B12 and neuralgia
Mar. 20th, 2012 11:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stephbgFor those who came in late, in 2005/2006 (I think - I'm a bit vague about dates) I had shingles in one of the major nerves down my right leg. Unfortunately it was diagnosed late and treated improperly for a few days so it ended up being a bad case that left me with especially stubborn chronic illness and posthepetic neuralgia. But while I get pain in all sorts of places from the fibromyalgia (which I've had for much longer) fortunately the neuralgia is mostly dormant.
Mostly.
My recent B12 shot kicked off my PHN and it's still going strong. In fact, it's getting worse. This annoys me. Oddly (but for me I should say 'typically') google tells me that B12 shots may be useful to treat PHN, saying nothing about triggering it. The only useful pain relief I get is from amitriptyline (Endep) which coma- and/or zombie-fies me. I'm losing days here, so I've been trying to find the minimal dose that will allow me to be functional. Tomorrow I'll reduce my usual dose of antidepressents to see if that evens things up a bit. Fortunately have a shrink appointment on Monday so can consult properly then. It's been six months; we'll have a lot to discuss.
Nights are worst. The muscles and joints protest the neural activity and try to respond by leaping about. Not just occasional twitches, but very rapid firing. Sometimes the left leg joins in, perhaps confused by the right leg's desire to sprint, but the clear champion by several lengths is definitely the right leg. 'Restless leg' hardly seems to cover it. 'Psychotic panicking leg attempting to flee exploding lions' is a bit closer to the truth. Add to all this muscle action is the crawling prickling sensation on the skin. When I need roll up my pajama leg to get relief from the touch of fabric I generally take that as a sign it's probably time to take more pills.
That and the realisation I'm screaming inside. Big on screaming, this condition. And sort of gargly moaning noises, most of which I manage to keep inside, because, you know, stiff upper lip and all that.
Today I wrote this line:
Air molecules strike my skin with the delicate caress of snowflakes crafted from poison-tipped shards of diamond and steel.
...so imagine what happened this evening when I staggered whilst trying to avoid a cat and bumped my hip into the side of the couch. Actual screaming, that's what. I was a bit disappointed that the neighbours didn't call the police. Don't they care?
Sometimes the snowflakes are the size of throwing stars, delivered by ninjas with grudges. That's my rap crew - Ninjas With Grudges.
Hmmm, I'm sure I had a point to make in this post apart from whinging about the pain. There's the whinging about the medication too, but there must be more to life than this. Perhaps that's the point after all :/
Mostly.
My recent B12 shot kicked off my PHN and it's still going strong. In fact, it's getting worse. This annoys me. Oddly (but for me I should say 'typically') google tells me that B12 shots may be useful to treat PHN, saying nothing about triggering it. The only useful pain relief I get is from amitriptyline (Endep) which coma- and/or zombie-fies me. I'm losing days here, so I've been trying to find the minimal dose that will allow me to be functional. Tomorrow I'll reduce my usual dose of antidepressents to see if that evens things up a bit. Fortunately have a shrink appointment on Monday so can consult properly then. It's been six months; we'll have a lot to discuss.
Nights are worst. The muscles and joints protest the neural activity and try to respond by leaping about. Not just occasional twitches, but very rapid firing. Sometimes the left leg joins in, perhaps confused by the right leg's desire to sprint, but the clear champion by several lengths is definitely the right leg. 'Restless leg' hardly seems to cover it. 'Psychotic panicking leg attempting to flee exploding lions' is a bit closer to the truth. Add to all this muscle action is the crawling prickling sensation on the skin. When I need roll up my pajama leg to get relief from the touch of fabric I generally take that as a sign it's probably time to take more pills.
That and the realisation I'm screaming inside. Big on screaming, this condition. And sort of gargly moaning noises, most of which I manage to keep inside, because, you know, stiff upper lip and all that.
Today I wrote this line:
Air molecules strike my skin with the delicate caress of snowflakes crafted from poison-tipped shards of diamond and steel.
...so imagine what happened this evening when I staggered whilst trying to avoid a cat and bumped my hip into the side of the couch. Actual screaming, that's what. I was a bit disappointed that the neighbours didn't call the police. Don't they care?
Sometimes the snowflakes are the size of throwing stars, delivered by ninjas with grudges. That's my rap crew - Ninjas With Grudges.
Hmmm, I'm sure I had a point to make in this post apart from whinging about the pain. There's the whinging about the medication too, but there must be more to life than this. Perhaps that's the point after all :/
