~~~Upcoming Appts., Tests, Surgeries .. ~~~

[ChitChatNine]

~*~*~* Post here ... Easier for us to Keep Track of All Going on ... ~*~*~*~

I go back to Prim. Doc tomorrow for a reading of a TB test that I had to have to re-enter college .. lucky me .. I had copies of blood titres from 8 yrs ago that let me get a waiver on the Rubella / Mumps vaccine but they got me on the routine TB Screening .. if not done by Oct 31 they will put a hold on may account which means no grades, not being able to register for next semeseter, etc., etc., etc.

Also, had urine culture sent out to be certain UTI is completely gone.

New mix of 88mcgs/100mcgs is working out fine so far.

C~

[DarlaLOU]

Good luck with your tests and school! Loads of fun isn't it?

I go in tommorrow (fri sept 7) at 2:00pm mountain time for my tt surgery. Even with all the prep here I still have no clue what to expect and honestly am starting to freak out. Going to ask a close family friend to come help hubby give me a blessing (personal prayer) tomorrow morning. I will be online when I get home via hubby's laptop so I'll come check in asap with you all.
We are going to a fancy hotel tonight for one last "hoorah!!" if you know what I mean! LOLOL So I won't probably be back till' after surgery.

Good luck to everyone with upcoming procedures, appts , etc... Thanks to everyone for all the good thoughts and prayers!

Darla

[zaksmom]

I don't have a set upcoming appointment, have not yet told dr. to set me up with her suggested referral to U of M endocrine center... really not sure why I'm dragging my feet on this.  I guess it is because I've had such a hard time getting any dr. to listen and act like they care that I feel horrible, I'm nervous that getting this referral will be the same way -- and will be a waste of time and money.  But, I'm so tired of feeling like I've been run over by a truck!  I just hate the "it's all in your head" attitudes....  (kind of sappy about all this too, so frustrating to feel like c r a p every day).

I just wanted to note to Cheryl - good luck on your test results.  I sure hope that the UTI is gone for good!  Good luck with school, and the new dosing of meds!

Darla:  I will so be thinking of you going thru your surgery tomorrow!  How wonderful that you are going to a fancy hotel tonight!  That will be a very special night to keep your mind off any anxiety or stresses about the surgery!   I wish you the very best for a speedy recovery!  make sure to keep us updated!

betsy

[DLA]

Cheryl--good luck with all you're in the middle of right now!  

Darla--Will be praying for you tomorrow and know that all will go great!  Have fun tonight and try not to worry about the surgery tomorrow.  Good news is you can stay up all night b/c you get to sleep tomorrow!  lol

Am going to endo today at 2:20.  Have my papers ready with symptoms for Cushing's, not Addison's ;), list of all meds, and of course list of questions to ask her about all the new info I have gained lately from the pernicious anemia to the heart problems (BLUCK).  So am hoping it will be really productive visit.

My only complaint is that appt was suppose to be at 10:20 not 2:20.  Would not schedule and appt in the middle of the afternoon 1 1/2 hours away on a school day.  So Nana will be watching son until I get back.  He was not thrilled about that this morning, or the hair cut she is going to give him while I'm gone.  He'll live.

Will let you know if I find out anything interesting.  Or maybe even if it's really dull and boring.  Aren't you lucky?  LOL

Have a wonderful day!
Dac

[msfergy]

Tuesday is my Pre OP appt, finally made that call but I am still wondering if I need this done! Wondering if I should just try the biopsy again, grrrrrr. I guess it would be a positive way to find out things. DLA you must live far from everything like me, don't you hate that? I understand about the apt. times and school.  Good Luck Darla!!!!!!!!
Tina

[JoBa]

I have my 1 week post-op appt on Sept 11.  Hopefully the final path report will be in. They left half of my thyroid in based on the frozen section results, but if the final path report indicates cancer, then they will most likely go in again after that half. I think that will be more problematic because there is a nodule on that side (didn't know about that one pre-op) and it is close to the nerve. But, so far, so good.

Darla- My experience with the surgery was very good and I am hoping that yours will be too. My anesthesiologist said that thyroid patients typically do quite well, and fortunately he was right in my case. The assisting surgeon told me before surgery that they attach a monitor to the nerve so that they make sure that it is not damaged during the procedure. That was soooo reassuring to me. He is a facial plastic surgeon also and I told him if he had any downtime to feel free to make any "adjustments" that he felt were necessary (that had everyone in the OR laughing), but I don't think that he did since I still have my wrinkles and neck pouch. That's my biggest disappointment so far LOL. Pain has been minimal and I'm not even taking pain meds today (surgery was Tuesday at noon). So relax, be optimistic, and by all means pepper your docs with questions about things that you are concerned about.

[artsyrose]

Endo appt tomorrow...had labs yesterday...

[msfergy]

What did u find out?

[shelly45]

I have lab work tomorrow to check my thyroid profile after having partial thyroidectomy two weeks ago. I hoping that its working properly being that I feel really good now.

[TOLD YOU]

Well I get a B-12 injection tomorrow morning.

Follow up with surgeon is September 20.

That is about it for me my incision looks pretty good, still NO COKE for me...LOL.

Dana

[DLA]

Yeah, I live in the sticks and love it.  Actually, don't live far enough into the sticks, still too many people around!  lol  Takes 1 1/2 hrs to endos and almost 1 hr to PCP.  Am getting ready to start with a new dentist to fix my rotting teeth and he will be a good half hour away.  Just reread.  You hate it?  Not me.  The only part I hate is the drive.  I get sooooo bored and sleepy.  End up on my cell phone talking to my mom or someone to keep brain functioning and awake.  When I use to smoke that is how I stayed awake.  sigh  (You understand that sigh, right? lol)

Posted a thread about my appt. today.  Was enlightening.  Thank you for asking.

Dac

PS--make sure you read about the B-12 sublingual and neuropathies.

[msfergy]

Hello, wel I don't hate it as we do have some things around here and iam not really in the sticks but if you want a good doc you have to drive far and it just wears me out. I do take them sublingos, they do help I started them about a week ago and i just ordered the multie kind from getb12.com, it has the b6 and folic acic included plus a bottle of E free with it so hope them work just as well. So you used to smok, how did you stop! I keep saying I am going to but still haven't.
Tina

[DLA]

The drives do stink!!  That is the hardest part, but the rest makes up for it.

I take Biotin, a water soluble B, and folic acid, among some other things.  Can't take vitamin E.  Makes me blow up like a puffer fish!  Used to put it on my lips to make them big and puffy looking.   :-})  lol

I started smoking in high school.  Thought I was sooooo cool!  Then of course got addicted and couldn't quit.  Not true, I quit a thousand times, just not for very long at a time.  Except to get pregnant and have my son.  Anyway, Chantix is what I took.  Took it a while to completely quit, and then you take it for as long as needed afterwards to get rid of urges, supposedly.  Don't think that ever really goes away.  Wellburtrin is another one that works GREAT!!!  I tried it twice, but it pushed my bp through the roof, so couldn't take it.  It is an anti-depressant that contains Bupropion, which is what they give iv push if you are a smoker and have a heart attack and of course are in the hospital.

Good luck if you try to quit.
Dac

[msfergy]

When I first came down with all this I tried that chantix and it made me feel like i was gonna die, but it may of been that adrenal thing plus thyroid going along with it but oh i cant remember all the things it did but i almost went to the hospital that night but instead called my mommy and made her sit with me half the night,lol and drank lots of water to get it out of me. I dont know why it happened but maybe i could try again, i pray all the time to be delivered from it so maybe it just isnt my time yet.
Tina

[DLA]

Made me sick as a dog for a few days or so, but refused to give up on it.  I REALLY wanted to quit.  I kept calling a woman that works at my pharmacy and saying, "I'm going to feel better, right?"  Was really sick.  But it didn't last that long.

Like I said,  you should try Wellbutrin.  It made me stop within 24 hours.  Could not stand the taste or smell of a cigarette.  With your low bp maybe it wouldn't bother you.  If it did it could possibly be a good thing. ;)

I prayed about it all the time, too.  But then I would have to remember, God only helps those who help themselves.  Finally decided he wasn't going to make it that easy for me and make me do the work myself.  He probably figured I deserved it after damaging this body he made.  Wish he could have made it healthier!  lol

Dac

[msfergy]

Well I gave that chantix to my husband and he took half of it and never stopped but said it made them taste yuck, the is still halp the script left but its the second half so maybe i will try it. Yes we do have to help ourself first i agree! Maybe that was why i came up with all this horrible stuff, i am being punished. :(

[DLA]

That's not what I meant at all!!!!!!!  I was talking about ME not YOU!  I am so sorry it came off that way.  Please don't think I was putting you down or anything else.  I would not talk that way about any one but myself.

Dac

[msfergy]

Oh i know what you meant but i was talking about me, but after reading what i wrote i think i need to freshen up on my spelling. Silly girl.

[DLA]

Whew!  Glad to know, thought I had ticked you off.

[kipland]

You know.....all this time on here, I've been ashamed to even admit that I too, am a smoker.  Not as much anymore, but the fact remains.  I figured I'd get all kinds of nasty comments about "how could you after that diagnosis?!?!".  Well, facts are facts.  I know I shouldn't, but I do.  Anyone that hasn't ever done it, doesn't understand the addiction.  Here's the kicker.  I was reading on the doctor forum, and check out this article!!  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/299952  ;

Here's my story.....I had tried to quit smoking right around my birthday last November.  I went to hypnosis, because my dad had gone to this guy and was very successful.  There was a whole group of us that went (none of us made it, by the way - but my dad is over a year smoke free!!).  I did okay at first, but gained 7 pounds in the first 10 days.  That made me go into panic mode, because I'd already put on like 25 pounds earlier in the year, without changing my diet.  So, that's when I went to my doc and she put me on Wellbutrin - for both the depression and smoking.  Needless to say, I went back to smoking because my mind was going crazy about the weight gain (I have serious issues with weight and used to be bulemic).  After I'd been on the Wellbutrin, I kept thinking "this depression is kicking my hind end!!".  I'd wake up from 8 hours of sleep, and feel like I had to literally drag myself out of bed.  I had no energy.  Then my hip joints started to ache like crazy.  I went back to my primary care doc, and told her of all my symptoms (there were more).  Thank goodness she ran the right tests!!  My TSH was a little off, but what they really found were the antibodies and it all went from there.  By the end of June, I'd had an ultrasound, seen an endo, had the biopsy and been diagnosed with thyca.  Now it's removed, and here I sit with a broken throat.  Do I feel somewhat like I'm being punished?  Yes!!  I also feel like I was cut a big break with this diagnosis.  They feel it was caught soon enough that it hasn't spread (they took 7 lymph glands - all were negative).  I decided that I'm going to try the Chantix as well - but not until all this other stuff is over and I'm on the meds.  One stresser at a time will do for me.  

Anyway, sorry for the novel up there, but Tina - I wanted to let you know that you're not alone in this.  It's a powerful addiction, but I think when you're ready, you'll do it.  Look!  Our friend Dac did it!!!  (I'm soooooo proud!!).  Oh, and by the way Dac ~ I asked about this when I was having so many problems with the breathing after surgery (again, thought it was a punishment), and was told it had nothing to do with it.  It has everything to do with the nerve trauma and my neck not working right.  

Okay.....so there, it's out. Whew!  Thanks for listening!!

Lori

[msfergy]

Oh its ok we all have our problems, my biggest problem is my Neuroligist told me one day that if I stopped smoking this would all prolly go away, hmmmmm I still keep thinking about that but do you think it really would? And for me I havent had a good biopsy or anything yet to really tell me what is going on in there, so i should be worried.

[kipland]

Some docs blame everything on smoking.  I'm so glad that my doctor isn't like that.  She encourages me to quit, but doesn't blame every little problem I have on it.  While I agree that it's not good for your body, and may weaken your system - I don't think ALL problems go away because of it.  If you're asking if you should be worried due to the fact that you haven't had a good biopsy?  I would say no.  It's hard sometimes, but try not to waste your energy on worrying about what "could" be and focus on the here and now.  That's probably enough to worry about anyway!!  :-)  You're having surgery soon, right?  Are they removing your whole thyroid, or just part of it?

[msfergy]

They are removing the left lobe and having it tested although the intern doc said they should just remove it all so i don't know what to do.

[msfergy]

Have you noticed Dr Lupo has not been on here? Did he leave us? Hmmmmmmmm

[kipland]

That's such a hard call.  It all depends on what's going on.  Personally, I had the antibodies where my body was trying to kill my thyroid.  In my case, even if it wasn't cancer - when they went to take the nodule out, I was going to ask them to remove the entire thing.  Because eventually, my body would have destroyed it anyway.  If you don't have that or cancer going on, I would think leaving half of it would be a good thing, because it may produce enough of the hormone where you don't have to be on meds.  Something that you probably need to discuss further with your doctor and make the decision.  As always, we're here for you though!!

I haven't been on the doc's page today, but maybe he's taken a vacation or something.  LUCKY!!  :-)

Lori