Neurology Appointment

[ge97511]

So I finally went to the neurology appointment I've been waiting for 2 and a half months and it basically sucked.  Most of the time with the doctor was basically taking my history.  After that she actually said, "From the symptoms you're displaying it looks like it is MS." My response was, "It better be, my MRI showed lessions."

I asked her about how many lessions I had and about the brain atrophy the first neurologist mentioned and it turns out she couldn't look up my previous MRI's.  That basically pissed me off.  You see I go to a huge teaching hospital.  That's where I went when I started getting symptoms and where I go when I get sick period.  The reason I do that is so that my entire medical history is in one place and if I see different doctors there they can still see all my test results, etc.  So I don't know what was her problem.

Then we went to my medication.  I continued to complain about pain and her response was to basically increase the dosage of the baclofen and added elavil.  I've been on the baclofen for a month now and I feel no change.  I asked for something different than what I was taking for the incontinence I'm having and was told the baclofen would fix it.  How the hell is a muscle relaxer help with my incontinence?  It's getting worse.  

I'm so sick of it.  I've read about the stupid baclofen.  It take 4 to 8 weeks for you to get the full effect if you ever do.  So when the doctor was writing out my prescription she asked, "Do you feel you're finally being taking care of?" My response was, "No not really.  I understand the logic of taking the muscle relaxers but they take a couple of months to kick in and in the meantime I'm basically screwed." Her response was, "Yeah, you're right."

So I'm screwed.  Neurologist won't give me any pain meds and in the meantime I wait for the magic baclofen to kick in.  I'm going to see my primary next monday and I hope she'll help.  She's the only one that listen.  She's helping me get into a pain clinic and the only one that will give me pain meds.  I'm not a drug seeker.  I just want relief.  I hate the fact that I can't sit up for more that 30 minutes.  My back just kills me if I go longer.

Thanks for reading my rant.  Needed to get it out.

E

[hbananas]

I wrote this all, and it didn't post!  Here we go again.....

Udkas said she took amitriptilyne for bladder problems.  That's what Elavil is.  It's an old-fashioned tricyclic antidepressant.  Another member of that family is imipramine, brand name Tofranil.  My son took it for a while when he had PTSD, and when I saw his little orange pills and looked them up, I remembered taking them when I was a bedwetting 4th grader!  (It worked.)  They still give it to kids for that purpose.

So if you're lucky, the Elavil will help with your pain, and it might even do your incontinence some good.  The tricyclics have an anticholinergic effect--they dry things up, including maybe your mouth and colon, so watch out for that.  Good luck with it.

[saveone]

Sorry you are in so much pain.  I take neurotin 3 times a day for neuropathic pain and also as a mood stabilizer.  I take detrol for urine frequency.  It helps but doesn't make it go away, neither does the neurotin.  But some relief is better than none.

Have a Merry Christmas

terry

[ambrosiawind]

Sorry to hear i had a similar bad experience with my  first neuro at least yours took your history mine only wanted to poke me and shock me -im shocked enough thanks ;) - your neuro's math is as good as my GP's had that happen too oh and the pain meds yeah i have always refused pain meds before and the one time that i ask for them they tell me no because they aren't sure what it is yet...arg!! i so understand your frustration

hope you feel better

Ambro

[Lulu54]

E- I'm sorry about the frustration and the pain.  Obviously you can do the math but your doctor can't. :-)

Here's hoping a pain specialist/clinic can help you find some relief.

feel better, Lulu

[Sarahsmom46]

I wonder if you could call your neurologist and ask if you would be a good candidate for seeing a pain management specialist.  I can bet a pain management doctor will make sure you get the proper amount of medication to get your pain under control or even suggest something the neuro hadn't thought of.  Just a thought.  

Julie

[Udkas]

Hi there,
I had amitriptilyne for bladder probs and it helped?  I think that's what it was called, they made me take it rather reluctantly when I was in hospital 13 years ago!!! But it did help. It's an antidepressant but non addictive (I think) please double check this info!!!!! was a long time ago but it DID HELP!

Best of luck.

[doni54]

Hi ge,

I'm sorry the neuro appt didn't go better.  I have mine coming up in Jan, and I just dread it.  Don't know what I'll do if he tells me nothings wrong with me!!!  Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it!!

I hope your primary will help you out with something for pain, and a pain management clinic sounds like a good idea.  I would also talk to her about the baclofen, maybe she could write you a script to get you through til the next neuro appt.

We're all here for you, so we will wait with you.  I'll pray the pain eases up so you can get a break.

Hugs
doni

[sllowe]

Hi there,

I hear your frustration here and I'm sorry you are suffering. Ok, I have to say this because when you are in pain, it's hard to see anything good when you are hurting.  This I understand.  I did see from what you described of the visit that she reached into your history, this was good.  This is so very, very important and not all Drs do this.

They absolutely should have given you the proper amount of baclofen for the next two months.  I don't understand that either. What is her plan in 2 months? Did she act like she was going to get her hands on the films?

I think she could have gone further.  She could have had her staff reach out for at least the reports while you were there.  It would have made the visit more productive. I'm glad to hear that your MD is good. It's always good to have one you can count on.

If it were me, I'd just have those reports/results in my own hands when I walked in there in 2 months.

Ok, 8 weeks it is, you know we're here w/ya!
ttys,
Shell

[ge97511]

Oh one more thing.  My next appt for neuro is 2 months from now and they didn't give me enough magic pills(baclofen and elavil) to last me till then.  They want me to take one baclofen 3 times a day and only wrote for 30 pills and one refill.  I know I'm not a dr. but i still can do math.  I need 90 pills a month.  I'm so frustrated.