Augmentation is Overrated!
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:39 pm
Okay, so I pride myself in being able to handle pain. But, last night, my Wimp-O-Meter pegged out and went off the charts. Augmentation and switching meds is one of the hardest things I've ever gone through.
My doctor doesn't understand rls as well as he needs to to be able to treat me effectively at this point . . . but out of the necessity of the moment I am bringing him along nicely. I was able to convinve him of the need to get off of Mirapex. Effective Monday I am off of Mirapex and on Requip. I don't kid myself that this will be a permanent switch as my rls has gotten steadily worse. But at this piont it is baby steps.
I have had a total of 6 hours sleep the past two nights. I walk, massage, flex my legs, stretch my legs, and just want to scream 'cause I can't get it to stop. After a rough night my rls/plmd calmed down a bit about 4:30 am. And here is is 6:13 am and it's starting again.
I have the painful rls and it totally sucks! Even though I know my doc isn't in his office at 2:00 am, he received a message from me to call me in some sleeping pills and stronger pain meds.
I can't sit at my desk too long because my legs will start kicking. I walk around a lot at work and don't know if my boss has noticed or not. He is sympathetic but I work in accounting and need to be at my best as much as possible. I don't see my best showing up for a while now. My bed looks like someone came in in the middle of the night and ripped all the covers out from under tha mattress and just piled them on the bed. I fell asleep in the shower -- that could have been bad news. I couldn't sleep so I came to work early. Now that I'm here I can't seem to keep my eyes open.
I'm switching from Mirapex to Requip. Which means stopping the Mirapex and beginning the starter pack for Requip. Problem with that is I had some marginal relief from the mirapex, but since requip is a gradually built up drug over two weeks it feels like in effect I am taking no medicine right now at all for my rls/plms. This is just so rough on me, as I'm sure it was on those of you who have gone through withdrawal of a med.
At this moment I can't figure out just how I'm going to make it through this. The pain and discomfort is overwelming. I want to scream, cry and throw things. My legs are wrapped in a small lap-style fleece blanket. I have a portable ceramic heater under my desk and that is on high. I've been trying all morning to come up with something positive to say and try to refocus on that. Well, the only thing I can come up with is that my fibro is hardly noticeable right now and it was active when this Wimp-Creator process started.
I hope this doesn't last the full 2 weeks of the build up of requip in my system. Today is already going to be a long day and I'm not up for that today. I wish I could just say "not today, another time, thank you" -- like when a cure is found and then I can just get a booster of sorts and be done with this horrid disease.
I'm standing at my desk and leaning over it while I type this post. And you know what, even with the constant moving of my legs and standing and flexing muscles and stomping and kicking, etc. my legs won't settle down any at all. Usually walking or something helps. Not any more or at least not right now. When I step on a leg the pain that goes from the sole of my feet to the hips is amazingly strong. I never new it could feel like this and hope I never feel it again when this is over. It will end, right? Then, I also worry that there is some permanent damage and I will have worse rls in the future because of the augmenting. I'm not painting myself a very pretty picture with the only colors available to me right now -- black and white.
I appreciate ya'll listening to me. Thanks for all of your support that I have already received and fot eh advice I am now requesting from all of you, my family.
Love and hugs,
Cyndi
My doctor doesn't understand rls as well as he needs to to be able to treat me effectively at this point . . . but out of the necessity of the moment I am bringing him along nicely. I was able to convinve him of the need to get off of Mirapex. Effective Monday I am off of Mirapex and on Requip. I don't kid myself that this will be a permanent switch as my rls has gotten steadily worse. But at this piont it is baby steps.
I have had a total of 6 hours sleep the past two nights. I walk, massage, flex my legs, stretch my legs, and just want to scream 'cause I can't get it to stop. After a rough night my rls/plmd calmed down a bit about 4:30 am. And here is is 6:13 am and it's starting again.
I have the painful rls and it totally sucks! Even though I know my doc isn't in his office at 2:00 am, he received a message from me to call me in some sleeping pills and stronger pain meds.
I can't sit at my desk too long because my legs will start kicking. I walk around a lot at work and don't know if my boss has noticed or not. He is sympathetic but I work in accounting and need to be at my best as much as possible. I don't see my best showing up for a while now. My bed looks like someone came in in the middle of the night and ripped all the covers out from under tha mattress and just piled them on the bed. I fell asleep in the shower -- that could have been bad news. I couldn't sleep so I came to work early. Now that I'm here I can't seem to keep my eyes open.
I'm switching from Mirapex to Requip. Which means stopping the Mirapex and beginning the starter pack for Requip. Problem with that is I had some marginal relief from the mirapex, but since requip is a gradually built up drug over two weeks it feels like in effect I am taking no medicine right now at all for my rls/plms. This is just so rough on me, as I'm sure it was on those of you who have gone through withdrawal of a med.
At this moment I can't figure out just how I'm going to make it through this. The pain and discomfort is overwelming. I want to scream, cry and throw things. My legs are wrapped in a small lap-style fleece blanket. I have a portable ceramic heater under my desk and that is on high. I've been trying all morning to come up with something positive to say and try to refocus on that. Well, the only thing I can come up with is that my fibro is hardly noticeable right now and it was active when this Wimp-Creator process started.
I hope this doesn't last the full 2 weeks of the build up of requip in my system. Today is already going to be a long day and I'm not up for that today. I wish I could just say "not today, another time, thank you" -- like when a cure is found and then I can just get a booster of sorts and be done with this horrid disease.
I'm standing at my desk and leaning over it while I type this post. And you know what, even with the constant moving of my legs and standing and flexing muscles and stomping and kicking, etc. my legs won't settle down any at all. Usually walking or something helps. Not any more or at least not right now. When I step on a leg the pain that goes from the sole of my feet to the hips is amazingly strong. I never new it could feel like this and hope I never feel it again when this is over. It will end, right? Then, I also worry that there is some permanent damage and I will have worse rls in the future because of the augmenting. I'm not painting myself a very pretty picture with the only colors available to me right now -- black and white.
I appreciate ya'll listening to me. Thanks for all of your support that I have already received and fot eh advice I am now requesting from all of you, my family.
Love and hugs,
Cyndi