Clonidine
Last Thursday, Amy Wout, my Penntex nurse came by the facility to update my intrathecal pump. Dr. Rush ordered a double dosage of the newer medication clonidine. Amy filled that script by injecting both Baclofen (kept at the same dosage) and clonidine. The initial dosage of clonidine did slightly help my spasms but not significantly. The hope is for the increased clonidine would further decrease my spasms in the pain in my legs and body.
As explained to me by Dr. Rush, clonidine is to help enhance the effectiveness of Baclofen toward my legs. I was supposed to start feeling the effects Saturday afternoon (two days after I was given the dosage increase) but it has not really helped. There’s great difficulty getting me through the day without taking some type of pain medication for my legs. It’s even difficult for me being in bed for a few hours comfortably, which really hasn’t happened before.
I have some good days where the pain and discomfort isn’t as bad. But I was unable to finish watching the Super Bowl because the pain was too great and I had to lay nearly flat out on the bad to alleviate the discomfort. I have a virtual visit with Dr. Rush on February 19 (the day after I get the rest of my gallstones cleared out). If things haven’t improved by then, I’ll ask to be put back on the prialt or some type of combination including that medication.
Prialt controlled the pain and the spasms more effectively when I took it before. Clonidine, is a medication used to treat ADHD and hypertension. I don’t really have issues with either one of those.
I’ll get through this next week and a half as best as I can. Send some prayers and good mojo my way trying to deal with this until I can’t get properly medicated.
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