Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Wonky meds and a sick cat




The last 24 hours have been - for lack of a better word, frantic and worried. I had seen my P-doc on Monday and she said my lithium level was way too low, something I suspected as well. I had been on 3000 mg of lithium prior to my illness in March. Since Easter i have been on 600 mg. And since May, I have been ultra- rapid cycling faster than Lance Armstrong.


So it wasn't a surprise to find out my lithium has been doubled, as of yesterday I am on 1200. I seriously believe by the time of my next blood draw- around the 10 of November, it will be upped again.

Cymbalta, currently at 60 mg a day is staying as is until the lithium gets to the right level. I was really hoping to start tapering down to 40mg.

Yesterday, I took a nap for about 30 minutes, cat resting against my left leg. I woke up and she continued to sleep. Nothing new there, cats spend a good chunk of their lives asleep. It snowed, and was cold. I turned the heat on for the first time this year, and had the electric blanket on. Kitty loved nestling up against electric blanket.

I noticed she hadn't touched her food bowl since the morning, and hadn't used her box, nor touched her water bowl. I went to collect her, and she meowed a strange, plaintive meow I never heard before. it was small and hardly audible, like a kitten's.

She was up the entire night, sitting on the couch in a sphinx like position, looking sort of like the Sphinx, and the lions at the NY Public library. But she was staring into space and if I tried to get near her, she would meow, hiss, spit. Then go back to staring.

I was afraid to go to sleep, and i kept trying to coax her to eat, opening a tin of tuna which she wouldn't touch ( Her favorite), and putting some whipped cream on my finger. Again, she wouldn't touch it.

This morning I called the vet. But she must have had her kitty ESP going, because she ate a few hours earlier, used the litter box, drank her water, and batted her catnip mouse. But still won't let me hold her or pick her up. The vet said it sounds like she might have a cold, but if she was eating and using her box, there was no discharge from her nose, and her breathing is clear, keep monitoring her for another day and if there is no improvement or the same, bring her in tomorrow.

I was walking to put the phone in the cradle, and next thing I know I am on the floor. I was feeling light headed all morning, but did have some breakfast. I must have fainted. i put the phone back, and went to the bathroom. And saw my face. I must have hit the floor hard, my face was bruising badly, and my wrist and hand were swelling too.

I sat back down on the couch, reading a book I have to review, and a few pages into it everything gets blurry. Then I wake up on the floor. Fainted again.

Twice in one morning.

No sleep, fainting, I feel slightly manic, and need to take care it doesn't progress. So I am logging off the computer for the rest of the day, listen to a bit of music and read. Watch the World Series tonight and get some good sleep.

Hopefully by tomorrow both the cat and i will be back to our old selves again.

14 comments:

Monica Cassani said...

Susan,
can you stay with someone? If you're passing out, I'm worried about you being alone...

or have someone come stay with you?

I'm so sorry...sounds awful.

kw said...

Susan~Gianna is so right. You really should not be alone. Have you called any of your doctors?

My cat Newman, who I thought was on death's door, is much better. So, I'm sure that your kitty will be fine too. After all, they do have nine lives!

Sweetie, I'm worried, so I'm going to e-mail you, and give you my phone number. No pressure, but if you need to talk, I'll be here.

Southernbelle said...

Oh, Susan--this is terrible! I completely agree, you shouldn't be alone now. I'm scared you're going to really get hurt! Or sick again! Oh, I wish I lived close enough to drive over and stay with you--or bring you here to my house and look after you!!

*sigh* When on when are you going to catch a break?! This is so unfair!!!

I'm glad you called the vet and that he didn't seem very alarmed. But I am worried about you driving!!! Then again, I know how much you love Holly...oh dear. I just hope so much that she will be all better tomorrow. (And you too!)

I love you both, and you and the Striped One are in my prayers! (I emailed Mollie so that she and Ziggy can join in the prayers, and my mom is praying too!)

Warmest hugs,
Patti

sbwrites said...

Susan,
I'd call my doctor at once and report the fainting spells. It's not only dangerous to be alone, but you could really hurt yourself. It would seem like it's medication-induced because the only thing that's different is the change in the dosage of Lithium, and maybe it's too big a jump too soon.

Hope you feel better!

Susan

Laura said...

I agree with the rest. Fainting is something you should be concerned about. You shouldn't be alone.

I hope you're doing better soon as well as your cat.

Anonymous said...

Call your doctor and in the meantime drink water, fainting on standing could be dehydration from the raised lithium. Or call 911 next time you faint because one is supposed to go to the ER when one faints, it's a rule :). Seriously, it is a rule in first aid classes and from doctors' nurses. Fainting is a symptom of something wrong but can also lead to serious harm.

Ana said...

Susan,
I'm also worried. It's really not good to be alone if you''re fainting.
Take care!

Mala50 said...

Please take care, it sounds as if you are having a very hard time.

Love and a hug

Mary (Mala50)

susan said...

Hi Everyone!

A small update, I got some sleep last night and feel like a new person. However the sleep was not too good, a lot of teenagers outside the apartment complex with fireworks. Philly phans!

They upset the kitty, so I went outside and told them to please get off my stoop it was upsetting the cat.

They went out in the middle of the parking lot, and that calmed her down.

Holly (Cat) has eaten, sipped at water, done number one and two in her litter box. And got lavish praise for it. (I really need a life).

She got a new cat nip mousie to play with earlier this morning, and has been batting it around.

Right now she is on my lap, half her body on my tummy, half of it on the computer mouse.

I am in bliss listening to her purr.

I think I went on the double dose of lithium way to quickly, so it's going to be slower to get back up to 1200 mg.

Thank you all for the support and love. I don't mind being alone when I know I have great friends like you.

-Susan S.

Ana said...

Good do know you're fine!

horsesforcourses said...

Gosh Susan, I hope you can get your meds sorted soon so you're back to rights.

Glad you have a lovely healthy kitty as company

Take care of yourself

Rasp xXx

soulful sepulcher said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Immi said...

Ahhhhhh :) I'm so glad you and Holly are both feeling ok now. Yay!

Synchronicity said...

oh my goodness are you okay? you have me worried.

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