My Great Big Monday Ordeal

Yesterday was not a good day for me. I have Anatomy class on Mondays and Wednesdays so I got up at 6:30 AM to get ready. Cooper woke up like he always does when I get out of bed so I took him to the living room to nurse so that he would be less angry with me when I had to leave him. After he nursed for a little while I went to go find some socks. I put Cooper down and as I stand back up I hit the floor with an awful pain slightly below my shoulder blades right in the middle of my back. My first thought was that I was dying. A little dramatic, I know, but that is what I thought. Then I thought maybe pleurasy(sp?). I had it a couple years ago and this felt very much like it, someone stabbing me with a very dull knife. Bu then I thought there is no way it would hit that fast. I could not breathe because it was so painful and I definately could not move. I was helped back to the living room to wait until my doctor's office opened. There was just no way I was going to the ER. I called my doctor and he worked me in. My dad took me to the appointment because my third-shift-working husband had to sleep. My doctor confirmed what I was now thinking; I had a strained muscle. I blame my very large boobs for this event by the way. My doctor knew very little about the medicines that can be taken while breastfeeding, so he asked me to call Cooper's pediatrician for some guidance on the matter. When the nurse from the peds office called me back she informed me that they can tell me if a specific medication is safe, but cannot just tell me what I can and cannot take. I was more than a little irritated. I decided to call my pharamacy, which is what I should have done in the first place.

This is a wonderful pharamacy. When I was pregnant, I got a bad sinus infection and had to take an antibiotic. It was shortly after I had gotten married. When someone went to pick up my antibiotic from this pharmacy they were having trouble with my insurance because of the name change and couldn't get it to go through with either last name. The kind pharmacist sent my medication anyway. She said that I needed it, and we would figure out the insurance later. How many CVS or Walgreens pharmacists would do that??

Anyway, back to yesterday's story... I called the pharmacy and was informed that some muscle relaxers say they are not to be taken while nursing and some say there have been no studies done; however, they are excreted in breastmilk and giving a baby anything that supresses muscle function risks supressing its breathing. I don't know about you, but I'm not taking that risk with my baby. My doctor gave me the option of stopping breastfeeding for a few days while I take the medicine. I couldn't do that to Cooper for my own comfort. I decided to tough it out with ibruprofen.

Later that afternoon, I was talking to Supermom on Facebook. She is also nursing and having some health issues right now. She reminded me that there are pain medicines a nursing mommy can take. So I called my doctor back and he said he would write me a prescription for one but since it was a controlled substance, it couldn't be called in. I would have to come get it. My husband drove me back to the doctor to get the script and then to the pharmacy, 25 minutes away from the doctor's office, to get it filled.

So now I am medicated, and I feel much better as long as I stay medicated. I am quite out of it and apologize for any typos or gibberish that may be in this post. I am only taking half a pill at a time, but I am a weenie and meds kick my butt.

I have an Anatomy test tomorrow. I cannot function enough to take a test while on pain killers so I will have to suffer through my test. After that class I have to take my entrance exam into the nursing program. I will also have to suffer through that test. I could really use your prayers tomorrow if you wouldn't mind.

Now that you are caught up, I think I will go lay down until it is time for more medication.