Health Update

I had a medical appointment today to discuss my medications as well as some of my more bothersome current health problems especially my ongoing breathing issues.  The appointment went well, I suppose, and we added a new medication in an attempt to get my breathing issues under control.  I have another follow-up appointment in a month to see if there has been any improvement in my breathing.

So, the main thing today was about my continued breathing issues.  Since my last bout of COVID, my breathing has been terrible.  I seem to be slowly...  very slowly...  improving but this has been a significant and debilitating problem for the past eight months. Consequently, I have been using my rescue inhaler two to three times every day.  My doctor would like to get this use down to no more than twice each week so I'll be starting on a corticosteroid inhaler, taken twice a day, as soon as my pharmacy can fill the prescription.  

The general consensus is that my last bout of COVID has affected my lungs which, in turn, has made my primary illness worse.  This is typical of systemic mastocytosis.  The mast cells respond to inflammation making my already too abundant and over-active mast cells even more abundant and over-active.  Since COVID is causing inflammation in my lungs, this is where the problem has been compounded between the virus and my primary illness.  I'm considered a "long-COVID" patient now, I suppose.  Well...  I guess I am a long-COVID patient now since I have had two of my doctors say as much.  

We discussed my last bone marrow biopsy and the continued pain that I am experiencing at the site of the biopsy.  There isn't much to say about this other than I hope I don't need this type of thorough bone marrow biopsy again anytime soon.  My lab result numbers keep rising though so we'll see what the oncologist says in a few months.  I also have more labwork coming up before that appointment with my oncologist.  

I'm trying to get in to see my dermatology surgeon up at the University of Vermont.  Well, actually, I think I need a new doctor because I think my surgeon left for another hospital since I have last seen him.  I have a fast-growing, good-sized lump on the side of my head.  It appears to be another growth of basal cell cancer.  I tried making an appointment for this when I arrived home from the doctor at lunchtime today but, after being on hold for about ten minutes, I gave up and decided to call again at another time.  I probably won't get in to see them for four or more months though and then it would be another month or so before surgery.  

Over the next month, however, if this new corticosteroid doesn't result in a marked improvement in my breathing, then there will be more tests at the hospital and probably another new specialist added to my team of doctors.  

In the meantime, we'll see how things go...