Week 77

I haven't updated this blog for a few weeks now   So what has been going on in 'Dan's world' in those last 14 days, you're probably not thinking. 

I have been talking about the fatigue issues I was  having. 'Was!' he spoke of it in the past tense. Hurrah! At this point, I feel that I should apologise for my bad grammar, because 'was' should've said 'am'. Why did i just write all that nonsense? I genuinely have no idea. So why haven't I done anything about it? Well, I have. When I spoke to my MS Specialist nurse recently, she told me that she couldn't request my Doctor prescribe me vitamin B12 injections unless I was actually deficient in iB12.  She also said I would need to come in and see them if I was after medication for fatigue. My endeavours had basically drew a blank then. 

More drugs are a last resort for me, so I booked an appointment to see my GP last week. The earliest I can get in as a 'non emergency' appointment is in TWO weeks time (it's in five days if you're reading this on Friday). I'll be attending with  all of my extremities crossed as an aid to the hope that I am lacking in vitamin B12. 

By the time I write next week, I should have some answers for

you which (unlike this blog) means I should actually have something worth talking about to say. 

I have had some toilet issues recently. On two occasions this year, I have been in a situation where I didn't have the necessary control of my bowels. In layman's terms - I shit myself! What a horrendous experience that was. The first time, I was at home, but the last one was in public. Fortunately, I was in an MS therapy centre where I attend on a Friday. So although I was 'out', it wasn't 'out-out', if you know what I mean. 

If it happens once, you can put it down to food poisoning, or a virus, or that dodgy kebab you had at the end of a drunken night out. But twice? The alarm bells are ringing here and I know I have to do something about it. I could change my diet. It contains a lot of fruit and a lot of dairy products, neither of which I really want to cut down on, let alone stop. More drugs then?

Diarrhoea (thank you, autocorrect) is a side effect people can get from taking Gilenya. There is no way I am thinking along these lines though, because I've been taking the drug for nearly 18 months now, so it would've reared its ugly head a long time ago if that were the case. I'm going to ask my Doctor for some Loperamide. It hardens stools and I know a couple of MSers with bowel problems that take it and highly recommend it. 

I've got a list of requests as long as your arm for the Doctor when I finally get to see them. 

Have fun this weekend. 

Dan

Week 74

Fatigue has been back in my life recently for the first time in about 12 months. I'm quite content that its reoccurrence is in no way related to Gilenya. I don't know whether it has receded, or if I've just got used to it. It is quarter past nine in the evening and I'm wide awake. I'm probably not helping the situation much because as well as stimulating my tiny mind by doing this diary entry, I have got the darts on telly and nearly all the lights on in the flat. Phil Taylor has just got spanked 7-0, if you're interested 

I did tell myself that I wouldn't leave these blogs until the last minute, but just like most weeks, I have done exactly that. It is Thursday evening. I like to publish it on Friday mornings, that way I know where I am with regards to the current week I am in. 

I did seriously consider not doing a blog this week because there isn't much going on with me other than the fatigue. 

I did leave a message with my MS nurse a week ago, but I never heard back. They are very busy and nearly always return your call the next day, two at the absolute most. It's never taken this long for them to get in touch, so I can only assume my answerphone message has got lost in their voicemail system somewhere   I did leave them another message to call me. Hopefully they'll contact me before I post this blog tomorrow morning. If they do this blog will be even longer and more boring. Sorry. 

I looked into medication for fatigue. I'm going to see if they can write a letter to my GP asking them to give me some vitamin B12 injections. I know a few MSers who regularly have these jabs. Is it 3 monthly? I'm not an expert at all on this, but people that are anaemic tend to have them with that regularity. 

There is a drug that has been suggested that's called Seledigine. I think it's spelt like that. There are other treatments called Modafinil and Amantadine. I'll be honest here, I'm not keen on the drug route. I pollute my body with many toxins as it is. Think I'll go for B12 if allowed   

Do something silly this weekend. 

Dan