Not having viewed the clock, I havenāt a clue (not that it sounds as if seeing it would help much!)
Yeah, I agree with you the BRAMS area was a bit run-down, though I think I found it more spacious and airy than the former one at Frenchay, which I found a real heartsink of a place.
I still feel weāre being treated as second-class people, with an unglamorous second-class illness - not being included in the main hospital complex. And Iāve still got mixed feelings about being lumped together with dementia - not that Iām prejudiced against that, as one of my most longstanding friends was diagnosed this year.
But in practical terms, it may all be a blessing in disguise, as the Brunel building is certainly not winning any accolades from staff and patients, whatever its architectural merits.
Iām glad your dad is doing well despite the shortcomings of the hospital itself. I suppose outcome is the main thing, although you still donāt expect to have a more miserable time in hospital than your condition itself dictates. Sounds like heās got a pretty good GP!
Thanks for asking about the Gabapentin - bit of a long old story (sorry!) - here we go:
The idea was I was going to try again, but titrating up to a higher dose (i.e. the āproperā dose that most other people were on in the first place).
Well, I know the NHS are keen to cut down on drug waste, and if Iām honest, Iām not keen on waste either, so when the proposal was that I would start titrating up with the 100mg tablets I still had left, aiming to reach nine a day, I didnāt mind taking so many, because the plan was that once we knew how that was working out, I could switch to the stronger 300mg tablets - so back to just three a day. Fine!
But my GP and I, despite neither of us being silly (I donāt think!) didnāt do the maths about just how quickly Iād run out if I started taking so many more. So towards the end of last week, I was on six a day, and realised I had ten daysā left at that rate, even if I didnāt go up any more (and you know what my pharmacy has been like - ten days is already cutting it fine!), so I needed a telephone consultation urgently, even though I hadnāt yet got to the full dose, so couldnāt report how it was.
Rang up to find my doctor is on hols all this week (even though sheād asked me to book a phone consultation, she hadnāt mentioned she was out any time soon), so had to book a call with one of the others.
All went OK, and sheās prescribed me 84 of the 300mg tabs, so 28 days at three a day. Still titrating up to that. Yesterday took 700mg - four of the old 100mg tablets and one of the new 300s at bedtime. Will do the same tonight, then go to 800 tomorrow (two new tablets, two old). Couple of days at that, and if no ill effects, Iāll go to the final 900.
The downside: I know Iām still not up to the proper dose, but so far, I still donāt think Iāve had any benefit. In fact, if Iām having to analyse whether I have, mustnāt the answer be: āNoā? If I was feeling better, wouldnāt I know without having to think about it? If Iāve got to rack my brains to tell, any improvement must be marginal at best.
And one thing that concerns me is that certain things might be a little worse. Iāve had joint stiffness for quite some years, which my neuro has always dismissed as ānot MSā. Yet oddly, since I got up to 60mg a day of Baclofen, I have not noticed it as much, so I think it was something to do with muscle stiffness placing an extra burden on the joints.
Howeverā¦last few days, my knee joints are unmistakably stiffer going up and downstairs. Now I know you should always read the patient information leaflet before starting, but I deliberately didnāt, because I didnāt want to scare myself silly with all sorts of horrible side-effects, and end up not taking them. I decided Iād only look up side-effects if I noticed anything unusual. So after a few days of this joint stiffness, and telling myself itās probably unconnected, I look up the side-effects.
Guess whatās in there? Joint stiffness! Coincidence? Who knows? But Iām now a little concerned it could be causing pains instead of solving any. Iāve not given up yet, and will persevere to the end of the trial (remembering to leave enough time for weaning off).
But early indications arenāt encouraging. Iām up to 700 of 900 now, so feel I should be noticing something positive. But Iām not - and possibly a few negatives. 
T.
xx