I just had my 2nd steroid injection...

[AZKathy]

Not a question, but juhst wanted all my friends I've made here that I just had my 2nd steroid injection in my neck today.  I hope it helps... I know I have to wait up to 72 hours to find out whether it's going to help with my head and neck pain.  The really good news is that it didn't hurt at all like the last injection, and only took about 15 minutes instead of an hour for the first one, and the needle didn't hit my spine this time.
My pcp gave me a prescription for gabapentin, and it actually seems to be helping quite a bit with the pain I've been going though.  It was so bad that I had to spend more than half the day just laying down with an ice pack on my neck.
wow, I just realized I'm on my 81st day of being opiate free ... it's been quite a trip, and a painful one a lot of the time, but I also feel good about a lot of things... hope to have all my energy back before too long also.

hope everyone is doing well & take care,
Kathy

[AZKathy]

OMG Sarah!

I'm even cooking again - I had cabinets full of food that expired in 2005; can u believe that?  I ran out of so many 30 gal trash bags that I had to get some more, and they were usually too heavy for me to carry out, so had to get one of my kids to help.

Now cabinets and freezer are totally restocked... amazing!  Now I eat so much that I get absolutely stuffed - especially at nite for some reason... I eat like a pig then.

As far as the closet, sheesh, I've got 5 garbage bags of old work clothes sitting in the living room so far that I need to get someone to pick up before I do any more in the closet.  Got all the hanging stutf (it's a big walkin closet) taken care of - now need to do the stuff on the top shelf going around the edges and clear some more old stuff off the floor.

It's been a MAJOR project, I can tell u that!  Also had about 8 or so unpacked boxes from when I moved in here about 10 years ago, and got rid of all that stuff except for family pics that I don't know what to do with.  Walls need a good cleaning or painting after living here so long - so hate to put anything up on them.

OHHH... Plus I started a new online gambling forum called Wildcats Gambling.

Have I been busy?

LOL!!!!

What u been up to?
Kathy

[dominosarah]

So how is clara's clutter closet going??!!!

How you feeling now?  Are you still eating??

[AZKathy]

I was on opiates for a very long time, appx. 25 years, gradually had to take more and more and higher doses for them to continue to work.

Right before they totally cut me off, was taking 60mg oxycontin 3x/day and 10mg percocet 4x/day.

I broke their "contract" when I ran out of rx's two different times, and they just cut me off, so this wasn't voluntary.  However, after awhile I started to enjoy the natural high and have been working on 10 years of clutter from my house, lol.

[bucksfan]

Kathy, how long were you on opiates and how much? That seems like such a long time to still be experiencing symptons. The mind is powerful thing and I truly believe that we have to tell ourselves each day we are healing instead of worrying about still feeling bad. You are a very strong person to say no with legitimate pain. That would be very tough for me to do.

[AZKathy]

Thanks, I'm on day 89 now; hoping for a grand turnaround on day 90 - don't know if it will happen or not... 2nd shot didn't seem to help at all...

My only and last hope is going to see a neurologist on Weds... supposed to be one of the best drs. in the US and specializes in TBI, which caused all my problems (traumatic brain injury)...

Stopped taking anti-runs meds a long time ago, but bowels still aren't back to normal yet.

How long will all this last... anyone know?
Kathy

[dominosarah]

I have my fingers crossed that this will work.  You are sounding better emotionally so that is a plus too.  Soon you will feel like a spring chicken!!!    Sending you a hug girl       sara

[AZKathy]

Thanks so much Gnarly... I don't think there's that many other people here who've gone through all these shot things... I just really, really, hope that they help... I'd hoped that they'd last more than 90 days because I read in another post somewhere that insurance would only cover 3 a year, and it's only been 3 weeks since my first one... so I'll just have to wait and see how well this one works, I guess.
Take care, Kathy

[gnarly_1]

HEY Kathy good to see you post.....I hope the shot helps...I have had lots of them for me it took 3 but I had some really messed up disks in my lower back...if there done right you wont feel them much but I remember telling one doctor he would be giving me less pain with a whale harpoon LOL ..but it wasn't funny at the time I new something was wrong because I had many b/4 that one....the do offer releaf though and it last like 90 days or longer when they work hey congrats on 81 days clean to...post a bit more often your doing great as far as staying clean good luck and God bless....Gnarly