That's the funniest thing I ever heard. Me, having needle anxiety??? Two months ago, Dr. Fred put a cortizone shot (the needle had to be 7 inches) into my shoulder. I just stood there laughing. He looked at me and said "don't be afraid'. I burst out laughing. He could not believe it.

THE ONLY THING I'M AFRAID OF IS THE DENTIST, I can assure you of that. The only needle I will never take is a novocaine injection. My phobia dentist uses THE WAND. Thank god for him!!! AND THE WAND!!!!

I had my latest dental cleaning last week. His dental hygienest told me that I have been taking excellent care of my teeth.

Nah, I'm not afraid of a B-12 shot. It's just that if the oral methyl pills work, then why not give it a try. I'll speak to Dr. Fred on my next visit.

IF he wants to give me a shot, or a prescription so I can give myself shots (and it's not too expensive) and if it works, I'll definitely go for it.

I wish that Alan could learn to give me a shot. I tried to show him how to give me a shot of insulin. He nearly killed me. He kept pressing the syringe into my arm. I said "what are you trying to do??? just press the plunger and it will inject the insulin and then you pull out the syringe.

Forget it. While I held the skin between my fingers (so he could give me the shot), he put in the needle and while he was depressing the plunger, he kept pushing the needle in.

I WILL NEVER LET THIS MAN COME NEAR ME AGAIN WITH A SYRINGE. He's dangerous!!!!!

jeez......

mel

I agree i'm sure the nurse would help and i don't think i ever remember
any pain.But i'm going to ask if i can take them sooner together.

Mel today the phone went ring,ring,i pick it up thinking my daughter
might be calling,she had fasle labor 2 days ago, Well a voice i never
heard,is this Mrs. So and So? Yes,and whome may i ask is calling?? Welll
i was wondering if you will be home in the next 20 mins,yes who is this
and why do you want to know,oh Plese Mrs so and so hmm it's a
nice surprise ,i promise you it will made you so happy..I yell Bob get
Your BASEBALL BAT wanted her to hear that before i agreed.

Oh we don't have a baseball bat,but i was the only thing i could thing of
at the time. I sat in my chair saying Bob what in the word,do you know
anything about a surprise?? No. Are you sure,yes Sue i want to know as
well.He's tall,all of a sudden he said here come a big truck in the driveway.
O h i want to see. No sit there,ding dong,knock knock get it Bob let me see
Sue please sit i did..Oh my children Bob let's the man in, he hands me a
Me a card,the card said this is a just because present, and please keep the
craftmatic bed. Well let me help you,no we were told for you to sit down
we will do everything.

They did, Bob told them were to move everything and the 3 men brought in
Temp-O-Pedic bed Oh dear sweet babies.They got it set up,boy signed,
I walked no walker down the hall.New ,Jersey sheets ,A beautiful Blue light
Compforter.I put my hand on it ohooo than i laid the compfoter back and
the top sheet got in that bed ahhhh!!!!Bob said i have to call the kids,those
pillows,Sue was out like a light. I got up a short time ago.tears you bet i
didn't hurt anywhere,and i didnot fall out of bed.Bob said Sue what's this
A topper for the hosptal bed..What a wonderfull day i told each and
everyone of them I don't know why you did this,but i will always love you
and the bed!! Sue Jak aid Temper-O-Pedic to the list
I just can't believe it.

Sue:

I must be dumb as a bat but I did not understand what you wrote.

Did you get a mattress topper? Or the whole temper pedic mattress?

Who bought it for you? And what about the craftmatic bed???

I'm confused.

Write back and be CLEAR, okay???

Melody

No no no your not dumb as a Bat. Wonder why they call bat's dumb
anyway,my husband ,the children and i went don't know how to sp.
you know crawling into caves.Mo. is famous for there caves.You wear
hard hats with lights on them, and irritate the bats. The cave exploring
starts with a S.

Ok my children got me a temp-peedic bed,sheets,comforter and a
a memory foam mattress toppping to take to the hosptal when needed.

After i talked to my son about the mattress toppers,remember he said
his store sold them and he told me to cancel order at Overstock.

Well i thought i hope he doesn't forget. I already paid a fortune for a
a Craftmatic bed that i couldn't sleep in.Welll the children love it as well
as there spouses.

Anyway my son calls them all and buy me the above.It was planned but
i sure didn't expect it and they really surprised me,Oh they got me the
Temp-pedic pillows as well..It was so sweet.I am a write me a poem,a
song type of person.This was a happy day.I really love it not only because
they got it for me,but because it feels so good and i can finally get
out of that lazy-boy chair, stretch out and sleep in that wonderfull bed,
i don't hurt when i get up,and when i sit up it's easy for me to get out
of it.

The best part was Bob new nothing about it,so when that lady called
i could not figure out if the poor woman was a nut job or what took me
by surprise,a very nice one..

Jack or any one else. I have a Adrenalin glandTumor the Drs. have been
watching.I kept saying what will happen if it has to come out.They give
me that look,don't worry it will have to get to 4 to 6, so need to worry!!
hear about it,yesterday got a call from the nurse, guess it;s time to
worry anyone ever has this problem, or know anything about it. Gosh
my mind went blank from fear. Sue

Sue: Cave exploration is also known as Spelunking.

Wow, you went spelunking. How cool!!!!!

I'm glad you got the temper-pedic. You'll sleep great from now on.

Your children sound like angels.

I wish I had been so lucky!!!!

Take care, Melody

'multi-issue' continuing story thread rite about now! Sure keeps things from being dull as dishwater tho, isn't it?

Sue, you first. Am I correct in that you got a real live Tempur-Pedic? If so, WOWSERS! I know of other severe PN-er's who swear by them. I'm just a topper person for now. Melody, Guys don't come in and do a 'set-up' for toppers, no way, no how.

JAK - Neurontin and Lyrica aren't 'mix and match' meds! Yes s/e's can be serious....but they can help you and lots of others get on with life with a heck less bunch of misery if used according to directions and IF YOU know what to look for in terms of the bad s/e's. Then YOU can work [or SHOULD work] with your doc[s] to get things to a TOLERABLE if not acceptable level. One should not start, stop, alternate, or vary doses of this stuff without explicit physician permission...Once you are on some meds [and while these aren't narcotics they are ...I believe neuro-tropics{? that term-have I got this right folks?} in that they take a while 3weeks to 3 months to effectively assert themselves into your 'systems' and then one's doc[s] 'tinker' with the dosages to get the most effect for the least dose and least s/e's. To suddenly go off a neuro med such as these can have as many bad s/e's as going cold turkey off of SSRI's...It's playing with fire and you already ARE on fire.

Why a med such as these works IN THE BRAIN to cut peripheral pain...well they don't know...but the chemistry of it all seems to indicate that better chemical reactions occur on the meds than not. [Believe me, I've read dozens of 'paper's on the subject & I've gotten that much and more out of it all...and I"M CHEMISTRY IMPAIRED!] BUT, as you said, "your pain is in your feet" WELL YOU are attached to IT, in your own way, as each of us is 'attached' to ours. None of us can escape it...it's learning about what all we can do about it..AND EACH OF US has to learn in our own way, at our own pace to know what options there are, so we CAN LIVE with it and make the best of a bad set of 'events'? For one thing, I REMIND my docs, when they get blithe about 'my pain' That I AM ATTACHED to it. It works?

It's sounding to me, at least, my take on your posts that YOU are dealing with many docs that aren't anywhere near on the same page? What I've done is keep a ONE PAGE MED HISTORY on/with me always...I give an updated copy to Each Doc I see, Each Time I see them! It contains Topic one: all my current and past important issues [from the CIDP, the Cancer, to cataract implant surgery a dozen years ago]; Then ALL NECESSARY Daily meds-identifying for which condition each is for; Next all the other stuff one gets prescribed but doesn't use on a perfect schedule; NEXT all my docs-what their specialties are and phone #'s. THAT WAY no doc can say I've not INFORMED THEM of what alls going on! Docs ask me silly questions I just say "on the list-Part 3" I point, and they go OH. Hey! Read THE LIST, then ask me pertinent questions, HUH?

As for mixing and matching meds...Yes it's scary, sometimes a real gamble, but, BUT, sometimes it takes just one more try to find the right combo? I've had some bad combos and good ones. The bad ones you should get a sense of by your second dose of that day...So what to you do? Call your doc, leave a message, and if it's that new, stop taking it and LET HIM KNOW. He is not going to know it's not working for YOU if you don't tell him, and tell him why.

Plain out, bribery, super-niceness to his key staff can also get you far...Bring donuts or brownies [even a guy can make a batch from a mix-doesn't require much effort and a paper plate wrapped to tote them in on..they'll be GONE before you leave the office. When you call what does staff recall? JAK-THE BROWNIE GUY! Gets you better treatment. I'm not proud this way at all! Brownies=Call back from staff within 1-2 days as opposed to nothing at all...Can't hurt, and people are people! I guess it's the difference between a carrot and a big stick? If you were the mule, which would YOU go for?

Last, you say you've been on SSRI's, Can I ask what for? Some conditions are really affected by the addition of Seizure meds, others totally not., If your docs aren't up to speed on this all, well, YOU are gonna have to be. I believe there are many on these boards who know lots more about anxiety, depression and ADHD or ADD issues than I, tho I've done lots of reading for a friend w/anxiety and ADD issues. The neuro world is a very complex one, respect that not all docs can know ALL about all neuro issues. It seems to be getting more complicated by the minute!

Well, enough, I hope you are now able to zero in on what all YOU need to do [IF you can break the brain-fog long enuf to do it] You've friends and family to help, don't be afraid to ask for help. In helping you they'll learn more and appreciate more about what YOU've been dealing with. - j

I've been a regular on the old board, and I've never seen so many hits on one topic...course....on this thread we do have a bit of wondering here and there. I take Lexapro for depression. I couldn't live without it. I had a complete breakdown 15 years ago. I didn't have a clue what was wrong with me. I had panic attacks, anxiety.....agoraphobia. After counseling, and understanding the chemicals of the brain, and going from Paxil ( not good), Celexa (better), and currently Lexapro....this SSRI has allowed me to at least maintain a somewhat stable life while dealing with this rollercoaster pain. Yes....I have doctor hopped. Even my wife says that I need to stay with one doctor and work with him. I was/am taking neurontin for several months. I read about the improvement that can be had with Lyrica. My HMO wouldn't authorize it, but with the neuro writting authorization....stating that nothing else works.....I was able to purchase is for twice the co-payment. Yes, it is confusing. I have only had this pain for three years. I had neurologists telling me I had PN. I had podiatrists saying that I had Morton's Neuroma....I have a current neurologist saying that I also have restless leg syndrome. That....I do NOT have. This is insanity. Put up a dart board and throw a dart at the diagnosis. Injections in the back because of possible nerve impingement....physical therapy for the feet to strength the feet? It is mind-boggling. Psychotropic drugs are such an easy way out for physicians. I understand that there are much more serious neurological disorders. I'm biking in a MS 60/30 race in three weeks. I've been doing this for three years. I know that there is no panacea for this, and I probably will settle in for one of these seizure meds, after I see the neuro and the gp and compare notes. I will then follow through on the procedure that feels the most comfortable to me. Right now....I have to realize that the nerves cut out of my feet are no longer. I will have permanent numbness the rest of my life. The burning, aching, feeling is what I hope to control.

Mel,
Thanks Speluking that would of kept me up all night.
Yes they are Angles
You are lucky you have Alan in that topper!! Sue

dahlek,
Wowsers indeed,i really need that sleep,
You did a wonderfull job explaining the whole thing to
Jak i copied it down.Thanks again Sue

Plese copy it down as well Sue

Wandering in this thread? Surely you jest...

Try this diagnosis:

Doctor Neurojerk to Cathie: Well, Cathie, My opinion is that you hurt because you are ANXIOUS.... This little pill will help you sleep better and I am sure your pain will improve... Patting patient on head...

Cathie to Dr. Neurojerk: ANXIOUS??? ANXIOUS to get out of here (before I call you by the name I am thinking or smack the crap out of you...) Grrr...

Naughty Cathie

Now i'm getting it will reply when more awake in the morning,glad you
are hanging in there, time to listen to you, Sue