Re: Chris-Peggy
From: Christine M. Smith (smithy@maine.rr.com)
Tue Aug 3 21:37:11 1999
At Tue, 3 Aug 1999, Peggy wrote:
>
>Hi Chris,I just came home from having the M R I,I did not have any
>problems at all with this test.The little questionaire that I filled out
>in the beginning asked if I was claustrophobic and I did say that I
>was,possibly.So they gave me headphones to listen to and put a cloth
>over my eyes.She told me that if I had any problems at all to push the
>call button and she would come right in.It did take about 1/2 hour to 45
>minutes but it went by fairly quick. The MRI was of the pelvic area. I
>was told that the Dr. will get the results in a couple of days.I will
>wait until Monday and call the office to see if they received the
>results.THe steroid shots that I had were called trigger point
>injections.It was Depo-Medrol which the Dr. mixed with a local
>anesthetic.This was given every other week for a series of 4 shots. My
>gyn thought that maybe I had what he called inner abdominal wall
>syndrome.
>This treatment was also discussed by pain management Dr. in being
>something that he would do. Not to me though because I have already had
>this treatment. The shots were given to me right in the lower left
>abdomin where I say the pain is.This did not help me at all with the
>pain problem that I am having.There are not many tests left for me to
>have so I wonder what will be next.Do I live on pain medication for the
>rest of my life? This is really not something that I would want to do.My
>next appointment with my gyn is August 13th so all test results and all
>other Dr. appointments will be over and I will discuss where we go from
>here.He will probably tell me that pain management is where I stay for a
>while.Well I have to go get dinner started so I will talk to you all
>later.
>"FRIENDS THAT STICK TOGETHER" PEGGY
Hi Peggy:
Glad to hear your MRI went well and that it wasn't too bad an
experience. I usually do okay with procedures but that one was a bit
much.
What you described for the trigger point injections is what the pain
clinic doctor talked about sticking into my facet joints of my spine or
the sacroiliac joint. I don't know if it will ever come to that though,
I hope not because it gives me the creeps, but if I have to, i will.
As far as staying on drugs for the rest of your life, my advice would be
not to look at it as a forever thing. That is too overwhelming. Look
at it as taking them for a certain period of time and then reevaluating
the situation. New symptoms could arise which might point you in
another
direction. Also, being pain free for a period of time (or having less
pain) will give you a different outlook. That is the way I am thinking
about the celebrex. The thought of taking this for the rest of my life
at over $100 per month is awful. So I plan to take it for a certain
period of time (not sure how long yet) and then reevaluate. If it comes
to taking the drugs indefinitely, one way to look at it is if you were
diagnosed with diabetes. You'd have to take medication for that for the
rest of your life and its not always so easy keeping your blood sugar
under control. You just have to do it.
Chris S.