UGH!!! So tired of doctors! *updated pg. 3*

Ok, here's what's been going on.

 

As many of you know I've been sick for awhile. Well I finally found out that my adrenal glands are overactive so I've been changing my diet and supplements around. Luckily I found an amazing book on the subject and it has really helped to change my life. I'm still hoping to see a doctor who specializes in this disorder (not many even know of it) sometime next year. Anyways, as background info one of the supplements I added in was Cal/Mag which I had been taking religiously for a couple months. Also the doctors told me to take 1000+mg of Vit C (up to 2,000mg a day if my body could handle it) to get my immune system up.

 

The Wednesday before we left for Mexico (two weeks ago from yesterday) the right side of my back started hurting really bad. Moving didn't help and it seemed to come and go - piercing pains. So I went into my chiropractor (who is also a family friend) the next day. I showed her where it was hurting and she said that's my kidney, not the muscle or bones. I told her about the supplements I'd been taking and she said it was probably a little too overloaded so I immediately cut out the calcium. She did some reflexology on me and told me if it still hurt to let her know. Well, we flew out to Mexico on Sunday. I went off all my supplements the entire week I was in Mexico. The searing pain went away and switched to a dull but very uncomfortable pain that came and went. When I came back my chiropractor was out of town so I did some research on the net and figured it was likely a kidney stone because lots of Calcium + Vit C can cause these to form (oops!). Soooo frustrating, because I am just trying to get well!! I went to see a doctor at CareNow and he did a urinalysis. No infection found and no blood either. However he guessed it was still a kidney infection and put me on an antibiotic which I'd never heard of before - Levaquin. I thought it was very odd that he didn't tell me any of the possible side effects to look out for or give me an information sheet on it. At first he gave me 3 doses. Then he came back with 2 more "just in case I lost them" since it would be over Xmas break. When I tried to confirm that I would take it for 3 days he changed his mind and said take it for 5.

 

I took the first dose as soon as I left that night (around 9pm) and this is when things started to go wrong. Within a couple hours I was extremely loopy. It felt like I had taken a narcotic pain medicine or was drunk/high - definitely not like I had only taken an antibiotic! Martin said I was making no sense. The following 3 nights I had severe insomnia. I figured it was all in my head. Then on Xmas night I noticed that the small rash I'd seen on my left hand earlier that day had spread all over the right hand. I showed it to Martin and he confirmed that it definitely looked like a rash. I decided immediately to go off this antibiotic. When I went searching on the net I found numerous cases of otherwise healthy people experiencing the same side effects and very troublesome others - many times life threatening or permanent damage was caused. There's a whole message board on this drug that's full of people who call it "poison" and want to file a class action lawsuit to have it taken off the market. Apparently the medical examiner had serious concerns with this drug but the FDA approved it anyways. It had a 42% negative reaction rating. I'm so glad I stopped this drug before it had a chance to do further damage. Not to say it can't help some but I definitely think you should be informed of the risks of it! People with anxiety (like me) should definitely use it with caution. It's crazy, but doctors get paid sometimes to prescribe certain meds. It's such a shame that the patient's health isn't the most important thing.

 

Annnnnyways. The doc at CareNow had sent off a culture to a lab that would take 3 days to get back. He was sure that it would show an infection and decided to go ahead and treat me for one (even though I had just been on a round of antibiotics for a sinus infection a week before). Well, I called yesterday letting them know of my reactions to the drug and to ask for my lab results. The lab results weren't ready so I asked the receptionist to put my reactions in my chart and ask a doctor/nurse to call me with the results - whether they be negative or positive. Let me add here that the doc said they wouldn't call me if the test came back negative or if it was positive but was treatable with this drug. Why the hell wouldn't you call me if I'm on antibiotics and I don't even have an infection?? Why would you keep me on the antibiotics??! UGH!

 

Today a nurse called me back but said she couldn't give me my results over the phone. I was upset because I can't afford to pay $70 to come back in just to get my lab test results and I didn't want to start another antibiotic if I didn't have an infection (I'm very sensitive to yeast infections). She put me on hold and finally came back and said "everything is within normal range". I said what does this mean and she just repeated herself. I had to ask "does this mean there is no infection present?" and she said yes - she said everyway she looked at it there's absolutely no infection. So I took this potentially dangerous antibiotic for no reason. She said I did the right thing by stopping it with such serious complications (duh).

 

I have had UTI's and Kidney infections all my life so I know what those feel like and this never felt like one! You know that pain med they give you that turns your urine red? (sorry if TMI) That ALWAYS works for me when I get a UTI/kidney infection but this time it did not work and only made me very dizzy and sick to my stomach. I had a feeling that this was not an infection.

 

A coworker of mine once thought he had a kidney stone while he was at work. He had some hydrocodone so he called the nurse and she said to go ahead and take that and if it works then it's probably a kidney stone - if it doesn't it's a UTI. I had a few of these left over from my dental work back in May so I tried half of one last night and it really helped. I let the nurse know this and asked if that pointed to signs of a kidney stone and she said Yes. I then asked her if there is another test that can be done (besides Urinalysis) and she said a sonogram. BUT I would have to come back to the CareNow doc and be charged for the visit and then he would have to recommend me to a specialist for the sonogram. I don't have insurance so this is sounding very costly. I asked if the doc could just prescribe me something to help it pass and she said no, not without knowing for sure that it's a kidney stone. All these loops are driving me CRAZY! She kept recommending that I go to my primary care physician (I'm guessing they don't have so many loops to get around??) but that is the Health Clinic (aka Quack Shack) at my college and they don't re-open until Wednesday. That would be GREAT because it's free but I'm thinking this thing is on its way out before then...

 

Basically everything I've researched points to two things - kidney infection or kidney stone and this narrows it down to the latter. It begun in my kidney but has moved down my back, around my side, to the front and down to my groin. I can feel little pinches and I'm pretty sure it's about to make its way out in the next couple of days. I've been drinking 3-4 litres of water daily along with unsweetened cranberry juice and taking bladder and kidney vitamins.

 

Luckily I have some pain meds on hand. Now I'm just praying that the pain doesn't get too bad because I've heard if it does you have to go to the ER and get morphine!!! EEK! My Grandpa had one and his nurse said when she had one it hurt worse than birthing her triplets.

 

I am so freaking PO'ed at doctors. I've had to deal with so many in the past year and so many seem virtually incompetent. If it's not a cold, they don't seem to have a clue! Not to diss all doctors (and I know we have some great nurses on here!) but the ones I have dealt with lately have been a MESS!

 

At this point I'm just hoping it's on its way out and I will be able to celebrate the New Year HEALTHY!

 

Sorry for the loooooooooooong story - this has been weighing on my mind for the past couple of weeks and I had to get it out.

 

Think nice, gentle thoughts for my urinary tract system, haha

Good Lord! Poor thing you just can't catch a break ( I'm glad you stopped taking that drug, sounds scary to me. I hope you find relief soon.

 

I know you've got a lot going on, but when you have the time I highly recommend a book called "Never Be Sick Again". I've bought it for most people close to me. Maybe it will help, it can't hurt.

 

Never Be Sick Again: Health Is a ... - Google Book Search

Cool thanks Jamy, I'll check it out - I'm all about self help books on getting well right now!!!

Wow you really have been beaten up by the system! Sorry to hear you are having trouble. I used to work for a homeopath and would encrourage you to see if you can find one in your area who can help you. I swear it works!

wow....you poor thing! I'm SO sorry about all this crap! I really really hope you feel better soon!

Hey Stephanie, I am looking into this actually. The doctors I want to see about getting healed are homeopathic/naturalistic. Unfortunately though I've got to save up or get insurance before I can see them and for now have to deal with these crappy CareNow/School doctors...

Thanks Rachelle! It's been hard and very stressful but I'm really trying to hang in there!! I must say Puerto Vallarta was the best thing for me! I felt healthy for the first time in quite awhile after my 2nd day there. When I came home that's when I started getting sick again. Between the growing traffic and construction here I really think living in the heart of Dallas is a big stressor for me and part of why I keep getting sick.

I don't doubt that! Dallas can be a crazy place. And stress does all kinds of terrible things to bodies. Maybe the key here is to take a vacation about once a month? ;-)

This is precisely why I want to go into the Travel & Tourism biz

Blah. That sucks. I'm sorry you have to go through this. I hope the pain doesn't get too bad and this all goes away soon. I'll send you vibes for a healthy 2008. No more doctors proding and poking you!!!

Jaime!! This sucks. I really hope that you get some answers & solutions soon.

 

I know we've talked about this before because you & I have had similar issues w/the anxiety & the adrenal gland blowout...I definitely advocate finding a homeopathic doctor. I've had wonderful success with mine. It is not cheap, but I must say, for me it is worth it.

 

Thinking warm gentle urinary thoughts for you