Hey....how is everybody?

[Diandra]

Just wanted to say hello and Happy New Year.
This forum has been so slow....let's hope it is because everyone is doing well.

Please just post and say how you are all doing.

I am doing OK. I recently tried to get off Lyrica and it is very difficult. I only lasted 10 days and had to go back up to my regular dose because it was too hard to function(felt terrible, minor partial seizures, more like little blips). I only want to go off because I am having some rather disturbing heart palpitations the heart doc cannot figure out but they are so bad they wake me up and my BP is up. I thought if I could take a little holiday from my meds for maybe just a few weeks we could get to the bottom of it to make sure it is not my drug combo. My heart doc put me on a drug called Cardizem to see if that will help. Just started it yesterday. Otherwise, am doing well. After the ordeal of having an apt built for my Mom in our home(it was an episode for "Holmes on Homes" the 1st contractors were so bad.) But all is fixed now, it is a cozy, adorable apt and she moves in, in two weeks. I got a nutribullet for Christmas and am having healthy shakes every day for breakfast and lunch and I do feel better from that. I highly recommend the Nutribullet. I used to juice but it took so long to clean out the juicer. This is SO easy. I am too heavy, on a campaign to lose weight and I joined a health club and am going to try and swim a few times a week and do steam and sauna.

Let's hear how you all are. I miss you all and would love to hear what is up in your lives.
Love, Diandra

[tortoisegirl]

I'm not doing too bad. My headache pain is pretty stable on the methadone now that I'm taking it 4 times a day, but we're having a tough time controlling my breakthrough pain episodes, especially at work. I've been on the oxycodone for years, as everything else we try either isn't helpful or has side effects (recently had an interesting experience with Nucynta).

Still waiting on insurance to see if they will approve a nerve stimulator trial. They already denied it and my doctor appealed, but it looks like they will set up a peer to peer call with my doctor, so I'm a bit more hopeful now. I had a nice relaxing holidays doing not much of anything.

I've been having a nice break from doctor appointments. For awhile I was having a couple a week between all my misc health issues. Work is a bit frustrating though, especially since it increases my pain. Eventually I want to seriously look for something new, but we're hoping to get a house in a few months so I'll have to wait. Also planning a trip to Hawaii this fall so that is something nice to look forward to. Best wishes everyone.

[alex44]

Hi Diandra - or is it Kate - How should I address you. I am OK - you may find my next post interesting - Ins. Co.'s and all that mess. I have fibro,CFS,P.Neuroapathy. and BAD artritis trouout my body - lets throw in some gout and chest pains ain't life grand? Anyway, not to hijack your thread. Believe me, I understand how Ins. Co.'s can be - they wont let me use the correct language I would like to use but I value the forum and respect the T.O.S. Hope this finds you better and the HA abating. Hope the weather is descent for you too - here in Arizona here it has been cold... that and arthritis do not mix as it increases my pain tremendously. Good luck to you and a happy new year.
Blessings
Alex44
Skypilot

[Diandra]

Kate, It never ceases to amaze me that you can work with that level of pain. I wish you the best with getting on board with the nerve stimulator trial. Hawaii sure is something to look forward to. thanks for the update.

Alex, managing all those health issues is so difficult...your frustration with all the health care systems you have to deal with understandable. It seems like a never ending battle. I do hope this year things will improve for you. thanks for the update.

Take care, Diandra

[Mark N]

Diandra, My wife and I just got back from our trip to see my son graduate from Army boot camp [see my post on the Spinal Forum in the Pity Party room for details]. It was a rough 11 hour drive but the time there went well as my sleep was consistent for some reason. Pain is a constant but I have regulated it to background noise most of the time until my spine decides to remind me how bad it is. I have accepted my new limitations so that struggle has been settled. I wish I could see our granddaughters more but I am happy with the once a week I can get together with them. They are so adorable and loving, 2.5 yrs old and 5 months old, that we have a blast when they are over and they understand grandpa's need to take a break from time to time.

Sorry to hear of your troubles with trying to take a break from Lyrica. Good luck with the new effort to eat better and to exercise so you can lose weight.

Kate, it is good to hear you have your pain under better control despite the B/T pain. I hope your doctor gets the approval for the nerve stimulator and that it works for you. Hawaii for vacation will be a blast and is something to look forward to doing.

Alex, you have had a battle this year with your health care and I hope this year is better for you. Getting older brings more ailments to us but it is better than the alternative of not getting any older. Keep pushing for your health care and I hope you win the battle this year.

[Eva 14]

Hi Diandra and everyone! Things have been really hectic for me lately.

I've been fighting for MONTHS to try to get switched to a different pain med! It's really ridicuous. My pain doc wants me to try Exalgo, but it's really expensive and insurance doesn't seem to want to pay for it. But I can't seem to get a definite answer from insurance---they just tell me to wait and wait but nothing ever happens.

I've called my doctor's office, my pharmacy, and my insurance several times. It's been 3 weeks since my doc gave me the script. It's getting so annoying. All I wanted to do was to try ANYTHING other than Avinza, which causes me to sweat way too much.

I hope things are okay with everyone else! My pain levels have been really high due to this and other stresses in life. Hopefully things will calm down soon.

Best Wishes,
Eva

[Diandra]

Mark....I could not imagine trying to do 11 hrs in a car. What we do for the ones we love. It sounds like despite the pain, the trip was worth it.

Eva...I have never heard of Exalgo. Can you contact the manufacturer and tell of them your dilemma and see if they have any program to help folks who have trouble paying for these very expensive drugs? You certainly should not be going without any kind of answer for 3 weeks, that is unconscionable. I hope this doesn't mean you are left without ANY long acting drug to take. I have said it before, you can contact the Attorney General in your date because they handle consumer problems and ask for their assistance. Insurance cannot just NOT give you an answer. You can call them and enter a complaint that will follow a chain of steps to get resolved. I know how much it sucks to have to go through this and I am sorry you are having to endure this. Hang in there Eva.

Take care, Diandra

P.S. As many of you know, we have been building an apt in our lower level for my elderly Mom. We had lots of problems with the contractor, fired him, got a new one. The apt was finally finished last week. Over the weekend, unbeknownst to us, a water pump leaked all weekend and the apt flooded, we had to remove and discaed all the flooring, remove the appliances, the furniture and a company has to come in to clean and remove mold, etc. My Mom was supposed to move in this past Oct and it is now almost Feb 2013. No wonder people hate to renovate. In the good news dept, I am using a nutri-bullet every day and getting much better nutrition and feel much better. Wishing you all well.

[Mark N]

Diandra, you are right about what we go through for the ones we love but the drive was well worth it. I loved seeing my son graduate and move on to Airborne training. The Army did a great job with the ceremonies so it was worth going down to see them. Plus our son was surprised because he has grown up with my disability and knows how hard these things are on me.

Sorry to hear about about the water pump problem and the resultant flooding. I hope your MIL gets to move in soon.