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jimmyjam on the AT 2019

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    • jimmyjam on the AT 2019

      Made my plans before the wife changes her mind. Flying north 7/16, catching the bus to Joe Dodge heading north for about two weeks. Starting with 2 or 3 days of food.That's about the extent of the planning. :thumbsup:
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Any expected ending place?

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Made my plans before the wife changes her mind. Flying north 7/16, catching the bus to Joe Dodge heading north for about two weeks. Starting with 2 or 3 days of food.That's about the extent of the planning. :thumbsup:
      Any expected ending place?
      Probably Stratton.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Well it's looking like my NH-ME trip is going to get scrapped. I've been on a med for PVCs for years and started getting too slow of a heart rate from it. My cardiologist took me off it, been one week, and put me on just Liprinosol for BP. I immediately started having dizziness from the low heart rate and feeling awful from I guess withdrawals after being on dilitiziam for 5 years. All kinds of awful symptoms: headache, shortness of breath, light headedness, hoarseness, diarrhea, thankfully not all at the same time.
      Anyway I felt terrible two days after seeing my cardiologist and they couldn't see me so I went to the ER. They said EKG is fine, your heart rate is low -duh. They call my cardio who says I can go home and call tomorrow to make appointment. That was Thursday pm. I call first thing Friday, they finally call me back today and say come in Friday afternoon and we'll put a halter monitor on you to see what's going on. Oh and now they tell me it will take my body 2 to 4 weeks before it gets rid of the other drug and adjusts. Great.
      So provided they get me straightened out, I'm not comfortable going to NH. I think I will instead head down the highway here to Damascus and ride the Creeper Trail and maybe re-hike Grayson Highlands because when I did it I saw very little because of fog, rain and wind.
      Disappointed but NH and ME are not going anywhere.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Well it's looking like my NH-ME trip is going to get scrapped. I've been on a med for PVCs for years and started getting too slow of a heart rate from it. My cardiologist took me off it, been one week, and put me on just Liprinosol for BP. I immediately started having dizziness from the low heart rate and feeling awful from I guess withdrawals after being on dilitiziam for 5 years. All kinds of awful symptoms: headache, shortness of breath, light headedness, hoarseness, diarrhea, thankfully not all at the same time.
      Anyway I felt terrible two days after seeing my cardiologist and they couldn't see me so I went to the ER. They said EKG is fine, your heart rate is low -duh. They call my cardio who says I can go home and call tomorrow to make appointment. That was Thursday pm. I call first thing Friday, they finally call me back today and say come in Friday afternoon and we'll put a halter monitor on you to see what's going on. Oh and now they tell me it will take my body 2 to 4 weeks before it gets rid of the other drug and adjusts. Great.
      So provided they get me straightened out, I'm not comfortable going to NH. I think I will instead head down the highway here to Damascus and ride the Creeper Trail and maybe re-hike Grayson Highlands because when I did it I saw very little because of fog, rain and wind.
      Disappointed but NH and ME are not going anywhere.
      (Do you mean Lisinopril?)

      Smart plan. I know how disappointing it is, had to cancel several trips recently. Hopefully they’ll find the right med for you. if not, an ablation may help.

      I hope to hike Grayson Highlands soon so a trip report and photos will be helpful. Unknown territory makes me a little anxious sometimes.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      TJ: Yes. Lisinopril.

      You and any other cafe members are welcome to hike the highlands with me.
      Give us a heads up when you do this, if I don't have something already planned I may just take you up on your invite, I bought a bottle of Woodford Reserve for after the hike this weekend but we finished so early in the day (8:30) that we just took showers and headed home, we'd planned on camping for a night at Standing Indian and smoking cigars, drinking bourbon and sitting around a campfire telling lies...still have a full bottle.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • I'm thinking the same time frame as before. July 16. Probably ride the Creeper Trail first. I can probably push into later July by a day or two. Got to get my ticker BP and HR straight first. I'll keep everyone updated by posting here. I really won't know much until next week.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Well I just got a call from my cardiologist nurse and the halter monitor showed some low HR readings that they are concerned about so they are going to put a pacemaker in. So no hiking for me next week. I hope everything goes well and I can return to hiking soon. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Well I just got a call from my cardiologist nurse and the halter monitor showed some low HR readings that they are concerned about so they are going to put a pacemaker in. So no hiking for me next week. I hope everything gChoes well and I can return to hiking soon. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks.
      This stuff I have been hiking in definitely isn't for you if your health is off. Great thing about section hiking us you can do it when it works out for you. Mountains are not going anywhere.
      You are in my prayers for a quick recovery! :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Well I just got a call from my cardiologist nurse and the halter monitor showed some low HR readings that they are concerned about so they are going to put a pacemaker in. So no hiking for me next week. I hope everything goes well and I can return to hiking soon. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks.
      JJ, prayer already set. Once you get past this speed bump in the road I hope you will be back to 100%. As Astro said, take care of this now and the mountains will be there for you when you are better.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • Father-in-law has taken a licking but his heart keeps on ticking, thanks to his pacemaker. 92 and ornery as hell. Best wishes for a boring procedure.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Well I just got a call from my cardiologist nurse and the halter monitor showed some low HR readings that they are concerned about so they are going to put a pacemaker in. So no hiking for me next week. I hope everything goes well and I can return to hiking soon. Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks.
      Bummer, sorry to hear that, hope all goes well.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • I was just told it won't happen next week because Cigna takes a week to approve pacemakers. WTF?
      " Hello Cigna, my patient needs a pacemaker, what can I hold a week?"
      Damn our health Care is in sad shape. Good thing I'm not in "serious" condition, the doctor says I can do whatever I want until then -even hiking- but I'm not comfortable with that or straying too far from home. I guess I'll go to the library and stock up on books.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • The whole thing makes me want to go back in business, get a job renovating some Cigna big wheels house, rip it apart and then disappear for a week or three and then show up with a stack of Change Orders. Grrrrr.......
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      I guess I'll go to the library and stock up on books.
      i've recently had trouble sleeping so i tried one of the things they recommend -- turn off the tv and don't look at your devices and read a book made outta dead trees before you go to bed. so i've been reading for a half hour or a bit longer every night -- and it works. getting old sucks.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      I guess I'll go to the library and stock up on books.
      i've recently had trouble sleeping so i tried one of the things they recommend -- turn off the tv and don't look at your devices and read a book made outta dead trees before you go to bed. so i've been reading for a half hour or a bit longer every night -- and it works. getting old sucks.
      But getting old still beats the alternative. ;)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      You will do great JJ! You’ll probably feel better in the long run and be Super Hiker for many years.
      Thanks TJ. Part of me is wondering if it is all still from being on the dilitiziam for so long, that maybe it will stop in a week. Who knows?
      Anyway if you are still planning on hiking the Highlands next week or the one after, I'd be glad to share my notes on mileage/water/campsites if you want them. I'm still planning on rehiking that piece this year and riding the Creeper Trail.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Traffic Jam wrote:

      You will do great JJ! You’ll probably feel better in the long run and be Super Hiker for many years.
      Thanks TJ. Part of me is wondering if it is all still from being on the dilitiziam for so long, that maybe it will stop in a week. Who knows?Anyway if you are still planning on hiking the Highlands next week or the one after, I'd be glad to share my notes on mileage/water/campsites if you want them. I'm still planning on rehiking that piece this year and riding the Creeper Trail.
      Thanks...no concrete plans yet. I need to start thinking about it.

      Is your pacemaker going to have a defibrillator? Just curious.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Traffic Jam wrote:

      You will do great JJ! You’ll probably feel better in the long run and be Super Hiker for many years.
      Thanks TJ. Part of me is wondering if it is all still from being on the dilitiziam for so long, that maybe it will stop in a week. Who knows?Anyway if you are still planning on hiking the Highlands next week or the one after, I'd be glad to share my notes on mileage/water/campsites if you want them. I'm still planning on rehiking that piece this year and riding the Creeper Trail.
      Thanks...no concrete plans yet. I need to start thinking about it.
      Is your pacemaker going to have a defibrillator? Just curious.
      good question about the pacemaker
      I don't know. I haven't even spoken directly with my doctor. He's almost impossible to see. I've been completely symptom free for 24 hours , so I'm wondering if it all wasn't just the dilitiziam which I stopped on 6/28, I mean it stays in your system up to 4 weeks and the Lisinopril they started me on which I only took 5 days stays in your system 2 weeks. Me and him are going to talk this week or I'm not going to let it happen if I remain symptom free. My BP and HR have been perfect for 24 hours.

      I'll post some data on the Highlands this evening.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • IMScotty wrote:

      JJ,

      Might not hurt to do further monitoring and get a second opinion.

      SS
      I second that. There are different types of cardiac Dr’s. If your cardiologist isn’t an electrophysiologist, you may want to consult one. They are the experts on the hearts electrical activity.

      Another suggestion is to write down all your questions before the appointment and ask the Dr to show you the EKG and explain exactly what’s happening with your heart.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      And my 1st wife is a cardiologist NP. I consult with her too.
      Forgive me...I had a lol moment when I pictured you showing up for your appointment with your wife and your ex.
      Might not be a bad idea though.

      Take care JJ.
      First wife is married to one of my wife's cousins. Family reunions are interesting, but we're all on good terms.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Traffic Jam wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      And my 1st wife is a cardiologist NP. I consult with her too.
      Forgive me...I had a lol moment when I pictured you showing up for your appointment with your wife and your ex.Might not be a bad idea though.

      Take care JJ.
      First wife is married to one of my wife's cousins. Family reunions are interesting, but we're all on good terms.
      Glad to hear that...I hate hearing about families fighting after a divorce.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • OK, I'm not going to bore ya'll with my condition after this, but I have been symptom free for five full days now. No vertigo, no light headedness, no shortness of breath and no chest pain. They have given me the option of a pacemaker installed on 8/20 or do a 30 day monitor study since I have been symptom free and because I am convinced that my troubles were medication related. I'm opting for the 30 day study. I've resumed bike riding at 30 minutes per day after sunset (it's hot as you know what here) and I'm back to my every other day bowflex routine-starting at reduced resistance. So far the only thing exercise does is makes me feel great. If it cools off I'll go hiking for a day or three.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • I think you made a wise choice. Hope the 30-day study proves it was medicinal and not mechanical.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard