I have had symptoms for over 30 years!
Posted By: At Home MT on 2006-07-11
In Reply to: I'm tending to agree with "different experience" (sm) - not menopausal yet but . . .
I take HRT because I have drenching night sweats and will have to get up and change clothing, bedding, etc., if I don't I do not sleep well at all if I am not on HRT. I had to have a medically necessary TAH/BSO at the age of 19 and have been on HRT since for the most part. I have tried weaning off and my symptoms always come back within a couple weeks, not to mention the emotional aspect. :( I would LOVE to not need them but it really messes with my quality of life. Those of you with mild symptoms or none after a few years are very lucky. :)
I am looking at having saliva testing done in hopes that it will work even better than the HRT I use but I have to wait until I can afford it.
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I started getting symptoms after about 3-5 years. Nobody could believe it. sm
Fellow MTs told me it was too early, but nope. I had the tests, and had/have bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Think it's anatomical for some. I have very tiny wrists, and I've read that sometimes that can be related.
Some 15-20 years later, I had endoscopic surgery on the right side. I wouldn't recommend endoscopic. If you get surgery, go open. I learned later that it's usually more effective. I still have symptoms in both wrists, can tell no improvement in the right hand.
Best things: Physical therapy was the very best, but Worker's Comp obviously wouldn't pay for that forever. Cat's Paw (exerciser) is cheap and mimics a lot of the stuff I was doing in PT.
SmartGlove when I work. Helps a lot.
Trackball - huge difference.
Shorthand - I have made it my hobby to learn to work smarter instead of harder. I studied the productivity sites and am constantly working on building my ShortHand file. It's rare that something isn't in it. I have gotten to where it shows a savings of about 50% keystrokes, which is something to think about. It's like working half a day and getting paid for a full day.
Rest. Get up at least once an hour, go to your dining room table, put your palm flat on the table and press down. You should feel a really good stretch. And then I take at least 5-10 minutes to break. Maybe not the best thing for productivity, but the best for longevity.
Yep, the newest "fix" for the last few years of PMS and perimenopausal symptoms is
Serafem, which is just Prozac. The drug company "reinvented" a use for Prozac when they needed a new use! So, its called Serafem. You're supposed to take it a few days before your period, or sometimes all month - just depends. Pretty flowery packaging! I went thru the same thing at about 43 to 44 - only symptoms as well, and never had 1 day of PMS prior to that. It just stopped as suddenly as it had started. Just me - we're all different. I tried the Serafem and it didn't help at all - just made me feel like a zombie 30 days of the month! Good luck to you! Just had my LMP 2 days ago - only lasts for about 1/2 day now! Yeah!! I, for one, will not be missing THAT each month. No way!! Also remember if you have female teens at home, those hormones are floating all over in the air! Its HORRIBLE! I have 2 daughters and we all get it the same time now, etc. Oh, yes, and my face breaks out now as it did when I was a teen when I had my period. Never had that my entire life til now. Just today we were all cracking up - all 3 of us had 1 huge zit on our noses!! Nowhere else, and all 3 had the same one on our nose! We are really fair skinned and blonde, and look RIDICULOUS!! Oh well!
I'd just keep your eye on him since he has no other symptoms.
Mine was doing that about a month ago and nothing ever came of it. He must have just had a little cold or snuffed something up his nose. When we first got him, he was a mess with mattery eyes, ear mites, and blowing snot all over when he sneezed. Antibiotics and mitecide fixed him up, so we had to change his name from Snot to something else.
Have you had these symptoms before? sm
I could see a pinched nerve causing your arms and hands to tingle but not your face. You might want to consider see a doc for this as it could be something serious. I had these symptoms along with dizziness, headaches, and my muscles were twitching. I was freaked out that I had some neurological problem or MS. Turns out I had a "complicated migraine." But it's better to be safe than sorry!
Same symptoms here, but I'm 36
I think my hormones are out of whack. I feel extremely moody before and after menses and then feel depressed along with it. Then I get the panic attacks to where it feels like you are choking, then can't breath normal and heart raising.
I have those same symptoms, but I'm in my early 30s.
Have you had a tubal or come off BC pills? I was doing some research the other day and came up with hormonal imbalance, but not estrogen like they think. One of the posters on the Ask the Dr. board recommend progesterone cream for the sore hoohas. Read down the board and you'll see the posts. She said the doctors are mistreating it with BC pills, which only makes it worse.. I'm making an appt w/my doctor and asking for an endocrine evaluation to see how out of whack everything is. FWIW, my former doctor put me on BC pills with Prozac for my PMS. The physical symptoms got worse, while the Prozac made me sleep 12 hours a day, have really wild dreams, and lose all motivation to clean the house or work. I do not like that stuff.
There are there boys here, and believe me, males have their hormonal mood swings, too.
Been having those symptoms plus for 4 days now.
ears popping, congested, aching all over like the flu, headaches.
I did go to a hospital to visit a family member on Monday, so may have picked it up from there. I hate feeling miserable like this. I have 3 other family members who have had whatever it is, tho.
Your symptoms - my two cents
Hi - I want to try to put your mind at ease - I can't say for sure that you don't have MS but I can tell you that I had similar symptoms a few years ago, as did a friend of mine, both from extreme stress. You feel like you are dealing with the stress just fine, but your body still reacts. Try this - make sure you ae getting plenty of vitamin B-12, omega fatty acids (like flax oil), and take a supplement of the amino acid taurine. Also, are you sleeping well? Those can be symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation or lack of REM sleep. If so, you could try Valerian root capsules to help you relax and sleep better, or even Benadryl for sleep. I am not a doctor so of course I can't say for sure that this is the problem or that this will help, but it helped me - after I had two MRIs, tons of blood work, and a nerve conduction study - do yourself a favor and try the other route first! Especially the flax oil - especially if you are not a seafood eater!
I once saw your exact symptoms on a PBS
show about these families who were sent out west to live in cabins..."Pioneer House" I think was the name of it. Anywhoo, one lady, a nurse, thought she had a blood clot in her arm because it was going numb and cold. She was on the pill too and that worried her even more. So, she saw the doctor and it turned out to be bursitis, although she didn't notice any pain! Weird, huh? But yeah, you should have someone check it out just to be on the safe side. Hope it gets better soon!
Former CT warning symptoms SM
are totally completely gone with editing.
Maybe someone else will have a more specific answer for the keystrokes, but CONSIDERABLY fewer per minute. As the VR system gets better and better with a dictator, you may spend most of the time just sitting there reading along with squeakily speeded up dictation. Other dictators will have corrections on every line, though.
Part of reduced Keystrokes is expander, too. For instance, I do ".t" when I come on a lowercase "the" between what should be two sentences, which backs up, inserts a period, double spaces, deletes the small t and inserts a capital T, then jumps to the beginning of the next word for me.
When I started editing, though, my Expander wasn't nearly so well developed and I still made more money AND my worrisome carpal tunnel pains, which a number of times required me to take nonpaid leave while I rested my wrists, disappeared. So have the wrist braces I wore religiously every night to bed.
Could it be no HEENT symptoms?
I only say this because you say "no headache", etc.
not symptoms of bipolar disorder
actually, that just sounds like most of the spoiled kids I've met - society won't treat them the way mom did so they're trying to push the buttons they used to push w/mom. (Did she die or wise up?).
Yes, been sick for 2 weeks - same symptoms. nm
x
my girlfriend had those same symptoms and never made it out
of the emergency room! Many conditions have these symptoms so you did the right thing. You just can't risk it if it is cardiac. When my girlfriend went to the ER, she went in total arrest and they could not revive her. She was 50. On another note, it could be anything from gallbladder, gas, hiatal hernia (very common symptom for HH) or an esophageal spasm (I get those). You did the right thing and a full workup sounded like it was warranted.
Those symptoms you described sound like some of mine, SM
I get photophobic, have numbness and tingling, nausea, you name it.
CARPAL TUNNEL SYMPTOMS..sm
Is it possible for carpal tunnel syndrome to cause a slight tingling feeling in the face as well as the arms and hands? I have had just the slightest of tingling in my face for the last two weeks. No other symptoms at all...just a slight tingling. I have also had, for a longer period of time, pins and needles in both arms, more on the right. I've been a steady MT for about 14 years, and I'm wondering if it's catching up with me? I sorta ruled out a stroke since I figured I'd be dead by now and there are no other symptoms! Any advice/help is greatly appreciated. 
carpal tunnel symptoms
Well, it has finally happened. After 18 years of transcription, I'm starting to have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. It has come on very suddenly, over the course of just a week. What I would like to know is if it is possible to turn this around, since it's just coming on? I have bought wrist supports, which help immensely, as does naproxen. I'm taking frequent breaks also. Can somebody give me hope that I won't end up needing surgery?
VR editor - still with CT symptoms, very severe. sm
I have to admit, it has eased up a little; however, I have had CTS for over 12 years now and never did anything about it. As I age, use my hands the same, and keep the same sleeping habits, my symptoms have gotten so severe.
I really can not say it is better or worse with transcribing or editing these days. It is more pronounced when sleeping or grasping things.
I would not change a job for reasons such as tendinitis or CTS, etc.
Could be Flonase, but that is usually 50 mcg for non-allergic symptoms
Might get more of a response on Word Help board instead
I didn't have any hand/finger symptoms either, just
wrist. Using a brace at night helps some. I use the kind that has the metal strip so that you can't bend your wrist. I found them at my drugstore. I had surgery almost 15 years ago and did fine until this past year, and again am developing symptoms. My symptoms developed from writing, not typing, and now I can type usually without problems, but I can only write a tiny bit, can't grip a garden tool for long or do any type of fine motor movement for long and then if I do my wrists hurt so much that typing then bothers me.
I know there is some vitamin regimen to help, though I don't know what it is. I was put on Naprosyn first and was allergic to it. Orthopod suggested hot and cold soaks, 15 minutes each. I had cortisone injections and some other type of injections, and physical therapy. I was only out of work about 3 days, but I wasn't an MT at the time. I do not have the strength in my hand that I used to, but other than that haven't really had any problems. I do have trouble with pain occasionally, can't think of the word, but it feels like the scar is drawing up and I get shooting pains, but I can massage the scar and it eases. I'm considering a job change rather than going through surgery again, not because the surgery was bad, just because not only do I have carpal tunnel, but I have swelling and tingling in my feet, butt spread, etc.
Word of warning - make sure you have an empty bladder before the EMG study. They have to test both sides so they have a comparison and between laying flat, still, and the electrical shocks I couldn't get off that table quick enough to go potty.
Also, if you don't already, get a keyboard tray that is adjustable. You can find them at a woodworking store or in various catalogs. I can position mine at various heights and various angles. I also sometimes lower the tray and put a pillow on it and then my keyboard and it absorbs some of the pressure and using the pillow you don't have an edge from the tray or the wrist pad pressing into you. I also found I sit back in my chair better with the pillow. If this is not comfortable at least try a folded towel between the tray and keyboard.
I wouldn't discourage surgery, but I would try some of the things above first.
My doctor told me I have all the symptoms of "Andropause"...
Otherwise known as "male menopause"!! Sheesh! That explains a lot, lol. She said most men start to experience in their mid to late 40's (I'm 47), and I do believe it. Darn, I thot guys were spared all that "hot flash" stuff! 
Yes, helped for about 1 year, then same symptoms returned.
Just had hysterectomy last year. Never felt better. No pain, no cramps, no heavy bleeding and I can leave the house and not have to worry about blood running down my legs any more. The ablation worked in decreasing the heavy menstrual flow for about a year. Then it returned with the pain, etc. I have had endometriosis and ovarian cysts since I was 13, with many laparoscopic cystectomies, etc. I am now 38. I finally know what a normal pain-free life is like.
If you do decide to go with the ablation, get the NovaSure - it takes less than 5 minutes to perform and better results than ThermaChoice.
Good luck.
...The content stays the same - history, symptoms,
s
what are the specific symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (sm)
Anyone know the specific symptoms of carpal tunnel? My right top of my arm feels sort of numb, like my forearm and my wrist aches. Also, my shoulder hurts. Is this typical for carpal tunnel or maybe something else? 
Ditto. Go to hospital. Not usual symptoms for a migraine. nm
nm
No perimenopausal symptoms? Mood swings? Crying? Forgetfulness? Lucky you if so. I started all that
s
58, AHP/self-taught, trained at hospital 5 years, now with 2 of my own accounts for 10 years, employ
Also worn out 2 keyboards in 4 years. I will never retire. DH will come home some day from work and I'll be slumped over my keyboard. I put in 14 hours a day 7 days a week.
Pack years = packs smoked per day x years of smoking - sm
25 pack-years = 25 years of 1 pack a day, or 12-1/2 years of 2 packs a day.
I don't think pack-years applies to someone who smokes only cigars. But I don't know for sure.
I worked for Cbay for 3 years. I was also part of their lay off back many years ago. sm
Even though I got stuck in a lay off era, I still love the company. They paid well then. The people were nice (exception of 1 person) and if I had the opportunity I would go back again. Fortunately (or unfortunately - depending on how u look at it), I have a great paying job right now, so I am not looking for a change. I do know that at one time, they asked management to accept late paychecks, but never sure of the reason why. My check was never late.
I know it used to be 5-10 years back, but the laws changed within the last 2 years. They can only g
x
6 years legal then switched to medical 17+ years ago. sm
I don't mind doing legal and will do it now from time to time, but be prepared to be totally bored out of your mind.
At least that's the way I feel. I love to transcribe, learned legal in college, went on to get my paralegal degree, etc., etc., but I did temp work when the kids were younger, which was about 90% medical and I would never go back to legal except for once in a while.
Booooooring.
Only 3 years away from reaching total years for retirement
but if I had to do this and raise a family, would feel exactly like you do. The pay is terrible compared to what I used to make. I work 32 hours a week, hope to be able to continue even after full retirement age. I have worked on VR now and unless places get to where they really do not care about how their reports look, think they will need MTs. I very seldom do a report and it is 100%, just cannot remember 1 like that and most take a lot more editing. Working now because want to, not have to anymore, thank goodness!!
No, constellation, no 's'. It's a constellation of symptoms. sm
Just like a constellation of stars. There are many stars in the constellation, there are many symptoms in the patient's constellation.
I dumped my ex 20 years ago, but got lucky 13 years ago
It would take me all night and pages and pages to describe what a bad person my ex-husband was. After six years of putting up with his OCD, verbal abuse and alcohol, I left him the house, took the kids (5 and 1) and didn't look back. That was 20 years ago.
I wasn't looking to get married again, but I did. After 13 years I only complain when hubby doesn't see things my way. :)
My older kids, who were 5 and 1 when I left, are married and have kids of their own now. My husband gets the Father's Day cards. Their "real" father sits alone in the perfect little house I left behind and let him have and he drinks himself into oblivion every night because nobody is "perfect" enough, including his kids and his grandkids that he never sees.
Sad, but true. So glad I smartened up and got out of there when I did.
We have been supporting other countries for years and years now.
What is the big deal. Look at your clothes, cars, items in your house. You will see mostly China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan etc., etc. We have not supported our own people like we should have for years now!!!!
Only 2 in 13 years for me. First Edix for 8 and now Webmedx for nearly 5 years. nm
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When I trained, back years and years ago
We did not have spell checking nor the internet (Google for instantaneous help). OMG, how did we do it? We used Correcting Selectrics with the lift-off tape to correct errors- you only had dictionaries, both English and medical, to look up things so yes we did have to learn to spell all those big longgggggggggg words.
MT: 24 years. Same company: 11 years same co. after buyout.
x
Grammar Question: 9 years' ago or 9 years ago? *sm*
 I have a terrible time trying to remember this rule! HELP!
Worked inhouse for years and years
Inhouse transcription from 1973 to approximately 1992 and we had no downtime for answering the phones and when the physicians came into the room (or others) needing some assistance, just part of the job. I did not feel bad about doing it then and I dont see why you would either. You don’t realize that probably you are making right now more than if you are outsourced, right? You have hourly salary plus incentive. Guess how many of us have that now? Probably inevitable about outsourcing so I would say just enjoy while you can. The pay our here now sinks further and further. I make, for instance, 4 cents a line for voice recognition and 8 for straight. Now, more complaining?
19 years old...married 26 years. nm
n
they've been doing this for years and years (nm)
IMHO
People have been saying that for years and years - SM
however, I am working fewer hours and making more money. I think maybe the answer here is working as an IC for a one-owner company. MTSO was an MT for many years and she knows the secret to making lots of $ is putting your MTs doing what they do best and leaving them alone.
I don't think it is the "national" part of services that hurts. I think the low wages can be gauged by the number of suits in the company. More suits = less $.
And why pay QA? Just hire people experienced/good enough to do the work correctly the first time.
I have been doing Radiology only the last two years after several years (sm)
of acute care. I love it and find it easier although not as interesting as acute care. I was told by those who hired me that a good medical Transcriptionist will be able to do Radiology even with no experience in it. There are some specialized terms but easy to learn. I would never go back to acute care unless there were very good dictators and good sound quality.
30 (!) years; OTJ (don't think there were schools 30 years ago) nm
:)
Years ago it was 7 years. Not certain as to status now.
10 years here, too, and making 8.4....same as i was 5 years ago. nm
f
Shame on me.. Am I the only one with 4+ in 2 years, but with my last one 2 years.
Lots of little "stints" in between, just trying to keep my head above water.
24 years MT, 7.5 years with the same hospital nm.
x
22 years, same company 10 years nm
nm
32 years, longest was 28 years at same co. (nm)
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