Oh, Lulu, I am relieved that they caught the problem in time, but dismayed that in the face of new fatigue no one did a simple CBC. More and more docs are told NOT to send tests like a CBC, which are often considered "screening tests". Phooey! New fatigue and signs of early dementia can and ARE a result of low iron stores. That was one of the first tests they ran on my father when we went in for the very same thing.
BTW 2 years ago my Dad was hopsitalized for the EXACT same thing - age 84. In his case he was self-medicating (a problem with my dad who believes that EVERY symptom has a corresponding medication) with massive doses of aspirin. I had been on him for decades over this and he ignored me. When he got home form the hospital he informed me that the aspirin made his platelets slippery and they could clot. I could have throttled him. And he has Von Willembrand's, too.
Your lesson is a good one. No one should have new problems written off as "aging" or "common" or "stress-related" without a good look-see. The doctors who practice medicine this way are playing the odds. They let a lot of people die.
To all the NSAIDS - the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs used for arthritis and general pain ALL inhibit clotting to one degree or another. These include Inbuprofen, Naprosyn, Celebrex, and a host of others. These should not be combined with pain-control doses of aspirin or OTC meds for the same thing.
When blood is leaked into the gut from high up, like the stomach, the digestive juices turn the stool into a black, sticky (tarry) mess. When the bleeding is lower it may be dark red. Bleeding from the stomach or stool is NEVER normal and almost always is very serious. The only time I can think of when it might not be serious is the blood swallowed from a nosebleed which is now under control.
I agree that Plavix is dished out to the masses far too often. I'm angered at the mass media blitz telling everyone they would be safer on it. A hemorrhagic stroke is just as deadly as a stroke from a clot. Bleeding out from the anticoagulation of a medication is a preventable error of medicine.
I'm glad both of our fathers are okay!
Thanks for the warning.
Quix
So glad your Dad is okay!
It is important to consult your Doctors about OTC medications and make sure you do not exceed how many you can take a day or time limits. Many are great for the short term but taken over a longer period can cause harm.
Alex
Sweetie I was so happy to read and hear from you that he is doing better.
Thanks for the important reminder to double check all info about the Meds we take... Since I am not perfect, I sometimes forget my own self..
Hope you have had a good week and got to have more time in the pool...
Love you {{{{{~!~}}}}} DJ
My grandpa passed away 7 years ago. He was on Celebrex which caused a bleeding ulcer that he never sought treatment for until his neighbor stopped over one day and found him passed out. Apparently he had been vomiting and passing blood but never told anyone. I think a lot of adults (especially the elderly) ignore their own health problems because they hate to be a bother to anyone around them. I wish I had known then what meds he was on and what warning signs to look for.
I'm glad your dad contacted his doctor and will soon be fine.
We will pray Dad gets to make that D.C. trip soon, too. He deserves it.
I used to just toss out those brochures they give with my meds until something adverse happened to me to, nothing as serious as happened to your dad of course. Now, I keep a file and put all new brochures and a copy of the brochure for current med in it. Also, and even more importantly like you suggested, I READ these brochures before I do anything else.
Thankfully you dad will be fine, this time, and hopefully everyone his doctor's especially will learn from this. Both he and they were lucky this time.
Wishing you all the best.
Julie
What a stressful time for all your family and your Dad sounds a sensible man who just relied on his doctors. Thank goodness he is OK as you must have all been so worried and as you so rightly say read the small print on all meds.
Love Sarah
I'm glad to hear his issue will have a decent outcome Lulu. Sorry to hear he had to go through all that though. A nice lesson to be had for us all, so if there is something to be said is good, I suppose that would be it.
Thank you for the reminder
Johnny
Wow, Lulu! I am so glad your dad is going to be okay. How very scary! Your reminder is a good one to remember and I for one am glad you posted this. I am one of the people that tend to wait.
Thanks again,
Addi