at last i have some GOOD NEWS on the headache front.
i had some pain relief (on and off) today!!! that's right! there were times today when my headache was so small, i could IGNORE IT. seriously.
let me start from the beginning.
i went to the pain clinic (House of Pain) yesterday. my pain doc decided that i wasn't taking enough of my painkiller -- that i needed to try it out when the pain WASN'T at its worse. to me, that's kind of counter-intuitive. mostly b/c i try to only take something when i need it; and these past years, that means when the pain is at its very worst, and i can't take it anymore. he wants me to get on a schedule of taking painkillers every 4-6 hours, and hopes that this will help me to get ahead of the pain, instead of chasing it.
(just a quick interjection here: i understand the risks associated with opiate meds, and am by no means taking this lightly; i've looked into this for a while, and have decided that it's best for me. that's not to say it's the best decision for everyone. i just don't want my faithful readers to think i'm jumping into something without understanding the problems that come with it)
onward and upward; so i took one of my painkillers (lortab) yesterday after leaving the doctor's office. my head hurt (of course), but not nearly enough to have normally taken a pill. but i took one. and the next 2 1/2 hours were blissful! i had dinner w/my hubby and we shopped, and i was able to enjoy everything so much more. of course, the pain relief only lasts 2 1/2 hours, but seriously, i'll take it for now. the plan is to see how i do with this schedule, and then i go back to the House of Pain in early June; we'll talk and decide if i should go onto a long-acting opiate.
TODAY i woke up w/the usual headachey nonsense going on. i took a painkiller w/my breakfast, and the next few hours were the most productive i've had in YEARS (seriously, years). i did the dishes, 2 loads of wash, went shopping, had lunch. wow. that's like 5x as much as i could normally do. the pain levels are up and down, but knowing i've got 2/3 good hours after i take a painkiller is SO BEAUTIFUL. i could hardly stop smiling all day.
then my dinnertime pill didn't really work -- turns out a major storm is coming in tomorrow night. so i may not be that productive tomorrow, but at least i won't be suffering as badly as normal (fingers crossed). thanks to all who have prayed for me and worked to help me through these difficult times. i'm hoping this is the beginning of a new era for me. :-)
Labels: happiness, headaches pain clinic, pain relief
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Muum had this to say:
yippee! hope things continue to get better, love you
- 6:32 AM
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Erin had this to say:
Congrats! I hope things just get better.
- 8:11 AM
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Grim Reality Girl had this to say:
YIPPEE!!!! I'm so glad for you!! I understand what you describe on getting ahead of (and behind) the pain. I've been through pain management and it is true -- as counter intuitive as it may seem. Sometimes if you break the cycle of pain they find that you need less medication to keep it away.... eventually not needing medication at all. GOOD LUCK!
- 2:27 PM
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Iccle One had this to say:
I am so glad to hear you've had some relief from the constant pain! It must be great to feel able to do things and live a bit more!
- 8:02 AM
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Windlost had this to say:
that is amazing, happy news. i am so happy for you to get a scrap of relief. if you just get a whiff of relief it makes you remember how good it can feel and give you something to hope for, wish for, work for. so happy for you! stay positive...
- 2:52 PM
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Windlost had this to say:
that is amazing, happy news. i am so happy for you to get a scrap of relief. if you just get a whiff of relief it makes you remember how good it can feel and give you something to hope for, wish for, work for. so happy for you! stay positive...
- 2:52 PM
