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woodsprite

(12,588 posts)
Mon May 4, 2026, 10:44 PM Monday

I'm trying to reclaim a handle on my numbers.

I've been on an absolute roller coaster ride for the past 9 mo dealing with pretty significant UTIs every 5-6 weeks. All have been treated with multiple rounds of Cipro, Macrobid, and Fosfomycin - two treatment rounds were for 30 days. That meant starting/stopping Trulicity for weeks at a time and not taking my Januvia, Metformin, Lisinopril, or my supplements for my neuropathy depending on testing, procedures, what antibiotics I was on at any given time. Spot checking numbers would show 175-250 regularly with an occasional pop up over 300.

I think my team (a uro, Infect. Disease specialist, primary care, and GYN/Onco) may have figured it out. Infectious Disease said that I was colonized with these bugs somewhere (aerococus urinae, pseudomonas aeringosa, or klebsiella) either on multiple kidney stones, my permanent stent, OR both (bingo!). I ended up in the hospital a few weeks ago with a kidney stone and they thought I was in stage 3 CKD (all my blood numbers were bad), bp was 175/130. It ended up being the stone blocking my ureter which backed everything up in my one kidney (the healthy one that hadn't take collateral damage from the radiation treatments). I had an emergency stent exchange for my damaged right kidney (2 mo earlier than they had planned), and did a ureteroscopy and temporary stent placement in my left kidney. By the time they discharged me, all but my BS, protein, and 2 others were totally back to normal readings. BP was 120/75. It's possible there is still some colonization on the kidney stone shards that are left, but *Knock Wood* I've had no UTI symptoms since then. I was even able to go hiking with hubby in the Shenandoah caverns and Sieverville, TN.

I recovered from that procedure for 3 weeks, and this past week had my kidney stone blasted and the temporary left stent replaced for a week, with the temp stent being totally removed on Friday. Over the weekend I returned to my regular meds, my Trulicity, and supplements, and today I'm seeing numbers in the 100s - high 100s still - but heading in the right direction. I'm watching my carb/protein intake like a hawk and trying to stick to 10-30 per meal as much as possible. Finally feeling back to normal and hoping tomorrow brings better numbers yet.

I'm working from home and have been taking exercise breaks during work - just 15 min at a time. I also have requested a list of local endocrinologists that are accepting new patients. There are finally a few with openings and the practitioner that has been my primary is retiring in June, so it's a perfect time to make a move. Also, I have contacted the exercise physiology dept at our local Univ to see if I can get back in there. They had changed their open hours so I stopped going. They take your BP, heart rate, and BS during your exercise sessions there. I had worked my way up to 40 min of HIIT (treadmill/elliptical) and a 30-min weight circuit 3x/week. I wouldn't be starting from ground zero, but about at my halfway point. Man, I lost it fast - both motivation and results - when I stopped going to the gym regularly.

Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for listening. Somewhere along my health journey I lost my way. In the past 9 months, we've had 2 family deaths (my brother and MIL) and a wedding to deal with. I dropped the ball on self-care and I've got to get back on track.


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I'm trying to reclaim a handle on my numbers. (Original Post) woodsprite Monday OP
lose weight rampartd Tuesday #1
I didn't start getting neuropathy until I went through chemo woodsprite 8 hrs ago #2

rampartd

(4,882 posts)
1. lose weight
Tue May 5, 2026, 05:18 AM
Tuesday

i went through the foot wounds and iv drugs several times. only lost 1 toe but can be much worse.

look into jardiance maybe, but stay active and hold the carbs.

what do you take for the neuropathy?

woodsprite

(12,588 posts)
2. I didn't start getting neuropathy until I went through chemo
Wed May 6, 2026, 09:55 PM
8 hrs ago

After finishing chemo it mostly went away from the hands and feet with the exception of the last 3 toes on each foot. Unfortunately with each cycle of Cipro it seems to get a little worse. The higher BS numbers certainly don't help, but its also a side effect of cipro..

My oncologist had suggested I try an R-alpha lipoic acid supplement along with a B-complex vitamin. I was already taking D3 and additional magnesium for leg cramps. I do notice a difference if I lay off the vitamins for 2-3 days so they're doing some good. Unfortunately when I take Cipro, I can't take some of supplements, so I'm hoping I can stay off of that for awhile.

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