Beth's Keeping Track Post

That mind shift helped me a lot too. I don’t remember when it happened, it was sort of gradual. No flip of a switch for me.

Have you ever tried trazodone? It's technically an anti-depressant, but used mainly for sleep now. It helps me sleep.

Quote:

Originally Posted by downandlonely Have you ever tried trazodone? It's technically an anti-depressant, but used mainly for sleep now. It helps me sleep.

Thank you for the suggestion, and actually, I have. It did help me sleep. But on the 4th night of taking it I had a truly terrifying experience. Although I had taken the traz exactly as prescribed my body reacted as if I had overdosed. I first felt dizzy, then saw bright, flashing colored lights even while my eyes were open. I was having trouble taking breaths, although I was working to keep myself calm and not panic. Then I started to black out. I forced myself to sit on the edge of my bed and just talked, out loud. And kept doing my best to maintain even breaths. The talking was kind-of instinctual. It helped to keep me grounded. I kept assuring myself that I was breathing and that I must not pass out. And man, was I ever fighting not to.

Anyway, that continued for I suppose 12 minutes. It was, like I say, terrifying. It finally passed over and I was able to stand up and move around before going to sleep. Since then (about 5 years ago) I tell prescribers that I don't want to try trazodone ever again and of course, they agree. An unfortunate reaction.

I was not able to tolerate trazodone? it dried me up and stopped up my nose so I had to mouth breath and keep me awake the whole night. never again.

I am sorry beth that you had that terrible side effects from it.

yikes
((((HUGS)))))
bizi

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizi I was not able to tolerate trazodone? it dried me up and stopped up my nose so I had to mouth breath and keep me awake the whole night. never again. I am sorry beth that you had that terrible side effects from it. yikes ((((HUGS))))) bizi

Yuck, I hate meds that dry me out. Thank you, bizi

I'm waiting for Unisom to be delivered. It's actually an otc sleep med I've never tried.

I've taken (back up to) 200mg Lamictal for the past 3 nights. Trying to slow my thoughts down and calm my mind. So far, it's not doing anything. I'll try it through the week-end.

Did you get it ? Did it help?!!!

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I did get it and took it as the directions said...1 pill. It didn't do anything. I think my neurons are burned out or something. Anyway, I looked online & found out that I can take 2 pills. So that's what I'll try tonight.

Good luck, hopefully you get some rest.

Thanks to each of you for your support. I truly appreciate it.

I took Unisom (2 pills) last night and it didn't do anything. After lying in bed for hours I finally got up and took 25mg. Seroquel. That knocked me out fast and I slept hard, but for not enough hours. I have such hangover though I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm so done with this sleep shyte.

The Lamictal, however, is definitely helping to quiet my mind. I see the med dude either Tuesday or Wednesday, I hope he's not the type to get all pissy because I raised Lamictal on my own. I don't think he is, he's a kinda hippie type musician. Wish I could have Joe Walsh for my med manager, now that would be really good

just wanted to throw this out there to you beth.
Tylenol pm is a sleep aid that the pm part is just benadryl.
you dont need to take the tylenol just take generic benadryl.
some times it is called allergy pills look at the ingrediants. unless you are in pain then take the extra tylenol but if not in pain then don't take the extra tylenol as it can hurt your kidneys.
just concerned.
bizi

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizi just wanted to throw this out there to you beth. Tylenol pm is a sleep aid that the pm part is just benadryl. you dont need to take the tylenol just take generic benadryl. some times it is called allergy pills look at the ingrediants. unless you are in pain then take the extra tylenol but if not in pain then don't take the extra tylenol as it can hurt your kidneys. just concerned. bizi

Yes. Unfortunately, I am often in pain. Body pain and I almost always have a headache that will turn into a migraine if I don't take Advil, or at least Tylenol. I worry a lot about my kidneys and liver because I take Advil (or Tylenol) fairly frequently, for many, many years. I don't drink alcohol, so that offsets some of the potential damage from the pain meds. Still...it concerns me. But migraines are intolerable and sometimes I have to lessen body pain just to get chores done.

Hi @*Beth* - sorry you are in pain so much.

I don't know about the effects of meds over the long term, but I heard that carrots are good for the liver. In any case eating veggies was always a good thing when I was growing up.

On a more serious note, this article talks about how to prevent liver damage from taking too much tylenol acetaminophen. Protect Your Liver from Acetaminophen

@CANDC

Quote:

Originally Posted by CANDC Hi @*Beth* - sorry you are in pain so much. I don't know about the effects of meds over the long term, but I heard that carrots are good for the liver. In any case eating veggies was always a good thing when I was growing up. On a more serious note, this article talks about how to prevent liver damage from taking too much tylenol acetaminophen. Protect Your Liver from Acetaminophen @CANDC

Well, I really like carrots Thank you, CANDC

I believe that advil makes a PM also.
so sorry to hear that you are in pain.
(((((gentle hugs)))))))
bizi

I got the results of my blood labs and they aren't too bad. The usual slightly elevated (bad) cholesterol, slightly elevated glucose, some anemia. The weird one is that my vitamin D is low. I spent every summer from young childhood on through to age 40 tanning and I've had so many sunburns I can't possibly count. One was so bad when I was 17 that I landed in the hospital. Then in the '90's word was that tanning beds were safe. I loved tanning beds, they felt so great, and I used them a lot. Once I went to a tanning salon in Hollywood...that was an experience. Wow. All of a sudden - no! Tanning beds are not safe! Oh, great. Then I got my tattoos and started avoiding the sun altogether, for fear of skin cancer and because I don't want my tattoos to fade. So now I have a vit D deficiency. Maybe that's why my body aches, I feel so fatigued, and this winter & spring my hair seems to come out a little bit too much. Life is crazy. Not a big deal, though, I just have to take a high dose of D.

I saw med provider, S., yesterday. He is so easy to work with. I told him I increased the Lamictal back to 200 and he said, sounds smart. Shocking, to have a med provider who doesn't act like judge and jury. I told him I'm seriously desperate for sleep + my mind is so noisy, so he agreed to give Haldol a try. I'm taking the first one tonight. Fingers crossed xx

Shocked about the MD!!!!
My new Nurse practitioner allows me to take prn meds as needed. my old pdoc would have had me lock up my meds still. and have jeff dool them out.
She knew a bit more than I liked . my new provider doesn't really know any thing about me and doesn't ask any questions she just asks if I have had any mania or depression. It takes 5 minutes. I guess that is a good thing.
she always says to call her if I need her. I see her every 2 months.

bizi

I am vitamin D deficient too. I take a supplement.

I hope Haldol works for you. I haven't had any side effects from it- unless the tremor in my right hand is from it but I'm pretty sure that it's from Lithium (that I stopped taking years ago!)

Took 2 Haldol (4mg.) last night and felt so much less "noisy" in my mind. Fell asleep quickly!

Yay Beth! So glad you had a good night!

Beth this is great news!!!!
Isn't sleep wonderful!!!!
Lets hope it continues. I take 5 mg 2xday.
here is to more sleepful nights ahead.
((((((HUGS)))))
bizi

I am not requesting feedback on this post; I'm using it to update my med and health situation.

I deeply regret that I haven't kept up with my thread. I do believe I would have saved myself a very frightening 6-8 weeks of severe illness.

Shortly after starting to take Luvox I had some uncomfortable indigestion. I knew it was the typical SSRI beginning side-effect. The indigestion turned into nausea. Mild, at first, then pretty bad. I felt between queasy and really sick all the time. In addition, I had what felt like a constant migraine. I still stuck with the Luvox.

Around that time I decided that I'd been on Gabapentin long enough, that it probably wasn't even doing much anymore. Furthermore, I thought it may be contributing to the nausea because the gel caps tend to upset my stomach. So I rather quickly, over about 10 days, titrated down on the Gabapentin. I went from 1800mg to 300mg. I was getting desperate because I felt so nauseated.

Finally, one night I became extremely nauseated and was vomiting intensely. Like a light went on, it hit me that the Luvox was causing the nausea. Also - I had been prescribed lithium, had been taking it for 6 days. I was very concerned when I became so ill, thinking that perhaps it was lithium toxicity.

I immediately stopped the lithium and I do not plan on going back on it.

Over 4 days I cut the Luvox down, a rapid stopping of a psych med, but I had to end the extreme nausea. The day after I stopped the Luvox I stopped being nauseated. But around the time I'd started vomiting I also began having diarrhea. It got worse and worse, to a point at which I couldn't eat.

I took a covid test, which was negative.

The diarrhea went on for weeks. I was able to drink water and sip Gatorade. I could more-or-less tolerate banana with high-probiotic yogurt. Pure coconut water was a blessing and probably kept me from serious dehydration. Plain rolled oats (oatmeal) with plain soy milk (no sugar, nothing else) and organic applesauce was tolerable. 2 slices of plain white toast and a glass of water was dinner during that time. An occasional Popsicle, just sugared ice & a flavor, was mostly okay. Plain white rice, a small amount. A 1/2 teaspoon of raw, local organic honey. That was it. Anything else I ate, my stomach would not tolerate.

And this went on for weeks. I was fatigued, shaky, and managing only basic chores and cat care, of course. Terrible body aches and muscle spasms. I had lost 6 lbs. in 3 weeks. My blood pressure was scarily low.

Finally, I saw a doctor, after talking with 2 advice nurses. The doctor ordered labs. My blood labs came back quickly and everything was normal, except slightly elevated liver enzymes. (AST 44 / ALT 100) My medication PA told me that the liver enzyme number just showed that my liver was stressed from having been so sick. I did stool samples, but haven't turned them in yet - and, God willing, I won't have to!

I was so terrified that I was researching madly online. Yesterday, I started putting things together and realized that it was the fast withdrawal from the Gabapentin that was causing the diarrhea.

Last night I took 600mg of Gabapentin. With my morning meds I took another 300mg of Gaba. Today my stomach has been calm and settled. No nausea, no diarrhea, no indigestion - for the first time in two months!

I feel blessed. Like I've been handed a miracle. Obviously, the fairly rapid withdrawal from the Gabapentin was too hard on my body AND apparently, the Gaba IS helpful for me, in that it soothes my forever IBS and myalgia. It also helps with anxiety.

I do believe that I am okay, now. It will take some patience to return to normal eating. I skated today, for the first time in a month, and it felt fabulous!

I will continue with the Gabapentin. It is helping me, truly.

MEDS
200mg Lamictal
1mg Klonopin, 2 times day
Metformin
Amlodipine
900mg Gabapentin (as of today)
25 to 50mg Seroquel for sleep

Thinking of you dear Beth

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Originally Posted by Fuzzybear Thinking of you dear Beth

I've been thinking very much of you, Fuzzy. I'm so happy to see you

I had my first real meal in about 4 weeks, small, but it sure tasted good. Salmon and masked potato (without the skin, unusual for me). So far, so good!


Holding the Gaba dose at 900mg, even though I'm tempted to add another 300mg tomorrow morning. Before getting so sick I was taking 1800mg.