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August 20, 2014
August 20: Stronger Every Day
It has now been more than a year since my procedure. I didn't commemorate the anniversary in any special way. No dinner out, no party, not even a blog entry. That's because for the last 9 months I've been working and progressing slowly and steadily. I haven't achieved any milestones or had any breakthroughs. I haven't cured my woes or reverted into a shell. I've been working out, thinking positive, and concentrating on my posture, gait, and motion. I'm lifting weights, running, and doing hyperthermic conditioning. I've been steadily decreasing the dosage of my last remaining medication. I've gotten to the point where dropping it any further causes discomfort. It's good that I've found this minimum required amount, but it's frustrating that I can't decrease it further.
I really would like to wean myself from this last medication. If not for reasons like potential side effects of long-term usage then for the principle of overcoming a challenge. In order to quit the medication, I've researched some alternate treatments for my neuropathic pain. There are a few classes of drugs that are usually used to treat my symptoms. The first, anticonvulsants, is what I'm currently taking. The second, SNRIs, often have negative side-effects. The third, local anesthetics, seem to only provide moderate benefits. The fourth, opiates, have all the pros and cons usually associated with opiates. Since none of these stood out, I decided to investigate alternative medicine. Western doctors don't understand it, but there have been numerous studies in which acupuncture has been an effective treatment for dozens of conditions. I don't think Qi is real, and I don't know how sticking needles into your skin would activate it anyway, but there have been very few gory deaths from impalement by acupuncture needle. It was a low risk option with potentially great rewards. I found a practitioner, made an appointment, filled out a 12-page questionnaire, and went for a session.
The acupuncturist's office was like a massage therapy room. Dim lights, white noise machine, babbling fountain, and quiet ambient music helped to set a relaxing tone. The therapist was interested in my full medical history and symptoms. I think he was a bit disappointed that my issues only manifested in my right hand and foot. He noted that most of his clients have a myriad of internal problems but was ready to try to help me anyway. He was unsure at first whether his therapy would be of benefit but said we'd know pretty quickly. He indicated that people with neuropathy from different causes tend to feel immediate relief from acupuncture but was not sure that my cause fit the pattern. Indeed, the needles didn't do anything for me. He inserted needles into my left hand and foot, all the while poking my right side and checking for sensations. Every time, I said, "feels the same." He eventually acquiesced and said he didn't think he'd be able to treat my symptoms. He did offer me a "traditional" relaxational acupuncture session. I had needles jabbed into my back, neck, arms, and legs, and lay face down on the table for the remaining 20 minutes of our session. I left relaxed but unchanged.
So it's back to the medication for me. There are a few other options in the anticonvulsant category that I can try, including the prodrug (precursor) variant to my current medication. It is supposed to last longer and have higher bioavailability than my current drug, so I've reached out to my neurologist about it. Its use would be off-label for me, but my doctor seemed willing to try it anyway, especially since it's so similar to my current prescription.
There is no magic bullet, only time and effort.
Posted by jon at August 20, 2014 10:52 PM