Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Lupus is painful

For the last couple of weeks I have needed some heavy pain killers to get me through the night. But I always fear becoming addicted and needing them to sleep. So last night I decided I can do it, I can sleep without them. Boy was I wrong.

I am not a big pill popper, so I always look for ways out of taking medication. But with narcotics I am super careful. I don't like to take them every night and I don't like to take them after midnight (for fear of not being able to get up in the morning).

So last night I thought I could handle it. I thought I could sleep without issues. I was sore when i laid down but I didn't think much of it. Then at 1:00 I was awake, in pain. A lot of pain. I tried to get comfortable. I just couldn't. The only way I can describe it is it feels like someone beat me with a baseball bat. The covers on the bed were too heavy, the weight of my body on my hips shot pain down my legs. So I got up. I wasn't willing to pop the narcotics.

I watched tv, walked around the living room. Sat down, laid down, anythin position that would ease the pain for just a few minutes. After an hour of bad TV I knew I had to try and go back to bed and yes take those pain pills.

I opted for my lesser dose meds in hopes of being able to get up in the morning. it took anoth 45 minutes of me laying there getting comfortable and waiting for the pain to go away. When it finally did sleep came back. Getting up this morning was extremely difficult. My joints were stiff and bearing weight on my joints was painful. But I have to get up. If I let Lupus win every day I will go no where. I need to win the battles.


BENLYSTA Update: I was approved for Benlysta over a week ago. But we have to go through my mail order pharmacy. Not sure why but it's frustrating. Last Monday I called and was told the RX was written for the full amount my insurance allows so they had a call into the doctor for a new RX. Then Saturday I get a call asking if I approve the medication and if I approve it to be shipped... um YES. But they can't ship it until they talk to my doctors office and confirm they will receive it. So HOPEFULLY yesterday my doctors office called them back and confirmed that yes they will receive the medication so it would be shipped. This is really frustrating. And to add to this awesome flare I am angry. Could the Benlysta have prevented what I went through? I don't know, but I am hopeful that I wont have to go through another night like that one.

1 comment:

BD said...

I feel the same way about the pain killers, and of course the hangover effect. The same way with muscle relaxers. I probably wouldn't mind so much if I didn't work but getting up in the morning is my fear. Finding alternatives is the tricky part.