Trip to ER

This afternoon my face was feeling all tingly and numb. Very weird. Like there was fluid under the skin. My eyes got all itchy and I looked in the mirror and my face was swollen and red. I had two really bad asthma attacks this evening, that were so bad I could hardly get to my inhaler, let alone inhale the stuff. By around 9:30PM my tongue was feeling numb and thick. I didn't know if it was just more nerve endings or something else, possibly allergic reaction. (Sulfa abx sent me into anaphylactic shock about 20 yrs ago) Looked Azactam up again and saw "angioedema" and it sounded exactly like what I was experiencing.

The skin of the face, normally around the mouth, and the mucosa of the mouth and/or throat, as well as the tongue, swell up over the period of minutes to several hours. The swelling can also occur elsewhere, typically in the hands. The swelling can be itchy. There may also be slightly decreased sensation in the affected areas due to compression of the nerves. Urticaria (hives) may develop simultaneously.

In severe cases, stridor of the airway occurs, with gasping or wheezy inspiratory breath sounds and decreasing oxygen levels. Intubation is required in these situations to prevent respiratory arrest and risk of death.

I probably shouldn't diagnose myself like that, but I thought it sounded exactly like what was going on. Angioedema.

I have to admit, I was very upset with my husband for a majority of the day because he seems to have made up his mind to change jobs and return to the last one. (Have I mentioned today is the 10th day on our wonderful new health insurance?) I'm just kind of fed up in that dept. and being upset probably didn't help things. I mentioned my tongue and numb face to my husband around 9:30 and he thought I should call the nurse. I didn't want to because I knew they'd want to play it safe and have me go to the ER. I said maybe I just would stop the new IV and call & let them know tomorrow. He said I should call her and "at least tell her". Well, she said to go to the ER, which I knew she'd say. I have an epi-pen here, but she still wanted me to go.

Now, listen to this ridiculous conversation. I hung up and

Husband: What did she say?

Me: Go the ER.

Husband: NOW??!!

I must have been missing something here. I'm not sure I answered something and I won't say what I was thinking, but I will admit that I did not feel very valuable at that moment.


Got our son out of bed, and he drove the LONG WAY to the hospital, through this state park where you have to drive 25mi. for miles. Duh. Anyhow, I got signed in at the ER, triaged, I wasn't any worse so we sat. After 10 min. my husband was complaining about how long it took for them to see me! We can take our time getting to the ER, but they'd better rush when I walk in, huh? Sorry about my sarcasm. I really am and shouldn't be (sarcastic).

I didn't remind him that the last time I went to ER I was coughing up blood and waited over 2 hrs. Oh, and the TV had all kinds of filth and bad language on it for my 14 yr old to watch!!! I kept saying "Why don't the two of you go out to the car and sleep? The stuff on TV is bad and you're tired.", but they didn't. After an hour some lady told my husband that she'd been there since 7PM and another group since 8PM. All he had to hear. So at midnight I asked to sign a release and we left! I told them that there was a lady in extreme pain that needed help, so they did get to her when we were leaving.

My tongue isn't quite as bad, my face is still numb but not as swollen and not red. Eyes aren't quite as itchy, but still some. Feet and hands are still tingly and numb. I just had another asthma attack and they are really hurting my arm and chest where the PICC is. I've got my epi-pen but that IV is every 8 hours and it's been over 10 hours since the last dose so things should improve. In the AM I'll have them call in another abx to mix and ship to me. Not taking this one anymore. Oh, I was also feeling very confused and having a hard time focusing. (Altho I was with it enough that I would have taken a more direct and fast route to the ER.)

I hope you enjoyed this little expose of my life.