Re: Questions about Pain and Swelling to Mira

[Guest guest]

Mira wrote:

My blood work is so strange, sometimes it shows the lipase and amylase

slightly elevated and other times it is normal. (snip) While in the hospital I

had

several CT's w/contrast and one showed spots on the liver and a kidney

infection: then the other one was normal.

(snip)I have been having swelling of the face, arms and stomach.

(snip) The pain is so severe, but yet when I take a pain pill it only makes the

pain worse.

(snip) his Nurse Practictioner,which makes hospital rounds is very rude and

does not chart everything I tell her. She has yet to tell him about the

swelling

and discharged me when I was extremely swollen

(snip) but I was worried about making the NP angry. Please let me know if I

should call my DR. and tell him what is going on

Mina,

I've been offline for several days so I don't know whether your questions have

been answered yet or not. Hopefully some of what I have to say will be useful

information for you.

First of all, it's not uncommon to have two different results from your

bloodwork. Amylase and lipase can be elevated at one time, then within a

few hours or a day or two, return to normal. This is not unusual at all.

It's also not uncommon to have two different CT-scans, each showing different

results. The experience level of the technician who does the scan is usually

what determines what the scan shows. I've had one scan that showed one

pseudocyst in my pancreas, then another done two days later by another

techinician, that showed two! It's highly likely that you two scans that showed

different results were done by two different technicians. In that case, I would

hope that your doctor would treat you for the one that did show kidney

infection and liver spots. These things don't just go away overnight.

As for your swelling, I have heard of others who have had this problem, but

my personal observation would be that it could be caused by an allergic

reaction to your medication. I'm not medically trained, but when you said that

the pain pill you were given only caused more pain, and you had swelling of

your face, arms and abdomen, that's the first thought that crossed my mind.

Have they tried switching you to a different medication? Many people have

problems with morphine based medications. I don't know what they're giving

you, but this might be a consideration. Whether it is this or not, you should

discuss this with your doctor.

Your doctor should have been informed of the swelling, of your adverse

reaction to your pain meds, and of ANY unusual side effects while you were in

the hospital. Since this wasn't done, I do suggest that you call your doctor

and

discuss this, and anything else that is happening to you that you have

questions about. You shouldn't have to worry about offending anyone, it's

important that your doctor be kept up to date at all times about your condition.

ANY unusual side effects need to be reported, and if the nurse didn't do it, you

need to.

Please let us know how you're doing.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep

PAI

Note:

All comments or advice is based on personal experience or opinion, and

should not be substituted for consultation with a medical professional.