Physically ill from stress & anxiety again

:( :( :(

I am sorry that you are dealing with this.:(

I am glad that you went in and got the help that you needed though!

...now I am going to write you a script for some rest and relaxation...and a vacation when you can get one!

I hope that the Rx and the PT works for you soon.

If you are having trouble getting to your physical therapy...try the progressive muscle relaxation exercise in our Resources (let me know if you want a direct link and I'll post)

Rest and recovery my friend!

S.C.

i hope you feel better too. and soon.

Very good advice Merrida, that I myself need to follow as we'll.

Hi,

Sorry about the DDD, I too have that in my neck and back, pain from herniated disc in my neck goes in to my left arm/fingers, my shoulder "jumps" sometimes.

You mentioned the steroid injections, I had one in my neck 3 months ago and it has helped the pain 70-75%, it was a little uncomfortable to get but nothing terrible and it's very quick.

PT can also help with range of motion.

Take care and hope you get relief.

i hear ya with the pain. i a riddled with arthritis. i send warm healing thoughts of relief your way.

thanks for the well wishes
still in pain and so tired of the way the muscle relaxers make my brain feel. It is so difficult to concentrate and I have so much to think about

I'll try anything HT! A Muscle Relaxer and Pink Floyd sounds good- wish I could become Comfortably Numb!

I don't know how I made it thru work today. I had to wash out 6 kittens eyes after work (kitty pink eye) and I missed a call from my rheumatologist-darn!
He said he'll call later or tomorrow. Think he would have called back by now.

Well here I am a little anxious about my appointment with the spine specialist tomorrow.
My rheumatologist called me back last night. I had faxed over the xray report and asked him is this could be related to my RA at all but he said no. We talked for a good 45 mins. He was asking how it started, etc. I told him that after 3 weeks of suffering going to work every day I felt worn out. My stomach was killing me with bad gnawing pains from taking the prescribed 3 Advil every six hrs. along with muscle relaxer and I wasn't getting any relief. I told him by noon I found it very hard to be at my desk because I felt like I couldn't hold my head up in that position anymore. He said you must stop the Advil and any anti inflammatory pills immediately or your stomach will start to bleed. He said he'd call in vicodin for me and suggested I wear a Philadelphia collar but then realized the medical supply stores would all be closed at that hour and said even a drug store cervical collar worn round the clock should get me by until my appt. with the spine specialist. We hung up and I got dressed to go to pick up the prescription. The phone rang again and it was him saying he called my area drug stores and Rite Aid had the collar. Is he nice or what?
I put it on immediately and took a vicodin. I got more relief then I've had in forever. I wore the collar to work today (quite a fashion statement my husband said) I alarmed everyone- OMG what happened! Meanwhile no one gave a crap for the past 3 weeks I was dragging myself around in pain.
I do find great relief while wearing the collar but honestly I can't even stand to wear a turtle neck so I kind of can't stand it either. It's so hot here I dread wearing it to bed tonight. (we don't have AC)
Hope tomorrow I find out this is something minor and the flare just has to take its course....

Hey SC

Doctor appt. went ok but I need an MRI and I still don't feel like I'm understanding whats going on. I feel sick to my stomach from pain meds and if I don't take them the pain is too great. Wish I could take a month off from everything to get better. I know that I have a physical problem -narrowing of the vertebrae from aging & RA and now inflammation which makes the space more narrow and pressing on nerve roots but it came on during a period of high level stress. I think I was holding my neck too tense and it caused the inflammation. Since advil didn't work and stomach can't handle it any more after the MRI doctor would like to give me steroid shots in two locations.
I feel my worst at work having to sit upright at a desk and using a computer. The neck collar gags and suffocates me. The pain makes it hard to think and concentrate. That creates more stress and I tense up causing more pain. I have to cover again for a persons vacation starting tomorrow until June 30. I cannot be spared during this time. I swear to myself that my work is going to come first and I will not work later hrs. (I am salaried and do not get paid) I will not bring home my work so I can do his like I have done the past 2 times this month covering for others. I brought this on myself. I will try my best to not feel guilty for not being able to do it all.
It is my fault people expect this from me because I try to be superwoman so they think I can do it.
Waiting for ins. ok to get MRI and dr. appt next Thursday. I'm afraid of the shots but I can't take this anymore so I throw caution and fear to the wind. He says if the MRI confirms and doesn't show something worse he can do them when I go in next week. he says that most people feel relief in 24 hrs. then in 3 to 5 days they feel that it regressed somewhat and then in about a week it feels like it is gone. No guarantee for how long.
I am not in awful pain right now and enough time has elapsed for a vicodin. I am going to bed. Not sure if I should take one now as a preventative or wait until I wake up at 3 with screaming pain....if my stomach didn't feel illl I would have no doubt to take it now....