So apparently it's my turn in the hospital now...

[Bob Schroeck]

Take it as easy as you can, BA, and take no risks. Not that it sounds like you are.

[Inquisitive Raven]

The nursing staff are glad that I'm counteracting the antibiotics by drinking plenty of probiotic yogurt-drinks. 

Okay, repeat after me, "Fermented foods good, probioitic supplements bad." I kid you not, studies have shown that taking probiotic supplements doubles the time it takes for your gut microbiome to recover from antibiotics. Stuff like kombucha, organic apple cider vinegar with the "mother" in, and unpasteurized sauerkraut will do you more good than supplements. I'm not sure where commercial yogurt and kefir fit in. I'd bet that homemade is better though. The issue seems to be that the supplements overload a few strains of bacteria which does not make for a balanced gut ecology.

[Black Aeronaut]

While I can probably find unfiltered apple cider vinegar and organic sauerkraut, anything even remotely alcoholic is right out because I take Remeron (Mirtazipine) with Wellbutrin (Bupropion).  I'd have to drop my antidepressants entirely, and given Wellbutrin's reputation...  It is a good antidepressant.  Almost too good - there's been a history of people going cold turkey on it, and then suddenly becoming suicidal.  And the Remeron has a multiplicative effect on it because it slows the liver from filtering it out of my system.

I was off my antidepressants while in the hospital, but they were aware of this.  They had me on Morphine at first to try and treat the pain, but had to change it up to Dilaudid (Hydromorphone)...  Which is twice as powerful as Morphine as well as being Opioid.  Zing.

Anyhow, for some the combination of Wellbutrin and Remeron is a dangerous one, but it works just fine for me.  No side effects thus far, and as long as I'm remembering to take my meds, it keeps the worst of my depression at bay.

At any rate, from what I've read, probiotics are fickle things that work for some, but not for all.  I seem to be one of the ones it works for as my trips to the bathroom became a lot more normal just a couple of days after starting on the yogurt.

[Black Aeronaut]

Update: Took the last of my prescribed antibiotics today. I'm going to be paying close attention to how I feel. If things seem the least bit off, I'll head straight over to the hospital - I'm well aware of how lethal appendicitis can be if ignored.

[classicdrogn]

I'd have thought they'd want you in for a second scan to see if things are cleared and healing up properly, myself. I'd advise pushing for it a little if you have any symptoms at all - not obnoxiously so, but enough that if the doc is at all uncertain about whether or not it's necessary, you give them the excuse to sign off on it. This is the same advice my former-Head-ER-Nurse mum gives any family member who takes ill enough to need to see a professional, but it does make sense if you think about it.

[Black Aeronaut]

Well, that's what my appointment this Friday is for - to verify that the abscess is not an issue and to schedule my the date for my surgery.

As for pushing it, I'm back to doing my regular work of driving as well as walking laps at the airport rideshare lot while waiting for pings.

Hoping to make a good bit of money today because San Japan is wrapping up, which means there's a lot of people heading back home.

[classicdrogn]

Not pushing your health - I meant being a moderately aggressive advocate for additional imaging/testing, but it sounds like that's suitably under control. Still decent advice in general to always ask questions and keep at them until you are confident you understand the answer, or at least that your doctor is confident in giving the answer..

[Black Aeronaut]

Hey guys!

Just had my colonoscopy today. They found nothing wrong at all, so they're going to set me up with a surgery to take out what remains of my appendix soon.

[classicdrogn]

That's good news then. May everything continue according to plan.

[Labster]

Slice and Dice, buddy!

[Black Aeronaut]

Well, that took a bit longer to make happen than I expected.

It actually happened a few days ago on the 6th.  I went in early in the morning, and left at about 4pm with three small incisions on my belly that have literally been glued together again, and minus one appendix.

Right now I'm on Tylenol (Paracetamol to those not in the USA) tablets that include 5mg of Hydrocodone for extra fun... As if I would be that fortunate.  My liver is living up to the family tradition* of being ridiculously effective so I don't even feel it.  I had to go and check to see if it safe to start on my Naproxen again (500mg tablets twice a day to fend off the pain from the developing arthritis in my cervical spine).

Combining the Tylenol+Hydrocodone with the Naproxen did the trick, and any drowsiness I'm feeling is strictly due to my sleep cycle being all over the damn place.

* - My maternal grandfather was the type of man that can pack away an entire CASE of beers, and then drive like a priest on Sunday - albeit one who was running late to give his sermon.  And he was NOT a big man by any measure.  He was a short, fiery Creole man known for laying out other men twice his size, because NAVY GODDAMMIT.

[Bob Schroeck]

Here's hoping for fast recovery with less pain.

[classicdrogn]

Here here, may everything about the procedure and recovery be normal, boring, by the book, and quickly over. Let's hear it for modern medicine, one of the things we can actually point to and say yes, humanity is making progress and doing it better.

[Dartz]

Glad your doing better. Best of luck with recovery.

[robkelk]

Get well soon!

and minus one appendix

No option to take it home with you? It is yours, after all.

[firvulag]

Get well soon, BA.

[Star Ranger4]

Get well soon!

and minus one appendix

No option to take it home with you? It is yours, after all.

 Why would he Rob?  it was clearly defective.

[Labster]

Right now I'm on Tylenol (Paracetamol to those not in the USA) tablets that include 5mg of Hydrocodone for extra fun... As if I would be that fortunate.

The acetaminophen is only there to be a poison so you don't take too many pills.  It's not a very good analgesic.  And if you look, the dose is the same as you'd get a tablet from your local Walmart.

Why would he Rob?  it was clearly defective.

I think there's a core charge for those things, so he turned it in.

Here here, may everything about the procedure and recovery be normal, boring, by the book, and quickly over. Let's hear it for modern medicine, one of the things we can actually point to and say yes, humanity is making progress and doing it better.

I bet they even sterilized the knives.  Progress!

Anyway, hope you recover fast.

[Star Ranger4]

Why would he Rob?  it was clearly defective.

I think there's a core charge for those things, so he turned it in.

Good point.

[Black Aeronaut]

It's not a very good analgesic.

Oh, so I'm not the only one? :V

Really, that and Ibuprofen hardly do a damn thing for me. I gotta have either Aspirin or Naproxen. Preferably with something nicely caffeinated.

Thanks for the well-wishes, all. The incision sites are healing up slowly but surely and I'll soon be having a post-op follow up.

[Black Aeronaut]

*Blows the dust off this thread*

Wooooo…

So.  Yesterday I had the worst gallbladder attack yet.  Four hits of Dilaudid all at once, and I was still feeling that bad boy… Though not so badly that I couldn’t finally get a few winks in.

Given my past issues with getting in touch with the scheduling department, and how severe this attack was, they decided to just straight-up admit me from the ER.

That’s right, folks.  We’re coming to you live from Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital’s Surgical Ward!  And today’s mission is get that fucking gallbladder gone.

I’ll keep you guys posted.  I just thought that I’d go ahead and reuse this thread as a fun reminder of how life just looooooooves to fuck with me.

[Norgarth]

I had my gallbladder removed a few years ago (it was full of small gallstones. So while blockages from stones didn't last long, they did happen much too frequently for my liking)

[classicdrogn]

Hope everything goes well and you get over the bit where you feel worse from the procedure quickly to enjoy feeling better from the results.

[robkelk]

That’s right, folks.  We’re coming to you live from Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital’s Surgical Ward!  And today’s mission is get that fucking gallbladder gone.

If they're anything like the historical Audie Murphy, you should be coming out of there almost superhuman!

Hope everything goes well for you.

[Bob Schroeck]

Here's wishing the best for you, BA.