Oh wow.

I just came home from my appointment with Dr H. I told him about the Monday Mistake and my knee having no pain on Tuesday. I then old him about how I re-created the Monday Mistake, and had the same results the following day. I have been taking 300mg twice a day for the past two days, and have had no knee pain.

He said the almost instant relief of pain shows it is definitely neuropathic pain. I am now officially on 300mg capsules twice a day.

Dr H did tell me that I have to be careful not to over strain my leg, as the muscles and structures around it are weak from using a brace and crutches, but ya know something. I am just so jazzed by the fact that yes, it's not all in my head, it is neuropathic pain, and there is light at the end of the tunnel... and it's not New Jersey! ;)

I am going to experiment on myself.

Not going to take a chance with the seizure meds this time, but I'm holding off taking the morning nerve pain meds until later in the day. How much later will depend on how bad the nerves start jangling along the fasciotomy scar and the left knee.

If getting as close as I can to repeating what I did Monday evening today, Thursday, and get the same results on Friday, I'm going to have to have a serious discussions with GP and pain specialist. Because if it's the same under medicate me for years bullshit I had to put up with regarding hypothyroidism, I don't have another 20 years to wait for them to pull their thumbs out of their asses.

Being undermedicated?

I was quite sore from my out and about on Saturday and Sunday. Monday was hectic, and I ended up forgetting to take my morning meds (lorazepam, Lyrica, Duloxetine, and Celaxib) I didn't realize it until after dinner. Then it dawned on my why I was in so much pain all day.  So, I took my morning meds, stayed up late, and took the nighttime Lyrica. I skipped the night dose of lorazepam)

Went to bed, and woke up Tuesday morning, with leg a bit stiff.  I got up and walked around, and it took me about 10 minutes to realize my left knee, with the exception of my arthritis twinge I'm used to, had zero pain.  All day Tuesday, I was up and about doing things without pain.

Today is Wednesday...  and I have to say that my left knee feels better than it did Monday, but worse than it felt Tuesday.  This makes me want to try what accidentally happened Monday night again.  I also have a feeling I am being under medicated regarding the nerve pain.  Personally, I think taking 300mgs of Lyrica along with 60mgs of Duloxetine tackled the nerve pain.  Yes, I will be making appointment with my GP to find out about this. I'm also keeping a diary regarding pain levels.

What a pain in the ass.

I have been reading that Apple will be discontinuing iTunes for Mac.  It's just a matter of time until they decide to do the same with iTunes on PCs.  I had to uninstall my current updated version, reboot, reinstall an earlier version, so I can make sure I can still watch or listen to the content I paid for.

What a pain in the ass.

Saw the Occupational Therapist Friday afternoon

And was shown (painfully) how I was standing and walking incorrectly. Ian apologised for it, but I told him not to worry, because it's like telling a child something is hot, they don't believe it until they touch something hot. I wouldn't have really understood what he was referring to regarding my knee and the rest of the leg.  I have been walking with my feet turned out, and I have to school myself to keep them pointing forward.  I was also sent home with a list of exercises to do.  I did them Saturday, and my left leg is quivering in protest. Oh, and did I mention it #%$%%@ HURTS! At least it's muscular, so maybe paracetamol will help, as it doesn't help with the nerve pain in the knee joint.

Ian also advised me to wear a knee brace to keep knee stable (no side to side movement) and to keep foot pointing forward, not turned out. He was happy to hear I had a couple of DonJoy's to use.

I have to retrain my leg to not have me walking like something from a zombie movie.

I still feel like a walking Pharmaceutical Experiment. And both Ian and Dr L said yes, have to find the right combination and dosage to quell the nerve pain. 

Sometimes, just the little things

I was getting ready for a shower, with Loki meowing almost non-stop. He was in a tizzy that I was going to go into the dreaded 'rain closet'. AGAIN!

So, I'm in the shower, listening to Loki's almost operatic meowing for about 5 minutes. As I was putting on my terrycloth robe, he yowled, ran up to me, and would not let me leave the bathroom until he was certain I had survived the rain closet, and that he personally 'dried off' my foot and leg. 

After I passed his inspection, I was allowed to leave the bathroom and to wander around the house. :)

Saw Dr L today

But this time, I had hubby wait somewhere. 

I'd felt last time that D L had a chip on his should regarding my husband calling and nagging him to push my appointment up. And that it was reflected in how talked at me, instead of to me.  All fixed.

He says that concerning my knee problem, I have 'realistic expectations’.  I'm not looking for my knee to magically feel all better. What I want is the pain level of 5 to 7 on a daily basis to lurk around three.  I'm functional at that pain level.  And I need a good night's sleep.  Dr L has given me a prescription that I am to have filled one month after taking 60mgs of Duloxetine a day, a low dose of something (forgot the name) to take around 7pm, in hopes it makes sleeping easier.

Also told me no need to split the Dulox 30mg caps to one in the morning and one at night, but to take the full 60 in the morning.
I told Dr L I was beginning to feel like a pharmaceutical experiment. He said basically, that's true. We are trying to find the right combination to get the nerve pain under control