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How about some basic blood work be run? Have you been checked for any autoimmune diseases? How are your platelets etc...?
Pretty good overall. Have occasionally had some anemia issues but it's not a constant thing. Low normal TSH is about the only other thing, but the doctor said the thyroid wasn't low enough to warrant medication.
The home care nurse I had post surgery applied a seaweed derivative of some kind to my wound. I can't remember the name of it, but she swore by it. I healed pretty fast and I had some factors working against me - smoking etc.
If you haven't already done this, check to see if the hospital where you had the surgery has a wound care specialist. They are apt to know more than your doctor about healing the wound.
Good luck!
Pretty good overall. Have occasionally had some anemia issues but it's not a constant thing. Low normal TSH is about the only other thing, but the doctor said the thyroid wasn't low enough to warrant medication.
You should get a second opinion... My dr put me on thyroid meds just last week. He said I'm still in normal range, but I'm in the lower part of the normal bell curve, if that makes sense. He said most people that he's come across in his practicing of over 30 years tend to feel better if they are on the upper side of normal. Normal is considered anywhere from 3 - 4.2 and I'm at a 3.2
The home care nurse I had post surgery applied a seaweed derivative of some kind to my wound. I can't remember the name of it, but she swore by it.
there are many dressings which contain alginates, derived from seaweed. one very commonly used one is called kaltostat - many physicians swear by it. its mainly used on exudative wounds (i.e. not so useful if the wound is totally dry).
i dont think it would be particularly helpful in the circumstances the OP is talking about - i.e. generally slow healing irrespective of wound type.
Pretty good overall. Have occasionally had some anemia issues but it's not a constant thing. Low normal TSH is about the only other thing, but the doctor said the thyroid wasn't low enough to warrant medication.
I was about to say in biew of your low BP- had you had your thyroid checked.
If it was borderline and you have symptoms like low BP and delayed wound healing then it should be treated.
You don't give your age, but as you get older low BP is not always a good thing as the ability to compensate and maintain BP in changing circumstances declines, so in particular it may lead to postural dizziness and falls.
How long ago did you have it checked? They changed the guidelines for treatment fairly recently I think because of research findings that showed that there was benefit for treating at lower end of previously normal range and because eventually most people who are at the lower end will end up needing treatment anyway.
It's said that kelp supplements can help, but not done any research on it.
Also ask them to check your magnesium and Vit' D levels.
Magnesium is frequently low in Hypothyroid and affects wound healing, plus many people are deficient in Vit D due to lack of exposure to sunlight and poor intake.
Anemia or Lupus come to mind. A simple blood test would tell you. If everything comes back normal, you might just be what they call "a bleeder."
This person wrote about a "bleeder", that would be an autoimmune blood coagulation issue, called Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, ITP, meaning the platelets aren't properly coagulating because of autoimmune issues and easy bruising can occur as well as slow healing and difficulty slowing bleeding due to what seems like "thin blood". Read about it online. There are a number of autoimmune conditions that may be co-morbid with this ITP. Your low blood pressure may or may not be related, but I will bet it may be. Going on the thyroid meds is a good idea, but I would first seek an endocrinologist/immunologist for further testing. The CBC screening of the thyroid includes the TSH, but there is also a T3 and T4 reading. Also, the thyroid, if Hashiomotos for example, plays hide-and-seek, depending when you test it you may hit at the right time or not. An ultrasound of the thyroid is a good idea to check its size. You didn't say your age, if you are fatigued, sick often or achy in muscles &/or joints, losing hair, dizzy, migraines, etc., and I wonder what other symptoms you do have. Maybe even see a hemotologist. There are specialists for everything now. I don't know why you haven't been referred to one after a year or more for a work up. Autoimmune issues are so subtle and difficult to pin down, often running together. If you have a problem with Celiac disease, for instance, you may not know it, but you are not obsorbing the vitamins and minerals you need in your blood for adequate healing, also affecting ITP. If you take NSAIDs, like aspirin, tylenol, etc, chondroitin, vitamin K, you will thin your blood in addition to having a deficiency with ITP. So, Celiac is bad. You definitely need magnesium, selenium, vit D, calcium, vit E, fish oils, vit. c, sulfur (found in MSM and Rx silver sulfurdiazine (sp?) used on burns) all and especially zinc (found in bacitracin but take orally as well). The autoimmune diseases, apart and together, effect so many parts of the body and overlap with so many other things. I would turn every rock over to find out WHY you're not healing well and work on changing it. It may require a new diet and liefstyle. If you need cardiac or brain surgery one day, and you didn't get to the bottom of this now, you will be very sorry. Just my opinion, sorry for such strong words...but as a mom I worry about such things!
Last edited by joycecatala; 08-14-2011 at 12:16 AM..
Reason: didn't proof read
If you drink often, alcohol can slow wound healing, and smoking is no good, either...just putting it out there, don't know you, don't mean anything to you, just something for fokes to ponder.
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Itp
