I went to my first appt. at the Pain Management center a few days ago. It was good, I felt like, although I am pretty knowledgeable on the subject already, that the dr. took me through the steps and stages and possibilities for help very well. So we're going to start with the old fashioned tricyclic anti-depressant desipramine. The tricyclic anti-depressants can work on chronic pain, supposedly desipramine works the best and happily has the least side effects of the group. I have to gradually increase the dosage over a few weeks and it will take a few weeks to see if it's working or not. In the meantime I am continuing the ibuprofen/tylenol use. After a few weeks I'll see if I can cut down or cut it out. The side effects are mainly dry mouth (which I have anyway from my other meds) and constipation (which seems to be a side effect of pretty much any med I take from here on out). There is some concern about my having an allergic reaction as years ago I had an allergic reaction to Elavil (another tricyclic anti-depressant which I was also taking for pain) and it's in the same family, but hopefully I won't. Last time it took a week for the reaction to show.
So if this works, great. If it doesn't work, or if it works but not enough, then the next step is neurontin. It's an anti-convulsant that is used a lot for pain, particularly nerve pain, which is not what I have, at least we don't think so, but it may still work. After that the next step is the dreaded narcotics. The dr. is trying these other things first because the idea is to give me better functionality and quality of life, not just pain relief. But he also feels that the narcotics would be less dangerous to me than the continued use of ibuprofen, which at this point I agree. It's part of the reason I decided to go the Pain management route in the first place. I go back and see the dr. again in 4 weeks.
Meanwhile I am struggling with my other health issues. I started bp meds but my bp is still high. I am going to talk to my internist but hope to wait and see if I can cut the ibuprofen use if these other drugs work. Maybe that will be enough to lower it. My blood sugars have been high lately, for no apparent reason. It's frustrating! They were great the day after Thanksgiving, which makes no sense, and then days that I am carefully watching my eating they are high. Whatever! I know they are more complex than just what you are eating, but still. It's frustrating. Every morning I get to take my blood sugar levels, my blood pressure and weigh myself. Nothing like starting the day depressed!
Otherwise we are gearing up for the holidays, lots of decorating going on (mostly A. and Z. doing that) and gift shopping (my domain- I've been doing most of it online this year, but have to get out to an actual store today for some things). Every year I buy a gingerbread house kit and Z. and I put it together and decorate it. Crazily, this year I decided to make the gingerbread house myself. I made the dough which has been in the fridge since yesterday, and we have this beautiful iron mold that I've had for years and have never used. This weekend we'll have to make the gingerbread part and start decorating it. We have to buy some candy though, I only have a bag of gumdrops so far. Part of our shopping trip is buying the candy (Z. will be so happy with that part of the trip anyhow!)
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5 comments:
Michele,I sure hope you find a pain solution w/out having to try too many different things! You are so ambitious baking your own gingerbread house. We usually buy a kit! You should post some pictures. Johnna
I hope the anti-depressants work.
My cousin was taking oxycontin (sp?) and they had to hospitalize her and change her meds. She was taking way too much (their words) and they said that was making her pain worse. They also did a scan and found mets so she had radiation for those. She went home and was sleeping all the time. Apparently she would forget when she took the pain pills and take more. Now her daughter and niece are alternating responsibility to give her the pain meds.
Is this Pat?
They told me at the Pain clinic that any narcotics would have to be gotten from their hospital pharmacy. Not sure how that works with our prescription insurance (which has some retail but is mainly mail order) but I'll cross that bridge if I get to it.
My sister was taking oxycontin and was very lucid on it, but I imagine she was just taking enough to get by. I think she had a very high pain threshold. Not sure mine is nearly as high unfortunately.
{{hugs}} I hope the new med works for pain relief. And that my hug didn't exacerbate your back pain. :^)
Blood sugar issues are so complicated. My mom (type 1.5 I think it's called? adult-onset of "juvenile" diabetes) usually has really good readings at my house and at my sister's - of course we go out of our way to make diabetic-friendly meals, but so does she when she's at home! Just a mystery.
Yes, it was Pat. Sorry I forgot to "sign" my name.
My cousin has been fighting for a long time - over 5 years now. Her cancer was inoperable lung cancer that shrunk amazingly with chemo shocking the doctors. Still, her back hurt and she has been on chemo most of the time. Some of the mets they radiated most recently were in her brain :-(
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