Neurology and such

I saw my new neurologist today. Dr. Lin is cheerful and kind, and also compassionate. We talked about everything openly. She wants to increase my seizure medication. She wants me to try Savella for two weeks and got me a sample pack. She gave me sample packs of three different migraine medications. We set up another appointment for next month so she can track my progress. The best part, however, was that she mentioned vitamins and supplements. I told her everything I was taking, and she replied to each with a hearty "Good!" She wants me to double my intake of Omega-3 and Vitamin D, take at least 200 mg of CoQ10, and take 400 mcg of Riboflavin. She also told me to keep taking Valerian and Passionflower.

As far as the Savella goes, I'm going to take everything in the sample pack. If I think it works, it's going to be a choice between my flares and my wallet. I looked up the price on my health plan's website. Golden Rule doesn't actually pay for my prescriptions, but allows me to pay the lowest price they can get out of my own pocket. I have to then mail in the receipts to the claim office, and it will be put toward my deductible. This usually works out in my favor, particularly with generic drugs. Savella, however, is brand only. Even with my insurance, I would have to pay sixty dollars for a thirty day supply. I don't think I can do that. But we shall see if the Savella is really worth that. I'm lucky enough to even have some kind of health plan, anyway.

Dr. Lin reminded me that if I am still having seizures while on medication, even once a month or less, that means my seizures are not controlled. I agree that I probably should be on 1200 mg at this point. And because Trileptal is one of the seizure drugs being considered off-label for fibromyalgia treatment, I may get that extra benefit on the higher dose. I may not need the Savella. We'll see. The Savella, I'm told, is a very decisive drug. For most fibromyalgia patients, it either works beautifully quickly or causes horrible effects quickly. So I might just want to stick to the Trileptal and Soma.

I am just happy to have a neurologist who I feel I can really work with.

Neurology and such

I saw my new neurologist today. Dr. Lin is cheerful and kind, and also compassionate. We talked about everything openly. She wants to increase my seizure medication. She wants me to try Savella for two weeks and got me a sample pack. She gave me sample packs of three different migraine medications. We set up another appointment for next month so she can track my progress. The best part, however, was that she mentioned vitamins and supplements. I told her everything I was taking, and she replied to each with a hearty "Good!" She wants me to double my intake of Omega-3 and Vitamin D, take at least 200 mg of CoQ10, and take 400 mcg of Riboflavin. She also told me to keep taking Valerian and Passionflower.

As far as the Savella goes, I'm going to take everything in the sample pack. If I think it works, it's going to be a choice between my flares and my wallet. I looked up the price on my health plan's website. Golden Rule doesn't actually pay for my prescriptions, but allows me to pay the lowest price they can get out of my own pocket. I have to then mail in the receipts to the claim office, and it will be put toward my deductible. This usually works out in my favor, particularly with generic drugs. Savella, however, is brand only. Even with my insurance, I would have to pay sixty dollars for a thirty day supply. I don't think I can do that. But we shall see if the Savella is really worth that. I'm lucky enough to even have some kind of health plan, anyway.

Dr. Lin reminded me that if I am still having seizures while on medication, even once a month or less, that means my seizures are not controlled. I agree that I probably should be on 1200 mg at this point. And because Trileptal is one of the seizure drugs being considered off-label for fibromyalgia treatment, I may get that extra benefit on the higher dose. I may not need the Savella. We'll see. The Savella, I'm told, is a very decisive drug. For most fibromyalgia patients, it either works beautifully quickly or causes horrible effects quickly. So I might just want to stick to the Trileptal and Soma.

I am just happy to have a neurologist who I feel I can really work with.

Neurology and such

I saw my new neurologist today. Dr. Lin is cheerful and kind, and also compassionate. We talked about everything openly. She wants to increase my seizure medication. She wants me to try Savella for two weeks and got me a sample pack. She gave me sample packs of three different migraine medications. We set up another appointment for next month so she can track my progress. The best part, however, was that she mentioned vitamins and supplements. I told her everything I was taking, and she replied to each with a hearty "Good!" She wants me to double my intake of Omega-3 and Vitamin D, take at least 200 mg of CoQ10, and take 400 mcg of Riboflavin. She also told me to keep taking Valerian and Passionflower.

As far as the Savella goes, I'm going to take everything in the sample pack. If I think it works, it's going to be a choice between my flares and my wallet. I looked up the price on my health plan's website. Golden Rule doesn't actually pay for my prescriptions, but allows me to pay the lowest price they can get out of my own pocket. I have to then mail in the receipts to the claim office, and it will be put toward my deductible. This usually works out in my favor, particularly with generic drugs. Savella, however, is brand only. Even with my insurance, I would have to pay sixty dollars for a thirty day supply. I don't think I can do that. But we shall see if the Savella is really worth that. I'm lucky enough to even have some kind of health plan, anyway.

Dr. Lin reminded me that if I am still having seizures while on medication, even once a month or less, that means my seizures are not controlled. I agree that I probably should be on 1200 mg at this point. And because Trileptal is one of the seizure drugs being considered off-label for fibromyalgia treatment, I may get that extra benefit on the higher dose. I may not need the Savella. We'll see. The Savella, I'm told, is a very decisive drug. For most fibromyalgia patients, it either works beautifully quickly or causes horrible effects quickly. So I might just want to stick to the Trileptal and Soma.

I am just happy to have a neurologist who I feel I can really work with.

Neurology and such

I saw my new neurologist today. Dr. Lin is cheerful and kind, and also compassionate. We talked about everything openly. She wants to increase my seizure medication. She wants me to try Savella for two weeks and got me a sample pack. She gave me sample packs of three different migraine medications. We set up another appointment for next month so she can track my progress. The best part, however, was that she mentioned vitamins and supplements. I told her everything I was taking, and she replied to each with a hearty "Good!" She wants me to double my intake of Omega-3 and Vitamin D, take at least 200 mg of CoQ10, and take 400 mcg of Riboflavin. She also told me to keep taking Valerian and Passionflower.

As far as the Savella goes, I'm going to take everything in the sample pack. If I think it works, it's going to be a choice between my flares and my wallet. I looked up the price on my health plan's website. Golden Rule doesn't actually pay for my prescriptions, but allows me to pay the lowest price they can get out of my own pocket. I have to then mail in the receipts to the claim office, and it will be put toward my deductible. This usually works out in my favor, particularly with generic drugs. Savella, however, is brand only. Even with my insurance, I would have to pay sixty dollars for a thirty day supply. I don't think I can do that. But we shall see if the Savella is really worth that. I'm lucky enough to even have some kind of health plan, anyway.

Dr. Lin reminded me that if I am still having seizures while on medication, even once a month or less, that means my seizures are not controlled. I agree that I probably should be on 1200 mg at this point. And because Trileptal is one of the seizure drugs being considered off-label for fibromyalgia treatment, I may get that extra benefit on the higher dose. I may not need the Savella. We'll see. The Savella, I'm told, is a very decisive drug. For most fibromyalgia patients, it either works beautifully quickly or causes horrible effects quickly. So I might just want to stick to the Trileptal and Soma.

I am just happy to have a neurologist who I feel I can really work with.

Savella, Day One

One 12.5 mg tablet at 6:30 pm.

Two and a half hours later:
Well, it does seem like I'm sensitive to this. I took one 12.5 mg pill and I'm experiencing the following:
Severe dry mouth and severe dry eye, constipation, headache, blurred vision, numbness and tingling, grinding my teeth constantly, muscle twitches especially on the left side, restless feeling, mild sinus pain, neck pain, and an overall sensation that wavers between "Wheee!" and "Meh." If I scratch my head or brush my hair, I feel high.

I'll just keep going, since this is only the first dose. If the side effects get worse, I'll call the neurologist as soon as possible. If the side effects reduce or fade, that's fantastic. My mother, who I talked to over the phone, offered to send money so I could afford the sixty dollars a month. Sixty dollars for thirty pills really isn't anything compared to no insurance. Savella is extremely expensive, and there is no generic option. But it might be worth it.

Day one has been documented.

Savella, Day One

One 12.5 mg tablet at 6:30 pm.

Two and a half hours later:
Well, it does seem like I'm sensitive to this. I took one 12.5 mg pill and I'm experiencing the following:
Severe dry mouth and severe dry eye, constipation, headache, blurred vision, numbness and tingling, grinding my teeth constantly, muscle twitches especially on the left side, restless feeling, mild sinus pain, neck pain, and an overall sensation that wavers between "Wheee!" and "Meh." If I scratch my head or brush my hair, I feel high.

I'll just keep going, since this is only the first dose. If the side effects get worse, I'll call the neurologist as soon as possible. If the side effects reduce or fade, that's fantastic. My mother, who I talked to over the phone, offered to send money so I could afford the sixty dollars a month. Sixty dollars for thirty pills really isn't anything compared to no insurance. Savella is extremely expensive, and there is no generic option. But it might be worth it.

Day one has been documented.

Savella, Day One

One 12.5 mg tablet at 6:30 pm.

Two and a half hours later:
Well, it does seem like I'm sensitive to this. I took one 12.5 mg pill and I'm experiencing the following:
Severe dry mouth and severe dry eye, constipation, headache, blurred vision, numbness and tingling, grinding my teeth constantly, muscle twitches especially on the left side, restless feeling, mild sinus pain, neck pain, and an overall sensation that wavers between "Wheee!" and "Meh." If I scratch my head or brush my hair, I feel high.

I'll just keep going, since this is only the first dose. If the side effects get worse, I'll call the neurologist as soon as possible. If the side effects reduce or fade, that's fantastic. My mother, who I talked to over the phone, offered to send money so I could afford the sixty dollars a month. Sixty dollars for thirty pills really isn't anything compared to no insurance. Savella is extremely expensive, and there is no generic option. But it might be worth it.

Day one has been documented.

Savella, Day One

One 12.5 mg tablet at 6:30 pm.

Two and a half hours later:
Well, it does seem like I'm sensitive to this. I took one 12.5 mg pill and I'm experiencing the following:
Severe dry mouth and severe dry eye, constipation, headache, blurred vision, numbness and tingling, grinding my teeth constantly, muscle twitches especially on the left side, restless feeling, mild sinus pain, neck pain, and an overall sensation that wavers between "Wheee!" and "Meh." If I scratch my head or brush my hair, I feel high.

I'll just keep going, since this is only the first dose. If the side effects get worse, I'll call the neurologist as soon as possible. If the side effects reduce or fade, that's fantastic. My mother, who I talked to over the phone, offered to send money so I could afford the sixty dollars a month. Sixty dollars for thirty pills really isn't anything compared to no insurance. Savella is extremely expensive, and there is no generic option. But it might be worth it.

Day one has been documented.