How Not to End Your Holiday Weekend

The holiday weekend was sunny and hot here in the northeast and I spent most of it indoors, although we did get in several hours in and around the pool. I can't spend too much time in the sun because I'm still on the antibiotic, but I slathered on the 30 spf sunblock and spent minimal time floating on the raft.

My allergies have really been bothering me the past few weeks, so I've been taking 12-hour Claritan D almost every day. At the end of last week, I started to notice that I was going longer and longer between visits to the bathroom, even after taking the medication to lower my potassium that Dr. K prescribed when I saw her on Thursday. I didn't think too much of it, until Saturday, when I urinated at 5:30 p.m. and didn't go again until 10:30 a.m. Sunday, and then didn't go again by 6 a.m. Monday morning. I knew something was very wrong because I could feel the pressure in my bladder, but nothing was happening. Into the car we climbed at 6:30 and headed to the hospital. I had to be catheterized and then they filled me with fluids. They also did bloodwork to check for an infection or kidney problems, but didn't find anything wrong. The catheter was removed at 12:30 and I was told if I went 12 hours without urinating again, I would have to come back.

When I hadn't gone by 5:45 this morning, I thought we were going to be spending another day at the hospital, but it turns out that the old wives' tale is true: If you run warm water over your wrist, it will make you go. I hope I won't have to do that every time, but it worked this morning.

I never even thought to mention to the doctor that I was taking Claritan D, and I never read the side effect of this drug. It turns out that it can cause less urination or none. If you take this drug and experience this symptom, that may be the cause. I've elimated it from the medications I can take, which is a problem because today I'm completely stuffed up and I don't know what to take. I'll have to check with the pharmacist.

So that's how our long weekend ended, but at least everything turned out okay in the end. With any luck, everything will return to normal in a few days.

I'm having my follow up MRI on Thursday and then seeing Dr. Yamada. I'll let you know what happens after the visit.

In the meantime, try to stay cool. It's supposed to reach 100 degrees here today. You know where I'll be!