Posts by driftinggull83

brightgull95 said:Well now, so HOCM ends up being the culprit behind the hemolysis. I suppose there is no point in seeking more opinions; what you really need to find is someone who can transition a diagnosis from HOCM to HNCM. Or perhaps just HCM. Whether that means finding a cardiologist proficient in alcohol septal ablation or a cardiac surgeon to excise the septum causing the obstruction—well, that depends entirely on whether the mother has diseased coronary arteries. That is determined via coronary angiography. That same procedure can also identify the specific septal branches targeted for the alcohol injection. So, as a starting point, find a cardiologist who actually knows their business. Calculating the risk of sudden cardiac death due to HOCM is certainly a commendable step, but it does nothing to address the actual physiological issue caused by the HOCM. It doesn't fix hemolytic anemia, after all.

Thank you very much. I will make sure to write all of this down so we can insist on seeing a cardiologist. This initial consultation was private, so I will try to locate a hospital-based cardiologist as soon as possible.

driftinggull83 said:My mother is 67. She was discharged from the hospital about three weeks ago following a bout of pneumonia, at which time her hemoglobin was normal at 13.7. They also detected a significant heart murmur, though we haven't really addressed that yet. After about a week, she started feeling this weakness, and it just seems to be getting worse. Her blood work now shows a hemoglobin level of 4.7. She’s had four transfusions so far, and I guess she’s feeling a bit better now. She is still hospitalized, so I don't have any other lab results on hand. They aren't seeing any signs of internal bleeding.
She deals with diabetes and, until fairly recently, struggled with high blood pressure, though that has since stabilized to a normal or even low range. Over the last five years, she experienced two significant nosebleeds, which resulted in her being hospitalized. However, those episodes haven't recurred lately.
About eighteen months ago, they were dealing with the exact same symptoms, which led to the discovery of a polyp and some gastric ulcers. The polyp was removed, and the latest gastroscopy came back clear. They’re currently waiting on a colonoscopy, but since there hasn't been any intestinal bleeding, I suppose that might be a good sign. What else could this potentially be? Does anyone here have any experience with this?
How is such a rapid drop in hemoglobin even possible? A follow-up X-ray shows pneumonia in the exact same spot.

brightgull95 said:This is all just a massive assumption at this point, and we all know that an assumption is basically the mother of all screw-ups. Actually, I suppose you could even say it's the great-grandmother of all mistakes, but regardless, that's how it stands.

If that "heart murmur" (whatever its intensity on a scale of 1 to 6—or I to VI for those who prefer Roman numerals) was caused by aortic valve stenosis, and assuming there are no signs of pancytopenia (low leukocytes and platelets), then simple hemolysis resulting from highly turbulent blood flow through a severely calcified aortic valve is a plausible explanation. I suppose I have even encountered a case like that personally before. Of course, I must emphasize that this is merely a hypothesis, so none of this is necessarily correct. Pneumonia could also be a factor, though I find that somewhat less likely at this moment, especially if her mother isn't currently battling severe sepsis.

A small update, if anyone happens to have the time or inclination to offer an opinion. 🙂
After two months of peace, my hemoglobin has dropped again. I suppose she caught the symptoms earlier this time, though—she made it to the hospital with a hemoglobin level of 66.
The hematologist has taken over her case now. They performed a bone marrow biopsy, which came back normal. She was discharged today following her fourth blood transfusion, with all her results looking fine.

In the meantime, she passed a segment of thin bowel, which appeared quite orderly. The gastroscopy and colonoscopy were normal, as were all of the abdominal ultrasounds.
She had her cardiology appointment recently. Heart rhythm was regular at about 70 bpm, with clear heart sounds. There is a coarse systolic murmur over the precordium, specifically at the apex, graded at an intensity of 2-3/6. The diagnosis is obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, featuring SAM +/ with a peak gradient of approximately 115 mmHg. Her SCD risk score for HOCM is calculated at 3.03%. At this stage, I guess they aren't recommending an ICD implantation just yet.
The gynecologist found some fibroids that need to be removed.
The next step involves a small bowel video capsule endoscopy. However, since there hasn't been any visible bleeding thus far, I suspect the results might come back unremarkable. We'll hopefully gain more clarity once that's done. Who would you recommend consulting for a second opinion on this? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the help. It isn't sepsis.

My mother is 67. She was discharged from the hospital about three weeks ago following a bout of pneumonia, at which time her hemoglobin was normal at 137. They also detected a significant heart murmur, though we haven't looked into that yet. After a week, she started feeling weak, and it’s been getting progressively worse. Her blood work now shows a hemoglobin level of only 47. She has received four transfusions and seems to be feeling a bit better now. She is still hospitalized, so I don't have any other lab results on hand. They aren't seeing any evidence of internal bleeding.
She has diabetes and, until recently, had high blood pressure, though it's currently normal to low. Over the last five years, she experienced two major nosebleeds that required hospitalization, but she hasn't had any issues like that lately.
About a year and a half ago, she dealt with similar symptoms, and they found a polyp and some ulcers in her stomach. The polyp was removed, and her latest gastroscopy came back clear. She is waiting on a colonoscopy, but since there's no intestinal bleeding, I assume that might be fine too. What else could this be? Does anyone here have experience with something like this?
How is such a rapid drop in hemoglobin even possible? A follow-up X-ray shows the pneumonia is still sitting in the same spot.

I would like to change my username to driftinggull83
My current handle feels incredibly outdated, and I realize now that using the names of actual people—whether living or deceased—isn't allowed, so I’m requesting a change.

That should be fine. Just reach out to Nica.

That’s correct; I finally managed to secure a loan through a credit broker at my local Chase branch and settled those freezes once and for all. But this only happened back in April, before this whole GDP mess. I suppose I was stuck dealing with those account blocks for a good five years prior.

You can pull cash from just about any ATM, though the fees will depend entirely on which bank you use.
My husband withdrew some money while he was in Germany using his JP Morgan Chase card, and they hit him with a 3% fee on the total amount, with a minimum charge of $8.25.
So, if he pulls out 50 bucks, the fee ends up being $8.25 plus whatever $2.00 you lose on the exchange rate.
I suppose it might be worth checking with your own bank first; maybe they have some sort of partnership with a local institution in the state you're visiting, so there's a chance you could avoid the fees altogether.

I suppose I misspoke; it isn't that I’m trying to go against the grain, it's just that I find it rather pathetic when everyone else seems to be moving forward while I’m left behind. I really ought to get my head straight on this matter before September rolls around. 😵

😠 I already know his two little friends are planning on taking religion class. At what stage of the school enrollment process do we actually decide on that subject? And how am I supposed to find out how many kids are signing up or opting out? My husband is dead set on our child skipping it, and I’m the parent you guys were just talking about (so please, don't start with me)
good grief 🕺

Honestly, this whole situation is just grim. My kid starts school this year, and this was quite literally the final straw—there is absolutely no way they'll be participating in religious education classes.
What’s the actual landscape like for outliers like us in the Chicago public school system? What percentage of a typical class actually signs up for those courses? And what do the other kids end up doing instead?

Where can I get a liver ultrasound done most efficiently and quickly? Any recommendations for the Washington, D.C. area?
Looking at the waitlists, it seems like Šalata and Vinogradska are the first options, but I wonder if perhaps a local Community Health Center might handle this kind of screening.

Well, I guess I’ve officially joined the club 🤦
I’ve been dealing with minor issues for years—just the occasional flare-up here and there, nothing too serious.
But the last two months have been an absolute disaster.
I tried applying some Fact cream, but honestly, it hasn't made a bit of difference; things feel exactly the same whether I use it or not.
Right now, I’m basically just washing with cold water to get through it.
And it’s just constant.
Is there anything actually miraculous out there? Or am I looking at a doctor visit? If so, which kind? I'm wondering if I need to grab a referral first or if I have to go see a general practitioner to "show" them what's going on, or something like that 🙂

Much appreciated. An hour seems reasonable enough.
I suppose I'll give it a shot one weekend, just to see how it all plays out.

I tend to refer to it as Sava Stenjevec myself, though ever since we moved here a few years back, everyone insists we're actually in Gajnice. Based on where we fall for the local clinic and the daycare, I guess we technically belong to Gajnice...😵
no man's land

Well, I suppose I lack both the temperament and the patience for this, not to mention I don't have nearly enough experience dealing with places like Bologna or Ilicu.
Hasn't the embankment been sorted out since the Jankomir era? I haven't actually been there.
Actually, I'm over by Gajnice, on the other side of the tracks—it might be Sava Stenjevec—so I was thinking maybe it was from that direction, across Malešnica?
Thanks.

I have been turning this over in my mind for quite some time now.
I live out in Gajnice, but my job is located over in Buzin—I suppose one has to wonder if such a commute is actually feasible.
Does anyone happen to have a suggestion for a route? Perhaps taking the embankment might be an option, though I am not entirely certain.

wanderingmason86 said:I’ve only ever heard negative things about her—though, granted, I’m just going off hearsay rather than firsthand experience. Still, you don't exactly go asking for an opinion while you're in the restroom. Thanks for the recommendation! 🙂

The checkup was completed fairly quickly; she just looked things over with that specific device and mentioned everything seemed fine, I suppose.
Honestly, I have no idea how much expertise she actually possesses. As for the eczema, I'm still dealing with it, but I suppose I'm still standing. 😉
Go check it out. I suppose even if the mole looks suspicious, they’ll probably send you to the hospital regardless.

wanderingmason86 said:I need to see a dermatologist immediately regarding a suspicious mole. Does anyone happen to know a specialist who could fit me in either today or sometime next month? Ideally, I’m looking for the earliest possible opening, because the appointments at the major hospitals are booked out until next year. 🙄

Maybe you should try scheduling an appointment at the Kruge Emergency Services clinic to see the dermatologist. I went there last year for some moles, and they managed to fit me in just two weeks later. I suppose I can only hope things haven't changed since then.

I am looking for a decent general practitioner and a dentist in the West Side area. Please. 🙂

I used to suffer through absolutely agonizing menstrual cramps; honestly, nothing worked except Ketoral, and even then, I usually had to take two at once or just head straight to the ER for an injection. Eventually, I switched to birth control—mostly to deal with the pain, the acne, and everything else—and after taking them for about eight years, the pain just seemed to vanish entirely. I actually stopped taking them recently, and things were fine for about six months; I hadn't even considered that the pain might ever come back. Then, last month, it all returned with a vengeance. Of course, I didn't take any Ketoral in time, so I spent about an hour and a half just suffering through it. The only real difference since being off the pill is that my flow is much heavier than it used to be. I can't really account for that while I was on the pill, because everything was, frankly, perfect.
So, this month, I prepared by stocking up on my trusty old Ketoral, which allowed me to handle the heavy flow without too much trouble.
I suppose, at least in my experience, there isn't really a solution. I don't really have any advice to offer, either. I think I'll probably just go back on the pill, because I don't think I can live like this. 😢