Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Charlie Bones Decisions

Meanwhile, Charlie had his tooth surgery and came home. I worried like a ninny of course. He was groggy last night but ate his kibbles and cuddled on the couch with me until I feel asleep there.


Tuesday I busied my day working on garden projects. I'm kind of a go ahead and do it person. I imagine how things will look and then go for it and change things on the fly.

The BS Pile


Moving stuff 
trying to be smarter about that...


I planted 3 tomato plants and a few piles of flower seeds along with spices in a few slates of the pallets. 

The one section of the pallets is going to have Birds/Bees/Butterfly attracting plants I can pick up at the garden center.

I told hubby that I was taking that rough section of the yard and going to chop it up with a potato fork and a spade to plant a packet of wildflower seeds and sunflowers. It may be a total flop, but then again, it might look neat.

Third day without the Forteo aka: The Teriparatide injection ~~ I feel like my normal crazy self. I have the normal aches and pains and felt well enough to work on my funky garden yesterday. 
This morning? Almost NO leg/bone pain!
Apparently there could be alternatives still. One being an Estrogen type shot that is like a last resort?

For today, I'm going to enjoy the rain. I'll use the time to catch up on indoor projects. 

Maybe after my VA Caregiver class, I'll take a nap!

The Bone Doctor's nurse called and she wants me to go back to the first medicine. 🤯
...or try another one which is an injection that lasts for 6 months.
Those suggestions just broke me. I went outside in the rain and just started to cry 😭.

Never do I want to go through the pain I have had off and on for the last few months as side effects of medicine.

😱
Huh. Whut? 6 months of possible agony? Once you get the shot, you cannot undo it. Right?

My questions will be this. Lower doses of any meds? Every other day or short rests between doses?
Or. 

Since I have never had a fracture of any kind other than a little toe when I was 10 years old....
🤔🤷
Why not let me do the proper exercises and a great diet for the next several months and re-evaluate??? Rescan and see if I am losing more ground? 

My understanding is these meds are indicated when fractures show up [or a terrible score for BMD in my case]. This bone crap didn't happen overnight and I have crashed into rocks, fallen on ice, and done a ton of things. Nobody had to put this Humpty Dumpty back together as of yet.




So what could be wrong with that? My dang body right?

Yes, an ounce of prevention is a good thing. But?

11 comments:

  1. I take a med for the numbness from the diabetes and a stroke. It makes me have crazy dreams and messes with my mind once in a while even when I am awake. I am told it would be dangerous for me to abruptly stop taking it. The doctor that prescribed it has three thousand patients so I really don't think I am getting personal care. I am sorry that your shots are being so bad with side effects. I keep thinking if the doctor had what I had they really would better understand what is going on in my body.

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    1. I think you are right about that! This med has no issues with a sudden stop. The actual med breaks down within 4 hrs in the bloodstream and can be taken in a variety of ways which I thin should be explored.

      One of the physical therapists I've talked to said they had to wear a mask that inhibited breathing to the effect of what it was like to have COPD. They were then asked to do the standard 6 minute walk in the hallway. She said it was HARD and that someone should figure out how to make health professionals feel exactly what their patients feel ... to help better understand it.

      Most of the doctors I've encountered have been pretty good about listening to patients' concerns regarding meds and treatments.

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  2. I'm so sorry you are going through all this. At this point I am thinking the same way. I came this far in life with a 13-15% bone density loss. I have started on Calcium so maybe that can help me stay where I am at. I did have the fracture but I am not sure it wasn't just a combination of general clumsiness and the stinking ceramic tile kitchen floor I didn't want in the first place. I do try to pay so much more attention these days so I don't fall. I am totally convinced I will have side effects from any shots and I just don't think I am going to be talked into it. I'm in the "wait and see" mode.

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    1. You can 'try' it and go into it with an open mind. I did because I thought I could perhaps feel better or help myself. Even after the first failure.
      Aurora pointed out that I am a tiny person and perhaps they should adjust a dose to half! Good idea. Guess what all self injectors are preloaded to one kind of dose.

      I had one doctor give me pain meds after my elbow surgery to repair tendons. He gave me a 10mg hydrocodone med to take every 4 hrs. I told him that was too much. I took 1/4 tablet every 12 hrs. The larger dose was meant for the average height weight human.

      Hey, everyone has a fall once in a while from just one thing or another. I've had to go through our house for the VA and change things up.

      Thanks. I will have a long talk with the doctor. After all, I think I still have the right to choose my treatment/poison...
      :)

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  3. True! But you have to be careful of the preventative and make sure it won't do more harm than good. ( terrible, doubt inflicting advice! Sorry) Cures and poisons are both in the dose that is set. hope you feel better soon.

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    1. One of the most interesting things I have found is that my Grandmother and Great Grandmother both had severe osteoporosis. The became bent over little ladies. However, they continued to garden, to care for their homes, and live long lives...without these new medications.

      I need to re exam what quality of living means to me.

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  4. Saw your response above on "one size dose"...one size rarely fits all. Definitely worth looking into. There can be a minimum dose for effectiveness.

    Val, you tried and continue trying. Feel good about that. It is all we can do. I think you are on the right path and agree, it is all about quality of life.

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  5. Hard hard choices...and not very good alternatives. I am glad you are feeling better. That is something. Talk to the Dr...just because they recommend something doesn't mean you have to do it. They should have more alternatives. My sister in law has the same symptoms as you...and found out it is her parathyroid and so she is having surgery to remove both parathyroid glands in late July because her calcium is so high and she has so much bone pain..

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    1. Thanks, I do feel so much better and now this whole thing makes me feel a bit leery of trying yet another medication. It sounds like she wants to offer Prolia but we'll see what we can discuss.

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  6. I know nothing about osteoporosis, though as a breast cancer survivor, I am familiar with those meds. Other survivors with bone mets take them and they all complain about the pain the medications cause at some point. I am sad to hear that you are dealing with this. But I do think you are wise to question the treatment.

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    1. thank you so much for your input. I know my sister had to deal with Tamoxifen? After her breast cancer... that is one of the meds they may think of.... I don't know. But I'll keep on keeping on.

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