February Health Update Living With Chronic Pain

Today I am sharing my February Health update. I really enjoy writing about my health on a monthly basis because I find it therapeutic and a great way to process and think about what’s going on with my body.

You can read my January 2019 health update here!

February Health Update

Contents

I feel pleased as I’ve not had as many hospital appointments this month as I did in January and the pressure of attending appointments when feeling so unwell has been reduced.

So here is my February Health update.

Angela x

Toothache Improvements

I am pleased to share that in February I had my final three fillings completed. I only have one problem tooth left, (a tooth that needs a root canal) and I’ve been told to wait until May for treatment.

According to NHS dental rules, you need to be 3 months cavity-free before a root canal can commence. I’ve had a little pain but nothing like I was suffering last year and in January and I’ve been able to keep it under control with Clove Oil from Doterra.

I was given a mouth guard to use at night to help prevent grinding my teeth in my sleep and that should make sure the temporary filling covering the problem tooth does not drop out.

If in May my mouth is decay-free still, I will begin the process of the root canal.

Iron Levels, Vitamin D, Folate and B12.

I had my 3 monthly B12 injections at the start of February. I also visited the doctor for a blood test form to enable me to check my Vitamin D, Iron levels and other essential vitamins which I have issues with.

The doctors are pretty rubbish when it comes to blood tests and I was asked to wait two weeks for my blood test or go up to the hospital to get it done. I opted to visit the hospital team for two reasons.

I won’t have to wait 2 weeks to check my Iron. If it is low still, I may need another Iron Infusion and don’t want to delay these results and make myself more unwell than I already feel.
The lady at the doctors often struggles to get blood out of my arm and sometimes gives up after two attempts and sends me to the hospital anyway. I might as well go straight there rather than wait two weeks and then be sent to the hospital.

Chronic Back Pain

For about 4 months now I have been suffering from chronic back pain. Whilst I had a toothache, I was on strong pain relief which helped both my teeth and back.

Now my toothache is under control the back and I’m off continual pain relief, my back really hurts. It hurts to the point it makes me feel nauseous and wants to vomit.

I am going to book to see the doctor about this. I’m not sure how they can help me though?

I did get a referral to the physiotherapist last year and had three sessions but as it’s chronic pain, not an injury, the physio just gives me exercises but they just don’t help the situation.

Last time I saw the GP about my Back pain, he told me to exercise more. I’m so unwell with other conditions that exercise is almost impossible.

I have however managed to get to the supermarket and walk around it once a week without feeling dizzy and like collapsing and when I told the doctor, he simply said pushing a trolley is not going to help me lose weight.

I actually felt a little bummed out by that. Walking around a supermarket instead of riding on a scooter is to be a huge improvement.

I have been reading my Essential Oils book which I got for Valentines Day and I’m going to order some Copaiba oil to massage into my back to see if it helps.

Infections Fungal and Bacteria

For the past three years, I have had chronic fungal infections under my breast. I have seen the GP about this on so many occasions as an infection can and does seriously affect my Adrenal Insufficiency.

The doctor gave me a monthly script of steroid cream which I’ve had to use continuously for the past two years. It simply doesn’t work properly and so in January I began using a blend of melaleuca and lavender oil on the area and I’m pleased to say for the first time in a few years I have been fungal-free for 3 whole weeks!

This means I can reduce my steroid medication which has been on a triple dose for so so long due to ongoing fungal infections.

I’ve gained 3 stone in weight over the past year and I know the fungal infections have seriously contributed to this. They can really use up my cortisol fast and make me really unwell.

Bacterial Infections

I am still having a problem with bacterial infections and I’m really not too sure what to do. For a whole month now, my cannula sites for my adrenal pump have continued to become infected repeatedly.

The doctor keeps giving me antibiotics but I that’s the solution. I need to find a way to prevent it, rather than to deal with it. Each time I have to take antibiotics, it screws up my tummy and makes me feel sick.

I am going to see the GP about this issue as I simply am not sure what to do to stop the infections from happening.

Adrenal Insufficiency

Due to ongoing infections and a flu virus that hit our family in February I’ve been on extra steroids a lot. I have gained more weight which sucks but I needed more medication to prevent serious symptoms that could put me in hospital.

I have had some Adrenal episodes and managed this with a bolus to my medication to improve my symptoms and stop the diarrhoea, headaches and stabbing pains that I get when low in cortisol.

My headaches are ongoing at the moment and I am doing my best to drink lots of fluids and manage the pain.

Weight Issues

Well, as you know I’ve gained 3 stone in the past year and the Bariatric team are not impressed. It’s been so hard as I’ve had so many issues such as low iron, chronic pain and exhaustion and I have not been able to exercise.

What I eat outweighs what I burn off, even when I attempt to be healthy and the steroids have not helped. It has been so hard.

I cancelled my appointment in Liverpool to see the Bariatric Dietician as I was unwell with a flu-type virus. I gave notice however I received a letter in the mail to say I had been discharged due to non-attendance.

I felt frustrated as I actually gave notice, however, I also felt a little relieved because the dietician appointments were really not doing anything to help. I was simply being told how much weight I’d gained, to eat healthier and lose weight.

For now, I think I’ll just leave it. I can get referred back in future if I need to but it really was a waste of time.

March Health Focus

So here is my health focus for March:

Get the results of my blood tests to see if I need further treatment.
Try to get support for my back pain.
Find out what I can do to help stop the cannula infections and research ways to kill any potential germs on my tummy.
Continue to eat home-cooked meals and get nutrition.
Drink more water.
Try to get back onto a single dose of steroids if my health permits.

I will also continue to rest more. I cut back to part-time blogging as I am simply too unwell at the moment and I’ll keep resting a lot to help pace and manage my symptoms the best I can.