Side Effect City

Pain level: 5

Dislocations so far today: none so far

Subluxations so far today: Right shoulder a couple of times, left hip last night

Meds: Etodolac--1 horse-pill, twice a day

Major complaint: Stenosis pain, stiffness/pain/swelling in my fingers, hand, and wrist (R>L)

Welcome to Side Effect City.  Population:  Etodolac and me.  Okay, so that's not much of a city but whatever.  

I'm playing by the rules--taking with food, drinking water until I can feel myself slosh, not laying down for over 30 minutes after taking it.  But still, since I've started taking the Etodolac I've been dizzy, drowsy, having periods where my eyes go all blurry, nausea with some light vomiting after waking up at 4AM, near constant stomach pain that feels sort of like menstrual cramps but spanning my entire belly, and my constipation is back.  Joy.  It's like I'm drunk--but without all the fun parts.  Anyway, these are all the normal, expect-them side effects and nothing to really worry about.

I did have a fun conversation with the pharmacist when I noticed that one of Etodolac's dear-lord-call-your-doctor-right-away side effects is "swelling of the hands or feet."  It's a freaking NSAID.  I'm taking it FOR swelling of the hands or feet.  The pharmacist and I had a round about chat in which he told me to immediately stop taking the drug, and I reminded him that I hadn't started taking it yet.  It seems that I will notice a complete different type of swelling or something if it has to do with the Etodolac.  

Is the stuff at least working?  Yes?  The swelling is down from how bad it was on Monday, but I'm not sure where to give the credit for that.  The pain factor in my finger joints is up, though.  Plus, Etodolac is supposed to take 1-2 weeks before the full effect kicks in.   It is doing some good.  I really messed up my left hip last night after it subluxated while I was walking across my bedroom floor.  (A dangerous deed, I know--but sometimes I can't resist.)  With how it was feeling last night, I was really preparing to wake up with the beginnings of another round of bursitis, but my hip was just sore.  Not too bad at all, considering.  

  

Hand stiffness using middle finger has measure

Time: 3:35 PM

Can touch forearm? Just just barely

Angle of extension of the center joint of finger: 50º

Angle of extension of the last joint of finger: 115º

R

Can touch forearm? Nope. OW!

Angle of extension of the center joint of finger: 50º

Angle of extension of the last joint of finger: 100º