Okay "meds" etc.
Back in the early 80's, I first became aware, that I had what I thought was restless leg syndrome, And as this was pre-internet time, some research found that evening primrose oil was helpful with this (& still is today) as it "calms the nerve endings". This worked pretty well until the early naughties, maybe 02. When I approached my g.p. "Oh, I don't know what that is, I'll have to look it up". She didn't & went on a 2 week holiday.
My bed, just happens to be adjacent to a wall & I usually sleep on my side, facing it. Having previously told g.p. that I was losing sleep, with the ongoing & increasing number/pain from these shocks, she still didn't bother.
A few days into this "holiday", I was forced to go & see her locum, as I had rugby kicked the wall at 03.00 & was woken with severe pain. By the time I got up, my foot had swollen, so much I could barely get my shoe on. I went to see him & all he was interested in was reading the newspaper. His attitude, was frankly beyond belief, like " I'm only here to earn £300 a day, stop wasting my time", After some reluctance, he gave me some in-flams, a 7 day supply. I returned a week later & got exactly the same from him. I returned to see my g.p. the following Mon. who was not exactly overjoyed, that the locum hadn't sent me for an x-ray, so she did. This was (again) the following Monday. Whilst at work, the following Weds, I rang her up, complaining of excruciating pain, left my number, so she could call me back. The results weren't due back for a week, so she had to jump the queue. About an hour later, she called back. "You've got a broken foot" "I've booked you into, (another major hospital)N & basically "get there A.S.A.P." So I closed the business down, after calling my boss, went home, threw a few things in a case & got a mate to take me down there. I got dropped off & eventually, after walking round the huge site, into 5 different depts. got booked in through a&e. I then had a 20 minute walk, to get to the ward. Another 5 hour wait, to get a bed & was asked why I was there, as my g.p. had NOT either booked me in (as she said) not transferred the x-rays. So that meant a poor student nurse, had to push all 18 stone of me back down to x-ray. Upon our (Uphill) return, the new sister, said "you have a broken foot", Yes, that what I told your colleague before she went off shift. About 10-ish that evng, a consultant came in & arranged that my foot should be in plaster etc. He also mentioned he "didn't like the look of that & it may have to be amputated, as the re-calc, had gone to far (time-wise) for any degree of success". So we agreed, to at least go through the motions etc. I left after 3 days, in plaster & on a different antibiotic.
2 weeks later, & back at work, as had changed my car to an auto. I took a call from the consultant, who want to see me, as a matter of urgency. Another 2 days passed & we met again, in another hospital, late in the afternoon. This was about the time when mobile phones, started to become popular. So as soon as I got out from his office, I rang my boss & said had to give up work, immediately, like NOW. Anyway, a few months passed & the plaster remained, but the foot got worse, so as one of the central metatarsals had started to force its way through my sole. The cons. who is also one of the foot surgeons, said to "come in next tues & I'll operate on Weds, to remove that bone". during the op, they were unable to close my foot, as the re-calc, was "so dramatic" They had to continue with plaster, at least for the time being, these 3 days for the op-, magically turned into 6 + weeks, b.t.w. They were still unable to close it, some 2 months later, this time with one of the worlds leading foot surgeons, who happened to be my consultant's boss.
Several months later, things had gone downhill & the only option was a b/k amp. The morning after, amongst all the other stuff that was going on, morphine infusions etc, they put me on gabapentin. This was intro'd gradually over a few wks, to almost the (then) max dose. I was in, for about 11 wks. this time. Had to live downstairs, on my return, as no stair lift etc & the local council had to alter my rear path to improve access etc, as I would need to return for physio, 3 x a week, for several months, via wheelchair in ambulance. Your stump, swells up & down, pre-op so during the first year, I had 5 different legs made up.
That was back in 03/4, swelling, has settled down after 1st 12 months, so I'm still using one of the original sockets, which was made from a plaster cast of my stump, albeit wrapped in cling film, at the time. They've tried, scanning both my stump & the socket, several times, but just cannot get it right, b.t.w.
Also, during these early years, my p.n. was very frequent & would come on with no warning whatsoever. It made no difference what my sugar levels were, either at the time or in the days/weeks prior. The internet had started to become available by then & I found several "interesting" cases, as the pain was off the scale, for me. A retired g.p. called it "screaming agony", yes, been there etc. These attacks, could last 20 mins/2 hours/a few days or even several weeks, non-stop.
I rarely get them these days & my gab, dosage has increased, along with newer guidelines from 2300 to 3300. I was also prescribed di-hydracodiene tabs, as tramadol, did nothing for me. When things get beyond "noticeable" now, the gab, is maxed along with the di-h.
Quite a few years ago, I was aware that, magnets could be used to "control" cramp, as the magnetic waves, would interrupt the micro-signals going between the area, where the brain still thinks the nerves are etc. So I tried it with the p.n & phantom pains, as well as taking, until very recently, quinine bi-sulphate for cramp. My g.p. advised me to stop the quin, as it has caused irregular heart rhythms, so I now have it "in reserve" just in case ever needed, for short periods...
Anyway, back to magnets, the type I use, came from ebay & are a circular ceramic type, inside a plated steel caseing, they are called "tool box magnets" & are reasonably strong. Never, ever buy the neodymium type for this purpose, as they attract themselves to each other and will shatter themselves, leaving razor sharp edges. Just apply at least 2 with some micropore or similar, directly onto or slightly above the area for best effect.
Sorry for extended read, b.t.w.
