So, it's been almost two weeks since I last wrote about my "new" health issues (the skin turning red, the pressure in my head, the shivers, etc.). I guess I should give an update to anyone who might be following the situation.
I had a third attack the Sunday following my last report. The first time I had hoped it would be a one-time only thing. The second time I hoped it wouldn't happen again before my doctor's appointment, figuring he could tell me what it was. But I told myself that if it happened a third time I would go straight to the emergency room and see what was going on. So that's what I did.
It was pretty bad that time...I won't say it was worse than the previous two, but definitely their equal. After waiting for what seemed like forever...and after the symptoms had long since subsided...the doctor came in and informed me that it was almost certainly a side effect of the Niaspin my heart doctor had prescribed a few months back. He didn't know why it had not manifested itself sooner, but had no doubts that was the problem.
My heart doctor appointment was yesterday morning and he confirmed what the ER doctor had suspected. A severe reaction to the Niaspin. I was instructed to discontinue the medication, which I happily agreed to do. I can't stress enough how awful it felt when one of these came on me. My head felt like it was about to explode. Perhaps it was just my anxiety, but I really felt like I might actually die. It was the feeling of pressure in my head and upper body, almost like rocketing blood pressure, that put that fear into me.
Actually I'd stopped taking the medicine immediately after learning that it was responsible for the attacks, I wasn't going to wait for my doctor to tell me. I've had no trouble since then, so hey hey hey!
Thanks for the well-wishes and prayers.
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