something's up with me

[petey]

Something is definitely up with me.  I've had a bad sinus infection for three weeks -- two visits to the doctor, two different antibiotics, and still can't get rid of it (baaaaaaad headaches with this).  Sunday night, I thought I was catching a cold on top of that!!!  Now, I'm afraid it's more than a cold -- I'm thinking touch of the flu or mono or something like that (I have no, absolutely no, energy -- just washing dishes wears me out!).  I've been out of school all this week.  I tried to get back in at my GP's office yesterday, but he was full.  I'm going this afternoon to see his PA.  I'm so scared I'm going to give Marvin whatever it is I have.  I've been wearing a mask while do his home hemo treatments.

[xtrememoosetrax]

Sorry to hear you're feeling so crummy, Petey.  Good luck with the PA today.  I'll be thinking about you and hoping you'll be feeling much better very soon! 

[okarol]

My son is away at college and has the same thing! His sinus was so swollen that his eye closed and he couldn't hear on that side! It's been 3 weeks and they've begun another round of antibiotics, stronger one, so hopefully it helps. This is really going to mess up his last few weeks of school. I know the headaches were awful for him petey, and I sympathize with what you're experiencing. Hopefully you will get some relief soon.

[monrein]

Petey, I hope you get some answers and some relief soon.  Have you ever used a neti pot?  There is a thread somewhere here on this site but given your situation you could ask your doctor about it or a pharmacist or a health store.  The mask is a good idea for the meanwhile but I know that what you really need is to be rid of whatever it is.

[willieandwinnie]

Ohhhhhhhhhh petey, God, I am so sorry. And here you have been listening to me whine. I don't want to scare you but mono is making the rounds in the DC area. My grand-daughter's high school has about a dozen cases. I had it when I was about 13 and it wasn't fun. Try to get plenty of rest, if you can, and make sure you drink so you don't become dehydrated. God how I wish we lived closer to you, I would be more then happy to help with Marvin's treatments so you could just rest. Keep wearing that mask and don't kiss Marvin (I know that's horrible), or share glasses and such things. Please post when you get back from doctors and let us know. I'll be worried about you all afternoon now. I wondered this morning when I saw you on-line how come you weren't at school. Now I know and I'm so sorry. Please get better.  

[The Wife]

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling so bad Petey.  Whenever I get the slightest cold, I worry too as these things flatten LL.

Take care of yourself and know I'm thinking of you and sending you lots of love.

[annabanana]

Petey, I hope the PA helps you! It's so hard being sick and worrying about spreading it.

[rose1999]

Worrying about you Petey, hope they will give you something to help. What is mono? I've never heard of it (we probably call it something else) but whatever it is, I hope you don't have it.  By the way if you'd like I'll pop over and kiss Marvin while you can't - well what are Friends for

[willieandwinnie]

Rose, here's some information. It really is horrible the older you are when you get it.

What is mononucleosis? Mononucleosis, also called "mono," is a common viral illness that can leave you feeling tired and weak for weeks or months. Mono goes away on its own, but lots of rest and good self-care can help you feel better.

What causes mono? Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is most often seen in adolescents and young adults. Children can get the virus, but it often goes unnoticed because their symptoms are mild. Adults usually do not get mono, because they have immunity to the virus.

Mono can be spread through contact with saliva, mucus from the nose and throat, and sometimes tears. Because the virus can be spread through kissing, it has earned the nickname the "kissing disease." If you have mono, you can avoid passing the virus to others by not kissing anyone and by not sharing things like glasses, eating utensils, or toothbrushes.

As soon as you get over mono, your symptoms will go away for good, but you will always carry the virus that caused it. The virus may become active from time to time without causing any symptoms. When the virus is active, it can be spread to others.

What are the symptoms? The most common symptoms of mono are a high fever, a severe sore throat, swollen glands and tonsils, and weakness and fatigue. Symptoms usually start 4 to 6 weeks after you are exposed to the virus.

Mono can cause the spleen to swell. Severe pain in the upper left part of your belly may mean that your spleen has burst. This is an emergency.

How is mono diagnosed? Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and examine you. You may also need blood tests to check for signs of mono (monospot test) and the Epstein-Barr virus. Blood tests can also help rule out other causes of your symptoms.

How is it treated? Usually only self-care is needed for mono.

Get plenty of rest. You may need bed rest, which could keep you away from school or work for a little while. Gargle with salt water or use throat lozenges to soothe your sore throat.
Take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil) to reduce fever and relieve a sore throat and headaches.  Avoid contact sports and heavy lifting. Your spleen may be enlarged, and impact or straining could cause it to burst.  In severe cases, medicines called corticosteroids may be used to reduce swelling of the throat, tonsils, or spleen.

[rose1999]

OMG that sounds awful, I do hope Petey doesn't have that.  Thanks very much for taking the time to tell me about it, I'd heard of EBV but not mono. 

[petey]

Okay, I'm back from the doctor's office.  The PA (a girl I really, really like -- and I can call her a "girl" because she's only 30 or so) looked, checked, mashed, probed, etc.  She said she didn't think it was the flu or mono (no swollen glands, no fevers).  She said she thought it was just that awful, wicked sinus infection that the other two antibiotics didn't get rid of; when they didn't clear it out, it just got worse.  She said I was probably so tired and exhausted all the time because that infection was running rampant up there in my head.  She also said that the terrible headaches were probably due to the fact that I was tensing up the muscles in my face and head (due to the sinus infection) ---  BAAAA HAAAA   -- muscles in my head -- and you all probably thought it was just fat up there in my head!!

Anyway, she gave me four prescriptions -- Cipro (for the infection, and she said this was a strong antibiotic); Phenavent (for the congestion); Methocarbamol (a muscle relaxer for the tenseness -- take it at bedtime because it will make me sleepy); and Fluconazole (because I get really bad yeast infections any time I take an antibiotic).  I'm going to start on all these meds tonight, and I hope I'll be better in the morning.  The PA said I had to take the full 15-day dose of Cipro to make sure we get rid of the infection.  I have to go back in two weeks for a check-up.

....So, if I post some really crazy, weird, nonsense stuff in the next week or so, it will be because of the meds I'm on (or, at least that's what I'm going to blame it on).

Good thing -- she said Marvin couldn't catch this from me.  However, she did think I should be wearing a mask every time I cannulate him for treatment.  Do any of you other home hemo caregivers wear a mask ?   I thought it was only if he had a perm cath or if I had a cold.  Help!  Am I doing something wrong?  He has a fistula, and when they trained us, they didn't require a mask for me or for them or for Marvin.

Bad news for Rose -- your lips will have to make it a little longer without kissing Marvin (that's what I say -- Marvin said you can kiss him any time you want, he'll be waiting -- he's such a flirt!)

[monrein]

So glad you got some answers and a plan.  Now you just need to get some relief.

[willieandwinnie]

petey, I couldn't wait to eat dinner and get back on IHD to see if you posted. Now I will worry about you taking all these drugs. Watch out for that cipro (it's some nasty stuff), please eat yogurt daily because cipro will kill off the good bugs in your intestines (trust me on this one), and then you'll have another set of problems. Boy, your gonna' pass out after you take that handful of stuff. I'm really glad that it's not mono. NOW, get some rest, eat some chicken soup and drink plenty of fluids. Marvin has a treatment tonight, doesn't he? Tell him for me, that he better take good care of you or else 

See, if we lived closer I could kiss Marvin while I cannulate him. Seriously though. when we were doing home hemo, I only wore a mask when I was sick. Len always turned his head the other direction as to not breathe right on his access.

I'll be thinking about you petey. Please rest and get better quickly. 

[Ambo]

Hey there Petey,
I do hope you found some answers and relief today!  My prayers are that this infection goes away right quick!  Hope you are able to rest well...

[MyssAnne]

Petey, I'm so glad it's 'only' an infection, but man, has it taken you for a ride!!  I've taken Cipo, it's strong stuff, I tell ya!!! I'm glad the PA
gave you something to help you sleep. Bless her heart!!!

Now, drink LOTS of water/juice, take immodium....one of the side effects of Cipo...yaay!!!!     And REST!!!!  Will you be able to take
the rest of the week off to do so? I hope so.

Annie

[del]

Petey I have really bad sinus infections as well. I have to take antibiotics and the doc gave me a script for a nose spray called flonase ( think that's how you spell it)  I have really , really bad headaches with sinus infections as well. I have sat down and cried it has been so bad!!!  Hope the antibiotics do the job this time. 

[thegrammalady]

hopefully all those pills will work, and it won't take 2 weeks to have you start to feel better. i'll be thinking of you. is there a line to stand in to kiss marvin?

[petey]

Thank you all for the good thoughts (and tips about taking the Cipro).  I just took my first dosage of everything -- and I hate swallowing pills.  Before I could get them down, the Cipro started melting on my tongue --  YUCK !!  It tastes just awful!  I hope it works -- it would be bad for it to taste that awful and then not work.

grammalady -- Marvin said to tell you you're third in his kissing line -- willieandwinnie and Rose are ahead of you.  He said he wishes I would get sick more often  so he could have all the IHD "cuties" lining up for him!  He's a nut!

[Sluff]

Just hoping you get well soon Petey. 

[willieandwinnie]

Hey petey. How are you doing today??? I hope you finally got to get some rest. Please let us know. 

[petey]

The PA told me the muscle relaxer would make me sleepy, so I took it about 9:30 last night, thinking I'd be conked out within an hour.  No such luck!  I was hyped, hyped, hyped.  I think I finally fell asleep about 3 a.m.  I just got up (9:00 a.m.) and took another dose of everything.  So far, I'm not feeling any relief.  Hopefully, it will get better today.

[willieandwinnie]

petey, those pills had the opposite effect on you.. wired you up did they? That really sucks, what you need is rest. I'm thinking by Saturday, you'll start to feel better. I know this last ear infection I had, it took about 3 days for the medication to start working it's magic. Please try to lay down and at least relax some, although I know that is easier said then done. Keep us posted and I'll be thinking of you today. 

[rose1999]

I don't care WHAT your Dr says, I really don't think you should risk kissing Marvin - just send him over here for a while and I'll look after him 
(You can send him to the same address as the boa, see you have no excuses!!)

Aw but I hope you're feeling a little better today,take care of yourself, you know I love you really 

[Ohio Buckeye]

Wow Petey, I hope those meds kick in and do what they are supposed to do real soon.
Feel better soon!
 

[willieandwinnie]

Sorry Rose, it would be a whole lot easier and cheaper for petey to just send Marvin up a couple of states and I'll look after him while petey is recuperating. How about that petey???