u/maryofboston

Had a good IFS therapy session today and my homework was to come up with ways to connect to Self. For me it’s usually prayer, meditation, etc…as in ways that don’t involve substances or mistaking any kind of “high” for connectedness or self.

Us AuDHD folks have higher struggles with addiction so I’m curious if anyone else here has identified a Part that is the voice of addiction specifically? My therapist said usually an addictive part turns out to be a firefighter

48 yo female, injured back while running, had sciatica x 9 months and did conservative treatment (PT, TENS, chiropractic etc), had microdiskectomy which failed and disc reherniated. Had L4-5 fusion, went through many months healing with ongoing pain, eventually made 100% recovery.

3 weeks ago I started a new desk job (remote nursing: prior to this I had a patient care job so I was on my feet all day). I’d also started taking aikido classes for exercise and really enjoy it.

Then last week I woke up one day with sciatica on my right side, exactly like I had years ago. Pain deep in right buttock, radiating down the leg all the way down to the plantar foot most into 4th and 5th toe. Burning numb tingling pain.

Two days ago I got a video urgent care visit and the doctor put me on a steroid taper and muscle relaxer. I’ve started icing and I’ve taken some Epsom salt baths. I got CBD cream to try.

Complications: I had gastric bypass 10 years ago so I’m not supposed to take ibuprofen and that: I use Tylenol but it doesn’t really do anything. I’m also in recovery so I’d like to avoid opioids if possible.

I haven’t followed up with a surgeon in a few years and I’ve since moved to a new state.

Has anyone else had a return of sciatica so many years after fusion? I’m terrified that the recent changes I’ve done, albeit positive , have knocked my hardware loose or damaged me again. Surgery and recovery was hell, and I also got physically dependent on opioids which led me to go in suboxone which was a whole other messed up thing.

I plan on calling a neurosurgeon group Monday to see if I can get in soon.

48 yo female, injured back while running, had sciatica x 9 months and did conservative treatment (PT, TENS, chiropractic etc), had microdiskectomy which failed and disc reherniated. Had L4-5 fusion, went through many months healing with ongoing pain, eventually made 100% recovery.

3 weeks ago I started a new desk job (remote nursing: prior to this I had a patient care job so I was on my feet all day). I’d also started taking aikido classes for exercise and really enjoy it.

Then last week I woke up one day with sciatica on my right side, exactly like I had years ago. Pain deep in right buttock, radiating down the leg all the way down to the plantar foot most into 4th and 5th toe. Burning numb tingling pain.

Two days ago I got a video urgent care visit and the doctor put me on a steroid taper and muscle relaxer. I’ve started icing and I’ve taken some Epsom salt baths. I got CBD cream to try.

Complications: I had gastric bypass 10 years ago so I’m not supposed to take ibuprofen and that: I use Tylenol but it doesn’t really do anything. I’m also in recovery so I’d like to avoid opioids if possible.

I haven’t followed up with a surgeon in a few years and I’ve since moved to a new state.

Has anyone else had a return of sciatica so many years after fusion? I’m terrified that the recent changes I’ve done, albeit positive , have knocked my hardware loose or damaged me again. Surgery and recovery was hell, and I also got physically dependent on opioids which led me to go in suboxone which was a whole other messed up thing.

I plan on calling a neurosurgeon group Monday to see if I can get in soon.

Bipolar type 2: lamictal has been the one consistent drug I’ve been on since diagnosis 11 years ago.

Other drugs: clonidine, naltrexone

I was monitored by psychiatrists but when I moved down to Atlanta I found a virtual nurse practitioner who I could get in with the quickest. She seemed nice enough (I’m also a nurse but no advanced practice).

I have other stuff on top of BP: autism, presumed ADHD (my NP won’t try a stimulant with me because I’m in recovery for alcohol and I’m on naltrexone; she does have me on atomexatine and I honestly don’t know if it helps)

Last couple months had a lot of stressors : fired from jobs, money trouble, and she increased my lamictal to the “ceiling dose” (her words) of 700mg daily. She gave me a very small script for a benzo to help me sleep because anxiety wouldn’t let me sleep. That drug has now stopped and I’m sleeping ok.

I started having side effects a couple weeks ago about a week after the dose increase: blurry vision, and dropping things like pick up a cup and just drop it (ataxia).

In talking with other bipolar folks they said 700mg is an unheard of dose and i should get seen in person and med review by an actual Md psychiatrist .

Fortunately I have a new job and new insurance and I did find a local psych practice but they’re booking out into mid June. I sent in all the paperwork and they’re “reviewing “ it to see if they’ll take me as a patient. Finding an actual MD who can see you relatively quickly is such a PITA.

In the meantime my NP said let’s reduce the lamictal to 300mg daily and see if it reduces the symptoms. I next have a scheduled appt with her mid May.

I just feel…flat and unmotivated. I mean I was expecting something like that to happen, and I am learning a new job and that takes a lot of brain power. I’m not feeling violent or suicidal , I did have a little autism overload meltdown last night at a class from sensory overload but did recover quickly.

I’m seeing in this group no one taking nearly as high as 700mg daily, but some folks talking about having bad withdrawals going down on dosing. I don’t want to throw shade at NPs but maybe this one isn’t good enough for me anymore? Like I can’t be that terrible if it takes an actual MD to figure out my meds? lol

Anyone else’s experience with a dose adjustment of this size etc is appreciated , thanks and be well