Neuropathic Pain

I find it very interesting to see the pain managed so successfully with non-narcotic drugs. I’ve been in pain for years supposedly from my arthritis although my case is quite complicated. But isn’t everyone’s case different and complicated in other ways?

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) helped the pain but this was far from complete. And these types of drugs are not meant to be taken forever. The ideal case is that you get an acute inflammation from something eg spraining your ankle and you go on the NSAIDs for 10 days to aid with the healing.  Arthritis, however, is not an acute situation but rather is chronic. People go on the NSAIDs because of the pain and the drugs help to different degrees.Unless the patient is persistent about their level of pain, it often stops here. And the patients’ don’t know what is “normal” pain from arthritis. The one thing that they do know is they can’t manage many “normal” daily tasks and this can impact their quality of life (QOL) to varying degrees.

Update August 21, 2009

Well, I can hardly believe the difference between now and the last post. Let me start off by saying that the pain is well under control. In fact, most of the time during the past week I have not had any pain. That’s a show stopper.

Two weeks ago, I had to stop taking my Arthrotec (an antiinflammatory) because I was having the steroid injection into the piriformis muscle. I began taking Cymbalta several weeks prior to that. I’ve had to stop the NSAIDS before and couldn’t wait until the time I could start them again because of the increase in pain. Believe it or not, I didn’t even notice the difference. I was stunned. After a couple of days I thought the inflammation would come back and the pain would get worse. Nada. And now it’s been two weeks and I haven’t taken a single antiinflammatory.

Feeling a Lot Better Then Not

Yesterday, I felt terrific. It gave me new hope. The cymbalta is definitely working. Each day it has been a little better and then yesterday, I almost felt normal. Well you know how that works.

I did a nice walk – managed to go a little faster without trying. I was out there for about 30 minutes. Nice. Sunshine. Walking straighter. I really did feel better. By the time I got home, Bill was waiting to go to the beach where the Harmony Art Festival is taking place. I had thought we were going on Sunday or I wouldn’t have done my walk. Whoops. I didn’t say anything and without taking a little rest, we went to the beach. We were there about two hours. It was fun to walk around and see the different craft booths and the gallery. Outside they were doing art demos and Alan Wylie was there. Bill loves his stuff so he sat on a log and watched. I tried to sit next to him but after five minutes I knew it wasn’t a good idea. OK. I went to lawn and sat in one of the chairs.

Bill could tell I was reaching my limit but he wanted to see the gallery. He found a book there by an artist he would like to take a course in. Then we walked around the lawn area, found the schedule for the art demos and just wandered. I think I did something then. I was a bit of a tough go on the lawn, not even ground and there was a dip that I didn´t see. Darn. I could feel something in my back but it wasn’t sore immediately after.

Around and Around We Go

Well, there is no shortage of changes, no shortage of frustrations and sometimes no shortage of hope. The most recent news is difficult to get through. The physicians are getting risky with their suggested treatments and I’m really having to decide just how much I am willing to gamble. I feel, after the hyperthermia trial in Holland, that I am done with the experiments.

Now I am at steroid injections and am stopping that unless they are done radiographically. I was a neurologist’s office last week and she gave me 6 injections trying to hit the piriformis muscle. I feel terrible now and over the last week it’s been hell. I was supposed to go today for a shot into my neck and begged off. She’s made an appointment to do a repeat one radiographically but this being Canada I have to wait a couple of months…She wants to do botox injections into the muscles. I am totally uncomfortable with that and want a second opinion.

Quinine?? Nocturnal Muscle Cramps and More

Hi Everyone

I saw a neurologist while I was in Mexico (in Queretaro). He’s fabulous. One of the many things that came out of the meeting was his suggestion to try quinine for my cramping.

I have Small Fibre Polyneuropathy which means that the small muscles fibres are always firing. That can be pretty bad and tiring. I also have Periodic Limb Movement Disorder which was diagnosed here at the UBC Sleep Disorders Clinic. All involve hyperexcitable muscles.

Anyway, I tried the quinine (325 mg) available by prescription in Canada and the US. I tried it in Mexico where it is available over the counter. Anyway, the spasms stopped. Maybe not all of the them but the ones that were in my legs and feet, arms and hands stopped. Just like that. It’s been about a month now and I can’t believe it.

Walking, Reformer and Yoga Going Well

Click on the link to see the video: http://www.viddler.com/darmorrow/videos/40/

Things are going well. Did a 15 minute walk, 45 minutes of the Yoga for Scoliosis DVD and also worked on the Reformer. All on different days.

Going on the elliptical now for 30 minutes. Feeling pretty good.

Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain

The complete article is free. It’s well worth visiting the link because there is also a 12 minute video explaining what the Alexander Technique is. I’ve posted the abstract below.

 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/aug19_2/a884

Published 19 August 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a884
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a884

Yoga Journal – Yoga Asana Columns – Easy Rider Asana Sequence

Yoga Journal – Yoga Asana Columns – Easy Rider Asana Sequence

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Check with your surgeon before doing any of these poses. The nice thing here is that there are photos of the all the poses.

A nice variety of assisted poses (using the wall or bolsters) for sciatica. Be careful with the Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose -variation 2. This is a twist even though you are using a chair and doing one leg at a time. The opposite hip cannot leave the mat. 

Extended Triangle pose and Extended Side Angle Pose are best done under supervision.

The Chair Twist should be approached with extreme caution. Do not force. Move within your limits. Dr. Guzman had me doing an exercise similar to this. I would try doing this standing first and reaching the crown of your head up as you turn. Lift up and out of your waist. You should not feel any discomfort.

Yoga Journal – Yoga Anatomy – Debunking the Tucked Pelvis

Yoga Journal – Yoga Anatomy – Debunking the Tucked Pelvis

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Interesting article on how many of us were taught to do yoga or aerobics- tucking the pelvis was once done for safety…

Update on the Modified Reformer Workout

All is going well. I was tempted to take the jumpboard down and use the footbar instead. I’m not ready for that as I found out. 

Done as written with cat stretches or glut stretches in between, I find it to be a nice workout. The more I do the workout, the fewer stretches I feel I have to do in between.

I do the stretches at the end, including the Bones section from th Yoga for Scoliosis DVD by Elise  Browning Miller.