Stay in Touch
Get sneak previews of special offers & upcoming events delivered to your inbox.
-
Blogs & Forums
Turn on suggestions
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for
@DianeJ2 wrote:@mistriTsquirrel Didn't realize you tagged Me! Just saw...hope you got some rest after all that ugh. I'm reading through how your posts now....saw about the test anxiety. Let's just say if I have to do another mri in my lifetime, and it isn't open kind, I will go into hiding. Bad claustrophobic I am. Can't do elevators even! I have a stress test next month and the receptionist seems to make me more nervous with a short attitude. I'm very polite always but eventually I might blow up like you did. I'm going because my heart rate gets up to 129 lately when I'm sick, anxious, etc and had to up my beta blockers. I think they call it v tach? Anyway I still wonder if your cortisol adrenaline with anxiety is a factor for you in all this.
I always talked to my poodle Mickey and I swear he got it, we were very in synch it was scary lol 😊 Hugs to you hope you're sleeping better xo
It's so good to hear from you again, @DianeJ2!!
Aren't the pictures of Fortune's granddog, Jasper, cute? I'm glad you have a furbaby in your life as well. I know my guinea pig is very precious to me and makes me smile on a daily basis.
You said those beta blockers make you tired, right? Are you able to do much since they raised the dose?
I don't know much about v tach, just Googled it. Are you seeing an EP cardiologist (who specializes in the electrical workings of the heart)? The two I've seen have been EP cardiologists. My EKG's are always abnormal and other doctors see my EKG's and don't always know the difference between "okay" and "not okay." One time I went to urgent care for chest pain and they sent me to the ER, based on my abnormal EKG. It turned out I just had an inflamed chest wall because I'd been coughing a lot.
You may be right about the cortisol. I may wind up delving into that further, but raising my Pristiq dose seemed like the most logical way to try to get my anxiety under control in a fairly short period of time, and it was something I knew I would probably have to do anyway eventually. My anxiety tells me that "eventually" is now...especially if I want to have a chance of getting this tilt table test done before the end of the year.
I hope you haven't been too sick lately with the heart issue and meds. Hugs to you, Diane. 
@mistriTsquirrel wrote:
@fortune wrote:
@mistriTsquirrel wrote:@fortune Yes, I'm supposed to have the tilt table test, where they strap you down like Hannibal Lecter, start an I.V. and try to induce a fainting spell. If they did those things, then put me back inside that MRI machine and dropped it out of an airplane, we could cover all of my major phobias at once.
The cardiologist I've had for years was the one who ordered the test. I don't remember the questions he asked or what I specifically brought up to him, as that appointment was a long time ago. He said something about vasovagal episodes.
The cardiologist I saw more recently was the one who said POTS, and he didn't say why. He'd looked over my records (I would assume) and we talked for a little while. I only went to see him because my insurance requires a cardiologist appointment within a month of the test, and the order for the test was going to expire anyway. (Don't get me started on why it didn't happen last year when it was supposed to.)
I have an aunt who has neurocardiogenic syncope that she takes medication for, and she went through a lot to finally get a diagnosis. I'm wondering if I should've made an appointment with the doctor who diagnosed her, since she's doing much better now.
I don't know much about the differences between these things, I just know from my past experience with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome what it feels like when you're about to pass out. I had the WPW corrected with ablation, but now (years later), I'm having pre-syncope episodes on occasion where I get sweaty and sick and I can see things starting to go black.
The last time I had one where I was almost certain I was going to pass out was last year. I haven't been having them often this year, but I haven't been working either. I don't know if they would become frequent again if I tried to go back to the job I was doing.
As far as the exercise, I can walk and do some other things, but I'm still having balance issues. And when I get too hot and/or dehydrated, I'm more likely to have problems with dizziness and with the light-headed episodes. So I'm limited right now, but can do some things.
I'm hoping the tilt table test and the MRI results will help clear up some of the mystery. If they don't, I honestly don't know what I will do.
It sounds like you'll get to enjoy having someone else cook the turkey this year. I don't think I'll be doing anything for Thanksgiving. I don't know if I'll be feeling good anyway, since I'm starting on the increased dose of Pristiq soon. I don't feel hungry now and I probably won't feel any better after the dosage increase (for a little while anyway).
I have my follow up for the MRI in early December. I asked about the wide-open MRI but was told it wasn't available. Not sure if that's because my insurance wouldn't cover it or what.
I'm getting stared down by a furry little guy right now. I guess I'm not fulfilling my duties as a guinea pig mom. Better get up and do my job. LoL
I walked last night (and it almost killed me) and started lifting weights--5 pounds in each hand--to strengthen my upper body. I really felt out of condition and could hardly breathe. My conversation with you about exercise was my motivation!
I laughed out loud when you described the tilt table procedure!! It seems that if you weren't sick before that, you would be after the test. by the way, they're lying about the open MRI. You can Google the locations in your area where they have these. I think your insurance should cover it. If you have to have another MRI, call your insurance company first about your claustrophobia issues.
Your ablation treatment for the WPW should have corrected the syndrome permanently. A lot of your symptoms can also be caused by anxiety. My son had an eating disorder, palpatations, and panic attacks before he went to a psychiatrist and went on Paxil.
Take a bottle of water with you when you walk. Start slowly and increase the time you walk each day. It'll be hard at first, but it is really worth it for all your symptoms having to do with the autonomic nervous system. Try not to conjure worse-case scenarios in your mind to worry about. You could put a rubber band on your wrist and snap it each time you start to have negative thoughts! It works!
I'm going to sneak some turkey to Jasper on Thanksgiving. If WHN catches me, I'll be in trouble! He doesn't like it when I give him people food!!
Have a little talk with Milo. You'll both feel better!!
I'm glad you were able to get a walk and a workout in. It's been raining all day here, so my walk had to be made inside of an Ulta and a PetSmart. It was kind of slow and a little stop-and-go, but it happened. heh
To be clear, I don't have Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome anymore. I have not had a spell like the ones I had with WPW since I had the ablation. When you have WPW, there is no question about whether or not you are having a spell; your heartbeat is not just fast, it is like a drumroll. When your heart is beating that fast, it does not have time to fill up with blood, so it cannot pump blood to your brain. So you pass out if the spell doesn't stop fairly soon after it starts. To my knowledge, the other diagnoses being considered are not related to WPW. But when I say that I feel like I'm going to pass out at times, I'm saying that because I know what that feels like due to my cardiac history.
I really haven't been spending a lot of time thinking about unpleasant things today, but my body still feels kind of like it is in fight or flight mode. I feel like the MRI sent me into overdrive, and my set point is different now. It doesn't matter if I'm immersed in the makeup selection at Ulta or looking at funny memes online, I still feel like there's too much adrenaline. I'm also exhausted. And my body hurts quite a bit in the expected places (neck, shoulders and lower back). I know I'm feeling anxiety, but I don't have to be having anxious thoughts for my body to feel uneasy.
When I was walking more, I would take water with me. I was walking regularly for awhile and then I stopped. I'm trying to remember what happened that preceded that, but I can't. I think I remember taking walks when I was weaning off the Cymbalta, and then stopping at some point after I was off of it completely. It's always something. I start back up and then something gets in the way of it again.
I'm starting my doubled dose of Pristiq tonight. Hopefully I won't feel too yucky.
I found a toy for Milo at PetSmart that I think he'll like for Christmas. He is picky about toys. He likes the ones with pine cones on them. I would just go outside and get pine cones, but I don't know what sort of pesticides and pathogens could be on them, or if there are species of pine that have cones that could be toxic to him. So I'll just get them from PetSmart.
Soon he will be unwrapping presents. He's been such a good boy; he really deserves some good ones.
Good for you to go shopping! It'll take a while for your body to recover from the fight or flight position. Everything in your body goes into high gear, including your pupils, which dilate. Every muscle has stayed in a contracted condition, including the smooth muscle. That's why a daily exercise regimen is so crucial.
I really think you've gotten better since you've switched to Pristiq. I've noticed a big difference--as you probably have too! It's amazing how many medications some people have to try to get the right one or right balance if taking more than one!
I buy toys for Jasper and have "him" write the review under his name. He's "reviewed" a lot of toys so far!! I know Milo will love his Christmas present. When Jasper gets a package (of food, treats), I tell him "Jasper has a package!" He now knows what that means and comes over and "helps" me open it. He gets a reward (treat, etc.) for his "help." I never stop being amazed at how smart he is!!!
@fortune Awww....little Jasper nose... Where do you leave reviews? PetSmart.com or Amazon, maybe? I really like Chewy.com, but I have to order Milo's food, litter and hay all at the same time to get the free shipping, and we are seldom close to being out of all three at the same time. Plus I still have a couple PetSmart gift cards to use up from Milo's mamaw (my mom).
I still don't know what to get Heidi for Christmas. She's the dog who has everything. I'm sure she doesn't need another blanket, but that's what seems to excite her. LoL
Milo is eating some romaine right now. He just got finished with a carrot, but I've been asleep for most of the past 24 hours, so he hasn't had his normal amount of goodies.
I'm now taking 25 mg Pristiq every 12 hours until the 50 mg pills arrive in the mail. I took one between 10 and 11 last night and when I woke up this morning I was still tired. I was looking at the clock thinking, "I just woke up and it's time to take this pill again." 
So I guess you could say I'm not in fight-or-flight mode anymore. LoL
I really should've planned for these food cravings. I'm out of crackers and don't have much in the way of sweets here. It's funny how you can feel like you're not hungry, but also have a sweet or salty craving at the same time. I have no appetite, but I still want to put gummy bears in my face. I hope that goes away soon.
I think the problem when I was on Cymbalta was that it just wasn't doing much for me anymore. I was on it for years. In my experience, they just stop being as effective after awhile, and you have to switch. I should've switched a few years ago, but the Cymbalta was hard to wean off of initially, and I doubt I could've maintained a job while starting the Pristiq. I felt worse starting it than I do now, and it's like a sleeping pill for me to be on a double dose. That will subside, but I'm not sure how long it will take for me to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
The upside to sleeping a ton is that it doesn't much matter that my internet connection is terrible. I'm not awake to experience the frustration of trying to get pages to load. I should put a DVD in for the guinea pig though; he's gotta be bored. He doesn't seem to be as interested in t.v. as my other guinea pigs have been though. The other piggies used to love to watch cartoons, and Milo doesn't seem that interested. Maybe he's too much of an intellectual for that.
I've been trying to build a DVD collection for myself little by little so I have stuff to watch. I buy them used so I don't have to spend a lot. Or bargain bin movies, but a lot of them are terrible, so I usually look for DVD's at the secondhand store. The selection is limited. They always seem to have numerous copies of "About Schmidt" and "The Matrix." Not sure what that's about. (I own both already.) You can really only watch a movie so often or so many times before it is no longer entertaining though. It almost seems like a waste to buy them, but they are only $2 each at Savers, so it's worth it if I can find any that I want to watch.
Well, I have to take this medication, so I'm not sure how long I'll be upright tonight. It would be great to feel better a week from now. Crossing my fingers.
@mistriTsquirrel wrote:@fortune Awww....little Jasper nose...
I still don't know what to get Heidi for Christmas. She's the dog who has everything. I'm sure she doesn't need another blanket, but that's what seems to excite her. LoL
Milo is eating some romaine right now. He just got finished with a carrot, but I've been asleep for most of the past 24 hours, so he hasn't had his normal amount of goodies.
I'm now taking 25 mg Pristiq every 12 hours until the 50 mg pills arrive in the mail. I took one between 10 and 11 last night and when I woke up this morning I was still tired. I was looking at the clock thinking, "I just woke up and it's time to take this pill again."
I really should've planned for these food cravings. I'm out of crackers and don't have much in the way of sweets here. It's funny how you can feel like you're not hungry, but also have a sweet or salty craving at the same time. I have no appetite, but I still want to put gummy bears in my face. I hope that goes away soon.
I think the problem when I was on Cymbalta was that it just wasn't doing much for me anymore. I was on it for years. In my experience, they just stop being as effective after awhile, and you have to switch. I should've switched a few years ago, but the Cymbalta was hard to wean off of initially, and I doubt I could've maintained a job while starting the Pristiq. I felt worse starting it than I do now, and it's like a sleeping pill for me to be on a double dose. That will subside, but I'm not sure how long it will take for me to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
The upside to sleeping a ton is that it doesn't much matter that my internet connection is terrible. I'm not awake to experience the frustration of trying to get pages to load. I should put a DVD in for the guinea pig though; he's gotta be bored. He doesn't seem to be as interested in t.v. as my other guinea pigs have been though. The other piggies used to love to watch cartoons, and Milo doesn't seem that interested. Maybe he's too much of an intellectual for that.
I've been trying to build a DVD collection for myself little by little so I have stuff to watch. I buy them used so I don't have to spend a lot. Or bargain bin movies, but a lot of them are terrible, so I usually look for DVD's at the secondhand store. The selection is limited. They always seem to have numerous copies of "About Schmidt" and "The Matrix." Not sure what that's about. (I own both already.) You can really only watch a movie so often or so many times before it is no longer entertaining though. It almost seems like a waste to buy them, but they are only $2 each at Savers, so it's worth it if I can find any that I want to watch.
Well, I have to take this medication, so I'm not sure how long I'll be upright tonight. It would be great to feel better a week from now. Crossing my fingers.
24 hours!!! I'd kill for 24 hours of sleep! I'd imagine your body will adjust to the higher dosage soon.
I think Jasper left most of his reviews on PetSmart. As for Heidi, how about an ugly holiday sweater?
WHN recently got a new comforter and gave Jasper his old one. Jasper LOVED it! He sleeps with it every night except when he is sleeping with his daddy!
Do you know why you have a cra--y Internet connection? Have you called your provider? It must really aggravate you to constantly have to wait for a slow computer!!!
When I gave up smoking years ago, I tried chewing gum. I had to look really hard for one that didn't have an artificial sweetener. But if you could find one, maybe that would help your cravings.
I sent my son all the directions for cooking a Thanksgiving dinner. He called me today with a lot of questions. I really have to hand it to him! It's really a lot of work! I hope everything turns out O.K. He asked me for the phone number of my favorite pizza place just in case!!!
Here is the picture that goes with the "Jasper nose" one!
HUGS!
@fortune I love that sweater!!!!! 
I think my mom would get a laugh out of it, but I'm not sure she would put it on Heidi. It would probably just sit in the closet until I came over and put it on her. heh Where did you find the sweater?
I think they love it when their blankets smell like their mom or dad. One time I found Heidi curled up in a laundry basket full of clothes. She went through a hard time adjusting to my dad being gone, and I tried to get my mom to use a blanket for awhile and then give it to Heidi for comfort, but I don't think she thought it was important. At least the couch smelled like my dad, and she could sleep there.
My internet connection is bad partly because it's DSL. But it wasn't this bad a year ago. And I've switched out all the equipment at least once, moved everything to different rooms, etc. I know what AT&T will tell me: I need to have a technician come out. Then the technician will come out and say the house needs phone lines replaced, and for about the same price or less I can sign a contract for high speed internet. And I'm not going to sign a contract with AT&T, because--as far as I'm concerned--they are a criminal enterprise. (I'm not currently locked into a contract.) It wouldn't surprise me if they were slowing down my service on purpose in an attempt to get me to sign a contract for high speed internet. (Whenever I run a speed test, it is just barely above the lower bounds of what my service is supposed to provide...according to their own people.) The other possiblility is that the 2 modems they sent me have been sitting in a warehouse baking for years and just aren't good. Or perhaps the phone lines in my house are too old. Anyway, I'm holding on until I can afford to switch to service with the local cable company.
The sweet cravings aren't as bad today as they were yesterday, which is kind of what happened when I first started the Pristiq...really bad cravings, but mostly that first day.
My mother wants us to go to Bob Evans for Thanksgiving, but I told her no. When I waited tables I was forced to work on Thanksgiving, and I just don't agree with it. She tried to justify her plan with nonsense, but I shot it down. She said she's not going to cook. I told her I would come up with something...although I don't remember even agreeing to come over for Thanksgiving in the first place. Come to think of it, she may have just put one over on me. 
Looks like I may be cooking for Thanksgiving... 
@mistriTsquirrel wrote:@fortune I love that sweater!!!!!
I think they love it when their blankets smell like their mom or dad. One time I found Heidi curled up in a laundry basket full of clothes. She went through a hard time adjusting to my dad being gone, and I tried to get my mom to use a blanket for awhile and then give it to Heidi for comfort, but I don't think she thought it was important. At least the couch smelled like my dad, and she could sleep there.
My internet connection is bad partly because it's DSL. But it wasn't this bad a year ago. And I've switched out all the equipment at least once, moved everything to different rooms, etc. I know what AT&T will tell me: I need to have a technician come out. Then the technician will come out and say the house needs phone lines replaced, and for about the same price or less I can sign a contract for high speed internet. And I'm not going to sign a contract with AT&T, because--as far as I'm concerned--they are a criminal enterprise. (I'm not currently locked into a contract.) It wouldn't surprise me if they were slowing down my service on purpose in an attempt to get me to sign a contract for high speed internet. (Whenever I run a speed test, it is just barely above the lower bounds of what my service is supposed to provide...according to their own people.) The other possiblility is that the 2 modems they sent me have been sitting in a warehouse baking for years and just aren't good. Or perhaps the phone lines in my house are too old. Anyway, I'm holding on until I can afford to switch to service with the local cable company.
The sweet cravings aren't as bad today as they were yesterday, which is kind of what happened when I first started the Pristiq...really bad cravings, but mostly that first day.
My mother wants us to go to Bob Evans for Thanksgiving, but I told her no. When I waited tables I was forced to work on Thanksgiving, and I just don't agree with it. She tried to justify her plan with nonsense, but I shot it down. She said she's not going to cook. I told her I would come up with something...although I don't remember even agreeing to come over for Thanksgiving in the first place. Come to think of it, she may have just put one over on me.
Looks like I may be cooking for Thanksgiving...
Glad you liked the sweater!! I got it online while searching for gifts for the doggie who has everything. I don't know if I can find it again.
When Jasper was young, he had really bad separation anxiety. WHN left articles of his clothing in Jasper's area. Jasper would sometimes drag the clothes out the doggie door so that he could have them with him when he went outside. My son would come home to find his clothes strewn around the yard!
I know my Internet provider slows down my cable in order to try to get me to order "up" to a "faster" version. Those cable guys are all crooks in my opinion! They charge a fortune, too!
I'm glad your cravings have gone away!
I don't blame you for not wanting to go to a restaurant for Thanksgiving! I can remember one year when WHN and I tried to find a restaurant that was OPEN on Thanksgiving. It really was a downer. Sooooooo, it looks like you got sucked into cooking!!! I hope you don't have to do a turkey. Can you grill steaks? You can buy side dishes at the grocery store--potato salad, salad, french bread, etc. I expect our Thanksgiving meal will be quite an experience. Whatever happens with you two cooks, Heidi and Jasper will be happy with the leftovers!
Jasper in his car seat!
@fortune Oh, Jasper!! I wish I had a Jasper. Milo is so awesome, but there are things you can do with a dog that Milo won't/can't do. How old is Jasper anyway? Did WHN get him from a rescue? He seems like he would be the ideal sidekick for adventuring.
I don't know why, but Pristiq makes my heart rate go up. My psychiatrist and PCP were concerned when I initially started it, and I was sent for blood tests to see if I am hyperthyroid, but I guess I'm not...it's just the Pristiq. Waiting for this to level out.
I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to go to my mom's for Thanksgiving. As it stands now, I'm drinking an Ensure before I take my Pristiq and not eating much else. I feel drugged and ill. I don't feel like I should be driving. Maybe I can go to the store tomorrow before I take my morning dose? Maybe I'll feel okay then. I really don't feel like doing all of this, but I feel like she's counting on me to make food and be at her house. There were so many years when she made Thanksgiving dinner; I feel like I can't say no, you know?
Anyway...wish me luck!!
Jasper looks adorable in his car seat...
@mistriTsquirrel wrote:@fortune Oh, Jasper!! I wish I had a Jasper. Milo is so awesome, but there are things you can do with a dog that Milo won't/can't do. How old is Jasper anyway? Did WHN get him from a rescue? He seems like he would be the ideal sidekick for adventuring.
I don't know why, but Pristiq makes my heart rate go up. My psychiatrist and PCP were concerned when I initially started it, and I was sent for blood tests to see if I am hyperthyroid, but I guess I'm not...it's just the Pristiq. Waiting for this to level out.
I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to go to my mom's for Thanksgiving. As it stands now, I'm drinking an Ensure before I take my Pristiq and not eating much else. I feel drugged and ill. I don't feel like I should be driving. Maybe I can go to the store tomorrow before I take my morning dose? Maybe I'll feel okay then. I really don't feel like doing all of this, but I feel like she's counting on me to make food and be at her house. There were so many years when she made Thanksgiving dinner; I feel like I can't say no, you know?
Anyway...wish me luck!!
Jasper looks adorable in his car seat...
Jasper is a rescue dog. He's eight years old. WHN takes him everwhere he goes, so Jasper is comfortable in most any situation. He even went kayacking with his dad, and Jasper hates to be wet! When you feel better, maybe you can get a doggie! There's a lot to consider when choosing one. Jasper picked his Dad at the rescue open house!
I'm sure you checked out the side effects of Pristiq. I noticed that a fast heart rate is one of them. It may take a couple of weeks before you settle in to your current dose and know how you're going to feel.. I'm glad you are keeping in close touch with your doctors!
I checked with my son about his shopping excursion for Thanksgiving. What a job that is! He was pretty lucky to be able to get everything, but they were all out of sage. He discovered a bottle of sage in a display! He's really brave to take this on. I hope you can figure out a way to eat with your mom. Remember that you can get most everything already prepared at the grocery store. Do you have a Boston Market where you live? You can get baked chickens or turkeys there ready to eat.
Good luck to you, Milo, Heidi, and your Mom, and I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving day!!!
Jasper on his Dad's tummy!
@fortune Aww...he's a snuggle bunny!! Do you have one of those t-shirts that say "ask me about my granddog?" I think you can even get one with the dog's picture on it. 
Well, Thanksgiving never happened. I made it to the store and bought the stuff, but my mom has been having trouble with her diverticulosis. Not sure if it's a full-blown diverticulitis attack or what, but she wasn't feeling up to it Thursday or Friday. So I put stuff in the freezer. I'll try to eat the salad stuff. I still don't have much of an appetite and have been tired, so I wasn't terribly disappointed that she didn't feel like doing Thanksgiving. We did have a conversation about when she should call her doctor though. She's always hesistant to do that; I told her if she sees blood she needs to call. She said she hasn't seen any at this point.
Anyway, I hope your Thanksgiving was great!! I'm sure spending time with WHN and Jasper was fun regardless. How did the food turn out?
I hope one day I get to have a dog. But my mom counts on me to watch Heidi at times, and she pretty much hates other dogs. She will be 11 years old next month. That's hard to believe, because she still acts like a puppy. I could borrow her from time to time, but she hates riding in the car so much. Such a weird little dog.
*You're signing up to receive QVC promotional email.
Manage Your Account
Find recent orders, do a return or exchange, create a Wish List & more.
Get More with QCard®
Enjoy Your QCard Easy Pay Perk!
Customer Service
Work with Us
Stay Connected
Download Our QVC Apps
This is Shopping Brought to Life.
Privacy StatementGeneral Terms of Use
QVC is not responsible for the availability, content, security, policies, or practices of the above referenced third-party linked sites nor liable for statements, claims, opinions, or representations contained therein. QVC's Privacy Statement does not apply to these third-party web sites.
© 1995-2024 QVC, Inc. All rights reserved. | QVC, Q and the Q logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc. 888-345-5788