At the doctor's office

[rabblerouser]

First of all, I hate this shit. All my life.

But I really don't like it today.

Been feeling pretty run down, tired, thinking it's lifestyle and I just need to rest more.

Well...I get blood drawn and they're talking about liver enzymes and shit, so I stopped drinking. And changed my eating. This is like a week ago.

So, I've notived...I'm inflamed on my left side. It hurts. Like...inside.

Reflexology chick could feel it in my foot.

Doctor calls and wants me to come in, do my bloodwork again...

I realize that sore throat I've had suddenly isn't a sore throat at all...it's swollen lymph nodes.

This sucks.

This sucks bad.

At least if it's my liver they can just cut a piece out.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by SupDock

Would you be willing to post the values? I would understand if you don’t.

Sure. Linked at the bottom.

Originally Posted by SupDock

Some times we see transient increases in liver enzymes. Can happen with viral infections which could explain your lymphocytes.

I suspect they ordered a liver ultrasound and are checking you for viral hepatitis?

Correct. On the 16th.

Originally Posted by SupDock

Two times the upper limit of normal is not that high. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is a very common cause of this.

Let's be real, I was a skinny kid in the Midwest, lots of eating whatever the **** I wanted. Lots of fat.

Originally Posted by SupDock

What about Tylenol usage?

I try not to. I haven't taken straight acetaminophen by itself in years. I do have a bottle of 10/325 Vicodin that when things got really bad I would break one in half and take a half. I have completely quit drinking alcohol, and my usage, again, wasn't more than most of my friends, and considerably less than some.

Originally Posted by SupDock

Also, I have never seen AST vs ALT to differentiate a long term vs short term issue. The ratios are sometimes used to determine or indicate a cause. The amount of elevation can also give you some clues. Anything less than 10x the upper limit of normal is considered mild to moderate. AST is also found outside the liver, whereas ALT is primarily in the liver.

[penguinz]

To me those enzyme numbers look like you just have some inflammation somewhere in your body. Could be an infection, from having a drink or two, prescription or OTC meds, etc... At least that is what my doc told me when mine were slightly elevated. Said if truly a liver condition y would be 10-100x the normal range.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by penguinz

To me those enzyme numbers look like you just have some inflammation somewhere in your body. Could be an infection, from having a drink or two, prescription or OTC meds, etc... At least that is what my doc told me when mine were slightly elevated. Said if truly a liver condition y would be 10-100x the normal range.

Yeah, I'm not 23 anymore. It's time to quit ****ing acting like it.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

Yeah, I'm not 23 anymore. It's time to quit ****ing acting like it.

You are younger than me and my enzymes were about b the same as yours back in January. I didn't have the high lymphocytes but my c-react was high. Went and got heart scan because of the c-react and it came back as less than 10% chance of heart attack. Got retested a week ago and everything back in range.

Initial test I had a cold and had a decent amount of some 100proof bourbon.

I also eat like cows are going extinct and I had to eat as much as possible before it does.

Point is not to stress out before getting all the data.

[dlphg9]

What's your bilirubin and WBC? I worked in a hospital lab for 6-7 years and those labs are really nothing to be that concerned about.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

What's your bilirubin and WBC? I worked in a hospital lab for 6-7 years and those labs are really nothing to be that concerned about.

This is the bad thing about labs sending results directly to the patient. It is only natural to see the red text and get concerned.

[SupDock]

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is my guess, other likely cause is a random transient elevation where the cause is never elucidated.
Other things would be less common.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by SupDock

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is my guess, other likely cause is a random transient elevation where the cause is never elucidated.
Other things would be less common.

You're most likely right. I've cut waaaaaaay back on most everything, cut out alcohol completely (obviously), sleep better, and eat better. For about 3 weeks now, I haven't had bread or much of anything processed. I've went to Hot Yoga every day this week...and honestly I feel fantastic.

I think the combination of an infection with stress from the past year or so + the drinking and shitty cocaine (probably got an infection from whatever that bullshit was cut with, not the actual drug itself) converged for something that looked worse than what it was...but honestly, my body was under duress, and I wasn't helping by decisions I was making
And it wasn't all partying, sometimes I'd stay up and do homework all night, go to class, then say, hot yoga then band practice. And then go home and fall asleep while doing homework. And sometimes I'd do homework until 10 or 11, then go party and hang out with some young vixens until the wee wee hours, then drag myself into class at 9am.

We call it "rollin' pro". Staying up until whatever hour, then performing every duty throughout the day like a professional.

Now, I see how utterly ****ing ridiculous it is to brag about completing the nominal tasks you are expected to complete anyway...

So, yeah. You're most likely right. Now, I eat better, sleep better, don't drink alcohol, and feel 1000x better already.

Wonder how I'll feel a month from now...

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by SupDock

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is my guess, other likely cause is a random transient elevation where the cause is never elucidated.
Other things would be less common.

I rarely see a non fatty liver these days with or without elevated LFTs

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Monticore

I rarely see a non fatty liver these days with or without elevated LFTs

This is exactly my experience. They always come back steatohepatitis.

[rabblerouser]

At least the plebotomist (sp??) that took my blood yesterday was excellent.

Have to go back for a stupid ****ing COVID test so I can go to JRAD this weekend.

"I need a COVID test."

Why, have you been exposed? Feeling sick?

"Nah, nah. It's just...I wanna go to a concert this weekend, a bunch of bureaucratic bullshit, can't believe it's still a thing."

Of course, Mr. Rouser. I'll have the doctor put the order in and you can come anytime tomorrow.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

At least the plebotomist (sp??) that took my blood yesterday was excellent.

Have to go back for a stupid ****ing COVID test so I can go to JRAD this weekend.

"I need a COVID test."

Why, have you been exposed? Feeling sick?

"Nah, nah. It's just...I wanna go to a concert this weekend, a bunch of bureaucratic bullshit, can't believe it's still a thing."

Of course, Mr. Rouser. I'll have the doctor put the order in and you can come anytime tomorrow.

If your feeling good enough to go to a concert I'm happy for you. Hopefully have a good time. Probably doing better than I am right now but covid is stupid i spent a week with my GF she had covid and used my Burts Beez and i never got the covid but now I'm more hurting from a COPD flair up and kicking my ass that i may think about doing a life story if anyone is interested.

I don't want take away your thread Rabble and much respect with you battling through everything not easy.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Rasputin

If your feeling good enough to go to a concert I'm happy for you. Hopefully have a good time. Probably doing better than I am right now but covid is stupid i spent a week with my GF she had covid and used my Burts Beez and i never got the covid but now I'm more hurting from a COPD flair up and kicking my ass that i may think about doing a life story if anyone is interested.

I don't want take away your thread Rabble and much respect with you battling through everything not easy.

It ain't "my" thread, bro - it's the "at the doctor's" thread.

It can be the medical repository of CP for all I care.

COPD, eh? That sucks. Did you smoke cigarettes?

Yeah, I actually feel way better since I've cut out all the fatty processed foods and alcohol. Been sleeping real regular, too. Like, on a schedule. I've lost 6 lbs too.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

It ain't "my" thread, bro - it's the "at the doctor's" thread.

It can be the medical repository of CP for all I care.

COPD, eh? That sucks. Did you smoke cigarettes?

Yeah, I actually feel way better since I've cut out all the fatty processed foods and alcohol. Been sleeping real regular, too. Like, on a schedule. I've lost 6 lbs too.

I quit Feb 8 2013 because I couldn't stop coughing to talk on the phone. I got better but then one day in August 2015 every thing changed for me. I woke up couldn't breath and didn't know what was going on. My nose was clogged best I could do was message my sister in law and have her take me to the hospital. For a minute I thought I was going be fine but betime i got to the hospital I was full blown ex-aspirations and collapsed so they got me inside ER and did a bunch of breathing treatments on me and i followed up with my doctor and set up a pulmonology test and concluded I'm stage 2 COPD and the way I felt I diagnosed myself with 6 months to live. I decided get in better shape and go do my favorite thing fish. I had to force myself to exercise and take better care of my self but mostly fish. So I took up kyaking as a hobby it helped with endurance and lung capacity.

However over the years I would get these flair ups and get terrible bronchial sick and go into fit of exasperation grasping for air and end up in ER or doctors. Most of the time I could recover and feel good enough to do most things and Kyaking the Rio Grand wasn't the smartest thing I could do but I lived and even though lost my Kayak i hiked 3 miles to where i was to be picked up and collapsed. That was death defying I knew i was in trouble when I hit my head on a rock. Yet was fun and dangerous I felt like a human pinball and I knew i was in trouble when I hit my head on a rock. That was I think summer 2018 and I was feeling good about myself. (i like telling that story) (I like telling that story)


But now I've gained some winter weight and that may contribute to this but was out in the cold air one day this last week and Friday I felt like shit I could tell one of these COPD Flair ups was going to hit me I know by my chest tightening up so usually i get steroids to help with inflammation I was wanting to counter it. Unfortunately my condition worsened this weekend and I was waiting on my GF to come home from work but suddenly the exasperation hit me fast and I couldn't do anything except message gibberish to my GF and hit my inhaler but it didn't do any good. When she got there she helped me with another inhaler hit and called 911. I went to the hospital did breathing treatment gave me cough medicine with codeine I love codeine but that's another addiction i didn't tell them. They gave me another boost steroid and antibiodics and more prescribed steroids so i'm all roided up want to fight?


I wish the roids would give me a boost of energy. This week anytime I get up to do something it's a chore like fixing coffee then I have to lay down and take it easy. Going to the store is a real bitch and use my inhaler. When I think I'm doing better then it hits me and lose my breath and wheeze and cough and faint. I don't think I'm on the verge of stage 3 because that's not going deture me from going fishing and kyaking at the lake. I know better than kyayak the Rio Grand did I mention I hit my head on a rock kyaking the Rio Grand?

I'll be fine. I'm supposed to get papers from work for FLMA for my doctor to fill out saying basically I have an ongoing excuse to miss work when ever I have flair ups. I've had them before but usually recover in a couple days but this is going on a week and Sunday was the major hit. My lungs or middle chest feels like it's on fire there is no relief. I either can't sleep or I sleep for 12+ hours from exhaustion. This last year I've been shot at and three attempts of suicide. I don't want a human kill me and I don't want God to kill me.


I didn't want hijack a thread thought about starting my own but I've started threads before about personal life.

Oh if curious about sex life with COPD we get it on pretty good until I go into exasperation and that does make it difficult but I can usually recover after a bit and go at it again. I'm not complaining in that department. She is worth dying for or taking my last breath for.

[Rasputin]

I'll be dammed. Here I thought I was having a major COPD flair up. Went to ER Friday got some roids and then got real bad Sunday night with exasperation and got to ride in an ambulance. Today for a followup I had a CT scan and blood work done. Well the receptionist from my doctor called and said there wasn't any inflammation in the lungs so that's the good news. Then she said my doctor wants to consult with me on Monday something about my esophagus . She wouldn't go into detail said doctor wants to see me Monday.

Well I looked up symptoms what could be the problem and holy shit it's everything I have going on. Burning chest coughing sore throat but I've had a lot of problems with acid reflux just wake up at night or lying down and vile come out of my mouth no fun no fun at all. So now I think could be an ulcer or gerd but my chest feeling on fire and being weak or exhausted just isn't the way I want to be. He put me on a new nebulizer medicine i take every four hours and cherry tussin with codeine me likes codeine.


Winter dragged on so I get depressed and eat and I started drinking slushies, I bet they are the culprit. I really hope I don't have major damage I've had issues for a long time and this just hit me like a ton of bricks but still better than dodging bullets.


I've never said anything about pains behind my left rib cage but that's another symptom. Why does life have to suck? I'll go all weekend wondering whats going on with my esophagus.