Good luck at the ortho tomorrow.
(((((HUGS))))
bizi

I didn't lay down on the couch yesterday, but I managed to mainly sit still. I didn't do any cleaning. Instead I watched a lot of news, and caught up on the last episodes of Rick and Morty and the new Twin Peaks. I took a late shower and an early 3 hour nap. I know the rest helped.

It figures my neck would feel a little better this morning since I'm seeing the doctor today lol. but it will still be plenty ****ed up for him tho.
I put the completed paperwork they sent me, a copy of my med list, and the CD with the MRI images in my purse yesterday so I wouldn't forget anything this morning. This doctor shares an office with the ortho who did my surgery in 2009, so from past experience, I expect a long wait.

I decided I'm going to buy a dust buster so hopefully, I won't be compelled to constantly sweep the floors. The last one we had was a real POS that was useless. I need a good one that is strong enough to pick up cat litter, and can hold a charge for more than 3 minutes. I've been reading reviews on Amazon (even tho I may not order from them) because I don't want to end up with another POS.

The cats are being naughty and driving me crazy :mad:
Obviously the Feliway is not having a calming effect anymore... maybe they're immune to it now.

maybe it is the weather. abby has been acting up. she has been climbing up the cabinet and then jumping up on top all day and at night. I am afraid she is going to break her neck. then she has been waiting by the dor for laser play.

I am glad you were able to sit still yesterday and watch some tv.
You have a big day today....
let us know how it goes at the ortho.
((((((HUGS))))))
bizi

I guess the ortho, we'll call Dr. B, gave me an injection at C6-7 nerve in 2011, and it helped, so I didn't have to go back. I'll have to take his word for it because I have no memory of that at all.

He's going to do injections at C4-5 on Friday morning, and injections at C6-7 about two weeks later on the 19th.

He doesn't prescribe narcotics, and there is nothing but NSAIDs he can prescribe for pain. So, I called and left a message for my pdoc saying I want to d/c the lithium. I'm in enough pain that I need to be able to at least take a ****ing Advil. I'm not going to ask her opinion, or for her permission. I'm telling her I've made the decision. We'll just have to manage any problems that may arise.

Since my back was actually bothering me more than my neck this morning, I asked him about getting it looked at, and he said he could make arrangements for that. He didn't say who would be checking it out, or when, but I'll ask when I see him following the first injection.

I got some **** from driving because I can't turn my neck well. Oh well. That's what all those mirrors are for.

Really hoping this will help. I had injections in my neck about 10 years
ago I believe. Not positive when. Its worked really well but I was
warned it would return in 5 years probably. I've felt very lucky for
it not needing help yet.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Will be thinking of you friday. I hope you have some relief.
(((((HUGS))))))
bizi

Kay,

You are my hero. I love that you are taking matters into your hands to get what you need.


And you are absolutely right about MIRRORS.:D

N

I'm glad that the injections you had done worked so well for you for so long Donna (knock on wood) :hug:

I got the injection in my neck this morning... I don't remember the one shot I remember getting (lol) hurting so much, but at least the pain was short-lived. He only treated C4-5 on the right side, so there's numbness in the right side of my neck, shoulder and upper arm. I didn't arrive in good shape today, and I'm definitely very uncomfortable/don't feel good now.

My pdoc said I could just stop taking the lithium because it's such a low dose (300mg), and I haven't had any since Tuesday night. So, I asked the doctor for an anti-inflammatory today and he called in a prescription for Celebrex. When I went to pick it up at the pharmacy, they told me I needed a prior auth, and should call his office.
Suspicious, I searched my insurance company's website, and even the generic is a Tier 3 drug, which means it's expensive. I called his secretary and left a message to explain the situation and to ask if he could call in a PA/script for something else.

PA, or a new med, I don't care... I'm not going anywhere today. I just took 800mg of Advil and I should lay down.

I hope this works.

So sorry for the expensive of the Celebrex. Not sure exactly
what it is. But I am considering asking for Cymbalta back,
since I'm not taking the cancer meds any more. It helped me
a lot with pain. I would have to go off Effexor xr I believe so its
going to take time.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I hope you got a good nap today.
I am hoping and sending good vibes/thoughts/intentions your way for relief.
((((((HUGS))))))
bizi

I woke up from my nap feeling crappy. I think shot, or no shot, yesterday would not have been a good day for me. This has been a very busy week for me, and I'm just run down.

I think I've finally caught up on the forum.

Dr. B's physician's assistant called me back about the prior authorization for Celebrex and the request for a different med. He asked me why the doctor prescibed it because they rarely use it, and I said I didn't know why. He sounded like a moron. I ended up getting a call back from the secretary saying he called in a script for an NSAID called diclofenac (one brand name is Voltaren), which I've never heard of. It's a Tier 1 drug on my plan, and is waiting for me at the pharmacy. I'll pick it up sometime today.

The right side of my neck and shoulder ARE feeling better this morning :)

I have no plans for the long weekend (big surprise). But I need the rest, so I couldn't be happier :)

Kay

I have heard of that. But don't honestly know where.

I think someone here talked about it. I hope it works good for you.

I am glad you don't have to do anything this weekend.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I think I have heard of that as a cream....
bizi

The pain on my right side came back with a vengeance yesterday without my having done anything to aggravate it. I should be getting better, but I'm going in the wrong direction right now. I hope that I haven't gotten all I'm going to get out of that injection :(

I'm supposed to do laundry today. I just don't think I can do it. In addition to the pain, I feel "off." I don't think I should drive.

I'm going to rest today, and reschedule an appointment, so hopefully I can get the laundry done tomorrow. Hopefully.

you are so brave
love
bobby

the right side of your neck?
I am so sorry....
:hug::hug::hug:
rest today. use your cream if you still have it. Does a heating pad help?
Take care of yourself.
((((((HUGS))))))
bizi

Wishing you good rest, Kay.

M

Not sure good idea. But have you considered buying one the
tens for pain sets that are out. I used to have one that my
PT prescribed, but it broke. It worked for me.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I don't have any creams. Diclofenac is a pill. I was in A TON OF PAIN yesterday and it provided some relief.

The "right side" means the right side of my neck, and the pain that radiates to my right shoulder and upper arm.
I have the same pain on the "left side," but it also radiates further down my arm and down my through the length of my shoulder blade.

I'll probably put off the laundry again due to the weather (downpours and thunderstorms throughout the day). I feel VERY guilty since my husband has a rash/acne, which may be due to the detergent I have been using recently. I'm not sure.
Honestly, I'm a little afraid to do it now since I think the injection failed to do its job. I wouldn't exactly be doing myself any favors, but of course I will do it tomorrow- because I'm a jackass.

I am sorry you have continued pain, right and left sides....
:(
bizi
(((((HUGS))))))
:hug:

Sorry to hear about that pain.

Take care of yourself.



M

I hadn't thought of that, Donna. I think it's a good idea...
Thank you :hug::hug::hug:

When I stopped taking lithium so I could start taking NSAIDs regularly- safely, I did it abruptly. I had been taking a lot of Advil on and off, so my levels were probably pretty high/toxic shortly before.

I've been off since around that time, and have been feeling nauseous, sickly, and getting dizzy. I almost fell a few times yesterday. I may be withdrawing from the lithium (which has happened before) and/or have a ear infection (started sleeping with ear plugs all the time since we moved). IDK.

I may be hypo too, which is a definite possibility because I stopped taking the lithium. But I can't tell for sure because I stopped taking Klonopin because I've been feeling off, so my anxiety's really high.

I guess I should try to get an appointment with my PCP today.
I see my pdoc tomorrow. She knows me well and should be able to tell by talking to me whether or not I'm hypo.

I'm a mess.

I am sorry you are a mess my dear.
Glad that you have a good pdoc to help you.
Hoping for better pain relief for you.
(((((HUGS))))
bizi

I'm NOT going back to that sketchy laundromat again!!! I don't feel safe, and I get no cell signal (or internet connection) inside, so I wouldn't be able to call 911 if I needed to. It's a ghost town in there, with the exception of a few sketchy people drifting in and out occasionally (there's a liquor store next door). Some ****ed up woman was trying to tap me for Vicodin (why Vidodin?) yesterday, probably because I LOOK like I need it. That's enough for me.

I don't know why, but I'm leaning heavily to the right side this morning. I'm scheduled for a lot of running around, so I'll have to be extremely careful...

I made an appointment to see the doctor this morning at 11 re: the probable ear infection. Then I have an appointment with my pdoc at 1pm if I make it that far. And I have to be here by 2 because the cable man is coming and Corey probably won't be home. At some point I need to get to the store to pick up a few things, but I don't know when I'll find the time because the doctor's office is so slow.

I have all these plans, but they're just plans. For all I know, I could fall on my *** walking out my front door. lol.

Stay safe.
sorry about the laundramat, yikes!
I hope they confirm it is an ear infection and that you get treatment for it to feel better.
bizi
((((((HUGS)))))

is it because of the ear infection? try to do as little as possible-there is always tomorrow!

Kay

Remember the ear infection could be causing the off balance feeling
too.

Donna :grouphug::hug:

How was the doctor appointment? Sinuses, ear?
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

Kay,

We are here with you and want you to be o.k.:heartthrob:


Good idea to find a new place for laundry. Good luck with that. :hug:


M

I don't have an ear infection. After the MD poked me in the face and looked up my nose, he decided the dizziness, nausea, pain behind my ears, etc was because my sinus infection never cleared up. He gave me a script for a new antibiotic and something I used in the past for the lithium acne (I have it again). He ordered blood work that I had drawn along with what my neuro wanted. My electrolytes may be off from mixing Advil and lithium, and that may be contributing to the dizziness. IDK. Hopefully the sinus infection clears up and/or whatever's going on turns up and I start feeling better soon... I've done my part.

After that I saw my pdoc who thinks I'm doing extremely well with everything going on. She was concerned because I hadn't taken ANY Klonopin Thursday or Friday because I had been taking 1/2-1mg a day, and she doesn''t want me to go through withdrawls. I had not thought about that, so I took 1/2mg when I got home.
She mentioned resuming the lithium if I have an episode, but I told her that that wasn't an option because I have to be able to take NSAIDs for pain. So, we will have to find other ways to manage problems when they arise.

I was able to get everything done that I needed to, but I paid for it/am paying for it as usual. I can't begin to sort out why I may be leaning to the right until I can get some rest and eliminate causes like overuse and fatigue. MS is complicated. I'm not doing anything this weekend.

The cats are all behaving just TERRIBLY!!! I'm ready to drown all three of them in the lake across the street!!! Just think about anything you would NOT want your cat to do, and they are doing it...

Thank you for the update.
I hope you can rest and feel better this weekend.
Many good thoughts your way.
(((((HUGS and love )))))))
bizi

The only thing I can think of that could be triggering the cats to suddenly behave so badly is I haven't been home as often as usual:

-Someone sprayed urine up against the side of the computer desk, and someone peed on the litter mat earlier in the week
-They've ALL started scratching the couches again
-They have been fighting constantly lately
-They're trying to open the cabinets under the sink, so they're banging the doors
-Buddy keeps jumping up on the kitchen counters
-Rocky has started to dig in the water dish and is getting it all over the kitchen floor...
-So the cats all get into the litter boxes with wet paws and have been tracking muddy footprints across the floors in the kitchen and living room.

I wish I was home more, too. I'll be home more this week, so hopefully they will stop being so naughty. IDK.

I haven't done much this weekend. I took a 5 hour nap yesterday. I'm not leaning as much to the right this morning, so I bet that problem will resolve itself with more rest.

I think it's safe to say that the injection I had in my neck on the 1st didn't work. I'm pretty irritable because I'm in so much pain.

My husband was super drunk last night and was being particularly annoying. He would have annoyed me pain or not tho.
At one point, I asked him to get me something from the kitchen while he was up (I'm constantly bringing him beers), and he had the nerve to call me "princess"... I almost lost my s***... he most definitely does NOT treat me like a "princess," or anything approaching it. I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to start a fight, but he could tell by the look on my face that I was BS. I'm sure the reason why totally alluded him. I think, at least in that instance, that anger was justified.

I guess they heard the expression when it rains it pours.I am so sorry
bobby

I am sorry that the cats are so upset/and not behaving.....:(

I feel really badly for you the the injection did not work.
When do you see them again? Or are you supposed to call with a report?...or maybe you already have an appointment to do the other side??? sorry can't remember.

I can't believe that corey called you a princess.
I would have been P.O.'d too.:mad:

I am glad that resting/napping is helping your walking.
May you have more rest today and healing.:hug:
(((((HUGS))))))
bizi

Oh, I forgot to mention the cats have already ruined the horizontal blinds in the bedroom. They're awful. lol. But aside from the scratching, they have calmed down. Maybe it's because I've been home all weekend.

I had Corey move some things around, and now the big cat condo, with the tall scratching post, is right in front of the area of the couch they scratch the most, and I dragged the other one in from the spare bedroom...
Hopefully between the Feliway spray/diffusers, trimming their nails, and having 2 cat condos in the living room now, they will stop scratching the furniture!!!

I wasn't given any directions about reporting the results of the injection, and I wasn't scheduled for a follow-up for it. There isn't anything he can do for me right now since there are restrictions on the number and frequency of injections you can get, and I'm not going to PT until someone addresses my back problems so I can go for both at the same time.
I have an appointment for an injection in the left side of my neck on the 19th. I guess I'll tell him the first shot didn't work when I see him then.

I hate having to eat something before taking the diclofenac.

I am so glad the kitty cats have calmed down. they behave in such mysterious ways. sorry about all the pain you are going through.
love
bobby

Sorry the cats ruined the blinds...ugh!
So next tuesday is the other side.
Thinking of you today.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

I know your not close to the hurricanes and things like fires. But animals
also sense that those things are going on. Also we had a full moon the
first of last week. I don't know does that effect animals as it does humans.

Anyone know.

Donna :hug::grouphug: