Um, I'd like to get off the ride now, please....

I so wanted to report that I was nearing recovery. I really did feel better for awhile. But, I always say it's a roller coaster and, after a particularly stressful month, including a business trip, a child's injury, financial strain, and such (you know, LIFE) I seem to have taken a big step back.

Combine that with a change in the weather; a big temperature and air pressure drop, which always makes things with nerve endings worse (as anyone with herniated discs or LND knows), and well, I'm hurting more and needing more to take the edge off after weaning myself down to less medication in January. Everything is amped up again. It continues to be a roller coaster .

So, I'm trying to remember to

1. Relax
2. Breathe deeply. Slowly. In.......out......
3. Remember, things could always be worse.
4. Don't tense your jaw, your neck, your shoulders.
5. Sit ergonomically if possible.
6. Get lots of sleep

I wish I had a magic wand and could say I'm cured, and I can cure you too! I can't, but I won't give up trying.

Lately I'm looking into a few things...in order of invasiveness and fear factor:

• RF procedure (radio frequency). Scary if you don't have the right practitioner.
• Nerve blocks
• "soft" laser

Anyone tried any of these things with success? My Dr wrote me a scrip for Botox injection to the face, but I'm afraid I'll end up paralyzed or something. Like I said, things can always be worse.

What's new in your world?

Write your Lawmakers!

http://www.congress.org/

Write your congressman! Hell, write the President. Our elected officials are supposed to be here to help us. Not only do we need to be more vocal about this injury and lack of dental regulation and enforcement, but there are major issues now in dispensing pain relief - painkillers have all but been terminated in states like Florida, which has unfortunately a lot of abusers who ruin the system for real people- people in legitimate pain, who follow doctors orders, dosing precisely as they are scheduled. 

FYI, If your doctor writes you a prescription to help with your nerve pain, you may not be able to get it filled anymore. CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart - all are telling people the drugs are no longer available.

One example is that Endo, the maker of painkillers such as Endocet (a substitute for Percocet) has been forced to cut manufacturing due to a DEA crackdown. This means people with legitimate pain, including people with cancer, fibromyalgia, nerve damage, and a host of other long term chronic pain are unable to get what they need.

This is no small thing. Statistics have shown that suicide rates are higher in those suffering long term, chronic illness and pain. 

First it's painkillers, what's next, antidepressants? Seizure meds? Thousands of others? This is NOT how you regulate drug usage; by cutting everyone off.

Please take some time out of your day to write your congressperson, let people know your story, we need to be heard en masse - trust me, politicians and regulators are NOT coming to this website, so they have no clue what we are going through - we need to reach out and make this issue public. Everyone of us. Please feel free to link to this blog in your letters. I can also be reached as Jane Fisher on Facebook.

Thank you.