Saturday, May 15, 2021

shunt on wrist

I recently saved up enough to get three medical id bracelets. The one I had was a getting worn out and I felt getting additional ones would be a good investment. There are several websites where medical id bracelets can be purchased. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s important to have one if you have a medical device or allergy. In the event you are unconscious somewhere at least someone can look at your medical id and see important information. If I didn’t wear this bracelet, no one would know I have a shunt in my brain unless I told them.

When dealing with chronic pain from my injuries in 2014, I’ve tried a variety of medications for pain management. Something worked some didn’t. All are temporary relief until the cycle begins again. Recently, I as given gabapentin by my neurologist and that wasn’t really working as the side effects really bothered me. In the last two weeks, I tried a combination of CBD/CBG/Turmeric with curamin

 This seems to help reduce the pain from different parts of my head and shunt. It also lasts for most of the day until the evening. I can only take this once a day. Taking just the CBD/CBG/turmeric alone will not alleviate my pain. It works best when combined with curamin. In the evenings, this wears off and I’ll have to find something else to take in the evenings when needed. 

There are many ways of dealing with chronic pain and there are several medications out there that help people.

What I have noticed about taking this combination of pain relief is that it doesn’t get rid of the tinnitus in my ear or the phantom limb nerve issues I have. By phantom limb, I mean there is still nerve throbbing from the left side of my scalp where my shunt valve used to be. I still have episodes of dizziness and vertigo, wonderful side effects of having survived multiple brain injuries. 

Last night, chronic pain issues were making me sad so I played Nintendo to escape. Now I have the theme song from Hudson's Adventure Island on rotation inside my head. 

My story is just one of millions of people and families who have been impacted by brain injury.