I wanted to roll into 2019 with the attitude of I’m no longer looking for a name, cause, or diagnosis, I’m simply looking for management of the symptoms, mostly the pain. The symptoms haven’t changed this month, but the medications are not as effective as they once were. My hands are non stop in pain for about 5-6 in the daytime and 7-8 at night. I have to revert to wearing the Copper Hands gloves all the freaking time lately, and at night I have turned to bourbon and Coke most nights, which is not a path I really want to go down, but I need relief. I saw Dr. S in Richmond again and he wants to change how I take the Gabapentin and try me on a lower dose of Cymbalta. He feels that the problems I had last time were related to the other medications I was on and feels that if I start on a lower dosage and work my way up to the 60 mg, I will tolerate it better. We shall see.

The tachycardia is still present with a heart rate of 105 bps and the weight gain is getting out of control at 261 pounds now. I’m really cutting back on what I eat and drink, but it just doesn’t seem to have any effect.

Using my own words here, “It is time to take a chill pill” and it is time to turn to Google and find my own diagnosis.