Some of you may remember I called my GP a couple of weeks ago, about uncontrolled spasticity pain in my feet. It seems my Baclofen (which I once thought was the best thing ever!) has decided to stop working.
I’m taking 60mg a day (3 x 20), which my neuro already thought was too much, although I tolerate it just fine. But recently, it only takes the edge off, instead of actually fixing the pain, and what’s worse, it’s only lasting a maximum of four hours - which, when you consider a day lasts 24 hours - means there’s a lot of hours in the day I haven’t got any effective cover at all.
So anyway, today an MS nurse at the hospital finally got back to me. Apparently, the delay was because my GP had given her a number to call her back on, but it wasn;t the right one (Do you remember me saying one of the numbers at the surgery didn’t work? I wonder if it’s the same one, and if they even know?)
So anyway, she was all for me going up to the hospital and having a chat and a cup of coffee. But I’m sorry, I don’t want to go all the way to the hospital for coffee-and-chat - I have zero interest in that. I just want uncontrolled symptoms TREATED.
So the net result is I’ve got an appointment for physio on 22nd April. I know I should try to go along with an open mind, but I’m already fit and active (well, for someone with MS - it’s all relative!) - I do my stretches from when I saw a physio the last time, I do a short workout every night (different muscle groups, including weights), and I walk about 2.5 miles whenever the weather permits, and up to 4 sometimes.
Is physio really going to make much of a difference for someone who’s already this active, or do I just need someone to take control of the damn medication?
So now I’ve got to wait another two weeks just to see the physio, and all the time, the Baclofen still isn’t working… Feel quite disheartened, as two weeks seem like a long time when you’ve got uncontrolled pain (although I know this is quick, compared to the waiting list for some physios).
The other “funny” thing is I told her I’ve got to get to the hospital by public transport, because I don’t drive, and she’s going to send instructions to ring up and book an ambulance! Oh well, swallow my pride I suppose. I suppose most of the neighbours know I’m not well, but they’ve never seen me getting into an ambulance before. I do think it will be safer than chancing things to the bus, as although I can still walk a long way, I’ve got quite distressed, on occasion, standing in the cold, waiting for the bus, plus there’s always the anxiety about: “What if it doesn’t come, and I lose the appointment?”
I can’t afford taxis any more, since I lost my job.
So, we’ll see. Does anyone think this visit will actually be worth it, or will it be another two weeks’ wait for something that doesn’t really help, and I’ll still be left begging for someone to fix my medication?
Tina