I went to see my doctor this morning. I've had increasing depression setting in again, my migraines are flaring up badly, and the lower back pain had become intolerable. It seems all these things exacerbate each other.
I had been on Topamax before for the migraines which worked really well, but was getting samples at the time as I couldn't afford it. Thank God the medical card now covers that!
He upped my dosage of Cymbalta to 120 mg (I've been on 90 mg for close to a year now), so we'll see if that doesn't knock out some of the apathy I've felt creeping in, which also includes not showering for two days, which is so unlike me but a sure sign I'm falling into the black hole again. It has also helped with the all over vague 'achey' feelings.
I avoid any narcotics like the plague for back pain because I know my addict mind. I see a pain management specialist, and get a series of injections every 6 months into my tailbone, which knocks out the sciatica, and that's great. However, when I had the last MRI done, although the spinal column hadn't narrowed anymore, I have pronounced bulging in two disks, with some 'spurring' in that area. That has created a continuous muscle spasm in my lower back which is better some days than others.
My blood pressure this morning was 150/100, so needless to say, I told him let's go for some mild short-term muscle relaxers for the pain. I've had those twice in the past year, and when my B/P is up like that, it's time to quit 'toughing it' out. I just hope I get some relief in the next couple of days before I climb up on the grain elevator and start taking pot shots at the local yokels!
