Going Viral - a random note

Just gotta be honest; as I feel at the moment I don’t want to see of hear any reports of any text, video or image going viral. Since the end of last week I’ve been the victim of something viral, albeit of a gastro- intestinal variety. The diaorrheal component began last Saturday evening and by Sunday had become quite chronic; this symptom remained constant throughout Monday and Tuesday, without regard for my having substituted modest amounts of plain food (and avoidance of caffeine) in place of real food, alongside doses of loperamide / immodium.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, four urgent visits to the loo were necessitated prior to 04.30hrs, so a further dose of loperamide was required. Miracle of miracles, no further visits to the aforementioned loo were required, other than false alarms, before a further twenty-six hours had elapsed (06.30hrs on Thursday morning) and things seemed to have normalised. A cause for rejoicing, albeit of short duration; by 11.30hrs the old enemy had returned.

I trust my friends will avoid mention of things “going viral” when in my presence!

GP or not GP that is the question

and nothing has improved since the previous posting, simply a more sustained discomfort; apart from the spasmodically acute pains in chest and abdomen, yesterday saw a return of my faint giddiness which cut short a visit to Helen's Church (Wesley) for a spot of lunch.

Up until 19 January, apart from my usual tramadol (painkiller), mometasone (nasal spray), I'd be taking 2x30mg lansoprazole (proton pump inhibitor) each day but still needing the odd dose of Gaviscon at night. On the 19th, the doctor I saw took me off the lansoprazole and switched me to a different ppi, namely 1x40mg esomeprazole daily.

On 9 February, I had the appointment mentioned in my previous posting (Worth A Mention?). In his effort to ensure that he involved me in the decision making process, the GP I saw this time somehow decided that I should continue with the esomeprazole (although it was proving less effective than the double dose of lansoprazole - except briefly on the initial few days) but also prescribed 10mg domperidone (a dopamine antagonist) to be taken 3 times a day.

Apart from the increased discomfort, and even occasional bouts of volatile diaorrhea, I once again find myself wondering whether the chest pains are in fact directly connected with my gastro-oesophageal problems. I quite simply had the feeling that the GP just wasn't interested!

In A Spin

These sudden plunges still prove alarming, no matter how many times one experiences them; it's almost as if I could feel the colour draining from my face. In  an instant an overwhelming maelstrom of gut churning, muscle spasming, head spinning, washed-out giddiness, yields a fearful disorienting discomfort. A pulse racing, nauseating, vertigo veils every semblance of familiarity from one's immediate environment.

Perhaps, this time, it's a belated response to last night's extreme restlessness which was accompanied by randomised stabbing pains in the lower abdomen. My beloved arranged a GP appointment for me this morning; I was about due for a review, in any case, to check whether my current increased ppi dosage was proving beneficial. Today I saw a different doctor from the practice and, she has decided to try me on a different ppi, and has set up a further appointment for three weeks time to check on progress etc.

At the moment, my gastro-oesophageal problems seem to be in competition with other muscular aches, pains and spasms, in an attempt to grab my full attention.