Occupational therapy or PT might help as your MT said. My PT suggested I take a muscle relaxer before I came, and an Aleve or whatever. Good idea. They did some massage and electro-stim, and I stayed a lot looser with the muscle relaxers than without.

Epsom salts do help too - it was the warm water I had trouble with, lol.

I've got a name of a physiatrist around here that I might call on Tuesday. I'm living on the muscle relaxants right now. Everything keeps tightening up.

Can't lean to my left side comfortably without pain. It's not too bad when I lean to the right--still hurts a bit, but it's not an "ouch" type of pain, more like a dull pain. The left side's sharp pain.

That's a good idea taking a muscle relaxant before going there. I might do that the next time I go for a massage. Then I could do "mellow." LOL

Did take the one dog out for a walk today when my neighbor asked me to go out for a walk with her. Then got back and took the other dog out to play ball. That was more difficult because it involved leaning over. Ick.... Sat on a bleacher end so I didn't have to lean far, but the throwing part hurt the back. <sigh>

Oh I like the idea of zapping her with an electric stimulator...is that like a cattle prod???


*FG wondering if she can get that through security*

Some friend. :mad: No Dunkin Donuts coffee for YOU! Oh...you'll get coffee. I'll put it in a Dunkin Donuts bag. But it's gonna be STARBUCKS all the way!! :rolleyes:

____________________

I said if the pain continued I'd go to the doc today and I did. Poor internist was actually laughing at me when I told him that I thought I should see a physiatrist. I'd also come to the conclusion that there's something else going on (as did he) and he was worried it was MS related (um... I don't really think so, or at least not totally). So he made me promise to call my neuro and let him know what was going on. Problem there is I haven't see dear Dr. Neuro Six yet, so I can call but that won't do much good as I don't see him until December. Told him I should probably stay on a muscle relaxant.

Told him all my self-medication this weekend: Ibuprofen, Skelaxin, and Baclofen and massage therapy. He started laughing and basically said that I'd pretty much self-diagnosed--his little machine told him that I should see a physiatrist, rheumatologist, or neurologist and that muscle relaxants, neurontin, an SSRI would be good meds of choice.

Well, since I'm gonna be away, I am NOT starting an SSRI. I've been on neurontin before (up to 2400 mg.) and had no problems with it.

He asked if I'd ever been dx'd with fibromyalgia. Nope. So he's referred me to a rheumatologist for a workup. Told him of all the blooming tests (blood and otherwise) I've had done and no problem with ana, lupus, lyme....

When I was going to a massage therapist regularly, she told me I had a lot of trigger points for fibro (enough to be dx'd). I never said anything to a doc about that. Why bother. Didn't want yet another "you're crazy" look from a doc. This was the first time I'd told a doc that.

Called rheumatologist, have appointment in November--the earliest they can get me in. So I figured that I'd cover all the bases. Called the physiatrist too. They can get me in the beginning of October. Great! Made the appt. and am going to see them too.

Doc schedule:
neuropsych: end of September
repeat visit internist: end of September
physiatrist: early October
rheumatologist: mid November
Dr. Neuro Six: early December


Geez.... don't *I* feel special??? :eek:

Now how do I friggin call Dr. Neuro Six and let them know what's going on? I mean, the guy hasn't even SEEN me. Maybe I should call Dr. I've Been Recruited By Another Facility and let him know. Any opinions on that? I don't know when he's leaving for Texas. Should do it tomorrow, however.

Whee....

I am SO not looking forward to living on Skelaxin and Flexeril. I asked him if I could do both--Flexeril at night cuz it really works and puts me out and the Skelaxin during the day cuz it doesn't. He said, ok, be careful, and DO NOT DRINK.

The latter poses a problem. I'm going away to a place where there is really, really good beer. And I AM GOING TO DRINK. Which means that I'm not going to take muscle relaxants those days. :Sigh: Can't anything be easy?


Do I really want to learn about fibro? Not really......

Sheesh, Gazzy, it sucks to be you right now.:( I hope it doesn't ruin your trip. I say self-medicate with the heavy stuff. Beer won't do it.;)

Stay away from those dang Docs.. If you don't have something, they'll find something. That was always my Mom's advise, anyway..:D

Hurry up and feel better..:hug: