Another Bad Day!!!!

Boy am I really growing tired of these bad days! This has been going on for the last week and I am sooooo tired and sooooo exhausted that I am just barely staying awake during the day. I'm not sleeping at night very well (only getting 4-5 hours a night) because I wake up somewhere between 2-4 am in horrible pain down my legs and I have to get up and go to the tub. Once I am in the tub I about fall asleep but when I get out I am wide awake for the remainder of the morning. Frustrating to say the least! To top that off the weather has been horrible here in KS and I am a walking barometer this time of the year. When we get a low pressure system I can feel it and sure enough I hurt pretty darn bad until the weather clears up. But the weather the past week has been up and down so much (one day nice the next snow and wind) that I'm a yo yo of pain soaring from an 8 to a 10 every other day!

I'll be glad when winter is over with and I can get back to the normal routine. It just bites that we all have to be in so much pain. Anyway had to vent a bit...I think I will nap for awhile. Hoping you all have a lessened pain afternoon and evening.

hugsssssssssssssssssss



Scarred

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HEALTH ISSUES: Herniated discs at S-1-L5, L5-L4, L4-L3. Two level fusion (2000); one level fusion (2002); Revision at L4-L3 (2003). Diagnosed with Failed Back Syndrome, Permanent Nerve damage and Chronic Pain

Medications:

Kadian, Lexipro, Percocet, Temazapim, Lunista, and Robaxin.

Scarred,
I sure hear ya about the weather changes! And this is going to be a LONGGGG winter for those of us in certain climates. I was never that much affected by weather until my lower back pain started and these past couple of years wow do I notice the changes! And you're right, we've had a lot of yoyo weather.

Spring's a long way off. And then we get heating bills which make it even more depressing! Oh, I'd better quit!

Hugs to you!
PaLady

Thank you so much for your sympathy PA. I know what you mean about the heating bill being high $135 this month and I see no end in sight. Long way to spring as you said but I got some wonderful news that just might be what I need to push me out of this depressing mood. My baby boy has decided to come home! He is struggling on his own and has decided that its time to come home to save some money and stay with mom and dad for awhile. So I will have my son home for awhile and that pleases me. He is bringing his girlfriend with him and that is fine with me so I will have a full home for awhile which will maybe take my mind off of things.

Well, headed for the tub once again.

Scarred

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HEALTH ISSUES: Herniated discs at S-1-L5, L5-L4, L4-L3. Two level fusion (2000); one level fusion (2002); Revision at L4-L3 (2003). Diagnosed with Failed Back Syndrome, Permanent Nerve damage and Chronic Pain

Medications:

Kadian, Lexipro, Percocet, Temazapim, Lunista, and Robaxin.

Hi Scarred,

So sorry that you have been having a rough time recently! The weather certainly can do a number on our bodies! We had a huge snow storm here in New England yesterday & my shoulders woke me up well before it started screaming SNOW IS COMMING. We are supposed to get another storm tomorrow, so I will probably go through the same thing tonight. My eye has also been worse recently with all this unsettled weather, although it doesn't seem to respond to the weather as much as my shoulders do.

I wish there was some way we could counteract our "internal weather alert system," although we can probably predict the weather better than the weatherman!

I hope the weather starts calming down out there & you start feeling better! Having so much pain is the last thing you need, especially with the holidays around the corner! Take it easy. You'll be in my thoughts & prayers.

Skeye

Thank you so much Skeye. Unfortunately the weather has not let up on bit today either. Its gotten even colder and windier then it was yesterday and made my back feel even worse. Ugggg I hate feeling like a walking weatherman! Oh well not much I can do about it right? Just suffer through and try to look on the brighter side of things.

On another note, I don't know if anyone of my other wonderful CPers have been feeling this way this Christmas but I have been feeling quite downhearted this year. Past years have found me more happier and cheerful then I ever have been; singing carols and decorating the tree and house as well as in the kitchen making tons of cookies, fudge and other goodies for the holidays. But this year its like I cannot even get up the energy to bake. I've not even sent out my cards this year and I always send them out. I don't know why I feel this way but its like I just feel like so sad this year and I wish I knew why. Anyone else feel this way?


Hugssss

Scarred

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HEALTH ISSUES: Herniated discs at S-1-L5, L5-L4, L4-L3. Two level fusion (2000); one level fusion (2002); Revision at L4-L3 (2003). Diagnosed with Failed Back Syndrome, Permanent Nerve damage and Chronic Pain

Medications:

Kadian, Lexipro, Percocet, Temazapim, Lunista, and Robaxin.

I to have had about 5 days of high pain and are weather is rotten.Its eather smowing or below zero.So I vote we all move to somewhere nice and warm(To bad for me my husband hates it when it gets to hot).Where do you all think we should go????

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Lost half of my small intestineJan.2008.Ilieostomy for 5 months then reverst in June 2008,Nerve damage to right leg,part of my right hip bone removed Jan. 2008,Cronic pain,hernia,infection in my back called discites,and depression.Gallbladder removed Nov,2008.Mother to 9 kids 7 boys 2 girls and 1 stepson.4 grandsons,9 grandaughters.4 of my grandkids I inherited from my twin sister who passed away 6 1/2 years ago from a blood clot after surgery.God has given me my life back after I almost lost it.Even though its a painful and sometimes hard road to walk I take it one step at a time and give thanks to god for every step I take.

Hi Scarred,

I'm so sorry you are still in so much pain today. I'm also having an awful day today. This whole week hasn't been great for me, but today has been a nightmare. I think the only thing that got me through last night was snuggling with one of my cats in bed. He is the sweetest, most loving cat, with the loudest purr. It just helped me so much to feel loved & like I wasn't alone, even though the pain was still there. It's snowing here today, which I'm sure is contributing to my increased pain today. I love the snow, but I hate the way it makes me feel. I hope the weather lets up for both our sakes!

I also haven't been feeling very Christmassy this year. I haven't watched a single Christmas movie, have barely listened to any Christmas music & just did my shopping a couple of days ago. Usually I at least get into the Christmas spirit within a week or two of Christmas. This year, nothing. I've just been feeling so lousy that everything takes so much more of an effort.

Skeye

I'm with you skeye and scarred. I think the fact that for me (and it seems many of us) winter started SO early hasn't helped. Plus all the depressing economic news - which for me, at least, isn't just news it's MY LIFE. i'm living it. i truly can't wait for the formal holidays to be over with. But then I've got to face other financial realities.

Add to that I can't get rid of these mice! I can't tell you how many traps I've set, changed, bait, etc., and last night they were running around all night. And me with a mouse phobia! Sometimes it's all just too much, ya know?

PaLady

So sorry you still have all those mice PAlady! I know how hard they can be to get rid of. Several years ago I lived in a dorm room that was infested with mice. I went home for winter break & came back & they had gotten into everything, it was so nasty. You could hear them chewing at night, and then they got bold & would come out & run across the room during the day. We had an exterminator come out & set a ton of traps, etc, which helped for a week, and then they came back... I think we killed off the local population, but others were coming in through the radiator. The building was built in the 1800's and basically hadn't been renovated since (the school also neglected to tell us that the foundation & supports were in danger of crumbling while we were living there!) & I was on the first floor which meant we had the brunt of the mice problems. Of course they completely gutted & redid the building the following year!

This might freak some people out -- but I now actually have a pet snake (he is actually very sweet, snakes have such a bad reputation, which often times is not warranted, especially for snakes raised in captivity that have had a lot of human exposure). I've had him for a few years now. He stays is his cage, but I joke that if I ever have a mouse problem again, I'll just let him out for a few days. I've never had a problem since Coincidence? I think not!

I'm thinking seriously of getting another cat! I'd actually love to if my finances get settled. I had one for 20 years and he was my comfort in so many ways. But I was working then and had the funds to care for him, and right now I'm worrying about myself!

PaLady

Scarred ...
You need better pain medicine. 8-10. Terrible.
Hope you feel better
Pam

Just a note to PaLady,
fyi
Our cat, Ofeelya Finefurski cost $70 a month.

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MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Osteoarthritis all levels of spine right down to Coccyx,Spondilytis,Myofascial Pain
Fibromyalgia,Bulging Discs,Spinal Stenosis,Scoliosis,Osteopenia,Chronic Constipation
Carpel Tunel Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder,
Depression & Anxiety

Methadone for Pain, Xanax for Anxiety, and more, of course.

Pamela - is that really her name?

Very creative!

PaLady

Thank you all for all of your wonderful replies. It is nice to know that I am not the only one going through this Holiday alone feeling like this. I'm usually the one in the house that keeps the holiday traditions going but this year I am so ready to take down the tree and call it a year and that really bugs me pretty bad. Alike to you PA I have been listening to the news of the economy and how horrible it is getting for people to make it through and being so sensitive to people's feelings I think it is extra hard for me to adjust to all of this. I see people losing their homes and going without food and presents and it really bothers me more and more each passing year.

My son is struggling and now has decided to move home and not that we cannot support another two mouths in this house but I have to wonder if the strain of the economics has forced him to make this choice. It's so hard to watch him beg for money he's so proud and doesn't want to ask but mom and dad don't mind when we have it. With the new job we have found that things are a bit better financially then they were back home so its nice that we can help him when he needs us the most and that makes me feel a bit better.

I so wish that things were better with my back so that I could do so much more for my family. I feel so out of touch with the whole world any more that I don't know how to handle things when they do come up. It's sad that us CPers have to deal with so much stress and crap in our lives while trying to deal with our every day struggles and not one doctor is willing to look at our pain in a real way. They just say "gee we will give you this medication or do this test." and leave it at that. I know the medications are helping and the only way we can deal with the pain but gosh how much can we take before it starts to affect the whole system?

Pam: Unfortunately an 8 is a good day for me and they have me on the most pain medications that they can put me on. I cannot take the patch because I am allergic to the glue that they use to stick it on. Even using a inhaler does not help to counteract the hives that I get with the patch. Plus I get real bad hallucinations and my skin crawls with that as well so they have taken me off of it. Some other medications I am allergic to as well and so they have decided to keep me on the medications I am on currently until we can get word from worker's comp to see if they will ok the stimulator. That process will be started in the next few weeks.

My most terrible day I am a 10. Yes I know this is high and there is not much I can do about it. It's not in my back that the pain is the worst....its the shooting pain that goes down my left and right legs that I would like to get rid of. My back I can deal with with a tylenol now and then. But my leg pain I cannot deal with on a daily basis. When I am sitting in a chair and I am getting shooting pains down my left leg it is so intense that I want to cry. I just want it to go away.

Anyway, it is 4:49 am here in KS and I've been awake since 1:30. No sleep for the pained ones eh? So I am going to lay here and relax and I'll post some more later.

Hugs and kisses

Scarred

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HEALTH ISSUES: Herniated discs at S-1-L5, L5-L4, L4-L3. Two level fusion (2000); one level fusion (2002); Revision at L4-L3 (2003). Diagnosed with Failed Back Syndrome, Permanent Nerve damage and Chronic Pain

Medications:

Kadian, Lexipro, Percocet, Temazapim, Lunista, and Robaxin.

Scarred, I am sorry for what you are going through . I can symphathize what your going through Im not gettingt much sleep at night eithier because of the pain and I think Im becoming immune to the ambien I was sleeping better on the trazodone but cant get my new dr to prescribe them to me. I hope you can get rest soon and the pain lessens soon.

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Lortab,ambien,elavil,reglan , neurontin,zyrtec and soma.

Kara,

I'm sorry to hear that your ambien isn't helping much anymore. Why won't your doc prescribe you trazadone if you were prescribed it in the past & it has been helping you to sleep? My doc just started my on ambien CR today, although I'm not supposed to take it for a couple of days yet, since we fiddled around with a bunch of other meds today & he wants my system to adjust first.

Scarred,

So sorry that you aren't sleeping! Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat! Not sleeping is such a horrible feeling!

Skeye

Kara and Skeye; Yeah Doc put me on Lunesta a few years back and it has been not working as of late. Was on 2 mg then 3 mg back to 2mg then back to 3mg. Doesn't seem to help at all. At least when they had me on the Tamezapam I was at least sleeping a little longer then want I am now (was getting 5-7 hours of sleep) but now I am getting 3-4 hours of sleep. Going to talk to her in January about changing me up again on the Lunesta and see if she will put me back on the ambian which was working fine.

The topamax on the otherhand is working fantastic (as you can probably tell LOL) and I'm usually out of it for a few hours after taking it.

Anyway night all my dear friends.

hugsssss


Scarred

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HEALTH ISSUES: Herniated discs at S-1-L5, L5-L4, L4-L3. Two level fusion (2000); one level fusion (2002); Revision at L4-L3 (2003). Diagnosed with Failed Back Syndrome, Permanent Nerve damage and Chronic Pain

Medications:

Kadian, Lexipro, Percocet, Temazapim, Lunista, and Robaxin.