How likely are we to faint/collapse with anemia?

[fishdoc]

My boss has been really good about not making me travel the last few months... but he's really gearing me up for the fall season.  I have to do a long day tomorrow, 8 hours of driving, plus a 5 hour meeting.  I have to walk quite a ways... my HBG is sitting at 11.8, three weeks ago, but I feel like can mans sitting on my chest, I get light headed really easy.... my question: how do you know when its not light headed, I am going to collapse on the nasty streets of albuquerque, and nobody I'm with is big enough to carry me??  Seriously, does anything help?  I keep thinking "if I eat something, I'll feel better"... wrong.... Open to suggestions from other anemic travelers...

also, how often do we really just "pass out".... I would be mortified..

[friole]

Little late reading this thread but have to add my 2 cents.

I never fainted but got pretty light headed every time I worked in the yard -- had to go sit a few minutes.

I just started doing everything a lot slower - walking, talking, stirring the pop on the stove.  Started shuffling, ya know.  I don't envy you with the traveling.  Just pace yourself.

We went to Cloudcroft one weekend and that was a real challenge.  I love to hike, but all we did was car tour, and take short strolls herea and there. I really felt O2 challenged that weekend.

I would still push for Procrit if I were you.  11s are still high, but maybe not for your constitution.  
frijole
(still got some of them alien green chilies)

[sfbaygirl]

Yep, we call it the Riba Shuffle around here.

Ya just put both feet on the floor and DO NOT lift feet off the floor as you move forward. You might fall.Be sure to hang on to your walker, cane or what ever object is reachable to steady you (Strangers will do). Sit in your walker every 10 feet or so to catch your breath. Put tan makeup on so you don't scare those passerby's. Make sure you comb what hair you have so the looney tunes truck doesn't come to pick you up. Use duct tape (clear) so your mouth doesn't gape open and pant. Be sure you remember to wear matching clothes and shoes, so not to call attention to yourself. Try not to slurr or drool, you may slip on your drool. Drive as close to wherever you are going, it will prevent passing out. Catch rides with those little carts as often as possible.

Any additions welcome!

PS
I get my aranesp at 11+, I learned the above shuffle rules when I was above 11. I think you need some procrit

Signed,
A panting, drooling, out of style, spiked hair, hitchhiking shuffler.

[Mister beagle bailey]

Your right, the forum has made us all smarter and helped guide us through tx. Without this forum I may never had finished tx.

Bob

[sfbaygirl]

You are correct about the titling of threads. I learned this while trying to search for some issue and couldn't find it. Too many threads names "Hep C" that have one has no idea what is contained in the conversation. Of course, that happens anyway around here. Perhaps our fogged brains can't stay on one topic for too long. LOL

The problem with googling for the topic you want is it only seems to show recent posts here. Sometimes there were topics I remember from days or weeks ago and they don't come up on Google.

[NYgirl]

Yeah Bob but you are one of those special people who are always first to the finish line...just like you are beating me with the SVR!

hee hee

It's true that hemo can go so FAST when it happens - I can't imagine how people who start can be ordered only a monthly PCR or something.  I mean it was OBVIOUS something happened to me and I had to go in to the doc but...if I wasn't smarter I might have just thought it "normal" or something, a side effect - cause it really wasn't what was explained to me would happen.

Thank God for the forum, how would we ever have made it this far?

[Kalio1]

The thing about the importance of the title of the thread is that when it is archived someone searching for info. can find it easily if it is titled appropriately if it is titled off topic the information gets lost and can't be of use to anyone later on. It doens't work that great here because often the title doesn't even end up matching what the conversation was originally in the thread anyway! It's nearly impossible to do because so many are new they don't know how to post or how to title it or how it works on a board so they open a new question every time they have a question. There should be some instructions or something on the first page. I guess the best way to access info here is to google it rather than use the "search/browse archives" feature. That way it will come up by subject but if you try to find info by looking thru thread titles you can't find it by titles. Often people dont realize they have to go google the subject rather than find it within the site. It's free and has it's quirks and limitations but still I think it gets info out there to those in need, warts and all. Plus gives us flat on our butts a way to connect with others in our situation.
Also if you title it with something inappropriate (p**p thread for example) the admin will yank it for that reason. They also yank them if they have a famous person's name in it or other and sundry reasons.

[sfbaygirl]

Yeah, the old thread system had it's merits, but I remember feeling very uneasy when people or newbies who didn't know would post multiple threads. I would worry that they were going to be taken up. It seemed that we made the best of them anyway. Who cares if the thread was titled no one understood? Like Fish Poop, or we NEVER would have had Brian Fog. Can you imagine life without Brian and his family?  that didn't seem to stop us posting our hearts out. LOL I do worry less now though, but man is it hard finding anything around here. I always think I am going to remember who and where I posted something. The next day I come back and have no clue the name of the thread, the person I posted to, or if it was all a dream. So many threads are disappearing lately that my I think there is a conspiracy to keep us all under Brian's control!

[NYgirl]

I fainted badly but...my hemo had gone from 15+ to 9 in just ten days - way too drastic a drop for my body to handle.

Since it'sn ot just the NUMBER but how fast you get there...it's so important for us to make sure we know what is going on with our bodies. Sometimes it happens too quickly to even be diagnosed in time.

[Mister beagle bailey]

Ditto, debby your right it's more on how fast the HGB drops.  I dropped so fast that I was on procrit the second week of tx.

Beagle

[fishdoc]

strator- glad to see your still checking in.  Your poetic soul is one that I truly miss around here.  I guess the results of the thread are we really rarely follow through to the ground, just do lots of threatening!!  keep checkin in, start your own thread to say hi so we can find it in this mess!!  I am not with JmJm on this, I hate the new format, rarely read more than one or two threads a day, which means 20 get overlooked...

beamer- you bring up a good point, do they ever put us on 02? seems less drastic than a transfusion, but maybe ifthere is nothing to carry 02, it wouldn't help...

goof, be very careful with your humor, as one of the ones with an A+ sense of humour... your posts are the next to go......

[GoofyDad]

I ran with pretty low hgb (7's and 8's) for a long time. I never fainted - got some nice rushes though when I'd stand up too fast. I had to walk slowly, avoid stairs, and pay attention to light headedness.

If it gets too bad, just lie on your back. I'm certain this will work, since try as I might, I never had a gal get light headed an swoony on me when she was layin' on her back. Frustrated? Sure. Dissappointed, you betcha. Light headed and starry eyed? Only when I farted.

[ashaffer]

my mom is enemic and she always got really bad when she was pregnant. she would just randomly fall over. she'd turn white and groan, then just fall. which ya know is just the safest thing ever when your pregnant. she said that she always felt real hot before she went.

[strator]

Hey consuela, I mulled over the fainting part a few weeks ago myself with the hgb around 10.1 and the heat and all. Kept  wondering if I'd make it here or there w/out tastin asphalt or rug. Mentioned it tothe kid and he looked down at me and said...well it's not like the top of you is that far off the ground, Dad.
Of course the ladders at work were a problem...safety first of course...Considered my old system I used back in the 80's...when I worked construction for a contractor doing work in a govt plant all day, then tended bar til 2am and usually brought half the place home to the condo I shared to party before goin in for 7am. Well one day I'm totally burnt out, my boss(also a bar customer) sends me into a building we put up and tells me to paint all these rods up in the 25' plus ceiling with special coated paint. Had some precarious places to place the ladder, and knew I needed to be careful... Few hrs later I hear the boss at the bottom of the ladder...Hey Donnie!! You sleepin up there you wacko??!!!"
"Oh hey Skip, guess I dozed off, but it's okay, I tied my belt to the ladder."
"Yo Bozo, what's the ladder tied to?!!"  "Oh"

[beamishboy]

just make them big fellas humpa tank into the trunk-yu can sneak off fora hit as needed-kinda like the old days-eh??.....i have always used lysine supplement for blistr,but i believe it can mess w/ our immune system?,so bit problematic while trx'in-tho the anti-virals seem to be taking care of business...didja see my ques. to yu waydown on "organic eggs" thread?? just trying to get a chuckle & a snappy retort-luv to laugh!and the poop thread did that..

[fishdoc]

you know, its funny, but my work is really important to me.  I have sick leave, and I am using some, but not a lot.  If hubby and I win the lottery, he'd quit, I wouldn't.  For the most part its bearable, I live 1/2 block from work, so I run home to eat, rest, etc.  Just some weeks seem worse than others.  Alb. will be nasty, no doubt.  Boss is good about it, but heck it goes on and on and on and on...(I always wanted to shoot that damm pink bunny, feel the same way about tx!!)I just did shot 28, with a minimum of 32 to go.  But, look who I'm talking to, makes me feel guilty for whining... so many here treat and retreat....

[sfbaygirl]

Hey, I'm ready for Paradise Island. Where do I sign up?

[msa1633]

Well I'll be dang...vagal response to fear of needles. I just googled it and those are the exact symptoms I had a few weeks ago on my 3rd procrit shot.
I had given myself about 30 IFN shots with no problem. I started on procrit and gave myself 2 shots with no problem. Just straight in, shoot, and straight out. I mean I was freaking out every time but I could get through it. Then I got a new nurse who said I should be pulling back on the syringe to make sure I wasn't in a vein. Just so happened on the next shot of procrit I tried to pull back and fumbled around and wiggled the needle around a bit and pulled it half way out. ( I get freaked about what the needle is doing to the inside of my body when it moves around) I just gave up and started pushing the plunger down. I think I either was on a nerve or had pulled the needle back to far but it stung way more than usual. Then I thought.....I hit a vein! I broke out in a sweat, got sick to stomach, getting ready to pass out feeling. All I could think about was finishing the shot. The faster I pushed the more it stung (typical procrit) so I would stop for a sec. Knowing I was going to pass out any second I kept at it til I got the whole shot in. I was right on the edge of passing out and throwing up. Wife saw me and said you look awful, and walked me to bed. Did some deep breathing and by 5 min it had gone away. Funny thing...I made my wife walk me to the sharps container in the bathroom before I layed down. Still had some wit about me.
Anyway, I just assumed this was the worst panic attack I had ever had in my life. All shots after have been fine. I don't pull back on all of them but I am working on a technique. Whether I need to or not I am going to do it to prevent a similar response to what I had when I thought I hit a vien.
Thought I would throw in my little story.

[fishdoc]

what a great idea!!  we do have pure o2 around.. hhmmm, but really big tanks!!

the acyclovir is a miracle drug, and you can't even tell your taking it, no sx!!  my son used to get them so bad he gets up in the middle of the night to meet the every 8 hours dose!!  But, seems like taking it reduces the frequency and magnitude of the outbreakks also..

[Mister beagle bailey]

Fishdoc -- so glag you had a blood test today.  Your HGB must be down a lot from your baseline for you to feel like that.  Hope you feel better soon.

Dyce -- Glad you'll be starting procrit tomorrow, you'll find you'll feel a lot better.  It may take a few weeks to kick in, so don't worry if you don't feel a different right away.

Beagle

[Magnum]

I take my hat off to you, working 8 hours under treatment is a tremendous feat. I remember standing in line at the bank, post office and other places, and had to sit down because I was feeling very faint and dizzy.

If I were in your position, I would ask the boss man/woman if I could work part time, if at all. Albuquerque is very hot in the summer. Be careful of the heat, especially if it's humid, because it will be harder to breathe.

I'm a little confused as to why you would want to work at all under treatment. I would think you would want to pack your bags and meds, get a beach side hotel at Paradise Island in the Bahamas, a daily massage, whirlpool, swim in the ocean, lay on the beach while listening to Jimmy Buffet on your iPod, join the islanders for the evening BBQ, kick back a few virgin Pina Coladas and send a post card to your boss to let him know you're okay and you

[beamishboy]

is it possible to get yur fins on some oxygen-for the altitude change?? y'all bubble the water....why not .....thks for advice on fever blister meds & GOODLUCK with the travel/conference..

[sfbaygirl]

That anemia hit me fast and hard. I felt like I could pass out, but never did. I did have to stop every 20 feet of walking to catch my breath for several minutes. Legs got wobbly. I didn't feel safe driving, walking, talking, etc. My friend wouldn't leave me alone, which was nice of him to stay with me. I quess I looked pretty bad. Perhaps you will scare everyone off in the meeting with that pasty white face and red eyes! Quick meeting! LOL

Take LOTs of breaks and rest when you need too. Don't push yourself too much or you will feel a lot worse. When I do this, it takes me 4-5 hours of being in a comatose state to recover from having the plug pulled outta me from doing too much.

[fishdoc]

forget what everyone else said:  Go acyclovir!! valtrex is a more expensive form, that is time released.  My family is plagued with fever blisters, and I discovered this stuff years ago.  I had a major presentation clear across the country, i was sick, and had a huge lip.  Dr. gave me steroids, and acyclovir.  I don't leave home without it, especially on tx. Dr. said no problem taking both.  It is an oral medication that blocks the replication of the herpes virus, actually developed for vaginal, but works wonderfully for the other kind.  As soon as you notice that tingling or swelling, you start taking the pills, and 24 hours later, pain is gone, swelling is gone, and its almost healed.  48 hours later, no more fever blister.  It truly is a miracle drug.

[fishdoc]

yall have made me feel better.  Its nice to know 1) you just feel like your gonna die but your not ( sounds like shrooms) and 2) you just feel like your gonna faint, but rarely do from the HBG.  I'm just gonna get the boss to one side, and say "lets not make a big deal of this, but you need to cover me"

beagle, I went into town today to do blood, rather than wait until friday....dr is gonna do every two weeks now instead of every two months!!

thanks compadres, for the support...