Anywho, there's that. I'm off work tomorrow and don't have school until evening, so I'll have time to relax it.
Ended up back in the ED a couple weeks ago for another hormone migraine. It was a REALLY good visit as far as ED trips go. I had 3 nurses in the 4 hours I was there. One signed me in and took the abbreviated history, one came in to do my H&P and start my IV, and the third was my actual assigned nurse (who was tied up when I came in, which is why nurse 2 did the start-up stuff). Nurse 1 was sweet and polite and great for the short time I saw her. Nurse 2 was one I had last time I went to that ED for a migraine (about 4 months ago). She remembered me vaguely (and I did her after a few minutes as well....pounding brain makes memory recall difficult at times). She asked me what I felt like would help my head (since she also remembered that I worked in medicine and had done this more than a couple times...) and I told her it would only take fluids and IV Benadryl. She relayed that to my nurse (Nurse 3). Nurse 3 came in and hung fluids and talked to me more in depth about my migraines, history, treatment. I told her as well what it would take/what I would like for resolution. She found me Awesome Doctor (of the attendings who were on that night). Awesome Doc came in and started by asking what I wanted. I said fluids and IV Benadryl. He asked me what dose I normally got. I answered 50 at home but only 25 via IV (because I'm small). He said that sounded good. I wasn't asking for pain meds (not even the non-narc kind), I was obviously educated, treatment I suggested was valid, and he said that in cases like mine he doesn't do pointless tests that would only cause more pain and not bring about any new answers (we already knew it was hormonal). So he agreed to my treatment and put the order in.
He and the rest of the medical team on the floor were then pulled into two major emergencies simultaneously (either of which could have easily occupied the whole team alone), so he ducked in just long enough to say that they hadn't forgotten about me (I already knew what was up - I saw an unconscious teen in rough shape come through the ambulance bay and heard the cardiac monitor across the hall go from brady to tachy to nothing in under a minute - heart attack - so I waited my turn).
35 minutes later, patients were stabilized and sent for tests, I had sucked down a liter of normal saline, and the nurse was walking in with my meds and more fluids.
A little under 4 hours after I walked in, I left with 2 liters of fluids in me (and reflux and junky lungs to boot) and a short nap that resolved the pain.
Woke up in the morning with all kinds of reflux and still incredibly junky lungs (you get that much fluid that fast, it can't leave fast enough....you WILL get fluid-overload-related symptoms). And no more headache. I called that afternoon to make an appointment with an OB/GYN. We're going to get this crap figured out. I imagine I'll end up on birth control again, but I'm willing to go that route at this point.
**
And because Klonopin + neck pain = completely wiped out....
Post part two, day two.
Made a med change last month. I felt like the Klonopin wasn't working the same as it used to - I'd had a couple wakeful nights, some insomnia issues with falling asleep, had a nightmare that kept me up all night (I have more nightmares when I'm in pain, and they're intense enough to leave me shaking and scared all night...that went away when I started taking an anti-anxiety at bedtime). Switched to Ativan at the same doseage. But it didn't seem to affect me at all. I felt nothing when I took it. So I called the doc back at 3 weeks and asked if she could switch me back to my old script. I'm getting the Klonopin at the same dose again, but I'm only taking half a tab on a regular basis and saving the full dose for the nights that things are worse or if I've been in more pain during the day. So far, that seems to be doing the trick.
Decided yesterday at work that I'm definitely developing a sensitivity to the gloves we use. It's not uncommon to develop allergies from frequent exposure to things. And I've been wearing those synthetic vinyl gloves for 9 years as part of my job. When I put them on, my sinuses feel stuffy/congested, and I itch from head to toe (especially my face) - with no rash. My hands turn red and get blotchy (which doesn't look like much more than hot sweaty hands that have been in gloves...except that with the Raynauds creeping into my limbs, my hands are always white, not red). I told my charge nurse, and she was sympathetic and found me a box of blue nitrile gloves in my size - given that we're an oncology floor, they were easy enough to come by. But on other floors when I float and with some other nurses who are all business, it's going to be harder to convince them that I can't work until I have those specific gloves. So I'm going to have the doc today list it as an actual allergy so that nobody is allowed to harass or punish me for refusing to work. Because they're more expensive, the blue nitrile gloves are not something we readily keep on the floors. We have to get them from pharmacy supply when chemo drugs come to the floor. Or a charge nurse or house supervisor can ask for them specifically (like when they don't send enough to cover our chemo patients). If I could get them myself, I would, but it has to be a charge nurse. So seriously, I have to wait to get them (I plan to ask for more when I'm down to 1/4 box).
Should be interesting to see how it goes. ...maybe I'll ask the doc to print off a note that I can take to my supervisors since this allergy affects my work (hey, I get a note when I have to get my annual PPD/TB skin test because I'm allergic to that too - not a positive reactor, just allergic).
Great thing: yesterday at work, one of our new grad nurses found out she passed her boards. She knew it would be posted at 2 pm and EVERYONE was waiting anxiously all day (we knew she would pass, there was no doubt about that). Time rolled around, results were posted. She jumped up out of her chair (after pointing to the PASS on the computer monitor that we were sitting at), then ran down the hall where the rest of our team was. Five seconds later there were screams and laughter (beautiful sound) and ten seconds after that, my charge nurse made an overhead page announcing that Amy had passed her boards. Yeah, my team is freaking cool!. And I'm so glad Amy is part of our team!
I have that previously mentioned OB/GYN appointment today, so I need to get moving around here and get dressed. I also have school this evening, so I've got a busy day with some breaks. And I'm going to get to school early and walk around for a while, since my neck is too stiff and sore to get in a good workout.
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