Make Decisions to Protect Your Health

COVID is NOT a good time to “catch up” w/ all your checkups yo get out! You are up close and VERY personal while undergoing things about the face: vision... oral /dental cleaning... visual.. hearing!! The virus is spread via our oral spray from droplets dispersed from our mouths & nose!! So stay home!! Stop putting yourself in harms way as well as placing others in harms way! Quarantining means stay your self home!! Duh!

Have 2 MDs in my family and had an RN till she died at a young age for Non-COVID.... medical issues! Even my MD does tel-med (phone) appts!! No in the office routine exams!!

@onewhoknows Good morning. I certainly agree with you that everyone needs to do their best to mask and stay home! I’m a nurse and I’m immunocompromised and there are times when I must go to my doctor or dentist. All the medical offices are very careful because they don’t want to get or give the virus. And dental care is very important to overall health, too. The best thing, if one cannot stay home, is to trust your doctor, staff, and yourself. If they aren’t following the guidelines, have a meeting with the doctor, and explain why you won’t be coming anymore. But, please, don’t neglect your healthcare!
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/dont-avoid-your-doctor-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic

@onewhoknows. I totally agree with you on this and have put off all routine medical checkups and procedures, including dental cleanings, mammograms, eye and hearing exams, and yearly physicals. I don't want even careful masked medical professionals near me or my face and don't want to come into contact with other patients in waiting rooms. As one who takes preventative medicine quite seriously, it goes against the grain; but these aren't normal times we're hopefully living through. I'm in three high risk groups for Covid, and trying to avoid it takes priority right now. Please be safe and sensible. Nancy

You have it right on! Better safe than sorry! Yes to critical care appts.. but if it’s not life threatening... AFTER vaccines have fully kicked in is safer!!

I agree that we should stay home as much as possible and be protective of ourselves and others. I would like to do that but issues seem to keep coming up. I've been diagnosed with a jaw problem and have to see a specialist to be treated. Also lost a filling and have to see my dentist soon because it is uncomfortable. Had to get new glasses because I could not see with the old ones.... new ones are not right so I have to go back. Have two test appointments with radiology coming up for another medical problem. Am trying to find a vestibular rehab specialist to be treated for extreme dizziness and balance and more. I would love to have the choice to just stay home but I would advise anyone to not ignore medical issues that need to be diagnosed and or treated and some things just cannot be treated over the phone. But do stay home whenever possible.

@judyca7. I think you have the right attitude and view of taking care of yourself at this time. Going to the doctor or optometrist or even the grocery, when you have to, is smart. Why let issues get out-of-hand? I still go to the grocery when I need to. No lingering, no ‘just looking’ or window shopping. Hopefully, it will all end soon!

The issues you mentioned have ties to stress of quarantining... people can’t accept needing to quarantine.. they clench their teeth & break a tooth or crack a filling! Do preventative things to relax & aid in dealing w/ stress! Ie Epsom Salt baths... exercising... walking... to chill out! solo drives... to mention some...

RE dizziness.. you can be assessed via computer... a friend just got tested for the same.. she thought she had Meniers Disease. No.. she had to do a few sets of exercises to place the ear to the shoulder to settle any crystals in your ear. Also there are Rxs that can assist in the dizziness. Antivert (OTC) It really works till you can get the COVID shots 1 & II +
4 weeks! Plz look out for alternative means of solving the issue and poss. a Zoom meeting?? To get treatment.?? This is soo real! I know numerous folks that don’t get it! They think 1 shot protects one immediately! Nope!
Also that if you are relatives... you can get together! WRONG!! ! It’s only your household ( under your same roof) & if you don’t test +!!! It’s something that’s more dangerous than risky!

I just lost a sister to non-COVID Medical issues(58 yo!) she was an RN & followed the restrictions set forth in our State... set forth by the former Cf of the Medical School who guides our Gov. There are sooo many who don’t take this seriously! A neighbor had a boss who refused to provide PPE ( Personal Protective Equipment) He actually thought it was political
And LOCKED the Therapists out of the supply closet! My neighbor got it and was out of commission & Fatigued for sooo long!

I think I got it at our last year’s Legislative session. End of Jan to Beg’n of February!! I thought I was going to die b/c I couldn’t breathe! I coughed w/o being able to get my breath! I had every s/s... who was I shoulder to
Shoulder w/???? The Leg. & Reps. that came in from NYC & DC ... the epicenters of COVID... before most ever heard of it!! ME!!

Plz.. take this seriously.. it it’s truly life or death.. go early in the day( less germs) wear a mask over both mouth AND nose!! Face shield.. gloves... hand sanitizer.. use food p/u.. order on line then p/u at the time agreed on! No exceptions to letting folks “come visit or chat! This is real!

I had the privilege of working w/ an allied health agency while Dr Fauci was NM Cf Epidemiologist! He KNOWS his stuff! Even the latest about taking Tylenol’s! That is do NOT take it to lessen the pain of the vaccine.. it slows the body to ID the invader; the COVID Virus! Some try to take a Tylenol or Advil < getting their vaccine... wrong! suck it up buttercup!!

Be healthy & safe! Practice relaxation techniques.. esp TMJ w/ a pencil between your teeth! Google it! It really does help!

M

Reply to onewhoknows: You are correct about the preventative measures you need to take to avoid Covid! It's stunning to read/see that many places do not require everyone to wear a mask!

Your friend who thought she had Meniere's: Roughly 80% of people diagnosed with Meniere's actually have some other inner ear disease. Your friend had BPPV (Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo), which is very common, esp. among older folks whose inner ears aren't as young as they once were. The "benign" part of the name is a flat lie, as some people are totally compromised with BPPV, while others only have fleeting moments of intense vertigo, brought on by a sudden head movement...and variations between the two extremes. Many of us with real, honest-to-God Meniere's also have BPPV. Antivert works for some people with Meniere's but does nothing for others...(usually not for BPPV). Judy is seeking an appt. with a vestibular therapist, which is a good way to find a way to live a more normal life. From her descriptions of her symptoms, it's unlikely that BPPV is her main problem. However, there are several other inner ear diseases that have symptoms similar to those of Meniere's; two of them can be totally relieved with treatment. So, it's important to see someone who can sort through her symptoms, evaluate her, and, hopefully, determine the root disease. Judy can help the process by keeping a diary or calendar that indicates the kind of day she had AND even the slightest deviations from what's normal for her in terms of just about everything: diet, stress, possible allergens, weather...you name it. By doing that, she should be able to pinpoint the things that trigger bad days and work to eliminate them or deal with them.

In Oregon, we've been required to wear masks for almost a year. Stores don't allow anyone to enter without a mask worn correctly. Because everyone has been good about wearing masks in our small town, we've had almost no Covid (9 cases for over 8,000 residents), in spite of the fact that this is a town that relies 100% on tourism and our population increases to 50,000 on weekends with good weather and for much of the summer! For me, Meniere's went bilateral well over a year ago, and the true hell of this damned disease was so godawful that I didn't fear Covid as I was in daily hell already, both in terms of deafness and near-constant vertigo with V&V (vertigo and vomiting) crises every day for hours. I knew that my "trigger" is low hormone levels, but it took me almost a year to find a local doc willing to prescribe large doses of hormones to someone my age. Once I did, hearing in my one functioning ear returned to the level it had been prior to going bilateral, and the V&V crises stopped. I've had to step up daily vestibular exercises to offset the new damage to my "good" ear's vestibular function. I am out and about here almost every day, working to feed both those jobless due to Covid (tourism workers) plus those homeless following a local forest fire. I have had the first shot and will soon have the second...and, yes, I know that a shot does not mean immediate immunity, not even the second shot.

I read your note a couple of days ago, been thinking about this and just have to add my thoughts....gathered from my personal experiences. I don't know your age or individual issues. I'm 74 in 4 days!!!!! I've dealt with lots of medical issues though-out my life, adding to the list as I go.

My balance has been an issue for 15+ years, thus falling is a part of my life. I'm now much improved since my Mayo journey began. Dopamine has saved my life! My balance, leg strength, ability to p/u my feet and more are much better due to this medication for restless leg syndrome.

My eyes get blurred, often see double, burn, hurt at times.....Have arthritis in all my joints, can't get up if I fall, use cane-for 20ish years-and now a walker when I go out....and the list continues. BTW: Epsom salts works wonders, IF YOU CAN GET IN, SIT DOWN, SOAK, GET UP AND OUT OF THE TUB! I CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT AND SUGGEST MANY OF US ON THESE POSTS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES....I'D LOVE A WARM BATH.

I got several 'night-lights' from Lowes/Home Dept.....motion sensor and light sensitive that use AA batteries and stick on the wall w/magnets. One on the wall beside each step in my 14 step staircase in my condo and I can see each step......even if the electricity is off in a storm or I just need the extra light. Saved me numerous times from dangerous falls! I have them in my BR, bath and anywhere I need a bit extra light. Wow! What a difference in my life.

And, since that's my present lot and tub soaks are off the table, I go to the rehab therapy pool, 94degrees temp, and most of my pain melts away. Yes, I go 2X weekly during Covid9. BUT, I do so very carefully, mindful of my surroundings and following the best safety recommendations to a place with extreme safety measures. I do the same with same mindset re my health issues and staying on top of them.....diagnosis, treatments, tests, all of it. I go to Mayo for whatever I need knowing it may be one of the safest spots in town.....and, I'm careful.

You know, I agree with you in many ways. I just think we must be in charge of our own lives. I refuse to live in fear! Fear is detrimental to our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual lives.....so, I choose not to live in fear. I will not be beaten by this pandemic nor any of the issues I deal with in my life. I refuse to be beaten!

So, I'm proactive in my health and well-being. So far, I'm so much better. My wonderful Mayo visits have truly saved me. It feels really good to at least think I have some control over my life......We Do!

Blessings on your journey. Be safe, be well, be positive.....tough for sure. Thank you Mayo for help in all those areas.....These chat sites have really helped me on that count! May they help you also, in what ever ways you can benefit.
elizabeth

Your diligence is commendable!