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Post by tims on Dec 21, 2017 5:42:55 GMT -5
Well, I don't think she's a doctor. What do you want for ~$800 an hour? She was merciful enough to forego xrays and bloodwork so at least i'm not out on the street.
I think (hope) it's a reasonable diagnosis, the very severe pain part is 100% and i began developing bumpy rashes after a few days of pain. None on my torso just the left arm and hand.
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Post by tims on Dec 21, 2017 1:11:14 GMT -5
nice
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Post by tims on Dec 21, 2017 1:09:32 GMT -5
Clinic says it's shingles. Valacyclovir (Valtrex) for treatment, amitriptyline for pain. She wanted to give me opioid pain killers but i refused, and looking at amitriptyline i'm tempted to abstain from that as well. She also suggested 9 ibuprofen and 4 aleve daily with Tylenol in between but i've been ok with a couple ibuprofen during the day and then about 4 at night, one every couple hours when the pain wakes me up. Couple hundred bucks for the 15 min consultation + 40 for drugs so not devastating. At least when i get back to normal i'll have good options for daily pain.
Thanks again for all the input. Just having a place to complain was a huge relief for me and much appreciated.
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Post by tims on Dec 19, 2017 1:55:36 GMT -5
This has turned into a very involved discussion, and I am putting together a list of supplements to see if any are available locally. Strangely enough our podunk town has a health food store.
My current severe episode may be an alleric reaction or maybe even insect bites. I haven't slept much in the past 5 days but today managed to sleep almost 10 hours in a long series of short naps. Tonight I noticed a couple small itchy, bumpy patches like hives on the palm of my left hand and the fingers on that hand are swollen and tingly / numb. There's a similar patch on my left shoulder, and last week when this started there was an itchy / burning patch on my left elbow. I'm going to try an antihistamine tonight and try to get into the clinic tomorrow if the joint pain hasn't subsided by then --- the swollen hand is disconcerting and the relentless pain makes any money issue seem irrelevant.
Many thanks for all the input as i have some great leads to address old and new chronic aches and pains.
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Post by tims on Dec 17, 2017 19:15:39 GMT -5
The ACA requires me to pay a penalty for not being able to afford insurance. No medicaid expansion in Wyoming. Best of both worlds. The reason i asked here is i'm familiar with the community, and i assumed anyone that spends years working lapidary will have at least some experience with joint pain, so why not ask people to share how they deal with it. I'm not trying to downplay anyone's "real problem" and if the topic offends you that wasn't my intent. @shotgunner i don't drink but do eat pasta and sandwiches regularly. I've never noticed an adverse reaction to grain foods but will try limiting them for awhile just to see if it helps. Worst-case scenario i'll raid my savings and get a doctor's opinion, being laid up and unproductive is way more expensive in the long term.
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Post by tims on Dec 17, 2017 6:41:43 GMT -5
Many thanks everyone lots of things to look at. I'm not familiar with gout at all but will read up on it. I'm relying on self-diagnosis which i know is dumb but i don't have the option of seeking a professional opinion. Can you describe it? First of all is the pain in the joints, or is it is the muscles? Where is the pain located? If in the fingers is there visible swelling? Is the area hot? And deformity? Is the pain consistent with movement or aggravated when you are under stress? Let's see ... it's joint pain, primarily in the first knuckles of my fingers and the outer elbows. Shoulder cup and neck pain on the left side also but my neck i attribute to an old injury. No noticeable swelling or hotness or deformity, though i notice the skin is really sensitive on my hands and arms like when you get a bad fever, but i haven't felt feverish and no symptoms that would indicate flu etc. The pain seems consistent when moving or at rest, and i haven't been under any significant stress since this started, around mid-week. Strangely tonight my right side feels pretty good with no significant pain. By contrast my left side seems worse. If it's just a passing flare-up, which i'm hoping due to happy right arm, i'll be thrilled. Maybe some kind of infection? There was a small rash or maybe small insect bites on my left arm when this first flared up, itchy but no lumps or bumps. If it's just a weird reaction to a spider bite or something i'll really feel dumb. nemesis21 I don't hunt but do get the occasional deer steak and a rare bit of elk from friends. I pass on pronghorn, they taste like sagebrush to me. Plus i'd feel guilty eating something that can outrun my car.
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Post by tims on Dec 16, 2017 21:19:12 GMT -5
Just saw your post Chapente. Will do some more research but i suspect i'd need to do groceries (and more reading) online to make gluten-free an option. Will try to at least be cognizant of the gluten issue.
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Post by tims on Dec 16, 2017 21:16:49 GMT -5
Many thanks everyone lots of things to look at. I'm not familiar with gout at all but will read up on it. I'm relying on self-diagnosis which i know is dumb but i don't have the option of seeking a professional opinion.
Living in rural Wyoming it's challenging to find tolerable processed foods let alone anything fresh. Seafood is of course frozen and usually looks like it's been sitting there way too long ... Produce here is usually harvested immature and "ripened" during transport so unless you grow it, it's not great. In summer I do grow some veggies, and have apple and pear trees, and buy bland fruit all winter so i think Vitamin C is ok at least.
Between car wrecks, bike wrecks, fights and bad jobs i've had significant pain for decades (closing in on 50), but it was always mild chronic pain with occassional bad times from overuse / weird weather etc. Winter has always hurt. I'm going to do more research and try some simple things to start like cooking more and trying to exercise in the mornings to get my blood pumping instead of camping on a cup of coffee. If i run across anything helpful will share.
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Post by tims on Dec 16, 2017 16:54:20 GMT -5
No, not when it gets too short and you burn your lips. I think i'm getting arthritis, probably have had for years but this winter it's really turned up the volume.
Any diet or exercise tips that might help? I'm not into pain killers / meds and couldn't afford to look at a doctor if i passed one on the street.
I read that coffee is thought to worsen RA but atm it's the only thing that gives me relief, half a cup in the morning when i want to cry and the pain drops back to where it can be ignored. My head and wallet are convinced it's better than bottles of pills.
Anyway, ideas welcome. Maybe i just need to move south.
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Post by tims on Dec 16, 2017 16:29:11 GMT -5
Thanks grumpy that's an excellent idea. The hardware store here might actually carry that.
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Post by tims on Dec 15, 2017 16:48:20 GMT -5
I am very impressed that this was your 1st time-Mine would no where near come close!! The rings give me ideas! Thank you for sharing these! Thanks Ali. I've done a few dozen wraps but not these styles. They're both pretty simple but the weaving takes forever and i usually try to power through when my eyes and hands get tired, and it shows in the flaws. If you get bored sometime check out Lan Anh, she's Vietnamese so only subtitles but she does all kinds of wire work with and without stone. Here's her ring tute: rockjunquie thanks for the support and ideas. I tried taping the ends of my pliers but need to figure out a better tape, i tried black electrical tape and a couple kinds of masking tape and either they're too bulky / slippery or they won't stick to the pliers. Old-school cloth bandaging tape seems like it might work but i can't find it around here. Got my fingers crossed for a nylon tipped plier for xmas X X
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Post by tims on Dec 15, 2017 3:10:49 GMT -5
Just trying different things, wanted to try the open bezel wrap for a natural shaped moss agate, then tried a bigger jasp-agate thing with much heavier wire that turned into a step backward. The moss is maybe 3/4" long but getting macro pics I see some really obvious gaps. These are the CSLdesigns YT tutorial:
The jasp-agate has a squarish edge and I wrapped too much on the bezel so it ended up a little loose. The heavier gauge wire was easier to handle but I still got some gaps:
The rings are from Lan Anh's YT channel, she focuses mostly on fun wire projects. These looked like a good way to use tumbler smalls before they disappear:
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Post by tims on Dec 15, 2017 2:47:54 GMT -5
Wow, that fordite pops without the wrap but with the wrap ... wow. I'm usually put off by beads but the red accent just pulls it all together. The cuprite wraps are the kind of clean, elegantly minimal look I really hope to achieve some day.
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Post by tims on Dec 15, 2017 2:39:17 GMT -5
Really pretty. I might have to give prongs another shot ... you make them look easy but I know they're not.
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Post by tims on Dec 14, 2017 0:28:30 GMT -5
Grats Russ. I stopped rolling in October thinking it would be too cold; now i'm wishing i'd run another batch (or 2). Having an indoor workspace sounds awesome and i hope you have much fun and share some pics of the results.
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Post by tims on Dec 6, 2017 23:31:50 GMT -5
Cool and unique. That's a ton of wire but hey, if it's not costing you $ why not. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by tims on Dec 1, 2017 16:21:33 GMT -5
Nice little tumbles from your gramps! Not an expert by any means, but my thoughts are: 1 - amazonite? 4 & 7 - both quartz? Amazonite sounds reasonable, as does quartz for #4. #7 has a brilliance i haven't seen in quartz before, but that matches up with the hardness and SG tests which are probably more reliable than my eyes. Thanks
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Post by tims on Nov 30, 2017 22:26:56 GMT -5
It doesn't scratch with a steel knife, but thanks for thinking positive
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Post by tims on Nov 30, 2017 18:54:19 GMT -5
Bah, and the little blue agate looks dyed
Before and after acetone soak:
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Post by tims on Nov 30, 2017 18:20:09 GMT -5
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