I am wondering if I am the only one that feels this way -
I am a culinary (chef certified) teacher at a high school and I have 136 students. Lately, I am having a real hard time with the demands of the job; the increasing expectations that are added almost daily to me - and I am the only culinary arts teacher so it all falls on my shoulders and mine alone. This past week, I have come home after a long day and just cried for a while wondering how I am going to do it all with the pain hurting so bad. I have read some people saying we can and do have PTSD ... can that happen even without having a procedure done?
Been teaching for almost 8 years (not a newbie) and have had TN for about 14 months now. This is a new thing for me... I am a very strong person and very independent; but this is kickin' my butt!
Already taking Clonazepam 0.5mg every evening (this really puts me out) for anxiety...along with Trilpetal 900mg daily, Tegretal up to 500 - 600mg (used for breakthrough pain...alot lately) and Lyrica 75mg twice daily...zombie; yep. That is a BIG problem too...ugh.
Anyone else feel like your job is 'fightin' ya?' ...just afraid I am not going t be able to continue - scares me.
yes cris everyday!! I am also a teacher I teach young 5's and some days I dread going I have had this for 3 years but the first 2 years i had a long remission and never knew it would come back because the dr never told me anything this year as been the worst i also have 2 small kids and some days it takes everything i have to go to work and then come home and be a mom but i dont want them to remember me as being in pain so i am being strong for them my husband and i have talked about trying to get disablity for me especially if we cant get the pain under control but i do love me job so it is hard for me to think i would have to get it up
Lyrica how do you like it my dr wants to put me on it for the burning pain of type 2
My husband and I own a business. I do the books and payroll and run the register if my cashier is gone. She was off sick two days last weekI dropp and I really struggled with something that has always been a piece of cake for me. I dropped the tegretol. I was not sleeping, sweating and heart rate went way up. So hopefully my mind will clear. Trying upper cervical chiropractic.
If you are not ready to look into procedures -- see if you can get RX lidocaine cream for you face -- it's clear, it numbs and you can use it as needed!
Keep posting! keep venting!
I had to quit a job because I was a child protective worker - I could no longer drive a state car to get kids out of bad homes! I was sooooo loopy. Those meds threw me into a year long search for the right surgeon for MVD
Lyrica has helped; I was in a downward spiral before I started it.
Glad to hear another teacher talk about the trials of our job and what we go through. ...just talking, much less the stress of the requirements of the job/ lab / drama from the students is almost IMPOSSIBLE (it is for me these days)
Lyrica did help - I recommend it.
Cris
ayre said:
yes cris everyday!! I am also a teacher I teach young 5's and some days I dread going I have had this for 3 years but the first 2 years i had a long remission and never knew it would come back because the dr never told me anything this year as been the worst i also have 2 small kids and some days it takes everything i have to go to work and then come home and be a mom but i dont want them to remember me as being in pain so i am being strong for them my husband and i have talked about trying to get disablity for me especially if we cant get the pain under control but i do love me job so it is hard for me to think i would have to get it up
Lyrica how do you like it my dr wants to put me on it for the burning pain of type 2
...thinkin I am going to have to have MVD done...do not want to do anything else; do it right or not at all, right???!!! I just can't keep going on like this - I am asking for help at school but no one is listening. I am almost begging for either an assistant / another teacher SOMETHING but I might as well be talking the the wall...
thought about disability; but just can't loose my seniority and time already served (feels like I am talking about the military or something! :} ) ...really hard to get the position I have, only 5 in the metro area I am in and NONE in my home town...
Kc, you talk with great authority on what you have been through...and have come out the other side. Scares me to DEATH and the down time / side effects is just, well, WHEW...! guess I have talked enough about it - thanks for listening
Cris
Kc Dancer Kc said:
If you are not ready to look into procedures -- see if you can get RX lidocaine cream for you face -- it's clear, it numbs and you can use it as needed!
Keep posting! keep venting!
I had to quit a job because I was a child protective worker - I could no longer drive a state car to get kids out of bad homes! I was sooooo loopy. Those meds threw me into a year long search for the right surgeon for MVD
I have not gotten to that point yet, but I am scared about it happening. I am so worried that if I keep upping my meds, that I won't be able to function or that if I don't up them, the pain will keep me from functioning. I am the only one that can do my whole job, so it does worry me quite a bit. And YES, I believe we can have PTSD from the trauma of the excrutiating pain.
well...when I come home and literally just break down for about 30 minutes; it had me wondering if that was a symptom of PTSD. Just am in a low place right now...never thought it would come to this either Donna. I'm gonna have to talk to my principal and see if we can come to an understanding some how - I HAVE to have some help or something is going to give/break...and I'm not going to let my family suffer because I am tooo stubborn to let up on a career I love. they see me in sooo much pain and such...THAT is added stress too, I guess. Lord help us, please.
Ritalin??? Really? How does that interact with the 'other' meds? Does it make you hyped up so you can't sleep? I just can't take anything else making me 'weird(er)'... :)
Once again, I had to call in sick today because of the pain and medication side effects. I too feel like if I can't do my job right then maybe I shouldn't be doing it. I've been feeling this way for a while now and I'm scared to death of what the future might hold. I absolutely cannot afford to lose my job, as my husband is out of work and so we solely depend on my career to pay the bills and provide health insurance. I'm desperate to find a medication combo that works and allows me to function properly. The cognitive side effects of my current regimen are becoming too much to handle (800 mg gabapentin 3 times daily and nortriptyline 25 mg nightly). As usual, I have no good answers but definitely know how you feel. :(
yeah....I'm home as well today...the pain was just too much to bear and I just couldn't today...been rough. Hope you are feeling better (bless your heart!)
GinRebekah said:
Once again, I had to call in sick today because of the pain and medication side effects. I too feel like if I can't do my job right then maybe I shouldn't be doing it. I've been feeling this way for a while now and I'm scared to death of what the future might hold. I absolutely cannot afford to lose my job, as my husband is out of work and so we solely depend on my career to pay the bills and provide health insurance. I'm desperate to find a medication combo that works and allows me to function properly. The cognitive side effects of my current regimen are becoming too much to handle (800 mg gabapentin 3 times daily and nortriptyline 25 mg nightly). As usual, I have no good answers but definitely know how you feel. :(
yeah....I'm home as well today...the pain was just too much to bear and I just couldn't today...been rough. Hope you are feeling better (bless your heart!)
GinRebekah said:
Once again, I had to call in sick today because of the pain and medication side effects. I too feel like if I can't do my job right then maybe I shouldn't be doing it. I've been feeling this way for a while now and I'm scared to death of what the future might hold. I absolutely cannot afford to lose my job, as my husband is out of work and so we solely depend on my career to pay the bills and provide health insurance. I'm desperate to find a medication combo that works and allows me to function properly. The cognitive side effects of my current regimen are becoming too much to handle (800 mg gabapentin 3 times daily and nortriptyline 25 mg nightly). As usual, I have no good answers but definitely know how you feel. :(
That is a great idea KC! I know my neurologist would never go for it because he immediately dismisses any idea that I have but if ever find a doctor who is willing to listen to new ideas I will certainly ask for up both lidocaine patches and maybe even Ritalin if I'm still having the massive brain fog that I have at this time.
Kc Dancer Kc said:
Most MVD "regular people" go back to work after 3 weeks unless job really strenuous
Also another idea is that I had to ask for Ritalin - so that I could counteract the sleepiness and brain fog from the trileptal.
That helped me focus to ask hundreds of questions about surgeons and research!
You just take 1 extended release in the morning on work days --- many patients with epilepsy are always tired from their anti-seizure meds that people take for TN -- I asked my neuro for 1 month supply - that's all I needed - and I spread them out only for days I really needed to be - UNFOGGED!
They always start lowest dose--I got the idea from here !
Thanks Kc! These little 'nuggets' of info are SO important to know and help each other! ...keep 'um coming! Hopefully I'll be able to help someone someday too... ;)
I was diagnosed in early August and I already have an appointment with a surgeon this Friday. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE IN PAIN. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE ON DRUGS. I AM WORKING AND MAKE PRESENTATIONS IN FRONT OF LARGE GROUPS. I already can feel the difference in my presentation from last year. I have trouble with word retrieval. I started on 400 mg of tegretol per day and the doctor just increased my dose to 600. My hair is falling out. What is the downside to the MVD? I suppose I will find out soon.