Pain Management Logistics

I think things are getting better on the pain front. Bill notices that I don't yell "Argggggg!" quite as often during the day, and I am sleeping better at night.

There are logistical problems though. The lidocaine patch can only be worn 12 hours in a 24-hour period. That means I have to time the application precisely, or set an alarm to wake myself in the middle of the night to take the patch off. So far, I've been putting the patch on at 9 pm, taking it off at 9 am. But several times I've awakened to find the patch stuck to my pajamas or my pillow, or runched up in a ball under my arm and doing me no good. Either there are adhesive issues, or I'm an active sleeper.

The Voltaran topical gel (anti-inflammatory, usually prescribed for arthritis), is a wonder of relief for the other 12 hours, but it has to be applied four times in a 12-hour period, and I have to wander around shirt-less for 10 minutes after each application. With the cold weather we've been having, that's a problem. And thank heavens I don't have to work somewhere serious--I can just imagine taking four 15-minute breaks a day, standing around the restroom, topless, waiting for the gel to dry.

I've tried doing the patch during the day and the gel at night, but then I don't get the full 4 applications of the anti-inflammatory in while I'm sleeping. I've tried the gel during the day and the patch at night, but this also entails washing and drying the tender area thoroughly so the patch will stick, instead of sliding off the skin that has had the gel on all day. And even then, that's not working all that well. Perhaps I should start showering at night and then try putting the patch on?

So, the medications seem to be working. It's just that trying to figure out how to run my life while doing all of this is a full-time job in itself.