Thursday, November 24, 2016

My experiences with specific pain/spasticity treatments

Here are some of the ways I've attempted to combat MS pain and spasticity. I will probably update this post quite a few times before it's finished. 

NO TREATMENT
- total misery
- unsafe for me to be on my feet at all, due to spasticity in my legs
- glued to the couch since it's unsafe for me to do anything else
- I get weaker
- keeps me in constant danger
- doesn't address my unending pain (from MS, horribly broken leg, burned leg/ass, etc.) at all

Did this help me? Not helpful at all.

LONG, HOT BATHS
+ seems to help a little, temporarily
- dehydrates me (I lose 2-3 lbs of water every time I bathe.)
- I already have a very hard time staying hydrated
- makes me very weak for maybe an hour

Did this help me? A little bit, I think. But this is something I do every day anyway. It's not something I can do every time pain and spasticity become unbearable.

CANNABIS
+ allows me to escape the misery *a little*
+ no horrible side effects
- doesn't do much to help
- unsafe for me to be on my feet at all, due to weakness/spasticity in my legs
- can't avoid being high, which creates danger I'd rather not face
- doesn't address my unending pain (from MS, horribly broken leg, burned leg/ass, etc.) at all
- almost as much misery as when I do nothing

Did this help me? Not very helpful. 

BACLOFEN
+ diminishes spasticity
- no muscle control
- can't really use any muscles
- unsafe for me to be on my feet at all, due to weakness in my legs
- glued to the couch since it's unsafe for me to do anything else
- pissy pants in public
- pissy pants again in driveway an hour later
- I had no warning, no chance
- had to pee in my driveway once I was able to drop my newly pissy pants (on the very public driveway)
- extreme dehydration
- stupid/high for 10 days after taking one pill
- puts me in constant danger
- doesn't address my unending pain (from MS, horribly broken leg, burned leg, etc.) at all
- about 500% as much misery as when I do nothing

Did this help me? I will never take Baclofen again. It's fucking poison.

DAILY STRETCHING
+ *some* relief if I stretch pretty much constantly
- unsafe for me to be on my feet at all, due to spasticity in my legs
- I inevitably get injured, which keeps me from either stretching or exercising
- doesn't address my unending pain (from MS, horribly broken leg, burned leg, etc.) at all
- about 75% as much misery as when I do nothing

Did this help me? Very helpful when I am able to get off the couch; when I am not injured

15 MG OF OXYCODONE (Twice daily.) (For some perspective, I was given 30 mg every two hours in the hospital.)
+ life-changing/life-saving pain relief
+ total spasticity relief. No spasticity. Spasticity, which is infinitely more painful than carrying a very heavy backpack 3,467 miles across the entire United States in 211 days, is absolutely nullified. Get it?
+ no high
+ no side effects
+ no withdrawal after taking a small amount of oxycodone every day for five months
+ enables use of muscles (exercise and stretching)
+ gives me control of my body
+ prevents injury
+ motivates me to exercise for hours every day
+ makes me stronger, even without exercise
+ improves body mechanics significantly
+ body moves infinitely more efficiently
+ allows me to use my toilet safely
+ allows me to use public toilets safely
+ allows me to pee standing up, into a toilet, which I couldn't do for a year or two before I broke my leg
+ allows me to be on my feet safely
+ allows me to get stronger via exercise (videos prove this)
+ allows me to walk, which I couldn't do before I broke my leg (videos prove this)
+ considerably better balance
+ allows me to prepare food
+ allows me to leave my home
+ makes muscle pain from exercise bearable
+ gives me considerably more endurance (3x?)
+ sharpens my mind/focus
+ diminishes stress significantly
+ allows my body to relax and feel like a person, which I can't do ANY other way
+ without oxycodone, my legs feel like they weigh 200 pounds each. With oxycodone, they feel a lot more like legs, and I can lift them.
+ may aid circulation
+ keeps me from feeling cold all the time
+ gives me a chance (to continue living)
+ about 25-50% as much misery as when I do nothing
+ I could go on and on
+ notice this list has none of these (-), while every other list has either one or none of these (+)

Did this help me? This would save my life and allow me to improve, if only I could get someone to prescribe it for me. In fact, it already has. And I have lots of proof, beginning with videos on YouTube.

I'm going to fucking die because no one will prescribe me the one medicine that actually helps me, and helps me help myself. Soon. And until that happens, I get to freak out constantly.

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