I will, shortly, be getting very loaded.

[Spiky Bugger]

I'm wearing a Holter Monitor.

"What," you ask, "could be so horrid about a simple Holter Monitor?"

The answer is...I'm allergic to adhesive.

I have seven--I think--itchy, circular areas that are driving me crazy and I'm not even halfway through the 24 hours. I have on a men's sleeveless undershirt from my stash of post-op clothes. Backwards, so the high part is in front and I won't remove electrodes in my sleep.

I try to kill people when I take oral Benadryl, so that's out. And I'm afraid that if I put a topical hydrocortisone-type cream on the electrodes will slide off.

So, there are a couple of Xánax left over from a pre-op self-prep my PS had me do...or there are the pediatric dose (0.5 mg) Ativan I could take a few of.

(I wonder if I would wake up in time for my middle-of-the-night bladder emptying, because I don't think there are any Depends around here.)

Hmmm...these are tonight's big decisions.


Eeeny-meanie, etc.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

@JackieOnLine @southernlady@MsJacquiiC

Hey...if you use a diacritical mark over a letter, á instead of just a, in a banned word such as the one I used above, you can write the banned word.

 

[jillc]

I sympathize. I've had a 24 hour Holter and a 48 hour Holter. Both when I was a massage therapist. Not comfortable at all massaging people with that thing on. And like you, I'm sensitive to the adhesive (not quite as sensitive as you, so I feel for you). And sleeping in it? Pffffffft.

 

[DianaCox]

Are the drugs likely to change your heart rate or other things they are measuring? If not, go to your happy place!

 

[newanatomy]

Sorry! What did they say when putting this on you when you told them about your reaction to adhesives?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Sorry! What did they say when putting this on you when you told them about your reaction to adhesives?

Same thing the websites say...it will go away, soon or within a few days, when I take it all off. IOW, they don't care.

Bastiges.

 

[newanatomy]

So frustrating! I go crazy when I have to put Neosporin on with a bandage! It is so fucking itchy! I get what you are going through, hope it goes fast.

 

[MsJacquiiC]

@JackieOnLine @southernlady@MsJacquiiC

Hey...if you use a diacritical mark over a letter, á instead of just a, in a banned word such as the one I used above, you can write the banned word.

There are ways of getting around the banned words, but most spammers and spambots -- which the banned word lists were enacted to stop -- will not take the time trying to get around the blocklist rules. Plus it'll be hours of busywork inputting every single combination of alternative spellings LOL. So we'll have to take our chances.

J.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

So frustrating! I go crazy when I have to put Neosporin on with a bandage! It is so fucking itchy! I get what you are going through, hope it goes fast.

Thanks, I just hit the 12-hour mark.

 

[DianaCox]

Um - and WHY are you wearing this thing?

 

[JackieOnLine]

yes, why?

 

[southernlady]

Same thing the websites say...it will go away, soon or within a few days, when I take it all off. IOW, they don't care.

Bastiges.

Yeah, right...NOT. I have a severe allergy to tape, even paper tape. And have the photo to prove it to medical personnel who do not understand just how severe it is. I CAN handle about 30 mins of regular tape before I start breaking out and about 2 hours with paper tape. So using it for lab pokes, etc are okay as long as I get it back off quickly.

BUT the rash I developed last year on my back lasted almost a MONTH before finally going away. Altho in a week, it wasn't QUITE so bad. I wasn't trying to peel the skin of my back in a fit of painful itching.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Um - and WHY are you wearing this thing?

@JackieOnLine

It went something like:
Me: I need my diuretics because of edema, but when I take them my touchy bladder goes into spasms and I eventually need pain medication and I don't like being in pain or on opioids all the time. Is there any way around this?
Doctor: Why do you have edema?
Me: I dunno.
Doctor: Here's a referral to the cardiologist.


Cardiologist: Heart disease looks different in women than it does in men...let's find out where you stand, given that you have shortness of breath and/or fatigue that increases upon exertion and edema...all symptoms of heart failure.


I had to sign a release that I was delaying the testing (our train trip) so it appears that she suspects SOMETHING is wrong. But from my perspective, little has changed in years and years, so I am not in a panic. Tuesday, I did the lower limb venous doppler...and there were no clots. I'm thinking we are merely getting baselines.



Today is the beloved stress test...nuclear, of course. AARRGH!!!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Yeah, right...NOT. I have a severe allergy to tape, even paper tape. And have the photo to prove it to medical personnel who do not understand just how severe it is. I CAN handle about 30 mins of regular tape before I start breaking out and about 2 hours with paper tape. So using it for lab pokes, etc are okay as long as I get it back off quickly.

BUT the rash I developed last year on my back lasted almost a MONTH before finally going away. Altho in a week, it wasn't QUITE so bad. I wasn't trying to peel the skin of my back in a fit of painful itching.

I carry similar photos around.

I just called and said that if I did not get a frantic message from them in the next 30 minutes that it HAD TO stay on for 24 hours, it's coming off at the 22 hour mark. I have read that 20 hours is enough.


And her partner just called and said 21 is enough, take it off now!

 

[southernlady]

I carry similar photos around.

I just calked and said that if I did not get a frantic message from them in the next 30 minutes that it HAD TO stay on for 24 hours, it's coming off at the 22 hour mark. I have read that 20 hours is enough.


And her partner just calked and said 21 is enough, take it iff now!

Glad you got to remove it.

Back when I had my first back surgery (2006), it was painfully obvious I had a tape allergy! I knew I was sensitive and they tell you if it's a sensitivity to treat it AS AN allergy. Anyway, the anesthesiologist did not BOTHER to re-read my allergy list cause he taped the oxygen mask to my face since they had me on my stomach to get to my back. THAT rash lasted 3 weeks. And my surgeon ripped the anesthesiologist a new one for inattention! At least THIS time, the rash could be hidden by clothes cause it was on my back.