had a reprieve

thank you for the prayers. Much appreciated and helpful!!

Tomorrow I see a psych for an assessment. My doc thinks the depression needs to be addressed. Now I went in telling him I wanted to explore the fibro side of this and I get sent to a shrink?? I am not sure i understand exactly how that is supposed to help, but i swear if any of you hear a scream it is me…being told it is all in my head—again.
I dont know what I am supposed to get out of this. Other than possibly dealing with things I have not dealt with, maybe even getting over being so angry about getting sick, accepting my limitations and new life, whatever. But It still doesnt address the pain and the limitations I do have, and that is what I was looking for. ugh. Seeing a shrink makes me very nervous.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

the intake process was interesting. Turns out I guess I have a lot more to deal with than I wanted to admit even to myself. We set some goals, and he offered couples counseling and family counseling if I thought it would be a good idea. I will go to a couple of sessions on my own and we will think about the other stuff. The questions they ask are pretty intimate and deep, and admitting to things or recalling things was not a pleasant or proud experience. We will see what happens from here. I have to get a hold of them because they said something about 3 appts for different things, but set up a counseling appt on the 28th and didn’t say anything about the other stuff. Hmmm.

Also going to call and ask for a referral to a rheumy because apparently that is who I should see about the increased pain and stuff. Counseling is fine, but I dont think that will address nerve damage and other issues. Or I could just go on hydrocodone daily, that helps…I’m a zombie but with the anti nausea medicine I not only sleep but feel a lot better pain wise. Not sure what to do.

Anyhow thanks again for the support

~Lori

Psych eval was interesting. Have more to deal with than I thought and have been diagnosed with PTSD because of the gbs and my mothers sudden passing. Also been diagnosed as major depressive disorder. My meds have been added to…was hoping to get off of everything, but that is not the case. I feel like a walking disaster. Oh but I did mention some things and the woman added some of her own before i finished my list and then told me she strongly believes I do have a fibro overlap and that is causing even more issues than the residuals I had been dealing with. So she is getting me a referral to a pain management clinic. Not sure what they do or how they can help nerve pain stop without turning me into a medicated zombie, but we will see. At this point I am willing to try almost anything.

I was given abilify—the research I did on it does not make it sound like a good idea since I tend to be so sensitive to things and this one actually is known to cause anxiety, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and tendencies, vision problems, GI upset, and all sorts of other things that I am already dealing with anyhow. Like I need more numbness and tingling! Not adding that one to my list.

Changing from xanax to klonopin(sp) since it lasts longer.
also going to be put on a sleep aid that is in the same family as klonopin and xanax since i tolerate that “family”

weaning off the Savella because I honestly do not believe it is working any longer. And have been given Tramadol as an as needed pain reliever (what if I hurt all the time??). Tramadol side effects kinda creeped me out too. But I may not have to deal with the effects I do with codeine based meds.

The whole thing worries me because I am so afraid of things affecting my breathing at night. Since i got sick that is a huge fear of mine and i am careful of what I take and check and recheck side effects because now i tend to have the “serious” or near serious ones with things I never reacted to before. Hopefully I don’t have bad reactions and can get some much needed relief.

What a nightmare!!!

I tried the new meds finally….pharm was out of stock on everything….The sleep aid caused a great deal of nerve pain and so much burning and tingling that it was hard to even relax with that in my system. I have had a bad day dealing with my muscles feeling as if I have worked out or ran a marathon. So much burning and tingling and discomfort. The anti anxiety one did nothing but make me feel buzzed and out of sorts. I hate that feeling and have it often as a residual anyhow that I would rather deal with anxiety attacks and monkey chatter and my nerves screaming at me than the feelings of the drug. Oh the sleeping stuff says not to use if you have myasthenia gravis…am I confused or is this not closely related to GBS? And if someone tells a dr they suffer from constant tingling and muscle burning why would they prescribe a medication that has a side effect that causes that?! Anyhow, no sleep but TONS of monkey chatter and lucid dream state and chest pain (thought it was an anxiety attack and told myself it was my imagination….it just happens to be a side effect of temazepam that I was unaware of) when I finally was able to relax enough to pass out. I have an appt tomorrow and will be telling the dr about my reaction. I don’t care how closely related a medicine is, there is a reason it is called something else instead of going by the name of what I am already on. I have had experience with “closely related” meds in the past 4 years and have not had a good outcome. I just want to stay on what I have and feel actually kinda works. I am scared now to even touch the tramadol because of the side effects it causes. Why is it so hard to find something that works when you have been hit with GBS?? And then to probably have fibro on top of it makes things even worse. Ugh.