Little update

[Iwona084]

A little update to people who follow my challenging stay in the UK. I have found a therapist so Im tryong to process different things connected to my injury and surgery. It has been around 5-6 sessions and I see the direction of it which is good.

I also managed to negotiate a contract with my old company. If everything goes well, I will receive a computer this week, contract is already signed. This is good too.

As for doctors appointments etc, well, this one is difficult as I am being prescribed medications for everything. Recently I have been told by my neurologist (who kind of lost my trust after this comment) that lower back pain connected to dyscopathie can be managed only with anti-depressants! Seriously? Seems anything here can be cured with that. And I am not going for this. Period.

Will probably go back to a lovely chinese doctor who only smiles and nods his head but does what he knows best - needles and herbs. Thankfully I have experience with this from Poland and I was very happy with that before.

I am also using essential oils and it calms my mind. I even started to write again (if I can call that "start" after 2 A4 format pages written). I wanted to read some Jonathan Carroll books but to my surprise there is just one book of this author in the city. In Poland he is very popular, so I am surprised and a bit dissapointed as I realy wanted to read his book in original language.

I am also thinking of a new hobby I could invest myself in and thought of Djembe. Did any of you experienced that? Just worried about the neighbors.

Also, we have a long term plan with my husband of going back home, which makes me feel more optimistic about staying for the "time being".

Hope everyone is well and safe!

[StrawberryCream]

Am pleased to hear that some things are more positive for you.

Drugs such as amitriptyline is very commonly and successfully used for neuropathic pain. It is also an antidepressant but the dosage is very different when it is used for pain. When used for pain it is a dose of around 50mgs but when used as an antidepressant the dose would be 150-200mgs. Your neurologist is not sneakily trying to get you on antidepressants. I take it for fibromyalgia which before it was diagnosed I was taking high doses of other painkillers that did not work and I was still in a lot of pain unable to sit, lie down or move comfortably. Amitriptyline has been brilliant at helping my pain and I am only on 30mgs. I wish I had taken it sooner.

[moo196 in reply to StrawberryCream]

Yep I use 10mg ( most nights but not all) amitrriptylene too... mine was prescribed as my alternative to tramadol which I had immediately post stroke ( I'm allergic to codeine and morphine).

Could your chinese doctor show you specific exercises for your back ? I know mine is worse sometimes ... but know how to control it. But sometimes meds help to break the pain cycle and could use them very short term ? Or could he do acupuncture ? I know this has helped me a lot in the past.

Other things sound positive for you