I Want A New Drug
Nov. 30th, 2013 01:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyspriteSo at least I have a reason for why I've been feeling sicker and sicker instead of better and better every day. It's a lesson that had to come at the cost of another ER trip, but such is life.
I came home from the hospital feeling, if not great, at least as decent as could be given the situation. And I rested, and I nibbled a little food, and I took all of the meds they prescribed me, just as directed. Including, among other things, dexamethasone and oxycodone.
I knew the dexamethasone could cause some GI upset, but I figured I wasn't going to be on it for too long, and the alternative to taking it was not being able to swallow, so I guessed I'd just tough through it. And when I started losing my appetite and feeling sick, I just stopped eating, and hoped that I'd get better when I finished the dex. And I kept taking my oxy like a good girl.
And I kept getting worse. And worse. Until, by Thursday, I wasn't even able to keep water down. At that point I had given up on most of my meds, but it was too late. And when I called my doctor on Friday morning, he ordered me into the ER...
....where they informed me that one of the main side effects of oxycodone, especially when taken on an empty stomach, is apparently severe and extreme nausea. Go figure. You'd think it should say that on the label somewhere.
Two hours and two liters of IV fluids later I was sent home with orders not to take the darn stuff anymore. I've got some vicodin instead, but to be honest at this point I'm pretty gun-shy about pain meds in general - it seems that no matter what I take, I have the choice of being essentially comatose, puking up my toenails, or both. Thankfully, I'm at least starting to feel a little better. I'm mostly managing the pain today with rest and heating pads, and I've managed my first actual meal since last Thursday (hooray for scrambled eggs and toast!). One step at a time.
This entire situation has certainly been a learning experience....
I came home from the hospital feeling, if not great, at least as decent as could be given the situation. And I rested, and I nibbled a little food, and I took all of the meds they prescribed me, just as directed. Including, among other things, dexamethasone and oxycodone.
I knew the dexamethasone could cause some GI upset, but I figured I wasn't going to be on it for too long, and the alternative to taking it was not being able to swallow, so I guessed I'd just tough through it. And when I started losing my appetite and feeling sick, I just stopped eating, and hoped that I'd get better when I finished the dex. And I kept taking my oxy like a good girl.
And I kept getting worse. And worse. Until, by Thursday, I wasn't even able to keep water down. At that point I had given up on most of my meds, but it was too late. And when I called my doctor on Friday morning, he ordered me into the ER...
....where they informed me that one of the main side effects of oxycodone, especially when taken on an empty stomach, is apparently severe and extreme nausea. Go figure. You'd think it should say that on the label somewhere.
Two hours and two liters of IV fluids later I was sent home with orders not to take the darn stuff anymore. I've got some vicodin instead, but to be honest at this point I'm pretty gun-shy about pain meds in general - it seems that no matter what I take, I have the choice of being essentially comatose, puking up my toenails, or both. Thankfully, I'm at least starting to feel a little better. I'm mostly managing the pain today with rest and heating pads, and I've managed my first actual meal since last Thursday (hooray for scrambled eggs and toast!). One step at a time.
This entire situation has certainly been a learning experience....
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Date: 2013-12-02 03:11 am (UTC)