Showing posts with label Spasticity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spasticity. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 5

Thank Goodness

I am tired of napping!  i mentioned before that I'm on 2 sets of muscle relaxants for Spasticity.  they both cause drowsiness so about an hour after taking them the drowsiness knocks me for 6 and sometimes it's completely embarrassing.  last week, I went to the dentist and actually was falling asleep in the dentist's chair! - i just couldn't help myself!!  WTF???

Now i didn't start taking them at the same time, so I know that my body is used to the 1st one (that caused me to be sleepy at first and then soon after there was no effect) - it was when i started the 2nd one that i just started getting so sleepy that i couldn't help but go to sleep even if for a short time (once it was during the week at work, i put my alarm to go off in 7 mins and i swear that it was the best 7 mins of my life, i woke up COMPLETELY refreshed) - but alas i can't afford to that everyday.
This looks just like me when i took that 7 min. nap

I called my doctor's office yesterday and told them that something had to give because the drowsiness is not going away.   I was so happy when the nurse called back and told me that i can cut out the dose that i take during the day, but i should keep taking it at nite.  I have no problem with that because nite time is time to sleep anyway - unless i have to be out, then i'll have to deal somehow.

I cut out the dose this morning and no glazed over eyes, no sleeping, no napping - NOTHING!!  Hopefully, the dosage of that medication was so small (2mg 3x daily) that it won't make too much of a difference my NOT taking it as often.

Wednesday, March 24

Well...

My doctor's visit didn't really go according to MY plan.  It's not bad news, but i havent gotten a prescription for the new drug.  UGH!!!

I have to be approved by the insurance company BEFORE i can get the drug.  I have started the process...the forms have been signed, but it will be a few weeks before I am approved (by every Tom, Dick & Harry); who knows when i'll actually HAVE the drug in hand....again, oh well, not much i can do about this.  At least the process has started.  He also told me about an alternative to the Ampyra (in the event that i am NOT approved or the cost is astronomical) that will be cheaper and i won't actually have to go thru any kinda approval process.  Maybe more to come on that...

I have to admit, i never went to see him regarding my walking issues.  I didn't think that it was a sypmtom per se, just the disease progressing along it's awful course.  Well he got to see me first hand yesterday and is concerned that i may be relapsing!  Oh Lord...really?  As a result, he has sent me for a brain/spine and thoracic MRI; a brain MRI is long and torturous enuf, I wonder what all of them put together must be like.  Not looking forward to it really...but again, what can i really do?  The other thing he informed me is that i am suffering from Spasticity.  I've heard of/read up on Spasticity before, but i thought that it manifested itself as jerky movements accompanied by pain...didn't realize that the stiffness/weakness that i suffer from is also part of it.  To help with that, he has given me some muscle relaxants.  He also mentioned my going on steroids to help with it, but i told him that i'd rather NOT do that, so will try the drugs (i have no problem taking drugs) combined with PT and hopefully, things will get better. 
  • Where the hell did I pick up this disease? 
  • How am i the "lucky one" to "pick up" this disease?
  • Why me?
Soooo many questions that i have no answers to...it is what it is, i guess.  I didn't ask for it and can't return it so i just have to deal with it!