Don Health Update

[trouble]

Near the end of July, Don started having very bad stomach problems. He's actually gotten to the point where he eats maybe about a meal's worth of food over the course of the day, and this is a vast improvement over not eating at all, which was happening for a while. (He was getting all his calories from ginger ale.)

So, let's see. There was the parasite theory. There was the cancer theory. (That was a fun month.) There was the infection theory. There was the ulcer theory. All of these theories have been dismissed. I don't know what the latest theory by irritating doctor is.

The biggest problem with this is that most of Don's meds need to be taken with food if they're taken orally. So, he hasn't been able to take most of his pain meds or his anti-depressants. Since August.

As you can imagine, Don's in a lot of pain, and is going through some serious depression-related episodes, mostly in the form of panic attacks and paranoia.

What Don wants is to spend a week or two getting all of his meds by injection because he thinks the problem is that he stakes several different types of meds every day and they've burned his stomach lining, which isn't getting the chance to recover. I have no idea, I'm not a doctor, and I don't take medications regularly. I do know that he's lost lots of weight off a body that really can't afford to, that he's listless and has difficulties following conversations, that he has dizzy spells.

I don't know what's going to happen here. When we talked yesterday, I suggested just chucking it all in and looking for a second opinion about his options. I hope he goes for that.

Comments

[capriuni]

Oh, frogs. That's scary. *Big Hugs* to both of you.

[trouble]

I feel so bad for him because he's pretty much at the end of his rope and doesn't know what to do. I'm hoping we can get him in to someone for a second opinion soon, but doctors aren't exactly thick on the ground in Halifax.

[ginny_t]

:( :( :(

[staranise]

*hugs and sends you moving boxes*

[automaticdoor]

D:

[rainbow]

Massive vibes to both of you.

I don't know if this is something he's considered or might be willing to try as an interim measure, but slippery elm is both soothing and healing to irritated and damaged mucus membranes from one end all the way to the other (I take a crapload of it when I get glutened; it almost totally elminates the gut pain without a couple hours; I also sip it in tea when I have a sore throat).

[willow]

Don's more than likely right about what's going on with him. Doctors, or maybe more accurately Western Medicine Doctors, don't like to listen to any insights a patient might have about their own body - even though the patient likely knows themselves way better than any doctor could know outside of 'generic human' (esp considering since it's only been what, 15 yrs or so that generic human = male, and women = generic human male + ovaries and they likely consider Don non generic abnormal human).

There's likely some sort of hassle on the doctors' end (and possibly the insurance end) for why they're not looking into the injections. Actually, the first thing to pop into my head is 'drug seeking' and a doctor's frowny face.

[jesse_the_k]

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ holding you both gently

[annaham]

&hearts

[axelrod]

Well shit, that sucks : (

[metonymy]

Dealing with my mom's stomach problems this summer was no fun at all. I hope things get better for you soon. <3 <3 <3*hugs*

[st_aurafina]

Oh, poor Don. Being in pain makes everything else just that much harder to deal with.

(Just because I've been problem-solving for a patient who can't use some oral meds - have his doctors discussed a topical patch for pain relief? Or a lozenge?)

[comeroundsoon]

I wish you both all the best. Hopefully something works out for him, health issues can be terrifying.

Good energy and good luck

[vito_excalibur]

Oh god, how frightening. I am so sorry for the both of you. Is there any possibility that the meds-by-injection thing is feasible?