i'm having some severe pain

[not Cereal]

i'm not doing too good. i am having some pretty severe chest and back pain. its not a heart attack, its my lungs and back muscles that hurt. i went to the doctor and he gave me MORE DRUGS (great, like i need more drugs).

 

i got off the internal steriods for a week. i had to go back on them.

 

so now i am taking a whole bunch of drugs. a WHOLE BUNCH OF DRUGS.

 

i am now on daily:

 

prednesone ( i HATE prednesone. if youve been on it you know why. i am a big fat pig)

 

albuterol

 

azmacort

 

advair

 

claritin

 

tylenol sinus

 

antibiotics

 

occasional alieve when needed.

 

yet i am having an increasingly hard time breathing every day. its getting worse. ive bordered on going to the ER about 5 times in the last two weeks but managed to stay away.

 

i have a hard time turning the steering wheel in my truck.

 

i can barely carry my keyboard to practice. sometimes i cant.

 

i cant go to the store anymore, because i cant walk long enough in the store and they dont have chairs at the supermarket (chairs at the mall though - so i can go there - but no food to take home)

 

i pretty much had to quit my job. i still work there, but i aint making any money. we are talking from 80 hours/2 weeks to maybe 20 and those 20 are incredibly hard.

 

i have about $1700 in hospital bills that i cant pay for because i no longer have any money.

 

i owe my bank $500 because i am overdrawn.

 

i'm screwed. i dont know what to do anymore and i am beginning to lose my will to defeat this. i dont feel sorry for myself at all; it could happen to anyone but i just dont have much energy left to fight anymore and i am out of ideas about how to get back to the way i was. i know my depression is looming in front of my face and i am losing the ability to fight it (i have been fighting it and winning for 8 years)

 

i dont smoke; havent for 2 months now. thats a bitch. KIDS, DONT SMOKE. YOU CANT STOP.

 

i'm losing a lot of avenues because of this. i cant play worth a shit. i cant haul gear. i cant go out and make the connections i need to be in music. all i can do is stay home ALL THE TIME and its BORING.

 

sorry to be so damn whiney. i just need to vent.

 

this REALLY SUCKS.

 

i'm going to the doc on wednesday morning. i cant imagine anything groundbreaking happening, but i will get another big bill. i NEED to get better. i need to make money. I NEED TO MAKE MONEY.

 

on a positive note, i HAVE had the time to learn how to make many of the variant specs of DVD's. some are good, others arent. i learned a really good way to fit 4 hours of high quality video on a dvd whereas before i could only fit 2.5 hours of high quality. i also learned how to make a 6 hour dvd but its really low quality. it was fun though.

 

i am also building a midi-based synth in supercollider program language. so far i have it working, recieving midi, and have it making cool sound with oscs, envelopes, delays etc but sofar its only monophonic. i am looking at how to implement a midi-input array setup in the code to create a polyphonic synth. it CAN be done, and has been before by others, i just havent figured it out yet. eventually i want to have a virtual ESQ-1 on my mac.

 

also i mixed a 8 song demo and got paid for it. that was fun even though i didnt like the music all that much. i still did my best on it and even added a few sounds of my own to it when nobody was looking

 

if one thing is positive from all this, i have learned to value life and the people in it more, because it can all go away in an instant. i know that now. you can get killed in an accident. you can get cancer. you can just die for whatever reason. i dont think i will die i think i will get better, i just dont know when. its been three and a half months so far. i have NEVER been sick this long. EVER. 3 days max.

 

also i learned i love my fiance unconditionally ( i knew that before, but this really re-enforces it) and value her more than my selfish needs like cars, computers, music, beer ( i DIDNT know that before and it always was a problem for me)

 

anyway enough about me. back to whatever you were talking about.

[halljams]

Sounds rough pal.

Sounds scary too.

It also sounds like you are gonna make it through.

 

Just think how good the good times will be next time they come around.

I'm Pullin for ya.

[Mats Olsson.]

if one thing is positive from all this, i have learned to value life and the people in it more, because it can all go away in an instant. i know that now. you can get killed in an accident. you can get cancer. you can just die for whatever reason. i dont think i will die i think i will get better, i just dont know when. its been three and a half months so far. i have NEVER been sick this long. EVER. 3 days max.

 

also i learned i love my fiance unconditionally ( i knew that before, but this really re-enforces it) and value her more than my selfish needs like cars, computers, music, beer ( i DIDNT know that before and it always was a problem for me)

Thanks for reminding me how precious life and true friendship is!

 

Here's to your quick recovery and good health!

[Wewus432]

How's your water intake? If you're not getting enough fluids with those meds you're taking, it could cause all the symptons you're presenting. If you're drinking alcohol with those meds then that could cause the dehydration to be even worse. If you are drinking alcohol, you're also disabling the antibiotics, you're taking. Dehydration can make you feel like you're dying, and can in fact kill you.

 

Another great thing for you is GARLIC. Dice up a clove or two of raw garlic and eat it with your food everyday, and see if that doesn't make you feel better. Don't cook it, destroys the active ingredients. Garlic is better medicine than anything you're taking. If it gives you garlic breath chew a little parsley to counteract that.

 

So there's my treatment. Very limited alcohol intake, and ......get plenty of fluids, along with garlic, and also a multivitamin, and a flax seed oil capsule.

 

You really need to quit fucking around with this Dave. If you're still drinking like you were, you need to stop.

[Barandine Vondenger]

here's some goode vibes dude.

please get well.

drink lots of goode fluids.

listen to soft music.

look in the mirror and tell yourself to get better. do this many times.

eat fruits and veggies.

fish and chicken.

get well.

goode lucke.

[LiveMusic]

Heck, I thought you were giving in. I feel bad for ya. That has to be really rough. Hang in there.

[ani]

Coaster,

 

I will echo what Steve just said, there is some great advice in his post.

 

As far as continuing illness and financial devastation because of it; I've been there. Had a colen ressection in April of 2000 and it heriated prior to the end of the year (late October). The doctor was booked solid and prolonged my visit until after the beginning of the year. When I went to the appointment in early January, he said... "So what makes you think you have a hernia" being a smartass, and when I beared pressure on my stomach you could just see the rupture. They operated for a second time, with ALL NEW insurance deductibles, and co-payments due. Had they operated in the year where it had herniated, I was already maxed out on insurance portions and the insurance was paying at 100%. Instead I was hung with well over $5,000 out of pocket expense and then several weeks off of work without pay; having maxed out my allotment of sick leave and annual from the first major surgery. The second surgery required me to be out of work even longer than the first to ensure proper healing.

 

All in all, I should have sued the pants off of the physician; but I didn't. He failed to put mesh in the original incision, and also his deliberate delay in getting me in to correct his screw up set me in extreme financial devastation. To top it all off, while I was devastated monetarily from my initial surgery... debt that was assigned to my ex-husband in our divorce decree came back to bite "me" in the rear because he had refused to make payment on the accounts. I had the government job, which was a guaranteed income for the creditors to go after. They hit me with a garnishment of $250.00 a month for two+ years on top of all the medical debt I was slammed with.

 

I have fully recovered from the financial doom, and my life has finally got back to being somewhat normal. There were times though, that I felt my life was going to crumble apart.... times where I wondered if I would ever see the light of day again.

 

I tread cautiously now... savoring every breath of life and cherishing every moment of time spent with my loved ones. Having nearly died on the operating table with the first surgery (6 out of 8 days on life support devices)I realized that my music had always been nothing more than a dream..... a dream that had never been seriously tried. I had always allowed ridicule from others to interfere... that is not the case as it stands today. While recovering from the first surgery I built and launched MusicBizBuzz and every thing has grown from there.

 

You WILL pull through this and it will only make you a stronger person. Lay off of any booze, as Steve, they counteract the drugs. Eat healthy foods that will put natural vitamins back into your body; lay off of the fatty fried foods, gravy, and porks... and eat veggies, fruits, fish, fowl, and lean meats. And... the GARLIC works miracles... so does vitamin C, and E

[cherri]

Good health vibes, man.

[deanmass]

Agua....

 

Mucho Agua, til you feel like you are gonna pee and vomit at the same time from it from it.

 

I'd see a 2nd Doc and get a 2nd opinion.

 

Find a free clinic near you and see them too. They tend not to dick around liek regular clinics do, and alot of times will do B12 shots and injectables over pills, which act faster.

 

If you are drinking alot, as one member suggested, get help for it. Smoking and drinking together seem like they would be impossible to kick.

[antimatter]

Focus on your fiance and your new found appreciation for life.

Money problems can always be fixed.

Eat. drink, sleep in a Healthy way. Be anal about it. Listen to the posters above!

 

You will come out of this and you will be stronger because of it.

[Dak Lander]

Dave, this may or may not work for you but try the prednisone at night. You may not get great sleep and you may have to get up several times to use the john but you won't eat.

Anyway man, that's what I do. I'm actually on methyl prednisilone, 40mg every other day. A bit different but essentially the same stuff. I've been using my "take at night" regimin for three years and I'm still hanging at an average of 205lbs.

I echo the statements about water. Lots of water. So much water you think you're gonna become a bloated pig. Your body will adjust is a decent amount of time and it will help.

 

Sell some of that programming expertise.

 

[phaeton]

Lots of great advice up there, and the only other thing I can add is that a positive attitude will make a ton of difference.

 

Being a sufferer of depression myself, i know how hard it is to "make yourself optimistic", but you've got to find a way around it.

 

Serious man. And don't apologize for venting, it is therapeutic and hopefully made you feel a little better.

 

Just as a side question, is the muscular pain soreness from coughing and hacking, or might it be a back injury (the sort that you'd see an osteopath or chiropractor for)?

 

Good luck, and get better.

[Tedster]

Focus on the positive, Coaster! Your medical bills might seem high, but they could be a lot higher. Just keep doing what the docs say...and get better, bro!

[Wewus432]

I had a nurse tell me something that made a lot of sense, last year when I was really sick from allergies. She said "When you've been sick for a long time, you need to get to the core of what is making you ill." Think about that statement. All that shit the doctors are giving you is just treating the symptons. Some of those meds may even be making your condition worse.

 

Most doctors don't have the time, or the inclination to examine your lifestyle, and get to the root cause of an illness. They're just pill pushers. That's what they do, and that's what most people want them do. "Yeah, give me the quick fix", but sometimes the quick fix doesn't work.

 

There's something very basically out of whack with your system, that needs to be addressed.

 

Eat the garlic, AND some peppers and onions. Hey.......how about some Nachos?

[Blue Strat]

Originally posted by deanmass:

I'd see a 2nd Doc and get a 2nd opinion.

 

Find a free clinic near you and see them too. They tend not to dick around liek regular clinics do, and alot of times will do B12 shots and injectables over pills, which act faster.

I'd say to get a second opinion also. I mean, Leo Fender sold Fender because of health problems and then switched docs and was cured!

 

Hang in there Coaster, and we'll say a prayer or two for ya.

[KHAN]

I'll add a third to the second opinion.

 

I'm very concerned about all those different drugs you are taking. Our old drummer became addicted to several prescription meds. It turns out that he only needed one for his IBS.

 

Please get well.

[Duddits]

Apologies if you already know this, but if you tell your doctor that your illness has impoverished you and ask him for a sliding scale, slid as low as possible, he'll almost certainly lower his bills.

 

Next, I would seek another opinion from the best doctor you can find. Research through the web, or call the best hospital in your vicinity and find out who is head of pulmonary medicine, and insist on a consultation.

 

Also, if you have any friends who are doctors or in health care, they can often get you an appointment with someone faster than you can yourself.

 

Finally (and I'm loathe to share this secret because, handled correctly, it is the silver bullet to better health care, but only because few people know about it), read "House Of God" by Samuel Shem, and make a casual reference to it during your appointment. I guarantee your doctor will treat you differently if you do. I know this sounds absurd, but it never fails. I used it to zip in and out of an emergency room this past year. The one thing all doctors have in common, is that they have all read this book.

[ani]

Ditto on seeking another physician ALTOGETHER....

 

Had I done that, as you can see above, I probably could have avoided going into a second calendar year of deductibles and co-payments. Even on the second surgery, this whack didn't do the job he was supposed to have done. I've still had problems with my colen, and when I went to a specialist, he was appalled at the hack job that was done by the other surgeon. He also confirmed, by showing me x-rays obtained from the initial ER visit, that the other doctor was not being truthful in his statements for performing a ressection. In all honesty, I don't think that I "needed" the first surgery... I think that it was food poisoning, but without getting into a major court battle ... the point is moot. I have my health, for the most part, back and I've managed to get all the doctor/hosiptal debts paid in full.

 

What you have listed seems to be WAY too much medicine for one condition. I have allergies and go to an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist rather than a Family Practitioner. The ENT Doc told me to throw away all over-the-counter drugs, such as nasal sprays, Clariton, and other addictive drugs. He said that these drugs become ineffective as your body builds a resistance to them; they are habit forming and they do not relieve the pressure.

 

He got down to the brass tacks and determined what the "ROOT" (as Steve said) of the problem was. I'm allergic to specific things such as Mold, Ragweed, and a few other allergins. I ended up moving out of the area that I was living in and my problems cleared up dramatically. I've had some problems with mold in this home I am living in now, but in knowing what to look for, I have been able to curtail it's growth to a respectable degree. There is a creek bed that collects mold that is on a neighbors property/city property about 200 yards from my home that affects the air quality during moldy seasons; I have no control over that, so I'm hoping to be able to get this place fixed up over the summer and put it on the market for sale.

 

The next house I buy will not be at the bottom of a 3 tiered hill scape, with my area catching all the run off water from the hills, and I'm make sure that if I buy anywhere near a creek bed, it will be a fully running water creek with no idle water standing still to stagnate and mold.

[Jode]

Prayers going up for the Coaster. Ditto on seeing some other doctors, if pills upon pills is this guy's idea of treatment. And for what it's worth, let me share what my mom said she learned when my sister was in the hospital for a months-long illness: remember that you are not just a patient, but a customer of the doctor's. Demand and get your money's worth, or take your business elsewhere.

 

I know your bus will be out of the shop and back on the road in no time!

[T.H.]

I know how you feel, not long ago on a recent thread I told everyone that we were expecting a new bundle of joy.

 

As days pressed on me and the mrs. discussed if we could keep baby, well with the mountain of bills our lovely son now which has a day care bill of $130 a week and a job that cares less about the welfare of FAMILY VALUES the decision was to terminate pregnancy.

 

And though I was repremanded at my job for yet taking another day to watch my son, ---it was Good Friday for godsake (A MANAGER ACTUALLY SAID "YOU NEED TO GET A NEW DAY CARE")It all didnt make any sense to me. I'm providing for my family, we pay our bills, obide by the law, I even buy legit software , and still somehow the evils of the world get the better half.

 

The day my wife went to the doctor to perform the surgery I cried, and I looked at my son in my arms sleep, and though I know eventually we will be out of debt soon, the rockiness of not knowing if you will have a job is scarey. Though my car is paid for as well as my studio (which brings in residual income) the fact that GOOD PEOPLE get the short end of the stick hurts.

 

Though I am spiritual I look toward my wife and my son for HEALING, and GOD for PEACE, and as long as I have mind to think with, we will always have a chance to succeed and be the succesor of our endeavors.

 

I really believe that

 

Hang in there Mr. Nice Crass Coaster Guy

 

We all have our bad times, but God gives you enough to get yourself out ---- so ask yourself are you ready to give up -----on YOU

[KenElevenShadows]

That sounds awful. I am very sorry to hear about your horrible pain and all its effects.

 

I was on Oxycontin and Vicodin because of excruciating and debilitating lower back pain. Was on that stuff for half a year. No fun. Vicodin didn't do it by itself, so I needed to take Oxycontin in conjunction with it - which worked. But Oxycontin is *nasty*. It took a couple of months, maybe a little more, to get off the stuff because of withdrawal symptoms.

 

I hope that it gets better and that you can find some relief soon.

[videoeditor1]

I really hate to be the guy that pisses in the pool here, but,

 

how the heck do we know if something b-a-d happens to Coaster?

 

Or to any other forum member for that matter? We should install or expand a buddy system.

 

There's one part of me that wants to write Coaster a check to help offset his woes, and I think the right thing for us to do is at the very least, CONSIDER how we can help him offset some of his financial burden...

 

Quitting booze and smokes is hard, doing so while sucking down gobs of medication can be a lifesaver.

 

NYC Drew

[DJDM]

Good crimanently Coster! I hope you can clear all this and get on with your life soon. I feel for you and the scare about breathing. I have had a few asthma attacks that nearly sent me to the ER too and boy is that scary. If I was closer I would offer to check in on you. I hope you have someone to do that? Yes?

[ani]

how the heck do we know if something b-a-d happens to Coaster?

 

Or to any other forum member for that matter? We should install or expand a buddy system.

I've wondered the same thing. Actually, I've not heard anything from Wrave lately and my concerns are high. I emailed him yesterday and usually he is quick to respond; still no word. Has anyone seen him posting in any of the forums?

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

Like I've said before, bud: feel better. This absolutely sucks.

 

- Jeff

[ani]

Coaster,

 

Does anyone on the forums have your phone number to contact you? Perhaps you wouldn't mind sharing it with a few trusted folks so that we can keep tabs on you.

 

Did you pay any attention to whether a change of environment improved your symptoms? If you've got some friends or family that might let you go stay with them for a short spell, see if you notice a difference in improvement... if so... consider relocation on a permanent basis.

 

I know the original diagnosis was pneumonia, but if indeed you have allergies, your immune system may already be taxed and will continued to be maxed fighting off allergens which could impair proper healing of other ailments.

[Raymar]

My Dad was on prednesone for a lung condition that turned his lungs into leather then evenutally killed him last november. He was also on oxygen for a couple of years. It got to the point where he couldn't get up by himself and he had to take morphine for the pain.

 

All those drugs are cooking your liver which is the battery of your body. You can't just get off prednesone quickly either, it has to be done in stages or you'll die. Get off these drugs, and repair your immune system with proper nutrition ASAP or be prepared to go.

 

Steve

[jcskid]

CONSIDER how we can help him offset some of his financial burden...

i was thinking the same thing!

i'm in! anyone else?

providing of course he accepts the coaster fund

 

Scott

[YourMotherShouldKnow]

Get well soon, Coaster.

 

Is there a diagnosis? That's a lot of medication, dude. Some of it sounds like a bronchitus or pneumonia thing.

 

I had a run of bad health in my 20s from too much beer and too much fast food. I've found a better diet (multivitamin and lots of water everyday) along with moderate drinking has cleaned up my system a lot. Exercise too though it's hard to make time for it.

 

I said this on another thread: Wash you hands a lot! If your immune system is beaten down any little bug can fuck up your day. So keep as clean so you can so you can beat this.

 

Money problems can always be solved like someone else said. Get yourself better. You seem to be in reasonably good spirits. Until your health gets better you can't expect to feel very good about yourself. So focus on that first. Good luck!

[henrysb3]

Coaster, you somehow just made my rotator cuff feel better. Dealing with that kind of misery is horrible. I didn't realize that my shoulder was what was waking me up every hour or two. I thought I was just getting old faster than I expected. The lack of good sleep screwed my defenses so I got a mega-cold to compound the down. This has probably also happened to you.

 

This may seem way out there, but have you considered moving to a desert climate like Arizona or Colorado? My best friend and his wife both have multiple allergies that immediately improved when they moved to Colorado. He had severe asthma in his youth and a collapsed lung after exercise. She suffered migraines until an allergy screen discovered she was allergic to all kinds of mold-type organisms, and improved when she quit eating cheese and drinking wine (she found that good Scotch will not trigger a reaction). In the mean time, get the best furnace filter you can buy and keep the doors and windows shut if at all possible.

 

I may rename my left shoulder "Coaster cuff" to try and keep things in perspective.

 

Hang in there, man, you are a bright and humorous beam of light on this forum and I hope to some day make your acquaintence.

 

Henry