Getting Tired Of This

[ladysprite]

Memo to myself:

No matter how bad the pain and muscle tension are, and no matter how many times the doctor says it's okay, DO NOT take tramadol and metaxalone together.

Not unless you want to wake up in the middle of the night to an hour-long episode of convulsions and muscle spasms, and then spend the next day throwing up everything you try to eat.

This is the opposite of better. As much as it terrifies me, it may be time to get a referral to someone who can do something more aggressive than PT or acupuncture to try to fix this. I don't want intraspinal injections, and I want my neck fused even less, but... even I have to admit I can't live like this.

Comments

[arachne8x.livejournal.com]

It's a hard choice to make obviously, but I think you are probably right... as scary as those interventions sound, your job and favorite activities require a lot of your body, and you seem to have given other options a good try. If you end up wanting recommendations for a specialist, let me know. My primary care has a tendency to know a lot of the specialists around. I could also ask my osteopath who may work with people who've had the same sort of procedures done.

I wish you didn't have to go through this, I feel for you.

[mamatiger.livejournal.com]

It does sound to me like you need expert advice here. Find someone good, who will *listen* to you, and what you want and what you need.

But by the same token, be ready to *listen* to the advice they have to give, even if it's not what you wanted to hear. Playing ostrich will do you more damage in the long run.

*air hugs to avoid hurting you*

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Eeeek. Wish I had something useful to offer... hope you can find a good solution soon.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

I think you've got one idea rock solid right. You must make a change. You can't just let things sit the way they are.

What I'd want to do, if I was in your situation, is see if I could figure out what's going on. What muscle is not being used properly? What part of my engineering isn't working properly? And then, how can that be fixed by learning how to do things right?

If I had the energy and ability - which I typically don't, alas - I might call some universities, and see if there's anyone who might know who is doing interesting work in this area, and see if you can interview or consult with that person. There are some doctors who have very (very, very) good ideas about how to fix body issues with exercise and support, rather than surgery. Some of them may be quacks (or just might not be able to help you) but some of them might be spot-on right.

I'm not as afraid of intraspinal injections as I am about fusing vertebrae. I don't *like* the thought, but if someone said they were pretty sure they could fix my problems by doing a cortisone-or-whatever injection in a risky location, I'd say I'm cool with that, so long as a Very Experienced Doctor was overseeing the situation. But when they say "we want to make permanent changes to your bones" I'm much more cautious. (But keep in mind, my hip problems are now "just" annoying-as-hell, and mean I'll Never Be Batman - so you'd expect me to be skeptical of that. It sounds like your problems are much worse, and much more life affecting. So my answer isn't necessarily your answer.)

I think the one thing that sticks out, though, is that you should, definitely, do something. Even if you're feeling a bit better, well, you know how bad it *might* get, so now is a good time to do something. And if you don't feel better, well, you definitely need to do something.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

(Um. And if that was preachy, my sincere apologies. I care, I wish I could help, and so I start talking. Some folks understand and/or appreciate it; some don't. And I often forget who is whom.)