Well, here's my terrible hospital story

[cyclonefence]

Don't ignore persistent diarrhea.

My default setting is constipation. Then I got diarrhea. I figured Diarrhea? So what--it'll run its course. It went on and on. I ate only toast and bananas, then after consulting Dr. Google added plain boiled chicken breast. The first week I figured it was a virus, but nobody else got sick.

The second week (and into my second pack of Depends) I figured I must have food poisoning, so I continued with lots of fluids and chicken noodle soup.

The third week everyone was sick and tired of me talking about my bowels so I made an appointment to see the doctor early in the fourth week.

I felt fine this whole time, btw.

She sent me for blood work so I got that done, and as soon as I got home she called and told me to go to the ER because my potassium was dangerously low. All those bananas. I lollygagged because who wants to go to the ER plus I felt like the diarrhea was slowing down.

I got there and sat for hours and finally saw a doctor who said my heart was beating 133/minute, and they started doing stuff to try to slow it down, including a chemical stress test. Nothing worked, so they admitted me.

I felt fine.

I ended up, after ten MFing days in the hospital with a defribillator/pacemaker installed, and now I feel awful.

Plus I can no longer use our almost brand-new induction range, or the headphones I use to get to sleep at night, or the electrologist to rid me of chin whiskers, or have anything with a magnet in it near my chest.

I felt fine before all this.

[debm55]

1. I am so sorry for you. Did they finally figure out what was wrong? What actually made you sick? I hope all goes well you

Love, Debbie.

[cyclonefence]

6. I think it was just the diarrhea getting my blood chemistry out of whack

They checked my arteries--clean as a hound's tooth--and told me I didn't need a pacemaker. Then they decided my pulse was too slow, so they wanted to put in a defibrillator and might as well put in a pacemaker too.

I asked for and got several other opinions, and they all agreed--but they were all cardiac surgeons, so that's what they do.

I'm tired and out of breath.

[Fla Dem]

2. Sorry to hear your life took a bit of a turn, but look at it this way,

if you hadn't gone to the hospital and gotten the appropriate treatment, it could have been a lot worse. Be happy you're still standing upright.

[cilla4progress]

3. Horrifying!

Do you think you were misdiagnosed?

[cyclonefence]

7. I kinda do

I think if they'd just gotten my blood levels to whatever they were supposed to be...

But I did get four opinions, and they all agreed.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I do hope you feel better. Never heard of diarrhea being

an indication of heart issues.

[cyclonefence]

8. Do you remember Karen Carpenter?

She died because her potassium level was just a little lower than mine. Potassium and magnesium apparently control your heart rate. She didn't have diarrhea; she was bulimic.

[cilla4progress]

11. I take magnesium every day.

If I don't, I get terrible muscle cramps if I've exercised. If I take too much I have the trots! 😳

[multigraincracker]

5. Woke up morning feeling tired.

Told my GF, so she grabs my wrist and looks at her watch. She’s an RN and says come on we’re going to the ER. Heart beat was 25 beats per minute. Came home a few days later with a pace maker. I was just going to go back to bed.
A year before that, I wasn’t feeling to great and she said we’re going to the ER, turned out I had sepsis. Got it in time.
So I married her.

[cyclonefence]

9. Oh what a wonderful story! n/t

[BoomaofBandM]

10. Is your diarrhea cleared up? Hope you feel better.

[cyclonefence]

19. Yup

It slowly cured itself. No treatment in the hospital other than IV fluids.

[2naSalit]

12. Holy cow!

I had some kind of diarrhea a while back. It only lasted a day and I never had any warning or pain until it happened and then it was like someone beat me about the kidneys and I couldn't take food for about 12 hours. the back pain was excruciating and I looked and felt like I had dropped 15 pounds in 18 hours. It hollowed out my cheeks, they are still like that. It aged me a few years.

I called my GP and spoke to her during that day and saw her a week later. She thought it was a bug. I am still not sure. Maybe I should get a physical. I have blood work done a few times a year so I don't think it was something serious and long lasting.

Good advice, though. It's hard to know sometimes.

I hope you start feeling better.

[cyclonefence]

20. Oh my glob

That's horrible, and I'm glad it's over--it sounds to me like you had food poisoning. I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I do remember when Tony Soprano had food poisoning, and what you experienced sounds a lot like what Tony went through.

The doctors' final word on my diarrhea was that it was a virus. I don't think that's right; a virus shouldn't last almost a month, and as I say, other than the, er, diarrhea, I felt fine. But they did take stool samples, and there wasn't anything there, including signs of a virus.

[2naSalit]

21. Don't know...

It didn't seem like any food poisoning that I have had in the past, had a few bout here and there when I was on the road all the time. Ptomaine was the worst, the after effect was like having a bad hangover for a couple days. I couldn't see well enough to drive and I was in transit at the time. Not a good scene.

I am even more careful about my food than I have been, I have rather high standards after running several commercial kitchens and holding a food handlers' license for a few years.

Whatever it was, it left a mark.

[CTyankee]

25. same here. I went AGAIN to the ER. They examined and tested. Got sent home. filled prescription they sent pharm.

It was the SAME medicine I had taken before prescribed by another clinician the day before in the same ER! I drank the mixture dissolved in a combo of cranberry juice and water. Maybe twice is the charm.

[MiniMe]

13. I have a defibrillator/pacemaker installed

And I don't remember many of those restrictions. Need to ask my cardiologist next time I go. I know I can't store my phone in my left side pockets, but I never heard of not using the induction range or headphones.

[catchnrelease]

16. I asked my husband

He's had a device since 2007 and has had it replaced once since then. He said he was told don't spend time leaning over your car motor while it's running, don't stand in a metal detector*, don't spend time under high power lines and other than that ' 12 inches is the magic number', according to him. He has used an induction plate for years with no issues. But I'd check with the Medtronic tech to be sure what is current thought on safety.

*I know it is important to have your card with you if you might be going somewhere that has metal detectors, so you can tell them you have one, and show the card if they want proof.

[MiniMe]

17. I got mine in 2020

So not a long time experience for me. Add in the pandemic, and I haven't had much time to test out the restrictions. I'm planning on traveling next December, so I will make sure to check with the docs before that.

[CloudWatcher]

14. Defibrillator / pacemaker

Welcome to the club! I've had a defibrillator/pacemaker for lots of years now. Battery finally ran low enough that I got a new one this year. My only advice is to get the actual user-guide from the company that makes it (mine was downloadable from the maker once I googled the model number of the device). It should contain a real list of warnings [i.e. I don't quite believe the list you've been given].

Btw the device 'id' card they gave you at the hospital should have the exact make & model of the unit in your chest.

The biggest question I'd be sure and ask early: is the device safe enough to use in an MRI or not? You're supposed to keep that id card with you at all times, but ... don't wait until the last minute to try and figure out if your defib should prevent you from getting that emergency MRI you need.

Good luck, stay well!

[cyclonefence]

22. Here's what my manufacturer's user's guide says

The Medtronics guy visited me in the hospital and gave it to me. I'm sure different models have different restrictions. Here are the ones that affected me the most:

Induction cooktop 24"--that's *two feet*! How can I use it?
Most kitchen appliances are no problem, including the microwave, although I have to keep 6" away from the magnetic closure strip on the refrigerator. Six inches away is the rule for most things around the house, like the vacuum cleaner motor.

Magnetic name tag, like for bridge tournaments--right side only. Six inches from computer keyboard, cordless phone. Earbuds 6" which wouldn't ordinarily be a problem, except that the way I sleep collapses my shoulder onto my neck, so I can't use them to sleep.

Jumper cables 2 feet during use, and dang! Cattle prod 24 inches, too.

Antitheft systems at entrances/exits of stores--OK but don't dally. Keep moving.

Airport security--carry your ID card and ask for patdown instead of magnetic wand. Don't stop in walk-through archway. Don't touch metal surfaces surrounding screening area.

Diathermy treatments--never.

Then there's a list of procedures you can have after clearing with your cardiologist, who may apply restrictions. CT and MRI scans are on the list.

Medical procedures that are not a problem include colonoscopy, CPAP use, dental procedures including dental x-rays, diagnostic x-rays and mammograms, laser surgery.

[BaronChocula]

15. Is the underlying diarrhea being treated? n/t

[cyclonefence]

23. It went away (slowly) without treatment

A medical mystery.

[BWdem4life]

18. low potassium in spite of the bananas?

Or because of them?

[cyclonefence]

24. I thought they would help

Plus I take a 10mg potassium supplement every day as part of my blood pressure regimen. Was taking it at all the time before during after diarrhea.