Category: cauda equina syndrome

Up Freaking Early

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, cauda equina syndrome, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders

Up freaking early

I woke up at freaking 0400 and can’t go back to sleep. I am hoping writing will help. My night has been awful as this is the third time I have awoken. I don’t understand why I can’t sleep. I had some breakfast. When it gets a little later, I plan on making oatmeal pancakes.

The pain in my thigh is not nerve pain. I took a Neurontin last night and when I woke up from my nap, it hurt more than before I took it. I don’t know what I am going to do. The resident that I saw said to wait until Friday afternoon to get a call from the neurosurgeon or my doctor’s office. I am kind of scared to see a neurosurgeon again. If the surgeon that I saw doesn’t take me on, there is another one that I could see. He is really nice and is a good doctor. He covered my doctor while he went on vacation after my second surgery. The only doctors I didn’t like were the residents. They were just mean as anything. I won’t go into it because it always gets me upset.

I feel like I should tell my cousins about this. But I don’t want to worry them. I don’t know if I will need surgery, yet. I hope that this isn’t the start of another CES episode. I am glad that I was seen before I saw my PCP because the holidays are coming up and there might be a problem with seeing someone in the office. I always seem to see someone right before their vacation starts.

I hope my mother gets up soon but it’s only 0645. She usually gets up between 0730 and 0800. I really want to make pancakes. I bought Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup just for my pancakes. My mother doesn’t like that kind of syrup. She rather have the store brand of original syrup. But it’s my money so there.

I found out that a friend of mine that I used to work with has an eating disorder. I never would have suspected it because she is a big girl. But I guess it could happen to anyone. She also has a binge eating disorder. That I could see because she loves to eat. She is the one that got me thinking about pancakes because that is her favorite breakfast food, or anytime food. There is no rule that you have to have pancakes in the morning. One time my mother made them for dinner. It was fun. They are easy to make. We make them from scratch, not a mix. I love the oatmeal recipe because it’s like the original pancake just with oats.

I had to take a pain med because my thigh is really hurting. I know this isn’t nerve pain. Nerve pain doesn’t hurt like this. I should have suggested that the doctor order the MRI and then we can see if I do need a neurosurgeon (N/S). The stupid resident was kind of like why did you see me when you should have see your N/S. I fucking hate when they try to pass the buck like this. It really pisses me off.

Scared and Nervous

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, cauda equina syndrome, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders

Scared and Nervous

My left leg is still giving me grief. I thought it was getting better but that was a false feeling of security. My mother had some shopping done yesterday and I went up and down the stairs more than a few times. It aggravated my leg. Now the pain won’t stop and I can barely stand up straight. Last night, my leg was twitching again. I am freaking out. The last time I felt this way, I had cauda equina syndrome. I don’t know what I am going to do if I have it again. Last night I dreamt all I needed was physical therapy. I wish that was the treatment for it. My psychiatrist wrote back to me. She thinks it could just be sciatica. I have never known sciatica to be on the front of a leg, but it is possible I guess. Still, with my back problems, I would like to have an MRI to make sure that I am okay.

Going down the stairs is awful. I am in so much pain. Going up, not so much. Seems whenever I flex my thigh, it hurts really bad. I will be calling my doc today, after my therapist appointment. I hope I can be seen today. Tomorrow will suck because I have to deal with dear old father. I refuse to call him a “dad” because he never acted like one. He doesn’t deserve the title.

I have been up since 0500. I woke up around two hours ago but was able to get back to sleep. But now the pain has come back and I was hungry so I stayed up. I was able to brush my teeth and then have a bowl of cereal. I just took some pain meds to try and get my pain under control. I am so nervous about this being a bad omen that I can’t really sleep. The anxiety of not knowing is killing me. I wish you could just walk in an MRI place and just get an MRI instead of going to a doctor. That would make life so much easier. But you need money to do that and I don’t have it.

I hope that my insurances cover the cost of the MRI. I really don’t want a bill. That is what I am most worried about. I am worried about that more than I am about what is wrong with me. Then if I need surgery, I think I might forego the medicare part and just use my BCBS. I really don’t want to get stuck with a bill for surgery, if I need it. Course, if I do need surgery, I think I will try and kill myself. There is no way I will have back surgery for the 5th time.

I saw my doctor today for my leg pain. They just told me to take Neurontin and follow up with my neurosurgeon. Why they couldn’t order MRIs is beyond my train of thought. I feel like they were passing the buck. It wasn’t my normal doctor that I saw today. He wasn’t available. I see him next week anyways. I am sure I could probably coach him on ordering an MRI. Damn idiots. I knew I should have gone to the ER on Sunday. They would have done the scan.

Moods Have Changed

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, cauda equina syndrome, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders, suicide, suicide attempt

Moods have changed

I had a crappy sleep. I woke up like every two hours. I had to change position because I was in pain. It totally sucked. Around 0830, I thought I would shower but my mother was in the bathroom. So I decided to wait. Then I had to go and it wasn’t pleasant. I was still in pain every time I had a number 2. Seems like today is shit day because that is all I have been doing since 0900. I wanted to go out but that is not possible. I went to Walgreens okay but that is a short walk. I have two extremes, loose soft/diarrhea stools or hard as rocks stools. Even with the senna, I don’t have a medium. Only time I have one is when I have regular movements which seem far and in between. I am so damn miserable.

I had therapy today and we talked about all that has happened since we last talked. We talked about the insults my father gave me, the drinking, and, inevitably, my suicidality. I have picked a date and I am moving towards a plan. Fuck this pain shit. Fuck my father. I can’t stand either, one more than the other, you choose which. I don’t care anymore. She wanted me to come out to see her but I don’t have the funds to. I don’t get paid till my birthday. I will be dead by then, I hope.

We talked about my writing. She asked what will become of it once I am gone. I told her it will just stay on my laptop. No one will do anything with it. Right now, my “book” is barely fifty pages. No one knows the files. I am not that organized. And besides, some of the stuff is on my blog anyways so anyone could make a book out of it. I just don’t care anymore.

My therapist asked me what would be the one thing that wouldn’t make me so suicidal. I didn’t have an answer for her. She then asked what my reasons for living were. I told her none. I hate when she goes through these things. It always makes me feel a little guilty. And that is all that she was trying to do, was lay a guilt trip on me so I would continue to be. Why would I want to live when every time I have a damn bowel movement, I have pain as well, sometimes for hours? She brought up getting an MRI but I am too scared to know the results. I know there have been changes in my back. I can feel it. Whether or not it requires surgery, that is a different matter. And I am copping out before I know the truth. I see my PCP next week and we have a lot to discuss. I doubt MRI is going to be on the agenda. It’s going to be our last meeting as he is leaving. My thigh pain seemed to have settled down, which has settled down my PTSD symptoms. But I am tired of being in pain or wondering when I am going to get hit with CES x 3. I can’t go on like this. I feel like I am on a shaky rope and someone has finally cut the other end of it. I am dangling at the edge and no one sees it or can help me get up. So I am giving up. I will fall to my death.

Dark Hot Chocolate and Other Things

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, cauda equina syndrome, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders

Dark Hot Chocolate and Other Things

I had bought dark hot chocolate mix and tried it out today. Because I was using more than 8 OZ of milk, I decided to use two packs of mix. HUGE mistake. It was so rich and creamy that could barely taste the chocolate. Note for next time: just use one package!

I slept fairly well. I had a rough start. After my last blog, I fell asleep only to wake up two hours later. I was rearing to go and couldn’t settle down again. I think around 0300 I finally went back to sleep. I slept around five straight hours and felt good. I made some breakfast, which was just biscuits. I was planning on making them with a burger but didn’t. Now after the hot chocolate, I don’t want anymore food.

I need to fill my meds for the week. I dread doing it. It doesn’t really take that long but it’s just that I hate doing it. I should get a month pill pack so I don’t have to worry about it but my fear is that I won’t know when it’s time to refill my meds until I go to fill the boxes again.

A friend of mine from BPD chat had a poll about whether knowing your diagnosis helped you or not. I found out that I was bipolar II last year. All this time before then, I thought I just had recurrent major depression. I can’t say that I am surprised at being Bipolar, but it was kind of a shock to see it in black and white. I don’t get the hypos frequently enough so I was thinking I just had major depression. According to the criteria, just one hypo episode slaps you with bipolar II. Knowing that I have bipolar has been a little easier to accept what my condition is and to live a little better with it. But the depressions are brutal. There is no denying that.

I still am having back and thigh pain. I haven’t made a decision about what to do about it. I could be in the early stages and that is when you want to catch CES. You catch it while it’s doing damage and the outcome is not as favorable. I really don’t want to be facing surgery. And I don’t know, with my insurance, if I will get a board certified surgeon or not. The whole thing is making me very nervous. Question is, should I wait till I see my doc the following Wednesday or call tomorrow to see him?