Guest guest Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 HI Walt, I'll say you have had a terrible couple of weeks. My goodness what you have both been through. I must say this is the only time I have heard of one parent checking in the hospital while the other is checking out. That must have been so stressful on both of you as well as on your kids. You must have considerable strength and strong mind control to be able to manage through the MRI like that after the Kayexalate. Any time I have been to the ER and they threatened to give me that, I have been able to avoid it telling them that was my normal potassium level and to call my Neph. The only time I came close is when I got to 7.0, then they were calling me telling me to get the ER immediately. Fortunately, by the time I got there, I had dropped down to 6.2 and they didn't force me to take the Kayexalate. From your story, I think I am glad I have avoided it thus far :-) You and your wife take care of yourselves Walt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Sometimes, everything just seems to fail all at once. My wife got sick last week with cellulitis in her leg. Caused her fever to spike. By Friday, she had been admitted to the hospital. Over last weekend, I started getting fevers, and by Sunday, I had Cellulitis in my leg also (the doctors say they know of nothing that would cause contagion). By Thursday, I could hardly walk, so my doctor sent me to the ER for an MRI to see if I had an abcess or fasciatis in my leg. I was lucky enough to see my wife being discharged while I was being admitted -- which was good, considering that we had nobody to take care of our kids (12 and 9). The first thing in the ER, they noticed that my Potassium was 5.9, so they wanted to lower that -- even though I stated that was pretty normal for me. So they loaded me up on Kayexalate and glucose (to speed the process), and then gave me a shot of Insulin and a massive dose of glucose (they claimed that the insulin/glucose IV would open the potassium channels in my cells). Within 10 minutes, I was shivering and shaking from the glucode/insulin shock, and then had to start using the bathroom, which was of course all of the way across the ER. I had to walk there, even though I could barely move my leg. They were supposed to give me 3 hours of voiding the Kayexalate before I did the MRI, but the MRI tech came down and got me 2 hours early, saying there were a couple of cancellations. They shoved me in the MRI even though I protested that I was still moving the Kayexalate. 10 minutes in, I had to go, but they didn't want to let me out until they had finished. 2 full hours after they started, they let me out of the machine, and I ran for the bathroom - - I was in there for 20 minutes. When I came out I told the MRI tech she should be happy that I had strong control, or she would have been hosing down the room for weeks... In any case, they kept me overnight, and released me the next morning, telling me that there was nothing in my leg that needed procedures. Has anyone else had this kind of leg infection? If so, how long does it take to clear up? Second -- never let them put you in the MRI machine after taking Kayexalate... Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Well, they did give me headphones to listen to some good tunes -- so I was able to drown out most of the noise. I guess I fell asleep, since it didn't seem like I was awake the full two hours. I mentioned to them that my potassium was high when I went in there. They were so thrilled it went from 5.9 to 5.2 after the MRI torture chamber. I told the nurse it would be back up to 5.6 before I left the hospital. The next morning, it was 5.4, which started another whole round of people scattering about because of my High Potassium. I told them I wasn't taking any more Kayexalate, and that if they called my nephrologist, he would tell them how thrilled he was with the 5.4. He messaged back a few minutes later and told them it sounded good to him. My wife also said they were giving her Potassium when she went in. This was a new hospital -- not the usual one that I go to. I prefer to call it " Kingdom Hospital " -- King fans will get the joke. They never checked the EKG before they tried to lower the Potassium - - they just started right in. After they gave me the huge tube of glucose by IV, and they saw me shaking, they said " You're not diabetic, are you? " . I mean -- is this the right time to ask? Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Well, they did give me headphones to listen to some good tunes -- so I was able to drown out most of the noise. I guess I fell asleep, since it didn't seem like I was awake the full two hours. I mentioned to them that my potassium was high when I went in there. They were so thrilled it went from 5.9 to 5.2 after the MRI torture chamber. I told the nurse it would be back up to 5.6 before I left the hospital. The next morning, it was 5.4, which started another whole round of people scattering about because of my High Potassium. I told them I wasn't taking any more Kayexalate, and that if they called my nephrologist, he would tell them how thrilled he was with the 5.4. He messaged back a few minutes later and told them it sounded good to him. My wife also said they were giving her Potassium when she went in. This was a new hospital -- not the usual one that I go to. I prefer to call it " Kingdom Hospital " -- King fans will get the joke. They never checked the EKG before they tried to lower the Potassium - - they just started right in. After they gave me the huge tube of glucose by IV, and they saw me shaking, they said " You're not diabetic, are you? " . I mean -- is this the right time to ask? Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Actually, I'm not terribly against taking kayexalate. I just make sure that I take it with Cranberry juice, where you can at least choke it down. But they mixed it with sucrose also, which is supposed to start the works faster. I figure, if they give me the Kayexalate, maybe I can lower the potassium enough that it will give me a buffer for a while. My wife is still laid up, but I'm at least hobbling around with some crutches... Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Actually, I'm not terribly against taking kayexalate. I just make sure that I take it with Cranberry juice, where you can at least choke it down. But they mixed it with sucrose also, which is supposed to start the works faster. I figure, if they give me the Kayexalate, maybe I can lower the potassium enough that it will give me a buffer for a while. My wife is still laid up, but I'm at least hobbling around with some crutches... Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Actually, I'm not terribly against taking kayexalate. I just make sure that I take it with Cranberry juice, where you can at least choke it down. But they mixed it with sucrose also, which is supposed to start the works faster. I figure, if they give me the Kayexalate, maybe I can lower the potassium enough that it will give me a buffer for a while. My wife is still laid up, but I'm at least hobbling around with some crutches... Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 I think the first line of your post says it all. Your post struck my heart at two levels. First there is nothing so terrifying as being unable to take care of one's kids. It's one I worry about - a lot. Second, hospitals that do things to make it easy for themselves or because something is according to their schedule (not the patient's) are very scary places. It makes me wish they have a string of patients with less control than you had because maybe then they would wise up about. I know how very lucky we are to deal with a children's hospital where treating the patient like a human being is really practiced. I know nothing about cellulitis other than the article on www.emedicine.com I assume you and your wife have been wracking your brains to figure out why you were both hit with this one. I know the docs said they knew of nothing that would cause contagion, but given everything else that happened, thier conclusion might not be the last word. Please let us know how you are doing. Cy Bad couple of weeks > Sometimes, everything just seems to fail all at once. > > My wife got sick last week with cellulitis in her leg. Caused her > fever to spike. By Friday, she had been admitted to the hospital. > > Over last weekend, I started getting fevers, and by Sunday, I had > Cellulitis in my leg also (the doctors say they know of nothing that > would cause contagion). By Thursday, I could hardly walk, so my > doctor sent me to the ER for an MRI to see if I had an abcess or > fasciatis in my leg. I was lucky enough to see my wife being > discharged while I was being admitted -- which was good, considering > that we had nobody to take care of our kids (12 and 9). > > The first thing in the ER, they noticed that my Potassium was 5.9, > so they wanted to lower that -- even though I stated that was pretty > normal for me. So they loaded me up on Kayexalate and glucose (to > speed the process), and then gave me a shot of Insulin and a massive > dose of glucose (they claimed that the insulin/glucose IV would open > the potassium channels in my cells). > > Within 10 minutes, I was shivering and shaking from the > glucode/insulin shock, and then had to start using the bathroom, > which was of course all of the way across the ER. I had to walk > there, even though I could barely move my leg. > > They were supposed to give me 3 hours of voiding the Kayexalate > before I did the MRI, but the MRI tech came down and got me 2 hours > early, saying there were a couple of cancellations. > > They shoved me in the MRI even though I protested that I was still > moving the Kayexalate. 10 minutes in, I had to go, but they didn't > want to let me out until they had finished. 2 full hours after they > started, they let me out of the machine, and I ran for the bathroom - > - I was in there for 20 minutes. > > When I came out I told the MRI tech she should be happy that I had > strong control, or she would have been hosing down the room for > weeks... > > In any case, they kept me overnight, and released me the next > morning, telling me that there was nothing in my leg that needed > procedures. > > Has anyone else had this kind of leg infection? If so, how long > does it take to clear up? > > Second -- never let them put you in the MRI machine after taking > Kayexalate... > > Walt > > > > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group > home page: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iga-nephropathy/ > > To unsubcribe via email, > iga-nephropathy-unsubscribe > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported by donations. If you would like to help, go to: > http://www.igan.ca/id62.htm > > Thank you > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Cellulitus is basically a puss infection under the skin. Skin gets red and very warm/hot to the touch. I have had cellulitus a few times in my legs and it is no fun. Each time it came on very quickly..ex:I am fine, then have shivers, then spike a fever within an hr. Sometimes it took about a week of IV antibiotics to get it under control. I am also a diabetic, so I heal slowly. Also, I have been on kaexolate for the last few weeks and have been VERY lucky that I have not had the major side effect. The glucose/insulin regimen is correct...it gets the potassium in the blood back into the cells. Unfortunately as a diabetic, it could do me more harm than good. Hope you all are feeling better soon. Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Cellulitus is basically a puss infection under the skin. Skin gets red and very warm/hot to the touch. I have had cellulitus a few times in my legs and it is no fun. Each time it came on very quickly..ex:I am fine, then have shivers, then spike a fever within an hr. Sometimes it took about a week of IV antibiotics to get it under control. I am also a diabetic, so I heal slowly. Also, I have been on kaexolate for the last few weeks and have been VERY lucky that I have not had the major side effect. The glucose/insulin regimen is correct...it gets the potassium in the blood back into the cells. Unfortunately as a diabetic, it could do me more harm than good. Hope you all are feeling better soon. Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 Sharon: Thanks for the info -- exactly the symptoms that I had. I guess next time, I'll start the antibiotics right away. The weird thing is my wife having it at the same time... Thanks for the backup on the insulin/glucose regimen... Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 Hi Walt Sorry to hear about your bad couple of weeks. Cellulitis isn't contagious i.e. it isn't spread directly from one person to another... BUT the bacteria that causes it CAN be transferred by direct contact with an open sore on a person with cellulitis. For more info go to www.mayoclinic.com Hope this helps. Maureen > Sharon: > > Thanks for the info -- exactly the symptoms that I had. I guess > next time, I'll start the antibiotics right away. The weird thing > is my wife having it at the same time... > > Thanks for the backup on the insulin/glucose regimen... > > Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 Hi Walt Sorry to hear about your bad couple of weeks. Cellulitis isn't contagious i.e. it isn't spread directly from one person to another... BUT the bacteria that causes it CAN be transferred by direct contact with an open sore on a person with cellulitis. For more info go to www.mayoclinic.com Hope this helps. Maureen > Sharon: > > Thanks for the info -- exactly the symptoms that I had. I guess > next time, I'll start the antibiotics right away. The weird thing > is my wife having it at the same time... > > Thanks for the backup on the insulin/glucose regimen... > > Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 Hi Walt Sorry to hear about your bad couple of weeks. Cellulitis isn't contagious i.e. it isn't spread directly from one person to another... BUT the bacteria that causes it CAN be transferred by direct contact with an open sore on a person with cellulitis. For more info go to www.mayoclinic.com Hope this helps. Maureen > Sharon: > > Thanks for the info -- exactly the symptoms that I had. I guess > next time, I'll start the antibiotics right away. The weird thing > is my wife having it at the same time... > > Thanks for the backup on the insulin/glucose regimen... > > Walt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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