Anxiety? Nervous?

[Mom2four85]

How can I be nervous about going to see a new cardiologist/EP this Friday? I've switched dr's before and never felt like this until this wknd, I even had a nightmare last night ugh WTH is wrong with me?  my dr prescribed Vicodin for my spinal problems, so maybe that's it? anyone had this happen?

[Mom2four85]

It's all in my head really...maybe the Vicodin made me have nightmares but I took it yesterday and had none last night...I am SO glad

I'm wondering if some of my anxiety over not knowing what's wrong with me is playing a part? I got an answer from the dr in the expert forum and that calmed my nerves BUT it should have made me worse - he confirmed what I've suspected - heart failure - both systolic & diastolic; which is very rare; now I have to get my new cardiologist Friday to find out the cause.

[Mom2four85]

OH Jerry I chuckled at that! heck no I don't consider anything highjacking - but others have their own opinions... eh oh well :P I'm here for support and to help others along the way - if it's something that comes up in a conversation and we've touched on the subject in the thread then go for it...but I can only speak for my threads I make hehehe

I haven't been told about the ibuprofen before and my previous primary dr told me to take it so I was a bit shocked at the new dr telling me this.  Then she followed up with "new research is out now and I listened to it" which I thought was great and means she thinks outside the box and not just meandering down the same old path of information again of ages gone by.

I think our sleep habits have alot to do with what ails us and can be a major contributor in health issues.  To me it's another catch 22; no sleep can cause mental and physical issues, yet taking another pill for something may cause other side effects which worries me.  I've tried everything under the sun for better sleep - staying up late, going to bed early, setting strict bed times, nothing to eat or drink after 7pm, exercise, no exercise, eating right, nothing has worked but I've sleep problems since I was a child.  I think its in the central nervous system and some of us are proned to have sleep problems.

I've had left flank pain and frequent urination (up to 50-60 times daily) since 2004 and had every test under the sun but nothing showed up.  I've tried meds they gave me but it did not help.  I have a slight problem with "waiting" I don't know what all it can cause but I do know when I have to wait I tend to get UT infections ugh.  Have you found any med that works for you?

[Jerry_NJ]

Happy to read the nightmares disappeared, hope it stays that way.  

I assume what you say about ibuprofen is also true of aspirin - which I do take regularly.

I just got home from my annal general physical and my primary care just noted what I'm taking, including aspirin, without any comment.

I wonder about my sleep, I get up to urinate three times a night, about every 2 hours. It could be my dreaming (trouble-mares) that causes me to wake.  My doctor gave me another trial prescription to help me with the urinate problem and one thing it says that struck me as new and interesting is the idea of training the bladder to wait.  Thus, during the day I should "hold" back rather than go just because I'm near a toilet and have a slight urge.  

Hope I am not guilty of "hijacking" your thread (wow) :)  

[Mom2four85]

yup this has to be the Vicodin; unless it goes out of your system longer than I think and I just tricked my mind into no nightmares last night...Sunday morning was the last pill I took but Monday I had none and no nightmares...coincidence or placebo caused my mind?

[Mom2four85]

After surgery I started having nightmares about like this and they started getting better,  then I would only have an occasional one. I normally don't sleep more than an hour or so at a time before I wake up which means I don't go into REM sleep to dream (at least I think that's how it was explained)

I don't know how long Vicodin stays in the system but pain returns at about the 3 hour mark; so I'm trying to figure that one out.

Sleep apnea is killing me - I do know this from my dr's.  My sleep study showed I woke up over 70 times in a 4 hour  30 min period and my OX was 73%. Before surgery I never snored so I found this weird I had it; but after surgery I snore even laying on my side with pillows propped underneath me.

I've read and wondered about OSA and arrhythmia's. I've had arrhythmia's and sleep problems since I was a child so I wonder which came first...another question about chicken/egg theory

I didn't take any meds this morning so I'm going to see about tonight; of course my pain lvl went back to a good 8/9 and I can't stand but for a few min sitting is more like lying on my side and typing on my laptop = mega typo's lol  I guess I'll have to resort to my voice typing program but it doesn't understand some things I say ;P  and you have to talk r e a l l y  s l o w l y

BTW anyone who takes ibuprofen my dr cautioned me that even a small daily dose can cause an ulcer and major swelling - almost 2 weeks without it hasn't helped my swelling though as I had hoped it would :(

[bbxx]

Lisa you have and are still going through more than most have to. You are probably so exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally--in every way---maybe the vicodin relaxes you enough so that your body is just overwhelmed from being on high alert all the time. I dont know---Im tired and that probably didnt make sense--lol I just know in your situation I am not suprised you are having nightmares. :(

[Mom2four85]

ugh back to my regularly scheduled whining! this is ridiculous how can I take a 500mg Vicodin that has a little pain relief for 3 hours and it make me have nightmares 10 or 12 hours later?

Last night I had nightmares about my upcoming GYN appt. I've had so many appt's with this dr since 1997 I can't even count them all, and I trusted him enough when other dr's couldn't find what was wrong to dx and cure me - have surgery in 2005 yet here I am scared to death of going to see him!

grrr I even recall him calling my house at 6:03 pm on a Tuesday night telling me to sit before he talked to me ...then the dx of Stage 3 Uterine cancer WTH? I didn't even know there were stages...are there? then the really freaky part was my dead mother laughing hysterically because I will "feel" her pain she felt..no clue how long this dream went on but I woke up wrenched in sweat and crying again and I DON"T cry.

it's a catch 22, I need pain meds for my DDD i've lived in constant pain since surgery and no meds 3 months ago it started to where I can't even sit, lay or stand for more than 15 min at time - I switch from bed, to couch to chair and back and forth all day long.  no way I would have spinal surgery and let them "fix" my discs - I saw that happen with my dad and he couldn't walk after.

btw, one of the side effects of Vicodin is nightmares - no clue why though for such a small dose and only once a day; maybe I'm really in need of that pysch dr I'm going to see more than I think I am :P

[bbxx]

Oh Madge, I am not upset with you at all! I was just worried about people starting to feud over politics. No worries! :)

[Madge270]

sorry, bbxx.  Although I feel that this is connected to our health, I was out of line. Won't happen again.

[bbxx]

"weve seen the republicans trying to undermine what was a good health care idea"
Please try to remember this is not the forum to attack political partys. We are here to support one another with heart issues regardless of how we vote. :)

[Madge270]

I was so much happier when I lived overseas rather than the U.S., where I am now. You didn't have to worry about health care. Even private insurance plans, by law, had to be non-profit and all but a few percent profit went to a large national pool to help people with very serious or expensive health problems.  The health care insurers and medical community in the U.S. has people by the throat. People need to worry about whether they'll have coverage, and the costs are way out of line.

I'm furious with those who want to undo President Obama's Affordable Health Care Act.  They keep lying about it. Why not just be cooperative and help our people by improving the Health Care Act (like taking out the parts that were put in there to help the health care industry get richer)?  Our family watches C-Span, so we've seen the Republicans trying to undermine what was a good health care idea.  We watched the proceedings of Congress live. Hard to believe! So many of our people are dying here because of what some hate-filled and power-hungry politicians are trying to do.

Almost enough to make us want to move back overseas.  Seriously.

[Mom2four85]

oh I forgot...the nightmares are worsening grrr - Monday I'm calling my dr but I think it's the meds it does say that a side effect of it...last night it was my son had ran away and we found him in a retention pond near our house. I normally don't go into REM sleep so no dreams/nightmares but the med helps me sleep and this is the side effect...

[Mom2four85]

you've got that one right...it was like I was asking for a free consultation instead of asking them to confirm in network status [how hard could that be right?]...my husband had the "pleasure" of talking to her first lol I can't describe what he said rofl...

this is the new "wave" of insurance/healthcare; can't imagine when the new system rolls out how many are going to have the same problems I am.  The bad thing is; because I have a pre-existing condition until 2014 I have no choice to be on this pricey plan.

[bypeep]

omg Lisa.  Your nightmares have escaped into the light of day it seems.  So sorry that they got you all worked up for nothing. I will be thinking of you!

[bbxx]

oh brother! Thanks for the update. Let us know how it goes when you actually get to be seen! Doesnt that just figure! Sorry for you! Unbelieveable

[Mom2four85]

all my anxiety, stressing and nightmares for nothing! ugh doctor's need to screen their office help see if they can comprehend english and if they know medical forms...

when I called and set up my initial appt, they confirmed their dr was in network with my new insurance, yet when I filled out my papers at the appt earlier; they called it in - ta-da  they no longer accept my insurance effective Jan 2011...

I got home called my insurance and talked to them - simple solution get the new address and tax info from dr's office - call dr's office back and I was greeted by the worst person I've had the misfortune to talk to on the phone.

She basically relayed via her 'office manager' in the background they in NO Uncertain circumstances would they call my insurer and try to get this fixed with new information from their office (tax info) so they could accept my insurance.   I was basically told we don't want to take your type of insurance anymore have a nice day and she hung up.

guess that cured me of my anxiety of a new appt...that will teach me!

However, I did find a new dr's office that I had my sleep study done and is affiliated with a large heart hospital yay! and they knew my what my new insurance was and take it plus they already pre-approved and registered me.

[bbxx]

sorry, i forgot to add to watch list--computer dummy :(

[bbxx]

Sorry to hear you are still dealing with nightmares. I hope you get it fixed soon. I was curious if you had your apt. yet? How it went? I thought i read your apt was on a Friday. Anyway--we are all interested to hear how it goes and we are all rooting for you! :)

[Mom2four85]

I like so many others have no choice and that's the sad state of healthcare here - many who desperately need healthcare can't afford it because of the premiums and deductibles

we're in the "middle" class so we can't get in the system that helps with insurance premiums so it's a catch-22 I had to work just to pay health care costs :(

I wish there were an easy answer, but I don't think there is...this just raises my stress about my healthcare even more - now I only work 10 hours per week (sometimes less) and it just doesn't cover the price of my own premiums.

btw, I had another nightmare last night! grrrr I'm going to ask my pcp about the Vicodin  maybe there's another med she can give me that won't have this side effect - I couldn't breathe for the lump in my throat and my HR was 170 ish nothing helped and I was shaking and sweating like I was recovering from a high fever; but I wasn't hot - ugh

[Janpes]

The system here also includes a 6 month time to get treated in clause. Basically after diagnosis you have to be treated within 6 months. If you cannot be treated in the public sector whitin 6 months then the city has to pay for you to go privately.

I really couldn't imagine paying so much for healthcare.

[Mom2four85]

oh wow that is so different from here - when I had my ablation we were paying $890 per month for health insurance premiums - family of 4 and had a yearly deductible of $2,500 which made our yearly healthcare costs - $13,180, now if I went out of network say to Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic I had a $12,000 deductible which is why I didn't choose Mayo like my cardiologist suggested.

Thanks to Itdood for the info =) now I am under the new Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Plan through the Obama healthcare plan and I pay for myself only.

$325 monthly with a $2,000 deductible and $500 med deductible, ($6,400) which is still alot but pretty much everything is covered and no waiting for pre-existing conditions and my premiums can't be jacked up by 33% monthly ($294) like what happened after my surgery and then they cancelled me when I went to work part time - I was offered cobra supplement plan was almost double what I was paying before LOL

I went 8 months without insurance and no medical care. I had no clue there was a plan until he told me; most dr's I call do not even know about the plan! out of 9 dr's I've called to make appts, only 1 has known what the plan is.

I often joke with my husband we need to move but he was born in FL and I guess I'll have to move without him and he can visit me rofl :P

[Janpes]

Again, I am soooo glad to not be living in the US (No Offence intended)

When I was diagnosed there was no question over money. The doc sent my documents to the private heart centre inside those documents was an IOU form...which basically said that the city I am living in will fund the cost of the procedure, the hospital stay and even pay the fuel costs to get to the hospital. All I had to do was to show up on the day and pay the small doctors charge of 27,40€ ...When I checked online at the private hospital how much it would cost it was up above 10,000€ then my petrol expenses as well. (hospital was 4 hours each way) AND I didn't have to wait at all.

I really don't know how you cope as I know I wouldn't have had the money to pay for any procedure myself.

[Mom2four85]

Jerry, interesting that the dreams continue even after the change in meds, did they start after you started with heart problems or after you started taking meds? What intrigues me about this is my nightmares began shortly after my EPS and that's the first time I had ever taken meds; but I just thought it was due to the traumatic time I had.

I agree - I've seen problems with medicare with my in laws; and I feel bad for them knowing they worked all their lives and have to choose food or healthcare because after the insurance premiums are paid ($770) then co pays, premiums for the extra's they have to pay like part B? I believe for meds; what is there left? hope that doesn't cross the line too much :P

Can you get a 2nd opinion on an abltion; I know with Medicare that happened with my FIL but he kept on until they finally did the cataract surgery.  

I don't want to think bad of medicare or dr's but it really seems like they're saying well? you have 5 years left to live why should we make that 5 years the best it can be and keep you healthy..it's like - hurry and get that over so what if you're in pain or your quality of life stinks!

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, yes it was Cindy who has had some success with Nights Rest sleep aid.  I am surprised we haven't seen input from her on this thread.  When I discuss trouble mares with my Cardiologist he has nothing to say, no real advice even about the possible relationship to my taking beta blockers.  He did move me to a lower dose Metoprolol of 50 mg slow release about a year ago, and added a high dose calcium channel blocker The dreams continue.

My cardiologist's view that an ablation is not needed is supported by a consulting EP, one who is in the same practice.  As I have said elsewhere I am suspicious that the Medicare allowed charges are not very attractive.  I also have private insurance, but it has the threshold that Medicare pays first, and that sets the allowed charges.  This is only going to get worse I forecast.