Quick Update

This will be just a really quick update. I am finding that my goal to blog more is being very quickly frustrated by an obnoxious migraine. I have a number of blog posts swarming around in my head but I can't write well when I hurt. I don't have patience, things don't come out the way I want them too, the computer screen hurts, I'm grumpy, I hate everything I write, and it just doesn't work. Right now I am on day #7 of another migraine, in addition to my daily facial pain. It's making everything difficult.

Yesterday I saw my new neurologist (this was my 3rd visit with him). We are in the process of getting pre-approval for Botox treatments for the migraines. They will be injections every 3 months but it might take up to a year of treatments before I will know how effective it will be for me. I discovered that I had 195 migraine days last year so I decided that's just a little bit ridiculous and this appears to be the next step for me so I'm just going to give it a try. If it doesn't help, then so be it. He also prescribed another new anti inflammatory to try and water pills for my ear pain, just in case it's related to menieres disease.  I have an appointment to see an ear specialist later this month to test for that.  I also had blood work done to test for the antibodies for Sjogrens disease which the eye Dr mentioned might be a possibility earlier in December since he thought I had severely dry eyes. The neurologist thought we might as well test for the antibodies. So. Ok. I am just a little frustrated because he thinks that all of my facial pain is related to my migraines and I don't really agree with him on that but he is very thorough and takes a lot of time listening and seems like a very good Dr on all other points so I have been willing to keep going to him. It's hard to overlook that frustration though. He doesn't think I have trigeminal neuralgia. Just migraines causing constant every day facial pain, plus other migraine pain. Whatever. Grrrrrr.

Tonight I have an overnight sleep study to test for sleep apnea. If it is negative then I will go on for step 2 in the process and have the daytime nap test for narcolepsy. The neurologist thinks my excessive daytime sleepiness and vivid dreams are abnormal and that this might mean I'm not getting quality sleep at night which could be contributing to my migraines and pain.  And I might have both conditions or either of them. So, I decided to go ahead and do the tests for them. I'm just hoping I can get to sleep with all the wires and everything connected to me and knowing someone is watching me sleep all night long.

Then Fri I have the ductogram scheduled for the discharge and pain I've been having for about a month. Not really looking forward to that. Just another problem I don't really want to be dealing with. They tested my prolactin levels already so it's most likely not a tumor on my pituitary gland in my brain (which also causes headaches - go figure) so that's a good thing.  It's just stressful all around.

Anyway - yesterday was also my birthday! I'm 39 now, which is really bizarre being just one year from 40.  I admit, I seem to always have unrealistic expectations for my birthday. I somehow never grew out of fantasies for the perfect birthday surprises, I'm not sure why, even though I know they will never ever come true (shh, these are little guilty confessions). But yesterday was particularly stinky spending about 4 hrs shuttling from the neurologist, to the hospital for blood work, to the store for prescriptions, all with a terrible migraine. It's ok though. My family loves me and I have good friends who sent me kind facebook messages. What more could I want, right?

Just a really crazy week. And that's the quick update for now! Sorry I can't manage much more than that for the time being.