Well, it turns out I'm allergic to the miracle meds that made my right foot feel the same as the left. I wondered when my hands and feet swelled up two days ago. I was sure when my face felt funny and my neck and throat puffed up. I used my inhaler, and all was fine.
On the up side, I feel like myself again mentally - like I just woke up from a long dream. I'm ready to pick up my novel and write some more.
Yesterday, about 28 hours after my last dose, I got a headache like I've never had before. I have migraines - so I am familiar with really terrible headaches. I suffered through the day and felt best laying face down across my bed with my eyes closed for twelve hours until it went away.
At one point, I got up and read the medicine instructions online. I had no instructions from the doctor, which is really annoying. It said you can get severe headaches and seizures from stopping this medicine abruptly. Perfect.
The nurse called to talk to me about dosing from a call I put into her before I swelled up. She said this means that I am allergic to this and all of the other drugs they would have recommended as substitute drugs.
God is giggling at me in heaven. They have zero other medication options for me.
Since I have been on the medicine, I have been able to comfortably walk 1.5 miles every day. By comfortably, I mean I get some pain - not terrible pain, but pins and needles and some throbbing - not like the pain in my head yesterday or a broken foot kind of pain. It's annoying even on the lower dose of the meds. The path I walk has benches where you can sit down - so I do. I stop for 5-10 minutes several times along the way to stretch and rest my foot.
Yesterday on only whatever meds remained in my bloodstream, I walked 1.5 miles and was very surprised it was only a little more irritating than the walk the day before on the lowest dose. I have no foot pain this morning - well, nothing more than I'm used to.
But when I talked to the nurse, she said I should not walk through the pain. If I feel any pain, I should stop. I should listen to my body and stop.
But that doesn't make sense - they gave me meds specifically to numb the nerve pain. I walked almost three miles and did hurt my foot a week ago because the meds kept my body from knowing when to stop. She could give me no rational explanation why it was OK to walk on the meds but not off of them. I want to know if walking a mile a day will further damage my foot or will it help. The thing is they don't know. Five doctors so far. They don't know.
I will listen to my body and walk 1-1.5 miles a day because my body is telling me my foot is getting better. It's better after the EMG, and it's better after walking for two weeks. I can do it (slowly) and I'm in no more pain the next day than I would have been without walking.
But the nurse said, Oh no, you need to stop. No way am I stopping.
The path I walk on is a surface that's easy on my foot, and I still need a cane to walk on concrete and definitely can't walk a mile on that. But it's better. At least now I can try to lose weight, which in theory should help my foot. I can be more self-sufficient. I can go outside the perimeter of my lawn.
Yes, it's time to get yet another doctor - next time no surgeons. First I will give 100% to physical therapy since, well, it's all they are offering and it's helping my back for sure. And I am hopeful it's what I need for my foot too.
What about homeopathics? I take a muscle relaxer called 303. It doesn't make me goofy and is non-addictive. I'm sure you need something else but natural medicine has helped me with my adrenal problems. It takes a while though. There's no quick results. Also, what about certain forms of yoga. I've had to trade in spin, running, and weight training for a yoga mat. Even meditation works. Certain musics are good, too. Like meditation music for healing and clearing out the chakras.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you think I'm looney. Hate to see anyone suffer.
I tried taking a combination of B-complex (50), a very specific magnesium liquid sprayed on my foot, and serapeptase (butterfly enzymes). After eating the essense of a thousand butterflies, I got thyroid tumors - like overnight. So I'm hestitatnt about these kinds of things that haven't been tested a lot. But I've found that if I relax when it starts hurting, it definitely helps.
ReplyDeleteThe meds I have been taking reduce the firing of the nervous system (from what I understand). I think if I do yoga and meditation and cut out the coffee it could help. I would go for biofeedback too and am gonna call the 'Healing Touch' lady in my neighborhood that offered to give it a try.
I'm doing better - if I can walk more than a mile a day, I'm doing fine. :)
Glad you're feeling better today, but sorry about the allergic reaction to the medication.
ReplyDeleteI take a homeopath for ... hormones ... black cohosh and it works great. Not the same, I know.
I'm not surprised regular, mild exercise is helping. I've had bilateral carpal tunnel .. for longer than I care to remember and have damage from the fingertips up to the shoulders. If I'm not careful, I can aggravate it. I found, by accident because of my love for licorice, that real licorice root helps alleviate some of the symptoms, and since I started exercising regularly, I can do more than I used to do.
I love yoga -- all the stretching and it's so relaxing. Always rebalances me.
I rarely have pain any more, only if I do something stupid, and while I will never be 100%, it's enough that I can live most days normally - pain free and dexterous.
So keep seeking, and if something feels good, keep with it. There were no answers for me either, and I pop some Advil once in awhile, or eat more licorice, but that's about it at this point. And I was in danger of losing full use of both hands once. I'll keep you in my thoughts, and you keep positive thoughts.
@M Pax - That would have been horrible if you had lost use of your hands. Sincerely. I can't imagine that for a writer.
ReplyDeleteI walked another 1.5 miles last night with some pain, mostly when my husband annoyed me. (He doesn't usually - I think it's a side affect of coming off the happy meds.) I think daily focused relaxation will help.
The PT guy thinks once I get the sciatica under control, my foot pain will improve - maybe not all the way but enough and without drugs. I will be OK with improvement. I don't think it's ever going to be 100%. I just want to be able to go to my kids' parent conferences and concerts - that's my goal.