Just a "zebra" trying my best to live life to the fullest with EDS and POTS...and loving the ride.

Five For Friday 2/4/11

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

1.  Medical Stuff:
I had two sessions of PT.  
Bought special gloves to use to help put on my compression stockings.
A lot of exercises were done at home.
I rescheduled and rescheduled again prolotherapy for Monday.
I had blood work to test my potassium since Florinef can deplete potassium.  My potassium was normal but my glucose was low.

Five For Friday 1/28/11

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

Overall, it has been a better week. I feel like I have been a rehab’n machine, which is good since my health is my job these days.

1.  Medical Stuff:

  • Had 2 sessions of PT. Had to wear my new shirt to PT on Wednesday:
  • Saw the GI doc at U of M on Tuesday, and was prescribed Domperidone for stomach flares.
  • Saw my new PCP on Wednesday.  He was very willing to learn with me.   I think he will be a good fit.
  • Saw the high risk pregnancy doctor on Thursday.  I learned quite a bit…Brad and I have a lot to think about.
  • Started Florinef and the Testosterone cream. So far so good.  No chest hair yet.
  • Did a lot of home rehab exercises including these…
 I have such a love-HATE relationship with these superwoman’s.
I feel like such a weakling but I gotta keep at it…Plus I’m taking Testosterone 🙂

Five For Friday 1/21/11

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

1.  Medical Stuff:

  • 1 PT session this week…my other appts were cancelled so I hit my exercises hard at home the best I could.
  • Got my new compression stockings.  They are thick like a sweater! Takes “compression” to a whole new level. 
  • Saw Dr. Cantieri for prolotherapy, Dr. Lavallee for EDS, and Dr. Halleran for POTS in Mishawaka/South Bend.
  • Was prescribed topical Testosterone and a topical pain med that I had to get made at a compound pharmacy.
  • Was prescribed Florinef for POTS.

Five For Friday 1/14/11

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

1.  Medical Stuff:

  • 3 days of PT
  • Great session with Dr. Rosen
  • Got measured for new compression stockings (Juzo, not Jobst this time). 
  • The high risk pregnancy doc’s office called.  I have an appointment January 27th. (For the record, in case you have not read previous posts, I am NOT pregnant).
  • Got my testosterone levels back to take to the prolotherapy doc on Tuesday.  My levels were super low.  Hmmm, wonder what that could mean.
  • Tried two new tape jobs for neck/rib/shoulder stabilization.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Five For Friday 1/7/11

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

Most of my week was medical stuff, so this one could be a tad bit boring…

1.  Medical Stuff: 

Physical therapy Tuesday and Thursday-Recumbent bike; arms only, unweighting arm work, back stabilization on half foam roller, whole body gym for legs with pelvic stabilization ball…We are trying to do the exercises in an interval fashion…2 mins of exercises, 1 min of laying down rest, 2 mins of exercises, 1 min of laying down rest….We are also trying to do exercises with high reps, and very low weight to “create energy in the tissues…”

Saw the pulmonologist for my annual asthma appointment.  Breathing looked good.  My doctor looked up EDS and did not feel it should have any effect on my breathing.  That’s a positive!

Mailed my records and my summary to Dr. Lavallee. 

Had blood work for my upcoming appointment about prolotherapy to check my free testosterone and total testosterone. 

Saw Larry and he did some cranial work. 

Went to the gynecologist to talk about birth control and family planning options. 

I weighed in at 120 pounds at the gyno and the asthma doctor; which is a much healthier weight for me than the 112 pounds I weighed in at this summer.  This is a picture from the summer when I weighed 112.  I think I look pretty gross. 

Funny how you try and lose weight all your life and then one day you find yourself trying to gain weight.  Life is crazy.