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heart

no edge

Out on the slopes
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May 17, 2017
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Just got out of the hospital... Albany Med. It was my heart and I assumed it would be a replacement. But instead they reconditioned the old one with a pacemaker. I wore a heart monitor for the last week plus. On Tuesday my Cardiologist called me and told me to come in right away. I thought that he wanted weigh me and take my blood pressure. Instead he told me I needed work done. While I was skiing last Friday I had a bunch of events. One of the issues was a six second gap in beats. He contacted his guy to do the improvements and Wednsday I had the installation.

The surgeon told me I couldn't ski anymore. I told him that I knew lots of people with set ups like this. I am quite sure I will ski again.

The pain has been rough. They wouldn't give me much Morphien or oxy! Next time I will bring my own.

First day home the world was crisp and my mind seemed brighter. Let's see how it goes.
 

Scruffy

Making fresh tracks
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Good luck with it. I hope it improves your life and you ski again.
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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@no edge sorry to hear you've had to go through this. I hope you recover fully and get back on skis.
 
Thread Starter
TS
no edge

no edge

Out on the slopes
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Thanks Tricia, I am hurting right now. But this too shall pass - I hope.
 

newboots

Learning to carve!
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Catskills
Having recently experienced bad news about getting older (arteries/cholesterol, shortness of breath/asthma or COPD, mild NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and it totally sucks. All of these were chronic but I found out about them all at once!

I have witnessed relatives who got a new lease on life with heart interventions. I'm so sorry you're hurting, but it sounds like it will be a notable improvement. See you on the hill!
 

skibum4ever

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I bet you will be back on the hill in good time. Heal well.

Pain meds are harder and harder to get prescribed. I had major surgery a week ago and have not been abusing them, but today when I called for a refill I was told it was time to start "weaning off".
 

newboots

Learning to carve!
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I bet you will be back on the hill in good time. Heal well.

Pain meds are harder and harder to get prescribed. I had major surgery a week ago and have not been abusing them, but today when I called for a refill I was told it was time to start "weaning off".

It is so hard to strike a balance, between treating pain reasonably, and feeding addiction. I feel sorry for anybody who isn't getting adequate treatment for pain, and I feel badly for doctors who have been vilified for over-prescribing (even if many weren't). The whole opioid crisis has been such a sh*t show. And so much life lost.

But sorry you're hurting! And you, @no edge , as well!
 
Thread Starter
TS
no edge

no edge

Out on the slopes
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It is so hard to strike a balance, between treating pain reasonably, and feeding addiction. I feel sorry for anybody who isn't getting adequate treatment for pain, and I feel badly for doctors who have been vilified for over-prescribing (even if many weren't). The whole opioid crisis has been such a sh*t show. And so much life lost.

But sorry you're hurting! And you, @no edge , as well!
Thanks for seeing the issue. All my surgeries included pain which was treated. It didn't take much but something strong was needed. They hung me out this time and I am irritated. That's not how it should be.
 

newboots

Learning to carve!
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Thanks for seeing the issue. All my surgeries included pain which was treated. It didn't take much but something strong was needed. They hung me out this time and I am irritated. That's not how it should be.
I’m not sure if it’s nationwide or only in states where I’ve worked, but there is a pharmacy database that shows what prescriptions a person has had filled at various pharmacies. (For physicians.) So it should be relatively simple to identify most of the high risk people vs. the people who have leftover meds after surgery. (It won’t identify addicts using street drugs, but a reasonable suspicion can be developed by talking to the patient and looking at their general health.) This is a pendulum swing, and while it means that many people won’t die, pain control is still important.
 

skibum4ever

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Yes, I too see both sides of the issue and realize how difficult it is to strike that balance. But I have had several friends who were suffering from long term debilitating pain, and were unable to get the pain meds they needed because of the abuses. I have also had a friend who was admittedly an addict die from bad street drugs.

I'm not smart enough to resolve this issue, but I am currently in enough pain to understand how terrible it is to endure 9/10 or 10/10 pain and be unable to find relief. There has to be a reasonable solution because the current situation is untenable.
 
Thread Starter
TS
no edge

no edge

Out on the slopes
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1,300
Update: Pacemaker is working I guess. It's set at 60bpm - to keep the heart beat at 60 minimum. I can't tell. The heart will respond to physical needs as required.

I am taking eliquis, a blood thinner. This is the reason the doctor banned skiing.

Fatigue levels are really high. I went skiing last Friday and my people were pissed. I wasn't supposed to go yet. Conditions were icy and crappy.
 

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