BG Medical Random Question Thread

[Buffy]

Anyone take GLP 1 injections? Any tips on this process?
When is a good time of the day to start? Can you take the medicine if you're sick with flu or sinus infection?

For me the nausea is highest in the middle of the week. I inject on Sundays. I tend to inject at night. I've injected when sick with a cold, for me it didn't particularly increase any negative effects of the medicine that I recall.

Also, the cpap machine almost entirely eliminated my nausea. I was on a 0.5 mg dose for about 6 months and I've been on a 1mg dose for about 5 months and was throwing up 5-7 times a week on average - almost every morning when I woke up, within 15-30 minutes. In the 6 weeks since I got my cpap machine I've thrown up twice. I'm TOLD this is because low pulse-ox can lead to nausea on it's own, although I haven't found any great documentation on that from a reputable medical source online.

[kuronosan]

That's because it's generally untrue. It can make you really dizzy, which can cause some people to feel nauseous, but in itself does not generally "cause nausea".

[archibaldcrane]

For me the nausea is highest in the middle of the week. I inject on Sundays. I tend to inject at night. I've injected when sick with a cold, for me it didn't particularly increase any negative effects of the medicine that I recall.

Also, the cpap machine almost entirely eliminated my nausea. I was on a 0.5 mg dose for about 6 months and I've been on a 1mg dose for about 5 months and was throwing up 5-7 times a week on average - almost every morning when I woke up, within 15-30 minutes. In the 6 weeks since I got my cpap machine I've thrown up twice. I'm TOLD this is because low pulse-ox can lead to nausea on it's own, although I haven't found any great documentation on that from a reputable medical source online.

Ozempic or tirzepatide? If Ozempic I'd look at tirz, if tirz you may want to look at retatrutide (better weight loss, less nausea)

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[Buffy]

For the first time in 7+ years since the first time it was measured, my A1C is under 7.0.

Now to get it under 6.4 and start rolling back the ridiculous quantity of meds I'm on without going backwards.

[kuronosan]

Ozempic or tirzepatide? If Ozempic I'd look at tirz, if tirz you may want to look at retatrutide (better weight loss, less nausea)

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Look, I'm trying to say this as nicely as possible, but don't give medical advice like this to people. Unless he lives anywhere else but the US I wouldn't be using anything compounded or sold from other countries because it's really fucking easy to overdo it and die.

When retatrutide is available, knock yourself out.

Sucks that this shit is expensive but it takes discipline to use these drugs correctly.

[archibaldcrane]

It's really not that hard

(source: I'm doing it right now)

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[Melena]

So, met with a spine surgeon yesterday to go over my MRI. They are pushing workers comp for an epidural as a diagnostic tool as they feel that if it the epidural calms things down, then I will need a spinal decompression surgery performed. Bulging disk is between my C5 and C6 vertebrae.

Trying to look it up online for what exactly it can entail, recovery, etc. and most of what I find is for lumbar decompression, primarily for those with bad sciatica. Any idea what I may be looking at if Workers Comp gives the go ahead and I need this?

[Talus]

So, met with a spine surgeon yesterday to go over my MRI. They are pushing workers comp for an epidural as a diagnostic tool as they feel that if it the epidural calms things down, then I will need a spinal decompression surgery performed. Bulging disk is between my C5 and C6 vertebrae.

Trying to look it up online for what exactly it can entail, recovery, etc. and most of what I find is for lumbar decompression, primarily for those with bad sciatica. Any idea what I may be looking at if Workers Comp gives the go ahead and I need this?

They're most likely talking about doing a diagnostic epidural steroid injection to see if you get relief in your symptoms.

If you need surgery, you're most likely looking at a single level ACDF (anterior cervical discectomy and fusion), and I'm sure you can find some Google links or YouTube videos about it. I'm not sure if any ortho spine surgeons or neurosurgeons lurk on BG, but essentially a lot of these are done on a same day surgery basis, e.g. you may start with a phone interview after your surgeon books the case with a pre-anesthesia/preop doc or NP/PA.

Not sure what your medical history is aside from the bulging disc, but any testing that may be indicated may be ordered including blood work, ECG or certain "clearances" like if you have a history of cardiac or pulmonary disease (those two are probably the most common that may be requested).

[Tyche]

Worked neurosurgery for 7+ years. ACDF's are same or next day. Peyton Manning had this surgery and played a record breaking season in the NFL after. As far as spinal surgeries, it's one of the easier ones to manage. Not that any are easy, but getting back to baseline is, generally, absolutely doable unless there's some unknown crops up.

[Outlaw]

Where do you take used pen medication for disposal?

I have been on an injection for Crohns for months now. They sent a sharps box with it and now I have it packed full. The company that sends it said you have to dispose according to state/local guidelines. I tried to look up TN regulations and couldn't find anything. I called a pharmacy. They won't take it. The county health department won't answer the phone.

[Elizara]

My recommendation after kicking Google: Check here. That should tell you where to get rid of those things.

[Outlaw]

There isn't one anywhere close to me. I guess I'll do like everyone else around here does and toss them in the river.

Kidding kidding.

The closest one is on the other side of the Smokey Mountains National park on the NC side. ^^; You can't just go through the park west to east. I would have to drive all the way around.

[Elizara]

Ouch. The other thing; call the doc that prescribed the med. They may be able to help you. Seriously, as someone who had some nurse training and a dad who was a medical lab tech and had gotten stabbed by a dirty needle once (and had to go on AIDS meds for a few days), there's a reason that medical people are careful with sharps. (If that gets you curious, PM me lol. It's a humdinger.)

Otherwise you might have to drive around that park.

[Meresgi]

So heart started to flutter yesterday afternoon after gym. figured it might be gas since I was very gassy due to something I ate for lunch (Probably deviled eggs) but it kept up for a few hours and felt light headed around 7:30 or so, went to Urgent Care and they said I had a few PVCs in the small window they did the EKG. This morning felt fine until making coffee and then lightheaded again so went to ER. Blood work was good, EKG only showed 1 extra beat (but was hooked up for shorter period of time then Urgent Care) and doc finally came in to tell me to make appt with cardiologist which I have set for Thur morning to get a heart harness monitor probably.

Looking online I do see that gas can cause hiccups/pvcs and since i'm having a lot of pvcs that then can cause the light headedness so i'm not super worried yet but have a family history of afib, dad died at 42 of a massive heart attack though was more then likely a result of his diabetes being a major issue and wearing down his organs over and over again. Grandfather died of a heart attack but he was in his 80s.

So how worried should I be? lol

[Salodin]

I'd avoid the caffeine and uppers until you get it situated at least

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[kuronosan]

I would avoid caffeine for now and tell the cardiologist about your family history of afib. They might recommend a Holter monitor.

[Byrthnoth]

Make sure you call your insurance to confirm you're approved for reimbursement before you agree to see specialists, though. Heart shit can get expensive really quickly. I ended up hitting my deductible cap a few years back when I got Holter monitor'd by an in-network specialist at the recommendation of an in-network doctor because the insurance company decided I was too demographically low risk to cover and told me it was my fault that I didn't clear it with them first.

Fucking wearing an ipod for like 2 days and get hit with a 4k bill? no thx, plz

[kuronosan]

That's a pretty fair point. Always check to see if you need referrals and what's covered/not.

[Dimmauk]

I'd avoid the caffeine and uppers until you get it situated at least

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Also avoid high sodium sports drinks like Powerade

[Meresgi]

Make sure you call your insurance to confirm you're approved for reimbursement before you agree to see specialists, though. Heart shit can get expensive really quickly. I ended up hitting my deductible cap a few years back when I got Holter monitor'd by an in-network specialist at the recommendation of an in-network doctor because the insurance company decided I was too demographically low risk to cover and told me it was my fault that I didn't clear it with them first.

Fucking wearing an ipod for like 2 days and get hit with a 4k bill? no thx, plz

The ER doc asked if I had UHC and I was like "yeah" and he told me how Hopkins and UHC are apparently fighting right now..so UHC won't allow anyone to see specialists as a referral from any Hopkins location or doctor...fucking love this country.