For those of you who have been following my journey to the drug trial, I quit the study. After two weeks on the test medication (not a placebo) I had some side effects with which I wasnt' willing to live. Other than the side effects, the medication worked nicely. It's called Lyrica (Pregablin). I probably could have done with about half the dose.
I slept throug the night, had far less pain, and for the most part could concentrate.
It's possible that had I stayed on the medication, the side effects would have tapered off.
I have learned a very valuable lesson from this. Having to taper off the other drugs, made me take a hard look at the way I live my life. Some of how I spend my time and live my life might be contributing to pain. While I was tapering off the other medications I doulbed my excercise and also started spending more time reading and considering the scriptures. I pray more now also.
Those all help emensly. I never exactly new what meditation was until, I looked at a passage of scripture and then worked through all that it meant, considering it in my mind or writing about it in a journal. It calmed my spirit, and helped me sleep.
Too bad there isn't a doctor that could prescribe along faith lines, not just pharmaceutical lines.
More and more I am reminded that nothing that comes into my life has taken God by surprise. I am a Christian, and God has allowed this pain in my life for a reason (Romans 8:28). Living and working through that truth has strengthened my faith, and in the process has brought me some relief.
Adam