I hate to ask, but...

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Comments

  • ltecato
    ltecato Member Posts: 2

    Jan and Homer & Connie,
    Jan and Homer & Connie, thank you so much. I am surely thankful for more prayers.


    As a side note, I was also looking up placing ear tubes for an adult. Towards the end of the article, there is a whole section on how it can connect to HNC, so I will be tacking it on the Superthread next time I need to bump it.

    Here is the link if anyone is interested in the meantime:

    EAR TUBE LINK

    Ear tubes, ugh
    Sweet, I had to have ear tubes installed at least three times while I was being treated for ca. of nasopharynx all the way back in the mid-70s. Both ears were constantly clogging up with nasty-smelling fluid that had to be vacuumed out by my ENTs. It's no fun, but it goes away as the effects of radiation taper off, though I remember being dismayed at all the colds and other ailments I seemed to be getting. The doctors gave me a lot of Benadryl (still prescription back then), but all it seemed to do was turn me into a zombie.

    I know from experience it gets better over the years, a lot better, but you'll always have some aftereffects of the radiation and surgery. I got a reminder just tonight when I ate a few slices of pineapple. Not a good idea for someone with no saliva. After about the third mouthful, the acidity in the fruit felt like it was eating through the lining of my mouth and throat, then I was left with a really vile aftertaste that is still there three hours later. And I was radiated more than 30 years ago. I sure hope the doctors are performing better nowadays, because I don't think they had a clue when they "practiced" oncology on me.

    Hope you are feeling better. Hang in there.
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    ltecato said:

    Ear tubes, ugh
    Sweet, I had to have ear tubes installed at least three times while I was being treated for ca. of nasopharynx all the way back in the mid-70s. Both ears were constantly clogging up with nasty-smelling fluid that had to be vacuumed out by my ENTs. It's no fun, but it goes away as the effects of radiation taper off, though I remember being dismayed at all the colds and other ailments I seemed to be getting. The doctors gave me a lot of Benadryl (still prescription back then), but all it seemed to do was turn me into a zombie.

    I know from experience it gets better over the years, a lot better, but you'll always have some aftereffects of the radiation and surgery. I got a reminder just tonight when I ate a few slices of pineapple. Not a good idea for someone with no saliva. After about the third mouthful, the acidity in the fruit felt like it was eating through the lining of my mouth and throat, then I was left with a really vile aftertaste that is still there three hours later. And I was radiated more than 30 years ago. I sure hope the doctors are performing better nowadays, because I don't think they had a clue when they "practiced" oncology on me.

    Hope you are feeling better. Hang in there.

    Get to the ENT ASAP or I will nizzynap your dog.
    And let us know how it goes.
    Hugs and Love
    Stacey
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    staceya said:

    Get to the ENT ASAP or I will nizzynap your dog.
    And let us know how it goes.
    Hugs and Love
    Stacey

    I AM FUMING RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!
    I am sitting at my regular doctors. I called my ENT's office first thing this morning. The woman on the phone told me that my ENT doesn't take ear patients but she would talk to the nurse to see who I should see. Then she c

    Ok. Had to go in the exam room. Anyway, the woman came back on the phone and said that I had to go back to my primary. I saw PCP just now, and my right ear is getting bad. There is fluid in that one. I can hardly hear. I have swelling and irritaion up my nose and looks like allergies. I am having my antibiotic changed, she gave me nasonex, and told me to get Zyrtec. I asked her about getting scoped, and she said she completely understood my concerns and that it was reason able to feel the way I was feeling. She feels clinically tho, that this is allergies, and people (like me) who have never had them before, are coming in droves this ear with all this wicked stuff. So, we made another appt for two weeks and she said that if I still feel I want to get checked out and scoped she would set up the referral that the ENT receptionist said I would need. Which is why I was fuming when I started typing this. I feel that my PCP is trustworthy and I will see how I feel with new meds. Going to go get them now.

    Stacey, love the avatar. Don't you touch my Nizzy! John is always accusing me if punching people in the throat. If someone touched my Nizzy, I would.

    Thanks for the prayers guys. I just want to feel better. I could seriously just sit down an cry till I puke. I feel like crap!!! I cannot believe my right ear is bad now. Hopefully the Zyrtec and new stuff will help. N
  • KareGiver
    KareGiver Member Posts: 301 Member

    I AM FUMING RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!
    I am sitting at my regular doctors. I called my ENT's office first thing this morning. The woman on the phone told me that my ENT doesn't take ear patients but she would talk to the nurse to see who I should see. Then she c

    Ok. Had to go in the exam room. Anyway, the woman came back on the phone and said that I had to go back to my primary. I saw PCP just now, and my right ear is getting bad. There is fluid in that one. I can hardly hear. I have swelling and irritaion up my nose and looks like allergies. I am having my antibiotic changed, she gave me nasonex, and told me to get Zyrtec. I asked her about getting scoped, and she said she completely understood my concerns and that it was reason able to feel the way I was feeling. She feels clinically tho, that this is allergies, and people (like me) who have never had them before, are coming in droves this ear with all this wicked stuff. So, we made another appt for two weeks and she said that if I still feel I want to get checked out and scoped she would set up the referral that the ENT receptionist said I would need. Which is why I was fuming when I started typing this. I feel that my PCP is trustworthy and I will see how I feel with new meds. Going to go get them now.

    Stacey, love the avatar. Don't you touch my Nizzy! John is always accusing me if punching people in the throat. If someone touched my Nizzy, I would.

    Thanks for the prayers guys. I just want to feel better. I could seriously just sit down an cry till I puke. I feel like crap!!! I cannot believe my right ear is bad now. Hopefully the Zyrtec and new stuff will help. N

    Sweet...
    Thinking of you. FEEL BETTER SOON!
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Punch in the Throat....
    Hi Dawn,

    Sure wish you were feeling better by now....sounds totally kind of dumb that the nurse of an ENT (EARS, Nose and Throat) MD doesn't see ear patients.....ummmm. Especially considering you being a patient having had went thrugh all that you have.....

    Just feeling better myself....wicked sick Saturday night with fevers and nausea...just a bug I think. Lessened some yesterday, and finally lost the fever that was coming and going early today.

    Best Always,
    John
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    Skiffin16 said:

    Punch in the Throat....
    Hi Dawn,

    Sure wish you were feeling better by now....sounds totally kind of dumb that the nurse of an ENT (EARS, Nose and Throat) MD doesn't see ear patients.....ummmm. Especially considering you being a patient having had went thrugh all that you have.....

    Just feeling better myself....wicked sick Saturday night with fevers and nausea...just a bug I think. Lessened some yesterday, and finally lost the fever that was coming and going early today.

    Best Always,
    John

    Thank you Karegiver.
    John,

    Thank you Karegiver.

    John, I know!!!!!!!! I was so pissed off that if that women was in front of me, I would have knocked her out. WTH? You know how my blood pressure is usually low, sometimes normal- yeah, notsomuch today! I had steam coming out of my ears by the time I got to my docs. When she said she was going to take my pressure I told her, it would be bad, cause I was near shaking mad. It was 142/92. It's usually, 110/80

    I told the ENT receptionist, "I am not happy at all about this, and that given my stage 4 unknown primary cancer, that I could not believe that you would not want to see me. "

    Michelle assured me, that I was having a normal reaction for someone that has gone through what I have, and that if a scope would make me feel better, she understood perfectly. So, I am going to let it ride, for the moment, but I am still pissed off at Geisinger.

    I just figured out how to turn the closed captioning on my tele. I am not amused. :-/

    I have been doing well though with forcing myself to eat, and keeping my weight at what it's been. In the past, I'd have lost pounds by now, cause when I am sick, I have like no appetite and don't want to eat. It's amazing how you can push through and still eat when it's just a lack of taste issue, some nausea, and zero appetite. At least my mouth is not a bloody, mess with sore on top of sore, so forcing myself to eat is easy. I suppose it's all relative, and for that I am thankful. I roasted some bell peppers, both red and green, up at my parents to make in some kind of dinner tonight. Since all I ate was an apple cake muffin I made, a tiny bit of lunch with an apple yogurt strawberry smoothie (because I ran out of time to eat!! Had to go to doc). I am feeling some growling. That's about a first in a week.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member

    Thank you Karegiver.
    John,

    Thank you Karegiver.

    John, I know!!!!!!!! I was so pissed off that if that women was in front of me, I would have knocked her out. WTH? You know how my blood pressure is usually low, sometimes normal- yeah, notsomuch today! I had steam coming out of my ears by the time I got to my docs. When she said she was going to take my pressure I told her, it would be bad, cause I was near shaking mad. It was 142/92. It's usually, 110/80

    I told the ENT receptionist, "I am not happy at all about this, and that given my stage 4 unknown primary cancer, that I could not believe that you would not want to see me. "

    Michelle assured me, that I was having a normal reaction for someone that has gone through what I have, and that if a scope would make me feel better, she understood perfectly. So, I am going to let it ride, for the moment, but I am still pissed off at Geisinger.

    I just figured out how to turn the closed captioning on my tele. I am not amused. :-/

    I have been doing well though with forcing myself to eat, and keeping my weight at what it's been. In the past, I'd have lost pounds by now, cause when I am sick, I have like no appetite and don't want to eat. It's amazing how you can push through and still eat when it's just a lack of taste issue, some nausea, and zero appetite. At least my mouth is not a bloody, mess with sore on top of sore, so forcing myself to eat is easy. I suppose it's all relative, and for that I am thankful. I roasted some bell peppers, both red and green, up at my parents to make in some kind of dinner tonight. Since all I ate was an apple cake muffin I made, a tiny bit of lunch with an apple yogurt strawberry smoothie (because I ran out of time to eat!! Had to go to doc). I am feeling some growling. That's about a first in a week.

    Glad You're Eating
    Glad your getting some food in you....sorry bout the closed captioning, I'm sure that stinks...least you can't respond to grammy yelling anything to you, LOL....

    MMM, roasted peppers sounds good, I love those on sandwhiches. I know you probably can't tolerate horseradish.But Heinz makes a horseradish spread that's good on sandwhiches with roasted peppers and butterball deep fried turkey breast, mmmmm.

    LOL, you can tell I'm feeling better...

    JG
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    Skiffin16 said:

    Punch in the Throat....
    Hi Dawn,

    Sure wish you were feeling better by now....sounds totally kind of dumb that the nurse of an ENT (EARS, Nose and Throat) MD doesn't see ear patients.....ummmm. Especially considering you being a patient having had went thrugh all that you have.....

    Just feeling better myself....wicked sick Saturday night with fevers and nausea...just a bug I think. Lessened some yesterday, and finally lost the fever that was coming and going early today.

    Best Always,
    John

    He must just be an NT doctor..
    I was also ticked at the no ears part of the ENT service..Hope this all works soon for you..
    stacey
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    Skiffin16 said:

    Glad You're Eating
    Glad your getting some food in you....sorry bout the closed captioning, I'm sure that stinks...least you can't respond to grammy yelling anything to you, LOL....

    MMM, roasted peppers sounds good, I love those on sandwhiches. I know you probably can't tolerate horseradish.But Heinz makes a horseradish spread that's good on sandwhiches with roasted peppers and butterball deep fried turkey breast, mmmmm.

    LOL, you can tell I'm feeling better...

    JG

    Well, I am glad one of us is
    Well, I am glad one of us is feeling better. No, there is no way I could do horseradish. I tried a teeny tiny bit of old bay seasoning to see if I could use it. That would be a NO!!! Hurt like heck.

    I can hear 1/2 way out my right ear. She keeps babbling to me anyway, I keep telling her I cannot hear, sheesh. Well usually I am shoving my earbuds in my ears deeper and deeper....
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    staceya said:

    He must just be an NT doctor..
    I was also ticked at the no ears part of the ENT service..Hope this all works soon for you..
    stacey

    I guess I would have to see
    I guess I would have to see another doctor in the department, hence there would be a need for a new referral. I just pulled out my drs card it says:

    Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery

    My Docs Name, DO, FACS
    Surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands
    Surgical Oncolgy of the Head, Neck and Skull Base

    So does that mean he is a surgeon and not an "ENT"? I suppose I never really looked at his card.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member

    I guess I would have to see
    I guess I would have to see another doctor in the department, hence there would be a need for a new referral. I just pulled out my drs card it says:

    Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery

    My Docs Name, DO, FACS
    Surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands
    Surgical Oncolgy of the Head, Neck and Skull Base

    So does that mean he is a surgeon and not an "ENT"? I suppose I never really looked at his card.

    Looks like he might be a DO and not an MD
    That could be some of the reasoning on his methods of treatment and methodology...

    MD versus DO

    JG
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    Skiffin16 said:

    Looks like he might be a DO and not an MD
    That could be some of the reasoning on his methods of treatment and methodology...

    MD versus DO

    JG

    Hmm, that description really
    Hmm, that description really surprises me, because my doc is NOT touchy feely type, and the stuff about the alternative views doesn't seem to hit home with him either, but the skeletal and intra muscular stuff, yes that I can see some of.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member

    Hmm, that description really
    Hmm, that description really surprises me, because my doc is NOT touchy feely type, and the stuff about the alternative views doesn't seem to hit home with him either, but the skeletal and intra muscular stuff, yes that I can see some of.

    Facility Dependant
    Could be as everything though over time, experience and exposure to other professionals within the facility they could possibly migrate toward methods that are proven...not sure, just a scenario...something to ask I guess if you so desired.

    JG
  • Lelia
    Lelia Member Posts: 98

    Hmm, that description really
    Hmm, that description really surprises me, because my doc is NOT touchy feely type, and the stuff about the alternative views doesn't seem to hit home with him either, but the skeletal and intra muscular stuff, yes that I can see some of.

    About the Zyrtek...
    The brand name is often on sale BOGO at big drugstore chains. But if it's not, buy the generic store brand! It's the same stuff and far less spendy. Zyrtek works fast, I take a half a tab each day to ward off an unidentified allergy that causes terrible hives.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Lelia said:

    About the Zyrtek...
    The brand name is often on sale BOGO at big drugstore chains. But if it's not, buy the generic store brand! It's the same stuff and far less spendy. Zyrtek works fast, I take a half a tab each day to ward off an unidentified allergy that causes terrible hives.

    Depends Lelia
    If it's Zyrtec D or anything else D...it's prescription now...at least in my area, same with the Nasonex D.

    I had similar problems to Dawn last year....my ENT precribed the Nasonex-D.

    JG
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    Skiffin16 said:

    Depends Lelia
    If it's Zyrtec D or anything else D...it's prescription now...at least in my area, same with the Nasonex D.

    I had similar problems to Dawn last year....my ENT precribed the Nasonex-D.

    JG

    She gave me Nasonex samples,
    She gave me Nasonex samples, and as far as the Zytec goes, I got the childrens generic form, cause it was the only liquid. I cannot swallow any pills because of my structure. The Zyrtec pills in the bottle are so expensive. I cannot say that I have ever seen as a BOGO. My generic liquid was 118 ml for $5.99, I believe.

    My right ear is now almost totally plugged and my chest is really bad. I am wheezing and coughing almost constantly. Something has got to give here. I am not a complainer, but honestly, I am pretty whiny right now, and I am not liking this chest thing at all. I feel like I have been beat with a stick around my ribs and chest from coughing so much. All I did today, was cook and change and wash my bed linens and I am spent. :-/
  • luv2cut1
    luv2cut1 Member Posts: 288

    She gave me Nasonex samples,
    She gave me Nasonex samples, and as far as the Zytec goes, I got the childrens generic form, cause it was the only liquid. I cannot swallow any pills because of my structure. The Zyrtec pills in the bottle are so expensive. I cannot say that I have ever seen as a BOGO. My generic liquid was 118 ml for $5.99, I believe.

    My right ear is now almost totally plugged and my chest is really bad. I am wheezing and coughing almost constantly. Something has got to give here. I am not a complainer, but honestly, I am pretty whiny right now, and I am not liking this chest thing at all. I feel like I have been beat with a stick around my ribs and chest from coughing so much. All I did today, was cook and change and wash my bed linens and I am spent. :-/

    Oh No!
    Just checking the boards after a couple of days away. I am SO SORRY you are not feeling better, and all that you have been through with the doctors! I was sure you would be feeling better by now. Thoughts and prayers continue to be with you. I really hope something gives soon! Keep us posted and know we will be thinking of you.

    Myka
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member

    She gave me Nasonex samples,
    She gave me Nasonex samples, and as far as the Zytec goes, I got the childrens generic form, cause it was the only liquid. I cannot swallow any pills because of my structure. The Zyrtec pills in the bottle are so expensive. I cannot say that I have ever seen as a BOGO. My generic liquid was 118 ml for $5.99, I believe.

    My right ear is now almost totally plugged and my chest is really bad. I am wheezing and coughing almost constantly. Something has got to give here. I am not a complainer, but honestly, I am pretty whiny right now, and I am not liking this chest thing at all. I feel like I have been beat with a stick around my ribs and chest from coughing so much. All I did today, was cook and change and wash my bed linens and I am spent. :-/

    Thinking of You
    Hoping you get some relief soon girl...

    Best,
    JG
  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member

    She gave me Nasonex samples,
    She gave me Nasonex samples, and as far as the Zytec goes, I got the childrens generic form, cause it was the only liquid. I cannot swallow any pills because of my structure. The Zyrtec pills in the bottle are so expensive. I cannot say that I have ever seen as a BOGO. My generic liquid was 118 ml for $5.99, I believe.

    My right ear is now almost totally plugged and my chest is really bad. I am wheezing and coughing almost constantly. Something has got to give here. I am not a complainer, but honestly, I am pretty whiny right now, and I am not liking this chest thing at all. I feel like I have been beat with a stick around my ribs and chest from coughing so much. All I did today, was cook and change and wash my bed linens and I am spent. :-/

    I am so sorry that you are
    I am so sorry that you are still very sick. I pray that you may find some relief soon and that the doctors recieve the wisdom they need to ease your discomfort soon. May God hold you in comfort and healing.

    Blessings,

    Debbie
  • Pumakitty
    Pumakitty Member Posts: 652

    She gave me Nasonex samples,
    She gave me Nasonex samples, and as far as the Zytec goes, I got the childrens generic form, cause it was the only liquid. I cannot swallow any pills because of my structure. The Zyrtec pills in the bottle are so expensive. I cannot say that I have ever seen as a BOGO. My generic liquid was 118 ml for $5.99, I believe.

    My right ear is now almost totally plugged and my chest is really bad. I am wheezing and coughing almost constantly. Something has got to give here. I am not a complainer, but honestly, I am pretty whiny right now, and I am not liking this chest thing at all. I feel like I have been beat with a stick around my ribs and chest from coughing so much. All I did today, was cook and change and wash my bed linens and I am spent. :-/

    Wish you felt better
    I hope you soon feel better. Keep us posted!!!

    Kathy