Sunday, January 18, 2009

Messing Up Already

I was seen by five doctors in Jordan - ER doc, attending on the floor once I was admitted, my own oncologist, and two of his oncology associates.

The three oncologists each had their own theory on why I fainted.

My own said it was probably the increase in steroids eleven days previous. So he reduced the dosage back to 20mg from 40 mg. He said that when people first started taking Revlimid the dexamethasone was prescribed at 40 mg per day for four days every other week. Then some people developed arrhythmias and the consensus was to lower the frequency of the dose.

Dr. G, who saw me Friday night thought because of my constant head aches and fluctuating blood pressure (from a high of 160 over 100-something as I rolled into the ER to 125 over 85 at some point yesterday) is was high blood pressure. I was up and down through out my entire stay with no rhyme or reason. There were enough results well into the 140, 150 range to concern them. So doctor G prescribed something, I forget the name of now. That's how I ended up staying Friday night. She said she'd like to observe me on the new medication the first night considering how much other crap (my word, not hers) I take. Then she said "After all....." she gestured at my books, my notes (I started "Sea of Thunder" so I had a notepad and a pen in my lap with the book), the over the bed table with my hand lotion, M&Ms, charging cell phone (which I wasn't supposed to be using), hospital phone, bottled water - every need - and said "You're all settled in here."

Dr. K told me Saturday at noon he thought it was the fact that I wasn't taking the Trazadone consistently - none Saturday night, 50 mg Sunday night, 100 mg on Monday night (in response to the doctor changing the order) and none Tuesday night. I confessed that I didn't take it often because it can make me fuzzy and the insomnia pretty much only happens in steroid day and the day after. So he said to adhere to the schedule more consistently.

None of these opinions/instructions conflict so that's ok.

So I filled the high blood pressure med and took it. This morning I took the lower dose of Dex. But I forgot the Traz last night and was up until 0300. My alarm was set for 0815 to take the dex, it's supposed to be taken 1st thing.

But now I am going back to bed.

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