I'm Not Liking What I'm Feeling! (Waaa!)

[Zaphoon]

This stuff is back to bugging my left hip again. I'm having to use my hands to lift that leg in order to put a sock and shoe on it. When I'm in bed, it is painful to move from side to side. It seems like this thing flares up for several weeks then subsides, at least when it comes to the left hip.

My arm muscles have been trying to tell me they've been overworked but this cannot be right. I haven't been doing much out of the norm.

It has come to me that it might be a good thing to carry a small bottle of baclofen in the car, as I leave the house in the morning and often do not return until evening, missing the afternoon dose. Shucks, for that matter, I often forget to take the morning dose, too. My spasmodic legs remind as I drive down the road to my first appointment of the day: "Hey, you big dummie! You forgot to take your stuff this morning! Thanks a lot - a message from your legs!".

I don't like this stuff and look forward to the day it goes away for good.

This bug has been with me now for going on 4 years (longer if you count the frozen shoulder syndrome) and this is plenty long enough. After all, how much longer can something like this hang around?

Okay, I'm finished with the rant. The pharmaceutical folk might consider putting a "happy" additive into the baclofen mix. I might remember to take it more regularly, were that the case. More tolerance on my part would be a good thing.

 

[Bad Balance]

Hang in there zaphoon;

That Baclofen bottle they give you is so big its a pain to tote around. I carry 4-6 in something smaller when I go out.

That joint pain sounds like a real annoyance....hope that it clears up again for you soon.

 

[momofsixkids60]

Kim,

My dauhgtre works @ a pharnacuy amd shje alwauys renebers to give me an exrta bottel with the label on it. This wau I cam take a few with me & not 4get thjem. Just remener not 2 leace them in tjhe car BC of hihg temps. Hihg temps can danage tjhe drugs. Also, thje bottlle helps if U hjace any narcoticv scriopts...U wuoldn't wamt 2 get piulled ocer amnd hace a few of tjhem on U withuot a bottle!

 

[Zaphoon]

Jerry, Good idea regarding the 4-6. I'm not sure if the hip is a joint or muscle issue. Maybe I need to see a rhuemy (sp?).

Kimberly, Thanks for the info on the high temps ruining the meds. I'll make sure I carry a copy of the script in the glove box.

 

[sadiemae]

Have you thought of getting a cortisone injection? If it works, the relief can last up to a year.

 

[AKmom]

I have alot of the same problems. Although my hip pain can be in both hips, but it hurts more on the left because my right side is weaker and I lean on the left more. I also have my right foot that is always contracted (curled toes and sometimes rolled inward at the ankle). It gets very painful to walk on so I go for a cortisone injection in it about once a year. It doesn't work for the full year but for a good part of it. I have done this for 3 years now. The shot can be painful if they do not numb it before the cortisone.

I carry an extra unmarked bottle in my purse. It has norco and baclofen in it. (they are two completely different shapes). I never thought about what would happen if someone searched me and me needing proof that I should have them. I guess I would never guess anyone would need to search my purse. I also have an unmarked bottle of ibuprophen in there.

When I travel though that is a completely different situation. I carry all my meds in a fanny pack on my person. When I go through security checks, I make sure my hubby is able to go through first so he can recieve the meds on the other side of the metal detectors. For the most part I am always the one they pat down. But reciently because of the ruckus caused by an Alaskan politician who had a masectomy and went through the body scan and they still wanted to pat her down because she had the masectomy scar show up, I haven't been patted down the last two trips at our airport.

Hang in there. We all can relate in some way and know its a real pain! I do hope you get relieve soon.

 

[IhavePLS]

Hi there, Kim,

Wanted to respond to your concerns about your arm muscles, as it's so timely:

I saw my neuro yesterday, telling him that when I take a shower, I often get short of breath because my arms have become so fatigued. I used to lift weights in my younger days, and I the feeling that I get in my arms at times now is precisely like that when you lift weights to "failure" (the point at which you cannot do one more rep). I remarked to my neuro that I found the fatigue in my arms "strange."

My neuro's quipped (with a smile): "Your whole caseis strange!" How true!

I think PLSers tend to forget that we're in many ways the "odd man out" (or "odd woman out" as the case may be).

Mike

 

[Bad Balance]

My big toe hurts! I am afraid it is rhumatoid arthritis....sheesh; not related but seems the hits just keep on coming. I guess that I am due since I don't really have constant pain anywhere except this.

 

[Al]

Hey Bad, are you a drinker? I used to get gout and my big toe would hurt like heck.

AL.

 

[HelenL]

I agree with Al, it may be gout in your big toe... it can get really inflamed, red and painful to the touch.

 

[notme]

Have they looked at your SI joint for the hip pain? Or bursitis in the hip? Both issues are soooooo painful (I've had hip and leg problems for almost 20 years, they suck)

Does ice and/or heat help? For my SI stuff, my TENS unit helps somewhat--they can show you exactly where to place the electrodes to help with the pain.