hawkward
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Loss, Infertility
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Post by hawkward on Sept 28, 2023 17:24:48 GMT -6
hawkward, How did first days back to work go? Good. I left early yesterday because I was too tired, but Tuesday and today I did pain clinic all day. It’s a slower pace and the provider is a very kind guy. I was able to keep up with him. I’m exhausted though. I got scheduled for an ESI soon to help with the compensation soreness I have going on too.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Sept 28, 2023 17:44:59 GMT -6
googles esi. lol
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hawkward
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Loss, Infertility
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Post by hawkward on Oct 7, 2023 15:50:31 GMT -6
I’m fully released for work as of yesterday! Still sore, still being cautious, but I’m excited to get back into the thick of work. I get to be back in surgery on Monday. The surgeon I’m working with did my surgery and she’s great. It’s a good reintroduction.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 7, 2023 16:01:51 GMT -6
hawkward, Sounds like you are doing pretty well. Don't overdo it if you are still sore though.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 7, 2023 17:01:55 GMT -6
After a very big fiasco that my appt was actually at a different location than where the text message told me to go to- I got appt with the pelvic floor specialist dr. And the two offices are linked enough to see I had checked in, but then the correct office couldn't find me, and another lady responded when my name was called, but it wasn't me. That meant 230 appt ended up as a 430 appt by the time I got to the right office and fit in.
I've now been told by 2 drs and 2 pelvic physical therapists that I have a hypertonic pelvic floor, so the muscles are tight and REFUSE to relax. Piriformis and obturator internus on the left mostly at fault and even the right side getting in on the act.
So I'm suggested to have botox injections in my pelvic floor muscles. It would be in office, but with an anesthesiologic, prudential nerve block and a lot of jabs.
Insurance is not going to approve it because botox use for this is off label. Dr thinks cost is about $3k but she doesn't deal with that part of it, so she could be way off one way or the other. If it's 3k I'm unlikely to do this. I can try basically myofascial dry needling internal pelvic floor muscles or IDK exactly what my other options are.
In other $$ news I was referred to an in network chiro and had 3 visits, now insurance says it's denied or out of network but hasn't fully made the determination to tell us why.
arg
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 7, 2023 18:58:13 GMT -6
Tldr: I really need botox injections in my pelvic floor It's expensive and I am a bit weirded out at the idea
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joy
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TTC, Pg, B&C
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Post by joy on Oct 7, 2023 22:03:56 GMT -6
So, I go here now?
I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my cervical spine. Okay. GREAT. But, I finally saw a spine specialist due to this and my scoliosis. Apparently the ever-increasingly awful migraines I’m getting may actually be cervicogenic headaches instead. If I address the arthritis, the headaches could lessen or go away.
I’m getting an MRI of my cervical spine in case it’s decided that I need injections. I am starting PT (AGAIN, third time I’m trying) but with therapists who understand my arthritic and scoliotic spine.
I also started acupuncture because enough doctors have asked me to and I’m desperate from neck pain, back pain and monster headaches. I may …be a believer after years of skepticism. Time will tell.
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joy
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TTC, Pg, B&C
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Post by joy on Oct 7, 2023 22:07:29 GMT -6
Tldr: I really need botox injections in my pelvic floor It's expensive and I am a bit weirded out at the idea Yeah, I’d be weirded out, too. Can you do PT for these muscles? There are pelvic floor specialist PTs. (Sorry if you’ve already done this, coming in late).
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 7, 2023 23:21:38 GMT -6
Tldr: I really need botox injections in my pelvic floor It's expensive and I am a bit weirded out at the idea Yeah, I’d be weirded out, too. Can you do PT for these muscles? There are pelvic floor specialist PTs. (Sorry if you’ve already done this, coming in late). Oh I've already had pelvic floor pt for 12 visits. I have a couple of muscles that refuse to relax and stay relaxed. It's a lot of pain and they put pressure on sciatic nerve.
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joy
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Post by joy on Oct 8, 2023 5:24:13 GMT -6
Yeah, I’d be weirded out, too. Can you do PT for these muscles? There are pelvic floor specialist PTs. (Sorry if you’ve already done this, coming in late). Oh I've already had pelvic floor pt for 12 visits. I have a couple of muscles that refuse to relax and stay relaxed. It's a lot of pain and they put pressure on sciatic nerve. I see, I see. I’m sorry!!
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hawkward
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Post by hawkward on Oct 8, 2023 7:59:45 GMT -6
joy I have spondylitis and scoliosis as well. Radiofrequency ablation has really helped, if that’s an option for you. 1-2 days a week, I work in the procedure room with our hospital pain specialist. We do cervical ESIs pretty frequently and people get very good results with combining that with PT.
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joy
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TTC, Pg, B&C
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Post by joy on Oct 8, 2023 8:07:25 GMT -6
joy I have spondylitis and scoliosis as well. Radiofrequency ablation has really helped, if that’s an option for you. 1-2 days a week, I work in the procedure room with our hospital pain specialist. We do cervical ESIs pretty frequently and people get very good results with combining that with PT. This was not mentioned to me but I will look it up!
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 8, 2023 10:17:34 GMT -6
joyWelcome to the world of chronic conditions/pain. I feel like we should have 🎂 cake or donuts 🍩 But prob just pain meds 🙃 I post on this thread to not clutter up other threads with lots of my health issues. But even if there aren't a lot of replies sometimes, just getting it all out helps. I'm a fan of dry needling which is similar to acupuncture. So good luck with that. pt should be helping you and not increasing pain. If they don't understand that go somewhere else
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nelzie
Sapphire
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Post by nelzie on Oct 10, 2023 10:38:28 GMT -6
I just need to gripe about American healthcare. PDQ
I was technically diagnosed with diabetes at the end of August but have yet to be able to check my blood sugar. Took over a month to get into my family doctor (seeing a specialist is basically out of the question because most have left the state). She's sending me to a diabetes educator who will set me up with a monitor but there's only one of those left in our health system so I can't see her til mid November.
In the month waiting to get into my doctor I tried on my own changing my diet and ended up gaining weight. I need to lose over 100 pounds so my doctor wanted me to try Mounjaro for diabetes and weight loss. Insurance denies and says I need to try metormin first, which my Dr wanted to skip because of the bad side effects. I'm on 1/4 dose for 4 days now and TMI but today I can't stay off the toilet. I'm not sure how long I'm supposed to be on this until it's considered not tolerating it and I can try for the mounjaro again.
But yet, my husband was approved for Wegovy for weight loss and isn't diabetic but has a similar amount of weight to lose.
End rant, lol.
Today I go see the hematologist and hopefully get some answers as to why my blood counts are always high. I'm extremely anxious.
Friday I go back to work after being off 6 weeks from my carpal tunnel surgery. I'm a little nervous because I'm still having a decent amount of pain. Next surgery is scheduled for mid Nov so I'll basically be back to work for a month and then off another 4-6 weeks again.
Also a little concerned about navigating diabetes at work between the medication side effects and the fact that I cannot remember the last time I had time to actually take a break and eat.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 10, 2023 11:00:49 GMT -6
nelzie sorry for metformin side effects. In theory those side effects lessen after a few days or week ish for most people. Insurance sucks. Our great insurance when dh diagnosed type 2 many many years ago gave him a free test machine but not strips, strips were lots of money cause the free machine used most expensive strips. That was nonsense. So went to Walmart bought a relion machine for super cheap and test strips and all supplies were CHEAP. Just monitoring blood sugar with no other changes gives you a lot of info. Tracking food too gave dh right away some details to discuss with nutritionist that took way too long to happen.
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nelzie
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Post by nelzie on Oct 10, 2023 14:54:55 GMT -6
Well the good news is that the hematologist can't find any concerning reason for my abnormal blood counts. Bad news is her thinks it's due to my weight and I need to lose weight. He also wants me on ozempic or mounjaro. So I'm basically out of luck since insurance says no. I still have a few labs pending so who knows if something may pop up.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 10, 2023 14:59:29 GMT -6
Well the good news is that the hematologist can't find any concerning reason for my abnormal blood counts. Bad news is her thinks it's due to my weight and I need to lose weight. He also wants me on ozempic or mounjaro. So I'm basically out of luck since insurance says no. I still have a few labs pending so who knows if something may pop up. You collect the info from all the doctors and appeal the insurance's decision. If they will put their opinion in writing. Most appeals for meds get approved IF you have supporting info from doctors. But if primary says yeah just try the other drugs first, that won't be enough supporting info from your dr right?
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nelzie
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Post by nelzie on Oct 10, 2023 15:34:41 GMT -6
Well the good news is that the hematologist can't find any concerning reason for my abnormal blood counts. Bad news is her thinks it's due to my weight and I need to lose weight. He also wants me on ozempic or mounjaro. So I'm basically out of luck since insurance says no. I still have a few labs pending so who knows if something may pop up. You collect the info from all the doctors and appeal the insurance's decision. If they will put their opinion in writing. Most appeals for meds get approved IF you have supporting info from doctors. But if primary says yeah just try the other drugs first, that won't be enough supporting info from your dr right? This is coming from the insurance company. My doctor doesn't want me on the metformin at all but the insurance company said we have to try it first and have it not work before they will approve the mounjaro, even with the info my doctor has sent them. So I'm not sure if trying to appeal will help until I've tried the metformin for a while. I'm not sure how long I have to try it until they consider it not working. I may ask my doctor if you can take the wegovy my husband is on for weight loss and metformin since our insurance is covering that.
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sterling
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Post by sterling on Oct 10, 2023 15:56:16 GMT -6
You collect the info from all the doctors and appeal the insurance's decision. If they will put their opinion in writing. Most appeals for meds get approved IF you have supporting info from doctors. But if primary says yeah just try the other drugs first, that won't be enough supporting info from your dr right? This is coming from the insurance company. My doctor doesn't want me on the metformin at all but the insurance company said we have to try it first and have it not work before they will approve the mounjaro, even with the info my doctor has sent them. So I'm not sure if trying to appeal will help until I've tried the metformin for a while. I'm not sure how long I have to try it until they consider it not working. I may ask my doctor if you can take the wegovy my husband is on for weight loss and metformin since our insurance is covering that. You’re on the same insurance and he’s being covered but you’re not?! Fucking insurance.
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nelzie
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Post by nelzie on Oct 10, 2023 16:03:19 GMT -6
This is coming from the insurance company. My doctor doesn't want me on the metformin at all but the insurance company said we have to try it first and have it not work before they will approve the mounjaro, even with the info my doctor has sent them. So I'm not sure if trying to appeal will help until I've tried the metformin for a while. I'm not sure how long I have to try it until they consider it not working. I may ask my doctor if you can take the wegovy my husband is on for weight loss and metformin since our insurance is covering that. You’re on the same insurance and he’s being covered but you’re not?! Fucking insurance. Yeah because he just needs it for weight loss but I need it for diabetes and weight loss. So he's covered for the one for weight loss only. But I have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get the one approved for diabetes too. It makes no sense to me. We both have the same insurance.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 10, 2023 16:17:34 GMT -6
You collect the info from all the doctors and appeal the insurance's decision. If they will put their opinion in writing. Most appeals for meds get approved IF you have supporting info from doctors. But if primary says yeah just try the other drugs first, that won't be enough supporting info from your dr right? This is coming from the insurance company. My doctor doesn't want me on the metformin at all but the insurance company said we have to try it first and have it not work before they will approve the mounjaro, even with the info my doctor has sent them. So I'm not sure if trying to appeal will help until I've tried the metformin for a while. I'm not sure how long I have to try it until they consider it not working. I may ask my doctor if you can take the wegovy my husband is on for weight loss and metformin since our insurance is covering that. yes this is coming from the insurance demands. But you said your primary doesn't want you on metformin, and your hematologist also has an opinion. So if they both write up reasons why you need to skip metformin, and their recommendations and send to insurance as an appeal it may allow you to skip the metformin. Of course it may not work, but people forget they can appeal even medicine thingies if something is medically necessary and there's a good enough reason why the insurance preferred steps don't work. My dh was on metformin mega doses plus glipizide and something else. He had about a week of bad effects like you and then it settled down. With good nutritionist advice and monitoring his sugars for quite a while he has been able to lower his a1c from 12 to 5.6 or so and lose over 100 lbs in weight. So all is not lost if this doesn't go the way you want it to go and you have to jump thru hoops to get the med you want.
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sterling
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Post by sterling on Oct 10, 2023 17:02:30 GMT -6
You’re on the same insurance and he’s being covered but you’re not?! Fucking insurance. Yeah because he just needs it for weight loss but I need it for diabetes and weight loss. So he's covered for the one for weight loss only. But I have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get the one approved for diabetes too. It makes no sense to me. We both have the same insurance. Weight loss, no hoops FUCKING DIABETES all the hoops. I’m sorry you’re going through this.
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nelzie
Sapphire
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Post by nelzie on Oct 10, 2023 17:46:27 GMT -6
AmyG thanks for the info, I will definitely keep that in mind about appealing if they continue to cause issues. I'm glad to hear that your DH has had such great success with the metformin. I'm going to give it an honest try for now. I've only been on it a few days so hopefully the side effects don't last. I meet with the diabetes educator and nutritionist next month so hopefully that will help too. I know some people do lose weight with metformin so maybe that will be the case for me too. Honestly, I'm just frustrated and needed to vent. I hear so many people complain they can't get on meds like mounjaro because it's only for people who have diabetes, then I get diagnosed with diabetes and I figure the one silver lining is now I should be able to get on it and finally be able to lose weight after struggling my whole adult life but of course it's not that easy.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 10, 2023 18:46:43 GMT -6
Vent away.
My insurance is high deductible but $0/mo copay from health care.gov But It's not the right combo of high deductible and out of pocket limit for a HSA. Like if you have a 9k deductible that alone should make you eligible for an hsa, right?
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Post by Wtfshouldmynamebe on Oct 10, 2023 20:49:35 GMT -6
So I had to get a steroid pack called in. I’m having a minor flare in my back (where I always get them). Also today my scalp hurts to touch - that’s a new one.
The other day my mom was talking about why she hasn’t been able to do things (make a call for someone to come remove something). She has been having pain and has very minor spinal stenosis. Her comment to me was “you don’t know what it’s like to wake up and not know if you will be able to walk ok”. I shot daggers at her and said that I literally knew what that was and don’t play that game with me.
Also, scalp pain? Wtf.
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Post by 4PrivetDrive on Oct 11, 2023 20:21:00 GMT -6
Ok, I am hopping in on here.
To lay out my issues. I have chronic pain from Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis. Basically I have TMJ and Arthritis in my face. I have had this since high school. When it is at its worst, I feel as if my head is squeezing together. I have to unhinge my jaw like a snake in order to open it fully. My cheekbones feel like they are on fire. I have worked with a dentist, psychical therapist, acupuncturist, and more. While I qulaify for surgery, my doctor doesn't even know if it would actually fix the problem and I could go six months having to tape my eye shut to sleep due to issues htat arise from teh surgery. I am constantly tired, have headaches, can't open my mouth without clicking, etc.
I work with a local doctor who does Arthrocentesis with Platelet Rich Fibrin Injections. It helps immensely but this time my jaw is very sore and I can't open it past two fingers' width without more pain.
So that is my face.
I also am having issues with my period. I had my tubes cut three years ago. But when I get my period now I experience constant pain in the area right of my belly button. It doesn't move. It doesn't change, although sometimes it does radiate to my back. I've had an intravaginal US, but it came back as inconclusive.
Now I have had weird spotting. In September I spotted on the 9th. Then NOTHING until the 15th. Now in October I Spotted on the 3rd, then nothing, spotting, nothing, and now full red wave that started yesterday. I made an appointment with a new downstairs lady doctor, because my old doctor made me feel like a hypochondriac. I am just so tired. I don't know if I am premenopausal or what, but I have myself convinced that I'm dying and I haven't even googled so i'm in a great headspace.
Also, as an aside. And TW. I deal with anxiety and depression, and a passive ideology for suicidal ideation. So I'm a hot mess.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 12, 2023 0:20:47 GMT -6
4PrivetDriveWell that sounds yucky all around. I hope the jaw thing relaxes so you can eat. Are you living on protein drinks? Complain away.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Oct 12, 2023 0:23:54 GMT -6
WtfshouldmynamebeI don't know wtf is up with your scalp either. Does like dunking your head in a warm or cold dink of water help?
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senneth
Platinum
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Post by senneth on Oct 16, 2023 7:50:28 GMT -6
Eagles and joy , would you mind sharing how often your neurologists said was ok to take acetaminophen/ibuprofen without triggering rebound headaches? My prior neuro (who dx the loss of reflexes at the patella as psych - and it’s absolutely not, it’s SCI- so I have some doubts about competency) said I could only take it once or twice a month without triggering rebounds. Current neuro says once a week (I’m averaging one dose of Advil dual action, a combination of the two, once a week) is fine unless I there’s a pattern of it triggering headaches. There’s no pattern, and I’ve never been prone to rebounds - even when the headaches were still bad and I was on ibuprofen round the clock for two or three weeks with at least one acetaminophen dose every couple days post orthopedic injury to reduce swelling it never changed frequency and I never had rebounds when I went off. But his frequency ok is so different than the prior neuro’s frequency ok that I’m kinda wondering. But he’s good and has no issues managing all my mess, including the headaches, so I’m definitely not looking for a second opinion. But I had three migraines last week, two bad tension headaches, and migraine level pain that isn’t a migraine from looking at a screen all day when the light sensitivity from the concussion is still so bad. Nurtec (my neuro got the prior authorization approved!) is working really well for the migraines, and relaxing my muscle spasms is working really well for the tension headaches. Absolutely nothing touches the concussion headaches once they get bad, and when I say I’ve tried everything I can access, I do mean everything. Haven’t done that piercing or Botox or emgality, but everything else. And I’m used to managing other pain with modalities that can work for headaches but most people don’t use, because the only pain medication I’m on is for nerve pain, and that doesn’t touch bone/muscle/tendon/ligament/etc. pain. For now, we’re primarily differentiating the concussion headaches by what treatments don’t work, but neuro says we’ll revisit that if it doesn’t get better in six months. Even OTC treatments help my migraines - lying down completely still in a completely dark room with ice packs on my head and heat packs on my neck and caffeine and Aleve helps a little. Not much, but it’s something. Relaxing muscle spasms always helps the tension headaches. And I’ve always gotten auras with migraines and the pain is in a different area than what we think are concussion headaches.
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Eagles
Opal
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Post by Eagles on Oct 16, 2023 8:26:47 GMT -6
Eagles and joy , would you mind sharing how often your neurologists said was ok to take acetaminophen/ibuprofen without triggering rebound headaches? My prior neuro (who dx the loss of reflexes at the patella as psych - and it’s absolutely not, it’s SCI- so I have some doubts about competency) said I could only take it once or twice a month without triggering rebounds. Current neuro says once a week (I’m averaging one dose of Advil dual action, a combination of the two, once a week) is fine unless I there’s a pattern of it triggering headaches. There’s no pattern, and I’ve never been prone to rebounds - even when the headaches were still bad and I was on ibuprofen round the clock for two or three weeks with at least one acetaminophen dose every couple days post orthopedic injury to reduce swelling it never changed frequency and I never had rebounds when I went off. But his frequency ok is so different than the prior neuro’s frequency ok that I’m kinda wondering. But he’s good and has no issues managing all my mess, including the headaches, so I’m definitely not looking for a second opinion. But I had three migraines last week, two bad tension headaches, and migraine level pain that isn’t a migraine from looking at a screen all day when the light sensitivity from the concussion is still so bad. Nurtec (my neuro got the prior authorization approved!) is working really well for the migraines, and relaxing my muscle spasms is working really well for the tension headaches. Absolutely nothing touches the concussion headaches once they get bad, and when I say I’ve tried everything I can access, I do mean everything. Haven’t done that piercing or Botox or emgality, but everything else. And I’m used to managing other pain with modalities that can work for headaches but most people don’t use, because the only pain medication I’m on is for nerve pain, and that doesn’t touch bone/muscle/tendon/ligament/etc. pain. For now, we’re primarily differentiating the concussion headaches by what treatments don’t work, but neuro says we’ll revisit that if it doesn’t get better in six months. Even OTC treatments help my migraines - lying down completely still in a completely dark room with ice packs on my head and heat packs on my neck and caffeine and Aleve helps a little. Not much, but it’s something. Relaxing muscle spasms always helps the tension headaches. And I’ve always gotten auras with migraines and the pain is in a different area than what we think are concussion headaches. So, ibuprofen is very low risk for rebound/MOH headache. Tylenol a bit more, but the real culprit is butalbital, which is in Fioricet (along with caffeine and a low dose of acetaminophen). Current guidelines are not to take Fioricet more than 1-2x a week. I was taking it daily and we've been dialing it back because I was in a medication overuse cycle. But my neuro thinks that's a little too stringent so we're aiming for no more than 3-4x a week.
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