Getting somewhere at last - and not just the booster...

Well, it's been nearly a week since I started taking the Amitriptyline tablets.  These were originally designed to be an anti-depressant, but as so often happens, they (the pharmaceutical companies) found that it was not very good for the original issue, but it is really good for treating pain.  Specifically neuralgia (nerve pain) as well as migraine.

Now comes the "fun" part.  Like all prescription medication, there are side effects...  And the most common ones are some crackers...  Things like...

Feeling sleepy

Headache

Dry mouth

Nausea

And guess what - I got the lot.  The sleepy part isn't an issue (now) - but for the first few days, all it took was for me to get too comfortable in the bean bag, and bang.  Out cold.  I also found that I was waking up with a headache / dry mouth in the morning, but a bottle of water on my bedside table soon sorted that out.

The worst one was the nausea.  I felt like I'd eaten something (or someone) I didn't agree with, and it was quite unpleasant.  Luckily for me, it was only the one day (and that was the day after my COVID-19 booster - more on that later) but it did knock me for six.

So, at the moment, I won't say I am pain free - far from it.  This dratted medication can take upto 6 weeks to take effect - as my GP said - "don't expect this to work instantly".  I'm not that daft, but have to admit that things are getting slightly easier...  Especially when I use my Smokin' Joints Warming Shea Butter Skin Balm.  

This little miracle pot has really helped me, and I know when I haven't used it.  My back hurts (ok - more than it does normally with the slipped disc) and it seems to help with the pain in my leg.  I don't know if it was because I gave the leg a damned good massage rubbing this stuff in (my thigh muscles were twitching like they were wired to the mains) but it seemed to help and allowed me to get some sleep.

Now onto the booster.  I had already got this booked for January 6th at Walsgrave Hospital...  Ok, not an issue.  Then my GP practise sends me a text message to say that I can get jabbed closer to home - and a lot sooner.  Like a month earlier.  

Needless to say that was a no brainer - of course I was going to take the jab.  This new COVID-19 variant is scary, and blazing a trail through the population.  

So, Mum kindly took me to what I jokingly referred to as "jab central" on Saturday afternoon for my appointment with the needle.  Now my appointment was 15:40 - I was jabbed and escaped by then.

How did I manage?  Simple.  I got to the clinic early, and was pulled in early.  Medical history checked ("Are you allergic to anything?  Yes - work and injections")  Being serious though, I showed the team my medic alert and clarified that I knew what I was allergic to as I carried the epi-pen.  

I was then given the Pfizer jab as my first two jabs were the Astra-Zenica.  20 minutes later, and I am escaping for home, with a slightly sore arm.

As I write (ok type this) my arm still feels sore / slight lump where I had the jab, but to be honest, I am glad I had this done early, as it will hopefully reduce the severity of any infection...

Ah well, my kindle is calling me - I want to see what happens to Edwin Winthrop in Kim Newman's book  - The Bloody Red Baron 

Back when I get chance...

Karen

The future was planned and now we must crawl

Let justice be damned, they've taken it all

Now things that you read, you've seen it before

Like brothers we stand, they've fooled us once more

New variant COVID-19, and it's back to home working....

Well, Bo-jo has spoken,  Again.   We're back to home working as of Monday, unless you cannot work from home.

Which is pretty good going for me - I've been working at home since I damaged my back, so in reality, that change has meant nothing to me - it's my normal routine.  And, there have been more restrictions brought in - including wearing masks in more places, and the so-called vaccine passport to go into nightclubs.

Again, this won't make any real difference to me, as I do wear my mask on the rare occasions that I escape, and clubbing?  Can't remember the last time I went clubbing.  Think the closest I managed was going to see Magnum at the Parr Hall in 2019...  Before we even knew that Covid existed.

But, if I am honest, I can see the UK being back in another lockdown after Christmas / New Year, as people will have been mixing, and this dratted bug will have taken the  opportunity to spread even more.

Ah well, time to call this quits - my phone is beeping at me again.

Back when I get the inclination...

Karen

It's another rainy day
Talk of freedom got away
Time to get the message right
It's never black or white
So I'm walking in the rain
Found a reason to explain
No excuses, no regret
We all deserve respect

And the verdict is.......

Just had the call from the SWIMs team.  The verdict is in - I have dodged the scalpel.  

I'm to be put on the waiting list for the Lumbar radiculopathy aka Nerve root block / foraminal epidural injection as well as being referred to physiotherapy.

To say that I am relieved to avoid the surgery is an understatement.  The GP has also prescribed me the recommended tablets for nerve pain, but has told me that there may be side effects (as in I may feel drowsy - so take it before I crawl into my pit) and that the tablets may cause me to throw up.  If that happens, stop taking them and then call the surgery to see if there is a suitable alternative.

Equally, I have been told not to expect instant results.  That wasn't something I had considered - as far as I am concerned, I need to give the tablets time to kick in and see if they work - if they don't then I can talk to the GP and get a revision of the doseage..  As in it may have to go higher from the inital 10mg...

Ah well,time to call this quits - I want to get back to my kindle.

Back when I get the inclination...

Karen

Like a broken wheel stops turning

You ain't going nowhere

Now you've got to heal that burning

Or you ain't got a prayer

Like a broken wheel

Waiting for the Surgeon’s decision

Well, I’ve had the examination, and it’s been confirmed that there is damage to my back, as well as nerve damage – which explains the feeling of super-heated barbed wire running down the outside of my leg, as well as the lack of feeling in my shin.  This tied in with the scan results, meaning that I now have to await the surgeon’s verdict.  The SWIMS team (South Warwickshire Integrated Muscular Skeletal team) have a good relationship with the surgeon who is based at Walsgrave and will discuss the findings of my examination with him at the next meeting.

OK – so in a way I am a little further forward, but in a way, I am still stuck.  I still can’t drive and am still in pain.  I just wish that someone had thought to look at the referral before now and realise that I was *not* improving from the initial injury / incident and pulled things forward.  But I know the excuse – COVID-19.  Which is a wonderful (if overused) excuse in my eyes.  Yes, I know that this virus has had an impact on the NHS – I am the last person to knock them, but it annoys the hell out of me when I get told that I should have gone straight to A&E when this happened.

Congratulations.  They would have done an x-ray (which wouldn’t have shown anything) and then sent me home with a load of pain killers and instructions to rest.  Disc prolapse does not show on an X-ray, and the symptoms could have been caused by a back strain.

But, done is done, and there’s no point getting depressed about it.  Yes – I am down – because I am in pain, and am seriously frustrated, but at least I know things are moving in the right direction.  Now all I have to do is wait for the surgeon to decide what needs to happen, and take it from there.

Ah well, time to call this quits, my poor little phone is making pathetic beeping noises as the battery is almost flat.  Again.

Back when I get chance.

Karen

When things never happen like you wanted

Dark nights always keep you in the shade

Some words would be better left unspoken

No joke there's a price that must be paid