MS fatigue and meds.....Re: little update

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You have an excellent memory Donna! I'm impressed. I was on Provigil samples but my insurance would never approve it so I went on Ritalin. It worked for me but my severe dry mouth made me give it up. The amantadine stopped working for Challis so she is now on Adderall. She still doesn't have a diagnosis.hugs SharonThis email is a natural hand made product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects. To: MSersLife Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 7:11:54 AMSubject: Re: little update

Kate,

Not all of us do so well on something that some of us do well

with.. I know that didn't make any sense.. LOL.. If I'm not

mistaken... Challis was given Amantadine for fatigue (though no

Dx) and the Amantadine worked for her.. I didn't have any luck

with it.. Provigil works for me instead.. and if I'm not

completely off the mark.. Sharon was given Ritalin for her

fatigue at one point, and that worked for her, for awhile...

Can't remember exactly if it stopped working, or if she stopped

taking it because of the dry mouth side-effects..

I'm not sure if there's anything else out there that is being

used for MS fatigue or not.. Something I haven't checked out in

ages... There could well be though, as they seem to be making

progress in all directions these days.

HUGS

|)onna

Thanks, Donna. I

appreciate the advice. Yes, I knew that if I were to make more

than $1000 I'd lose benefits. That's why I'm going to stick

with 20 or 25 hrs max.. I do have some Provigil, I could give

that a try although in the past I never found much help from

it.

Thanks again!

love,

Kate

From:

|)onna

To:

MSersLife

Sent: Wed,

April 27, 2011 3:47:40 PM

Subject:

Re: little update

Kate,

Think about asking your neurologist for something to

help with the fatigue during school hours.. I know

when I was working, the summer months were killers..

and sometimes the fatigue would start by 10 a.m.. at

that point in time I'd take half of a Provigil..

would get me kick started and through the day.. if I

absolutely needed another half later in the day, or

if the first half didn't work within a half hour of

my taking it.. I could always use the 2nd half of

the pill.. Worked wonders and kept me alert as

well..

As for the part-time job.. this on the advice from

my buddy at SS... do NOT get close the SGA (which

happens to be 1,000 a month this year) in your gross

earnings.. not net.. and watch the hours you take as

well.. 25 a week would probably be the max.. you get

closer to 40.. they'll do a medical review and tell

you that since you're working that close to 40.. you

can work 40.. and if you work 40.. you're out of

your disability check again.. The 2 for 1 thing that

you read about in the pamphlets & on the

website.. doesn't really fly the same way it reads..

People receiving SSI benefits get the twofer deal..

people receiving SSDI don't really.. and that came

from a "big boss" in the local SS office (that we

dealt with daily) when my boss called him to check

into giving me more hours.... She needed me more

hours, but didn't want to jeopardize the disability

I was receiving.. she ended up hiring another gal

and we kind of sort of "shared" the full time

position.. She kept her disability, I kept mine...

the office work got done, and we had a little extra

cash in our pockets.. (but $800 a month extra

earning is really nothing to sneeze at.. it's sure

missed when it's gone!)

HUGS

|)onna

I think I told

ya'll that I was having vocational testing done.

Well, the results are all in, and it was a very

positive report. My typing speed is 46wpm, with a

100% accuracy, not too shabby, though I'm sure if

I was practiced, I could reach 50 or perhaps even

55. Next week I start 'QUIP' training. Don't ask

me what it stands for...I don't know! All I DO

know is that it is a computer training class. I

believe I'll learn Office/Word/Excel, etc. VESID

(Vocational/Educational Support for Individuals

with Disabilities) will pay ($1800) for the

course; I pay nothing. The major drawback of this

is--it's Monday-Friday from 10am to 4pm! I think

my fatigue level is going to skyrocket. I'm going

to inform them of it (fatigue), and see if I could

possibly have an extended lunch or break. I'm

thinking I could nap in my car fo 45 min of my

hour lunch. The course runs from May 2 to about

the 2nd week of June. Add to this, little

Munchkin. I think we may need to have someone come

in; play with her, and walk her. Even if it was

once during the day, that would probably suffice.

I'm thinking I won't be going on the computer too

much during this time, not sure, but might be a

bit quiet during this time.

Hopefully, this will help me get a p/t job in some

sort of clerical position.

love to all,

Kate