weight, shame,and other factors......very long

September 19, 2004

I am recalling my latest bout with lymphedema and cellulitis.I think I first started having the symptoms of a flare back in November of last year.I dismissed the symptoms....I thought that I could get over the blisters quickly by using those bandaids that are in the wound care genre(like what they used for burns, etc).Was not much pain then...Then the drainage started....and the leaking of the lymph fluid started getting so bad, I was changing pants more than once or twice daily.Then the pain started, and nothing I did would help. I used bag balm like crazy, downed massive dosages of ibuprofen, and still not any better. And I was in denial.... I would not admit that I was ill or hurting or that it was serious.I am in an auto-immune disease support group, besides our thyroid groups; and I kept thinking that others were having more problems than I was.

I am a large woman, gained a lot of weight very fast. This happened when I was 18/19(month before I turned 19, I was hit by a car while walking. Iwas thrown 20 or more feet, and landed on the left side of my body and head.No broken bones, don't recall if I even had a concussion)I then started gaining weight very fast with no changes in diet or activity.I had put on at least 75 lbs. in 2 and 1/2 months.I then put on another 100 in the year after. Then my gain had settled down to say 20 lbs a year, until the last 10 years, and then I have stayed the same until I started getting treated for my thyroid disease(hashimoto's).I was basically at the right weight before this happened.When I was thinner, I was too thin.I was also going through severe depression then, too.And I had developed a real severe strep throat too.This brings me up to when I would go to drs, I would get the lose weight and all will be better lecture---this was for everything.I would be shamed.And then I would be having tests that do show I have problems, yet I was basically told that it was all because of my weight. The weight, depression and other things were the symptoms of my thyroid disease.When I had my first bout with lymphedema, I had very little patient educatgion, and was told it was weight-based.I had a dr then, who refused to give me an antibiotic when I was having the fever, etc. A week later, on a trip, I ended up in the hospital for my first lymphedema/cellulitis related hospitalization.They gave me the antibiotics intravenously, and I was in only for 3 days.

I don't recall about my first hospitalization here in Waco(we have been here 3 years), but I recall about the first one this year.That was back in the first week of Feb.As I stated at first, I had been sick since november.They did a bunch of tests and it was determined that I did not have the other problems(with the veins, etc) or blood clots, but the lymphedema and cellulitis and other infections. I also had developed kidney malfunctioning that did right itself( found out that ibuprofen affects the kidneys like tylenol type affect the liver). At this hospital, I had terrible care- was treated like the dirt on one's shoes.I did not have adequate pain relief either.I was in for 8 days.

When I got home, I still was in pain and had basically no follow up.I then kept getting sicker and weaker(and I still was in denial). Leon(my husband) and my friends were very concerned and frustrated with my refusal to see a dr. About three weeks after I was released, I was at the point I was so weak, I could not get out of bed. A very good friend finally persuaded me along with this weakness to go to the hospital.I called the ambulance, and they came and got me. They had to take me out on the quilt I was lying on, because it had stuck to me with all my lymph fluid leakage.They had to put oxygen on me while in the ambulance.I went to the other hospital here in Waco. What a difference! I was treated with kindness, dignity and adequate relief of pain!.I also found my present dr who is willing to treat me like an intelligent partner in my health care.I had one of those special hospital beds with the inflatable air mattress.This bed had it such that you would exit from the foot.I had a catheter placed in me, and I was so glad about that as it made it a lot easier to bear than having to go to the bathroom and all the hassle with that.I also had whirpool therapy!They thought that I may have to go to a rest home when I was released, but I was so against that as my husband needed me at home(He is disabled)I was released, but I was able to have nurses come out daily to change my dressings, etc and I would go to the wound care clinic once a week. They figured I would take months to heal, but with the taking of my armour thyroid, the thorough cleaning, my resting and upping my intake of protein, plus the oral antibiotics, I recovered extremely fast( I am even in the journals now!) My wounds healed in a matter of three weeks to a month!I was in the hospital 10 days that time. I had also developed a staph infection too from the other hospital.My iron levels were so low, I was considered for a blood transfusion.Now, six months later, I am still doing well, but still am leery as I feel that my weight still may be held against getting proper treatment.

ThyroFeisty(Feisty)www.thyrophoenix.com

September 19, 2004

I'm glad you finally went to the other hospital and that they treated

you well. I hope you can find a caring doctor. I know that's a huge

challenge, and the doctors don't descriminate...they mostly won't take

you seriously no matter what your weight!!!! You and and

everyone else encouraged me when I was so desperately miserable these

last few months. You all gave me the courage to find new doctors and

keep trying, and now I am starting to feel better. Hey- you're my leg

hair braiding hero! Never give up. Darrin

> I am recalling my latest bout with lymphedema and cellulitis.I

think I first started having the symptoms of a flare back in November

of last year.I dismissed the symptoms....I thought that I could get

over the blisters quickly by using those bandaids that are in the

wound care genre(like what they used for burns, etc).Was not much pain

then...Then the drainage started....and the leaking of the lymph fluid

started getting so bad, I was changing pants more than once or twice

daily.Then the pain started, and nothing I did would help. I used bag

balm like crazy, downed massive dosages of ibuprofen, and still not

any better. And I was in denial.... I would not admit that I was ill

or hurting or that it was serious.I am in an auto-immune disease

support group, besides our thyroid groups; and I kept thinking that

others were having more problems than I was.

> I am a large woman, gained a lot of weight very fast. This happened

when I was 18/19(month before I turned 19, I was hit by a car while

walking. Iwas thrown 20 or more feet, and landed on the left side of

my body and head.No broken bones, don't recall if I even had a

concussion)I then started gaining weight very fast with no changes in

diet or activity.I had put on at least 75 lbs. in 2 and 1/2 months.I

then put on another 100 in the year after. Then my gain had settled

down to say 20 lbs a year, until the last 10 years, and then I have

stayed the same until I started getting treated for my thyroid

disease(hashimoto's).I was basically at the right weight before this

happened.When I was thinner, I was too thin.I was also going through

severe depression then, too.And I had developed a real severe strep

throat too.This brings me up to when I would go to drs, I would get

the lose weight and all will be better lecture---this was for

everything.I would be shamed.And then I would be having tests that do

show I have problems, yet I was basically told that it was all because

of my weight. The weight, depression and other things were the

symptoms of my thyroid disease.When I had my first bout with

lymphedema, I had very little patient educatgion, and was told it was

weight-based.I had a dr then, who refused to give me an antibiotic

when I was having the fever, etc. A week later, on a trip, I ended up

in the hospital for my first lymphedema/cellulitis related

hospitalization.They gave me the antibiotics intravenously, and I was

in only for 3 days.

> I don't recall about my first hospitalization here in Waco(we have

been here 3 years), but I recall about the first one this year.That

was back in the first week of Feb.As I stated at first, I had been

sick since november.They did a bunch of tests and it was determined

that I did not have the other problems(with the veins, etc) or blood

clots, but the lymphedema and cellulitis and other infections. I also

had developed kidney malfunctioning that did right itself( found out

that ibuprofen affects the kidneys like tylenol type affect the

liver). At this hospital, I had terrible care- was treated like the

dirt on one's shoes.I did not have adequate pain relief either.I was

in for 8 days.

> When I got home, I still was in pain and had basically no follow

up.I then kept getting sicker and weaker(and I still was in denial).

Leon(my husband) and my friends were very concerned and frustrated

with my refusal to see a dr. About three weeks after I was released, I

was at the point I was so weak, I could not get out of bed. A very

good friend finally persuaded me along with this weakness to go to the

hospital.I called the ambulance, and they came and got me. They had to

take me out on the quilt I was lying on, because it had stuck to me

with all my lymph fluid leakage.They had to put oxygen on me while in

the ambulance.I went to the other hospital here in Waco. What a

difference! I was treated with kindness, dignity and adequate relief

of pain!.I also found my present dr who is willing to treat me like an

intelligent partner in my health care.I had one of those special

hospital beds with the inflatable air mattress.This bed had it such

that you would exit from the foot.I had a catheter placed in me, and I

was so glad about that as it made it a lot easier to bear than having

to go to the bathroom and all the hassle with that.I also had whirpool

therapy!They thought that I may have to go to a rest home when I was

released, but I was so against that as my husband needed me at

home(He is disabled)I was released, but I was able to have nurses come

out daily to change my dressings, etc and I would go to the wound care

clinic once a week. They figured I would take months to heal, but with

the taking of my armour thyroid, the thorough cleaning, my resting and

upping my intake of protein, plus the oral antibiotics, I recovered

extremely fast( I am even in the journals now!) My wounds healed in a

matter of three weeks to a month!I was in the hospital 10 days that

time. I had also developed a staph infection too from the other

hospital.My iron levels were so low, I was considered for a blood

transfusion.Now, six months later, I am still doing well, but still am

leery as I feel that my weight still may be held against getting

proper treatment.

> ThyroFeisty(Feisty)

> www.thyrophoenix.com

> ThyroFeisty(Feisty)

> www.thyrophoenix.com

September 19, 2004