Andrea, You have been going through hell and I am so sorry. Is he in contact with his neurologist very often? He sounds like he may need a change in meds. Most of us have had to change meds after finding one or two that don’t work well. There is a med for spasming which is Baclofen that I use. Some use another med. Also, I use Neurontin for nerve pain and it works well, but many have found greater relief with Lyrica. He needs to get with his neuro and try some new things or maybe the strength may need to be changed.
He is probably intensely angry right now, and being his wife, you are catching it all. It is a huge adjustment that takes time. Most of us are on an antidepressant. I am on Zoloft, others take something else. Again, if he is already on something for depression and it is not helping, call the neuro and get the strength adjusted or change meds. Be persistent – if he doesn’t seem to help you, get another neuro. He is in his own hell right now too. The loss of his life as he has always known it is really tough to take. Stay in close touch with your doctors and don’t think that this is just the way it has to be. With the right meds, you can get improvement. Is he able to walk or care for himself at all? Please stay in touch with us, we all want to help. Janice From: Andrea Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 8:38 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [TMIC] How can a spouse help? Dear TM support group, My husband became ill with TM in May 2011 and his symptoms have remained constant. He is in extreme pain from his chest down to his toes. The pain can be burning, tingling, icy, stabbing… He is now saying that he wants to end his life because he can no longer endure the suffering. He says that I am no help and do not understand what he is going through. This is correct. I do not understand. Because he looks normal, it is easy to forget that he is in constant pain. This is why I went online to see if I can find a group that does understand and can possibly provide hope for him. I realise there is no guarantee that the symptoms will go away, but after reading your online stories, it looks like it can be possible. Additionally, what can a spouse do to provide more support? He has had the symptoms for almost 6 months and every day plays like a broken record. I ask every day how he is and he unleashes a long list of painful symptoms. Besides taking his meds, is there any other therapy I can arrange for him that may provide relief? I feel useless. He is angry that I am not doing more, but I do not know what I can do besides taking care of the home and kids without burdening him with additional tasks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Warm regards, Andrea
