depressed

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your nice compliments, Jim. You are certainly a

positive-minded person in spite of all that you must cope with.

Best,

[Guest guest]

Lida, I do not know what to make of the situation any more than you do -- even after managing this group and hearing patients' stories and revision surgeons' stories for nearly nine years. I don't know about "malice." But I do fault some surgeons for inexcusable, incomprehensible, even willful ignorance. It is especially frustrating to realize that there are whole regions North America, and whole advanced and civilized countries elsewhere, where people with serious sagittal deformities can not seem to find skilled or knowledgeable help. Worse yet, it was devastating to learn from my own revision surgeon that patients are still being operated on --at least here in the US -- in such a way as to CAUSE flatback syndrome. I just caught a brief segment of "Oprah" this morning but plan to watch the replay tonight. As best I can recall the particulars of this anecdote: A highly successful young chef talked about how he went from one doctor and dentist to another without anyone's taking a simple skin-scraping in his mouth so as to biopsy a little white dot that was causing him pain. By the time someone did take the trouble to do this, he had advanced cancer and was told the only cure was to remove his tongue or his mandible. He had to go through four (4) more doctors before he found someone who was willing to use radiation therapy and chemotherapy as the first-line treatment. He is now cancer free and has managed to keep his tongue, which is a pretty important organ for anyone in the culinary business. Commenting on this young man's ordeal, Dr. Oz said it is imperative for us to be "Smart Patients" and remember that we are the world experts on our own bodies. This is a very good message indeed. In fact, it would make a good (albeit plagiarized!) motto for the Feisty Forum. Still, I believe we also need to demand Smart Doctors. We depend on this profession to have our best interests at heart, to stay current with new knowledge and new developments. We even mandate continuing medical education in a number of jurisdictions. It is demoralizing to bear this huge responsibility -- as PATIENTS -- for figuring out whether our doctor is a capable person who is covering all the bases or an incompetent slacker who is sleeping on the job (ignoring his colleagues' dining room or golf course repartee and shop talk? Chucking his copy of Spine in the trash without even browsing it?). I do not mean to sound overly judgmental or demanding of the medical profession -- they do have tons of info to keep up with -- but let's face it, flatback syndrome was breaking news around the late 1980s. By a decade later, it was a fairly important topic wherever spinal surgeons congregated and communicated. It was like, "Hey, guys, I know we might have missed this earlier -- even if we got a few clues, like back in med school when we were studying Gross Anatomy -- but guess what, THE HUMAN SPINE IS THREE-DIMENSIONAL!"Yup, I am still flabbergasted over the whole thing. I wish I had some answers -- some plausible theory or hypothesis, at least. I just don't. I mean, duh . . . . Now please excuse me while I tear out some more hair and nimbly climb a few more walls. (No, not really. The hair, maybe. The walls -- not since fusion #1 or #2. )Best,>> I am very concerned about why this sort of scenario keeps repeating. I am> beginning to get suspicious about some of these orthopaedists who cannot> even be bothered to check us out sagitally. Even if this one is not> qualified to assess sagitall plane problems, why not refer the patient on to> someone else? Or just say straight out "I dont know" instead of> categorically stating nothing can be done. I am beginning to think it's not> just lack of experience or interest, but more of malice. I know it sounds> bananas, but that is what I am picking up.> > Lida in London> > > Re: depressed> > > > PLEASE do not leave the group!> > I wish I knew exactly where to refer you. What I do know: You must get> another medical opinion -- absolutely, unquestionably. I am not a doctor and> am not qualified to diagnose anyone's spinal condition, of course, but the> key words that leapt out at me from your recent post were "why do I lean> forward?" This is an absolute red flag and major tip-off, coupled with the> severe pain that has besieged you. Your consultant seems to have totally> ignored it. Did he order any films whatsoever of your sagittal plane (as> opposed to the standard coronal-plane films)? And if so, did he understand> the significance of what he was seeing? Has he checked out your sagittal> balance in some quantititative way, e.g., using the "plumbline" method> described in the SRS literature? Is this doctor, in fact, even qualified to> assess patients with iatrogenic sagittal-plane problems?>

[Guest guest]

I'm feeling really depressed. It will be a month on Tuesday since TKR and

quadraplasty. I am really angry with my doc for not explaining to me how

disabled I would be by the quadraplasty, which involved removing and splicing my

tendons to give me better range of motion. My leg is so weak and will be for

months, apparently. My PT is trying to transition me to a cane but I'm too

scared to use it. I have to wear a leg stabilizer because my leg is too weak to

support my knee.

How much longer will I be in pain? I hate the pain meds. And I hate the feeling

of the prosthetic. I can't sleep on my side anymore because it hurts too much. I

miss my old knee. It hurt but it worked.

[Guest guest]

With all my heart I feel and support you today sending my best wishes

and.prayers your way today. I truthfully can.say with my first tkr I didn't

think I would male it through the pain, meds, sleeplessness from pain and

weakness. For me time was such a healer and it sure felt like I.might not

recover back then. I cried and prayed so much. I am coming up to one year

on tkr #1 in Dec

And I am walking.pain.free with.both.knee replacements!!!

..((((((hugs)))))))

[Guest guest]

Hope you are OK.> > >I am very upset again. My partneris having counselling and will not be able to come up to mine very often, he is having counselling due to not being able to answer his mum back, she keeps on at me about moving in, I didn't use my oxygen for a few days last week (I am on 15 hours a day) due to scoliosis, I also didn't eat for a couple of days. I am now starting counseling in a couple of weeks IAPT, I told my partner I am willing to come up in between, we live 95 miles apart, would he do the same, he answered by saying that is the reason we have to move in soon, sounds like his mother talking! I started crying again about it, have cried a few times today, we only left my home yesterday!

I feel I am making all the effort, I would have to rent out or sell my flat to move in with my partner. I have told my sister about the problem, she suggested my other sister has the flat to rent, I was really upset, felt I wasn't wanted at home, told them I wish I wasn't born! I am so angry, my family have never interfered even my parents when they were alive. All this upset is due to my partner Graham's parents interfering, they only live round the corner. I have been to a couple of family parties recently which I really enjoyed. If I moved away I wouldn't see my family and friend/s. I am also annoyed as my other sister has always wanted my flat, she wants the flat very cheap rate, my partner said I mustn't let her have it, think my sisters are trying to help as they don't want me to have the stress of all the nagging from my partners parents, what annoys me is taht

his parents say I mustn't let my sister have the flat either. I have been told it isn't easy to rent the flat out, my sister said I need to know my legal rights even for family. My partner's mum wouldn't even let me in the car with them a few weeks ago, she wanted Graham to herself. On Boxing Day she made him take her to hospital witha broken arm which she had broiken a few days earlier, Graham offered on Christmas Day, she didn't want me with them but i went. She has now moaned and said I should have gone to the toilet when I got there as she was in the queue, I am on water tablets and on oxygen. I hadn't been well the day before, she didn't bother about that and Grhaam didn't tell her, he even said he had to tak her to hospital even if I was ill.> > >I await your advice.> > > .> > > Take care> > > Love> > > Liz>

> > X> > >> > >

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann,

Please try to be patient I know it is hard I have been there, crying for no

reason and getting angry with myself for being like that as well as at the

system for not helping me.

You just need to work through this as systematically as possible. Look at all

the supplements that you need to take - the ones Dr P suggested and even buy

yourself a 7 day pill dispenser and put them all in and take daily as a routine.

Your system may need some boosting before it will react favourably to T3 or

indeed T4. ANd you must start low with T3 - I started with bits of a 25 mcg

tablet throughout the morning and afternoon and built up gradually. I only take

37.5 mcg a day now anyway and this seems to suit me for now.

You must still pace yourself and have some quality time where possible doing

something that makes you feel nurtured - I do not know your circumstances but if

you can afford to have a back and shoulder massage or buy yourself a book to

read or film to watch.

We lose sight of ourselves when battling to get sorted and sometimes we forget

we had interests and hobbies and we still need, energy permitting, to engage in

those however hard it is. I forced myself to get dressed up in full n

bustle the works and go to one of my clubs events - despite feeling tired

bloated and not really in the mood for human contact. I managed it and almost

collapsed when I got home with the tiredness but mentally I felt a bit better

for it.

You don't have to do the bustle by the way, that is optional - LOL!

I wish you luck - but give it time and be good to yourself!

Stacey

[Guest guest]

Sounds like it could be low cortisol to me (it could be other things too of

course). Do the symptoms of low cortisol fit?

[Guest guest]

depressed

Hi i saw Dr peatfield on the 23rd feb,he is a amazing and lovely man.9months ago iwent to see my GP he tried to put me on antidepressants i said no thank you,he did bloods and put me on 1 a day 50micro levothyroxine after acouple of months i still had all the symtons (mainy crying for no reason) didnt want to go out scared of meeting people i knew and would start crying.Went to see an endo,he did al the usual blood tests all came back Normal!!He said to me what would you like me to do,i just said can i have some T3 please,he said yes stop the Levothyroxine and put me on 10mcg x 3 aday i only stayed on them 10days as i was worse than ever constant crying not able to face my family tired loss of appetite etc,so at the moment i am on Dr Peatfields,recommendation Nutri Adrenal extra,x2 daily put up to 3 next week,vit c x2daily up to 3 next week and Co-enzyme Q10 100mils 1daily and start T3 10 mgs x 3 daily over 10 day period.I know it will take time, but i am so Depressed crying all the time and just lying on my bed daily not wanting to eat having no appetite.Would anybody know if i should get some antidepressants off my doc,i dont intend telling the endo or my doc about seing Dr P i dont think it will be wise to,any advise from anybody how to get out of this depression or am i expecting too much too soon.Many thanks Ann