Guest guest Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 I just got home from visiting with my Mom who lives on those pain things for headaches, in powder form? BC Powder I think is what she takes to be able to move in the mornings and by the time she gets off work, she's gotta have another to stand the pain? She hurts so badly in her back, walks bent over (this is very familiar to me) and her hair is so thin from falling out on top of her head. She's got a terrible place on her outer left calf of her leg that openly weeps, looks brownish to me, and she's so tired and I have no idea how to impress on her to get to a dr fast! I remember when her hair first started getting thin on top, and that was when my oldest son was a year old. He is now 28. She's still working, just turned 70 this past week, and I have no clue how this poor woman even gets around? She's no longer able to get anything done around the house, can hardly walk, has one of those recliners that lifts you up to help you get out, and it just breaks my heart thinking that she's got something wrong with her thyroid that CAN be fixed. I even offered her some of my armour thyroid if she wanted to try one and see if it actually helped her, and now I feel awful for offering it to her. I don't want to see her have anymore problems than she's already had medically but I just can't seem to impress upon her that all this pain she feels doesn't have to affect her everyday life if she'd just see a dr and then get me copies of her labs. I know that since I'm the first in my immediate family to be diagnosed with hyperT/Graves who's now moved over to hypoT, that she could have had this years ago too. One thing I can always remember about her is that she is so easily frightened. She will literally jump and scream at the drop of a hat? Maybe her adrenals are shot too, I am just not sure anymore. Can anybody think of anything I can maybe tell her that will help to get her in high gear to get her tested so we know exactly what we're dealing with here? She's got carpal tunnel and has had that ever since I can remember. It just all sounds so familiar and I just know if she keeps this up, she's only going to get worse. Any suggestions? I've offered to even take off a day of vacation and go with her to the dr's appt if she'll just make the appt. Nothing I say seems to make a lasting impression on her, but her health is only getting worse as the years go by. SandyE~Houston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 Hi, Sandy, The way I see it, if she gets the test and gets treated, she'll feel better, have more energy and she can do an even better job than she already is and they won't want to get rid of her! She's taken meds before? How come she stopped? in Va. ----- Her biggest reason for this is because I honestly think she's lived so long with all these symptoms she's just thinking it's 'normal'. She's also very afraid that they are trying to get rid of her at her job, which only adds to her apprehension. She thinks if she gets a diagnosis of hypoT (she's had to take meds for thyroid before) that she'll somehow lose her job. She's always been a caregiver of sorts, and she's just not ready to retire at this point. Unfortunately if she keeps on going like she is, she may not make it many more years. She's almost unable to do anything for herself anymore, and this is just so unlike her. It's just getting worse. I even told her we could get her testing done through Healthcheck USA, but that hasn't motivated her either. Grrrr! SandyE~Houston ----- Original Message ----- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 nne, my mom does put herself last about everything. I'm sure that's why she's so hesitant to do anything about her situation. I think if there is something that helps us to feel better, then we should do whatever we have to do to feel better. I'm not fond of dr's either, but I know I can't live without them completely. I just wish I could get that idea into her head. It was only in talking to her that I found that she had taken thyroid meds before, but this would have been back in the 60's and I'm thinking it could have been armour. She most likely quit going to the dr which would have required her to keep getting them. It's been so long, even she doesn't remember what they were, or why she was put on them, but I do know that she gained much weight back around those years, and was always having a hard time with it. For as far back as I can remember, she has suffered from depression also. I used to think she was just born depressed, because she never had a positive attitude about anything. :-( SandyE~Houston RE: Help, Any suggestions? <<< (she's had to take meds for thyroid before) >>> Why would she not still be on them? I thought we would be taking this for the rest of our lives. <<<She's always been a caregiver of sorts, and she's just not ready to retire at this point. Unfortunately if she keeps on going like she is, she may not make it many more years. She's almost unable to do anything for herself anymore, and this is just so unlike her. It's just getting worse. I even told her we could get her testing done through Healthcheck USA, but that hasn't motivated her either. Grrrr! >>>> Sandy, She sounds very much like my husband. Always putting himself last. He cannot get himself to get the blood test so we can get him feeling better. I just think the hypo makes you so unmotivated that you really can't help yourself. Nothing sounds good, and you loose your will to do anything. (at least that is how I have felt) nne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 I work with the elderly, and frankly, she is probably unable to initiate (physically and emotionally) the wherewithall to make this move at this point. The brown weeping area on her leg sounds like a circulatory condition that I have seen many times over, caused or initiated by an infection from any cause, plus the poor circulation. The extremities are what will suffer the most from this. With carpel tunnel, she's bound to have thyroid disease, but if she ends up taking Armour, it would have to be started very carefully and slowly, probably at only 15 mgs for more than a short while because the cardiac problems that may have manifested at this point would probably make that a more delicate situation. I'm with someone else on this---you're probably going to have to do the footwork on this, but I also realize hwo stubborn people can be at this age. My Mom would probably be raising cane with me on this sbjct. Help, Any suggestions? I just got home from visiting with my Mom who lives on those pain things for headaches, in powder form? BC Powder I think is what she takes to be able to move in the mornings and by the time she gets off work, she's gotta have another to stand the pain? She hurts so badly in her back, walks bent over (this is very familiar to me) and her hair is so thin from falling out on top of her head. She's got a terrible place on her outer left calf of her leg that openly weeps, looks brownish to me, and she's so tired and I have no idea how to impress on her to get to a dr fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 You have confirmed something to me about this. She is foggy and is losing her memory, but if you could use the thing about " putting others first " , then you might be able to get her to do it, with your help. I think she is unable to do it on her own at this point, but she might go ahead with it, if you could convey to her that it is worrying YOU to death, and making YOU very unhappy. Re: Help, Any suggestions? nne, my mom does put herself last about everything. I'm sure that's why she's so hesitant to do anything about her situation. I think if there is something that helps us to feel better, then we should do whatever we have to do to feel better. I'm not fond of dr's either, but I know I can't live without them completely. I just wish I could get that idea into her head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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