Blog changes

Thanks to everyone who followed Training Because I Can! over the last nine years. This blog started with Addison's Disease, hypothyroidism and a crazy idea of doing an Ironman distance triathlon. My life has changed and so has this blog. I am using this blog strictly for Addison's Support topics from here on out. I hope to continue providing people with hints for living life well with adrenal insufficiency.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Down and out

2 words.  Kidney infection.

For 3 of the last 4 days I've been in quite a bit of back pain.  Today I couldn't handle it any more and went to the ER.  Actually, I went to the doctor's office on Friday and felt reassured that the pain was being caused by a bladder infection.  I thought I could handle a bladder infection with herbal stuff.  Saturday was painful and uncomfortable with a fever, only a little crying.  This morning I woke up feeling ok and immediately took a shower.  By the end of the shower, I was curled up on the floor of the stall, nearly puking in the drain and crying.  My clothes were about 4 feet away and I stared at them, willing them to come to me before I got too cold.  It didn't work.  I couldn't walk 4 freaking feet.  Long story short, pain got unbearable and my husband drove me to the hospital.  I was given 100 mg HC, IV fluids, phenergan, zofran, morphine and IV antibiotics. 

I'm always amazed at how if you need a large dose of HC, it doesn't make you feel jittery or bad, it just makes you feel "regular sick" as opposed to the dying "Addison's sick".

More later.

My extreme aversion to antibiotics and high pain threshold came around to bite me in the butt. 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

My turn to knock you on the head... you shouldn't mess around with a bladder infection, no matter how much you hate the dreaded "a"s. You KNOW how much my body hates them, but there are just certain things you can't screw around with... out of control bladder infections are notoriuos for turning into kidney infections. Kidney pain sucks BIGTIME! I'm glad you got the meds you needed and are on the mend. Now no more screwin' around (sounds like the advice you've given me a time or two or ten huh?)
I remember one time when I had over 500 mgs of combined solu cortef and solu medrol over the course of a few hours because my bp would not come up and such and I never fetl jittery or weird or wired....and no hulucinations. But then there are times when I get 100 and I'm ready to punch the walls. So you must have really needed it and it was just right not too much. Get better woman...and when are you coming down to shop? I've been waiting..
Hugs,
Shelley

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry, my friend. You are right. If one needs the HC, one doesn't get jittery, sleepless, etc. Take care and rest! Drink a ton of fluids.

Anonymous said...

I had the same thing happen to me when I got sick. I thought I could handle it, tried to play hero. It doesn't work to well.

I also am seeing some people talk about only taking 5mg HC to stress dose or only stress dose after you puke. That is no where at all near what the doctors told us to do when it is needed.

I come from the Cushing's world. I have no adrenals after a bilateral adrenalectomy. The advice I see doctors and others giving the Cushing's patients scares me.

Unknown said...

Shelley, thanks for the strong words! Really, the bladder thing was a niggling irritation, it could have just been some irritation. It really, really didn't hurt! I do promise that next time (I hope there's no next time) I'll take the antibiotics, I swear!!

I'll email you about shopping. I've GOT to get down there!!!!!

:) Dusty

Unknown said...

Linda,

Thanks!

:) Dusty

Unknown said...

Hi Anonymous former Cushings person :)

I agree, 5 mg after vomiting is NOT a stress dose! It's inadequate and someone could die from that kind of misinformation. I feel very fortunate that I've been prescribed an injection kit. EVERYONE WITH ANY KIND OF ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY SHOULD BE PRESCRIBED AN INJECTION KIT! Sorry anonymous, not yelling at you, yelling at doctors!

Thanks for your comment!

Dusty