I havent really had any typical UTI symptoms, but I am starting to wonder. I think it's probably a good thing that I've been drinking a lot of water if I do have a UTI.

I'd go now to the urgicare to get that checked, but they moved. Used to be less than a half mile from my house. Now they're 5 miles down the road. (before that, they were renting space from my regular doctor's office) It's also snowing/freezing rain/sleeting/frozen crap falling from the skies.

I just want to cry because it's sooooooo uncomfortable. I dont want to go anywhere, do anything. I've hardly even showered because of the energy it costs me to do that. My dad is cool. bought me a basic shower stool last night without me even asking. When I had my shower remodeled, I'd gotten a teak shower chair, and it ended up not working because it was wobbly on the floor of the shower. (floor is angled to allow water to drain, the teak stool had solid wood legs, not adjustable. Gave it to my mom to sit on in her bedroom when she's drying her hair.)

I havent used the new plastic shower stool yet, but I'm seriously considering it right now. I'm just really tired and dont want to have to spend the energy.

I'm pretty sure part of why I'm really kind of bugged by what's going on is the weather. It's freaking cold outside, I havent been out of the house for about a week...or longer and if I were to go somewhere I wouldnt be able to do much before I crash. I want to sit outside in the sunshine and knit and get mosquito bites. (ok, I dont really want mosquito bites, but I want it to be warm enough to sit outside)

I'm actually looking into getting some acupuncture. (not telling my doctors!) and I'm getting stuff together to send to a doctor in TX to get some LDN. (not telling my doctors about that either. They already treat me like I'm nuts) My dad said that he could pay for a few acupuncture's to see if it would help.

It's just hard to sleep when you're numb/MS Hugged from the chest down to your waist. Tonight the small of my back is burning and the burning is going down my left leg.

I'm just hoping this flare will let up and let me go back to normal for awhile (if that's possible)

I hope I'm not whining and kvetching (complaining) too much.

You've got so much going on, can't say you're whining too much!

The cold weather IS hard on us, I think. Here in New Mexico, some places have had their
coldest temperature EVER. And many places have no natural gas--no heat--supplies did not hold out (no excuse for this, methinks). I have heat in my house, but I can't even walk to the mailbox on my numb feet, because the ground is too cold.

I've been doing acupuncture since 1994. Weekly. She does not treat my M.S. The whole paradigm is different. I believe it helps my overall being to better contend with the chronic disease. It is not a cure by any means and its effects are cumulative. Don't be surprised if you start feeling worse before you start feeling better. The way she described it to me is that a fish that has been swimming in dirty water has adapted to the water. But when the sediment is stirred up from the tank, the water looks even worse and the toxins are readily accessible. Its not until the water is cleared out that any progress can be made.
The initial treatments typically stir up the 'water' and reveal what has settled in the tank. Be patient and give it a fair chance.

And it requires more responsibility on my part, to eat right avoid junk and keep my overall well being in check. Otherwise I am on re-dirty-ing the waters.
good luck

I am seriously considering the acupuncture, if anything it might make things that are not MS related feel better. I've had back problems since a car accident and a fall during a weird accident on a vacation. Maybe having something help that might help the MS, since it seems like most of my problems are coming from the spine. Maybe those back injuries are ticking off the MS?

I'm also thinking of massage. (preferably with a really cute guy doing it, but at this point I really dont care who's doing the massage as long as they know what they're doing and it makes my back stop hurting)

I really want to try the LDN. Kind of ticked that none of the doctors I've talked to will Rx it for me. I looked into getting it from out of state several months back, but have been a little scared to do that. I think I'm going to just go ahead and try this week to get the LDN. I dont think the LDN will hurt me if I try it.

I'm actually really disillusioned by the medical system. It seems like other than the occasional steroid or pain pill, they really cant do <swear word> for us. It kind of makes me feel like I've got the red-headed stepchild of serious illnesses.

I think it's the baclofen and valium that's making my legs weak. I havent had any baclofen or valium since about 7 or 8am (saturday morning) It's 3am sunday morning now, and my legs feel a little less weak. Not much, but a little.

I havent been taking the valium every day, so I think I can just drop that one. It's the baclofen that I want to back off on if I can. I just talked to a pharmacist and she told me that since I take 3 at night before I go to bed, that I should start out taking 2 1/2 for 3 days, and then 2 for 3 days. I want to see if I can back off to just one pill a day.

and then I'm asking for physical therapy to see if I can get back into shape and get my muscles strong again...maybe then I can actually use my membership to the gym instead of wasting that $30 a month.

I'm going to try taking 2 1/2 baclofen tonight. If I get woken up by a muscle spasm, I'm going to try to get up out of bed and stand and walk around on it till it lets up.

I'm hoping it's the baclofen causing the problem and not my spine.

no advice, just hugs I hope you feel better quick.

I dont think I have a UTI, but I'm going tomorrow to get checked for one just in case. (I'm kind of numb in that area...so maybe I'm not feeling it?)

I backed off by half a pill on the baclofen last night. Got woken up by my heel trying to kick me in the butt this morning, so I got up out of bed as quick as I could and walked around my basement for about 20 minutes before trying to go back to sleep...without taking any extra baclofen. (or valium)

Went back to sleep, and didnt have any more butt-kicking heels. Woke up feeling a little sore, still numb as heck, but I've been up for several hours and have been able to stay awake sitting at my computer. (that's interesting) I'm really tired, but I'm not falling asleep standing up like I have been lately.

Feeling awake enough to go take a shower, so I'm going to do that in a few minutes (my parents will be happy )

I am still wobbly as heck tho. Still feel kind of weak. I may ask about another med for the spasticity, since I can still feel it around my ribs. But, I think I'm going to see what happens with the lowering the dosage of the baclofen first. Going to ask for physical therapy tomorrow. Maybe they can show me stretching exercises to do?