Lyrica

You know, I am taking Lyrica now for the neuropathy extremis.  That and Gabapentin.  

My only complaints for a year (I could only get to a doctor in August of 2020, but I would have whined sooner in a normal year) were "My back hurts, and I can't feel my feet."

Anything that helped those 2 things was what I wanted.  Don't tell me it is blood cancer or lymph node cancer or bone cancer.   I don't care.  Make the back pain and numbness go away.  That's the need.  Knowing why is a kinda useful want.   I've been getting what I want, but not what I need.

Thing is.  My back hurts less.  And it is coincident with the Lyrica.  First piece of good news if that is actually helping.  

You've seen the pain scale.  

I was 3 4 5 (Bees?) until they fried some nerves in my back with radio waves.  Sadly, that only made it 2 3 4.  But better than nothing.

Oxycontin gets it down to 1 2 3, but that is very temporary.  So is a pack of steroids  1 2 3, but only for two weeks, then back up.  And you can't do more of those for a long while.

I might be 1 2 3 right now.  Hooray!  Lyrica!  Supposed to fix my feet, but fixed my back instead.  I notice no real improvement with the numbness.  Could be a coincidence, but I will take it.  Improvement is greater than placebo.  

But a plus to the neuropathy.  I get wounds in my hands just doing normal that bleed like crazy and would hurt like the dickens normally.   I only notice it when blood gets on stuff. 

New complaint though.  Listlessness.  Easily fatigued.  Shortness of breath with any mild exercise.  The Cancer causes that.  Dropping my red blood cell and hemoglobin numbers.  Simulates anemia.  Had this symptom long before starting Lyrica, so it's not a side effect.  

The anemia lowers my blood pressure, too.  Which is a plus because it was pushing 140/90 this time two years ago.  110/70 and dropping now.

Listless, like "Lets get a load of laundry downstairs and in the washer.  Tomorrow I'll have the energy to go back down there and swap to the dryer."  I combine tasks as much as possible.  Make every trip accomplish two things.  "The kettle is whistling, better grab some trash since I am heading to the kitchen for coffee."  That sort.