Day 119 - when I just don't feel good

Today is the 7th day of the 17th week, the 29th day of the 4th month, the 119th day of 2023, and:

• Astronomy Day
• Bob Wills Day
• Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
• Eeyore's Birthday
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day
• Independent Bookstore Day
• International Dance Day
• International Sculpture Day
• National First Ladies Day
• National Herb Day
• National Go Birding Day
• National Kiss of Hope Day
• National Peace Rose Day
• National Pool Opening Day
• National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
• National Rebuilding Day
• National Sense of Smell Day
• National Shrimp Scampi Day
• Save the Frogs Day
• Shōwa Day, traditionally the start of the Golden Week holiday period
• Viral Video Day
• We Jump the World Day
• World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
• World Healing Day
• World Veterinary Day
• World Wish Day
• Zipper Day

Quote of the day:
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."

~ HL Mencken, Baltimorean journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English

Right off the bat, let me say that I totally believe googling one's symptoms can result in being convince that you are at death's door.    It's like reading the side effects of the medication you have been prescribed - it you pay attention to what the possible consequences are, you won't even take aspirin!

WARNING:  I am now going to become one of those old people whining about doctors and medicines.  If you don't feel like hearing it?  Stop reading now, have a nice Saturday and come back tomorrow!  

But then, when I was struggling with what was wrong this past summer, Google confirmed my suspicion that I was having an allergic reaction, so I started eliminating possible common allergens, even if I had taken them before without any problem.  Nothing CBD.  No more ginger or potassium vitamins to help with my leg cramps.  I even stopped eating guacamole because avocados might be an issue!  Finally, the only thing that was left was the Ozempic, which I had started taking in February and was gradually increasing the dosage.  The problems I was having were "very rare [1 in 10K]" but according to Google, had been listed as potential reactions.  I didn't want it to be Ozempic - it was doing a great job managing my blood sugar and I was even losing weight but I stopped taking it, and talked to my GP.  The skin problems cleared up after a couple of months, but the blood sugar was way out of control, I was coughing continually and was very short-winded.  

So, at the beginning of this year, I had to start going to an endocrinologist  [who put me on short-acting insulin] and a pulmonologist [who has me on a corticosteroid inhaler].  That's two new medications.  And some three months later?  The blood sugar is better, but not good and creeping upwards again altho my diet and activity levels have not changed.  And the inflammation of the lungs started to improve, but I am still coughing a lot, my vocal cords are strained [a side effect of the inhaler], and am just as short-winded.  In addition?  The itches have returned - not a rash yet, but reddened areas that itch like mad just as they did before the rash popped out.  I am increasingly fatigued, and at times what I can only describe as a "strange feeling" comes over me, kinda like a chill creeping down every nerve in my body.  It's getting to the point where I find it hard to do anything, even getting into the office is a real chore, much less actually going anywhere.  So, more than half convinced I must be turning into a hypochondriac, I consulted Dr. Google, who oh so helpfully informed me the early symptoms of anaphylaxis are:  a runny nose [yup, but it is allergy season], a skin rash [check], wheezing [check] or a "strange feeling" [check].   I

For crying out loud, I cannot be allergic to insulin!  I mean seriously - our body makes the stuff normally.  And the GP gave me three steroid packs that you have to take for 10 days to clear up the really bad rash, so how can the inhaler be causing the issue? 

but after the Ozempic fiasco, my doctor yelled at me for trying to tough it out so long instead of talking to her earlier, and I promised not to make that mistake again.  So on Wednesday I am going to march into her office and oh-so-helpfully proclaim "I just don't feel right" and hope that she will have some answers

On top of feeling physically unwell, part of me is very resentful that I seemingly cannot just tough this out.