Busy time

I have been really busy during the last couple of weeks.  I haven't gotten much done for my business.  But on an up note, I have been doing a pretty good business sewing for an older lady.  However, she has asked me to make her some jackets.  I will and I am working on them.  However, the quality of fabric is disgusting.  I never thought that in my lifetime, I would see the United States without a manufacturing base and I never thought I would see the citizens of this country settle for the garbage that is being shipped here and sold.  There is no good fabric and notions out there.  I judge everything by fabrics.  And what I am seeing today is really trash.  Trash with a high dollar price tag.  I would liken it to going to the city dump and loading up on garbage and paying for the privilege.  When I began sewing in the 1960's, there was quality wool, Compton Corduroy, wonderful cottons and denims.  Now all you can find is polyester, spandex, nylon.  The quality of the cottons is pathetic.  It was stuff we would find at the dollar store and we would not use it.  Now it is considered quality fabric.  This country has really sunk to third world status.  And it is shameful.

Crocheting and Sewing.

I have been really making scarves, but these are for cold weather, not fashion.  I can only get into winter stuff when it is cold and by then I need it.  So, I am working like crazy.  I picked up some flannel today to make jackets.  I got a really good deal on it and may go back tomorrow and get more. 

I am continually amazed that the lack of quality in fabrics.  We didn't know how good we had it before NAFA.  We had fabric mills here in this country and they turned out quality fabrics.  Compton corduroy was a staple.  And the wools were outstanding.  Not anymore.  At least 90% of the stuff I am seeing now I would have found in the dollar store years ago and I would not have used.  Now I have no choice.  And I cannot even find corduroy anymore.  I can find half way decent denim.  Cottons are another matter.  They are definitely inferior.  I am delighted when I find an estate sale with a fabric stash.  I buy it all.  But those are few these days.  And most people do not have a clue about the quality or lack thereof of the clothes they buy.  I taught my daughter and my sons how to shop for clothes.  Inspect the buttons.  Turn the garment inside out and inspect the seams.  There should be no loose strings nor any loose buttons.  There should be concise cleaning instructions in the garment.  But I am not happy with any of the ready made either. 

My sewing machines, of which I have 5, are going to get a real workout this winter.  I am making quilts for the animals.  Daisy does better with the quilts than any pillows.  My grandkids love quilts so grandma is quilting along with all my other sewing. 

I have finally started my sewing business.  I have picked up a couple of clients and have been really busy.  I finished hemming 12 pair of slacks for one lady and have 1 more pair to go and two jackets and a robe.  I have been sewing around 8 hours per day.  Love it.

Crafts on hold

My crafts have been on hold today.  My 4 legged friend Daisy has severe allergies and today was a really bad day for her.  I had to make a wild run to the vet's office for steroids to counter the allergy attack.  Back to crafting tomorrow. 

I have been busy

I have been busy.  I have been crocheting like crazy.  I will post more items when I get them done.  I fully intend to do a lot of children's scarves, hats and mittens.  Right here in my small community, we have a lot of poverty and there are kids that do not have the necessary items for cold weather, so I will be finishing those first. 

New face of this blog

I am turning this blog into a place to post my products for sale.  I don't have the kinks worked out yet, but I will.  Check back regularly to see what I make and post.  Here are a couple of my items. 

I had posted these on another blog.  These are synthetic yarn and I used a method called finger crochet.  They are a great addition to a wardrobe.  When I get everything set up, I will be selling these for $25.  I am working on a lot of other stuff as well. 

Getting away from opinions

In addition to writing reviews of products I have tried, I am now going to add my creations to this blog.  I do Hope you like them. 

The top scarf is done in shades of purple and is finger crocheted in the new
Sashay yarn.  The bottom scarf is also done in Sashay yarn and is in shades of silver, black and gray. 

This scarf is also in Sashay yarn and is in shades of silver, brown and gray. 

Varsity Ford in College Station Texas

I needed an oil change on my Mercury Milan.  I had used Varsity Ford when I had my Mercury Marquis so I figured they would be ok.  So I took my car in, told them I wanted and oil change and a new air filter.  I waited for around 1 1/2 hours with only 3 people ahead of me.  Well, I got a real surprise when I was called.  I paid almost $4/quart for my little car and was told it took 6 quarts.  I was charged 19.95 labor for changing the oil and another 19.95 for changing the air filter.  My total bill for an oil change was $79.  Ok from now on, I change my own oil and air filter.  This is just outrageous.  No wonder the economy is in the toilet.  Every business out there is out to scam the customer. 

Still dealing

Apparently I am going to have to deal with the after effects of the hydrochlorizyde for the rest of my life.  I finally got my skin cleared up including my hands, but I never stopped getting large tumors on my arms.  Well now they have gotten really bad.  If I fail to take an antihistimine then my arms and back break out in huge welts that itch like crazy.

These are all over my right arm.  I have some on my left arm, but not like this.  And on my back. Wierd stuff and none of the doctors ever made the connection.  We have real jewels for doctors. 

Immune system

I think the docs have really screwed up my immune system. I popped a reaction last night.  Severe itching all over.  I took an antihistimine and the itching went away along with the huge welts.  And I'm not sure they haven't done some damage to my heart.  I am going to see a cardiologist as soon as my doc sends my records to him.  The skin on my arms looks like a burn victim.  Not as bad, but it does not have the texture of normal skin and I can't get in the sun without sunscreen.

My guys and gals.

Daisy counter surfs if I leave her free from the crate when I leave the house.  This is going to be a real problem if I go to my son's home for Thanksgiving.  My oldest will have to take care of them.  That means that Daisy will spend most of that time in a crate.  I have drawers in the bottom half of my kitchen cabinets.  I love it.  I was keeping the plastic containers in one of those drawers.  No more.  Daisy figured out how to open those drawers.  So now I have no plastic containers, my dish towels will all have to be washed and there are no more chips in the house.  Oh, and she ate the tomatoes that I had way back on the counter. She drives me nuts.

Still dealing with the after effects

I don't know if my skin will ever return to normal or not.  Unless I take an antihistimine every day now, I have to endure severe itching on my hands, arms, feet and legs.  I will also develop huge bumps, really itchy ones.  Apparently those docs really screwed up my immune system.  Never again.  I am really careful what I come in contact with, what I eat and will not take meds.  This is insane and miserable. 

Blood Pressure meds

It has been 10 months since I started taking Hydrochlorizide and 6 months since I quit taking it.  Before that doctor put me back on it in December, I had no problems.  Now I have trouble with my blood pressure and swelling of my feet.  My arms are almost clear.  My back is not ever going to get back where it was.  My hands are mostly clear.  I will be very careful what I let them give me from now on. 

I used a natural salve on my hands and I use a scrub made from olive oil, honey and brown sugar on my hands every day.  I am staying away from all chemicals.  I use all natural soaps.  Had I stayed on this medicine, I would probably be dead by now.  Yeah, big pharma is really looking out for us. 

Skin condition

I don't know that my skin will ever fully recover from this bout with blood pressure meds.  I deal with constant itching.  I deal with my hands swelling and breaking a great deal of the time.  I deal with my fingernails dying.  Never again will I take anything like that.  I will rely on diet and exercise and natural remedies.  Wish me luck.

Still recovering

It has been 8 months since I started having the reaction to the blood pressure medicine and I am still recovering from that.  My arms, while mostly well are still rough and itchy.  My back is another story.  I deal with the itching all the time.  It is just the itching now, no oozing and bleeding rash.  My hands have not healed.  I am still dealing with the broken and swollen skin.  The itching and pain are constant.  Maybe by the end of the year, I will have it cleared up.  My skin, however, does not seem to be returning to it's original smooth texture.  My son says that that is consistent with a chemical burn.  I won't be trusting doctors again. 

TEEX

I went to work for TEEX about 3 years ago.  Back in July, I decided I wanted a less restricting job.  So I found that job.  It was part time and perfect.  I turned in my resignation to TEEX,giving them two weeks notice.  I was asked if I would stay with them part-time because they were under a hiring freeze and did not know when that would be lifted.  I felt guilty for leaving them under these conditions and because I ignored  my own mantra, I said yes.  So I let my perfect part-time job go and went back to TEEX.  I left on a Wednesday, the end of the pay period.  I got a call on Friday.  The other woman whom I worked with called in sick.  There was no one to do the job.  Would I come in and do the afternoon run?  Idiot here, sure.  So I left on July 16 and returned to part time on July 18.  And on August 6, after I left work, I got a call from my supervisor that I was not longer needed and was being terminated.  But they would be calling me as needed.  I went ballistic.  No, you will not ever call me and you can take the job and shove it.  I gave you two weeks notice and gave up a good job to return to help you out and this is what I get.  I went in on Thursday morning before hours, put my keys and name tag in an inter office envelope, wrote a nasty note and put my supervisor's name on it and I left. 

What I have since found out through the grapevine is that no one in my department knew what was going on.  Seems out o the blue a woman from another division was being installed in my department, would only answer to the department head and was to do filing, and general stuff around the department.  And she was being paid office associate salary of around $30-35,000.  She was to help my co-worker sort the mail and deliver it in house.  What this amounted to was that my co-worker was to have all the dirty work and this woman was to basically do nothing.  Ergo, me on the line to call when my co-worker called in sick or took annual leave.  In other words, I was supposed to be on call.  The only time I have ever seen this happen was when some old fool was looking out for a girlfriend.  Don't know, don't care.  That whole agency is hostile to women.  There are about 11 divisions in this agency and all but 1 have directors who are older white men.  Anyway, just goes to show you are your own corporation and you have to take care of you.  I did not heed my own advice, but it will never happen again.  Now I have to find another job. Oh, and the one who does not have an old white man in charge is their token minority.  And he is a man.  No women.  

Recovering

I think I am kinda recovering from the effects of the blood pressure meds and the attempts by the doctors to make it worse.  I still have secondary infections in my fingers and it does hurt.  I wore cotton gloves all day Sunday and yesterday because they were so sensitive I could not stand to tough anything.   A little better today, but not much.  I still itch like crazy.  A friend brought me a natural salve today.  I am going to try that tonight.  Man, I hope it works.  I am really tired of this.  I have been dealing with it for 8 months.  I sincerely hope that all those docs that screwed me with this medication has an allergic reaction and winds up covered with itchy hives that they can't get rid of.  That would be payback.

Now I am getting mailing from Terry Jones asking me to take part in a skin cancer study.  First, I don't have any skin cancer.  Second, I would not let that man treat a hangnail.  And he is using his patient list to contact people. I wonder if that is even legal.  Guess I'll have to dig in and find out, but in Texas, whatever a doctor does is peachy keen. 

Recovery

I am still dealing with the fallout from the blood pressure medicine.  My back will not clear up and every time I am in the sun, even with two shirts on, it flares.  My arms are still covered with bumps and itch like crazy, but thankfully no more blood.  My hands are a different matter.  My fingers stay swollen and bleeding.  I can't seem to get it cleared up.  I can only use the steroid cream for three weeks and the skin that comes back is paper thin and very fragile.  I will never trust another doctor.

Update on Blood Pressure meds.

I now have a sun sensitivity.  It mostly manifests itself across my shoulders.  Even through two shirts.  My arms are almost clear, but the skin that has returned is not very nice.  My hands are a different story.  I have secondary infections in the skin in my fingers.  They swell, split and bleed.  They are very painful.  All because 7 doctors did not know what the hell they were doing.  I do not trust the medical profession at all.  I got a survey call a few months back asking which hospital I preferred in my area.  My answer: my vet hospital.  "No, I don't think you understand.  I am asking about human hospitals."  Me "Yes I do understand and my answer is the same.  My vets are much more knowledgeable than any of the doctors I have seen and they care more.  If I could get them to treat me, I would."  Her reply, "Ok, I see.  I will note that.  Thank you."  No follow up and no more surveys, but I meant every word of that.  When my vet saw my arms and hands, his exact words were, "You need a round of steroids along with an antibiotic."  Not one of these doctors have bothered trying that even when I asked.  My internist, who caused this initial problem this time, passed me off to a dermatologist and told me there was nothing more he could do for me.  This would be Dr. James Bonds.  The first dermatologist, Terry Jones, handed me a steroid spray that specifically said not to use on open wounds.  My arms were two massive open wounds.  I complained to his office that it was causing me asthma like symptoms.  Nope couldn't do that.  Double up the dosage.  I threw it away.  The last dermatologist I have seen prescribed a burn kit, my cost $81, two steroid creams, and a steroid lotion to the tune of $121.  These charges are after my insurance paid.  No prednisone, no antibiotics.  I am so done with doctors.

The sensitivity

The sensitivty and angry skin have moved to my palms.  My fingers are swelling and breaking open and bleeding now.  My arms are much better, but every time I am in the sun, they get worse.  It will take months to get this mess cleared up and all because the so called smart doctors decided I needed high blood pressure medicine.  Never mind I had had and allergic reaction once before.  It is low dose and it won't cause you any problems.  Sure it won't.  Just misery for a year.  Oh, and if you really do survive it, we will put you on another one.  Not going to happen.  We all die from something and I would rather die from a stroke than live like this. I woke up with blood all over the bed from my fingers breaking open and bleeding. I'm back to wearing a pair of cotton gloves with latex over them.  I don't trust doctors.  They are just like politicians.  Give me your money and I will have your best interests at heart, wink, wink.  

Slowly improving

My arms are almost back to normal.  Not completely, but such an improvement.  It will take at least 3 months to reach that goal but I am well on the way.  I will not ever take any meds other than an antibiotic when needed.  I can't go through this again.

Misery

I gave up yesterday and went to another dermatologist.  He was shocked at what I looked like.  He did a biopsy and gave me a prescriptions for some meds.  He also told me to stay completely out of the sun. He doesn't think I have skin cancer, but he was very concerned about my condition.  Guess I will look for another job where I will be inside all the time.  I will hate that, but I will do it.  If I ever get over this, I will not take anything those doctors give me without researching the side effects.  I won't get in this mess again.

Two weeks after stopping the Topicort

This is two weeks after getting rid of the topicort.  I am much better, but the itching is almost unbearable.  And I am now very sun sensitive.  Sunshine makes it worse.  And nothing touches this mess except Noxzema cream.  It helps with the itching and keeps it clean at the same time.  This is not a plug for Noxzema.  I am just stating a fact and thank goodness for Noxzema.  I don't think I could stand it otherwise.  Some spots are still oozing, but it is 100% better.  I think, if I had stuck with the doctors, they would have killed me.  And I started calling the dermatologist on Tuesday after beginning the Topicort on Monday.  I told the nurse that it was not working and was in fact making it worse.  She called me back and said the doctor said to use it 4 times a day instead of two.  By Wednesday, I was having real trouble breathing and had started with the bloating.  I called again.  ":Look, this is making it worse." No call back. So on Thursday I called my doctor and told the nurse I needed to see him.  I got an appointment for Friday.  Then on Thursday afternoon, I got in real trouble.  I had blown up by 10 pounds and could not breathe. I sat straight up in a chair all night and did not know if I would see morning.  I was afraid to go to the ER.  I was afraid of what they would do to me.  On Friday morning, my doctor's office called and told me that "The doctor says that he can't do anything for you so you don't need to come in."  Friday afternoon I finally got a call back from the dermatologist.  He wanted me to come in on Monday to get a prescription for Prednesone.  I could have been dead by Monday.  I went on Monday and got a statement that I could go back to work and nothing else.  I'm finding new docs.  Actually, I wish I could just visit a nurse because the nurses know more than the doctors.  The doctors just take whatever poisons big Pharma gives them and passes them on to the patient.  They don't even bother to pass along the bad things that can happen nor do they bother to monitor you.  I'm done.

ADT

ADT is the absolute biggest rippoff on the market.  It costs an arm and a leg to get it installed.  It is worthless in a fire because the electricity goes off and their system is powered by electricity.  And just try getting them to remove the system after they have it installed.  Oh, and even after you have the service discontinued, the system is still on and still running.  When the batteries start to run out, then you are blessed with a continual beep or a loud screech.  Non stop.  And they do not want to send anyone out to disconnect it.  There was one in my house when I bought it and I never bought the service.  About a year after I bought my house, then the batteries started to go.  So I called and was told that since I did not subscribe, it was not their problem.  I pitched a fit and they sent someone out to disconnect.  I thought that was the end of it.  Nope.  There is a backup unit in the attic.  About a year after that, I again encountered the loud screech.  I called again.  Again, well, you don't have our service so and that's as far as I let her get.  "Get someone out here and take this crap out of my house or my next call will be to the Attorney General's office then to my state senator and state representative, followed up by a call to the city.  You have to have a state, a county and a city license and I will do my level best to have those licenses yanked.  At the very least, I will create so much hell for you that you will wish you had marched right out to my house and taken care of the problem.  They sent someone.

Allergic reaction

I am doing much better.  The swelling and broken skin is for the most part gone.  I still have really inflamed arms, upper chest, and upper back.  The upper chest and upper back are caused by sun sensitivity.  It seems that after all this crap, I am now sun sensitive. And the itching, the Godawful itching.  It is driving me mad.   Great.  Me. And outdoor person and I will have to be covered from head to toe.  Hopefully, this will all clear up.  After quitting the steroid spray, it took me until last Wednesday to be able to breathe easily.  It was like I had asthma, which I do not.  However, I do sympathize with those who do.

Not out of the woods

I went back to work on Monday and it has been a rough week.  My arms are much better, but the itching is almost unberable.  The swelling is gone and most of the open places have healed over.  However, I do still have large red bumps on my arms and the rash is not completely gone.  It will be a cold day in hades when I let those doctors give me anything but a basic antibiotic.  These pictures were taken just a few minutes ago.  It seems if I hit the shower as soon as I come in, the itching is not so bad.  I hope this passes soon.  I am really tired of this.  As you can see, there are no open  sores and swelling is way down.  Granted it still looks horrible.  I am just soaking them in Epsom salts and that seems to be helping.

Effects of corticosteroid Tricort

I had been having trouble breathing all week since starting the steroid spray.  He told me to use it 4 times a day.  The instructions said no more than twice a day.  So on Monday, I started it with twice a day.  I used it Monday, developed a cough.  I used it Tuesday and noticed some wheezing and tightness in my chest.  I started stepping down from it on Wednesday because I was not liking what was happening.  I used it once on Wednesday and once on Thursday morning.  By noon on Thursday, I was developing more tightness and wheezing.  By Thursday night, I knew I was in trouble.  I had popped on water retention to the tune of 10 pounds.  I could not get enough air to my lungs.  I had a headache and I was scared.  I was so scared, wrote my son a set of instructions on what to do if I died.  I set a text message to send to him with instructions to call an ambulance.  I left my door unlocked.  I sat up all night because I was afraid to lie down.  I was afraid to go to the ER because of what the doctors had already done to me.

Well, I made it through the night.  All day Friday, I was so weak, exhausted, back ache and still short of breath and wheezing,. but better.  So, I had already called the doctor on Wednesday and told him I was getting off the spray.  Well, his office called me on Friday.  Could I come in Monday morning to get an oral steroid prescription.  I told her what had happened and her answer was, "Well, the doctor is gone today, but come in Monday."  Yeah.  It is now Saturday night and I am finally able to walk through the room without stopping to fight for breath.  Most of the bloating is gone.  But I am so tired.  And I have had a headache all day.  Needless  to say, I will not be trusting these docs again.  I think the dermatologist was using me for a test subject to see how the Topicort would react.  Common sense thing to have done both for the internist and the dermatologist was to have given me a prescription for an oral steroid.  My arms are no longer swollen, but they look like someone has been at them with an ice pick.  It will take a good month to get them back in shape.  But at least I am alive to do it.

I lived

Last night I was not sure I would survive.  I was in respiratory distress.  I was swelling and bloating  That lasted most of today, but I think I am now pulling out of this mess.  I threw the steroid spray away last night.  My doctor called me today and told me there was nothing he could do for me.  He wanted to refer me to another dermatologist.  Nope.  Wouldn't you think if I was allergic to one steroid cream, then it would stand to reason that I would be allergic to another one.  Well, I told that doctor that I would have the worst case scenario of reactions.  I did.  And now the dermatologist wants me to take prednisone.  Um, no.  I am not going to take anything.  I will just continue to soak my arms in epsom salts and wait it our.

Side Effects

My side effects to the Ziac
1)Swelling
2)Short of breath
3)Uneven heartbeat
4)Chest pain
5)Cough and wheezing
6)Rapid heartbeat
7)Pain and swelling in both legs and feet
8)Godawful hives, blistering, peeling and pain like you could not believe in my hands.
The pain in my hands felt like millions of needles under the skin pushing out.
9)Numbness and tingling in fingers.  Loss of feeling in fingertips

Side effects with Triamterene-Hydroclorothiazide
1)Boiled lobster arms
2) Severe itching
3)Bloating
4)Chills
5)Cough, hoarseness, wheezing
6)Dry mouth
7)Lower back pain
8)Numbness and tingling in fingers
9)Numbness and swelling in lips
10)Rapid weight gain
11)Skin rash
12) Thickening of bronchial secretions.

Topicort
1) Severe bloating
2)Severe problems breathing and wheezing
3)Insomnia
4) Pain in arms
5)Very rapid weight gain.

No more chemicals for me.

Most severe side effects of Ziac and Triamterene/Hydrochlorothiazide

In 1997, after a particularly difficult several years caring for a terminally ill family member, I was put on Ziac for high blood pressure.  Ziac is Bisprololan/ Hydrochlorothiazide.  I was on this particular drug for 11 years.  No blood work was ever done.  No one would take me off it and the data told me that if I just stopped cold turkey I could have a heart attack. In 2003, while working at the Post Office, I developed trouble with my hands.  I would have large pustules come up and break open leaving a horrible open sore.  I was sent to a Dermatologist or so I thought.  He said I was allergic to dyes in newspring.  I was supposedly allergic to cobalt, formaldyde, paraphenelediamine.  And the only thing to do was quit my job.  At this time, I was only 4 years away from retirement.  I chose to stay and suffer.  The Post Office did what they could to help.  I was given whatever I needed.  So for 4 years I wore white cotton gloves to contain the blood and surgical gloves over them to keep the blood off the mail.  I saw 4 doctors including an allergist for this condition.  Things came to a head in 2009 on a trip to visit my son.  I had reached the point where I could not even walk across a room.  I thought I was going into congestive heart failure.  When I got home, I called my doctor for an appointment.  I wanted a ball park figure as to how much time I had left.  The nurse, after asking my symptoms, told me that it was the blood pressure meds and to come in and confirm it.  The doctor agreed maybe I needed to get of the  meds.  He told me that they were low dose and I could just quit.  I called the pharmacist and he told me how to walk down off them.  By quitting cold turkey I could have triggered a heart attack.

I nixed taking anything for 6 years.  Then I let him talk me into taking Triamterene/Hydrochlorothiazide.  Notice anything about the two.  Both contained Hydrochlorothiazide.  So I got suckered again.  I diddled with it for about a year.  I would take one here and one there.  Finally, my sister pushed me into taking the daily.  Ok, I started in January.  By the end of January, my arms had  started chaping.  I blew it off to cold weather.  It just got worse.  So finally about a month ago, I went in to see the doctor.  By this time my arms looked like boiled lobster and hurt like hell.  As soon as he saw this, he said, "Oh, you can't take these meds at all."  He told me to quit taking them and they should be out of my system in about 2-3 weeks.  I was getting lots better.  That is until I used and anti-histimine cream on my arms.  Anyway, I will not be putting any more chemicals in my body.  I will take nothing.

Topicort

I threw the Topicort away this afternoon.  As I told the doctor, if there are serious side effects, I will have them.  I did.  The arms have not improved except for the swelling.  It feels like my skin will just split when I move my arms.  My feet and ankles are swollen and I am having trouble breathing. I would go to the ER, but I am afraid they would finish me off.  I will just wait this one out until this gets out of my system and I will never put any of these chemicals in my body again.  I will also make my own lotions.  I did find out that even though this started out as a reaction to the blood pressure meds, the lotions and anti-itch cream really blew it up.  The lotions contain Dimethicone along with a host of other chemicals.  The Dimethicone is to speed absorption into the skin.  And Dr. Jones told me that the anti-histimine cream was never to be used.  That and anti-histimine is ok in the body but not on the body.  So, I will just make my own lotions and creams with no chemicals.  I was so scared tonight that I wrote out instructions for my kids in case I don't make it.  That is how bad I feel.  It is not  fun feeling this way.  This is 9 doctors over the years that have put me on crap like this.  I'm done.

Going nuts

Ok, the itching and dryness is so bad I just want to rip my skin off.  I cannot open my hands all the way because the breaks in the skin hurt so bad.  My skin feels like it is on fire all the time.  I have a call in to the dermatologist.  Hopefully, he will do something.  Don't know what but this Topicort spray is definitely not working.  I am sick of this.  I have shooting pains in the skin and when I turn my arms, it feels like the skin will just spit open.

Waiting for a call back

Now I am waiting for a call back from my dermatologist.  I want to know if he wants to see me again.  Can I go back to work, and what can I use on my arms now.  Hopefully, I will get some answers.  When this mess started, I was using name brand lotions.  Then I added an antihistimine cream.  Apparently, the addition of the cream is what triggered the severe reaction.  It was aided by the lotions.  I wondered what role dimethicone  plays in lotions.  Apparently if aids in absorption of the lotion into the skin.  So apparently I was just pushing all this into my skin and it rebelled.  From now on, I will make my own lotions and there will be no chemicals.  I will be making my own soaps as well.

Precaution

So anyone taking blood pressure meds and has hives starting, see your doc immediately.  Demand that he change your meds.  This is a worst case scenario and this is the second blood pressure med that has done this to me.  The first one almost put me in congestive heart failure.  That was Ziac.  This one has not done that, but what it has done is horrible.  I can't even wear long sleeves to cover most of it because I can't stand for anything to touch my arms.  My hands I can at least wear cotton gloves, but this is misery.  My internist had never seen this reaction before.  My dermatologist had.

Day 4 of treatment

Well I am into day 4 of the treatment and the med is Topicort.  The active ingredient is desoximetasone,  a steroid.  I think I got this med because it is one that my doc developed.  Maybe I am a test subject, don't know.  Anyway, most of the swelling is gone.  My arms and hands now look like parchment paper that has been wet, dried and well aged.  The pain is still there.  And when I bend down to pickup something, it feels as though the blood will just burst through my skin.  And it looks like someone has used an ice pick on my skin.

New plan

Ok, I am so miserable.  Every time I move my arms, it hurts.  I'm taking the rest of the week off. Screw it.  I cannot work like this.  I'm waiting on a call back from Dr. Jones's office.

Misery

Just spent 20 minutes with warm compresses on my arms and hands.  They are slowly getting better.  Latest photos.

Follow up on blood pressure meds

I have been off the blood pressure meds now for about 4 weeks.  I thought I was doing fine.  The severe angry skin on my arms was going away.  No more itching, no more breaking and bleeding.  Well, on Thursday night, I used an anti-histimine cream on my arms assuming I was doing the right thing to control the itching.  Friday they were a little worse, so I used  more cream.  They kept getting worse throughout the day.  Friday night they were swollen and really itching and painful.  I was slathering on the lotions along with the anti-itch cream.  Saturday they were worse.  As the day progressed, they were so swollen.  Late afternoon, they were broken out in pustules and oozing blood and pus.  I was freezing, my teeth were chattering.  My temp was 96.7.  On Sunday morning, at least the oozing and bleeding were better.  Again I kept up with the lotions but I did not use the anti-itch cream.  They were so swollen you could not see my elbows.  On Monday morning, I went to see my doctor.  He sent me to a dermatologist, Dr. Jones.  I had created the problem with the anti-histimine cream.  He told me to stop using everything I had been using and he gave me a corticosteroid spray.  I was to use only this.  I have used it three times.  The swelling is almost gone, but the skin is very angry, red, broken and still dying.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.  

So, if you are taking a blood pressure medicine and start having trouble with itchy hives, see your doctor and do not use an anti-histimine cream.  It can really be really dangerous.

Dangers of Blood pressure medicine

Back in 1997, after going through a tough 5 years with terminal illness in my family, I was prescribed Ziac for borderline high blood pressure.  There was no blood work done at any time I was on this and I was on it for 11 years.  In 2003, I developed a kidney infection that took a year to get rid of.  At the same time as this kidney infection, I developed problems with my hands.  I would develop large pustules on my hands.  My hands would swell and crack and bleed.  I spent 6 years in severe pain with this.  In 2009, I went to visit my son.  It was in Colorado and when I got there, I was having trouble breathing.  I could not walk across the room without stopping to fight for breath.  I said nothing to my son and when I got home,  I called my doctor. I was sure I was going into congestive heart failure.  I wanted to know how much time I had.  His nurse told me that it was the blood pressure meds.  I got off those things.

Fast forward to 2013.  I let that doctor talk me into taking Triamterend/Hydroclorothiazide.  I took it for about 3 months.  In that three months, my hands and arms developed a boiled lobster look.  It truly looked as though I had stuck my hands and arms in boiling water.  Needless to say, I went back to the doctor.  When he walked in the room, his response was "Oh, you can't take any blood pressure meds."  Ya think.  He told me it would take a couple of weeks to get out of my system and the lobster look and rash would go away.  Not!  Three weeks after getting off it, my hands and arms are swollen to three times their size, crusty and oozing blood and pus.  And last night I thought I was going into shock.  I was so cold.  I go back tomorrow.  Something has got to be done.  So, if you are prescribed a medication, make sure that all the side effects are made clear to you.  Look it up on the internet.  I was told with both these meds that they are low dose and can't cause me any problems.  Yeah.

A-1 towning in Bryan Texas

Never, ever use this towning and storage service.  After my son's truck was wrecked by an illegal pulling out in front of him, his truck was towed here.  He gave specific instructions that the truck was not to leave the tow yard without his consent.  They released it to the insurance company and it was towed to Houston.  When he called A-1, he was told that they had the proper paperwork.  The insurance company told him that the storage yard told them that my son had released it.  Needless to say, the insurance company brought back his truck.  A-1 stole his truck, pure and simple.  So, I will never use this company. There are other and better companies in Bryan.