12 February 2014

A bit longer [since my last post] than I would like; but, let's get to it...

Dialysis weights:

01 Feb 14
Starting Weight:  106.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  102.9 Kg
Water Removed:  3.70 Kg

04 Feb 14
Starting Weight:  107.1 Kg
Ending Weight:  103.4 Kg
Water Removed:  3.70 Kg

06 Feb 14
Starting Weight:  106.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  103.5 Kg
Water Removed:  3.10 Kg

08 Feb 14
Starting Weight:  106.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  102.7 Kg
Water Removed:  3.90 Kg

11 Feb 14
Starting Weight:  107.5 Kg
Ending Weight:  103.5 Kg
Water Removed:  4.00 Kg

I've obviously been struggling with my weight a bit. I'll explain later.

Next, my latest lab results:

*Albumin (21 Jan): 4.10 g/dL (-0.10 g/dL from 30 Dec)
  (A measure of Protein in the blood)     NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher

*Hemoglobin (04 Feb):  11.2 g/dL  (+0.80 g/dL from 21 Jan)
  (A Measure of Anemia)

*Ca Corrected (04 Feb): 8.90 mg/dL (-0.80 mg/dL from 07 Jan)
  (A measure of Heart and Bone health)     NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL

*Phosphorous (08 Feb):  4.90 mg/dL (+0.90 mg/dL from 11 Jan)
  (High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones)     NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL

*PTH Intact (21 Jan):  219 pg/mL  (+8 pg/mL from 17 Dec)
  (A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health)     NR 150 to 600 pg/mL

*K+ (21 Jan):  5.1 mEq/L (+0.10 mEq/L from 07 Jan)
  (Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well)     NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L

*spKdt/V Dialysis (04 Feb): 1.53   (+0.03 from 14 Jan)

  (A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.)     NR 1.20 or Higher
 Once again, terrific numbers. The only red was the calcium sneaking towards the low end of the scale. More than likely, it will rise on my next labs; so I'm not concerned at all.
My phosphorous is actually a revised number. On the 04 Feb lab draw, it spiked again to 7.90 mg/dL. The clinic nutritionist decided to order another draw two days later and it dropped three more points to 4.90 mg/dL. So, that turned out to be one of those odd spikes I was told would happen.

The past two weeks have been difficult. First, I was dealing with ongoing nausea and diarrhea. Nothing would stop either. So, my Nephrologist prescribed Prilosec 40 mg 1x/day. After just three days both symtomolgies began to ease up. Within a week both symptoms were gone. Last weekend I began to get severely nauseated, I was having DiB (Difficulty in Breathing) and my head was pounding. I spent Monday throwing up (five times in all) and my head was pounding. It wasn't my best day.
I saw the P.A. at my Tuesday dialysis. She had me stop the Prilosec as it can cause Magnesium deficiency; which causes headache, pulmonary distress, constipation, vomiting, etc. I was to [temporarily] go back to the twice per day Zantac, and 50 mg of the  BP med Atenolol to help with the elevated BP's at every Tx since around Christmas.
She also ordered a Magnesium lab draw--which turned out to be normal. Plus, at dialysis I stopped using each of the two BP machines; opting instead to go with a wrist device that I have to start every thirty minutes. Since then, my BP's have dropped some thirty points. For now, we'll keep going with all of that to try and solve the elevated BP
mystery.
I am a little concerned about the breathing thing. I don't normally miss a breath at all; but this is happening with regularity whenever I lay down. It is not only disconcerting, but very dangerous, as well. I spent most of Sunday night sitting in my recliner. This helped to ease the DiB. I have since discovered that laying in bed with three pillows behind me also helps to relieve the issue. The doc is hoping that a consistently lower BP will alleviate this issue, too.
In my attempts to reduce both the nausea and the headache, I know that I drank too much water, juices, coke--a nice natural anti-emetic in the Cola nut--on Monday. Add in the volume of the five incidents of emesis, add in my starting weight on Tuesday, and it's not hard to understand why I gained 4.80 kg over my weekend. Like I stated earlier, not my best day. Ah well, do what you gotta do...right?

Lastly, I want to take a moment to Thank Everyone for continuing to follow my blog. As of yesterday, I have 6,648 page views since I began this 'adventure' nearly four and a half years ago. That breaks down to 128 views per month (at 52 months), 32 page views per week, and 4.6 per day. For not having expectations about possible readership, I'll certainly take those numbers! Thanks to each and every person for your time, your encouragements, your prayers and support!

Unless anything happens in the next few days, I'll be back in a week or so.

Until then,...

Good Health to All!

ScottW