Alerion
Well-known member
I'm looking for advice from people who actually have experience. My cardio does not.
I have been reading threads here and there about self testing v. lab testing. It seems home testing is relatively new? Well, it sure sounds appealing. I have no idea what kind of valve I will end up with but I am
....and that leads to my question:
I work in production and marketing now but I am first and foremost, a musician. I don't do it for money anymore (very often) but I had a great career and I simply won't become lax with playing or practice just because I'm not getting paid. I need to play to be happy.
So, I'm worried about the complications of regular lab-work and finger sticks. I worked with a diabetic horn player and his finger sticks drove him nuts (And once got infected which put him off the sax for a month) I've had distracting pain from blood tests that actually affected my playing (I play guitar) so i'm not just being paranoid. I can't find a "day in the life of an ACT patient"-type post anywhere.
How often do you wind up getting tested? once, twice a month?
How much blood do they draw and does it stay sore all night?
Is anybody self-testing at home? What's that like?
Can you draw blood from, say, a pinky? Or better yet, a friend's pinky?
Blood, fingersticks, needles... none of that bothers me. Distracting pain, even though it's mild, will probably drive me batty.
David
I have been reading threads here and there about self testing v. lab testing. It seems home testing is relatively new? Well, it sure sounds appealing. I have no idea what kind of valve I will end up with but I am
....and that leads to my question:
I work in production and marketing now but I am first and foremost, a musician. I don't do it for money anymore (very often) but I had a great career and I simply won't become lax with playing or practice just because I'm not getting paid. I need to play to be happy.
So, I'm worried about the complications of regular lab-work and finger sticks. I worked with a diabetic horn player and his finger sticks drove him nuts (And once got infected which put him off the sax for a month) I've had distracting pain from blood tests that actually affected my playing (I play guitar) so i'm not just being paranoid. I can't find a "day in the life of an ACT patient"-type post anywhere.
How often do you wind up getting tested? once, twice a month?
How much blood do they draw and does it stay sore all night?
Is anybody self-testing at home? What's that like?
Can you draw blood from, say, a pinky? Or better yet, a friend's pinky?
Blood, fingersticks, needles... none of that bothers me. Distracting pain, even though it's mild, will probably drive me batty.
David