I'm no doctor but my buddy [UPDATE]
I have a friend who has been on prescription acid reflux medicine and now drinks Mylanta Extra Strength like water just so that he can sleep at night. He's lost 20 pounds in the last five months and he's not trying to lose weight.
Secondly, both of his pinky finger have gone numb and his cheeks are going numb. He woke up the other morning and couldn't tell his facial muscles to move enough to talk because his face was numb. It seems like the numbness was confined to his one pinky finger and is now spreading to other extremities.
What do you tell someone that refuses to see a Doctor and tries to "be a man" and "tough things out"?
Secondly, both of his pinky finger have gone numb and his cheeks are going numb. He woke up the other morning and couldn't tell his facial muscles to move enough to talk because his face was numb. It seems like the numbness was confined to his one pinky finger and is now spreading to other extremities.
What do you tell someone that refuses to see a Doctor and tries to "be a man" and "tough things out"?
0
-
He's doing the right thing and getting the medical attention he needs. I got an update today. Some personnel issues are coinciding with his medical needs. It won't be long and he'll be back in the USA where he can get even better care. 0 -
Long-term high doses of prednisone can be problematic, I agree. At the same time, when I really screw up the nerves in my back, prednisone is the only thing that calms them back down and helps me get on with my life. I can take huge doses of ibuprophen for months, and it won't stop the pain. A week and a half of prednisone fixes it.
Also, my mother managed her lupus for 40 some years with prednisone. The side effects of the drugs were bad, but without prednisone she would have had a much, much shorter life. She did not, though, have any weight gain, staying trim almost all her life.
So far as I know, nobody on here is an MD, but it sounds like the fellow is finally getting some good help. I'm glad to hear it. I wish him a speedy recovery. idsman75, you're a good man for serving our country and for helping your friend.0 -
I believe he needs to see both a doctor and a shrink, have an endoscopy and go on Nexium if indicated.
Numbness in the pinkie can also be the result of disk injury impacting the ulnar nerve.
It sounds like his mental state is driving him to deliberately disable himself by poisoning with Mylanta.
The shrink will be able to get at the root causes.
The only stressful force acting on him that was discussed is the assignment to a worsening combat zone. That's a plateful in itself, but he may also be having problems at home to boot that have exacerbated the stress on him.0 -
quote:It won't be long and he'll be back in the USA where he can get even better care.
Good news!
Best of luck to him for a speedy recovery.
Our guys and gals in uniform have enough to worry about without fighting some unknown medical conditions.
You're a good friend to this fellow Idsman and I hope he knows that.0 -
quote:Originally posted by v35
I believe he needs to see both a doctor and a shrink, have an endoscopy and go on Nexium if indicated.
Numbness in the pinkie can also be the result of disk injury impacting the ulnar nerve.
It sounds like his mental state is driving him to deliberately disable himself by poisoning with Mylanta.
The shrink will be able to get at the root causes.
The only stressful force acting on him that was discussed is the assignment to a worsening combat zone. That's a plateful in itself, but he may also be having problems at home to boot that have exacerbated the stress on him.
He knows exactly what is wrong with him now. Apparently he saw a Doc shortly after he shot me the email. He's taking the Mylanta (not to self poison) so that he can continue to function in his job. This is an issue that started long before he deployed. He has an illness that is not related to combat stress although I'm sure the work that he does adds quite a bit to the problem. However, he can cope with it just as well as I did. I was healthy and the stress only caused mild indigestion which was exacerbated by very little mess-hall food and lots of MRE's. He's straight in the head. His physical state (which started back in the states) coupled with rough food is the primary cause.
I know him better than I let on but I can't say a whole lot more about him without compromising a few things. I've known him for about 25 years.0 -
"Chugging Mylanta like water" is self poisoning in my book. Overdoing
many over the counter medicines can put one in serious shape. This a judgement issue in a place where judgement can be critical.
The Medical Corps has to be represented there and has Nexium and/or Prevacid even in the Sandbox. Is there a valid reason he didn't seek medical treatment?
The Army I was in didn't look favorably on concealing deficiencies.
I wish your friend well. His element may not be the Armed Forces.0 -
He has sought medical attention. I've had my own personal issues through wich I have "toughed it out". It took awhile but my issues worked themselves out and I'm fine now. My buddy tried to tough it out but things got worse and the issues that surfaced back in the states (for which he WAS being treated by a Doctor) resurfaced in Afghanistan. He tried to tough it out which is why I was concerned and why I posted this thread. As in my personal situation, things did not get better for him. He has since sought medical attention and has fully apprised the doctor that is treating him. I don't know where he is at in Afghanistan but I do know for a fact that there are certain areas of Afghanistan that are not easily reached by supply lines.
We had a flight line where I was at in Iraq. There were certain people in my squad that had to wait weeks for certain meds that were not well-stocked. We didn't even have anti-venom on hand for certain snakes that existed in the area. Nobody was bitten while I was there but the risk existed and some people had encounters. That truly is the situation in certain places in Iraq. It is even worse in some places in Afghanistan. My buddy is doing what he has to do to execute his duties. He'll be back in America very soon and will be back under the care of a Doctor. The prescription meds that were originally given to him in the states just before he deployed actually made his medical situation worse.
He doesn't have mental problems and he's not hiding anything. He's doing what most NCO's and a lot of officers have done in the past. Most of us have tried to fight through something for the sake of a mission or a duty that needed to be executed. He's doing the right thing by getting help.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
37 comments