Non-Dog Related

Re: So now I'm a pincushion.....

daisyprincess — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:39:10 GMT

Don't feel so bad when I go for blood work the lady usually sticks me 3-4 times and then has to get someone else who sometimes has to stick me another 2-3 times just to get blood from me. I once got stuck 7 times at the doctors even with needles they do for babies and little kids but still had to go to the ER for them to draw my blood which took the ER more than once to get my blood.

I'm used to needles tho, when I was a baby I had a low white blood count so I was always being stick. I also have low iron as well it stinks because I'm so tired and can hardly do anything.

Right now I am waiting on my results to see if I have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

Re: So now I'm a pincushion.....

oranges81 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:55:05 GMT

calliecritturs:
Did they tell you to drink lots of fluids and be sure and eat on time? Given that it's summer that means you gotta push fluids even more than normal (which feels awful cos what goes in has to come out but *sigh* it's in the RULES of Life someplace I think!!)

*hugs*

Nope. didn't tell me anything like, but then I haven't gone over the pre-op stuff yet. I am making sure, however, that I'm getting more veggies in my diet since I'm getting out more and meat is starting to taste weird to me.. Now if I can just drink more water.. *shudder*

EDIT: Actually as I'm on here, I'm eating a salad with tomatoes, apples, carrots, cucumber and a rasberry vingar dressing. yay me!

Re: So now I'm a pincushion.....

oranges81 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:53:02 GMT

Callie: Nope.. Never given blood. Lol. I should start thou after this is done. At least then I'd feel better about getting stuck with a needle. I'm not worried about the iron level. I kinda figured it something like that. I've had the fatigue feeling since I was 10 (I started my cycle when I was 8). I'd rather take a pill every day then eat certain foods, just because I can't afford the foods I have to eat. Lol.

Jackie: I've already cleared with the surgeon and I'm gonna be 100% under!! Lol. Last time I had an endoscopy, they put me under.

I hope I get to keep my blood for a while! I'm quite attached to it. Lol

Re: So now I'm a pincushion.....

calliecritturs — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:50:54 GMT

I think now they simply call them 'procedures' (which doesn't sound any more comforting does it??) but Jackie's right -- you aren't gonna "care" much because you'll be somewhat sedated but you aren't gonna feel truly heinous afterward like you might with real surgery (which has more healing afterward).

I went to have blood drawn THREE weeks ago and my arm is STILL purple and a bit orangey.

Did they tell you to drink lots of fluids and be sure and eat on time? Given that it's summer that means you gotta push fluids even more than normal (which feels awful cos what goes in has to come out but *sigh* it's in the RULES of Life someplace I think!!)

*hugs*

Re: So now I'm a pincushion.....

JackieG — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:21:49 GMT

I can see why you feel like a pincushion! The two procedures you are having aren't really surgeries, at least not the type of colonoscopy or the endoscopy that I'm familiar with. There is no incision and you will probably not be under full anethesia. The tissue for the biopsy is taken with the same "probe" that is looking around in your innards. lol I'm sure that is not the correct terminology but the concept's the same. lol

I hope you can get your procedures done sooner rather than later and have that behind you. Diagnostic tests can seem like a never ending story but it's the only way to get answers.

Hopefully you won't have to give up anymore blood for a while.

Re: So now I'm a pincushion.....

calliecritturs — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:05:50 GMT

errr, your iron is low, it's summer and you're a young woman? Ummm, not rocket science I don't think.

Eat more stuff with iron? raisins (grapes), prunes, spinach, romaine, kale, HUMMUS (chick peas are incredibly high in iron -- they make awesome soups and hummus is one of my favorite things on the planet)

I've been low iron at certain times of the month all my life (since I was 13 1/2 *ha*) and I just always know I gotta push iron then (cos the pills are so darned uncomfortable to take). In other words -- this isn't dire -- this is pretty well normal and is something you can cope with with diet and realizing it's "time to push iron"

When I moved down here to Florida the problem got MUCH worse because the heat really sucks the iron out of you big time so living here was way worse than living in the armpit of Lake Erie & under Lake Ontario, but it really was nothing hugely new.

Having your iron tested isn't huge -- have you ever donated blood?? That was how I used to always keep track of my iron and my cholesterol for free -- knew there was a certain time of the month ... NOPE can't give then ... but could a couple of weeks later.

Being low iron will make you feel tired and drained tho.

So now I'm a pincushion.....

oranges81 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:31:20 GMT

I had nothing planned today until the Doctor's office called and said they wanted a follow up so I just went to the walk in clinic since it's my dr doing the seeing today. Lol.

Got some test results back. The ESA came back clean so what ever was causing the inflammation is gone, my thyroid is normal and the dr did a test for RA just to be on the safe side. And that came back clean! *does a dance* The Dr was surprised to hear that I haven't gone in for the surgeries yet but explained more of what is going to happen. Apparently while I'm under, the surgeon is gonna take a biopsy of my stomach and colon.. *sigh*

BUT! My Iron came back low so he wants to do a retest on that just to make sure. So back to the lab I go (Keep in mind, I just had blood drawn on Monday and the needle mark hasn't even healed), and got 1 vial of blood drawn. She poked me in the same spot so it hurt like heck!!

Now for those of you playing the counting game: That is 8 vials of blood on Monday, and 1 today = 9 vials of blood taken in one week...

Yep.. I'm a pincushion....