I have barely been sleeping recently. The weather is really messing with me and the pain has been so bad. My medications just aren't helping like they should be. My medications are making me itchy and hot, and honestly just ill-tempered. The pain is mostly in my back/neck tonight. My neck and upper back is so knotted up it is ridiculous. It's only making the pain worse, which in turn makes the knots worse. It's a lose-lose situation. I can't get the knots to go away in the slightest. I want to sleep, but I just can't. I'm not tired enough. I'm fatigued, but not tired. It's driving me crazy. I really need to start a new muscle relaxant. I've been on 350mg of Soma for way too long and it just isn't working now. I like Soma because it doesn't knock me out, like most muscle relaxants, but I just can't take this.
In better news, Kolton and I are celebrating our year and a half anniversary on Friday. Tomorrow we are supposed to be going to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, which I am super excited about. It's a free week, so we are taking the train up to Chicago and then taking a bus to the museum. I'm really hoping that we can get to go to the Buckingham Fountain. I've only been there once. Some more exciting news is that a friend that I have had for 16 years and I have been talking tonight. I've missed her a lot. I forgot how nice it is to talk to her. We've always gotten along really well and we understand each other very well. :)
Hi Jen! Have you ever tried sports liniment on your pain? I have been using it when I am desperate. It stinks the house out but when the pain is that bad I don't care. I actually saw an article on it the other week. It 'distracts' the pain receptors where you put it on so they don't notice the other pain. It's cheap and works. No addiction risk. Just be careful where you put your hands after you've used it lol.
ReplyDeleteHey KangaStu,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip! I haven't tried liniments yet, but I have seen them in the stores. I'll definently have to try them. I do use an ointment called ChinaGel a LOT though, which I buy from my doctor's office. I love it, and it works very well for me - even though I usually can't stand menthol-based creams. I highly recommend it.
Thank you so much for the tip!
Jen
There is a topical pain reliever that has capsaicin in it, the stuff from hot peppers, that helps to reduce Substance P each time you use it. You shouldn't apply heat where you have the cream, though, because it makes you feel kind of peppery-hot on the surface, dulling the pain.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you have myofascial pain (knots in muscles) you can try leaning onto a tennis ball in a high-backed chair or against a wall to help release the tension and pain. I recently wrote a blog post about my new Thera Cane and how useful it is, too.
Good luck.