Monday, May 18, 2015

27 Weeks 1 Day

This morning woke me up bright and early at 6am with immense pain. This episode lasted for just over two hours and was equivalent to the episode I had on the way to Chad&Ivory's wedding 3 weeks ago. Major massaging, ice, heat, full dose of Flexeril and Methadone (10mg each), and 2- 500mg of Tylenol which is half of the maximum amount for one day's worth. Mom came over when Joseph went to training at work.
Mom and I left urgent messages with both the Pain Management doctor, my foot doctor, Dr T, and with my Methadone doctor, Dr. C. They sure took their sweet time getting back to me. A nurse called me rather than the doc. I stated that I needed to talk to Dr.C concerning pain and that I spoke with her on Friday about it as well. Dr. C's nurse said that I shouldn't call the doctor or leave messages for her but need to call the advice nurse instead, because Dr. C was busy with other patients and was unable to call me back so I just needed to just talk to her. Then she began with questions and asked where my pain was. I literally yelled at her saying, "Really?! It's in the same place it's been for 11 years! It's in my right ankle/foot, travelling up to my knee and down to my baby toe!" (If she had my file, she would have been able to see the doc's notes from previous appointments) She then proceeded to tell me that I needed to go into the L&D to get checked for a blood clot in my leg since I have "all of a sudden pain." To that, both Mom and I started yelling at her saying, "It's chronic pain, not new stuff. I've dealt with this for 11 years! It's not a blood clot! It's chronic pain" and mom added, "Chronic pain to which the doctor has not prescribed enough medication to cover the pain!"  Mind you, this was the smack-dab-middle of an intense pain episode. I said "the reason I called is I want to know if I can throw a Norco on top of the Methadone to combat this current pain episode of level 15 pain!" She replied to that saying, "Oh that is not something I can make a recommendation on." Again I started yelling at the woman saying, "I KNOW! That's why I called to talk to DR.C!!!" She then said the doctor would have to call me back. Seriously? These nurses getting in the way of my messages is really pissing me off. I have questions that require a Doctor's word, not the word of an advice nurse.

Eventually the doctor called me back. She asked if I'd taken the Gabapentin to help the nerve pain and I said that after researching it a bit I decided that I don't want to take it because Blaire is already exposed to too many different drugs. She didn't seem to agree but oh well. She then started talking about my pain and contradicted herself left and right and so I told her... "I'm very confused." and she said she was feeling the same way so I said that I need something to cover this pain. Methadone hasn't ever covered my pain fully (except for the wedding sunday) and I need something else since I'm not able to increase the Methadone per her instructions. She said that I couldn't take Norco on top of the Methadone because it's dangerous. Then she said I could stop taking the Methadone and start taking the Norco instead since Methadone isn't working so well. Contradiction... I can't stack it on top (like take the pill for a single episode), but I can stack a Norco on top of the Methadone that's in my system for at least 5 days and that's fine. I asked if it isn't basically the same thing... To which she became confused ...  She then said that I can increase the Methadone up to 15mg x 3day. I asked if I could increase the Flexeril (muscle relaxant) instead since I really don't want to increase the Methadone. She said I couldn't but I can increase the Elavil up to 75mg... 100mg is the max and my current dose 50mg. I asked about Blaire's risk from Norco vs Methadone and she said Methadone is better for her so I went ahead and agreed to take the 15mg x 3day. This whole episode was spent me panting and huffing and puffing from pain and I made sure this doc could tell that I was in pain..... It will be interesting to see her notes on the call when I obtain the records...
So.... This week, I have a Tens Unit to start using (whenever they call me back and teach me how to use it), I have a Methadone increase and an Elavil increase. I will start with ONLY the Tens Unit to see if it helps.. If it doesn't then I'll increase the Methadone.... Then I'll increase the Elavil and see what all will give me some relief.....

Bg's spiked in the morning and I've been sitting between 160 and 173 all day. Glad to be level but need to increase carb ratio to bring me into my target range.

Because I have a "septated uterus" or a "sheet" within the uterus, it prevents the baby from going to the left of the uterus. With Blake, he never went on the other side of that sheet and with Blaire she hasn't been on that side either... until this morning. She had her hand up there wiggling around and it was a little alarming since she's not supposed to be able to go there. I was going to call Dr F. and see if I needed an ultrasound to make sure Blaire isn't stuck there at the sheet. She has been in that position quite a bit today. I didn't end up calling Dr F. because of all the pain and other doctors that I was preoccupied with.

I feel like almost a full week has passed since this morning at 6am.
It's been a very very trying day.
I sent Blake to stay with Grandma and Papa for a while.
Chiropractor visit went well and he said that I can start coming 2 days a week rather than 3 days.

1 comment:

  1. Thank God for Grandma and Papa! Take advantage of your support system! We all need support! Love you ~

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