Hmm… kidneys?

If it’s not one problem, it’s another… right folks? So I have the blood pressure business back to normal: today was 122/80.

However… since I woke up on Sunday, I’ve had achiness/dull pain in my back where my kidneys are. I took 2 Tylenol yesterday to see if it went away, but that didn’t seem to do anything.  My system is obviously in shock right now, with tapering off the Topamax, having just had a 9-day course of Prednisone, had a few days trial of the blood pressure med that made me go too low, still on Cymbalta and Provigil daily… I did read last night that some people have had kidney stones while on Topamax, but it would be pretty weird for that to happen to me now that I’m getting RID of the Topamax.

The pharmacist who was taking my blood pressure said that if the pain gets worse, definitely go to the ER. Certainly a good idea. I had such a crappy night of sleep last night and I think it’s because I just couldn’t get comfortable in bed with feeling the dull pain in those areas.  UGH.  I’m seeing my primary care doc on Thursday now, too.

“It’s raining, it’s pouring, Joanna has more stuff wrong with her…”

 

A little break in a bad cycle of pain = happy me…

So, this past Thursday was the day that I met my new headache doc at the office I’ve been going to for about a year now… the guy I had been seeing there left for family reasons or something (the best part: he wasn’t even going to bring it up until we asked him how long his fellowship was lasting for, and only then did he decide to tell me that “oh yeah, this is probably the last time you will see me”. Oops.).

Anyhoo, this new guy was fantastic, spent just over 2 hours with me (and of course, mommy-dearest). I really needed someone there with me on this visit because of how badly I’ve been feeling and how foggy my mind is in general. I would have just gotten all mixed up with the train schedule to get there and possibly even slept through the stop, and of course, my mom remembered certain things that I failed to (even though we had made a list of things to bring up)… this would be my “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” break-out number, changed to be about mommies and their awesomeness, of course.

We are doing what I am calling a “medication overhaul” — finally saying goodbye to everyone’s “friend” Mr. Topamax once and for all. I couldn’t be more excited, I almost started planning a Bon Voyage party. I think that would happen when my memory and all that jazz returns. I’ll probably talk a bit about the meds once I’ve been on them for a little while (as not to jinx them? not sure). I actually even got some injections while I was at the office, Lidocane and something else that ends in ‘cane (not candycane, I checked on that one!). Back of the head, front of the head, numbed me right up and helped to really lower my headache level right then and there… pretty amazing. A much improved/ happier ride on the train (can we say 3.5-ish hours? eew.).

I was even able to enjoy a weekend at a friend’s lakehouse, which was about a 2 hour drive from where I live. I had been nervous that I would have to cancel, due to the long drive and just generally feeling like junk. I really did feel so much improvement from my visit to the new doc and from starting some new meds/ beginning “The Great Goodbye” to topamax. crossing my fingers that it continues….

hope everyone is well. joanna

This where i sat for the weekend at my friend’s lake house. we moved between here and the dock. and the grocery store about 20 minutes away to get food (and the farm to get fresh eggs!) :

 

Owww.

I just had the WORST SHARP PAINS that I have had in weeks. Literally.

Just 5 minutes ago, for about 3 minutes straight, I stood against the wall in the kitchen (just because that’s where I was when it hit) and grabbed my head and keeled over.

As fast as it came over me, it went away.  I’m exhausted from it, as if I am a battery that had power zapped from it.

I can’t go to bed yet, however… I still have some pain, and I can just feel that it will be too hard to fall asleep with it… I’ll just have to “wait it out” with the tv/computer and distract myself for a little while until the pain lessens and I can try to slip into bed and to sleep before the pain grows (I could watch tv in bed until I fall asleep, but my boyfriend is already goin to sleep - he has to wake up early for work).

This type of post is the type that i don’t normally expect to be able to post right after the fact…  I’m glad I’m able to share this experience, especially for those who aren’t familiar with NDPH.  I guess tonight’s “quick sharp pain” can be compared to a migraine, but I just didn’t have any of the “extras” that go along with it - no aura, no nausea, no sensitivities to anything, etc.

It just comes whenever.

This is why it can be so hard to make plans, to know when I can really drive a long distance, or how I’ll feel for a whole day walking around our favorite city. I have NO IDEA if I’m going to have a problem, very similar to my migraine friends.

And… yeah. It’s messing with my concentration right now. I think I better wrap this entry up.  Just wanted to share so others could get a feel (at least not literally) of what can happen 1+++ times during my day. Everyday.