[Anonymous November 13, 1996 at 6:03 am Post count: 93172]

#1058225

Yes Bruce, MVP or mitral valve prolapse is a condition of varying degrees affecting the mitral valve of the heart…Sometimes you can hear a murmur over the heart with a stethescope, and the docs usually grade this murmur according to what they hear…Alot of people run around with heart murmurs, but if circulation or blood pressure are impaired it merits looking furthur.

As for insomnia, I was queen of insomnia until I learned of a medication…Since Bruce didn’t choose to name his medication, and I don’t know if it’s against the rules…Oh heck, trazodone (aka: deseryl)…really helped me…Non addictive, too…safe, or so I’m told, but like you can really believe all you hear, right? I also use melatonin to promote sleep, herb teas, breathing. I agree with you, it’s really hard to keep up at work without sleep. Actually, I think the insomnia was the 1st symptom I had with my GD, then the eyes, then the tremors…and all the rest…

As I sit here, the sweat is pouring off my head, I’m hot, flushed, the heart rate is up to 116/min…at rest..I feel a little shaky…and my eyes are red and irritated again…Tell me this isn’t happening…I will get labs drawn tomorrow; seeing bith MD’s next week…Hopefully it will be just medication adjustment…My thyrotoxicosis can’t be coming back, can it? I sure am hot…back to my fans again. The stress on the job has been really high for 3 weeks…it all cumulated today with a long, spill-your-guts talk with my Medical Director. Talk about nervous, but it went well and I felt heard and supported, so..whew…Now everything is out in the open and I’m not carrying the weight of it all alone. I still believe “Time heals all wounds, and wounds all heels…” hehehe…And my dang hair is falling out to! What to do…? Till next time, hang in there. Thanks for the vent. Rachel

[Anonymous November 13, 1996 at 10:34 am Post count: 93172]

#1167995

Hi Rachel! Been wondering how you were doing.

Been sitting here trying to think of an analogy for what we go through, its kind of like a polititian running for office. His (or her) life is now out in the open and they get to live with all the opinions and criticisms that go with it. It takes a strong person to let it roll off.

With the Graves’, we are forced to tell people what is going on with us and then leave ourselves open for everyones opinions, etc. It’s just the nature of being human and they aren’t necessarily bad or cruel.

I’m sure most of us here when asked about a public figure would give their opinion, criticise or whatever. We are now more of a public figure, a target of what people think.

Enough philosophical ranting for now! I get in these moods you know

Love to all, Bruce

[Anonymous November 13, 1996 at 6:07 pm Post count: 93172]

#1167996

MVP (Mitral Valve Prolapse) is when the mitral valve in the heart does
not close after pumping blood out – blood comes back into the heart
instead of it all going out into the body which is called regurgitation.
When it gets bad enough that the body isn’t getting enough, or the
heart enlarges because it has to work so hard, you have heart surgery
and get a new valve. My nephew has a pig valve (which wears out after
so many years and has been replaced) or a stainless steel one like my
Dad. He sounds like the crocodile in Pinocchio. People can go for
years without needing the surgery. My doc expects me to be able to wait
until I’m at least 60 (13 years from now.

Hope that very unmedical explanation helps!

Donna

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