If you hadn't guessed from the post's intro, the antibiotic I was given for my bladder infection -- Keflex -- gives me the unfortunate side effect of anxiety. Full blown panic attacks for no reason. One pharmacist said it wasn't possible and another said it wasn't a common side effect but could be possible since I noticed it appeared shortly after my first dose. I had my first full blown panic attack at the 4 hour mark (4 hours exactly) after my first dose of the antibiotic. I had the latest round of panic attacks at the 31 hour mark after the last dose. A Google search brought up several people reporting anxiety being amped up as a side effect to the Keflex so I'm just going to wait it out.
Anyway, if you're wondering what's going on with my body scaring the chocolate chips out of me... it's been a crazy couple of days. I went to the ER 6 out of 7 days. (USA! USA! /inside joke) No, it wasn't fun. I was apparently dehydrated a few days ago and I received another round of IV fluids yesterday when I felt like I was going to pass out at the 2 hour mark of the last dose of the antibiotics. (side note: are we seeing a pattern yet?) Yesterday's latest round of blood work (yep, third time they drew blood in 6 days) showed something interesting: no anemia (it was at 11.1 out of 10 normal range cut off), platelets were the highest they've been in at least 5 years (175k out of 140k normal range cut off; up 75k from the last time I blogged), and I was basically the picture of health since even the bladder infection was gone after 3.5 days of the antibiotics. How my platelets were able to jump 75k on their own in 4 days, I don't know. I didn't do anything differently except cut wheat out of my diet.
I felt terrible all night (starting at the 4 hour mark after the penultimate dose of the antibiotics...) two nights ago and then I nearly fainted yesterday morning (again, at 2 hour mark of last dose of antibiotics). The doctor said it was anxiety but I didn't believe him until today. Anxiety is real, y'all. I don't think it's anxiety caused by so many ER visits because even the doctors said I looked really relaxed while I was there and I don't feel stressed or anxious about anything; these panic attacks will happen randomly while I'm watching TV or praying or doing something relaxing. Thankfully 90% of the antibiotic has flushed out already, just to wait for the other 10% to vacate the premises in the next 38 hours.
Except for the random panic attacks (which I can thankfully manage through; I've had enough CBT training to ride it out without it escalating into something worse), I'm apparently okay. I definitely feel like myself again except I'm a little exhausted because I've only slept maybe 3-5 hours most night in the past 2 weeks due to the fever or ER visits. I'm so excited about the anemia being gone and the platelets having jumped so high on their own. My weight was still at a good place (within normal range) at last weigh in.
In a weird way, everything I went through in the past 2 weeks has made me more confident about what could be coming up for their upcoming Fall. Whether I return to Utah State to complete my degree in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education (Speech-Language Pathology) or I don't get re-admitted and end up going to Steubenville to continue my Theology MA degree, I'm ready. :) Now all I have to do is get back to my normal prayer routine.
In the past two weeks, I've fallen asleep praying the Rosary more times than I care to admit. I have missed praying either my morning or nighttime prayers about 5-6 times this past week. I haven't been doing the Chaplet of St. Michael Archangel either. I've mostly done morning prayers (missed once or twice), the Litany of Humility, and the Daily Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary because they're short and the easiest ones I do. No Mass or confession for me last weekend either since I was in the ER or unable to drive. Sigh. I miss it.
Dear body, please, no more scaring me. I'd like a little break from worrying about health issues, mmmkay? No more ER visits. No more bladder infections. No more plummeting platelets or anemia, okay? Thank you. lol. Anxiety, you can go fly a kite. You're not welcome here.
Anyway, anxiety has finally subsided a bit (yay!) so I'm going to go read or do something fun. The weather is cooperating so I may take a drive in a little while. :D
I hope everyone else is having a better time than I am. lol. Thank you all for your continued prayers.
As always, thanks for reading and God bless! :D
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