Calm down, brain....
Oct. 8th, 2002 01:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
novapsycheYesterday morning, I awoke with a splitting headache. I first took two ibuprofen. Four hours later, I took one maximum strength acetaminophen, which cut through some of the pain for about an hour. Seven hours later, I took two(!) Aleve, which did nothing for the pain--in fact, it seemed to enhance it.
Through the night, my headache reached into my slumber. I awoke at least four times, wincing and sometimes crying out.
This morning, my companion was still right there with me. I told my father, and we resolved to go to the hospital. However, this being a huge, conglomerate structure, we decided, after waiting for over three hours, that we could find help elsewhere. We made an appointment for me with a general practitioner for later this week.
In the meantime, I bought more acetaminophen. I don't quite understand why that and none of the other painkillers could dampen the pain so much. But mine is not to wonder why.
F says he's worried. He says that, coupled with my vision-related HPPD symptoms, what I'm exhibiting now may be indications of a brain tumor. I shrugged and said that that was an idea I'd entertained several months ago; he was telling me nothing new.
The funny thing was, I went downstairs to speak with my father (who'd heard nothing of this private conversation), and he proceeded to tell me about a friend of his who had been complaining about headaches and soon ended up dead--the cause of death, a brain tumor. The fact that two independent sources used that phrase seems more than a coincidence to me. But as much as I think God speaks to us through ordinary channels, I know I can't chalk anything up as fact until I see a physician.
You never know what a good thing health is until you lose it.
Through the night, my headache reached into my slumber. I awoke at least four times, wincing and sometimes crying out.
This morning, my companion was still right there with me. I told my father, and we resolved to go to the hospital. However, this being a huge, conglomerate structure, we decided, after waiting for over three hours, that we could find help elsewhere. We made an appointment for me with a general practitioner for later this week.
In the meantime, I bought more acetaminophen. I don't quite understand why that and none of the other painkillers could dampen the pain so much. But mine is not to wonder why.
F says he's worried. He says that, coupled with my vision-related HPPD symptoms, what I'm exhibiting now may be indications of a brain tumor. I shrugged and said that that was an idea I'd entertained several months ago; he was telling me nothing new.
The funny thing was, I went downstairs to speak with my father (who'd heard nothing of this private conversation), and he proceeded to tell me about a friend of his who had been complaining about headaches and soon ended up dead--the cause of death, a brain tumor. The fact that two independent sources used that phrase seems more than a coincidence to me. But as much as I think God speaks to us through ordinary channels, I know I can't chalk anything up as fact until I see a physician.
You never know what a good thing health is until you lose it.
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(no subject)
Date: 2002-10-08 07:05 pm (UTC)I do take 81 mgs of aspirin each day (except for the last two days because I was taking a variety of pain reducers, and I know enough not to mix certain substances together). I didn't think that I could take acetaminophen and aspirin together, but I guess I should have figured that out yesterday. Shopping in Wal-Mart's medicine aisle, I too picked up the Excedrin bottle and noted its ingredients. It was the caffeine that got me to put the bottle back on the shelf. :)
Anyway, the headache is nearly completely gone today; I woke and the pain was just a little nagging thing on the left side of my head. Also, I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow afternoon, and I'll be able to explain several things to him that I wasn't able to do with the emergency room doctors. Maybe then some things can get straightened out.
I have some if you want me to bring it by.
*smile* I love you, Anne. :)
The reasons why I don't want you to are few, but all involve my SO (specifically the fact that he is staying with me in Michigan, when in fact I was supposed to be here by myself). It's a long story--a long, long story--but it is something I would love to chat about sometime. We should just find someplace to meet... maybe a bookstore. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2002-10-08 08:23 pm (UTC)Glad to hear your head is feeling better. Sorry to know you've had an arrhythmia. The thing about taking both aspirin and acetominophen is useful to know. They each have a 24-hour max, but those are independent of one another, so you can pretty much double the amount of painkillers you can take if you take both kinds or swap back and forth. (though maybe you should check that with your doctor).
Meeting someplace, like at a bookstore, sounds nice. As a matter of fact, this weekend on Sunday the Stilyagi book club is having a discussion of American Gods - a book I've been meaning to give to you for nearly a year. It's at 3 pm at a bookstore over here in Ann Arbor in the westgate mall just east of the Jackson Rd exit from I-94. Details are at the club website. I'll be there. I think you might find the discussion interesting, too.