Wednesday 13 August 2008 – Pain Clinic

Yet again I have been to the pain clinic just to be told the same as I was last Wednesday that nothing could be changed or done with my current medication until after the results of the Colonoscopy. The nurse did intimate that the pains I am feeling in my lower back may be related to problems in the stomach and may go away if treated accordingly, let’s hope so.
I did manage to secure the loan of the TENS machine for a while longer and have used it extensively of late.

Monday 02 June 2008 – Company Doctor appointment

As far as the company Doctor is concerned I am still not well enough to return to work, and since I am feeling no better than when I attended the Pain Clinic she has suggested I chase things up at the hospital [which I have] and with my own GP. I now have to arrange to see my GP following a phone call from the hospital; they have now changed my prescription tablets once again. I will know more once I have visited my GP.

Tuesday 27 May 2008 – TENS machine usage

It has been a week now since I have been using the TENS machine, sometimes it has been quite effective, however without the use of Tramadol, which I have been taking again now for a week, I would be in total agony.
I have begun to resign myself to the fact that I probably never will be rid of the pains in my back and since I had put great store in the Pain Clinic being the answer to all my woes I have no idea where to turn to next.
I will be seeing my own doctor within the next week or so and the company doctor on June 2nd so I am hoping either one of them will be able to point me in another direction soon.
In the mean time it has been intimated that I may be offered acupuncture at the hospital, it has got to be worth a try.

Monday 21 April 2008 – Clinic appointment fixed, pain worse

I have made an appointment at my local hospital at the pain clinic and it cannot come soon enough. I am in so much pain now that it has gone beyond a joke, I know I have been doing a little more in the way of exercise than I have of late but I never expected the pain to increase this much. Added to that my stomach, probably my kidneys too, are being affected by the Pregabalin tablets, I am now trying to reduce my intake of them despite the pain, if it gets any worse I can always increase them again.

Still, on the bright side I have made a good start to the bowls season despite nearly crippling myself through bending down to roll my bowls. I know that playing bowls will not in anyway improve the scar tissue pains but I have become the size of an elephant on medication and through having an increased appetite, side effects of the tablets, therefore I am desperate for some form of exercise and a social life. I really do need to lose some weight though, that can only help my current situation for sure.

If I have not mentioned it before then I can recommend applying for a NHS Prescription Charge Certificate to assist with prescription charges if you live in the UK, it has saved me a small fortune in tablets.