1:10 p.m. - 2007-01-24
We interrupt your life for an important message.
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL MESSAGE.
AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, MY SISTER, M, WHO LIVES IN TEXAS HAD A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT WE CALLED REALLY BAD LUCK.
THIS IS AN E-MAIL SHE SENT OUT AND I THINK IT MIGHT PUT A NEW LIGHT ON THE WHOLE SITUATION.
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Hi, everyone:
I've been thinking about sending out this letter since early December, and after seeing a news story last night about SSRIs, I decided it was time. Please feel free to forward it to anyone you know, if you think what I'm saying might be of some use to them.
First off, I want to say that I don't want to sound like any kind of alarmist. The message that I hope you'll get from my story is that you need to be aware of side effects of any medications you take, particularly long-term prescriptions. Know the symptoms to watch for, and don't be afraid to seek medical attention if something seems "off". We are very lucky to live in a world where the medicines are there to help us get healthy and stay healthy, but we still need to be aware AND be involved in our own health care.
Other than battling a weight problem the last few years, I've always had decent health. I'd generally have a nasty respiratory virus once a year, and I had to have my gall bladder out in 2001. I also overcame anxiety problems in 2001, through the help of anti-depressants (called SSRIs -- selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors) and biofeedback methods. But, other than that, I felt pretty good.
In September of this past year, I started noticing that I was really short of breath. Even walking from my first floor classroom to my car would make me breathe heavily. I mentioned it to my regular physician and a cardiologist I'd been sent to, but neither could find anything wrong. The blood tests the cardiologist had done were normal, and other than an occasional "benign" extra heartbeat, there seemed to be nothing wrong. The general assumption was that I needed to get back into shape.
Within five days of mentioning my shortness of breath at my annual checkup in November, 2006, I passed out and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. Over the course of the day, they discovered that I had blood clots in both lungs. Fortunately, these can be treated by warfarin therapy, and within a few weeks, I was back at work and feeling better. I will probably have to take warfarin for a year, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. And, I was relieved to find a reason for that odd shortness of breath :)
My age (almost 45 at the time), and the fact that I hadn't had anything happen that might have caused the clots concerned the doctors. I've had numerous tests to see if I'm genetically predisposed to clots, but they're negative.
It appears now that the blood clots were a side effect of a medication I'd been taking on and off for 22 years -- low-dose estrogen birth control pills. Those, combined with my weight, gave me two risk factors.
Needless to say, no more birth control pills for me!
I started walking, keeping a diet journal, and focusing on my health. By the end of December I'd lost 15 pounds, and was walking 30 - 45 minutes a day.
On January 7, 2007, I stepped backwards onto a dog bone, stumbled, and came straight down hard on my right wrist. The x-rays showed, thankfully, that it was just a severe sprain with a lot of bruising (in part, due to the warfarin). As of this writing (January 23), my range of motion is a little limited and there's some pain in the palm at times, but, overall, it has healed well, and I know it will continue to improve.
I was a little upset at this point. I had also been told that I had early stage Type 2 diabetes in late December (which I should be able to control with diet and exercise) , and I just felt like I was under some kind of cloud, and didn't know why.
On January 17, 2007, (my daughter's 15th birthday), Texas had an ice storm. I told my daughter it wouldn't be wise to drive anywhere to pick up friends to come over for her birthday, because of the weather and the fact that I still had limited use of my right hand.
Then, I foolishly stepped outside onto the grassy lawn to get the paper, and fell. I won't go into all the details, but the upshot is that I had to have surgery two days later because I had broken my right ankle in two places and the ligament was either stretched or torn, so the bones needed to be stabilized with pins.
Again, I wondered if the warfarin was making me clumsy, or if I had early-onset osteoporosis. Then, last night, a news story caught my eye. SSRIs, a form of which I've been taking since 2001, have been linked to falls and bone fractures. Here is a link to an article which explains it better than I could . . .
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070122.wantidep0122/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
I won't be able to just drop the SSRI as quickly as I could the birth control pills, but I'm thankful that I received this information and now know to be extremely cautious. (No crutches for me when I go back to teaching -- I'll use a wheelchair, and gladly!)
I'm also thankful that I have had so many people sending me good wishes and praying for a speedy recovery. It's working!
I have a new mantra for this year:
Feeling better, Growing healthier
Getting stronger, growing wealthier.
Every minute, every hour, every day. Thanks to God.
And, my own version of a prayer we say at church:
The love of God surrounds me.
The power of God protects me.
The presence of God watches over me.
Wherever I am, God is. And, ALL is well :)
And, so, as my way of passing on the blessings I've received, I wanted to give this information to you all. Learn from my experiences. If your take birth control or anti-depressants -- especially long-term -- educate yourself about possible side effects and be on the look out. And, although I have no real "proof" of this -- just a feeling -- when you add medications, be prepared for the side effects to be exacerbated.
Anything else you've taken for awhile -- KNOW YOUR SIDE EFFECTS.
If you feel something is "off", do your research. You might be surprised at the connections you find.
Ask questions. If your doctor can't answer them, ask someone else. And be sure to tell your doctor everything, even the most minor symptoms. They may not have diagnosed my pulmonary problems at the doctor's office, but they *did* rule out heart disease, and knowing that I have these benign PVCs allowed me to alert the ER staff to the possibility of these extra beats showing up on my monitor.
Finally, keep laughing. Life definitely has some low points, but they don't seem to be as low if you can have a couple good chuckles a day. Send jokes to people who are sick (or, at least to me). Laughing eases the pain!
And, that's why I'm closing with "Ode to a Country Song", written by my big sister Terri in honor of my most recent tumble :)
(YES, I WROTE THIS FOR MY SISTER, M, TO MAKE HER LAUGH)
Ohhhh, the weather - it was icy and we was home from school
It was my baby's birthday and I was not a fool
I stepped out for the paper and I walked upon the grass
I knew the way was icy, but I still fell upon my .......ankle
This was not the first time that I was hurt at home
Just last week, I accidentally stepped upon a bone
If it was not for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all
Believe me when I tell you, it hurts to take the fall.
The moral of this story, oh listen, please, to me
Be careful what you are doing, bad luck can come in three
It's time to get this written - whether right or wrong
If I can not sell a book, I'll write a country song..... !!
I have all the things required to make a hit for me
I lost my dog, have broken bones and quite a history...
But I still have my family, I 'm lucky to have my wit
At least I know I will never land in a pile of .........stuff!!
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Happy day to you all -- and watch out for the ice ;)
Mary
and Me, too (my5cents)
