feuervogel: photo of the statue of Victory and her chariot on the Brandenburg Gate (Default)
As I suspected: severe menstrual migraine with abdominal involvement. The neuro said I'm a "very interesting young woman," because my symptoms aren't necessarily bizarre, just ... an unusual constellation, I suppose. I wonder if it's "case report in JNeuro or Cephalalgia" interesting...

He's given me muscle relaxants for the massive tension from neck to hip (finally!) and he wants me to take a triptan daily for the time leading up to my period. He wrote for Frova, but Blue Cross wants prior auth for that (they prefer sumatriptan, Maxalt, or Relpax). So I left a message at their office saying unless there's a medical reason to use Frova (there might be; I recall it having a longer half-life or something), I'd prefer one of their preferred, so I can have a lower copay.

He sent me for a fuckton of labs -- by which I mean LabCorp just billed BCBS $2700. He's checking my estrogen level, sedimentation rates, some fancier thyroid function tests (T3, to see whether I need to add Cytomel to my Synthroid because I'm not converting T4 to T3 properly), uh... I forget, but they took 3 tiger-tops, 2 orange-tops, and a lavender. At least one of the tubes had to be frozen.

And he said I have to stop drinking daily caffeine, or at least try it and see if it makes my headaches stop (though the withdrawal headache will suck). Apparently, the type of neck tension I have can be related to and worsened by a caffeine habit. But I can still have it 2 days a week, so my Saturday morning Cup a Joe is not threatened. (At least I like herbal teas?)

I have a follow-up visit on 11/24. Ben, dear, what time do your parents get in?

Date: 2010-11-02 05:39 pm (UTC)From: [personal profile] kirin
kirin: Kirin Esper from Final Fantasy VI (Default)
Looks like 8:50pm, so you should be in the clear.

Date: 2010-11-02 05:42 pm (UTC)From: [identity profile] madmanatw.livejournal.com
Very glad to hear that progress has been made.

Date: 2010-11-02 06:25 pm (UTC)From: [personal profile] tiercel
tiercel: (Default)
Holy cow, actual knowledge. Excellent. I mean, aside from the actual illness, which is not excellent.

Date: 2010-11-02 06:58 pm (UTC)From: [identity profile] thesmallwonder.livejournal.com
Good luck with the tests. At least this dude sounds like he's giving it a good go on finding out what's happening.

Date: 2010-11-02 07:34 pm (UTC)From: [personal profile] beth_leonard
beth_leonard: (Default)
Yay! A diagnosis in a case like this is so comforting.

--Beth

Date: 2010-11-02 08:11 pm (UTC)From: [identity profile] steuard.livejournal.com
I'm tremendously glad that you've got something that sounds fairly definitive (though with room for refinements based on tests). Medical mysteries make me nervous for some reason.

Date: 2010-11-02 08:58 pm (UTC)From: [identity profile] tammylee.livejournal.com
Finally, eh?!
I'm glad he's been able to provide you with some relief!
*HUGS*

Date: 2010-11-03 02:51 am (UTC)From: [identity profile] leora.livejournal.com
I'm glad you have a diagnosis and a treatment plan. I'm sorry you need to give up caffeine.

Date: 2010-11-03 03:26 pm (UTC)From: [identity profile] leora.livejournal.com
I meant the temporary detox. I had to temporarily give up caffeine for a while due to a short span on a drug that would conflict, and I know I didn't like it, and I didn't even have to deal with withdrawal headaches that I recall. That plus headaches, it's just annoying. So, I wish you didn't have to. But the later partial usage is good, because it's certainly a lot nicer to be able to have something you like now and then than to have to give it up entirely. I know that psychologically I find that I often am happy to not have something for long periods of time, but if it is forbidden, then I miss it more. If I can have it now and then, then it is much easier to do without for intervals.

Anyhow, diagnosis and a plan for treatment is really great. :)

Date: 2010-11-03 06:57 am (UTC)From: [identity profile] anacoluthon.livejournal.com
Hooray for a diagnosis! I hope things get easier from here.

Date: 2010-11-05 01:54 pm (UTC)From: [identity profile] skogkatt.livejournal.com
No daily coffee? Sad! But yay for a diagnosis and the possibility of actually feeling better for real! I really hope this is the right solution.

Profile

feuervogel: photo of the statue of Victory and her chariot on the Brandenburg Gate (Default)
feuervogel

May 2025

M T W T F S S
   1234
567891011
121314151617 18
192021 22232425
262728293031 

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Page generated 25 May 2025 08:15 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios