Quick update: Things remain similar

Outside of days of nasty side effects (pain and puking), things haven't changed much.  I still go to treatment 3 times a week, but I changed my days.  0.50 seems to be my theraputic dose. It equates to about 5 mins and 40-odd secs.

Lots of pain and other happenings

I haven't updated because not much new has been happening. My left leg continues to ache, but the pain relief regime is helping a lot. Unfortunately, my right leg now aches. So I am doing the same things for that leg.

My GP did an Xray to rule out a fracture, and as expected, nothing was found. GP is taking a month break. I have enough meds to see me through until then, but I admit I like knowing that he is around when I need him. I will see him again after I see both the dermatologist and oncologist, which happens in early November.

I am basically at theraputic level for my light treatments. The last one was 5 mins and 48 secs. 5-6 mins is thought to be my limit. I will know for sure after my dermatology appointment.

Other news is that we have 60 days to find a new place to live. The owners are selling our house, and we can't get a mortgage. I don't need the stress and pressure this involves, but there are positives too. As Girl Child says, "Just think of it as an adventure." It sounds like solid advice.

Being Compliant

I have the memory of a gnat. I keep all appointments in a diary. I carry a notebook in my purse. If I don't write it down, it doesn't exist or happen because I will never remember.

Being compliant means remembering to take meds and apply ointments. Not great when you don't remember stuff. So I now have alarms set for all my meds during the day. So far, so good. If this doesn't work, I will have to go to one of those pill sorter things. I ain't ready to go to that... yet.

My leg still hurts

I complain a lot. I know this, but I am really sick of my leg hurting.  It is aching badly. I can't take anything for another two hours or so. If I take it now, I will be awake at 3.30 or something because my leg hurts.
I took Girl Child shopping this morning. We were only gone for about am hour or so. Still my leg was aching at the end. With Brendan's blessing, I took two Mersyndols and I had a two hour nap. It wasn't the magic bullet this time. Yes, it helped a lot at first, but now I can't take anything else. I am not sure it is the wonder drug I had hoped.

Kids gave a performance on the trampoline. I had to stand five mins or so... not long. I just came inside. My leg hurts badly, which is why I am regretting taking the Mersyndols.
Meh. I need to grab my heating pad. That should help.

Pain Relief for My Aching Left Leg

I did get to my treatment on Friday.  I wasn't sure, but we loaded everyone up in the car.  Brendan drove me. Treatment lasted a whole total of 4 mins and 29 secs.  Boy Child wasn't impressed.  He wanted to go on the train, and I don't think the light booth was as cool as he hoped.


I also had an appointment with my GP in the afternoon. I am proud to say that I drove myself.  For some reason, Girl Child came with me because she asked if she could.  Pain Relief was the only topic of conversation.  I have a list of other questions I want answers to, but I gotta get this leg pain under control.  I can't live my life because of it.


He asked me how my week was with the pain.  I told him the truth.  He did another physical exam of my leg.  Nothing he could find out of the ordinary.  He wants me to get an X-ray; not that he thinks that he will find anything, but he will would not be a good doctor if he didn't definitely ruled out a fracture.  That happens on Monday or Tuesday, just a matter when I have time and/or help to get to the place.


Since the Panadeine wasn't really doing anything about my pain, he stopped that and instead put me on Panadol Osteo SR 665mg.  It is slow release so it should last longer and it is stronger than regular Panadol.  I still take  Ibuprofen 400mg as well.  I am also to keep up with the heat and the support bandage.  I have to call later in the week to discuss the X-ray and if I need to come in to see him.


I take all my 'scripts to the Chemist (or a Pharmacy). I remember that sometimes when Panadeine couldn't kill my migraines that sometimes Mersyndol would work.  So I picked up some of that too, and yes, I listened to all the advice and warnings about taking it with the Panadol Osteo.  Mersyndol has Panadol (parcetamol) 450mg, Codeine 9.75 mg and something called Doxylamine Succinate 5mg, which has a calmative/sedative effect.  


My leg was killing me when I got home.  I took a Ibuprofen and 2 Mersyndol. After a half hour, the pain was gone.  Completely gone.  It was amazing.  About an hour after I took it, I had a 4 hour nap.  I was so sleepy; I couldn't stay awake.  With this med, I have the choice of being awake or being pain free.  It will be used in emergencies.  I still have to tell my GP that I am taking it.  


I started on the Panadol Osteo and Ibuprofen combo today.  So far, it does help.  The pain is still there, but it isn't as bad.  The real test will come on Monday when the kids need to go to school and I will need to go to treatment. 

My List of Meds with Pics!

Some older person in my life used to say that the older you get, the more medicines you have to take.  I believe them.  I take a handful of pills every morning.  Then I take 3-5 pills at noon and at bedtime.  I did this list to help me keep track of everything, but I thought you might be interested too.   This list includes everything I take for all my diagnosises: depression, anxiety and the cancer (I can't think of a better word at the moment, sorry).

If the pics are all messed up, let me know.  I am trying to get then fixed ASAP.

Everyday Meds:

For Depression:

Prozac (Fluoxetine) 20 mg

1 capsule daily

For Anxiety:

Valium (Diazepam) 2mg

 1/2 to 1 as needed

For Nausea:

Maxolon (Metoclopramide) 10mg

1 tablet 3 times a day as needed

For the Red Spots:

Mometasone Furote 1mg/g (Elocon Ointment 0.1%)

Apply to affected areas 2 times a day

For Pain:

Brufen (Ibuprofen 400mg)  

1 tablet 3 times a day

For Pain:

Panadol Osteo SR 665mg  (I take the brand name so this is it)

2 tablets 3 times a day

Sometimes Meds:

Temazepam 10 mg

1 tablet as needed

Mersyndol 

The magic bullet of pain relief, but not approved by my GP... yet

In Pain and Scared

I am really tired and my anxiety is acting up. If I ramble or jump from subject to subject, I am sorry.

My leg woke me at about 4.30am. It is aching, and I couldn't to back to sleep.  As I wanderer into the living room to grab my phone to check Facebook, it hits me what I have to get done today.

Again with a disclaimer: I am not a busy mom, but my mental health issues affect me. Anyway... I need to get to treatment, and I have no idea how to accomplish that without some sort of help. Kids are well, and they will be at school today, and again no idea how to do that without help. I have an appointment with my GP before school lets out. My day could be over by 4pm, if Brendan feeds us dinner (and he almost always does).

My pain was worst yesterday after going to see my psychologist. I am glad I went because some things became clearer. She also told me that I was coping well. Yay! Even if I don't believe it 100% myself, it was so nice to hear. Since I went out and had worse pain, I am afraid it will happen again. Pain is not my friend, and I wish it was like Facebook, so I could unfriend and block it.

Another reason I am scared is because I was researching Mycosis Fungoides (also known as CTCL) yesterday afternoon. The advanced stages are scary. My therapy session dealt mainly with how I was coping and dealing with my diagnosis. I told her about this blog, and she thinks it is a great idea because sometimes I think out loud on here (eg this post). But it gives me a chance to also process everything that is going on. She kept telling me to journal; well now I am.

I told her of my ideas to do summaries of the conditions; for two reasons, to explain to family and friends and for me to understand exactly what I have and what will happen. She thinks the summaries are a good idea for my own understanding and maybe come to terms to what that will mean for me. Knowing more banishes fear for me.

She warned about the dreaded "What if..." Monster. Because I am looking at the progression of the disease, I might begin to stop living in the now. Right now, it is manageable and likely to go into remission. Tumors aren't part of my disease for now. Yes, they might come, but I just need to continue all treatments and take new symptoms as they come. I will not What If... myself.

So, the pain will hopefully get some better management from my GP. The fear has lessened after writing this out.