upper thigh and going down to below my knee.  The lump behind my knee is a blood clot.

The problem is not a serious one, but it will require a more detailed procedure than just an in office fix that the doctor had hoped to do.  I have to go to the hospital, be put to sleep, and the doctor will go through my groin, fix the problem there and then fix the varicose veins.  He said after the first week or so, I should see a major improvement with pain and my legs getting so fatigued.  I am anxious to have the surgery done because I am tired of being in constant pain. 

I hope everything works out and that he is able to fix the problem.

I went to see my doctor the other week due to repeated sinus infections and also because my headaches are getting really bad again.  Even though she changed my medication to oxycontin, I am still not getting any relief.  I am in total misery almost all of the time anymore and the constant pain is beginning to take a toll on my family as well. 

It’s hard to be happy, upbeat and fun to be around when the pain is so bad.  I don’t know what else to do.  I need to get some relief but I don’t want to be so drugged up I don’t know what day it is.  I’m in a catch 22 situation here. 

The headaches have even gotten to the point where I’m waking up because they are so severe.  Any tips?

I knew last week when my son got sick with the stomach flu it would only be a matter of time for me and I would get it also.  Well, I ended up sick all night Monday night and all day Tuesday and today I still feel like crap.  I did stop throwing up yesterday but I still can’t eat and I have the worst headache that several pain pills still hasn’t taken away. 

I have never had a stomach flu as bad as this one was.  Everyone who I know that has had it said that it was worse than anything they ever experienced and I would have to say for me it was rough.  The stomach pain was immense and I continually was doubling over from the pain.  My pain was in the upper part of my stomach, right under my breasts, and I was throwing up every half hour all night. 

It seems that each year the flu is getting harder and harder to contain and that even some of those people getting the flu shots are still getting sick.  How about you and your family?  Have you been safe from the flu this year?

It has been a very exhausting weekend so far at my house.  Thursday I was at the doctor again for the third time in the past four months for a sinus infection.  Then Thursday evening around 11:00 p.m. my son started throwing up and having diarrhea all night and all day on Friday.  I didn’t get any sleep at all Thursday night and only a couple of hours of sleep on Friday.

This stomach bug that is going around right now is really bad.  I have never seen my son so sick before.  I’m sure I will probably end up with it within the next couple of days now.  Whenever he gets sick I can be sure to get sick as well.

Today was the first day my son was able to eat so I was happy to see his appetite back somewhat.  He didn’t eat breakfast but he did eat a little at lunch and a little at dinner.  Hopefully by tomorrow his appetite will be completely back.  He still didn’t look very good today but there wasn’t anymore vomiting.  His face is still pale and his eyes look funny - kind of glassy. 

My new year started off with a bang - constant trips to the restroom as my IC Disease decides to flare.  Not only is my IC flaring but also my Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  When I have a flare it’s never just one or the other - all three decide to make an appearance.

I always try to start the new year off hopeful but I’m definitely not off to a good start in 2009.  We had company last night for New Year’s Eve and I did drink two fuzzy navels, which is something that I do maybe once a year and usually on New Year’s Eve.  I’m sure that’s what set off my bladder but the other symptoms are just from not having enough rest. 

Happy new year to everyone and I hope your day turned out better than mine!