When this whole sordid affair began, I was using
over-the-counter drugs to fight my pain. Many, many Advil and Aleve and
Excedrin spent their waning moments doing what they could to relieve my ache.
Despite their best efforts, they were fighting a losing cause. Dr. Foster was
the first to prescribe a narcotic pain reliever for me (something mixed with
Tylenol.) She started me at the lowest dose that she thought would work, with
the understanding that if it wasn’t working for me, to call… we can go up from
A to B quickly.
Well, I soon saw Dr. Daniel. When I brought up pain
management, he was quick to hand out anything I wanted. I got re-upped on the
prescription Dr. Foster had given me, because I thought it was “okay”. Then I
got 12hour release Morphine and another medicine, that while not designed for
pain management (it was originally for epilepsy), had this amazing side effect
of decreasing pain caused the nervous system. (I forget its name, but I call it
Gabby, ‘cause the first three letters of the drug are ‘Gab’.) He also suggested
I forsake Aleve and aspirin and just use Advil (or Motrin). Okay, I can do
that.
Okay, Gabby is great. It doesn’t seem to do anything for the
pain in my back, but it does amazing things for my arm. It does make me drowsy,
but the drowsiness is short-lived compared to the relief. I just need to do the
math to make sure when to take it.
The stuff Dr. Foster gave me, Norco, isn’t bad as long as I
don’t take it as much as they say I can. It does take away pain but it makes me
sleep like a baby, in two to three hour stretches. It is great for the night time, but during the day its
effects are less than stellar. Well, unless I want to sleep for 24 hours on
end, in which case it is really good.
And 12 hour release Morphine is an absolute last resort. It
does knock out the pain, along with all common sense and all decorum. And the
lapses of conscious thought come and go in waves. You never know what may
happen.
Advil helps. It does its mightiest scenes reinforcing
the other meds. I am totally cool with that.
I’m feeling that a short week after this whole mess of drugs
started, I am starting to gain control. I’m gaining a rhythm. Finally!!!
Four times a day, I just throw all the pills on a table,
close my eyes and pick three. I wish I would have thought of this months ago!
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