yes, teasing all these things apart takes time & experimenting.
i agree about the meds.

let us know what they think.

Glad you are doing better. It takes time to heal and to build yourself back up. Don't be too hard on yourself. I think you are doing great.

I, too, wonder if the combination of medications you take at night are contributing to not only the fatigue but the BP and pulse issues. Granted, I'm a lightweight and what you take at night would knock me out for a few days. I can only hand 1 5/325 Norco at a time. I took 2 in the hospital one night and my BP plummeted. It was not fun. Since my BP generally runs low, if I need to take narcotics or anything like that, I space the timing out a bit. Like, take my muscle relaxer (I take Ativan as the others were too strong for me) and then 2 hours later take my Norco or Tylenol 3. Maybe spacing them out a bit will help your BP and pulse.

Let us know how your appointments go.

Trish;

I was about to do a very similar response to doydie regarding the combination. I really think they may play a part in some of the issues she is dealing with.


Gerry

doydie,
The stimulation the computer may very well play a part in taking so long to get to sleep. The combination of meds may also be at issue, along with adding to the erratic B/P.

You sure have a busy schedule, along with helping the medical field with their expenses.
Looking forward to your sharing some of the findings from your medical crew.


Gerry

Well my PCP nurse practitioner said if I need to stay on the schedule of pain medicine/muscle relaxant/sleeping pill then I need to do it.She did give me some samples of called Flector to see if it works. Total of 4 patches and they are a 12 hour but I only need it at bedtime. I did try to change my screen time last night and it didn't help but that doesn't mean I still won't continue to try it. They did a test of my b/p and pulse sitting and then standing and walking about the distance from my bed tot he bathroom. Upper reading on b/p went from 15o to 130, pulse went from 60 to 118.

Then I went to the cardiologist office. Their b/p and pulse reading were about the same. So I am to take the water pill out of the b/p pill (glad I still have them at home), make a spreadsheet of what time I take what pill and what b/p readings I have after. See her in 2 weeks and will discuss that. I may need another tilt table test which it's main goal is watch you pass out on monitor. The cardiologist that handled it before said if I continued to have trouble she would send me to a clinic at Vanderbilt. So I am just hoping that taking that water pill out will help. Of course when I did that before, the edema came back in my legs.

I am tired and spent a bunch of money in the last 2 days seeing 4 doctors.

I feel like all I do here is being a whiny butt and I don't like that.

Actually doydie, I find this very helpful. I take Spirolactone (Potassium saving water pill) daily. My blood pressure was still fairly high even with the Lisinopril until I took the water pill. It was like "magic". I do have some Edema; especially in my left ankle; that's why I am taking the pill. The "plus" side effect was lowering my blood pressure and lowering my dose of Lisinopril.

The same with the thread for Charlie's; I have the possibility of going his route; so I find his thread informative as well. Also, your description of him is endearing.

In any case; don't see any whining. You have a way of putting a bit of humor in your responses which often brings a smile.

Thank you for sharing.


Gerry

it's ok to be a whiney butt.
we do whiney butts very well.

at least til you feel yourself. then you can pass the whiney butt torch to someone else.

Whine away, Doydie! You certainly deserve the Whining Crown as you have been through so much with not only Charlie but your own health.

I am glad to see the doctor recommended the spreadsheet and monitoring. That will help in determining if the medications are effecting your bp and pulse. How did the patch work for you? Hopefully, it provided enough relief for you so you could sleep.

The patch worked really well. I only had enough for 2 nights. Silly me, when I got 2 boxes and they both had 2 patches, I assumed without thinking that I had 4 days worth. But i forgot that I had 2 legs!!!! Minor thing So I had 2 nights. But it worked. They require a prior authorization and I got a call today saying it was denied. So the doctor's office is going to have to decide if they appeal or use a gel or whatever.

It took some nerve wracking times between my daughter in Lexington, ky and me here but I got the spread sheet made. She picked a really bad time cognitively for me to do my end. I had to download Google spreadsheets, find my gmail address and password. Send a picture of the crude thing I made. So she finally got it made for me. Now it is up to me to figure out the best way to make it good information for the doctor. The evening is the best time for me. I have a friend coming from out of town tomorrow and wants to meet some of the 'old nurses club' for lunch so that means I have to take a shower tonight. Do not look forward to that.

B/P was down to 71/50 while I was standing, my evening it evens out. But as you know with MS, it is hard to begin with with the hands above the head kind of exercise.

I will gladly pass the whiney butt baton to anyone who wants it. I am not used to feeling like this. It takes my choir away from me. Since mornings are my worst, it takes church away from me.

Kids are coming in Sunday night!!!!! We have a local amusement park, Holiday World, it has many international wards on it's roller coasters. It has a wonderful water park and a really neat water roller coaster. Parking, any soft drink and sun screen is free and available everywhere. They always loved my scooter and handicap pass. It lets my daughter go and get a time and then we just go up the handicap ramp and get right on the ride. On the roller coaster that means first row seats. It used to be an annual trip for us. We pay for all of it unless they want souveniers. Well we can't do it anymore. So daughter ad family are going Sunday and then come here and then go home on Monday. If I can't figure out my spreadsheet by then, she will help me.

sounds like a good plan. enjoy your family.