FallDownGoBump... I hear ya... Loud and clear... Sounds as if we're both in the same boat... Hubby has 3 sisters and 2 brothers left and not one of them even bothered to send a card or call on his birthday, let alone any other time. Even if I did ask for help not one of them would... But the real kicker is that hubby has helped EVERYONE in his family and everyone has screwed him in some way... Six of his nine siblings and his father has lived with us at one time or another... When we first married we took in his father and youngest sister with the stipulation that 4 of the other brothers and sisters chip in a lousy $7. a week... The first week we got $21. the next week we got $14. then not another cent or even a crust of bread... I could go on for hours about them but I won't... It only upsets me more... My story: Three years ago hubby broke his hip and two days after the surgery they sent him home with me with no additional help... Three days after that something happened and he didn't know who he was, where he was or who I was... After a two week stay in the hospital, so they could perform every test known to man, they told me he had 2 strokes and a little stiff from the partial hip replacement but otherwise he was in good health and they sent him to a rehab facility ( nursing home )... BTW, while he was there, recovering, his youngest sister got it in her head that since the nursing home offered hospice services that was all they did and turned around and told hubby that's why he was there! Sorry for getting off on another rant... Anyway, after two months the rehab facility sent him home... For about a month and a half the visiting nurse and a physical therapist came over twice a week... By then I had to find a doctor because hubby's meds were running out. After reviewing all his medical records the doctor says hubby had SEVERAL strokes and a heart attack!!!! Ok, sorry, that's yet another rant... Right now I have a 67 year old hubby who moves as if he's 100 and, at times, has the brain of a 2 year old... Hugs, Rita

I just found this thread about tinnitus -- thought I'd tell me story, in case some pieces of it may help someone else. Mine started very suddenly and loudly in August 2000 while I was sitting in a room where there was a VERY LOUD collating machine working on our marketing mailing at work. The loud squealing sound in my ears did not quit that day, or the next day. I saw my internist, then an ENT. The hearing test indicated that I had not experienced any hearing loss, and I believe that to still be true. The only thing they had to offer was a special hearing aid to provide white noise. I didn't really like that option. The following week I went to see my husband's chiropractor, even though I was very skeptical and basically a non-believer in chiropractic. I was desperate, so I decided to try it. He said he would know within two weeks whether he could help me. Just hours after the first adjustment, I was experiencing a change -- it was as though someone were taking a radio volume dial and changing it louder, quieter, louder, quieter, etc. It was awful, but I chose to think of it as a positive in that he had effected a change. I was hoping that change could end up being something more desirable. I had daily appointments that first week, and each day the volume decreased. The following week I only saw him three times, and the appointment frequency continued to gradually decrease. I currently see my chiropractor about once every three or four weeks. Sometimes by that time, I am hearing the squealing (much quieter now than originally -- usually I can even just ignore it), but sometimes I go just to stay ahead of it. It turns out that I have a spondylosis, complete with lower back stiffness, and the adjustments help. It may be noteworthy that my father also had tinnitus -- perhaps he had the spondylosis too. If anyone thinks this might be an avenue worth checking, I strongly suggest finding a Gonstead chiropractor. (Gonstead = the gold standard of chiropractic -- and they are not likely to pressure you to sign up for the "lifetime program." Their motto is to find the problem, adjust it, and then leave it alone.) I do find that exercising (walking, climbing stairs or using the elliptical) is helpful. Hope this may be of some help to some of you. My question for all of you -- do any of you also have: - lower back stiffness? - bad knees ? (I need to have two knee replacements, but I'm still in the putting-it-off mode) - hips that are sometimes stiff or tight feeling? I'd like to find out whether there is a common pattern to this. Thanks.

Thanks all -- just made an appt. with my dr for Monday morning so I'll see what she says. Yes, I really like my PCP. She is conservative with medications so I doubt that she's going to say, Here's some Xanax, see you later. In my internet diagnostic research, I read that beta blockers are sometimes diagnosed for high BP and/or anxiety. She told me to hold off on the BP meds that the cardio dr prescribed, and I wonder if she will propose a beta blocker instead. Of course this is based on one article online. I have no idea what she'll do. She may re-do some of the blood tests too. This week I have noticed that the times I have this "feeling" (which is basically turning into the same routine -- feeling like I can't breathe, when in fact of course I can, sweaty palms, and sometimes a weird feeling like I have to go to the bathroom, sorry, TMI?) happens in mainly two situations: in the car and when I'm thinking/talking about the possibility of panic attacks! Okay, duh -- guess this is pretty psychological.

Okay yaya, what did you do when you freaked out? LOL!!! I remember opening my eyes in the beginning and saw some red flashes and suddenly shut them again. You can go to Youtube and listen to an MRI. I had my dh hear it and he couldn't believe I put up with it for an hour and a half! Should hear something today. Movement in neck is great, bump still there.