So today I went back to my old neurologist who I realized I desperately missed once I saw her and I saw my allergist. When my neurologist first saw me and started going over my old file from 2006, she said that the initial regimen of medication I was on had me at 4-5 headaches a month!!!! Holy shit! That was my reaction, lol. I'm having 5-7 a week at this point. So we're going back to the old medication regimen which is 125mg of amitriptyline and 75mg of topomax. In addition to that she gave me some phenergan for nausea and some piroxicam which is an anti-inflammatory drug. The big change is, she's taking me off of my vicodin which I don't know if I like or not. That drug, while it is a narcotic, is my savior sometimes. It's the only thing that gets rid of my headaches. But at the same time, I don't want to be on it for the rest of my life. So we'll see how it goes.
I also asked her to take me off of my cymbalta which she's doing thankfully. It's an antidepressant which she had put me on years ago to counteract the side effects of the depakote I was on. I can't wait to get off of that. Then there's ANOTHER big change. Doctors always tell me to quit smoking and I always say "I know I know" but this time when she told me I need to quit, I asked for a script for Chantix, which is a drug to help quit. So I'm actually going to try to do this!!!
Then of course she wanted me to do some bloodwork so I went and did that. From there, I went to my allergist appointment where he asked a bunch of questions and told me to come back Thursday to do food and inhalant allergy testing and ordered yet MORE bloodwork. So I have been stuck twice today :/
To counteract all of this misery, can you guess what I did? Yep...more gardening :p I went to my local nursery and bought these gorgeous impatiens and two beautiful kalanchoes and planted them together in an old wooden bucket we have. I also noticed that my irises are getting ready to open and they look like they'll be so pretty :D Other pics are my continuing adventures in subirrigation gardening and my brand new mosquito plant that I bought! It repels mosquitos and is actually a geranium that smells like citronella...pretty cool, eh?
10 comments:
It sounds like you might be making some progress with the doctors - I hope it's progress in the right direction. And good for you for trying to quit! That's fantastic, Chris. Good luck. I know it's difficult and as someone who has undertaken really long, difficult journeys in the past, I know how tough it can be. We'll be cheering for you!
Why does it make me smile that we're on one of the same drugs? Ummm, yeah, probably because I'm an idiot. :P I so hope that this new combo does the trick...or at least that it's a step in the right direction toward finally getting these damn migraines under control.
And hooray for you, sweetie, for deciding to give quitting a try! I know personally what a fucking miserable journey it can be--but I also know how very, very, very worth it it is in the end! So when you get cranky and just need someone to bitch at, you just call me, okay? I'm serious!
Wow. Chris, I had no idea that you were going through so much. I heard great things about the sinus rinses so it's nice to hear that it's working for you.
I hope that this is a step back in the right direction for you medically, and good luck with the giving up smoking thing!
holy cow Chris! but like i said on twitter..I hope if it's "not working well" that she gives you back what's necessary to help you! Phenergan: that always put me to sleep and "bound me up" fierce! not sure which is worse : sick to my stomach or bound up! lol.. I am glad she saw the "old meds" seemed to help more and is willing to try them again... gawd I hope this works!!!!
love the flowers...:o) you are a bright spot in my life baby boy!
It is so frustrating having a doctor that doesn't work well with you. I'm going through that with my daughters' pediatrician right now and am considering finding a new one...hope things get better for you.
Love seeing the subirrigated bottle planters!What do you have growing in them?
the flowers are beautiful. I should grow some iris.
Oh, yes, I always forget that you smoke until you remind me... You don't strike me as one, I guess, if that makes any sense. So, yay for quitting!!! I am so happy for you!
Just catching up with posts... I hope your new meds help you, Chris. Also -- I use that sinus rinse bottle and IT IS AMAZING. I love that thing so much!!
You were really put through the wringer! Hopefully they've come to some good news for you though. Thankfully, my migraines (which I seriously thought were going to put me on disability) disappeared once I got off the pill. TMI, but there it is. Holy cow, the world opens up again if you don't have to suffer from migraines that completely take you down. I do have to say though, that I also was put on nasal sprays to help w/ my migraines & I think they've worked to help prevent them.
Good luck. I absolutely know how gut wrenching it can all be. I have a drug cabinet that is nicely stocked with phenegran and Ibuprofen 500 (the other stuff made me even more nauseated) for the 2 migraines I get a month. That's still way better than the every other day variety. I'm going to cross my fingers for you! Keep us updated.
I had no idea your migraines were getting that bad, Chris. I hope they find out what is triggering it, because 5-7 a week is not healthy, and not right. Poor you! How you can keep going to work and gardening and reading - that's something to admire, and I hope one day this is all a very bad memory only for you. Fingers crossed that they find the triggers, and soon. *hugs*
PS buying new plants is good therapy!!!! I love your pictures, too :-)
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