If you’re here for the post with the controversy, you can find it here. Otherwise, move along.
***
I ran out of Tramadol last night. I wasn’t prepared for how panicky that fact would make me. Before you start worrying that I’m addicted, no. I’m not. I’ve not needed to take a Tramadol for nearly a month now and that made me happy. The 20 I was given on prescription have lasted over 4 months. However, a badly dislocated collar bone that wouldn’t reduce, that then pulled out a few ribs and my shoulder left me curled up in a little ball and wishing that the drugs would take effect faster.
Eventually of course they did and I was able to move. Today everything is back in place, leaving me with a mere lingering stiffness through my left shoulder.
It wasn’t the first time and god knows it won’t be the last time. That is what worries me.
I’m lucky, the painkillers I’ve been prescribed haven’t had any side effects for me. No stoned feeling (I’m on a ship! A ship I say, oh fuck, seasick) like panadeine fortes or complete lack of anything helpful like with over-the-counter medication. They just take the pain away, leaving me able to function.
So to run out of them, knowing that it will be at least a month before I can see my EDSy doctor, it leaves me a little stressed. The same way running out of baby wipes, asthma medication or anti-nausea tablets does. I know that I’ll be okay in the event of a bad dislocation, hell, I’ll just cry a lot until it reduces, but that doesn’t help the panicky ‘oh fuck’ feeling that I’ve got.
See, the dislocations, they aren’t rare. If I’ve not had a bad one for a week, I know one is coming, which then triggers the anxiety over it, which then triggers the panic attacks and then it’s a vicious cycle.
Not fun.
My period is due. Of course, I will now most likely be telling you that my period is due for another 2 weeks, seeing as how my body can never work out whether it wants to bleed every 29 days or every 42. Stupid fucking thing. I can tell you that I ovulated (how do you know? I can hear you screaming – well I went from okay-ish to nauseous and floppy-as-fuck in a day, always a clear sign that my progesterone is on the rise) and that my body is gearing up to drown me, but I couldn’t tell you exactly when that’s going to happen. My request would be sooner rather than later please.
Of course, my period being due means that I am going to bend, flex and dislocate all over the place until I bleed enough to drown a small country, curl up and die from cramps and then come right again, only to start the whole process again.
[As a side note: Yes, I am going to see my GP to discuss endometriosis and other assorted fun gynecological disorders. The pain and screaming of last cycle convinced me of that. She will also prescribe more tramadol, more anti-nausea tablets and other stuff. Luckily I can just get baby wipes from the supermarket without a prescription, so I don’t need to panic about those for too long. Thank GOD.]
The floppiness always leaves me exhausted. It takes twice as much effort to walk and move, to pick the children up and change nappies. When I feel like this I spend a lot of time just laying on the floor with them, playing. Really it’s resting, but they think we’re playing and it’s easy, so we’re going to go with playing.
So bleh. I’m sore and I’m exhausted. I’ve got a lack of pain meds and an excess of insomnia. Yay me.
Heh.
Oh darling. I know exactly where you are coming from on this. I am going through a not so good phase myself and painkiller use is at an all time high. I am not addicted and don’t want to be so dependant. I try and hold out until I simply can’t function in that level of pain any longer, then I take them. I have a repro system with a lot of personality too so I am feeling you there. Having to take care of others when you are suffering so much can seem like such a fucking joke at times.
I am now have large prescriptions each time for my meds. It just got ridiculous. But it sucks doesn’t it. Having to go to the doctor to ask for help to function almost close to normally, like everyone else can without a thought. To have to constantly say to your partner, can you do x because I can’t manage it? Hugs for you.
xx
🙁
Ugh, sorry. I feel your pain, so to speak. Narky drugs and anti-nausea meds, my favorite pairing. I know what it’s like to stare at an empty bottle before the month is up and know that another bout is imminent. I’ll send you some pain free thoughts…
Oh love, that sounds frankly shite. I don’t know what to say other than dammit, it’s not fair.
I hope you get your meds soon and don’t need to use them too much. I also hope your GP finds something easy to deal with that will cure your horrific periods.
Poor woman. Take care.
Just.. Ouch!
oh chicken xxx
that sucks.
If ever there were a time for a break from children it would be now. I cant handle mine when I’m surfing the crimson wave, let alone all the other things.
Yuck. I hope you feel better soon.
You can’t just call your doctors and get them to call in refills of your meds if necessary? I usually don’t have to do it as we usually get fairly large pain med scripts with refills, but with a reasonable explanation I can get refills phoned into the pharmacy. Problems with doctors and meds outside the USA make me reluctant to encourage my daughter to travel, at least not without someone to advocate for her!
Pop and Ice – Nope, my doctors surgery won’t do it. Very annoying.
Poor you Veronica. Can you at least get your GP to issue a repeat prescription for the Tramadol now that he can see you use it sparingly and have no adverse reactions to it? That way you shouldn’t run out if it again.
As to the other, you have my sympathy and hopes that both a cause and cure (or a management plan) is found to sort it out. Being a woman is for the strong only!
Sounds like a fun time!!
When I am in pain and the pain meds finish I actually would sell one of my little people! I don’t do pain – every, at all, for nothing!
I’m telling you, this whole “period” thing is a nightmare. Adding all the other problems you encounter on a daily basis is just not fair. I wish woman had an on/off switch with their reproductive organs. If men had to go thru this every month you know it would be fixed by now.
Wish I had a super-sized magic wand Veronica. Pain is the worst thing when it’s continuous.
Virtual empathy for you Veronica – hormones and EDS a painful combination. I have a large steel lockable medical cabinet, stuffed with med’s, it has a key and I think originally belonged in a pharmacy. (It was bought at a car boot sale). Despite this had to ring surgery this morning to request a repeat script – my car is snowed in and being tiny, automatic and not suited to adverse weather conditions I cannot drive to surgery to request a repeat script. The receptionist made it very clear that it was not surgery protocol to accept repeats over the phone! Unless I hire a helicopter I explained I cannot get there, surely in these circumstances its ok to ring – finally she agreed accepting my plea for leniency. Spouse has had to go to work so couldn’t drop script in (he has lost enough time already and being self employed we will staff if he doesn’t work. I was proud as in agony still managed to keep my composure when my lecture was delivered. Often I can without warning get really caustic when faced with stupid bureaucratical rules which look good on paper but simply don’t apply well in real life circumstance.
With an ongoing medical condition you should be on a repeat prescription really regarding pain meds – (it may be that a low dose med such as diazpeam on occassion would help reduce a stubborn dislocation). Your gp should know you are not the type of gal to abuse prescription drugs. There is a theory that only taking medicaton when the pain is unbearable doesn’t help with pain management, so don’t wait until the pain is unbearable before resorting to pain relief. Afterall inherited connective tissue disorders do not magically disappear. A friend takes tranexamic acid tablets for heavy bleeding (although am not sure they are compatible with breast feeding, above post though suggests that this may not be an issue sadly sooner than you thought.
Thinking of you a lot Veronica. Long comment as ever! oops I just can’t help myself it seems.
So good luck Veronica.
Hate posting twice but meant starve not staff!
Also forgot to say with medication there is a great deal of difference between addiction (junkies take drugs for the high) people with chronic/acute pain take medication for just that not to replace their depleted serotonim levels. Tolerance is an appropriate word rather than addiction but latterly I don’t give a hoot about that. I take my pain med’s because I need them for my condition and I take a whole lot more than you!
I just found your blog and you gave me quite an insight into how my son must be feeling. He is 17, has Autism as well and Classical Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. He has been having Panic Attacks and we didn’t know why because he is mostly non verbal. Now I am thinking he may have had a dislocation somewhere at the time of his panic attacks. My son also takes Tramadol and believe me I order it way ahead of time, don’t want to run out of that. I only give it to him when he seems in pain but it does seem to help. Thanks for your blogging.
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