Last week, I met with a new nephrologist, a kidney specialist, at the acute kidney clinic where I am being treated. I got the impression to be received without judgment, and that he was looking for solutions to my state as a comatose brain.
I was honestly almost mentally absent throughout the appointment, too tired from a big weekend. Since we only have my boyfriend’s daughter on weekends, I accumulate my energy during the week to enjoy it with her. But at the beginning of the week, I look more like a zombie than anything else, and it was particularly intense that morning.
I no longer have a regular nephrologist since I am in end-stage renal failure. I am now a patient at the acute renal failure clinic in Trois-Rivières. From what I understand, it allows a more regular follow-up, every 3-4 months, for patients who must be seen frequently. In addition, if I have a sudden health issue, I can be taken care of very quickly.
I am not against changing nephrologists from time to time. We were pretty much at the end of what we could do with the old one. That someone reviews my file with a new eye, my old eye finds it to be a positive thing! Who knows, maybe I could get better?
Hypotheses and solutions
The new nephrologist tells me that my constant nausea can be caused by my polycystic kidneys (which, as we recall, are several times the size of healthy kidneys). The size of my kidneys can slow down the vascularization of my digestive system, apparently. I have a new medication to speed up my intestinal transit to try to compensate for this.
Previously, I was told that since my kidneys did not touch my stomach, it could not explain my nausea. At least now, we have another hypothesis, rather than just saying that it is not related.
Except that if this is the case, after the transplant I will still have nausea. We will cross the bridge then, I just hope that with more energy it will be easier for me to live with it!
Also, kidney failure creates a lack of red blood cells, which is a type of anemia, and my blood lacks oxygen. To compensate for this, I started last week iron infusions done at the hospital, once a week for 3 weeks.
The PH of my blood is not adequate, I now have baking soda to take in tablet form twice a day. The too acidic PH in my blood could also be responsible for my nausea, and possibly of my constant brain fog. That makes a lot of potential reasons for not feeling good. My former nephrologist told me pretty much that it was in my head. It was insulting, but I went to check just in case. The psychologist I see has been confirming to me for 2 years that it is not psychosomatic. But the nephrologist didn’t believe me…
The best hypothesis I’ve heard, if the treatments started don’t work
He also made an interesting hypothesis explaining why this brain fog is so intense in my case. Before my current career, I worked for 9 years in rehabilitation in severe behavioral disorder, with a clientele living with an intellectual disability and / or autism. I was working in a center where there was a lot of violence, because of the type of person we were trying to help.
In 2017, I injured my right shoulder and neck while trying to control a patient. Half an hour after the event, I could no longer hold paper with my hand because my arm had no strength, and I began to have a headache. With physiotherapy and time, and a job change, it got better. On the other hand, I still have chronic tendinitis in my right shoulder, and Arnold’s neuralgia that affects my neck on the right side.
I need to take painkillers so as not to feel the intense headaches on the right side of my neck and skull. I’ve been used to taking them for years. With them, I rarely have symptoms unless I turn or tilt my head for too long. Since this injury, I am always the person who arrives in advance in meetings to choose a place that will be optimal. 😛
My new nephrologist suspects that with my decline in kidney function, my kidneys can no longer filter my medication well. It is possible that I will feel more the side effects of drowsiness. Not a bad hypothesis! Next time, I’ll ask him if he thinks dialysis could help filter it out.
A satisfying meeting
We are finally in action! I hope my condition will improve, but if not, we have other hypotheses to build on! I walked out of the doctor’s office sleepily, but a little relieved. I need help, and I felt that I was being given some! ♥
Bowl of chips and happy nap
As I said, I was really not doing well last week; I really had my head deep in fog. I had a hard time thinking, I constantly forgot what I was doing, and I just had no memory. I spent two days in bed, in a unfortunate bad mood that left to be desired. I was watching a show? I was frustrated because a piece of the story was unlikely. I was trying to play a game? I complained on the length of the prologue, then on the length of the dialogues, then on the controls. I was making myself lunch? Nothing tempted me less than all of our available food.
On Tuesday, I ended up going outside to read, buried under blankets (I’m cold all the time :P), with a big bowl of chips and a beer chosen only because of the mirror name of my mental state. I fell asleep for 2 hours in my horizontal chair, after finishing my book. When I woke up, I was already feeling better.
All this is to say that sometimes all we need is to let go a little bit, and to surrender to the sun. ♥
Follow me for more news!
