Sick and Sicker

[FieryPrincess]

So I am wondering. Army docs just don't say much to me.

I started wheezing after a overly strenuous and stressful trip to the ER for a very very bad sprain. Those details would fill a comedians half hour special in their idiocracy.


So at my two week follow-up for the ankle, I ask the dr to listen to my lungs and her response is "um... we need to do something about that right now!" I get 5 days of steroids for the lungs and extra allergy meds. All of this is blamed on allergies.

OK.

So I start to feel better.

Then maintennce comes through and paints the doors in my my hallway in the middle of the week. My room is set back, so it is hard to get it vented well. The paint smell is VERY bad and I feel bad again for the rest of the week and halfway through the weekend.

Sunday I start to feel better and on Monday I was slow but back in the saddle. Then they came through and painted all the hallways in my wing Monday night. Tuesday was horrible! I went up to ask my principal if they were trying to kill me with all the painting and the walk wore me out.
Today I went back to the doctor (since its the army I saw a different one) and I got more steroids, an inhaler, antibiotics and chest xrays. My blood pressure is nice and high even though I am as down and sluggish as a, well... slug. Conversing will wear me out because I do not feel properly oxygenated.

I am not asthmatic, nor have I ever had pneumonia before.

Was it lucky timing, or did the pain mess kick everything over the edge.

The paint smell was really intense. I had painted my bedroom before and it was NOTHING like that!

[sojourner truth]

The amount of allergens in the air is off the scale now due to warmer weather. That and the fact that cyprus and cedar are at their peak output in Jan and Feb. May not be the paint at all. I know people who take shots for allergies. They are miserable prior to the shots, and feel great after the shots. Allergies can make you feel like you are having a heat attack. I thought I was having one about 5 years ago, and the doctor told me it was a combination of allergies and acid reflux. He gave me antihitamines and prilosec, and I felt great after that.

[IronErnin]

For your home, I can give you a remedy for the paint fumes. Halve a large piece of fresh citrus fruit place one half in opposing corners of the space affected. Leave until the fresh fruit smell goes away. Repeat, if necessary.

[Mestral]

So I am wondering. Army docs just don't say much to me.

I started wheezing after a overly strenuous and stressful trip to the ER for a very very bad sprain. Those details would fill a comedians half hour special in their idiocracy.


So at my two week follow-up for the ankle, I ask the dr to listen to my lungs and her response is "um... we need to do something about that right now!" I get 5 days of steroids for the lungs and extra allergy meds. All of this is blamed on allergies.

OK.

So I start to feel better.

Then maintennce comes through and paints the doors in my my hallway in the middle of the week. My room is set back, so it is hard to get it vented well. The paint smell is VERY bad and I feel bad again for the rest of the week and halfway through the weekend.

Sunday I start to feel better and on Monday I was slow but back in the saddle. Then they came through and painted all the hallways in my wing Monday night. Tuesday was horrible! I went up to ask my principal if they were trying to kill me with all the painting and the walk wore me out.
Today I went back to the doctor (since its the army I saw a different one) and I got more steroids, an inhaler, antibiotics and chest xrays. My blood pressure is nice and high even though I am as down and sluggish as a, well... slug. Conversing will wear me out because I do not feel properly oxygenated.

I am not asthmatic, nor have I ever had pneumonia before.

Was it lucky timing, or did the pain mess kick everything over the edge.

The paint smell was really intense. I had painted my bedroom before and it was NOTHING like that!
High blood pressure, whether short term or long term, can definitely leave you breathless. Add to that, the latex paint smell contains ethylene glycol (an alcohol used in antifreeze) and vapors oil based paints contain, well, petroleum vapors of many kinds.

Yes, allergens can imitate almost anything. Pneumonia, heart attack, etc. I suspect they can elevate your blood pressure too.

I don't know your age or your normal physical condition, so I can't guess any further. This needs to be followed up on. Watch that blood pressure closely.

[Supergirl]

I never had asthma or allergies until I moved here. It is at it worst this time of year because of cedar. I was never this bad until about 5 years ago. I do recommend that you ask for a referral to the allergy clinic (it is in Thomas Moore), especially if it continues or goes away and comes back next year. They will be able to test what you are allergic to and get you the right meds to control it. After two years of hit and miss with my PCM, I was treated by the COL at the allergy clinic. Have been MUCH better since and rarely have to use my inhaler.

[sojourner truth]

I lived here 10 years before I started getting allergies.

[christine]

Try candling your ears. It helps with snus problems & a bunch of other stuff. I recommend 2 candles per ear the first time you do it.
You'll be amazed at the stuff you pull out and how good you feel after.

[Ludwig]

I had a stopped up snus, put a candle in it. Now the snus has crap and wax in it. Is there something else I could have done?

[Mestral]

There are 44 different home remedies you can try. Each may or may not help with your malady.

But I think (despite my misgivings about doctors in general) I would go with "supergirl" and get that referral to the allergy clinic.

I do, also, think you should do everything you can to learn about your body and how it works and about home remedies (there are good books available), but that is in the future. You seem to nee help right now. That is what we have doctors for.

[FieryPrincess]

I'm going to have to go back and get some answers. I've had seasonal allergies most of my life, but this isn't that.

The symptoms most closely fit asthma or a chemically induced pneumonia. But I'm not getting better despite that second round of steroids and the antibiotics and other assorted medicines. The symptoms are covered up, if you will, but I feel overall worse. Ugh. Hate army medicine.