If you can, please drop us short note letting us know if you are ok.

You have many here that are thinking of you.

Take care!!

I am truly sorry to hear that you are dealing with such terrible pain Stacy. I am also thinking of you and hope that you find some answers soon! CeCe.

Thank you all for asking. I have an appointment with my stupid primary care doctor tomorrow, he wont give me the referal I need without seeing me first. I found a neurology doctor willing to get me in asap but we have to wait for my dr to give referral.

Thus begins my journey of testing as you all have gone through.

Last night was my best night, God brought a guardian angel to me from the EM place I post, she was amazing, she even called me and helped move things along with the neurology doctor. A complete stranger spent hours with me yesterday and last night on the phone. Her suggestions got me through the night last night.

I got on a vicious cycle using the cold water in bucket with my feet, and I knew it but had no other way to get relief. Through her suggestions, finally at 5am I was able to remove from the water and put them on a chill pillow for several hour and still doing ok.

Swelling comes and goes, never goes away completely and sometimes is awful. Going to the ER is a waste. I will go to my dr tomorrow then the neurologist hopefully next week.

I am less frantic now that I have a plan of action. I still feel great fear and doom knowing what is coming, but this is my life. I am trying to relax and breath as I think stress makes it worse.

Tears are useless but they keep falling, more for the situation than pain. Today is a new day and I know the Lord is with me, leading me, sending me angels in disguise.

thanks everyone!

So glad to get this and learn about the relatively good night. I think there were many, many thoughts and prayers beaming toward you last night. And yes, thanks to the stranger-angel. This web site is more than a "chat board." Same with the other one where you posted, evidently.

Okay, sounds like a plan.

At least you are not worse. Keep us in the loop....please.

I would not call last night a good night but so much better than the previous nights. I finally did get a little sleep. Before I got none, maybe I would fall asleep sitting up with my feet in a bucket.

Im still on my couch no point in and out of a bed all night, cant really lay down constantly doing something to adjust, but yes last night was a relief to sleep a couple hours laying down instead of sitting.

First time ever seeing a neurologist what will they do to me first? Anything to help ease my fear of what is to come?

Also, my doctor tomorrow may offer pain meds to get me through until I get an appointment with other doctor, any specific pain meds I should ask for or avoid?

I hope you can see someone soon and they will be able to help quickly. I am glad you got a bit of sleep finally.

Hope you can figure out what is going on, like previously mentioned, could be something like gout. The Neurologist will probably start with a lot of questions, mine grilled me for about 20 minutes, then did a physical examination of reflexes and muscle strength. May dod a nerve conduction test, but not during the first appointment.
Good luck!

Yes, I'd make sure gout is off the table as a trigger.
Especially if you still take that hydrochlorothiazide as a blood pressure medication. It is known to cause gout in some people.

Some doctors give calcium channel blocking drugs for EM.

Hi Stacy,
I'm so sorry to hear you are going through all this pain.

How did your doctors appt go?

A few suggestions, prepare for your neuro appt.. Write down all your symptoms (everything) so you can go over it with him/her. Also, any questions you may have or thoughts on testing and treatments. Don't be worried about doing this. Most doctors like it.

They will probably want to order their own test. Even of they will duplicate what your GP has done. Most will do an EMG, blood work to begin with. The EMG probably will not be done the first visit. It's a process. They rule out everything they can. It can be trying to go through but it is worth it. It did give me some answers and took away some of my concerns.

I hope you get your answers. Even if they don't find out what is causing your pain, hopefully they will be able to reduce your pain to something you can live with.

Please let us know how you are doing. You are in my prayers.

Hopeful