Re: Checking in

[Guest guest]

Mike,Good to hear from you my friend. Sorry that you aren't getting control of your VCD. Have you been doing the excercises we talked about? Also, check with your doc and the local hospital (probably only the biggest one in Anchorage will carry it) about Heliox. It is a mixture of 70% oxygen and 30% helium (or 80/20). I have found that works miracles for me. It is totally symptom free (other than a squeaky voice, LOL). Very effective for VCD.MadelineTo: asthma Sent: Tue, September 21, 2010 9:59:02 PMSubject: Checking in

Ann reminded me on Face Book that I've been absent from the list, so I am checking in. This has been a long summer. My son was supposed to get engaged in August ... he did and then got married 1 week later. What a whirlwind.

My health continues to be my central focus. The diabetes is under good control but it takes constant thought. My asthma has not improved much but neither has it become worse, so i am thankful. The doc thinks that I may also have vocal cord dysfunction but has not told me what to do about it. All I know is that when I go into bronch spasms, the only thing that kicks it now is hydrocodone. I HATE that stuff!!

I am looking for another job in order to lower my stress in the hopes it will improve my asthma. Who would have thought that working with a prison full of drug addicts, thieves and sex offenders could be stressful!

I have been reading (most of) the posts and keeping up with all my friends here. Wishing you all health!!

Mike

[Guest guest]

Im glad your health picture seems somewhat stable Mike. Hopefully it stays that way. And why would there be any stress at all working with drug addicts, thieves and sex offenders? I mean come on, they are behind bars...lol.

Wow...a one week engagement??!! Thats amazing...we decided on a year and a half...and it took almost the whole time to plan ours. LOL... I still remember telling Dad I got engaged. I was on the phone with him while we were in Greenville, SC

I said Dad...I have to tell you something.

Dad: Ok, go ahead.

Me: I got a ring.

Dad: Ok.

Me: NO, Dad I got a ring

Dad: I know...go ahead and answer it. Ill wait.

Me: Not that kind of ring dad.

Dad: OH. How long do I have? LOL.

Thanks for checking in Mike. Im sure Madeline can give you lots of advice on VCD...shes got a really good email put together that she had sent me. Good luck and I hope your health continues to stay somewhat stable. And...good luck finding a new job.

Ann

Checking in

Ann reminded me on Face Book that I've been absent from the list, so I am checking in. This has been a long summer. My son was supposed to get engaged in August ... he did and then got married 1 week later. What a whirlwind.

My health continues to be my central focus. The diabetes is under good control but it takes constant thought. My asthma has not improved much but neither has it become worse, so i am thankful. The doc thinks that I may also have vocal cord dysfunction but has not told me what to do about it. All I know is that when I go into bronch spasms, the only thing that kicks it now is hydrocodone. I HATE that stuff!!

I am looking for another job in order to lower my stress in the hopes it will improve my asthma. Who would have thought that working with a prison full of drug addicts, thieves and sex offenders could be stressful!

I have been reading (most of) the posts and keeping up with all my friends here. Wishing you all health!!

Mike

[Guest guest]

I live about 3 hours away from the nearest cardiologist ... I could take the time off for an earlier appointment but don't have the money for a hotel and meals. Two weeks from today is the best for my wife and I to make the trip in 1 day. Also, as I've been dealing with this for several months, a few more days should not add to the problem. It also allows for the lasix to get rid of some of the excess fluid. This, in turn, will make any echocardiogram they are likely to do to be that much more clear. Mike McBrideLike the apple of Thine

eye preserve me, O Lord God; defend me and beneath Thy wings shelter me from temptations. St. Ephraim the SyrianTo:

asthma Sent: Wed, March 30, 2011 1:53:24 PMSubject: Re: Checking in

They think you have heart failure, and you have to wait 2 weeks to see your cardiologist? Just wondering why.To: asthma Sent: Wed, March 30, 2011 5:51:05 PMSubject: Checking in

ALrighty ... time to check in and get some feedback:

As many know, I've had a rough couple of months. I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and he said that my breathing problems are not all asthma. I've gained about 25 pounds since Christmas, most of it in my lower legs and around my mid section. He feels that my breathing issues currently are related to too much retained fluid. He's doubled my Lasix. Also, he has diagnosed me as having Heart Failure. We've suspected this for some time, now it's in writing. I'll see my cardiologist in 2 weeks. The pulmo also wants me to undergo some form of bariatric surgery. He feels that my diabetes, heart issues and even my asthma would benefit from major weight loss. I usually run around 245, now over 270. They want me under 200.

Does this plan sound logical? I LOVE food but I am at a point where I will do the surgery willingly. Diets are not working (thank you Pred, which I am back on) and I can hardly walk 200 feet before I get very short of breath, so exercise is out. What do you folks think? Am I missing options here?

Thanks all! Madeline -- You are just laying around being pampered, so I expect a well thought our and complete response!

Mike

[Guest guest]

That wouldn't be anything unusual over here. I don't know how quick you can get to see a specialist for anything (potentially) serious, but for non-urgent things, it's not uncommon to have over a year's wait.With the surgery, I'm surprised they're not going down a weight loss route first. Gastric surgery is really serious, and risky, and again, here, it's a last case scenario when nothing else has worked, or someone is so overweight they cannot exerciseJennTha can tek t'lass outta Yorkshire...! Don't brand me, don't classify me, don't tell me what to

wear. I'll be who I want to be, and I'm proud to be me.Subject: Re: Checking inTo: asthma Date: Wednesday, 30 March, 2011, 23:53

They think you have heart failure, and you have to wait 2 weeks to see your cardiologist? Just wondering why.To: asthma Sent: Wed, March 30, 2011 5:51:05 PMSubject: Checking in

ALrighty ... time to check in and get some feedback:

As many know, I've had a rough couple of months. I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and he said that my breathing problems are not all asthma. I've gained about 25 pounds since Christmas, most of it in my lower legs and around my mid section. He feels that my breathing issues currently are related to too much retained fluid. He's doubled my Lasix. Also, he has diagnosed me as having Heart Failure. We've suspected this for some time, now it's in writing. I'll see my cardiologist in 2 weeks. The pulmo also wants me to undergo some form of bariatric surgery. He feels that my diabetes, heart issues and even my asthma would benefit from major weight loss. I usually run around 245, now over 270. They want me under 200.

Does this plan sound logical? I LOVE food but I am at a point where I will do the surgery willingly. Diets are not working (thank you Pred, which I am back on) and I can hardly walk 200 feet before I get very short of breath, so exercise is out. What do you folks think? Am I missing options here?

Thanks all! Madeline -- You are just laying around being pampered, so I expect a well thought our and complete response!

Mike

[Guest guest]

HA! Anymore pampering and I just won't be able to stand it. I have already told you what to do. About half of what I eat is broccoli and celery (raw without dip) and a gallon of water every day. Even on the high doses I stopped gaining and now that the pred doses are lower I have lost a solid 45 pounds. If I want a cheesburger I have one. No starvation here. I just fill in with "free foods" (broccoli). Just a thought, I don't know if it is readily available up there in the tundra, but watermelon is a terrific diuretic. I notice a major difference when I put on water. Ten pounds of water makes kills my stamina as well. I had not thought about it much, but I think your

doc may be on to something. I would not hesitate to do what I had to do. Your heart health is of major importance. You have some tough choices. I am praying for you.MadelineTo: asthma Sent: Wed, March 30, 2011 5:51:05 PMSubject: Checking in

ALrighty ... time to check in and get some feedback:

As many know, I've had a rough couple of months. I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and he said that my breathing problems are not all asthma. I've gained about 25 pounds since Christmas, most of it in my lower legs and around my mid section. He feels that my breathing issues currently are related to too much retained fluid. He's doubled my Lasix. Also, he has diagnosed me as having Heart Failure. We've suspected this for some time, now it's in writing. I'll see my cardiologist in 2 weeks. The pulmo also wants me to undergo some form of bariatric surgery. He feels that my diabetes, heart issues and even my asthma would benefit from major weight loss. I usually run around 245, now over 270. They want me under 200.

Does this plan sound logical? I LOVE food but I am at a point where I will do the surgery willingly. Diets are not working (thank you Pred, which I am back on) and I can hardly walk 200 feet before I get very short of breath, so exercise is out. What do you folks think? Am I missing options here?

Thanks all! Madeline -- You are just laying around being pampered, so I expect a well thought our and complete response!

Mike

[Guest guest]

If you do the surgery get some counseling first. I had the surgery many years ago. It has worked, and it hasn't. Over all the main thing about this is you have to eat healthy, portion control is very, very, important. Get counseling from a dietician. I regret that I did not get the counseling at the time I had that done. It was never offered to me. I didn't know I needed it, at the time. You will have to change your whole way of thinking as far as eating is concerned. And stay that way. It depends exactly what kind of stomach surgery they perform. Some is stapeling, I am not sure if they even use that one anymore. Some is lap band, they have a few different ways they do it now days. So just get informed, study

it on the internet, and as questions, lots of questions, from your Dr.'s and Dietician. Read all of the pro's and con's too. Good Luck. and God Bless. willothewispl@....From: Madeline Ingram To: asthma Sent: Thu, March 31, 2011 7:55:00 AMSubject: Re: Checking in

HA! Anymore pampering and I just won't be able to stand it. I have already told you what to do. About half of what I eat is broccoli and celery (raw without dip) and a gallon of water every day. Even on the high doses I stopped gaining and now that the pred doses are lower I have lost a solid 45 pounds. If I want a cheesburger I have one. No starvation here. I just fill in with "free foods" (broccoli). Just a thought, I don't know if it is readily available up there in the tundra, but watermelon is a terrific diuretic. I notice a major difference when I put on water. Ten pounds of water makes kills my stamina as well. I had not thought about it much, but I think your

doc may be on to something. I would not hesitate to do what I had to do. Your heart health is of major importance. You have some tough choices. I am praying for you.MadelineTo: asthma Sent: Wed, March 30, 2011 5:51:05 PMSubject: Checking in

ALrighty ... time to check in and get some feedback:

As many know, I've had a rough couple of months. I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and he said that my breathing problems are not all asthma. I've gained about 25 pounds since Christmas, most of it in my lower legs and around my mid section. He feels that my breathing issues currently are related to too much retained fluid. He's doubled my Lasix. Also, he has diagnosed me as having Heart Failure. We've suspected this for some time, now it's in writing. I'll see my cardiologist in 2 weeks. The pulmo also wants me to undergo some form of bariatric surgery. He feels that my diabetes, heart issues and even my asthma would benefit from major weight loss. I usually run around 245, now over 270. They want me under 200.

Does this plan sound logical? I LOVE food but I am at a point where I will do the surgery willingly. Diets are not working (thank you Pred, which I am back on) and I can hardly walk 200 feet before I get very short of breath, so exercise is out. What do you folks think? Am I missing options here?

Thanks all! Madeline -- You are just laying around being pampered, so I expect a well thought our and complete response!

Mike

[Guest guest]

Bariatric surgery is a major life change and my own feelings are that this is a sugery that should be used for situations where other options have definitely failed or are not feasible. I definitely think in your case Mike, that it could really be beneficial for you. It is a huge commitment though and it will take a lot of will power. If you go this route, make sure your doc offers some type of a) nutritional counseling and a support group would be helpful too. See if you cant talk to another person who has already undergone the surgery to hear what their experiences are. Alot of advances have been made regarding bariatric surgery..check out your options (which Im sure you will.) I know 2 people who have had some success with lap band surgery. A 10% weight loss can make a major difference in your health...my asthma has improved since Ive started to try and lose weight earlier this year and Im not even at 10% loss yet. Im sorry you are in heart failure Mike. It must be a scary situation for you. Good luck.Ann Checking in

ALrighty ... time to check in and get some feedback:

As many know, I've had a rough couple of months. I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and he said that my breathing problems are not all asthma. I've gained about 25 pounds since Christmas, most of it in my lower legs and around my mid section. He feels that my breathing issues currently are related to too much retained fluid. He's doubled my Lasix. Also, he has diagnosed me as having Heart Failure. We've suspected this for some time, now it's in writing. I'll see my cardiologist in 2 weeks. The pulmo also wants me to undergo some form of bariatric surgery. He feels that my diabetes, heart issues and even my asthma would benefit from major weight loss. I usually run around 245, now over 270. They want me under 200.

Does this plan sound logical? I LOVE food but I am at a point where I will do the surgery willingly. Diets are not working (thank you Pred, which I am back on) and I can hardly walk 200 feet before I get very short of breath, so exercise is out. What do you folks think? Am I missing options here?

Thanks all! Madeline -- You are just laying around being pampered, so I expect a well thought our and complete response!

Mike

[Guest guest]

Just some stuff from my book to give others a clearer insight about heart failure...It is defined as a state when the heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to sustain the body's metabolic needs. There are basically 2 classifications of heart failure...pulmonary and systemic which are further described by the symptoms a person displays. There is some evidence that chronic release of epinephrines and norepinephrine produces negative effects. Some risk factors include diabetes, heart attack, hypertension, or inflammatory heart disease.From what your symptoms appear to be, it seems like you have right sided heart failure. Did your doc mention right or left???? If I remember right, you had mentioned some time ago that you were diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, and right sided heart failure can be due to that. Right sided heart failure results in edema of the lower extremities b/c the right ventricle cannot pump effectively against increased pressure in the circulation between the heart and lungs. (Blood goes from the right ventricle to the lungs to get oxygen and then back to the left atrium which pumps it to the left ventricle where it goes out to the body). When pulmonary circulation gets congested, the blood coming back to your heart (it goes into the right atrium) gets backed up and eventually the backup results in edema. Mike some suggestions in my text are to lower oxygen requirements of your body. One way to do this is to sleep with your head elevated to 45 degrees. The edema and congestion are treated with diuretics, which is what the Lasix does. Try to limit your sodium intake since that will cause fluid retention and if your doc hasnt mentioned it, you might want to ask him about fluid restrictions. If your body already has too much fluid, adding too much more can create added stress on your kidneys and lead to other issues.The activity intolerance and fatigue are typical of heart failure.As for medical management, in my book it mentions that digoxin, vasodilators, loop diuretics (Lasix is one), and ACE inhibitors are a common treatment. Some things they tell us to teach patients include: -avoidance of meds with a high sodium content (some laxatives and antacids are high in sodium) -try to limit your sodium intake to 2gm/day (2000mg) -eat several smaller more frequent meals vs 3 meals per day -weigh yourself daily at the same time, ideally in the same clothes. report gains over 2-3lb in 2 days (indicates fluid retention. 1lb = 1L of body fluid) -eat foods high in potassium and low in sodium (oranges, bananas) Lasix depletes your potassium- low potassium (hypokalemia) can cause cardiac arrhythmias -once your heart failure is stabilized, regular exercise is importantOf course, this is only stuff from our text book....your doc is the ultimate authority and is the one guiding your specific treatment. I hope I didnt scare anyone to death, and Mike I hope this may give you some insight....Ann