Wednesday, March 19, 2008

March 19, 2008

SIDE EFFECTS FOR THIS DAY: intense headaches (non-responsive to ibuprofen); pain that goes from left groin to left ovary (maybe a little higher) wraps back to left kidney and wraps forward to just below rib cage; hot flashes now also during the day; spinal pain with focal points between shoulder blades; left knee pain; left leg pain.

This entry includes a little more about what happened throughout yesterday, as well as what I am noticing today.

Yesterday was a bear. Let me speak a little bit about this spinal pain. It has focal points that are dully there at a constant buzz. Then suddenly it hits you in a concentrated point between the shoulder blades... lasts for about 10 seconds. It's a pain that makes you want to cry because you have no warning and you just keep telling yourself it will go away without knowing if it will. It's a stunning pain.

The headaches really bite. It's not the kind of headache that's behind the eyes. This emanates from the crown of the head and goes to the hairline. When it starts throbbing, someone might as well be hammering your head. You try to breathe through it to reduce your heart rate.

This pain point on my left side (I wish I knew more about anatomy) is in the same meridian as the lowest point of transverse colon, lower than the spleen and higher than the ovary. That seems to be a particular point of pain.

I actually slept last night, miracle of miracles, without waking up once. Though the pain did not seem responsive to Ibuprofen, when I switched to Darvocet late last night, I got some sleep.

Today, I wake with a headache (no surprise there). This knee pain is new. There is now a line of pain that goes from the left groin, travels down the leg, and into the knee. Today is slightly less painful than yesterday, maybe because the Darvocet hasn't completely worn off. I am hoping my doctor can call in something non-narcotic for the headaches today.

Interesting that all of this is staying on the left side, which is exactly where all the problems have been. I cannot imagine what this would be like if this were covering my whole body.

Better try to get some work done...

3 comments:

adamus said...

It's impressive to see such detailed writing about physical pain. It affects me differently than descriptions of emotional angst. I of course wonder if writing about the physical has any of the release quality of the other.
This drug must be touted pretty highly for you to undergo such torturous s-e's. I am sending you a big e-hug. For what it's worth.

Lupron Journal said...

As you suggested, perhaps it is cathartic to write from a slightly disassociated vantage? It would mirror the disassociation I use to cope with it. Nice observation.

adamus said...

I noticed your semi-clinical writing style, and now I can understand its function better. It also aids readers (me) in keeping your anatomical mappings straight in our heads.