So while in Socal I got another kick in the teeth

[Razbry]

Just checking, you do take copper and zinc apart from each other, right? I take copper first thing in the am, and the zinc comes way later. You can check out my dosages if you like on the Prolia thread I started. Pack in some protein shakes. Dammit, I hate to think of you passing out all the time. How can you drive or work? You could really hurt yourself just falling in your house. I don't know if you are on disability or not, but your situation seem to really warrant it. Maybe if you start talking disability, your MDs will take a closer look at you. So many things come to mind. Might you have sleep apnea? Could your passing out be related to brain seizures? You are a smart, well informed man Scott....really, I'm just trying to help.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Yeah I take zinc twice a day and copper only once. Typically 2-4 hours a part at least.

I can't drive or work now and I have thought about disability just haven't been able to do it. It is kind of a mental thing more than anything.

I suppose Apnea is possible but it always seems to be within a few hours of eating and I don't find myself tired though out the day and rubber necking like I did when I was heavy and did have apnea.

My PCP asked me about seizures when it all started. He said typically if that happens a person will lose bladder control and that has never happened nor has my wife noticed any seizure type activity.

 

[Razbry]

OK Scott....my mind is still turning for you.

 

[DSRIGGS]

OK Scott....my mind is still turning for you.

Thanks Hon, I do appreciate it. I had a pretty good weekend and just got labs drawn this morning. Even though I am having diarrhea today I have actually had good energy so far. I am trying to string 10-15 good days together rather than 2-3 good days and then feeling like garbage again. I don't do anything different on good days vs bad days so I don't know what sometimes I do feel like I might be able to function fairly normally again and then on other days I am chronically fatigued, generally tired, weak, lightheaded and just feel like garbage.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Yeah I take zinc twice a day and copper only once. Typically 2-4 hours a part at least.

I can't drive or work now and I have thought about disability just haven't been able to do it. It is kind of a mental thing more than anything.

I suppose Apnea is possible but it always seems to be within a few hours of eating and I don't find myself tired though out the day and rubber necking like I did when I was heavy and did have apnea.

My PCP asked me about seizures when it all started. He said typically if that happens a person will lose bladder control and that has never happened nor has my wife noticed any seizure type activity.

File for the damned disability before it gets harder to collect.

 

[KathrynK]

Since surgery I've been to the ER for loss of consciousness twice (and a grand mal seizure from my chronic seizure disorder once). In one case the loss of consciousness was caused by dehydration from diarrhea at 4 am, even though I drink water all the time when awake, it wasn't enough that night. I was on my way to the bathroom when my husband heard the thud of me hitting the wall and floor. he said there wasn't seizure activity, and the ambulance people said I turned around quickly when they started the saline drip. After a seizure, I am in a mental fog for a few hours and that didn't happen. The other time it was was electrolyte depletion, they said my glucose and sodium were too low to stay conscious and my blood pressure had dropped very low, 80/40 I think. I didn't have diarrhea that time but I was in the heat in august in NY outside without air conditioning for a few hours and hadn't eaten or had anything but a water bottle. I was on a NYC bus going home from a day showing family the sights and they said I didn't have seizure activity, just slumped to the floor. [ The grand mal happened at 2 am and that was low blood sugar and a change of seizure medicine the week before. That was the typical seizure and I didn't leave the bed, but woke my husband up from the movement (he is a saint). I was hospitalized for that one.]
The lesson is that we malabsorb water too and need to drink every hour or so, and more than we think we need. I am conscious of electrolytes when I am hot or have diarrhea. I am not a salt eater, but I have some when i think I need it (no problem getting sugar!)
The other thing to think about with lightheadedness and feeling crappy is hypoglycemia, to always have a few carbs with protein, to eat something small every 2 hours, and keep snacks (like cheese or nuts) with me at all times. I take a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to bed, in case I wake up with the body heat that means hypoglycemia. I have a water bottle at the bedside. I don't have diabetes any more, but I have had hypoglycemia since surgery. They did a 24-hour glucose monitor and found low dips at 2 am and 11 am. I concentrate on eating at those times. You might want to do glucose monitoring.
I hope you find a solution that works for you!

 

[DSRIGGS]

File for the damned disability before it gets harder to collect.

I know. I am just so scatter brained right now but I have to get going on it. Thanks for the encouragement. I know I need to I am just struggling with it.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Since surgery I've been to the ER for loss of consciousness twice (and a grand mal seizure from my chronic seizure disorder once). In one case the loss of consciousness was caused by dehydration from diarrhea at 4 am, even though I drink water all the time when awake, it wasn't enough that night. I was on my way to the bathroom when my husband heard the thud of me hitting the wall and floor. he said there wasn't seizure activity, and the ambulance people said I turned around quickly when they started the saline drip. After a seizure, I am in a mental fog for a few hours and that didn't happen. The other time it was was electrolyte depletion, they said my glucose and sodium were too low to stay conscious and my blood pressure had dropped very low, 80/40 I think. I didn't have diarrhea that time but I was in the heat in august in NY outside without air conditioning for a few hours and hadn't eaten or had anything but a water bottle. I was on a NYC bus going home from a day showing family the sights and they said I didn't have seizure activity, just slumped to the floor. [ The grand mal happened at 2 am and that was low blood sugar and a change of seizure medicine the week before. That was the typical seizure and I didn't leave the bed, but woke my husband up from the movement (he is a saint). I was hospitalized for that one.]
The lesson is that we malabsorb water too and need to drink every hour or so, and more than we think we need. I am conscious of electrolytes when I am hot or have diarrhea. I am not a salt eater, but I have some when i think I need it (no problem getting sugar!)
The other thing to think about with lightheadedness and feeling crappy is hypoglycemia, to always have a few carbs with protein, to eat something small every 2 hours, and keep snacks (like cheese or nuts) with me at all times. I take a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to bed, in case I wake up with the body heat that means hypoglycemia. I have a water bottle at the bedside. I don't have diabetes any more, but I have had hypoglycemia since surgery. They did a 24-hour glucose monitor and found low dips at 2 am and 11 am. I concentrate on eating at those times. You might want to do glucose monitoring.
I hope you find a solution that works for you!

Thanks Kathryn. Yeah I do always try to eat a little carbs with every meal to keep from hypoglycemia, and I agree I need a 24 hours glucose monitoring as well as a Halter Monitor.

 

[southernlady]

Scott, your medical condition is keeping you from working. And you have enough work quarters to file for SSDI. SSDI is NOT the one that takes family income into accord, just YOUR ability to work. That is why we have it. While it is not gonna replace anywhere near what you have made in the past, at least it is something. And no one says you have to be on it forever.

 

[Razbry]

I'm sure you probably have already Googled, but I thought these sites were worthy.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/eating-can-cause-low-blood-pressure

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/03/AR2009080302241.html

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/...cle_5c7a74d8-50b0-5970-acee-97443cf7fe7b.html

http://www.healthline.com/symptom/fainting

Scott, go for the disability. You worked, this is your benefit to take advantage of.

 

[Razbry]

Scott, I know how hard this is to battle through. You feel shitty, your mind is fogged. No one knows what is wrong. It is terrifying (at least for me it was). But the good folks on a site similar to this railed on me to put every ounce of my energy into fighting to find out what was wrong with me. You have been a fighter all along, but lately I'm sensing that you are losing steam. Don't give up. Everyone on this site has come to love and respect you. You have given us all so much with information, encouragement and pithy/funny remarks. It's time for us to start giving back to you. Get your ASS UP and get that 24 hr glucose monitoring. Stop being rational when you see your MDs (that was what did it for me). I told them I could feel myself slipping out of my body (which I did), and that I needed to be in the hospital. I was in, within 8 hours. I want you to LIVE dammit.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Scott, your medical condition is keeping you from working. And you have enough work quarters to file for SSDI. SSDI is NOT the one that takes family income into accord, just YOUR ability to work. That is why we have it. While it is not gonna replace anywhere near what you have made in the past, at least it is something. And no one says you have to be on it forever.

I have HEARD that the first request is almost always denied and it doesn't cost much (fees are regulated by SSA) to get an atty who deals with SSA on a regular basis.

 

[southernlady]

I have HEARD that the first request is almost always denied and it doesn't cost much (fees are regulated by SSA) to get an atty who deals with SSA on a regular basis.

THAT is true. Fees are limited to $6000 and come out of the back pay money.
Dh was denied twice then was approved when he saw a judge with his lawyer.
I was an oddball (but then I always seem to be a zebra). I was approved first time.

 

[KathrynK]

I was approved on the first go around too without a lawyer, in less than 3 months. I had some advice from someone who succeeded that helped. Number one was 'if it isn't in writing, it doesn't matter'. Number two was don't lie, and give specific examples and details that will be part of your medical record.
Contact all the physicians you have seen recently and tell them you are applying for SSDI and why. Get all the correct phone numbers and faxes for each office and the name of the office manager.
Write a letter to each doc that will become part of your medical record detailing your current state of disability and why you don't think you could return to your previous job. Be specific about the skills you would need that you could no longer do. Say that you have considered other jobs like "whatever might be relevant for you" but realized there were things in the job descriptions that you were unable to do. Be as specific as possible.
Call the nurses in the offices that know you well and ask them to make sure the complaints you had on your last visit were documented in the medical record in detail. Not just "complains of being tired" but "complains of being unable to concentrate or to do household chores or walk more than a few blocks". They can't change the past record, but they can document the phone call.
If you are on good terms with your previous boss, call them and tell them you are applying for SSDI and why. Then send a letter to them about the conversation and about the skills of the job that you would have a hard time doing in your current state and send a copy also to a doc and request that it be made part of the medical record. It is even more important if the company or job no longer exists, so it is in writing somewhere.
You don't want the people at SSDI to have to do any investigation on their own.
Same thing when you see the SSDI doctor. Be prepared with specific examples of why you can't to any job, even those at a lower skill set than your previous job. Problems in driving or commuting are convincing.
SSDI asks if they can contact your previous employer and it helps to say yes. My first choice is not HR because if you want to go back to work you might rather not have it there. Be specific with concerns, such as problems concentrating or endurance, or even some bowel issues if you have to work away from the bathroom sometimes.
I would try to get the paperwork in before Jan 20! Good luck!

 

[bearmom]

Checked in hoping you've had some good news, and I guess a short run of not feeling like hammered shit is something.
Spykey beat me to the disability thing. I'm very concerned that it will be impossible for anyone that really needs disability to get it after trump gets going.