Tux of Borg Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Good luck man... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyemike Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 I am so sorry to hear that. On a lesser scale, I can relate, after a 13 day hospital stay for supposed Crohn's disease and stomach surgery almost six months ago. This was my LAMP post -- I got a lot of support on this board. The good news is, I gained all my weight back and I have not had any flare-ups. My gastro doctor thinks it may not be Crohn's after all, but some sort of one-time viral infection. I'm still on Pentasa, however. I also have asthma, sinusitis, and knee problems, both left and right. And I'm still only 36 years old. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 I know you must be stunned - I think I can understand a little bit what you're going through. A couple months back I learned that I have a cancer that, according to my doctors, will most likely not be cured. They've already said that it may very well kill me one day, but that they are trying to do what they can to keep that from happening anytime soon. Just some stuff to think about: -Follow to the letter what your docs say, but question them every step of the way. -Get a small notebook and make a journal with every ache, pain, pill, shortness of breath, etc, and bring that with you to your cardio appointments. -Be sure to write down the time and what you were doing at the time when you experience discomfort, as well as any questions you thought of since your previous appointment. It helped me feel confident that my docs had all of the information they'd need to offer me the highest level of care possible. -As scary as it is, remember to maintain a positive attitude - you and the people who love you deserve no less. -If you don't already, consider doing something to feed your spiritual needs. Be it church, temple, meditation, affirmations, or whatever works for you, do something to cleanse your soul and lift your spirit. It really has helped me and hopefully it would benefit you too. I know you've been knocked on your arse with this news. Feel free to PM me if you ever need to think out loud. Take care brother, -Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede316 Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Damn, very sorry to hear that man.....Prayers and I hope things work out well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted September 5, 2005 Author Share Posted September 5, 2005 buckeye i am glad to see that you are recovering and campy i hope that you keep fighting along the way brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatPatPatSack Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 .... an enlarged heart. I will find out how severe the stretching of my heart is, but from what i understand, my condition is pretty bad. It has left me, a college track athlete, having breathing issues and consistent chest pains. This probably means that i may never be able to work again too. What really scares me is that many high school, college, and pro athletes have died over the years on the field or at random times because of this condition. Also, being only 21, i never thought i'd be having heart issues at such a young age. 428975[/snapback] Well the good part is that you'll never be a Republican! But you are young and I'll bet good lookin and able to bag young chicks! Life is good, mostly. And like some stuff about this country, hate some stuff, one thing is for sure. We are the worlds best in the repair and treatment of hearts. It is rocket science and the doctor folks are great at it. Make sure you get yourself to one of the university hospitals - Cleveland Clinic, Pittsburg, whereever you are. And you will find yourself living to a ripe old age. My college roomate had 2 freakin heart transplants, was on a artificial heart for 4 months and now he is still going strong 5 years later. No compromises. And he is not a young man. And stay away from booze, speed, and potato chips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILLS4LIFE Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick in* england Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 bad news jz..... i am resigned to having heart problems (they are in my family all the way already) so I guess it's a matter of tiem for me.. but i'd hate to have them so young. I'm 25 - and I hope I have many years of health ahead of me... Stay strong and take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Best wishes JZ. If it were me, I'd take Campy's advice. I'd also be doing a lot of research on that new Internet thingy and perhaps get a second opinion about treatment and coping with your condition. Good luck. We're pulling for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 .... an enlarged heart. I will find out how severe the stretching of my heart is, but from what i understand, my condition is pretty bad. It has left me, a college track athlete, having breathing issues and consistent chest pains. This probably means that i may never be able to work again too. What really scares me is that many high school, college, and pro athletes have died over the years on the field or at random times because of this condition. Also, being only 21, i never thought i'd be having heart issues at such a young age. 428975[/snapback] From a recent victor in the healthcare trenches (me) here's an important tip: Get a scond opinion. The second opinion for diagnosis is probably not critical, what is wrong is probably not in debate. But the way to treat your condition may vary greatly from Dr. to Dr. A second opinion for treatment options is critical. A good Doctor will not be offended by you seeking a 2cd. Some even like having their work looked at by others, gives them a chance to build their skills/knowledge. Maybe your Dr. will give you names of other Drs. to go to. I went with my 2cd opinion guy... it changed, if not saved, my life. You'll be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 I'm sending a prayer your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjeff215 Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 As many have said before me, get a second opinion, and then a fifth.. and then an Nth... When my wife was ~22/~23, she had a severe headache one night (my birthday, of all days). We took her to the ER. They found a mass in her brain. Three days later, the mass became legions. Her doctor (neuro) gave us the "you have MS" speech. Introduced us to the drugs. Told us what to expect. Setup the appointment to have the nurse come to the house and teach us how to inject, wheelchair-ify the house, and so on... So we got a second opinion. Migraine. Then we went to some big specialized MS center in Atlanta to get yet ANOTHER opinion. We wanted one of them to match up. Migraine. They *almost* started juicing her up with crap. Get other Doctors to give you the once over. Get your treatment plan verified. Ask questions about EVERYTHING. Read up on it. Know your care plan. Understand your care plan. Never shrug anything off as "because the doctor said so." Read the RIGHT sources. Get a book. You need to be careful with the 'net, though, as you'll worry yourself to death. I had a pain in my groin area one day and after three hours of 'net time, I was convinced I had cancer. Edit... bring someone else to the appointments with you, so you don't miss anything. If that's not possible, as your doctor if you can record each meeting with a tape recorder. -Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 As many have said before me, get a second opinion, and then a fifth.. and then an Nth... When my wife was ~22/~23, she had a severe headache one night (my birthday, of all days). We took her to the ER. They found a mass in her brain. Three days later, the mass became legions. Her doctor (neuro) gave us the "you have MS" speech. Introduced us to the drugs. Told us what to expect. Setup the appointment to have the nurse come to the house and teach us how to inject, wheelchair-ify the house, and so on... So we got a second opinion. Migraine. Then we went to some big specialized MS center in Atlanta to get yet ANOTHER opinion. We wanted one of them to match up. Migraine. They *almost* started juicing her up with crap. Get other Doctors to give you the once over. Get your treatment plan verified. Ask questions about EVERYTHING. Read up on it. Know your care plan. Understand your care plan. Never shrug anything off as "because the doctor said so." Read the RIGHT sources. Get a book. You need to be careful with the 'net, though, as you'll worry yourself to death. I had a pain in my groin area one day and after three hours of 'net time, I was convinced I had cancer. Edit... bring someone else to the appointments with you, so you don't miss anything. If that's not possible, as your doctor if you can record each meeting with a tape recorder. -Jeff 429534[/snapback] Good advice. The Merck Manual is a good start. The NIH site is good, as is wrongdiagnosis.com. Merck: http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/CVMHighLigh...k.com#hl_anchor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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