A visit to the orthopedist
 

i went to the orthopedist finally because my right side is actually turning in and my knee and hip were causing pain and i wanted to keep weights on my ankles at aquatics without pulling them out of joint.


according to my general practioner, i had osteopenia [the first time that word was used altho i have had 3 bone scans over a 6 yr time period that diagnosed mild osteoporosis.] I was prescribed fosomax -but went off it after a short time because no one had anything good to say about it. it was the second bone scan and a second "discussion" about not taking fosomax that she looked at the report and said it was just a" mild case". good to know isn't it? it made quite a difference to me to know that I likely didn't need the fosomax. 'oseteopenia" - now many of us know how osteopenia came to be. lurking for a cure [i think] told us the story of how there were many bone scanners that needed to be sold and not enough osteoporosis so they created a pre-osteoporosis or osteopenia? why do Iwant to call it osteopenial- do you think women were there when they named it? i told my doctor i heard many bad things and everyone said don't take it. she said, "but i"m your doctor."


so this time,. now that there is a class action lawsuit against fosomax on tv everyday, she prescribed 1600 mg calcium a day. i like my doctor because she doesn't come off strong or fight too hard lol. but i haven/t told her yet that I am not going to take that much calcium; no bone scan for two years anyway lol.


back to the orthopedist: he was deaf just about so his assistant, who happened to be cross eyed. told him what i was saying. the xray technician had dystonia and essential tremor and head bobbing like katherine hepburn. I felt right at home. this office did not discriminate. i learned from them and they from me.


this orthopedic surgeon has a very good reputation but i had heard from many of my physcally impaired students' parents that he was grumpy. instead in walked this tall, handsome man with silver hair, a dark complexion and an accent . he was in dark suit and tie and when he left i told the cross eyed assistant " what a distinguished looking doctor". she said "Isn't he?" i Immediately forgave him for the two hours i had just waited to see him with only magazines like Field and Stream. i had Help at home on the nook and have been trying to finish it before a group of us go see it on tuesday.


he smiled, said i looked good for 20 yrs of pd but he had to be lyiing when he said my writing was still good..Not! then he had me get up on the table and lay on my stomach [i never do it hurts my back.]then he asked me to raise my lower legs and he pushed them across each other diagonally so they made an x. I thanked the good lord that i exercised as that would have hurt terribly before.


the x ray tech told me all about her dystonia and tremor coming on out of nowhere during a divorce and she thinks stress had something to do with it. what i learned during the xrays was that when she positioned me to be flat on my back, i felt like i was leaning right....very enlightening - dystonia with a full twist.

she got regular botox shots ,covered by insurance for dystonia. says they save her and i must check into this. she has dystonia in the face and neck like i do.

back to the office and telling the doctor that i had osteopenia but didn't believe in it. he smiled ,looked at his assistant and said 'what?" she told him what i was saying and he looked at one of the many xrays taken of my pelvis and legs and said, 'Well you do not have osteoporosis". another score for patients for resisting the establishment.

so he gave me a shot of hydrocortisone in the hip and i am back to aquatics . diagnosis: arthritis. two of my classes are for arthritis so i'm good to go. no danger yet. while we waited for him to get his white doctor jacket on and bring the shot, the assistant , [by now i knew which eye to look at] asked i i knew how i got pd? i said poisons everywhere. she said i agree with that i have an irrardiated thyroid just for living by chemical plants in west virginia. She then said i was the first one to say that....that toxins caused pd and other things. she seemed glad to have it verified.

i recommemd a trip to the orthopedist- our bodies are getting musculoskeletal problems; and i'm not even straight when i think i am.
i have to go back in a couple months. i'm taking my book..er....nook. and i don't have to feel so conspicuous with no mouth and jutting neck blood vessels with a deaf doctor, a cross eyed assistant with an irradiated thyroid and a head bobbing xray tecinician.

instant comraderie and sweet people who smiled , didn't rush me and talked to me.

Your post made me laugh out loud - painted a vivid picture - and also explained the quizzical look my doctor had when I showed him my privately obtained scans which show osteopeania in one thigh area. I think he probably agrees with the surplus scanner theory of how this newish condition came to be but kept his thoughts to himself. I hope I have your spirit 20
years down the line.

hilarious !
 

We have a lot to learn from you!, Paula.
How on earth you manage to transform an ordinary, boring and annoying visit to the doctor's office into quite an interesting and enjoyable drama/comedy through your observing eyes!?

Paula, I agree with imark and Paddy! You are a jewel!
Robert

Priceless!
 

Paula,
I agree with all above. Your story is priceless and so are you! I'll be calling you for info on the injection -- my hip pain is leading me in that direction.

katherine

hey paula,
lol at your story

i tried to look at the bridge of the company president's nose or worry that someday i may find myself distracted and following the "bad eye" around. :o

have you found out if your dystonia is a secondary from pd or a side effect from meds?

the docs have had a hard time separating pd part and parcel and meds verses the long term effects of the various combos of trial and error meds that i've been on.

i've had successful surgeries on both feet in an attempt to repair the damage of walking on dystonia's fisted feet.

i have a new heart blip to add to my high blood pressure, i have to add a cardiologist to the sucky mix of don't do this, don't do that.

i've never done well at taking or following direction. i dunno...
i'll eat a whole bag of gummies if i want to, dammit.
:p

love to ya
tammy

hi tammy!
 

things change with meds added or subtracted or increased in dosage my neuro says if it twists, it's dystonia. and yet, i get end of dose dyskinesia, my head flies back and forth, and my right leg turns in. i walk with a big major melt down on the right side when off. sinemet makes it go away.

that off is a lack of but not depletion of l-dopa. in the morning my off is completely different ..,but consistent for many years = my left side [non -pd] is in a battle for my neck and my shoulders and upper back are locked and in major cramping. sinemet also takes care og that and it is less severe and sometimes i dont' have off at all since taking nortriptyline again. it boosts norephinephrine, that'smy impression of what ishappening i am going to ask my doctor alll the same questions to see if he differs or knows...i have an internal tremor and one in my chin. it's getting pretty bad....also have a little backwash" coming from the heart. The heart is a muscle, and problems are connected. unfortunately.

stay in touch. another girl who sat beside me on the plane had a false eye. we all have our crosses to bear. some more than others...damnit!