I'm ba-ack..

[calmloki]

So back in February I was inquiring about Sotalol vs Metoprolol:
Sotalol vs. Metoprolol for the heart crowd
Got up north and went in on Wednesday for hospital monitoring to see if I was a likely candidate for Sotalol. On Friday they decided I was good, so they did an 8AM cardioversion and I was on my way home by two. Had better energy, got a few things done, and on Sunday drove twenty miles to attend my sister's mother's day dinner. Finished dinner and was outside getting the obligatory pictures taken and lost control of my right side and ability to speak. Kinda frustrating! Family loaded me into a car, drove me to the close local hospital, got an immediate CT scan and they discovered I had blood clot that had left my heart and plugged my left carotid. So back to the original hospital I went. Dropped off to sleep in the ambulance and when I woke had some control of my speech and R hand. They operated via a small groin incision around midnight and removed the clot.
Monday I was using a walker with some serious challenges in the morning, did much better in the afternoon and got moved to a different room. By Tuesday I was walking and went up and down a flight of stairs one footstep per tread. Scored 49 out of 56 in a physical therapy test and I was off to my home about 3. Honey driving, because duh. This morning showered and walked around the block - wearing, but did it.
A few more small projects this morning, then beating back the email and catching up a bit on the board.
Yes, I am a lucky man. Good fortune follows me. Oh - I'm still on Sotalol, but they changed my blood thinner from Pradaxa to Xarelto.

 

[Ronstar]

Whoa - Be well calmloki!!

 

[euro]

Wow! Amazing story. Glad it worked out so well for you - scary, scary stuff!

 

[Jerry1]

Wow. What an adventure.

 

[aja8888]

Yikes! Take care! Glad to hear they figured it out.

 

[MarieIG]

Wow!!! It's a good thing you got immediate medical attention. So glad to hear that you are ok.

 

[Koolau]

So glad you seem to have 9 lives, calmloki (maybe minus one or two by now. ) Best health to you going forward.

 

[marko]

. Finished dinner and was outside getting the obligatory pictures taken and lost control of my right side and ability to speak. Kinda frustrating! .

"Kinda frustrating" has to be the understatement of the year! Be well!

 

[W2R]

Scary! Take care and I hope your health continues to improve.

 

[AudiDudi]

My wife takes Xarelto - spendy drug! Glad it worked out for you.

 

[Chuckanut]

Best of luck as you continue your recovery.

 

[REWahoo]

Wow calmloki, what you describe can truly be called a stroke of good luck. You got great care and got it quickly. Hope you continue to progress to a full and complete recovery.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Wow! Good luck on the continued recovery!

 

[Koolau]

My wife takes Xarelto - spendy drug! Glad it worked out for you.

DW and I both take Eliquis for A-Fib. VERY spendy, indeed. All the "new" blood thinners, Pradaxa, Xarelto and Eliquis are very "spendy." I was offered Warfarin instead but it requires monthly monitoring and is much more of a hassle. DW and I both tolerate Eliquis well, so are willing to pay the price for the added protection from stroke.

Thank God for the robust Pharma industry. We all love to hate Big Pharma, but I still give thanks for them (heh, heh, and I own their stock.)

All the best to you calmloki. Few things more important in ER than your health. Blessings.

 

[pacergal]

Whoa, what a story.
Well wishes for continued recovery.

 

[Dreamer]

Yikes! So happy to hear that everything worked out for you.

 

[calmloki]

A note on the blood thinners. I took warfarin for a number of years with no issue - except disliking getting blood draws to check my numbers. It was much much handier to have a home test kit, poking my own fingertip, and calling in the self-test numbers. If I was out of range the nurse would call with new doses of coumadin, and maybe have me get a blood test to verify truly wild numbers.

Went to Pradaxa at my Doctor's urging - wasn't really happy with it - no way to check my numbers independently, stomach upset, and more care involved in keeping the pills from the air. So now I'm upsold to Xarelto, which is significantly more expensive and doesn't allow me to check my numbers independently. We can afford the Xarelto (compared to dying..}, but I'd sure like to be more convinced that there are significant advantages over the old cheap coumadin.

Walking program says I did 0.5 miles yesterday in two walks, this morning 0.63 in one walk. Oddly, the non-stroke side, non dominant leg got tired and hurt a bit. both days. Making a fast return though - and looking at the odds for stroke or V-fib positive outcome I am sure not complaining!

Thanks all for the well wishes.

 

[Koolau]

A note on the blood thinners. I took warfarin for a number of years with no issue - except disliking getting blood draws to check my numbers. It was much much handier to have a home test kit, poking my own fingertip, and calling in the self-test numbers. If I was out of range the nurse would call with new doses of coumadin, and maybe have me get a blood test to verify truly wild numbers.

Went to Pradaxa at my Doctor's urging - wasn't really happy with it - no way to check my numbers independently, stomach upset, and more care involved in keeping the pills from the air. So now I'm upsold to Xarelto, which is significantly more expensive and doesn't allow me to check my numbers independently. We can afford the Xarelto (compared to dying..}, but I'd sure like to be more convinced that there are significant advantages over the old cheap coumadin.

Walking program says I did 0.5 miles yesterday in two walks, this morning 0.63 in one walk. Oddly, the non-stroke side, non dominant leg got tired and hurt a bit. both days. Making a fast return though - and looking at the odds for stroke or V-fib positive outcome I am sure not complaining!

Thanks all for the well wishes.

Heh, heh, you're walking more than I am. Keep up the good progress.

 

[AudiDudi]

A note on the blood thinners. I took warfarin for a number of years with no issue - except disliking getting blood draws to check my numbers. It was much much handier to have a home test kit, poking my own fingertip, and calling in the self-test numbers. If I was out of range the nurse would call with new doses of coumadin, and maybe have me get a blood test to verify truly wild numbers.

Went to Pradaxa at my Doctor's urging - wasn't really happy with it - no way to check my numbers independently, stomach upset, and more care involved in keeping the pills from the air. So now I'm upsold to Xarelto, which is significantly more expensive and doesn't allow me to check my numbers independently. We can afford the Xarelto (compared to dying..}, but I'd sure like to be more convinced that there are significant advantages over the old cheap coumadin.

Walking program says I did 0.5 miles yesterday in two walks, this morning 0.63 in one walk. Oddly, the non-stroke side, non dominant leg got tired and hurt a bit. both days. Making a fast return though - and looking at the odds for stroke or V-fib positive outcome I am sure not complaining!

Thanks all for the well wishes.

Don't know what you pay for Xarelto - wife pays ~$135/mo until she reaches the donuthole. (August)

 

[Koolau]

That's about what I pay for Elequis though it varies with each 3-month batch. I have Part D and I think I've paid as low as $240 and as much as $750 per 3-month supply. It's never the same but adds to a little less than $2K/year.

 

[calmloki]

I paid $100 co-pay for 30 days worth from the hospital pharmacy using Kaiser-Permanente Senior Advantage plan. Sure to be cheaper for a 3-month mail order supply fromKP. Well past donutholes - unless you have some powdered sugar ones?

 

[38Chevy454]

Good to hear you are on the way to a full recovery. Stroke is a potentially serious debilitating issue, but seems you got great medical care to prevent bad outcome.

 

[Gumby]

Glad that you are still with us and recovering.

 

[Gremlin]

Amazing story. So glad you are better and fingers crossed the good health continues.