I met with my new GP today, and I think I'm going to like her very much. When I told her how poorly I handle pain medications, she immediately suggested lidocaine cream for my bad arm. She had other great ideas and was open to everything I told her. (Of course I didn't mention my worm friends yet, maybe soon though.)
Anyway, I wanted to try the lidocaine cream because honestly, my arm is making me crazy. So I picked it up at the pharmacy, and came home to make sure it's worm-safe. I opened the Helminth Care Manual I found online and scrolled to the section labeled lidocaine. With relief, I noted that topical lidocaine seems to be perfectly safe for helminths. But with interest (and no small amount of regret), I read that injected lidocaine will put your worms into a temporary sleep.
Why the regret? Well, remember that steroid injection a few weeks ago? I knew the cortisone would be safe for my worms. But at the doctor's office, he told me that the injection was actually a cocktail of cortisone and lidocaine. The numbing med would make the injection tolerable and minimize the pain that lingers for a few hours afterwards. I didn't even think about it - I just said yes.
I feel pretty strongly that the reason the flare has gotten so bad is that I slipped my worms a mickey and they've been asleep on the job. The cure for that is to inoculate with more worms, which I have done (quite coincidentally, of course, as I had no idea this was the issue). So, soon, I should at least recover to the level I was before this bloody flare began.
And whew! I'm so glad I figured this out, and fixed it quickly.
Anyway, I wanted to try the lidocaine cream because honestly, my arm is making me crazy. So I picked it up at the pharmacy, and came home to make sure it's worm-safe. I opened the Helminth Care Manual I found online and scrolled to the section labeled lidocaine. With relief, I noted that topical lidocaine seems to be perfectly safe for helminths. But with interest (and no small amount of regret), I read that injected lidocaine will put your worms into a temporary sleep.
Why the regret? Well, remember that steroid injection a few weeks ago? I knew the cortisone would be safe for my worms. But at the doctor's office, he told me that the injection was actually a cocktail of cortisone and lidocaine. The numbing med would make the injection tolerable and minimize the pain that lingers for a few hours afterwards. I didn't even think about it - I just said yes.
I feel pretty strongly that the reason the flare has gotten so bad is that I slipped my worms a mickey and they've been asleep on the job. The cure for that is to inoculate with more worms, which I have done (quite coincidentally, of course, as I had no idea this was the issue). So, soon, I should at least recover to the level I was before this bloody flare began.
And whew! I'm so glad I figured this out, and fixed it quickly.