Challenging doctors

I think I challenge my doctors. I think they they I am going to fall apart on them or something and I am not that easy to treat. First of all, I am allergic to all the good drugs - penicillins, Benadryl and prednisone, plaquenil (treats RA), codeine, and a couple other things. I even had one doctor say to me that I must be really fun to treat.

If I have an allergic reaction, the standard course of treatment is Benadryl and steroids. Not me. They have to find another combination. And if I have an RA flare, the common treatment is steroids, usually prednisone. Not me again.

And if I need antibiotics, I am allergic to penicillin and related drugs and other antibiotics interact with some of my other medications. Its not uncommon for a doctor to question me on the reaction I have had to a medication. Or to ask me to alter some of my other medications while on antibiotics. I have sometimes even gotten a phone call from the pharmacy telling me they can't fill my new prescription because of interactions and they need to go back to the doctor for a new one.

Also, the list of medication allergies has ramped up significantly in the last few years. I am nervous about trying new medications because I seem to develop new allergies frequently. Who knew that the anti-inflammatory gel for my arthritic hands and feet would make my heart race?

Finally, without a thyroid, I can't take most medications that have warnings about thyroid disease. Between that and being allergic to Benadryl (which translates to some kinds of antihistamines), treating the common cold is a royal PITA.

The way I see it, they went to school for a really long time and I get to make them think a lot about how they can treat me. I can be a challenge to them so they can't just give me the basics and move on.

I can't decide

No this isn't about cancer. It does say 'breast cancer blog' but my life isn't all about cancer - which is a good thing.

My problem/decision today is - allergies or a cold. I flew back from DC last week and was exposed to all sorts of people. As I blogged on Saturday, I am not feeling that great. But after sitting on my butt for two days instead of getting exercise and not feeling better, I have decided I need to go to plan B. Ignore it.

I can't decide if its a cold or allergies so I am going to ignore it. I have too much to do this week to be sick so I am going to pretend I am not sick. If I get sicker, maybe I'll do something about it. But right now its a stuffy nose, a sore throat and generally feeling blah. And no, please do not recommend Benadryl or other antihistamines because I am allergic. But thanks for the concern.

I am going to work this morning and then the gym, provided I don't turn into a pumpkin in the meantime....

Did chemotherapy change your body?

A week or so ago, I had asked a doctor about change in your body due to chemotherapy. A friend and I had the same discussion yesterday. Does chemotherapy change a person's body in more ways than we think?

I am talking about food and medications to be specific.

Before chemotherapy, I enjoyed all kinds of seafood - preferably cold ocean water seafood to be precise. Shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters, scallops, cod, haddock, hake, salmon, calamari (octopus), and more. I never turned it down. Now I hate shrimp. I won't eat them. I can't stand them.

More importantly are medical allergies. Before chemo, I was told I was allergic to amoxicillin and penicillin (full body rash and hives on an international business trip). I also reacted to the codeine in my pain meds after knee surgery. At my first chemo infusion, I learned I was also allergic to benadryl. Since chemo I have found I am allergic to:

• prednisone - also used to treat RA flare ups as well as allergic reactions
• plaquenil - an old school RA drug
• voltaren gel - anti inflammatory used to treat specific areas of pain and inflammation with RA
• adhesives - as used on pain patches

I was given both prednisone and plaquenil at the same time when first treated for RA. I reacted to both. At the same time. How (not) fun.

And as a result in being allergic to the 'cillins' I have a problem with any potential dental infections. There are four drugs commonly used to treat dental infections. Two are cillins so I can't have them. One is something else that I can't remember what its called (chemobrain) that conflicts with one of my other medications so I can't have it. The last one is super strong and is only used as a last resort. We'll just say I am limited.

If I get a basic cold, I can't take an antihistamine because of the benadryl allergy. Also, I can't take a lot of the others because of the lack of thyroid issue.

I am petrified of concerned about any allergic reactions. They seem to become more and more frequent as time passes. And since I can't be given steroids or benadryl for allergic reactions, there are other drugs which I can take but not the first line treatments. this is one of the reasons I always want to go to the same hospital which has all my medical records. 

But I digress, I think my body changed because of chemo because foods that had appeal no longer do and it seems much more sensitive to medications. My friend also has experienced similar issues. Are we the only ones? I don't think so. And I wish they told  us before chemo that we could expect these changes.