I'm feeling much better today. I still have some mild pain, and my stomach feels a little off.
Still haven't heard from my doctor though. And I'm pretty stressed about the pain, wondering what it was.
Besides that, my other big stress lately is keeping track of my medications. I have several new ones and I do not have them down at all. I feel like I am juggling all of them - some have to be with food, on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, same time each day - and I need to sit down and come up with a plan. I also am not sure what pill is what yet. After taking the same stuff for over a year I had it all straight, but I'm not sure about the new ones yet.
I've been meaning to do this for a while, so I'm going to type it all up here - what I take, when I take them, and the rules for each:
Hydrocortisone: two pills; take at 7:45 with food (I wake up to an alarm, go to the kitchen and eat something, take them, then go back to bed); I keep them in their bottle so as to not have to go looking for them among all my other pills every morning
Synthroid: take when I wake up for a second time; small, oval pill; take with water on an empty stomach
Bromocriptine: first dose, split in half, with food
Metformin: first dose, with food
DHEA: first dose, split in half
Cytomel: take in the afternoon; round pill (looks very similar to bromocriptine), doesn't say to be taken on an empty stomach but I have been (probably should google that)
Tamoxifen: two pills, bigger with an 'M' on them; try to take at same time each day
Bromocriptine: second dose, with dinner
Metformin: second dose, with dinner
DHEA: second dose, usually take with dinner
Pre-natal vitamin: usually take with dinner
See..that's not so bad! When things stress me out and I feel like I don't have a handle on them, I really just need to list them all and recognize that, on paper, it's not as bad as when it's all floating around in my head. This is a perfect example of that.
Maybe I should print that out and put it on my fridge so I don't forget. And maybe I should make a little check list for all of them. I already put them in a seven-day pill box so I don't wonder whether I've already taken one or not (which was a big problem at first), but a check list might help even more.
Hopefully I'll hear from my doctor's office today. I also have to get my blood tested for my thyroid meds today, which I should've done earlier in the week.
And I know I shouldn't be, but I'm starting to get worried that the hydrocortisone isn't working. I know, I know...I probably need a stronger dose (which he will likely give me after seeing if this helps). And I'm sure I also need to give it time. This is the last thing I need to stress out about, but I can't help it.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sorting it out
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I'm so glad you're feeling better. You have more pills to take than I do. The fridge cheat sheet might be the way to go. I had to break down and buy the 7-day pill box, too, and I felt like such a Granny doing it. I remember all my grandparents using them!
ReplyDeleteI use a pill box too...I could never remember if I took something or not...LOL. Sounds like you have a good written plan for all the meds you take...hope it helps. That's good you are feeling better. Many blessings.
ReplyDeletei totally understand how hard it is to keep track of all the medications! i have two pill boxes that i have my medications in. it has totally made it easier for me to take.
ReplyDeletei think that having a schedule on your fridge to keep everything organized sounds good.
i'm so glad that you're feeling better! i hope that your doctor calls soon!
Just a note on the hydrocortisone: you don't HAVE to take it with food. I always set my alarm for the time to take it, and set out the pill with some water on my nightstand the night before. When the alarm went off, I rolled over, swallowed the pill and went back to sleep. No stomach troubles or anything like that. Just wanted to mention that because it might make your life easier not to have to get up and get food every morning just for the Cortef. :) Another idea would be to keep a few crackers on the nightstand with the pill and just do the whole business right there without getting up.
ReplyDeleteThe Cortef will take some time to work and make you feel better, so don't lose heart. :)
Best wishes,
Michelle H.
I 2nd the hydrocort note by Michelle... I used to take mine religiously with food as per Dr H's orders... but you know me... me so lazy... so that diligence stopped after, oh, 3 days ;)
ReplyDeleteI never got an upset stomach taking it w/o food.
K, some people have stomach upset when taking cortef on an empty stomach and that's why they say to take with food. I have to eat esp first thing in the am or I get nausous, but not DH. Also you are correct, your cortisol levels were very low, you'll need at least 20 mg a day, usually taken 5 mg 4xs...morning, noon, afternoon and night. As I told you before I take 30mg 10 in am 10 at noon 5 afternoon and 5 at bedtime.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to hear you are feeling better today. You were in all that pain yesterday and I unloaded all my junk onto you. I am SO sorry !!! You were probably more depressed after getting off the phone with me. haha!
ReplyDeletePlease update when you hear back from Dr.B!!
I apologize for intruding on your comments a second time, Karey, but I was curious about the DHEA that Dr. B prescribed in addition to your Cortisone, so I did a little digging. I found a readable explanation of how DHEA restores adrenal function at this website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalfatigue/dhea.aspx
Ignore the fact that she's trying to sell her program; yours is better. :) But I thought this was a good explanation of why Dr. B might have decided NOT to put you on the 20mg dose of cortisone...the DHEA is another way of increasing your cortisol level and supporting adrenal function, only further "upstream" in the adrenal hormone process, if you will. The schematic on that site shows what I mean. Instead of doing it at the Cortisol level, he might be doing it at a higher level in the chain. Just throwing that out there, hoping to help. Best to you!
Hmm...that link didn't go through...trying again.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalfatigue/dhea.aspx
If this doesn't work, go to womentowomen.com. Click on Adrenal Fatigue on the left sidebar. Then click on DHEA and adrenal fatigue. That should get you there.
Thanks, Michelle! That does make sense. I know Dr. B is so on top of stuff, that I'm always sure there's a very good reason behind why he does something.
ReplyDeleteactually DHea nd cortisol are two different hormones, if you take dhea you'll likely increase testoserone in your body not cortisol. Dhea will not increase cortisol.
ReplyDeleteThey are both adrenal hormones but taking one will not raise the other.
K, That sure is a long list. I find that it helps to keep them all in a seven day pill box too but labled differently for the parts of the day to take them. Also, maybe you do need a higher dose of hydrocort. You were really below normal to begin with. When do you think Dr. B will re-avaluate (SP?) the dose amount?
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear your feeling a bit better. Are you taking any fish oil? If it is adhesions or endo coming back then fish oil (like cod liver oil) helps with inflamation and have you heard of castor oil packs for helping adhesions (scar tissue)? Just thought I would throw that out there...hope that helps :)
Many prayers,
Amber
That was stupid of me...is DHEA a sort of fish oil? If so, I forgot you are taking that...oops!
ReplyDeletehang in there! health is always worth it :)
ReplyDeleteif you do get nervous or strange dreams at night, it could be the dhea at dinner
i never take mine after 1 pm or so, but i do love the dhea
fertile thoughts, dha is one part of the fish oil :)
ReplyDeleteepa is the other - they're essential oils (is that the right 'e' word? they are essential for sure and great for fertility)
dhea is a hormone
dhea has not affected my testosterone, it can also affect estrogen
ReplyDeletei am sure the doc will re-test you at some point, but such a small dose of dhea won't make a huge difference
there's something called keto-7, i think, which is not supposed to increase the other hormones
women to women is a great site, no need to ignore them
i take several meds a day and at least 30 supplements a day - it's tough, but they help so much
have any seen the stories on chinese herbs helping endo, and on newsmax.com the story about supplements making you look young :) that's my secert i guess, i look so much younger than i am :)
that, and staying out of the sun too much
digestive enzymes and probiotics help my stomach deal with all i gie it
again, women to women is an amazing site, and i wish there were more people out there helping women
ReplyDelete(not associated with them, their articles have just helped me :)
here's an explanation of keto-7, for anyone interested, not suggesting anyone take it
again, such small doses of dhea won't affect your negatively, and the larger doses have not really affected mine negatively either
http://www26.netrition.com/now_7keto_page.html