Thursday, July 17, 2014

Squirming and Worming

Hi, All,

Writing today to share some good news from J's pain management dept.  (Said pain being still, some nasty thoracic daily aching from about 1pm on.)

Due to an allergy, codeine-based pain killers are not tolerated well by moi, (I turn into an itching machine), and of course, due to the renal disease, NSAID's are off limits.  Even aspirin, I've been directed to avoid by my Nephrologist.

This leaves few other non-narcotic options.

(For those of you wondering, medical marijuana is not yet approved in France for Vasculitis.  Though recently, it has been approved for the treatment of MS pain, which is a good start.)

Upon being released from the hospital back in Jan '13, I was prescribed Tramadol, (a synthetic opioid), and that too caused some major itch-fests at doses of both 100 and 50 mgs but recently, I tried a lower dosage, mixed with paracetamol and lo' and behold--IT WORKED!  Only 37.5mgs of Tramadol per pill and that one wee dose, combined with paracetamol works for a good 5 hours--and I itch only a little!

It so thankfully takes that burning pain down enough notches to keep me from needing to get horizontal and/or turning me into a chair-squirmer and I cannot express how blown away I was this past weekend in Brussels with glorious relief.

On the train ride back to Paris on Sunday evening, I teared up with joy, realizing deeply, that for the first time in a very long time, I had just experienced two near-NORMAL days pain-wise.  TWO!

<--Had to take a pic of what I was looking at when the happy drops fell.   :)

I had no naps while there either, driving home just how fatiguing enduring seemingly endless pain is.  Pain you always hope will be better the next day, but it never is and with that hellish loop comes frustration and, (as I sadly learned this past year), often after just too much of that, depression.

Living with MPA, Kidney Disease and the many treatments and side-effects therein, makes it extra-crucial to keep one's mojo in full working order and being less of a slave to pain makes that a whole lot easier.

Knowing I have these precious pills at my disposal is just gold and to ensure they continue to work well each time I am electing to not take them daily.

I have read that they are very addictive and that dependance comes easily too, so for both of these reasons, I will be sure to leave days between days of use.  Another plus is that of the addiction accounts I've read about, none were at low doses like 37.5mgs/day.

Also in my googlings on Tramadol, ('cause I always research the hell out of anything new going into the ole tank), I came across this interesting study comparing my mix of tramadol+paracetamol with higher doses of Tramadol only.  All here for the curious.

Ehhhhh voila, that's it for moi, for now.

+++vibes,

: J

4 comments:

Jude said...

These happy moments for you Miss J., just make ME happy for you! Sounds like this combo of pain killers is a life saver, thank goodness for "near normal" days!!

xoxoxoxox

Juanita Grande said...

Indeedy, Jude. Thanks for the good vibes. :)

Hopefully, when my adrenals are fully "online" again, this pain will lessen.

I have a feeling that the catabolic nature of prednisone killed not only my adrenals, but the muscles that once held up my spine so much better. Once they're back, perhaps less pain--I hope.

:x

: J

Nina said...

Sweet Juanita, you're strong because you never stop to investigate and study and try the solutions that could make the best for you.

A big kiss to my favourite lioness :*

Juanita Grande said...

Grazie, *Ninanna* mia, ;) A big bacione for you too over there in bella Italia.

: J