Well, since I now supposedly have osteoporosis too, I took my first Sally Fields Boniva today and think this is putting me right over the edge for drug interactions. I am now in the quagmire of needing more calcium and Vitamin D for stronger bones, but have to limit it for RA. This is one strong powerful medication because I feel just plain strange and have developed joint pain for the first time. Oh joy. Shoot me, put me out of my misery, please.
Thanks Lynda, I just had my third bone density test in say 20 years. The last one was in 2004 and I was at the bottom of "green", just ready to go to "yellow". The one I had a few weeks ago was just into red, so I am deep into it now. I have been very careful about my calcium and vitamins all my life, and took my hormones after menopause for two years like they recommend to stop osteo, and that didn't work. Osteo can be triggered by thyroid, RA and autoimmune and I have all three, and not one doctor even thought about this. I went to the ER 18 months ago because of the chest pain and the nurse patted my hand and said I needed to handle my stress better.
This morning I am again having the hard chest pain, which starts in my groin and radiates up to my chest where I feel I am having a heart attack, and then bam it disappears. It's probably osteo pain from my research. And my new primary was really POed because this started with my four lower discs collapsing, and having to have back surgery 18 months ago. It stopped until recently, then started in again about a month ago, but I hadn't gone to the doctor as they always say its nothing. This is a first sign of osteo and all those crack doctors back then never even suggested it, said the pain wasn't related to my back. Morons.
He said other people had complained about joint pain after taking Boniva, (well it wasn't just my imagination!) and it happened to me 3 months in a row. Lynda
Oh crap! My new RD just added Boniva. I haven't taken it yet and I'm not looking forward to it after reading this post.
Justsaynoemore....I'm sorry you're feeling so badly and hoping there isn't a day 3. I didn't know osteo caused chest pain...goodness, it never ends. Besides the joint pain from Boniva, what other side effects are you experiencing? You said you feel strange.
Feel better soon sweetie.
Peace & Love...Neasy
Neasy - I finally broke down and took my pain pills, which I usually take right before bed. I am going to pretend that this is like homeopathic that when you take the remedy, it causes all the symptoms to flare, and then you get better.
I cannot explain it, I just felt really really really strange last night after about 8 hours. And I never have reactions to medications. This body cavity pain is probably lupus-related according to my rheumatologist. Lupus inflames the organs and it can actually inflame the entire body cavity. It started up again about three weeks ago, but what was different this time instead of the episodes 18 months ago is that it starts while I am sleeping, and I sneak out of the bedroom, take pain pills, and lie on the floor for about a half hour crying in a fetal position until the pain pills kick in.
Today's woke me up about 8:00am and more poor hubby witnessed the whole thing, so he was getting dressed to take me to ER, which I refused, because they never believe me and nothing is ever found to be wrong. It took about an hour for the mild pain relievers I have to kick in this time, and it has barely touched it. I will have to call her tomorrow because this is just not going away.
Thanks for caring, osteo causes alot of stuff it turns out:
Nighttime leg cramps. These can appear with a variety of other conditions, as well.
· Pain in the bones. This is common with a few other serious illnesses, too, so it should be reported to a physician immediately.
· Spine and muscle pain. If this isn't caused by injury, it is worth bringing to a medical professional's attention.
· Stomach pain. When abdominal pain occurs, it can be caused by a variety of sources, osteoporosis is just one of them.
· Tooth loss and disease. If the teeth are very unhealthy, it is possible the bones will be, too.
· Spinal deformities. A stooped posture, loss of height and so on are all considered symptoms of osteoporosis.
· Broken bones. This is generally the symptom that leads to a diagnosis. If fractures happen with little or no cause, osteoporosis is often to blame.
http://www.menopauseatoz.com/symptoms-of-osteporosis.shtml
Cathy
Oh Cathy sweetie I'm so sorry you've been in so much pain. Please call your RD first thing Monday morning and see if there is anything they can do. I understand what you mean about the ER being a waste of time. The times I've gone they want to do x-rays, give me pain killers I already have and send me home. I just wish there was something that would take our pain away and fast! Take care of yourself and do your best to hang in there. Let us know what you find out from your RD.
Peace & Love...Neasy
So under duress as my husband said he would call my primary, I called her today and left a message as to what happened yesterday. Never heard a word back, that's why I don't go to the ER or call doctors anymore.
I was weak today and the pain came right back down to this one spot in my chest that hit me like sledgehammer 5 years ago and no one has been able to figure it out. It finally burned through to my back and then started itching. I reached back to skratch it, and after juggling mirrors around, had a huge patch of red lined welts on my back, opposite my chest pain. I think I had inflammation of the cartilage around my ribcage yesterday - thats lupus. Took 10 hours, but it finally let up. I just have to ride these out when they hit.
Wonder why my primary didnt call back.
Cathy,
Must you bash the healthcare industry with every post? My goodness.....
Did it ever occur to you that your primary was BUSY? After all, it is a known fact that Mondays are extremely busy. I'm not saying you shouldn't have called, or that she isn't wrong for not calling you back. But, sheesh, please stop bashing the health care industry with every post. Some of us who work in healthcare find it offensive and quite honestly, I'm tired of hearing about it.
Phats
I had a bone density test when I started Pred, my dr was worried about it making my bones worse, my bones are okay, but I had to start Boniva as a preventative measure. I hated the one day a month, when that little pill always seemed to get stuck in my throat, which was totally impossible because of all the water I drank the whole hour before I could have a cup of coffee. I never had a bad reaction to it. But now I'm off the Pred, so I'm gleefully off the stuck in my throat, ruining my Saturday morning pill.
Phats, I don't bash the health care industry with every post, that is an exaggeration, and if you did a search of my posts you will find that I have had nothing but good things to say about this new primary for almost four months now. She and I discussed this last week and she told me to call her if it happened again and would have me come in immediately. I think you went a little too far with your comments, and am offended myself.
Hey Chicken, what's up? The NYT did a great piece of driving to Homer is better than the Kenai Fjords boat trip LOL. I almost cried when they got to the Spit pictures I miss it so much - did you have fire damage? Cathy
Oh, I guess I missed all the flattering posts in between all the MORON posts you have been posting about how stupid doctors are, why you never go to the ER, why no one believes you, etc. etc. etc.
I was merely saying, I know it is frustrating, but some of us really care about our patients and I get offended when MOST of your posts are bashing the healthcare industry. If you want to split hairs and go back and count them, whatever. I was just trying to make a point.
I don't know why you are offended by my comment....I just politely asked you to stop bashing the healthcare industry when you post. Why is that offensive? What am I missing here?
Phats
So my primary calls first thing Tuesday morning, and has scheduled a CT scan of my pelvis and abdomen and a number to call to schedule. So I call, and they can get me in at 1:00, if I had fasted. Well, it was only 9, but I said that's just too long. So I made an appointment for today at 11, and she says water only, but I can take my meds.
So, I call back the primary's office and ask that it be a CT scan of my chest too since that's where the pain is. And the nurse calls back late yesterday afternoon and says they added the chest.
So I go in today and am in the CT scanner already to go, and the tech goes, you took your barium? And I say, what barium? Seems I am to take a whole bottle 2 hours before the test, and another 1 hour before the test. News to me.
So they pull be out of the machine, thrust two bottles of barium at me and say come back in two hours. I walk down the hall and literally collapse into tears. I just cannot believe it. I had to take off of work, I couldn't come back in two hours, I haven't eaten, and I cannot believe I wasn't told I was to some how pull two bottles of barium out of my ass like magic because I am a frigging mindreader, and take them pre-test, which the scheduler neglected to inform me about.
If I called at 9am the day before and could be seen at 1pm, but opted out for 11am the next day, when did two bottles of barium come into the picture?
I was crying so hard, they asked if they should take me to the hospital. They believe in magic. That's the M word now, Magic, Doctors practice Magic.
Cathy -
Hugs again!
Phats -
While I am sure there are good health care professionals out there (and from reading your posts, I think you are one of them) but, unfortunately, there is something seriously wrong in this country when it comes to health care.
How many newbies post that their docs have insinuated their pain/symptoms are all in there mind? How many people post of callous docs, medical errors, medication errors, scheduling errors etc. In a county that values 'therapies' over 'cure', being a 'good patient' over 'educating the patient' and 'risk management' over 'old fashioned doctoring' with a HMO system that allows 10 minutes top per patient visit - how exactly can we even hope for a good medical team?
Pip who's a medical error magnet - my list is endless
-And my daughter who through one SNAFU after another almost had to have her hip broken to undo ANOTHER screw up.
I've not had those kind of experiences with my doctor's or my healthcare. I realize that a lot of people do, but not everyone's experience is awful. When my youngest daughter had cancer at the age of sixteen, we had the most caring, compassionate doctor's and nurses. Her surgeon, who is quite possibly one of the finest men I have ever met, gave us his home phone number and told us to call him anytime night or day, if we had any problems or questions...And honestly, I can't tell you the last time any doctor visit of mine was as short as tem minutes. I'm generally the half hour women, sometime even longer... but then again neither of my doctor's offices overschedule patients.Pip!
I agree, there is something really wrong with this country when it comes to health care. Additionally, there are some terrible doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. I also personally know what it is like to have a doctor not believe your symptoms and think it is all in your mind. (Happened before RA when I had a blocked gallbladder).
It isn't like the good ole' days when you could count on your doctor to do the best things for you and to always be available. It sure doesn't happen that way these days. I am frustrated along with everyone else at times with our system.
Phats
Lynn -
My OB/GYN quit the Great U because she was instructed to reduce her time with patients to 6 minutes. 6 minutes??? OMG, which of us wants a 6 minute Pelvic?
You are truly lucky to have had a doctor willing to be there for you and your family. I hope your daughter is OK.
Phats -
From posts here I am beginning to suspect that docs use the 'all in your mind' thing when they can't figure out what's happening. And I also suspect they read the last couple of docs notes, note somebody is depressed, and stop looking for any other explanation. What Cathy has described is awful. It shouldn't take 18 months to get a osteo diagnosis with her history of collapsed vertebrae. And I don't think we should go as long as we do getting a diagnosis. Heck, aren't these rheumies saying the key is early intervention - yet nobody seems to be willing to diagnose w/o clear tests even tho ARC has other criteria. I can see PCP's being wary of mis-diagnosing - but rheumies?
Maybe I'm still mad about my 10 doc situation. I shouldn't have had to leave my primary. But I think it all worked out for the best - she misdiagnosed my daughter.
Pip
So now it really is getting interesting. Since the medical billing office "forgot" to call to get the precertification for the CT scan, its been denied. I got the bills from the CT scan itself and the reading radiologist, and it comes up to a nice, hefty number, but the doctor's office is trying to backtrack and get it certified for payment
So TODAY, I get a new set of denials from the insurance company as they billed it out all over again the SECOND time I went in. They didn't pull my billing the first time because they forgot to give me my barium, and have now double-billed the insurance company for my return visit the next day. I added it up and its almost ,900. And I have top of the line insurance. Well, its going to take magic to get that money from me because I don't have it. That is one of the most expensive CT scans I have ever heard of. Magic, pure magic.