Holistic Dangers?

This weekend my Mom showed me an article in the Reader's Digest about the benefits and risks of home remedies or natural remedies when it comes to illness. Many times, I know because I am guilty of this too, we often self diagnose ourselves and try to solve our issues without going to a doctor. Now, I'm all for using herbs and things to try and get rid of colds and aches and pains before shooting off to a pill or doc but reading this article makes me think twice.

When I was having my stroke, I self diagnosed. I first thought I was having indigestion or some kind of heartburn. I took to the internet and did things like eating an apple and having some yogurt to try and ease the pain in my chest I attributed to some Italian food I had eaten earlier in the day. BUT on the flipside, when I called the emergency doctor line, a pompous Doc named Doctor Foo, the same Neuro who told me nothing was wrong with me, told me I was fine and to see my Primary Care Doctor that Monday.

Mmm, sometimes I guess both options fail. But still, especially when dealing with stroke, you can't take neck pain lightly. Something in this article struck me in particular. Never ever ever let a chiropractor touch your neck if you are in pain. They may make the issue worse especially if you are in danger of having a stroke. They can make the dissection worse and cause you more harm. My neck tingles just thinking about it! The article also spoke about some folks who overdo it on holistic or natural remedies. It cited one man with rectal cancer who od'd on carrot juice and actually worsened his condition. This makes me so sad. Many times we try so hard to fix ourselves that we end up doing something to make it even more horrible. I'm not going to lie, I probably would have done the same thing.

Just something to think about. Look at both sides of the coin before going crazy on one or the other.

Be well.

MRI Results

I got my MRI results and everything seems to be in order. So strange though...

I had many of the same symptoms I had when I was having my stroke. I forgot things, took time to say what I had on my mind, head cloudiness and yet, no stroke came. My Neurologist said that stroke symptoms can return even though you're not in danger of having another stroke. She raised my aspirin intake to two baby aspirin and said it would help and sure enough it did! My symptoms disappeared in a couple of days.

Scary though...I didn't like having those feelings again. It was incredibly scary. I still don't have any news about my D-Dimer but at least I know that I won't be having another stroke.

MRI, We Meet Again

D-Dimer, you are a thorn in my side.

I went to the Hematologist yesterday to discuss my uber high number (mid 300s). First I had to get blood drawn. Not something I am not used to but the technician wasn't as used to me as most others were. I was wearing a button down shirt and the arm was a little tight so I couldn't roll it up completely soooo naturally I said "Hmm, looks like I have to take off my shirt". I started to unbutton and the tech quickly shouted "No!" I guess not many people offer to strip so they can take a proper blood sample.

He said no need for that, I'll get you a gown. I explained that I had a bra on and that it didn't bug me, but it bugged him! Then he came at me kind of shaky with the needle and I had to stop him and tell him to calm down. After that, things ran smoothly and I am not bruised on my arm!

When I saw my Hematologist, I told her that I felt like I was hesitant when I would speak. She called my Neurologist to see what she thought about that and I was quickly whisked away to the Neurologist's office top speed. After taking a visual test with my Neuro, (the greatest ever Dr. Myrna Cardiel) I was sent to get an MRI. Normally, I don't terribly mind getting these tests except because of whatever is going on with me right now, I had to be in the machine for 1.5 hrs, the longest I had ever heard of. This freaked me out. For those of you who have never had an MRI, it's not fun. It's loud, you hear all kinds of  banging and you have to stay perfectly still otherwise the pics mess up. Did I mention that it's super tiny and you get claustrophobic?

I made sure to stop home and get together a nice playlist for my MRI; some calm Flying Lotus, Thundercat and of course, some Jillionaire :) I was all covered with a blanket and had my headphones on. Ok, 1.5 hrs in a tube and can't move. All types of things run through your head when you have that time on your hands, especially when the tech doesn't ask if you would like the volume adjusted on your headphones before you begin! I could only hear the faint whisper of the music against the loud clanging of the magnets of the machine. I started to think about all the things that could be wrong with me and let me tell you, you think about some pretty ugly nasty not so good things when you can't move and are in a plastic tube in an uncomfortable and airy hospital gown.

But...I survived. The test was over and I was free to go. I walked home afterwards thinking again of what could be wrong. I hate that my levels are funky and that my mind is cloudy. Why is it cloudy? Why am I feeling hesitant? What is going on?

D-Dimer, once again, I really hate you. I wish I wasn't positive, I wish my level was below 245. You're not welcome here. I was doing well. Get out!

D-Dimer, I Hate You

On Friday, I spoke with a technician from my Hematologist's office about the results of my Anti thrombin and D-dimer blood tests. I have to go in every 3 months to make sure everything is looking ok. I went in May and everything was fine but on Friday, my result for my D-dimer was "peculiar" as the tech put it.

Usually I speak to my doctor about my results. I'm not sure why the tech called me. I'm pretty annoyed at a normal D-dimer result is less that 245. Mine is 349. Eek. This freaks me out especially because I don't know what the hell it means and the tech couldn't tell me (lawsuits). She said I should come in at the beginning of September for an appointment with the doc so I made an appt but still I would like an explanation of what the number means and what, if any, I can do to bring it down.

I have been on edge all weekend because I don't know what it all means! The internet has not been my friend in this instance. Everything I look up is wordy and scary with words like thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

D-dimer tests are ordered, along with other laboratory tests and imaging scans, to help rule out the presence of a thrombus. This test may be used to determine if further testing is necessary to help diagnose diseases and conditions that cause hypercoagulability, a tendency to clot inappropriately.

I don't want to wait until September 1st to see what is going on. Can't someone call me back now?

100th Post!

Yay, it's my 100th post!
Thank you so much for continuing to read about my journey and becoming more aware about strokes in young people. You never ever know who may need your help. You're educated!

With October and November fast approaching, I've started to think about whether or not I want to have a Strokiversary Party for my 1 year. Of course many of you may think this morbid or weird, but if you know me, this is par for the course. I'm happy to be here!

I'm thinking I may have a small quiet dinner...maybe with all things Vitamin K (sushi and green tea!) and cranberry juice! We can't forget cranberry juice. (Was pretty much forbidden to drink it while being on Coumadin/Warfarin) Does this sound weird? I really think I'm going to do it. I'm pretty excited about my 1 year Strokiversary. Nowadays, I've been replaying in my mind everything I was doing last year around this time. I keep trying to pinpoint exactly what I was doing. You should try this. I'll probably start to do this more in October leading up to the end of the month. I know that right around this time last year, I was very stressed at work and the tension kept building and building all the way through October.

I still don't know exactly and precisely what caused my stroke but I know my stress at work had something to do with it. Of course, I am typing this as I am at work haha. Clearly someone is not bothering with getting stressed out too much these days!

For now, let's just laugh at my mock party menu.

Vitamin K Party Menu!

Appetizers

Sushi-mad ill rolls

Spinach Salad with Green Peppers and Garbanzo beans

Roasted Cauliflower from Whole Foods

Main Course

Pesto Chicken or Fish with Asparagus and Broccoli

Cauldron of Callaloo Soup with Crab and Dumpling
Falafel on a bed of Wilted Greens

Desserts
Butter Rum Cake
Bailey's Chocolate Cake

Drinkies

Cranberry Juice Spritzers

Green Tea-Hot and Iced

A bevy of alcoholic beverages 

Setback?

I recently went the lady parts doctor to make sure the plumbing was working as one should do once a year and started to talk to my doc (who is FIERCE btw, her name is Dr. Audrey Buxbaum NYC) about whether or not I would have difficulty conceiving because of my stroke.

She told me I didn't have a lot of options in terms of birth control, because of hormones, I can never take anything with estrogen ever again...everrrr. She did offer me several options without estrogen including something called Para Gard. This is an IUD free of any hormones, zippo 0% hormones, nada nothing. Sounds cool right? I don't know. While I am not a fan of IUDs at all, this seems to be my only option. It pretty much looks like a T wrapped in copper...ew. Copper s actually naturally found in the body which is an interesting fact. I'm just not sure I want additional copper in my body from something in the shape of a T!

I was talking to a friend yesterday about IUDs and she said that in Canada, you can't even get one unless you're 35. This definitely does not point me in the direction of getting one of these. What more is out there for stroke vics who want BC and can't take anything with hormones?

We also spoke about family planning. Now, because of clots, I may not be able to house mini-mes. Pregnancy is a natural coagulant so you can only guess why this would be an ish for me. We all know how I feel about Lovenox, the shot I had to take twice a day. I can't do that again. I'm far too big of a wuss to stab myself in the stomach twice a day again and certainly not for 9 months!

The good doc provided me with the number of a center in midtown. Wait time for an appointment is a month because apparently they sift through cases and see who is a good match for the patient. I don't want a family right now but I'd like to think that children are down the line at some point. You can never be too early in getting all your information, right?

Work After Stroke

Fellow Strokies,

How have you coped with coming back to work after being on medical leave? After recovery, it may be hard to come back into the swing of things. You may not be able to do everything you once did. This can be frustrating...or it can be dumbfounding. Sometimes you may not realize that you weren't as good at doing something and it can take someone telling you that you're kind of sucking for you to pause and realize it.

Have you ever had a moment like that? What does it make you feel like?