I'm Popeye the Sailor Man

Unfortunately, and despite eating me spinach, I'm not exactly strong to the finish. If you saw my arms though, you'd think otherwise. Last week, I bemoaned the spare tire around my mid-section. Then my ankles blew up. I noticed my arms were as thick as my husband's. I'm a small person, so this was a dramatic thickening.

A trip, once again, to my internist confirmed what I already knew: I'm retaining water for reasons we can only guess at. My metabolism has gone haywire. Drug tapers, additions, interactions. My doctor put me on low-dose Lasix for five days and a potassium supplement so the baby doesn't get thrown out with the bath water.

Now I'm the incredibly shrinking woman. I've lost at least 1 lb. and my arms, though still thick, are starting to slim down. I spent more time in the bathroom last night than in my bed, but I'll take sleep loss over popeye arms.

Cankles and Other Swell Side Effects

My shapely ankles have disappeared. That spare tire around my mid-section isn't from overeating or lack of exercise. Edema, my internist said yesterday. Maybe from going off the blood pressure medication.

It will go away, I know that. But this morning after breakfast, when I noticed that my right arm had a huge lump below the elbow and what looked to be general swelling, I panicked. I immediately got on my bed and put my arm on a pillow. This is what you do for swollen ankles, so why not? I called my internist and left a message. That he hasn't called me back says that he's not worried. The lump has gone away and the swelling is a little less.

Is it my kidneys, my liver? Both are being affected due to the iron-removing drug Exjade. Will these bizarre and worrisome side effects never cease? I feel like I'm trapped in my own little "House" episode. Treat one symptom, and something else alarming pops up. Yesterday, my internist handed me a referral slip for a urologist because I have white blood cells in my urine. In a previous check, there had been red and white cells. He also called in a prescription for Lipitor to help lower my cholesterol, which is slowly lowering itself since the steroid taper began. He also told me we would have to monitor my liver enzymes carefully because if they were to shoot up again, taking Lipitor can be dangerous. Oh jeez.

This really is a colassal bore.

10 Good Things

1. My liver enzymes are down and I can now be treated for high cholesterol

2. My blood pressure is so low, I can stop my blood pressure medication

3. The prednisone taper continues

4. I have normal platelets and wbc's

5. My hematocrit is slowly inching up

6. I discovered a way to instantly load my metro card

7. I emailed my kids motherly advice and they ignored me

8. I had a glass of wine with dinner and nothing happened

9. There's a warming trend in the weather

10. I didn't come home last night until after 11

As promised, some positive vibes. Also, the Exjade has landed. I've been off the stuff for a week (accidently left it at a remote location), and I just received another package. I will be drinking this nasty liquid when I finish this post. Actually, it has no taste but it does a number on my digestive track for which nothing can be done. I can now go back to being magnetic.

10 Things to Kvetch About

1. Not being able to use chopsticks due to neuropathy

2. Less body hair everywhere except on my face

3. Low blood-pressure wooziness while still taking high blood-pressure drugs

4. Pants not fitting despite no change in weight

5. Muscle weakness that prevents me from jogging

6. Joint issues that make using a can opener nearly impossible

7. Being so tired I just want to weep

8. Eye dryness that no amount of drops or flaxseed oil relieves

9. Craigslist job scams

10. The anxiety that hits upon learning that an actress has died from CML

To combat this negativity, I hope to post a different kind of list tomorrow that gives 10 things to crow about.