My recent ER/Cardiac Hosp stay

[Brick]

Last Wednesday afternoon I thought I was having a heart attack. I had gotten lunch down town. A cup of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I drove to the local Ingles grocery. As I parked I stated to feel like I was going to throw up or pass out. I turned my truck back on and cranked the A/C. I my have blinked out for a short time I don't know. As I felt better I decided to drive home. 1/2 way there I had numb hands and feet and lips. I drove to the Urgent care. As I walked in I felt it coming on again. I think I scared the lady in line as I said excuse me I think I'm having a heart attack. They called 911 and EMS transported me to the ER. I spent the night and part of the next day taking tests. All came back no heart problems.
Now what the hell is wrong with me. No not that stuff...
I took myself off the Meloxicam I had been taking for far too long. It was for hip and knee pain. Now I've still got some abdominal pain/issues and hip and knee pain and well don't know what's going on with me.
It's hell getting old.
I believe I gave myself a gastric problem taking the Meloxicam for so long. Hell I had asked my Dr if I should get off it. She said do you have any problems with it... Well I do now! Damn Dr's.

Dr... It hurts when I do this... Well don't do that. Really! Ok now send me the bill!!


I must be out riding my Super Teneré'!

[Bob]

It's a real bummer to have symptoms like that and not know why. Yes getting old sux big time, but now that you've ruled out heart maybe it will ease your mind. Weird shit ike that can happen for no apparent reason. I'm walking proof. Glad you're OK.

I'm sitting here typing this at 4:00 AM because i can't sleep with stomach acid eating a hole in my throat. I know i took my reflux meds łast night. So why?

[Marc K]

Hmm knowing people with similar symptoms with no heart issues I'd say it's your gall bladder. My wife was admitted for the same thing and a few weeks later - gall bladder surgery.

[Bob]

Hmm knowing people with similar symptoms with no heart issues I'd say it's your gall bladder. My wife was admitted for the same thing and a few weeks later - gall bladder surgery.

Yep you could be right. Happening right after a meal. Did they do an ultrasound or xray of the GB?

[LeeDavis]

I poked around on the internet and other than the recurrence of pain, the symptoms you describe aren't consistent with taking or withdrawing from Meloxicam. It could be an extreme case of your lunch not agreeing with you (it happens) or something else. At least you know you're not going to keel over from a heart attack - you've got that going for you!!

[Bob]

Like Lee, I was Googling meloxicam also, as I have arthritis in hands and knees. Brick, how well does it work? Do you ever get stomach burning after taking it, or other side effects (nausea is one of them listed). My current med is 600mg of ibuprofen 1 or 2 times a day and it doesn't work all that well.

I have a feeling the numb hands/feet/lips you had was from hyper-ventilation caused by the sudden stress.

[Brick]

Meloxicam is ibprofen's big brother.
Years ago I had an episode that was similar, but of course didn't remember at the time, I had over used I profen. I'm hoping it that... Waiting to see when I can get a follow up with Dr.
Gonna contact Humana to see if I need a referral to Gastrointerologist or can I just go? I've had 2 colonoscopy's from him and one scope down the throat and one esophageal stretch from scar tissue caused by acid reflux! So he has my history.


I must be out riding my Super Teneré'!

[Marc K]

They did a "function test". She drank a "dye" and they did an ultrasound every few minutes. Found it would go into spasms. Her attacks would occurred after eating spicy or fatty foods. She said the pain was through her chest to her spine. She had the arthroscopic surgery, five little holes and cut it in little pieces and suck it out. Recovery was out of work for 10 days.

[Broz]

Sorry to hear that Brick. Hope they find the cause ASAP. Take car of yourself,
Broz

[Brick]

I took Hydrocod/Aceta... For pain only at night so I could sleep. Only 3 total pills as I didn't need/want much. Now I'm so plugged up I'm taking laxatives!!! I stopped taking the damn stuff, last was Sunday. No more! The pain is better than what this crap does to you! Damn! I just know after I can go again I'll feel sooo much better!


I must be out riding my Super Teneré'!

[Bob]

I took Hydrocod/Aceta... For pain only at night so I could sleep. Only 3 total pills as I didn't need/want much. Now I'm so plugged up I'm taking laxatives!!! I stopped taking the damn stuff, last was Sunday. No more! The pain is better than what this crap does to you! Damn! I just know after I can go again I'll feel sooo much better!
I must be out riding my Super Teneré'!

Yeah, that hard stuff does bad things to ya. What kind of pain you having thats bad enough for that? Dang.

We all hope you have a huge blow-out soon!

[Brick]

Mission accomplished! Oh man I feel 10lbs lighter!
It was more discomfort than pain but I couldn't sleep with it.



I must be out riding my Super Teneré'!

[LeeDavis]

Mission accomplished! Oh man I feel 10lbs lighter!
It was more discomfort than pain but I couldn't sleep with it.

Somebody's gotta say it... TOO MUCH INFORMATION!

[Brick]

Hey you always knew I was full of shit!


I must be out riding my Super Teneré'!

[007]

May have been a mild form of Guillain Barre syndrome caused by GI bug, although this would usually be more serious. With your GI history on meloxicam, that could contribute to some things by iteslf, but other than Guillain Barre does not explain the numbness. Would definitely talk to a Cardiologist as "tests" are a bit vague and would want to make sure you didn't have some sort of heart problem if there were associated symptoms. Did they do telemetry or give you a Holter monitor? Larger meals can prolong QT and contribute to arrythmia. A transient spinal cord issue compromising sensory nerves or a transient ischemic attack would be strange. Meloxicam comes with risks and/or black box warnings for a number of these events. Of course, you may have had a panic attack, but that is doubtful. I would avoid opiates like the plague, especially with GI issues, for the obvious reasons you mentioned. GI docs and surgeons seem to love them.

[Brick]

It seems from the scans they now see some lower spin degeneration.


I must be out riding my Super Teneré'!

[007]

Lower spine degeneration would not explain upper symptoms. Although the sympathetic nervous system does run down the spine a ways and back up. You also may want to consult a "real" doctor. Been a while since I looked at all that stuff.

[Brick]

During my stay in the hospital I saw one real Dr... the one in the ER the other two were Hospitalists and in my opinion are worthless! Seriously! I just went to my GP and she is good and that's who told me about the results that the hospital sent over from all the tests... as in you have some lower spin degeneration. There are a couple of things I hadn't asked that I wish I had. I just called her office and asked if she could call me.

Believe me I had not just been relying on your over this form consult. If you know what I mean.

Lower spine degeneration would not explain upper symptoms. Although the sympathetic nervous system does run down the spine a ways and back up. You also may want to consult a "real" doctor. Been a while since I looked at all that stuff.