Lovenox

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Feb 6 2007, 01:47 PM) [snapback]386301[/snapback]</div>

Leonardo squirmed like a Tasmanian devil every time he had to get a rabies shot. I'd carry him into the vet's exam room and put him on the table, and in one leap he'd be up on my shoulders holding on for dear life. I'd wrestle him down to the table and hold him for the shot, and he'd fight for all he was worth. And as soon as it was over he'd shoot back up to my shoulders for comfort.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ZenCruiser @ Feb 6 2007, 02:49 PM) [snapback]386353[/snapback]</div>

I don't believe that having a positive attitude helps, but I do believe the procedure has an extremely low rate of complications, and therefore a very high liklihood that I'll emerge just fine. Whether it cures my a-fib... well, on that point I've got a three out of four chance; and a 25% chance that nothing changes.

But it is nice to know that so many people enjoy reading what I have to say. Thank you all. Chances are I'll be away a far shorter time than when I go on vacation.

 

I'm back home. They released me at around 6:00 or 7:00 last night. I'm still feeling pretty crummy.

I don't remember anything, from the time they got me ready for the trans-esophegal ultrasound, until I woke up in recovery. I was surrounded by people telling me stuff, but I didn't believe whatever they were telling me. I felt as though my bladder were full to bursting, and wanted to get up and go pee. But in fact, they had a catheter in my bladder, so the feeling was due to irritation.

The following day a urologist came in, had a look, and removed the catheter. He also told me that the technician who inserted it had placed it wrong. I had a lot of blood in my urine, which I think should not have been, because it was just a catheter. From the time I woke up until the urologist removed the catheter, about 24 hours later, I felt thoroughly miserable. And of course it hurt like the dickens to pee.

Right now I feel a little like I'd been in a car accident, sore and bruised at all the insertion sites. They had about 7 catheters in me, not counting the bladder. One at the neck, and several in the crease at the front of the legs. I presume my grogginess and shakiness right now (I can hardly type) is due to the medicines they gave me. They put a Scopolamine patch on me to prevent nausea after the anesthesia, and they gave me some painkillers,which didn't do anything for the pain, but which helped me to sleep. Actually, the only pain I felt was my bladder. If the technician who inserted the cathter had done it right, I probably would have had no pain at all. There is now hardly any blood in my urine, and I finally got to take off the very uncomfortable bandages over the insertion sites.

The good news is that they think the operation was a success. It may be a few months before we can say for certain. But my heart has been in sinus (normal) rhythm ever since. I'm not allowed any heavy lifting or exercise for a week or two.

Now I have to resume taking Norpace, and for the next several days Lovenox again, and I have to start taking Warfarin.

If my a-fib is really cured, it will be worth the ordeal.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words.

Dr. Ed: Thanks for your suggestions about self-injecting. I'll try it that way for this morning's injection.

Godiva: I have to do the injections twice a day, at 12 hour intervals. The only convenient clinic is closed at those times, so I have to do it myself. It's creepy, but I can do it. In Spain there are people who are refered to simply as "practitioners," who make their living making house calls to give shots. You buy the medicine and you make an appointment with the practitioner, who comes to your home to adminster the shot. Typically they ride around on little motorscooters because traffic and parking can be problematic. I know about this because I got a bladder infection while I was there and had to have a course of antibiotic injections.

 

Yesterday was not a good day. Friday started out with painful urination, and low volume and flow, but by evening the volume was better and the pain was nearly gone. But yesterday was back to very low flow and volume, plus pain. Also the bruises at one of the insertion sites had grown significantly. So I phoned the doctor's office to report the symptoms and ask if I should be concerned, and was told to go directly to the emergency room.

I figured that either my bladder was full and I was not voiding, or I was experiencing phantom need-to-pee, because the feeling of needing to pee was intense. Especially immediately after peeing, the feeling was intense, as though I was not voiding hardly at all.

At the emergency room they did an ultra-sound and determined that my bladder was nearly empty, concluding that I was actually voiding normally, and my bladder was either infected or irritated. Urine and blood work eliminated the former and concluded the latter, so they gave me an anti-spazmodic, and told me to phone the urologist on Monday. The anti-spazmodic greatly reduced the discomfort, and an hour after taking the first dose I was greatly improved. They also gave me a course of antibiotics, but I have no idea why, if the tests concluded I have no infection. Prophylaxis???

So I am much improved. I am hoping (though hoping does no good) that I won't have to have follow-up surgery on my prostate for damage caused by the improperly-inserted catheter. It could just be irritation that clears up eventually. My pee is now bright orange from the anti-spazmodic, Phenazopyridine. They warned me of that when they gave me the prescription. They said the bruises are normal, and not a concern. They also tested my warfarin level and pronounced it acceptable.

So far I have had no a-fib. That's the main thing!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dr Ed @ Feb 9 2007, 09:42 AM) [snapback]387540[/snapback]</div>

Yep. that's the instructions they gave me, both verbally and in writing with diagrams. The first shot left a big black-and-blue mark, probably because I was unsteady. All the rest have left only a tiny red spot. It stings a bit for a few minutes. No big deal. Today is my last day taking Lovenox. They gave me warfarin the day I left the hospital, and I have to take it daily now until further notice.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(huskers @ Feb 11 2007, 05:24 AM) [snapback]388395[/snapback]</div>

All but the technician who inserted the urinary catheter. He knew I had had a transurethral transection, and yet he apparently inserted the catheter into the prostate instead of into the bladder.