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Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Avoiding Pain Killer Addiction

I think avoiding pain killer addiction begins with education. People who are aware of, and respect the possibility of becoming addicted have a reduced chance of becoming so.

Unfortunately, in many cases education isn’t enough.

While in the hospital, and fully aware of possibly becoming addicted, I kept asking for my hydomorphone (and extremely powerful pain killer). Oh, I really liked this IV push. It seemed like I was glad I had the pain so I had an excuse to het another dose.

But then, in the back of my mind I knew I didn’t want to be hooked. Eventually I was discharged from the hospital; sent home to deal with my pain with a few bottles of two other pain killers.

You can help keep from becoming addicted by remembering why you began taking the medicine. Do a self-diagnostic. That is, do an internal check; like say, Robocop. Try to assess if you are really hurting. Ask yourself, “When do I hurt the most?” Then you can control when you take your pain medication, and can better decide when you can cut back.

Another idea for avoiding adiction is keeping an accurate check on your dose times.  Make them at obvious times, like the top and bottome, or left and right sides of the click(12 and 6, or 3 and 9).  Keeping up with when you should dose yourself will help you avoid overmedicating. 

Cutting back on your pain medicine as soon as possible is another way to keep from becoming addicted. This way, you are not stopping cold turkey before you are ready.

Another thing to remember is that many medications cause constipation and ceasing the use of those meds can result in some uncomfortable diarrhea. Your body has to get used to not having the drug.

Even if you don’t feel any pain, you might feel irritable when you stop taking pain medicine. Remember these feelings will pass. Don’t use them as an excuse to keep taking them.

Life with Protein Losing Enteropathy (PLE)

Let me tell you, I know first hand how low serum protein can effect a person. You see, protein plays an important role in fluid equilibrium. Think of protein as little grains of sand that soak up water. Protein doesn’t really soak up water, but through atom polarity on a molecular level, protein holds H2O close to it (within the cells). When a large percentage of a person’s protein molecules are missing, it upsets normal osmotic pressure of the cells, and water simply runs into the tissues between the cells. This is often called, “Third Spacing”.

I’ve had as much as 60 pounds of fluid (water) third spaced at a time. Let me tell you it really sucks!

How I dealt with it? Well, I had a tough time. I was unhappy with looking like a little fat guy. I had a hard time cleaning my self, and at one point the skin on my legs was stretched to the point of causing much pain. I had a hard time walking and could hardly bend my knees. I could barely pull my pants up from the floor, and I often had to lay with my feet and legs propped up in the air even during “fun” family events like Easter, the fourth of july and so on.

How I copped? I took it one day at a time. I cut down, way down on my salt intake. This didn’t help me as much as my doctors felt it should have.

I put my shoes on in the morning because this is when I found my fluid there to be at its lowest.
I used lotion on my legs to help allow my skin to strech.

I complained… that is, I vented my frustrations to my wife which helped me face my emotions about my condition. I didn’t want to go anywhere because I looked so bad.
I tried Beneprotein soy powder as a protein supplement. This helped my loose stools, but did little for my edema.

My doctor agreed I was in a bad way and began me on intravenous Immunoglobuluns (ivig), IV albumin, and Iv lasix. This helped some. It helped boost my immune system, helped get some of the fluid off me, and raised my albumin level if only very briefly. I was placed on a drug called Methotrexate. I was prescribed a subcutaneous injection every week at .4 mg. After the 2nd week, my doctor said to give myself an additional .4 mg which I did. That was on a Friday. By Monday, I was caughing and hacking because I suddenly developed a pneumonia like condition called methotrexate lung. The lungs fill with some weird nodules, and got really sick.

The funny thing is, about 3 weeks after that first methotrexate injection, my protein levels shot up to just about normal. This lasted for about 3 weeks and I gradually began packing on the edema again as my protein levels started falling.

I subsequently took it upon myself to try a single dose one desperate afternoon just to see what would happen. 3 weeks later my protein again shot up. But I began to develop infection like symptoms in my chest so I told my doctor what I did. Let me tell you by the time she got done with me I was promising not to do that again.

I didn’t end up with methotrexate lung again, but I did have me a scare.
Then I went to the mayo clinic. Iwas eventually diagnosed with Menetrier’s disease and was advised to try octreotide. My doctor prescribed it eventually, and a few weeks after my protein began to rise. Albumin went from less than 1 to 2.0.

My total protein went from 1.9 to 4.8.

These numbers may sound like small changes, but believe me they make a world of difference in the edema department.

The skin on my legs was so tight at one time that a shard of glass falling from counter level cut my leg with a very light glancing contact. My leg then dripped water for over a month. Every pair of pants I put on soon had a soaked leg from the shin down..

Well, this is good for now. Any questions or any stories of your own, leave them in the comments please.

Monday, August 23, 2010

How I Cope with Hypoproteinemia

Some people might wonder what the big deal with protein is. To them, I say a lot!

Aside from edema, which I describe here in this blog, other issues have risen due to medication side effects.

Side effects I have suffered from are, weight gain, plural edema (fluid within the outer lining of the lungs), a positive AFB (acidfast bacillus) in my spinal fluid) indicating a strong possibility of having tuberculosis meningitis, legal blindness and some I’m not remembering at this time.

These medication induced problems only compound problems brought on by my form of this idiopathic Protein losing neuropathy. For example, I had a clot in my spleen and it had to come out. I had some neuropathic pain in my toes along with necrosis and my toes had to be taken off on my left foot. I had to have a vain replaced (bypass) in my leg from my crotch to my ankle.

Because of this disease, this condition, I had hernias that needed repair (surgery) and a multitude of invasive tests including several of each of the following EGDs (scope down the throat), colonoscopy (scope up the butt), exploratory abdominal surgery, a Die squirted ON THE BRAIN scan test (this sucked), and many I don’t remember at this point.

How have I coped?

I have held on tightly to the aspects of life that I enjoy. I don’t sweat the small stuff as they say and I revel in life’s many wonderful mysteries.

I re-engaged myself into hobbies that I, at one time, set aside for more pressing endeavors and I stopped taking my relationships with others for granted.

I watch a lot of America’s Funniest Videos and find as many reasons to laugh as I can. But most of all, I pray a lot. I pray a lot and I live in the hope that better days are in front of me.

I do these things, and I persevere with a smile.

Friday, August 20, 2010

My Personal Advice For Coping with Pain

Yes, this protein conditiion causes problems that are painful.  I don't know how many nights I lay awake clutching my foot with the amputated toes.

In many cases, your pain will be temporary, as was mine.  Hang in there, it'll be alright.

Watch my Video.

Acupuncture Information Video

Interested in acupuncture as a treatment? Check out what it is, and how it works in this video.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Check out the following foods and their protein levels.  No wonder I like fish so much!
Naturally Ocurring  High Protein Foods
Food                            g protein  /  g carbs

EGGS ( 1 medium size ) 6 grams 0 g
MILK ( 1 pint or 568ml) 19 grams 24 g
MILK ( 1 glass ) 6.3 grams 8 g
SOYA MILK Plain (200 ml) 6 grams 1.6 g
TOFU (100 g) 8 grams 0.8 g
LOW-FAT YOGHURT (plain) 150g 8 grams 10 g
LOW-FAT YOGHURT (fruit) 150g 6 grams 27 g
FISH (cod fillets 100g or 3.5 ounces) 21 grams 0 g
CHEESE cheddar 100g (3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0.1 g
ROAST BEEF ( 100g or 3.5 ounces ) 28 grams 0 g
ROAST CHICKEN 100g ( 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g
OTHER MEATS AVERAGE (100g or 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g
---------------------------------
Processed Food Protein/ carb levels
Sausages (100g or 3.5 ounces) 12 grams 13 g
Bacon (100g or 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g
Ham (100g or 3.5 ounces) 18 grams 0 g
Beefburgers - freezer type average(100g) 20 grams 6 g
Corned Beef (100g or 3.5 ounces) 26 grams 0 g
luncheon Meat (100g or 3.5 ounces) 13 grams 5.5 g
Meat Paste (100g or 3.5 ounces) 15 grams 3 g
----------------------
Protein Supplements

Met-RX Big 100 bars 27 g Metamyosyn 26 g
Myoplex Protein 42g 24g
Precision Protein 20 g 4 g
EAS Products 21 g 0 g
Whey Protein 23 g 3 g
IST Pure Glutamine 98% -

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Can Cravings Address Nutritional Needs of Chronically ill?

By Daniel Taverne

I believe my food cravings are trying to tell me things. For example, I get serious cravings for pickles from time to time, and no I’m not pregnant. What could this pickle craving be telling me?

I also get cravings for cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, assorted greens (mustard, turnip and collard).
I often crave fresh tomatoes, peaches, strawberries, blueberries and foods that contain a sour flavor.  Foods I don’t crave are meats like pork and beef. Yes, all my cravings are fruits and vegetables.

What could this mean?

Our bodies are designed in a way that gives us clues as to what this could mean. One such clue is our teeth. By looking at them we can see the vast majority of them are squared off; not pointy, as are the teeth of carnivores.

As we look at the “traditional” American diet, meat and potatoes, and the number one cause of death in America, heart disease, we might conclude that meat isn’t the best choice for humans to eat.

In an article titled, “Top Ten Cravings People Experience During Pregnancy",   Dacy Reimer asserts, “Pregnancy changes the chemistry of your body in strange and miraculous ways. Since you're eating for two now, you might get hit with some rather odd food cravings…” It’s this notion of changed body chemistry that causes me to make an assertion of my own.

I would like to assert that people, like me, who have dietary deficiencies experience cravings as well; cravings that if acted upon can address some of those shortcomings.  How pickles might help me, I don’t know, but when I get these cravings I try to obey them.

What do you think about this issue?  Do you have cravings and how do you think they might address a nutritional need of your own?  Leave a comment or sign my gurestbook to let me know how you feel.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Mild Exercise Reduces Poor Effects of Hospital Beds


Article available online at: http://www.therapytimes.com/092809Physical
Critical care experts at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore are reporting initial success in boosting recovery and combating muscle wasting among critically ill, mostly bed-bound patients using any one of a trio of mild physical therapy exercises during their stays in the intensive care unit (ICU).

“ICU-related muscle weakness is the number one factor in prolonging a patient’s recovery and delaying their return to a normal life, including work and recreational activities,” says critical care specialist Dale Needham, MD, PhD, the senior researcher involved in producing the report, to be published in the journal Critical Care Medicine online Sept. 21.

“Our ICU patients are telling us that they want to be awake and moving. Gone are the days when we should only think of critically ill patients on complete bed rest,” says Needham, whose 2008 publication in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that a majority of ICU patients experienced prolonged fatigue and delayed recovery after bed rest. For the rest of the article click here.

Click here for a video I made of 3 exercises you might use to help you get back to normal.

VIDEO - 3 Hospital Bed Exercises for Hospitalized and Bed-Bound Patients - VIDEO

These exercises can be done right in the bed!  The diagnals are done  while supine (laying on back).

When I get hospitalized, it's eazy for me to lay around getting weak.  I decided this isn't what I want so I started doing some simple exercises to maintain my strength.  In this video, I share a few exercises you might do, when you are hospitalized.   Check with your doctor or nurse to make sure you are okay to do them.

Also, this video shows a very good exercise for morbidly obese people to perform as a start to losing weight.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Do you know your Edema?

I have noticed there are different levels of edema.

I know about the “+” indicator of pitting edema, and I’m not referring to that. I am talking the anasarca.

Anasarca is generalized edema, meaning it is present throughout the body; not just dependant areas.

I have noted over the years I’ve been dealing with this that even my muscle fibers seem to become edemic. How do I know this?

When laying in the hospital bed one day, I had my right forearm resting in my right hand. When I tpositioned to sit up, I noticed the huge depression in my forearm where my hand had been.

Another observation I’ve made is that doctors will mistakenly think I have ascites (fluid within the abdominal space). I actually had one doctor try to aspirate fluid from within my abdomen with a huge syringe. It didn’t work!

My fluid was third spaced within the skin and was unable ot be drawn out. I would leak however whenever I was given a subcutaneous injection in that area.

So, the point of this little post is to get you to pay attention to your edema. What are its characteristics? Is it only in your lower extremeties, or is it also in your lower back area?

Do you notice times when your fluid level is worse? If so, what are tohose triggers.

All these questions and their answers may be important to your doctor, so be honest and pay attention.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Stuffed Chili (Pepper) Recipe

Cheese is loaded with protein so I thought I'd show you one of my favorite recipes.  Here's a video I made myself.