Falling Apart

I think the phrase falling apart is all that currently describes my body right now.  I am working through my "normal" RA flare phase.  In addition I am dealing with some super fun spinal pain right now.

I had another spinal tap last week to see if the medications I have been taken for the pseudotumor cerebri have been working.  The optical nerve swelling has been going down but the blind spot and headaches have been getting worse.  Between two neurologists, an ophthalmologist and a neuro-ophthalmologist they are split on whether it's really the pseudotumor or or it's something neuro they haven't figured out.

I got to go to the opposite side of town on a snow day to have another spinal tap.  I hated my last spinal tap.  I didn't actually mind the needle in the back part it's the pain I woke up with after it that I hated.  Last time I was inpatient.  This time I was outpatient and the pain was much worse and came on faster.  It was a long ride home and a long few days.  I am used to being in pain but the pain after my spinal tap was too much.  It still is too much.  The doctor who did the tap said if I am just sensitive to it, it will get worse every time.

I ended up in the emergency room for 8 hours on Friday and thanks to some medications I do have a few half hours of each day with some lessened pain.  I have said I'm never doing the spinal tap again.  I may change those words but as of right now...I would rather have the surgery to put a shunt in. 

So you add RA, with pseudotumor, and other issues...I'm falling apart.  Don't even get me started on losing weight lecture I get as they add another weight that causes weight gain...