I’m not sick, just reactive

I left work early on Friday and Saturday, skipped church and life group on Sunday, and skipped work and classes on Monday on the basis of some rather vague symptoms: headache, runny nose, sore throat, lethargy, and general malaise. Actually, what really had me worried was the way I was flushing hot and cold, feeling like I was breathing fire and my eyes were going to explode. The best thing we could come up with to explain my symptoms was flu.

Except that I definitely got my flu shot in the beginning of October. So if I had flu, it was a “non-compliant” strain. Which means the last thing I wanted to do was expose anyone to myself.

The difficulty with my little diagnosis was that my temperature never really got that high–high for me, but 99 at tops. What’s more, I only flushed hot and cold in the afternoon and evening. I didn’t have any problem with flushing in the morning. Friday it started around 2, Saturday around 4, Sunday at 8.

So I was sitting at the computer when the flushing started at 3 yesterday–and a lightbulb started flashing in my mind. Friday I took my meds around 6.
Saturday I took them around 8.
Sunday I took them at noon.
Monday I took them at 7.
“Just a minute,” I thought. “When did I start taking the different brand of that one med?”

I opened the bottle and counted out the remaining pills. 25. Add one for Monday, one for Sunday, one for Saturday, one for Friday, one for Thursday. 30. A full bottle.

So Thursday I switch brands for one of my medications–and starting on Friday, I start flushing 8 hours after taking my morning medications.

I’m not sick. I must be just reacting to one of the “inactive” ingredients in the new brand.

So I’ve called my pharmacist and she’s supposed to be receiving a faxed ingredient list for the new medication today. Once I get it, I can compare ingredients and maybe figure out what the problem ingredient is (which may enable me to avoid adding prescriptions that contain it.) Then, I’ve got some options.

1. I can live with the flushing.–Not happening. If you’ve ever experienced flushing (similar to that experienced with high doses of niacin), you know that it’s not fun. Now imagine flushing that starts every afternoon and keeps going for at least FIVE hours (the longest I’ve made it before falling to sleep in exhaustion.) Yeah. Putting up with it is not an option.
2. I can go to name brand meds.–At a cost of only $30 copay to my current $10. And that’s assuming the name brand doesn’t contain the “inactive” ingredient I’m reacting to.
3. I can switch pharmacies.–I can call around to all the pharmacies in town to see who is supplied by Mylan (the maker of the version I know I don’t react to) and transfer my prescription there.

It’s a bummer that I’ll have to change pharmacies. I really like my pharmacists, and the ability to shop while my prescriptions are filled. I have my pharmacy on speed dial. But I’m going to have to say goodbye and find a new one.

But until I’ve got that all figured out, since I can BY NO MEANS discontinue this prescription, I’ll be red every afternoon. So if you see me looking hot and bothered, don’t worry, I’m not sick (and I’m not a sicko)–just a little reactive.