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What's on your mind?

Discussion in 'Your Front Porch' started by Bittersweetvenom, Jan 13, 2016.

  1. Cheryl

    Cheryl Active Member

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    Almost 46 years of marriage for me and I have no regrets. In fact, sometimes I have wished that after this journey is over, we could come back and do it all over again, knowing now what we didn't know back when it all began.

    I love my kids and would give my life for them. They are loving, kind, generous, responsible, hard working adults...everything I always hoped they would be.

    They've all made it possible for me to say I've had a very good life.
     
  2. mbgphoto79

    mbgphoto79 Member

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    In a quandary. If any of you follow my story you know that I’ve been diligently following the AV approach since November. Things were looking much better in January after a couple months of worsening conditions. My medication got swapped for another brand last month and I finally got back on the Northstar last week. Symptoms have been worse than ever until last night and today. My quandary is that my wife is pushing for me to pursue other avenues. Like, make a phone call today pushing. I’m still clinging to the hope of the AVs making it all good but that may take a few more weeks. I’d hate to go back to the ENT that told me AVs wouldn’t work and they tell me to stop taking them right as they were starting to work again. But, I’d hate to put anymore stress on my wife than I already have. At this point, if the AVs aren’t going to work I’d just as soon get a laby and pass up all the other questionable treatments. Thoughts?
     
  3. Melc

    Melc Member

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    You have a young family. Your wife wants you to be a part of it. You want to be a part of it.

    I have read all the testimonies from people who have had the laby. Not one of them regrets having had the surgery. Everyone of them says they got their life back. Something to think about, Mbg.

    The AVS are not a guarantee. It sounds like the laby is very successful. Surgery isn’t for everyone, but if you can afford it, think long and hard what you want your life to be like. You’re young; why not look into it and see if you can get yourself in the position where you are able to be an active parent and spouse?

    The sooner you start the sooner you are on the way to recovery. Nothing worse than the feeling of ‘ I wish had started months ago; think how much farther along i’d be’

    In the end...go with your gut.

    Best to you whatever you decide.
     
  4. mbgphoto79

    mbgphoto79 Member

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    Thanks for the thoughtful reply, Vix. I’ll tell you there’s not much worse than being stuck in bed, slowly spinning and wishing I was dead while my kids are home on the weekend being kids and I’m just there, missing it all. So I certainly am in the mindset now to be proactive. I have a couple different avenues I could go down. I could go back to the ENT I was seeing. I’m almost certain that they wouldn’t go for the laby idea right away without pushing me to try other things first. This is based on prior conversations with that practice. Or, I could see a neurologist that was recommended to me. Not sure what that will bring. I suppose I should see them both and go from there.
     
  5. I don’t know why, but for some reason I started thinking about, “The Tree That Owns Itself,” in Athen, Georgia
     
  6. Nathan

    Nathan Well-Known Member

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    Subsurface ocean, Europa
    You can do both simultaneously. Begin making phone calls today, arrange appointments to speak with your ENT &/or neurologist—though I would encourage you to preference a neurotologist over an ENT or neurologist—& begin pursuing alternative avenues, all the while allowing time for the Northstar AV's to find a possible foothold.

    + 1
     
  7. Is this the last snow fall
     
    • Like Like x 1
  8. mbgphoto79

    mbgphoto79 Member

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    Thanks. Current situation is this. I’ll begin diazide within the next few days after getting an initial blood test. Since my BP runs slightly high anyway I should avoid the low BP dizziness that some suffer. This way I can continue the AVs for at least a couple more weeks and see how that goes. Hopefully I’ll be able to return to work as well.
     
  9. June-

    June- Well-Known Member

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    To quote my mother i think if a marriage is reasonavly good, it is a better/happier life. I was single a ling time and married a long time and i go with this but i am glad i did not marry young. There were things i wanted to do and marriage ties you down. It’s only partly about the other person. It’s more about indepence vs companionship.
     
  10. mbgphoto79

    mbgphoto79 Member

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    Spent some time online this morning looking for another doc to see, preferably a neurotologist. Stumbled upon a guy who seemed to be right up my alley. Lots of experience with MM, an actual neurotologist, and he's right down the street. I get on the phone to make an appointment. "What insurance do you have?" "Cigna" "Oh, I'm sorry we are out of network with Cigna"....ugh

    So I get on Cigna's site and the nearest in network neurotologist is over 55 miles away. His reviews are less than stellar, poor bedside manner, etc. I even looked in Charlotte and there are NO in network neurotologists in a town of close to 1M residents. Looks like the two places I've already been are really the only ENT's in general that are in network. Hmm...
     
  11. Hope Pupper is getting helpful news today.
     
  12. Melc

    Melc Member

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    I don’t understand the health care system in the US so forgive me if this is a dumb question.

    Can you get different insurance provider? One who will you let you see the best choice of Dr. for you?
     
  13. mbgphoto79

    mbgphoto79 Member

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    Well, yes and no. I have coverage through a group plan at work. These are usually the best plans as since there are hundreds or thousands of people buying insurance from the same company, your premiums are lower. I could go out and buy insurance to supplement what I have now, but with my heart conditions it would cost more money than I make to buy. In the US you can’t be refused coverage anymore due to a pre existing condition under the ACA, but the provider can still charge you whatever they want. So, if I want to see a provider that is “out of network”, in other words the doc doesn’t have an agreement with said insurance company, then I can still see them but I’ll pay full price for whatever treatment. The receptionist at the doc mentioned above said it would be anywhere from $500-$700 for me just to be established as a patient there. Any procedures done would be much more obviously. So yeah, it’s kind of a racket here in the states but I’ll take what I can get.
     
  14. What tomorrow brings
     
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  15. Missing Joyce and hopes she made it
     
    • Like Like x 1
  16. Pupper

    Pupper Active Member

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    Men and women are sexy, sure. But our stuff down there is pretty weird looking on its own. Like if you saw our parts on a store shelf you'd never buy it.
     
  17. mbgphoto79

    mbgphoto79 Member

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    I dunno. I've been to a few stores where they sell replicas.
     
  18. That’s hilarious
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  19. Pupper

    Pupper Active Member

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    How fascinating drugs are. A little half Xanax took away all my anger this morning. I've had two bad days and poor sleep. I almost never take Xanax for mood. Only take it for dizziness. But sometimes, when every single thought is an angry thought for 2 days, you just can't take it anymore. Drugs are great. Yeah I know, yadda yadda. But drugs are still great.
     
  20. mbgphoto79

    mbgphoto79 Member

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    Facts. But those drugs in particular can and will make your life more difficult as I'm finding. My little daily Valium regimen is basically useless now. It's required that I take it, but it merely keeps the nasties away. The whole anxiety thing is becoming more of an issue that the MM at this point.

    I went for my annual heart checkup yesterday and it was all could do not to have full blown panic attack the entire day I was down there. And, I wasn't even having the full on heart cathaterization...it was just a 10 minute CT scan and a quick chat with the doc. But I was beside myself. I usually walk in and have absolutely no anxiety, even when I was in heart failure and I knew there would be intervention in the form of a stent or even more drastic measures. I took three times my normal dose, but the benzos only numbed my mind and caused a noticeable slur. The anxiety was still right there in my chest and shoulders, like trying to cover a bloody hyena with a twin sheet.

    I have to figure out a way to get control over my mind again. It was suggested that I try acupuncture, but evidence of that helping MM is little to none. In fact, it causes most patients to experience a full on attack. Perhaps tai chi might offer some solace for my racked brain?
     

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