Thursday, August 8, 2013

Spines and More

I'm not sure if I should classify this as an "Ask and ye shall receive" or if Murphy is just fucking with me at this point. I think it might be a mixture of both. My neurology appointment was the 2nd of July when the CT was ordered and subsequently denied 2 weeks later. My neuro's answer was to just keep upping meds. Murphy said ok, I'll provide but it's going to hurt a little bit.

Yesterday Mom had off so I was over there and we were all doing things we had to do/errands and she was taking me to sign SDiva and DCourtly up for school (had to wait on DCourtly's kindergarten physical first). I was walking down her concrete sidewalk/steps/path holding JSmiley when the front of my left flip flop folded and tripped me. I tried to brace roll since I was holding JSmiley and hit my knee first but kind of tucked her to me and rolled. I hit my foot/toe, knee, hand, elbow and head (damnit Murphy). JSmiley has a pea sized abrasion on her left ankle. That's it.

I was diagnosed with a contusion and abrasions and they did xrays and two CT scans. One of my head and one of my C-Spine. They didn't find anything from the fall, and I don't know if anything has any bearing on the migraines but they found a cyst in my sinus (sinus cyst) and bone narrowing on my C7 vertebrae. Also known as a sclerotic lesion.

You know how discharge papers say follow up in 1-2 days blah blah. Mine say tomorrow (today) and you know how if you don't call they don't call you? Well, the PA I saw gave me muscle relaxers for my neck and I woke up feeling like I got hit by a bus so I took one and fell back asleep intending to call them when I woke back up, but my phone rang at like 8:13 AM. It was my PCP's scheduling department. The ER had connected them about it so THEY called me and now I have to have a bone scan on the 14th (6 days). How bad was it?

Guess I'll find out.

I called my neuro but it's a different hospital system so unless my PCP will send the file I have to go sign a release for them to see it. I don't think they've called back since 12 so I'm assuming they did get it. But I see my PCP tomorrow at 3 to follow up on the sinus cyst and head trauma then Wednesday I have to be at the hospital at 8:30 for a 9 AM appointment. I'm guessing for prep/paperwork.

Everyone is quick to ask me if one of my conditions caused me to fall and really, it wasn't the full thing. I was having a bad day, I was tachy with minimal effort, zero energy, face tingly, just felt like crud. But the biggest issue was I just tripped. Now, was my balance off because I'm sick? Who knows. I'd ask what next but I'm pretty sure I don't want to taunt Murphy.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Murphy? That You?

Some days I feel like if it isn't one thing it's another. My migraines aren't getting any better. My neuro originally increased my Topamax from 50 to 75 mg and that almost literally did nothing. 100 mg dulled it to somewhat tolerable for almost a week but I could still feel it in that one spot. Then it started getting worse but my neuro wanted me on it for 3 weeks before we did anything.

My insurance, denied my doctors request for a CT scan as not medically necessary. Not sure where to go from there. I fit criteria listed on their paper denying it but the nurse said there was no point appealing it.

I'm in pain daily. And now, to top it off, I need my wisdom teeth out. I'm not even bothering upping meds until that's over with. Just have to get in to have them pulled ASAP. The whole right side of my head is in constant pain between my jaw and my migraines. I can't take much more. It's driving me crazy. I've been in near constant pain since May.

My electrophysiologist increased my Atenolol to 50 mg in the morning and left it at 25 in the evening. He offered to switch to a different brand that had a better rate of crossing the blood brain barrier but the draw back to that is that one had a higher instance of making you sleepy and that I wanted to avoid with Narcolepsy.

So my order of business:
1. Get kids off to the new school year.
2. Get wisdom teeth pulled so the crowding stops putting pressure on skull.
3. See if that helps with headaches.
4. Adjust meds/beg for further help accordingly.
5. Seriously consider a new HMO that isn't a PITA.

There's probably more but there's a drill drilling into multiple areas of my cranium. I meant to update sooner (like after each event) but I've been so irritated by everything and the pain. I'm just fed up.