Re: [TMIC]

2010-07-10 Thread Towery, Ruben Dale
Rebecca,

I take 20 mg a day of Baclofen. I take this three times a day. I started out 
with 10 mg and it was not till my doctor increased it to 20 that I saw any 
results. Hope this helps.

Thanks,

Ruben D. Towery

Sent from my iPod


On Jul 9, 2010, at 10:15 PM, Rebecca 
wrabal...@gt.rr.commailto:wrabal...@gt.rr.com wrote:

I have a question. How many mg. are you taking of bacolfen? I am not sure at 
what dosage would I benefit from.

Thanks


[TMIC] Question

2010-06-13 Thread Towery, Ruben Dale
Hey everyone,

I have another question. I am going on week 8 of being diagnosed with  
TM. I am able to walk and use my legs, although my left leg seems to  
be impacted the most. It is very weak, and I have a tedancy to lose my  
balace sometimes. I can usually walk without a cane, but I typically  
use one just to be safe. I started PT this week, which involves a lot  
of leg exercises, using my ab lounger to strenghten my core, pushups  
against a wall to strengthen my upper body, and riding a stationary  
bike for 15 minutes. I do this every day and can tell a big difference  
in the strength of my left leg. Although my question is on something  
totaly different. My TM hit the conus of my spinal cord around T12- 
L1.  Which is the area of the spinal cord that controls all functions  
of the lower part of the body.  I slept last night on my right side  
and woke up this morning and I can't feel half of my left hand. Has  
this happened to anyone else before, or have some suggestions on what  
may have caused this. Especially since my TM has not affected my upper  
body at all to this point. Thanks.

Ruben Towery
Mount Olive, AL (Birmingham)

Sent from my iPod



[TMIC] Thanks

2010-06-04 Thread Towery, Ruben Dale
I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses to my questions. I  
am so happy that I found this email list.

I wanted to elaborate on myself and how TM has affected my life with  
you guy/gals.

As I mentioned before I have been dealing with chronic back pain since  
about February of 2009. I saw multiple doctors for this and and a  
bunch of MRI's, other scans, and tons of blood work done and none of  
them could figure out what was going on. Finally back in November my  
rheumatologist and my physical medicine doctor decided, very  
reluctantly I must say, that I had Fibromyalgia. So myself and my wife  
along with my doctors started treating my symptoms as this. Although  
going through this process of treatments, nothing was getting better  
and my upper back was seeming to get worse at times. I just started to  
learn how to deal with the pain and mental aspects associated with the  
Fibromyalgia. During all of this time, I went into a deep depression  
and started having major anxiety and panic attacks and this really  
started affecting my relationships with my wife and kids, and also  
started causing major issues at my work to the point where I was  
almost terminated from my job. Luckily I have a great boss who went to  
bat for me knowing that I had something medical going on that the  
doctors had just not been able to determine yet. Then on April 22 of  
this year, I woke up with numbness, pain, and tinkling in my upper  
legs and buttocks area. I dismissed this as the Fibro had just moved  
to a different location. I drove myself to work and after parking my  
truck in our deck I started walking towards our crosswalk and got to  
where I could no longer control my legs and basically felt paralyzed.  
Two gentleman where nice enough to get my truck for me and I was able  
to drive myself to the emergency room. When I arrive there I was  
having a full blown panic attack and was scared to death. The doctors  
there calmed me down and sent me home and dismissed it as being fibro  
pain. I called my rheumatologist and he told me to see my physical  
medicine doctor. I got in to see him the next day and after an MRI  
they saw the inflamation in my spine and it was located on the conus  
area of my spinal cord. They immediately admitted me into the hospital  
and started me on steroids and did multiple MRI's, a spinal tap, and  
tons of blood work. I spent 4 days there before they sent me home  
under the care of my neurologist.

After spending time recovering at home and also seeing a nuerology  
specialist at UAB, I was seeming to be getting better. I was able to  
start getting around with the assistance of a cane. After 3 weeks my  
neurologist decided that it would be appropriate for me to drive again  
and go back to work. After a week of this, I was starting to get  
worse. Also during the time I was off work I saw a neuro psychologist  
to try and determine what was going on with me having the memory loss  
and other cognitive issues. After his testing it was determines that I  
am suffering from major anxiety and depression and reccomended I start  
back seeing my psychatrist and psyxhologist to deal with these issues  
and to not return to work or drive until these problems get better. My  
wife, myself and my neurologist decided that staying at home and  
continue recovery, both pysically mentally. My pysical pain has gotten  
worse over the last severla weeks, but I have started my therapy with  
my psychologist and feel like the mental side of things are starting  
to get a little better. I am starting PT and OT today at home and hope  
this will help with my balance and strength in my legs, cause this has  
definitely gotten worse over the last week.

I justed wanted to elaborate more on myself since people have asked.  
Hope this was not to long, but I am having to learn how to be more  
expressive with my feelings to cope with my problems. I am so glad I  
found this list and feel blessed that I am now a part of it. I would  
just like to ask every one to keep me in your prayers as I start this  
difficult journey to recovery. Thanks again for all of your support.

Thank you so much.

Ruben Towery
Mount Olive, AL (Birmingham, AL)

Sent from my iPod



Re: [TMIC] Thanks

2010-06-04 Thread Towery, Ruben Dale
Thanks Jan, I know I still have a long way to go as I am new to this. My body 
is going through so many things right now. I can only thank God that I was able 
to get into the hospital and get the solumedral (steroids) within 24 hours of 
my attack, and also that I am still able to walk even though it is with a cane. 
 I still have the numbness, pain, and the pins/needles in mybuttocks and my 
upper legs.

I do have a question for all of you TMers out there. How has everyone learned 
hoa to deal with th isolation of being stuck at home all the time and unable to 
drive?  I am a 31 year old husband and father who has always been very active 
with my family, and I feel like this has really been taken away from me. 
Besides all the pain, this is the hardest thing that I am dealing with. Thanks 
to all out there for the support.

Sent from my iPod

On Jun 4, 2010, at 11:04 AM, Jan Hargrove 
jmh1...@sbcglobal.netmailto:jmh1...@sbcglobal.net wrote:

WOW!!  You've really been put through the 'diagnostic' wringer!!  I'm
glad that you've finally received a diagnosis and the right help.

I'm also glad you found this site...I'm sure there are some folks here who
can relate to the varied problems you've had.  I know the pain can be debili-
tating at timesbut as you know, some days are better than others.

They say that laughter is the best medicine.lauch as frequently as possible.
My hubby had a collection of Johnny Carson tapes, and when things seemed
unbearable he'd bring Johnny out and things would be bettercould be that
I was thinking about something besides the pain??

Keep a positive attitude!  When you need to 'scream', write to the list, we'll
understand and it won't be quite so difficult for your family to see you down.

Know that we care, and if you have questions, ask away..someone on here
will relate.  As with snowflakes, no rwo of us (flakes) has the exact problems,
we share some with everyone..

Welcome to our world!!
janhStillwater, OK


From: Towery, Ruben Dale 
rdtow...@southernco.commailto:rdtow...@southernco.com
To: tmic-list@eskimo.commailto:tmic-list@eskimo.com 
tmic-list@eskimo.commailto:tmic-list@eskimo.com
Sent: Fri, June 4, 2010 8:28:06 AM
Subject: [TMIC] Thanks

I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses to my questions. I
am so happy that I found this email list.

I wanted to elaborate on myself and how TM has affected my life with
you guy/gals.

As I mentioned before I have been dealing with chronic back pain since
about February of 2009. I saw multiple doctors for this and and a
bunch of MRI's, other scans, and tons of blood work done and none of
them could figure out what was going on. Finally back in November my
rheumatologist and my physical medicine doctor decided, very
reluctantly I must say, that I had Fibromyalgia. So myself and my wife
along with my doctors started treating my symptoms as this. Although
going through this process of treatments, nothing was getting better
and my upper back was seeming to get worse at times. I just started to
learn how to deal with the pain and mental aspects associated with the
Fibromyalgia. During all of this time, I went into a deep depression
and started having major anxiety and panic attacks and this really
started affecting my relationships with my wife and kids, and also
started causing major issues at my work to the point where I was
almost terminated from my job. Luckily I have a great boss who went to
bat for me knowing that I had something medical going on that the
doctors had just not been able to determine yet. Then on April 22 of
this year, I woke up with numbness, pain, and tinkling in my upper
legs and buttocks area. I dismissed this as the Fibro had just moved
to a different location. I drove myself to work and after parking my
truck in our deck I started walking towards our crosswalk and got to
where I could no longer control my legs and basically felt paralyzed.
Two gentleman where nice enough to get my truck for me and I was able
to drive myself to the emergency room. When I arrive there I was
having a full blown panic attack and was scared to death. The doctors
there calmed me down and sent me home and dismissed it as being fibro
pain. I called my rheumatologist and he told me to see my physical
medicine doctor. I got in to see him the next day and after an MRI
they saw the inflamation in my spine and it was located on the conus
area of my spinal cord. They immediately admitted me into the hospital
and started me on steroids and did multiple MRI's, a spinal tap, and
tons of blood work. I spent 4 days there before they sent me home
under the care of my neurologist.

After spending time recovering at home and also seeing a nuerology
specialist at UAB, I was seeming to be getting better. I was able to
start getting around with the assistance of a cane. After 3 weeks my
neurologist decided that it would be appropriate for me to drive again
and go back

[TMIC] Newly Diagnosed and Need Guidance

2010-05-28 Thread Towery, Ruben Dale
Hello everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone out there knows if there is any foundation or 
organization that can help people financially with TM.  I was diagnosed about 6 
weeks ago, and my medical bills are piling up and with 4 children and a wife, 
it is starting to really take a toll on my family.  Just wanted to reach out to 
everyone and see if there was anything out there to help.

Also, I also wanted to ask the question to everyone out there is anyone else 
has experienced other problems besides TM, ie. chronic upper back pain, memory 
loss, confusion, etc...  The reason I ask is I have been dealing with chronic 
upper back pain for a couple of years now and I am having a lot of mental 
problems as well, ie. a lot of anxiety, paranoia, depression, and a lot of 
emotional outbursts.  All of this happened before I had my TM attack.

Love this support group, really has given me some hope that I can go on and 
deal with everything.  Thanks everyone in advance for your help.

Ruben
Mount Olive, AL



Re: [TMIC] testing

2010-05-26 Thread Towery, Ruben Dale
Got it.

Ruben
Best Regards,
Ruben D. Towery
Southern Company Transmission
Transmission Lines Engineer
Office: 205-257-4728, 8-257-4728
Cell : 205-288-3572
So Linc Radio: 1*10*10813
Fax: 205-257-4364
E-mail: rdtow...@southernco.com

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From: Janice Nichols jan...@centurytel.net
To: aca...@aol.com aca...@aol.com; tmic-list@eskimo.com tmic-list@eskimo.com
Sent: Wed May 26 07:55:56 2010
Subject: Re: [TMIC] testing

got it.
Janice


From: aca...@aol.commailto:aca...@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 6:54 AM
To: tmic-list@eskimo.commailto:tmic-list@eskimo.com
Subject: [TMIC] testing

testing