Pain Specialist Appointment

This is as much for my information and records as for anything else as I guess in a way this is my 'diary' as I don't really keep a paper form, nor a journal despite the intention at times.

I saw the Pain Specialist in London yesterday. The pain in my right side when it is bad has spread somewhat a goes up the side of my face to my ear as well as down the right side of my body to my ribs and of course including the arm.  I told him about this and the fact that the Lidocaine Infusion appeared not to have helped at all, and nor were the Duloxetine doing a lot, apart from giving me frequent headaches.  My GP had wanted me to ask him about increasing the dose.  I was quite impressed the first time I saw him and also when I had my first infusion as he really seemed to listen a lot.  He still listened to me but seemed more concerned at first about the Chiari this time and was asking when I was next seeing the Neurologist, did I have any follow up appointments etc... I feel now that every time I have a problem it is going to be put down to the Chiari Malformation instead of as a result of this *** Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Decompression Surgery I had over three years ago, from which I have had pain from ever since!  In the end he did agree it was the same problem and I wasn't getting any other symptoms from the CM...and has booked me in for another Lidocaine Infusion next Wednesday.  We are going to leave the Duloxetine as is at the moment so no other variables have changed to see if the Lidocaine helps this time.  I sure hope it does.  When the pain is just at the usual level I feel I can cope and then it flares up like it did at the end of last week and I know that something needs to be done.  

I still think about my music and how hard I worked to get my Honours Degree and Masters and how I only really got to fully use them for about a year after completion before I had the operation and now am unable to play and haven't done for some time now.  I miss it, and still think I should just try and forget about how I ever did play now.  I had had thoughts about joining the local choir to get my 'fix' of music, but am not sure I really have the confidence to try singing.  I'm not really convinced I will be able to, after all that is why I played a wind instrument after all!  How does one really give up something that they spent some many years doing?  I have played since I was 7 years old.  Perhaps a final break from hanging on by the thread would be good.  Forget that I ever was a musician and music teacher.

Anyway I am going to try going back on to my Raw Foods diet to see if that will help get rid of the headaches even though I am still on medication.  It is worth a try that is for sure.  

In the meantime I will get on with things and forget feeling sorry for myself.  Yesterday was just a bit of shock to me that is all as I wasn't expecting him to talk so much about the Chiari and the worry of getting Syringomyelia and it does feel as if I am walking round with a time bomb inside of me waiting to go off.