Notsufferinginsilence said on 12 October 2011
Just wanted to add a more positive comment. 10 weeks in and this 'episode' feels as though it's finally nearing its end. I've been taking codeine phosphate, naproxen and amitriptyline and until last weekend was still waking in the night - although later and later - and struggling to sleep again. Last Sunday night I didn't wake up until the alarm went off the following morning - a wonderful feeling! I've had lots of physiotherapy, sometimes incorporating acupuncture, and have usually felt better for that, but still struggling through the night. I have now been referred by my GP to the main guy at the sports centre who has referred me for an MRI scan, which will be on November 10th. I'll probably be ok by then - at least I hope I will. I have been going to a Pilates class for a month now, and using some of those exercises along with ones from the doctor and my physio, and I really feel the benefit of the Pilates. This morning certain exercises really hurt at the time but a couple of hours later I felt fine. The pain hasn't quite gone yet but the drugs are beginning to work and I'm even starting to cut down the codeine, hoping to be free of that next week at least.
I've read some of the other stories on this forum and feel desperately sorry for everyone who has suffered with this. It must be horrendous for the younger sufferers - at least I got to 51 before I experienced major pain that made me want to die. Although it didn't feel like it at the time, I was luckier in that I could always move - in fact, had to keep moving and walking around to manage the pain at its worst. Now that I'm catching up on sleep I find I'm much stiffer in the morning! One thing that helped me feel in control was to record when I took each drug, where the pain was at its worst, any exercise I had done. I have been averaging 3-4 miles walking every day and my 24 hour chart is beginning to look clearer as I have fewer symptoms and drugs to report.
