A few weeks ago, I finally gave in and went for my first doctor visit since the Covid-19 shutdown. I was hoping to do a telehealth thing, by phone or computer, because the oral specialist I needed to see is located in a hospital, but his booker said uh, no. I was offered an appointment, in person, for a month or so in the future, and I said maybe and hung up. Then I called my primary care doctor, hoping she could treat the inflammation in my mouth herself, at least temporarily. I made a telehealth appointment with her, and downloaded the necessary app and watched the training video (really), but then she called and said she needed to see me in person. So I put on my mask and gloves, and drove to her office, where she proceeded to lecture me on getting over my Covid fears and agreeing to see the specialist at the hospital because she couldn’t treat such a thing herself, damn it. She also took blood, so at least that was productive. She also did a Covid antibodies test and I was, predictably, negative.
So, after the talking-to from my primary care doctor, and getting the blood test results, I reluctantly called the oral specialist’s office again and humbly asked for the appointment in person for a month in the future. And then, after a few deep sighs of relief that I wouldn’t have to go to the hospital for another month, the office called back and gave me a new appointment, at the end of the following day.
Walking into an actual hospital, after months of watching the Covid news, was not a calming experience, but they did have some protective measures in place. I went through a special entrance for people with doctor’s appointments, and had my picture taken, with the mask on, and walked through a sensor that read my ID badge, but then I wandered through half of the hospital by myself, passing doctors with their masks half off and other wandering patients, until I reached the dental department. Then I sat in the doctor’s waiting room for forty five minutes, socially distanced from the other two patients, listening to the secretaries kibitz over their masks.
I tried to distract myself with languages practice on my phone, but I kept noticing all of the staff members walking by with their masks on their chins or dangling from their ears, and then there were all of the surfaces they touched without gloves on. I was afraid I would either get Covid, or go bonkers, if I had to sit there much longer, when a nurse came in, wearing a mask, a face guard, latex gloves and booties. Just seeing her all dressed up lowered my heart rate considerably, especially when it turned out she was there for me.
She said she recognized my eyes from last time, but I couldn’t say the same. I wanted to complement her on her outfit, and ask where I could find a face shield and booties for myself, but I thought that might sound weird, so I just followed her through the hallway to a set of open cubicles separated by curtains, possibly used instead of the doctor’s office I’d been in in the past which was closed-in like a box with no airflow. My doctor was busy reading my chart, or cartoons, on the computer when I arrived so I chatted with his student (it’s a teaching hospital), also wearing mask, gloves, face shield and booties, about my history of symptoms.
I wore my mask until the last possible second, and then felt like a criminal when I had to take the mask off to let them look in my mouth. But they were too busy staring into my mouth and speaking in incomprehensible medical jargon to notice that I was breathing at them. I have no idea what they were actually saying, but I think it translated mostly to, “Ooh, it’s really red over there!”
The result of the visit was that the doctor put me on a short course of Prednisone, something my doctors have been avoiding (like the plague?) for more than ten years, for fear of triggering my family history of Type-two Diabetes. But the other option was a long term immunosuppressant that would just be reaching an active dose in September, when I’m hoping to be in a classroom with a group of loosely masked children. When I said that to the doctor, he sort of shrugged, like, I guess it could be a problem to take away your immune system in the face of a highly contagious virus, but, eh, it’s up to you. I chose to go with the Prednisone because it would be short term, and I could take it now while I’m still mostly isolated at home.
Also, Cricket told me that I would love Prednisone. She’s been on short courses a few times for a slipped disk in her back and she found the experience exhilarating – Food! Running! Pooping! Food! Other humans have also been touting the benefits of Prednisone for years, and telling me that I would feel like I could conquer the world. That is not a familiar experience for me, so I thought it might be worth a try.
But that was me being overly optimistic, and temporarily amnestic about my history of paradoxical reactions to medication. Within an hour of my first dose, I was exhausted and collapsed back into bed. I took two three-hour naps the first day, and then a full night’s sleep that didn’t end until noon the next day, plus another nap a few hours later. The big sleep lasted about three days overall, and then tapered off into my usual full night’s sleep and one nap a day. Except that I also felt nauseous and dizzy and strangely fragile, as if five different muscle groups were getting ready to tear at any moment.
By day five, the pattern had switched, and I couldn’t fall asleep at night, and then I was exhausted for two days, and then I couldn’t fall asleep again. The doctor had told me to call him at the two week mark, after reducing the dose by half at the ten day mark, so that he could decide what to do next, and I didn’t feel like I could call early to tell him about the sleep disturbance. I’ve reported weird side effects to my doctors before and they have made their eye rolls clear, even over the phone. They either don’t believe that I’m experiencing what I am experiencing, or they assume I’m just exaggerating, or they couldn’t care less. So I decided to wait and suffer.
It’s humiliating and exhausting to keep going to doctors and trying medications and being disbelieved when I report what actually happens, but I have to keep trying, because the symptoms keep interfering with my ability to live my life the way I want to. If there’s a diet/treatment/medication/supplement/exercise that would make it possible for me to work more hours at the things that matter to me, or even have some fun, I have to try it. Right?
When I called the doctor at the two week mark he said to go down to one dose every other day, to see if that reduced the side effects while giving the drug a little more time to work. It took me a few minutes, after hanging up, to realize that he had actually listened to me. I decided that, since there had been some small improvement, and the doctor was actually taking me seriously, I might as well keep following his plan. We’ll see how it goes.
Cricket is pretty sure that I should eat kibble (she would, of course, generously eat my human food instead), and do Downward Dog fifty times a day, and sniff as much grass as possible as my next experimental treatment. And when none of that works for me, she will just shrug and roll her eyes and tell me to take her out for a long walk anyway, because she needs her sniffies and I’m just gonna have to buck up and do my job because at least I’m not dead.
I think she’s ready for medical school!
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please check out my Young Adult novel, Yeshiva Girl, on Amazon. And if you feel called to write a review of the book, on Amazon, or anywhere else, I’d be honored.
Yeshiva Girl is about a Jewish teenager on Long Island, named Isabel, though her father calls her Jezebel. Her father has been accused of inappropriate sexual behavior with one of his students, which he denies, but Izzy implicitly believes it’s true. As a result of his problems, her father sends her to a co-ed Orthodox yeshiva for tenth grade, out of the blue, and Izzy and her mother can’t figure out how to prevent it. At Yeshiva, though, Izzy finds that religious people are much more complicated than she had expected. Some, like her father, may use religion as a place to hide, but others search for and find comfort, and community, and even enlightenment. The question is, what will Izzy find?
rachelmankowitz 
I hope you feel better soon!
Steroids can do some nasty things to your body. Hope your mouth is better soon and you’ll be able to ge off the pred.
Fingers crossed!
Thank you!
I’ll keep my paws crossed that you feel all better quickly so that you don’t have to take any more medications. (Still eat all the kibble you can, though!) – Toby
Thank you, Toby. Unfortunately, I’ve never developed a taste for kibble. Maybe if they came in chocolate chip?
Just eat the chocolate chips!
That’s a plan!
I think that you sound quite reasonable about COVID precautions and prednisone. People get inured to things and that is part of the problem with spread. I hope you are able to stay safe and get cured before you have to teach in September.
Thank you!
I would check in with Dr Cricket asap. She will listen to you all day, provided you bring chicken treats. I do hope you get some relief, though, Rachel.
Dr. Cricket is already practicing her incomprehensible signature so she can prescribe chicken treats for everyone!
Prednisone is never fun. I had full Cushings Syndrome with corticosteroids for a blood dyscrasia as a child. So episodic prednisone for asthma or allergies always leaves me feeling odd. It is not imagined for sure and Cricket is dear, for giving you advice.
Cricket is very generous with her advice!
It is so good when a doctor listens and works with you. My sister reacts strongly to medications. She just doesn’t need the usual doses. And that’s not imagination; we all react differently and have different tolerances for medications.
I wish doctors understood the varieties of responses, but they’re generally convinced by statistics and uninterested in direct experience. Harrumph.
I am sorry to hear you are clearly going through some tough times. I connect so fully to your blog posts. I just think your writing is incredibly engaging and your continual inclusion of your dogs in the commentary adds such a light and humourous touch to the otherwise thoughtful and thought provoking ideas.
Thank you so much!
I get idiosyncratic drug reaction, too. Very frustrating. Take care. I hope you get lots of good reviews. I loved your book.
Thank you so much!
Dr. Cricket? Oy!
About 20 years ago I was put onto prednisone. I remember it as very effective almost immediately and then I began the weaning off process. Needs must! i hope you will have a good result with it.
Me too! Thank you!
I hope you feel better. With all the medical students and residents, you would think that the doctor would be on time. A 45 minute wait is too long any day.
Thank you!
Wishing you a fast recovery, Rachel! Shavua tov!
Today rabah!
My husband has been on prednisone a few times – he gets bronchitis every year and that’s part of the treatment. Max was on it a few times and whoa, did he pee a lot! About the covid thing – stop watching the news or if you have to, ask questions. Here in PA we’re seeing numbers games – and a governor who just sort of off the cuff decides things and doesn’t have the data to back up his decisions. Don’t focus on how contagious it is, focus on the 99% survival rate. If you DO get it, and I pray you don’t, you’ll get over it. Don’t believe everything you’re hearing, question everything.
I feel good, mostly, about how NY is handling Covid: keeping a close eye on the numbers of cases in each area, mandating masks, etc. I don’t know enough about the latest treatments, because they are learning more everyday to the point where it’s hard to keep up. And I feel lucky that I live in an area with plenty of hospitals, just in case. But I really don’t want to find out how my paradoxical system reacts to Covid. That just doesn’t seem like a good bet.
I totally get that this is scary for anyone with a compromised immune system. Also, I’m in a very rural area so we have few cases and could go days without seeing another soul if we chose – I would have a very hard time with that, but one of my neighbors (he’s about 1000 feet away) is rarely ever seen outside. If I lived in a city or a place that had a lot of cases, I might feel differently. And I think that’s part of the problem – there’s no one size fits all solution to this.
I agree. What works in a city, or crowded suburb won’t work the same in a rural area. One benefit of high population areas is more hospitals, whereas in rural areas even a few cases can overwhelm the system. The ideal would be having enough resources, everywhere, to meet our real needs. And then really well done studies to keep us as up to date as possible on best practices. We learned a lot early on from how well South Korea managed testing, and how terribly Italy handled shutdowns. And then New York became an example for the rest of the country for what works and what doesn’t, in a high population area.
My best friend’s daughter is a nurse here – I have asked her regularly about the number of cases
carp, i hit send too soon. My friend’s daughter reports that they have never been overwhelmed and have actually had very few cases here. My neighbor was recently in the hospital in Philly – supposedly a hot spot – and asked about the cases there. She was also told by several nurses that they were never overwhelmed and never really had a large number of cases. This is why a lot of us tend to think this is overblown and media fear mongering.
It was very real here in New York, I promise. But I can see how the disconnect between what you’re seeing in other states and what you’re seeing near you could cause confusion and doubt. Since most of the national news people are in New York and D.C., they probably didn’t do enough to talk to the people who weren’t directly experiencing the surge. Even now, the hot spots are in a limited number of states, so those are the places we’re seeing on TV, rather than areas that feel relatively safe. The problem is, we don’t know where the next hot spot will be. Probably one, or all, of the college towns, where kids from hot spots will now be flowing in. It would be so helpful if people who are infected would light up, or something, so we could see them from a distance and keep away.
I have family in Upstate NY – the only surge they’ve seen was from the City people coming up in the early days. I also don’t trust the news – any of it, either side – they all have biases that make it impossible to believe them. I think the thing we need to focus on is recovery rates – yes, people are getting this but they’re getting over it. And surviving. It seems that the news is all focused on how many positive cases – and I personally know people who didn’t even get tested and were notified they were positive, so how can we believe those numbers? I just want normal back. 😦
I hope you feel better! I can relate about doctor’s (& many others) not believing you, or thinking you’re exaggerating.
Thank you!
I do hope the meds work and you feel better soon. If not, I’m sure Dr Cricket will have some more helpful advice.
Thank you!
I’ve taken a short course of Prednisone a few times.It always has side effects, but seems to work. Good luck!
Thank you!
Hope you feel better soon ❤️
Thank you!
I hope you feel bettter soon!
Thank you!
Best wishes for timely healing, Rachel. I find the COVID-19 era doctor’s visits a bit weird myself.
Thank you! Stay safe!
Really great the doctor listened to your explanation of how things were going.
Yes!
Our surgery has a pretty good system should you have been invited to have a face to face appointment. Masks are mandatory, gloves not so much, but they take your temperature before letting you in. Spacing in the surgery is 6 chairs to a pod instead of 20 and as soon as one is vacated, a cleaner comes along to sanitise it. The doc was clad in similar garb to yours, apron, mask, visor, bootees. To be honest, they have a better system going now than before. Mind you, I have no idea how many telephone consultations they’re doing every day.
Side effects are common with a lot of drugs, but so far I have been lucky and don’t get that many.
Already T2 diabetic, it’s controlled by diet, but when they wanted to change my post cancer meds to one that could attract ovarian cancer, they didn’t seem to understand my concern as it was a well tolerated drug prescribed for pre menopausal women (at 64, I’m way past that!). There is breast cancer in my family, I’ve had two strikes already and certainly don’t want to invite a third! I seem to be OK on an alternative as I’m already used to the hot flushes.
Take care and keep safe. I hope you feel better soon. Hugs and treats by proxy to the girls.
Thank you! Stay safe!
🙂
I know how you feel. I had to attend a hospital appointment during lockdown and everyone seems to have gone from ‘get away from me I don’t want your germs thank you’ to Covid What? in about four weeks. Take care – and stay away from the chocolate chip kibble.
Cricket is going to be very disappointed, but I think you’re right any flavor of kibble is still kibble.
Be safe and take care. Medical challenges during the age of COVID-19 are an additional hurdle. Keith
Thank you!
We call it Prednisolone here, and I am very familiar with it. My mum took it daily for many years because of COPD. One side effect was that it made her skin unusually thin.
Ollie has to have it when he gets skin infections, and it makes him unreasonably hungry. In fact, Ollie has had it so many times now, he has become allergic to it.
I hope you don’t have to have it too often, Rachel.
Best wishes, Pete.
Me too! Thank you!
I hope you are feeling better. I disliked how you were lectured by the medical profession about getting over COVID to see a doctor. We are not going to get over COVID. We expect the medical profession to keep us safe when we do need to go for an appointment. Feel better
Soon!
Thank you!
The side effect part of your story resonated with me. I sometimes seem to have a magnified side effect reaction to medications. It’s not in my head, but I feel like others don’t believe it.
There’s such a predisposition to believe that our own experience is universal that when we hear someone say, no, it’s different for me, we can’t easily take it in. My problem is that I’ve been told not to trust myself, for so little big and in so many ways, that I struggle to hold on to my own reality. I’m working on it, but it’s tough.
As others are saying, Predisone can be a bummer but when you need it to work and it does it’s great. I get insomnia from it. Every time I mention this to a doctor they say it’s pretty common. I hope you continue to feel better.
It’s so nice that the doctors can tolerate the side effects. I wish medical school included empathy training as a rule instead of by chance.
I definitely agree! I could talk for hours on my bad experiences with doctors. I’m glad this current one seems to be listening to you but it should not be the exception. Empathy and listening should be the rule.
I admit to feeling distressed for you. If something doesn’t work like it ought to, then the doctor (in my humblest of opinions) is responsible to take notice. You seem like a very kind and considerate person, but at times it’s best to let the entitled person out. The one who KNOWS they are right. It’s YOUR body. You know it far better than any physician ever will. I’ve faced similar reactions when I tell surgeons that I’m intolerant of general anesthesia. They seem to think I’m ‘being silly’ or exaggerating. Well until they see for themselves what the aftermath entails if I’m given that stuff. Finally I got lucky and got a nurse who believed me. She said to try getting the anesthesia without the pain med component they automatically put in (apparently). It worked fine. No side effects at all when I came around. They do have alternatives to Prednisone, and to me? They need to hear you. I hope it works for you and the swelling and pain go away. Insist they hear you. It’s your right as the patient and the person who is paying them to treat you. I know that’s tough to do, especially when one gets a doctor with the opinion that they know the very best. Best wishes for a very speedy recovery!
Thank you!
I think prednisone is a wacky drug anyway. When my husband has had to take it for severe asthma he is suddenly incredibly energetic and then totally useless for the days he comes off it. I hope that your mouth clears up and that they can figure out what inflamed it to start with. Here the medical appointments have been very safe. They are the only places I have gone in five months!
I prefer going to the supermarket, so many more teats available. Doctors don’t even give out lollipops anymore. Cricket says I should sue.
Do they still give out colorful bandaids? That is all that seems to matter to someone around here.
I had to go out and buy my own Harry Potter bandaids. Harrumph.
Very rude. If you are ever up my way I stock Hello Kitty ones.
Cricket would be incensed!
Here in the outback of South Australia we live in a kind of bubble. I think we had two cases at the very start and nothing since. I have never heard of this drug so everything you mention has just gone over my head. I have not seen the doctor since February and Annabell just phones in to say that she needs scripts and I go and pick them up for her along with any other tests ( blood work) that the doctor might want. We go out as required without protective equipment. I do have masks but I haven’t even opened the packet – the seal is still intact.. Sorry you are having a not so good time. I hope the dogs are looking after you and that you get better soon.
Thank you! I’m so glad you guys are safe where you are! The Prednisone is an oral steroid, often used to reduce inflammation.
I’m glad you have found a doctor who actually listens to you. That’s really important, and it makes me so mad that there are medical professionals who don’t listen to their patients. It’s part of their job, I believe.
I’m not sure they agree. A lot of doctors automatically disbelieve their patients, but most especially disbelieve women. I don’t know if that’s part of the training, or if it’s an outgrowth of scientific skepticism, where anecdotal evidence is generally disregarded. A lot of doctors forget to make the transition from being scientists to being doctors.
What an odyssey – and you write it with great humor! Hope the treatment works and you get your strength back. 🐾
Thank you so much!
Lovely dogs 😍😍😍
Thank you!
My sympathies. I suffer from chronic hives, so have been on prednisone more than once. It is a powerful corticosteroid w/ multiple side effects.
My foster daughter delivered at a hospital during this pandemic. Thankfully, both she and the baby are doing well. Take heart. Ultimately, we are all in God’s loving care. ❤
That’s good news! Stay well!
Rant Alert.
This story sounds a LOT like my experiences. The disbelieving and belittling you parts. Man! Before my fairly recent surgery (the only one I’ve had since I had my tonsils out at around 6, which was probably unnecessary at that, I suspect) I was kind of like, “Hmm, I don’t know about them. I guess they are ok. They sure do Charge a lot though”. Since, it’s been quite a different story.
I know, I know, doctors aren’t all bad, but WOW did I get some Real stinkers! I won’t go into it. But I don’t get it. And I hate to say it, but I don’t much care for phone answerers too. Not just in the medical industry either. Anyway, that’s what I call them. Secretaries, helpers, whatever. Are they ever full of themselves! Most of the ones I’ve had at least. As a rule. “Secretary Day”, indeed! I have had individual nice ones. Not gossipy. Caring and professional. But they seem to be the exception. Anyway, the bad ones flat-out Refuse to pass on messages to the doctor or boss that I called unless I tell Them what I called about too. I feel like saying to em, None Of Your **** Business! But then they’ll hang up on me and I’ll never get through. I guess enquiring minds want to know.
Anyway, I’m just sounding off. Sorry. But I have learned one thing about myself since the surgery: the subconscious has a Powerful effect on the mind when it thinks that serious things are not going right for you. It takes over the much more rational conscious. Not a good thing. In my case, at least. That’s because (as I understand it) the subconscious is primitive. It’s there for one reason, and one reason only: to protect you. But it’s Too strong sometimes. So Got to keep it in check by trying not to over-react to things! Remember,
I hope you feel better soon. Lot’s of people are, or have been, in your shoes. Thanks for letting me talk. 🙂
/rant
Thank you!
That link I sent I don’t see. So I’ll just tell you the name of the book. It’s titled,
“Your Body Believes Every Word You Say: The Language of the Bodymind Connection”
by Barbara Levine
Thank you!
Hope you feel better soon. It is a pretty scary feeling having to venture into a hospital setting for the first time. I was just the same
Thank you! Stay safe!
All that for small improvement. Harrumph. (I’m speaking for Cricket.) I hope the small becomes big and, you know, you’re cured. I’m sure the medical people you’re seeing or waiting for are exhausted, by and large. But still it behooves them to hear you, while they’re taking all precautions. I’m relieved it seems you were heard at last.
At least your dogs can relate with you and the prednisone experience. I’ve known pets who’ve taken the drug; and recently I took it, too, for a sinus infection. I guess it went all right. My last time in the hospital for surgery there was discussion of my being pre-diabetic. We’ll see if anything deleterious comes of all that. You’ll be waiting for yourself, I know. Shalom. Honestly, peace to you.
Thank you! Shalom to you too!
Hi Rachel! I hope you are doing great. I nominated you for The Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award. Please check out my blog Netty for Nominations for more details.
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Congratulations!
You’re welcome……. blessings ❤
Only you and the girls could turn a dental issue into classic literature….this is !! Such a joy to be spending time with you and the girls!! as ever sarah
Thank you so much!
Another wonderful essay – so relatable! I hope you are feeling better. 🌷
Thank you!
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I can relate to your situation as I have many conditions (such as arthritis, very bad seasonal allergies, etc.) whose symptoms would be alleviated by Prednisone, but as a Type 2 diabetic I cannot get any physicians to write a prescription.
Thanks for liking my post today. If you don’t mind, I am going to leave the main link to my blog. Zei Gezundt!
https://disaffectedmusings.com
I hope you can find some relief!
I am sorry you developed side effects from the medicine. Your doctor should listen to your complaints.
Thank you!
‘Hope you start feeling better soon. 🙏
Thank you!
I also hope you’re feeling better. I’ve been on Prednisone for almost a year and my nurse practitioner is planning to begin withdrawing it next month. It not only raises blood sugar, it also causes weight gain and fluid retention. I take one pill a day in the morning, or I will have trouble sleeping. She’s wonderful and listens to me. Which, at sixty eight, I’ve seen how seniors are more likely to be treated like children or become invisible. It’s a horrible feeling at any age, and dangerous. So, I’m glad this doctor listened to you. Please tell Cricket she has my sympathies with arthritis and disc pain. I’m not into kibble, but Tootsie Roll minis do help. Feel better!❤️
Thank you! Cricket thinks she should be allowed to have a whole roasted chicken on the days when her back hurts; she doesn’t believe in mini when it comes to snacks.
Roasted chicken sounds so good! I think Cricket has the right idea! ❤️
Hope you feel better.
Thank you!
I am sad to hear your doctor lectured you. I am also so sorry to hear that the hospital you had to go to was not following the guidelines. I have not yet been to a doctor here but I get e-mails constantly telling me they are following strict procedures. You are braver (or more desperate?) than I. I would have walked out after seeing the first medical professional and/or patient not PROPERLY masked. I’ve heard that many places here are having you check in and wait in the car until they are ready for you. But I don’t know how it works . . . especially now when it would be over 100° in a car.
And, your history of reaction from doctors when you tell them things is exactly why I don’t go to the doctor. It is infuriating that they don’t believe you or just don’t care. Just because it is not written on the insert or in a medical journal as a side effect doesn’t mean it is not happening to me. Again, you are very brave to have gone in when you already know the kind of treatment and response you will receive from the medical professionals.
Cricket may be right, you don’t know . . . . you’d have to try it to be sure. I hope you are feeling better.
Thank you! Cricket is always right; just ask her.
There is dog-logic and people logic.
Thank you Take care. Get well soon. I am one of those people much to the exasperation of my doctors who’s the one in ten thousand on the side effects list who always succumbs to the side effects. I get the allergies just reading the side effects list!!! But I manage to bumble along. I have long conversations with my dog and she gets me through. Like your Cricket :))