ozzybug
10-06-2006, 12:59 PM
Hello Everyone-
First, I apologize for not posting in a while. Things have been pretty rough for me. Along with dealing with the school & my son's dyslexia & learning plan, our business is crazy busy and we are in the middle of building a new office, so I have little to no time for anything these days. I have been checking in from time to time to see how everyone is doing. I hope today is a good day for everyone.
I finally got in with the new PM doctor Wednesday. He is great. Very outgoing and actually listens to what his patients are saying. It was a LOOOOONNNG visit though and my knee and back are paying the price yesterday & today.
Anyway, I have now been diagnosed with something else to go along with the saphenous neuropathy, hypermobility & hyperlaxity. Dr. Plotnick diagnosed me with RSD in my right leg. He also briefly discussed firbomyalgia, but I'm not really sure if I have that or not.
I wasn't really happy to hear RSD and my name in the same sentence, but I have to deal with this head on, so I'll be doing lots of research in the next couple of days.
Dr. P has me starting on Depakote, Zanaflex, Flexeril & Suboxone and is also going to allow me to try an Alpha Stim 100. The Flexeril & Zanaflex are for the muscle spasms in my back at night. I'm really glad he didn't want me to take sleeping aides because they really mess me up for getting out of bed in the morning. If I take Flexeril by 8:00 pm, I don't really feel drugged in the morning. We also discussed hydro therapy and other forms of PT as well, so I'm sure these things will be added to the treatment plan.
Anyway, although I'm not happy about the RSD, at least some of the things that have been going on with my body & leg lately are making more sense. I just have to get over the shock and learn to help the doctor to help me.
Again, I do hope everyone is having a good day, and please forgive me for not being around as much as I should have been. Please take care everyone!
Lezlee
First, I apologize for not posting in a while. Things have been pretty rough for me. Along with dealing with the school & my son's dyslexia & learning plan, our business is crazy busy and we are in the middle of building a new office, so I have little to no time for anything these days. I have been checking in from time to time to see how everyone is doing. I hope today is a good day for everyone.
I finally got in with the new PM doctor Wednesday. He is great. Very outgoing and actually listens to what his patients are saying. It was a LOOOOONNNG visit though and my knee and back are paying the price yesterday & today.
Anyway, I have now been diagnosed with something else to go along with the saphenous neuropathy, hypermobility & hyperlaxity. Dr. Plotnick diagnosed me with RSD in my right leg. He also briefly discussed firbomyalgia, but I'm not really sure if I have that or not.
I wasn't really happy to hear RSD and my name in the same sentence, but I have to deal with this head on, so I'll be doing lots of research in the next couple of days.
Dr. P has me starting on Depakote, Zanaflex, Flexeril & Suboxone and is also going to allow me to try an Alpha Stim 100. The Flexeril & Zanaflex are for the muscle spasms in my back at night. I'm really glad he didn't want me to take sleeping aides because they really mess me up for getting out of bed in the morning. If I take Flexeril by 8:00 pm, I don't really feel drugged in the morning. We also discussed hydro therapy and other forms of PT as well, so I'm sure these things will be added to the treatment plan.
Anyway, although I'm not happy about the RSD, at least some of the things that have been going on with my body & leg lately are making more sense. I just have to get over the shock and learn to help the doctor to help me.
Again, I do hope everyone is having a good day, and please forgive me for not being around as much as I should have been. Please take care everyone!
Lezlee
Sponsor
slipperyslope
10-06-2006, 02:39 PM
hi Ozzy nice to see you, I wondered where you went. I am curious why they gave you Suboxone. I thought this was for opiate addiction, but I have also heard its being use for pan management, what did your Dr say about the Sub for pain management? Pls fill us in. Are you anti Opiates?
I have never heard of RSD and I just looked it up on line and there is a ton of good info out there on it. I also have Fibromyalgia and its NOT fun at all.
Anyhow take care, and I hope the new Dr and the new meds can help your pain. If I take one Flexeril I am wiped out for 2 days. Its a good drug but boy, is it powerful and gives me the worst hangover ever, I am glad it doesn't effect you that way.
I have been using Selexan and its a really good muscle relaxer and doesn't make me all doped up.
I have never heard of RSD and I just looked it up on line and there is a ton of good info out there on it. I also have Fibromyalgia and its NOT fun at all.
Anyhow take care, and I hope the new Dr and the new meds can help your pain. If I take one Flexeril I am wiped out for 2 days. Its a good drug but boy, is it powerful and gives me the worst hangover ever, I am glad it doesn't effect you that way.
I have been using Selexan and its a really good muscle relaxer and doesn't make me all doped up.
ozzybug
10-06-2006, 03:55 PM
Hey Slippery-
I had only heard of Suboxone for people coming off opiates, but my doctor said that it can be very useful in pain management. I tried to look information up on line to correspond with this, but so far, the only thing I see is that it's for people coming off opiates.
I'm not anti-opiate at all. If my pain is bad enough to need them and nothing else is working, then yes, absolutely I'm ok with them. I am willing to give the sub a try and if it works, then great. If not, my doctor told me we will move to something else because there are numerous meds out there.
The bad thing about this is that, being in a small beach town, the pharmacy doesn't carry the suboxone or the depakote, so the pharmacist has to order them. Oh well, I expected that anyway. It just gives me a bit more time to do more research.
The Flexeril will make me hung over if I don't eat when I take it. If I eat a peanut butter sandwich or some peanut butter crackers with it, I usually am good in the morning. I do have to be at home when I take it because it does make me drowsy very quickly, so I never take it if I have to drive anywhere or won't be where I can lay down and go to sleep when it hits.
As far as the fibromyalgia goes, on one of the prescriptions, he did make notes to titrate up for fibro flare ups, so I think he may feel I have it. I've made a note to ask him for clarification at our visit on the 26th. If he says I do have it, then I'll be visiting the fibro boards for more information.
I just feel like I'm falling apart right now because up until 2003, I was the on-the-go mom and never sat around the house. Now, everything has to be planned around my knee and back and I hate that with a passion. I know I'll never play softball again and am ok with that, but really, I miss being the mom and wife I used to be and I really hate feeling like I have no control over all this mess. I am trying my best to stay positive though. I did break down this afternoon. Had a good cry, and now I've picked myself back up, kicked myself in the butt and am going to move on.
Thank you so much for your support. I hope I can return the favor. :)
Lezlee
I had only heard of Suboxone for people coming off opiates, but my doctor said that it can be very useful in pain management. I tried to look information up on line to correspond with this, but so far, the only thing I see is that it's for people coming off opiates.
I'm not anti-opiate at all. If my pain is bad enough to need them and nothing else is working, then yes, absolutely I'm ok with them. I am willing to give the sub a try and if it works, then great. If not, my doctor told me we will move to something else because there are numerous meds out there.
The bad thing about this is that, being in a small beach town, the pharmacy doesn't carry the suboxone or the depakote, so the pharmacist has to order them. Oh well, I expected that anyway. It just gives me a bit more time to do more research.
The Flexeril will make me hung over if I don't eat when I take it. If I eat a peanut butter sandwich or some peanut butter crackers with it, I usually am good in the morning. I do have to be at home when I take it because it does make me drowsy very quickly, so I never take it if I have to drive anywhere or won't be where I can lay down and go to sleep when it hits.
As far as the fibromyalgia goes, on one of the prescriptions, he did make notes to titrate up for fibro flare ups, so I think he may feel I have it. I've made a note to ask him for clarification at our visit on the 26th. If he says I do have it, then I'll be visiting the fibro boards for more information.
I just feel like I'm falling apart right now because up until 2003, I was the on-the-go mom and never sat around the house. Now, everything has to be planned around my knee and back and I hate that with a passion. I know I'll never play softball again and am ok with that, but really, I miss being the mom and wife I used to be and I really hate feeling like I have no control over all this mess. I am trying my best to stay positive though. I did break down this afternoon. Had a good cry, and now I've picked myself back up, kicked myself in the butt and am going to move on.
Thank you so much for your support. I hope I can return the favor. :)
Lezlee
ZoomzoomGirl
10-09-2006, 12:16 AM
Ozzybug,
I have RSD - diagnosed about 18 mothns ago. Can you tell me what city your doctor is in? I am not sure I am happy with my doctor. Some of my issues are not being addressed, such as the severe muscles spasms and cramps that I have at night. I do not sleep very much , maybe three hours - do not get into REM, which is very bad, and a common occurence for RSD patients. My PM Doc sent me to pyschiatrist who prescribed Topamax which is doing nothing so far, but dose is titrating. He said it will take three months. He is not the one suffering and not sleeping. I need to look for a new doctor. I live in the New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia metropolitan area. Just curious if your doc is in this area, since you are happy and he seems to listen to the patient.
Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.
Good luck to you. RSD is very difficult to live with. If I can be of any help,please let me know :)
I have RSD - diagnosed about 18 mothns ago. Can you tell me what city your doctor is in? I am not sure I am happy with my doctor. Some of my issues are not being addressed, such as the severe muscles spasms and cramps that I have at night. I do not sleep very much , maybe three hours - do not get into REM, which is very bad, and a common occurence for RSD patients. My PM Doc sent me to pyschiatrist who prescribed Topamax which is doing nothing so far, but dose is titrating. He said it will take three months. He is not the one suffering and not sleeping. I need to look for a new doctor. I live in the New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia metropolitan area. Just curious if your doc is in this area, since you are happy and he seems to listen to the patient.
Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.
Good luck to you. RSD is very difficult to live with. If I can be of any help,please let me know :)