When patients asks questions, any response is sometimes better
then no response at all.

Went swimming earlier this week (Tuesday). The next day I walked
around with unusually dry throat. By the end of that day my
throat became sorer and sorer the day after that. Next thing I
know I had trouble swallowing food. I warned the Doctor that if
this problem gets down to my lungs it could aggravate my asthma
and that it has happen before. But the doctor didn't appear to
believe me and just simply took swab sample the back of my
throat to be tested. Sure enough I was right. The next morning I
couldn't breath and was given Biaxin XL 500mg (Clarithromycin).
While having breakfast the next morning, I noticed my left arm
going numb while I was starting to have trouble breathing. I was
hospitalize, given oxygen, and Apro-prednisone 50mg. It did the
trick. But when I came in the hospital I mentioned to every
nurse I saw about my left arm going numb, no one seemed to care
about it. One said it was cause I was breathing too hard and
getting too much oxygen.  Another went silent when I mentioned
the problem and became more concerned about my breathing which,
by then, had cleared up.
When I asked another nurse why my heart had begun beating and
pounding incredibly hard and quickly in the last half hour, no
response came from that nurse (I did let a few seconds pass
until I knew she wasn't going to answer it period). So then I
asked if this was related to my numb arm. And she finally
answered, "It's probably the medication"
"But I haven't taken any today" I answered.
Wops, that statement caused her to go silent and walk out.
But she comes back later to tell me I'm well enough to leave.
Coincidently, the feelings in my arm had returned around that
same time. So I walked out too.

It's written that Clarithromycin may effect hearth rhythm QTc
prolongation in the EKG. Could that have been causing this?

I think it would have made me feel a lot better if they had at
least said *something*. I was afraid I was having a stroke or
something! They failed to check why it had gone numb (a very
abnormal thing that's never happen to me!). Not one question was
asked by any of them about it. I think when patients asks questions,
*any* response is sometimes better then NO response at all! If they
don't know, why not say, "I don't know" maybe? Very simple.
I don't know. Has anyone else experienced this?

I'll see my family doctor this week. A doctor who I know DOES answer
every question!

Tony