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.