Everyone loves a carousel. Round and round she goes, and where she stops, nobody knows! I can just hear the calliope playing the familiar circus tunes--every kid's delight, but not so much an adult whose life is being directed by such serendipity.
Over a year ago, I went to my Primary Care Physician to complain about edema in my legs, from the knee down. She ordered an echocardiogram to check for heart failure and blood tests to check kidney function. Both of those turned out okay, so I was put on a diuretic. When the diuretic didn't seem to work, the doc doubled the dose. Again, nothing was working, and the next blood test showed that my kidney function had taken a nose dive into Stage 3 Kidney Disease range. I was immediately taken off of my blood pressure medicine (that contained a diuretic) and the other diuretic. The doc called to tell me to go to the Emergency Room if I began to feel bad. Define bad! I'm old. I feel bad all the time. I had visions of needing kidney dialysis, so I complied to the letter of what my PCP and cardiologist wanted. You betcha! In the absence of diuretics and lots of fluids, my next blood test, just three days after the last one, put my kidney function in the "perfect" range. Hallelujah! I was then directed to check my blood pressure daily and call in my results.
It was probably three days before I checked my BP here at home....but when I did, I called in quickly. The first reading was 196/87. The next day, it was 196/82. Yikes! Even before the doc's office called, the pharmacy called to say my prescription was ready. Prescription for what? My blood pressure meds! The ones I was taken off for the sake of my kidneys. Following me yet??
Okay, so my PCP wanted me to check in with my cardiologist just to make sure my heart wasn't involved. He ordered a blood test that was tacked on to the one I was to take for kidney function just a couple of days ago. At that appointment, my BP was checked, an EKG reading was taken, etc. All signs point to a healthy heart...so...now the question comes: WHY do I still have edema in my legs? The cardiologist put me on a different diuretic. I am to weigh myself every day (which I already do), and call in the results today. He also wants me in physical therapy for leg wraps for edema. That's also in the works now.
In the span of the last six weeks, I have had five blood draws and three vaccinations. Peggy feels like a pin cushion! I've been on and off the same medications several times, to the point that I have had to write down what I am taking at what time. And for the first time in my life, I've actually had questions. If I'm on a diuretic, should I be limiting my liquid intake? I mean, if I'm taking meds to take fluids out of my body, does it make sense to be taking in lots of fluids to keep the kidneys flushed? I'm beginning to think we are playing Russian Roulette with my kidneys and medicines. "If the right one don't get ya, then the left one will!"
My next blood draw has already been scheduled for next week, as has an intake appointment for physical therapy for leg wraps (?) In summary, over the last 18 months, I have had more blood draws than I can count. I took an echocardiogram to look for heart failure. I was referred to a podiatrist who put me on antibiotics because she thought the redness on my legs/feet might be cellulitis. She also ordered a Peripheral Artery Disease test (which is essentially taking blood pressure in three places on each leg. I took yet another test (blood draw) looking for heart failure. I've been taken off medicines that I have taken since 2009's heart attack, then put back on them...twice. Kidney function goes down with diuretics. Blood pressure goes up without them. Even with all of this--EVEN WITH ALL OF THIS--my legs and feet are still horribly swollen, tight, hot, and red, with skin that has become dry, itchy, and like dead leather.
In short, Pin Cushion Peggy also feels like Guinea Pig Peggy. Round and round she goes, with no answers.
And to my sister Shari, who is always talking to me about taking care of this or that, I say, "I'm doing all of that. What's your next idea for me? Pfffftt!"
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