At the local pain management clinic, I was put on 2,700mg of Gabapentin to see if it affected my migraines. I titrated up to it over the course of a month. Doctors have people titrate when they’re going up to higher doses to try and minimize the “medicated” effects that the medication is more than happy to provide, but I got there. And as I got there, a numbness began to form in my left hand that I didn’t pay much heed to until I realized that I could only really use my index finger and thumb, that I can not bear weight at all in my left hand, and if I want to type coherently with both hands I need to watch exactly where my left hand is because I hunt and peck by memory. The numbness kind of goes up my arm on that side, and I have milder numbness on the back of my left foot. Since it is helping, the decision was made to leave me on it for as long as is safe and tolerable, and I am adjusting in the meantime. I am also back on Fioricet, and recently had my dose upgraded from one pills to two as needed. If I can get away with it I only take one pill, but I know myself well enough by now. If the side effects from Gabapentin persist or get worse, I will titrate back down.

I was also put back on Olanzapine as needed for migraine abortion, but this medication has made me gain weight. Too much weight gain adversely affects my spirometry, and if it keeps going, my ability to breathe (so then there would be weight gain on top of my already pre-existing asthma). I take it only as I need it…

I am also thinking about having my primary care doctor upgrade my nortryptline from 50mg to 100mg, too.