Happy2Heal my Victory statement

[Happy2Heal]

thanks for your kind words @Angus

just checked out your thread, it looks like you're dealing with an adverse reaction to these drugs

 

so sorry that you're going thru this.

it can be quite unnerving, all the strange symptoms and not knowing what to do next but you've got some great folks giving you advice and you're going to be just fine

 

I know it's hard but try not to stress too much about the future,  nor how long time may take.

It's best to try to calm yourself as much as you can, it will help things go smoother for you.

 

distraction can help, and reaching out to others who have been thru this and have healed,

so you can see that it's all going to be ok

 

it may take a little longer than anyone would want it to but it will happen!

 

 staying as calm as you can will help your nervous system recover faster. 

try to avoid things that you know will stress you out, if you can.

like the news, negative people, etc.  I'd add work but most folks can't avoid that lol but if you can take time off, go for it!! 

 

you're going a great job reading thru the site and learning all you can! good for you!

 

you will get thru this and before you know it, it will all be in the rearview mirror and you'll be on track for a good life

a little wiser than you were before you started

 

 

 

if you feed the need for some reassurance that it's going to be ok  feel free to reach out to me anytime

 

sometimes when you are going thru this, it feels like it will never end but it does!!!!

🌞

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Happy2Heal

[Rosetta]

Popping by to say Hi!  You seem to be well, and I’m so happy to see that!    💙💚🧡

 

🧚🏻‍♀️Rosetta

[Angus]

Happy2Heal-

Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement🤗! It means so much! 
Angus

[JackieDecides]

On 8/31/2023 at 3:44 PM, Happy2Heal said:

so sleep is a funny thing.

 

those are my less than profound thoughts on the subject LOL

 

 

like everything else we experience, it's all so subjective.  I know my primary suffering from insomnia is that - literally - "lose sleep over it" - I don't just have disrupted sleep, I worry about having it and make it worse. OY! 

 

sleep IS a funny thing, lol.

[Happy2Heal]

20 hours ago, JackieDecides said:

I don't just have disrupted sleep, I worry about having it and make it worse. OY! 

sorry to hear you're still struggling with sleep issues

 

I got to the point where I just made friends with the fact that I will need to get up during the night, usually mostly just to go to the bathroom lol

but I will still wake up around 3 or 4 with a cortisol spike sometimes (usually if I watched the news- best to avoid the news, it's all bad anyway) 

and other times I just have a night where I wake up many times for no apparent reason.

I've come to enjoy these times of quiet and darkness, a far cry from when I was in acute withdrawal and couldn't tolerate darkness nor silence.

 

I put it all on age and  a trauma history,  I don't know anyone who is UNmedicated who sleeps well at my age. *shrug*

I know I get enough sleep and sometimes I get really GREAT sleep, that first 90 mins of sleep is sometimes so deep and refreshing I feel like I slept all night

I hope you soon have good nights 

 

[Happy2Heal]

On 9/18/2023 at 6:35 AM, Rosetta said:

Popping by to say Hi!  You seem to be well, and I’m so happy to see that!    💙💚🧡

 

🧚🏻‍♀️Rosetta

Hi @Rosetta thanks for popping in! yes I'm doing well, thank you!

how are you going?
I must pop on over and see

 

[Happy2Heal]

On 9/18/2023 at 10:59 AM, Angus said:

Happy2Heal-

Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement🤗! It means so much! 
Angus

you're very welcome

looks like things are starting to improve for you, I'm happy for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RachelSusan]

@Happy2Heal I am responding to your comment regarding lack of sleep that you made on the thread about "how to avoid being medicated if you've been deemed incompetent". Great thread by the way.

 

Insomnia is the worst.  I have an usual sleep pattern and I too worry about getting sleep. I am trying to let the worry go but I don't know how.  I know worrying about it is making it worse for me. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

 

You mentioned knee pain. I hope things resolve quickly for you.

 

Warm wishes and  big hopes for better days.

 

 

 

[Happy2Heal]

4 minutes ago, RachelSusan said:

Great thread by the way.

thanks I need to get back to it- my thoughts are so jumbled up right now, got a lot going on with other projects- FUN stuff that def takes top priority for me after the long slog thru WD!!

 

6 minutes ago, RachelSusan said:

Insomnia is the worst.  I have an usual sleep pattern and I too worry about getting sleep. I am trying to let the worry go but I don't know how.  I know worrying about it is making it worse for me. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

thank you what a kind offer! I don't really worry about the sleep part, to be honest, I have learned to deal with insomnia and it doesn't bother me at all any more

It's the side effects of lack of sleep and the EXHAUSTION that worry me- because I am unsteady on my feet, etc I worry about being injured, falling etc. I worry about making big financial or other bad mistakes- because that has already happened!
I was trying to pay my bills online, paid my internet bill and went on to pay my credit card bill- well I didn't notice that I was still in the internet bill space online and I sent a very large  second payment to them, that was meant for the credit card company!! I didn't realize it for a few days when I saw that my credit card balance had not gone down

When I discovered the mistake, the internet company had the money and even though they could see it was a mistake they would not send the $$ back to me! It is now a credit on my account and will pay for my internet for about 8 mos!! but it doesn't help decrease my interest on the credit card and I was so shocked an unnerved by this,
I knew I had to  do something about this exhaustion

 

it's dangerous, frankly, in more ways than one. thank goodness I don't drive!!!! 

 

so yeh, I'm slogging thru

12 minutes ago, RachelSusan said:

You mentioned knee pain. I hope things resolve quickly for you.

thanks I won't resolve quickly unfortunately- I need a total knee replacement on my right knee - needed it 10 yrs ago, really but now it's become dangerous, again a fall risk as I live on the 3rd floor and getting up and down the stairs esp DOWN is hard with a knee that doesn't bend like it should and is very unstable.

only surgery will correct it now.

 

I also need the other knee and one hip replaced, and have SI joint dysfunction which complicates it all, plus my issues with medications and my fear of not being in control and having to trust the medical system I hate... yeh not a good situation I know

 

but I am working thru it a bit at a time. 
I realized that I need to go back and use the tools that I learned HERE about acceptance, esp! 

and how to let things go and to relax and to take one day at  a time, it all applies

 

finding someone to talk to about my fears and concerns should help too, I'm getting a tele health coach (not a therapist) to coach me thru it and help me stay positive.

 I have griped for over a year about my fears and it's not getting me any where- I need to turn things around and take positive action 

 

ON the happy side: I have pet mice. I am soon getting 2 babies, who are the nieces of my first boy mouse! (he's been neutered) and 3 of my foster mice are getting adopted into a great home!! so I'm busy with all that and my sewing and such

 

thank you so much for your ongoing support and concern, yes please do share your ideas with me, they will probably help in some way even if not specifically for sleep but other worries, right?

bless you for being so kind!

 

[Heath]

@Happy2Heal and @RachelSusan

 

I just read your post and thought I would pass this along.
i have been watching a YouTube video today or listening will I work which lays it out there about anxiety, stress, worries and fear. Very encouraging. 
 

Greatful here on SA had mentioned this before,  a therapist . It’s called therapy in a nutshell or anxiety in a nutshell on you tube and she has a website I think. 
 

so rachealsusan they mention in this video that worry and worrying are different. They said “We can’t control worry thoughts but we can learn to control worrying”

 

oh my I lost the video I will find it

Edited October 20, 2023 by Heath
Worry thoughts vs worrying

[Heath]

I found it

 

 

[RachelSusan]

@Heath Wow, this is great.  It looks like this lady has quite a few of these videos on youtube.  I am currently listening to the one you posted. Thank you very much.

[RachelSusan]

@Happy2Heal Thank you for your response. I do understand about lack of sleep affecting our thinking.  The fact that the internet company would only give you a credit rather than returning your money is awful. You still had other bills to pay, they should have returned your money.

 

I hear you about the knee replacement.  In the last three years I have had multiple orthopedic surgeries and the older we get, for most of us, the longer it takes to heal. I also have gone through the surgeries while having to figure out how to get the appropriate dose of my antidepressant medicine while I was tapering.  Getting a recognizable dose is easy, such as a 1mg, or 5mg, but when we start asking the hospital to give 1.32mg, or some such number, it becomes impossible for them to do.

 

You certainly have a lot going on right now.  I wish you good luck with getting through some of the more trying things.

 

Congrats on your two new baby boys (the mice). I bet they will be adorable. Picking out names is also always fun.

[Giuly88]

Dear H2H,

 

Congratulations for your success with escitalopram tapering and coming off it. Very remarkable achievement. Enjoy your reclaimed life now!

 

I have a question if I may? Did you experience torso and back muscle and did the go away?

 

I have all of this after 9 months off lexapro/escitalopram FT.

 

Did reinstatement of a micro dose work for your muscle spasms if you had any?

Thank you 🙏 

 

[getofflex]

@Happy2HealI read your success story again.  Excellent job on getting off the meds!  I, too, am a Lexapro survivor.  And, I also have a history of trauma, like you, and am in my 60's.  Sleep is my main issue at this point too, but it is getting better, very slowly.  Some nights I am able to sleep OK, and am grateful for this!  Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and say hello. 

[Happy2Heal]

On 11/30/2023 at 4:42 AM, Giuly88 said:

Dear H2H,

 

Congratulations for your success with escitalopram tapering and coming off it. Very remarkable achievement. Enjoy your reclaimed life now!

 

I have a question if I may? Did you experience torso and back muscle and did the go away?

 

I have all of this after 9 months off lexapro/escitalopram FT.

 

Did reinstatement of a micro dose work for your muscle spasms if you had any?

Thank you 🙏 

 

hi there, sorry I didn't see this til now, been super busy sorry

 

yes I did indeed have muscle spasms and tight muscles, much of it was in my shoulders and upper back but if I recall, I could have them randomly just about anywhere.

The micro dose reinstatement mainly took the edge off the anxiety and panic, at first. I did have waves of dread, panic etc after that.

I get good results NOW with taking magnesium gummies (I can take the mag citrate because I tend towards constipation, mag citrate can cause the opposite if you take too much but it's hard to take too much, really)

 

The magnesium makes me calm, takes away any muscle cramps or spasms and helps a lot with constipation, so it's  a win win win for me

Your results may vary

 

hope you are doing well and that your muscle spasm go away soon

[Happy2Heal]

6 hours ago, getofflex said:

@Happy2HealI read your success story again.  Excellent job on getting off the meds!  I, too, am a Lexapro survivor.  And, I also have a history of trauma, like you, and am in my 60's.  Sleep is my main issue at this point too, but it is getting better, very slowly.  Some nights I am able to sleep OK, and am grateful for this!  Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and say hello. 

hi there! thanks for the nice comment

it was a rough rough road, let me tell you!

 

aw sorry we have similar issues and are close in age.

I don't expect to ever have normal sleep but I am usually ok with what I am able to get.

Right now I am in so much pain, from my toes to my neck (but not my head- apparently it's true, no brain, no pain LOL) 

anyway the pain exhausts me so I sleep when I am too tired to do anything else

It's messed up my routine but it's better than being injured because I'm so tired I literally cant' see straight

 

have you got plans for the upcoming holidays?

 

 

 

[ShadowDancer]

Hello @Happy2Heal.

reading your last post, do you mean to say your sleep never actually got back to what it was before the drug hell you have been subjected to?

My sleep is so shot, I'm afraid I'll get fatal insomnia.

Don't even feel sleepy at all. Not once.

I just lay there and if I fall a sleep good. If not, I lay there for hours.

When I do sleep, it lasts anywhere between 90 mins to 4 hours, if I'm lucky that is.

I always wake up multiople times and sometimes drenched in sweat.

90 mins of sleep make me feel like I slept all night. 

I don't know how to go on with this any longer.

[Happy2Heal]

3 hours ago, ShadowDancer said:

Hello @Happy2Heal.

reading your last post, do you mean to say your sleep never actually got back to what it was before the drug hell you have been subjected to?

My sleep is so shot, I'm afraid I'll get fatal insomnia.

Don't even feel sleepy at all. Not once.

I just lay there and if I fall a sleep good. If not, I lay there for hours.

When I do sleep, it lasts anywhere between 90 mins to 4 hours, if I'm lucky that is.

I always wake up multiople times and sometimes drenched in sweat.

90 mins of sleep make me feel like I slept all night. 

I don't know how to go on with this any longer.

no Shadow Dancer that is not what I meant at all, my sleep gradually improved over a period of many months but it got closer to normal

I have severe PTSD, my insomnia now is because of that, NOT withdrawal (ALSO I have  a medical issue that makes me get up to use the bathroom at least 3 times a night so my sleep is always broken up by that) 

 

do not worry, in spite of feeling like crap and not getting the sleep you want to, sleep is a PRIMARY need. This means your brain shuts down and goes into sleep brain waves whether you notice it or not, it has to, and it does it, even if it's only for seconds

 

sleeping up to 4 hrs is very good!!! that is wonderful, actually, I know you may not agree but it's a good sign that you're recovery is going well!!  it will continue to get better

 

I too never felt sleepy at first, but eventually that will return as well.

 

 

That first 90 mins (I don't know about you but for me it was most often the first period of sleep that lasted 90 mins) it is so good, Even now my first  90 mins of sleep is the best.

Remember I've gpt PTSD and also a medical condition that makes me wake up often to pee, this is not WD causing my sleep disturbance now

 

you sleep is going to get better in time

often just when you feel you can't take any more, you turn a corner and things improve expontetially

 

just try to find things to do when you can't sleep, instead of just laying there, if you are still awake after 30 or 45 mins, get up and do some quiet activity. This helps a lot. you will likely start to feel a bit sleepy or even just weak and can go back and lie down and will probably sleep a bit more

 

the brain does micro sleeps when we are sleep deprived for any reason, so don't worry even though it doesnt' feel like it you are getting enough sleep to survive. Eventually you will get enough to actually feel good and your recovery will go quicker when that happens

 

it is frustrating when you are going thru it but I can assure you, this phase of withdrawal will end 

I hope its soon for you, it probably will be as you've been able to sleep longer as time goes on

[ShadowDancer]

@Happy2Heal

Thank you for the long and detailed answer.

 

Unfortunately, my situation is very severe.

I got mitochondrial damage to my brain from fluoroquinolone antibiotics, which also destroy the gaba receptors, making me lose sleep.

 

I was put on mirtazapine, gving me 6 hours at first, then, over time it got worse and worse, I had an adverse reaction to it. Didn't know it was mirtazapine which was messing me up.

So my case with antidepressants involve interdose withdrawals since I took it on and off, adverse reactions for three months since I thought the antibiotics were to blame for my condition, and the entire withdrawal thing itself. IT was down to 30 mins on mirtazapine! After I dropped it and before the withdrawal kcked in, I used to sleep for 5-6 hours albeit broken. Now is down to 1 hour sometimes none at all.

 

I have tinnitus and VSS on top of it.

 

Thank you for the answer though. Maybe I'll be as lucky as you are one day..

[Happy2Heal]

so you were given a different drug to try to treat withdrawal insomnia? 

 

if so I am sorry that happened to you, there really isn't any other drug that is going to help you get thru withdrawal

 

but at least now you know that you can recover without taking more drugs, as the hundreds or rather thousands of others who have gone thru this difficult journey have also found out

 

you will of course heal, virtually everyone does eventually

 

your sleep will return,  try to distract yourself when you are unable to sleep and find things to do to pass the time

Rest when you are able to, it helps

 

its no fun but it def does end

 

heh, I may seem lucky to you but having two conditions that make it so that I never sleep for more than 2 hrs in a row?  not feeling esp lucky about that .hahaha!  I used to be able to sleep 7 to 9 hrs in a row, but you know, I was younger then.

as we age we generally do not need as much sleep, although we may often want it

It is what it is. I am glad for that first 90 mins, when I wake up after that I often feel like I slept all night. 

we learn to adjust

you might find that you enjoy those extra hours when you are awake

I'm now 6 yrs post zero and have no major complaints.

 

 

good luck to you on your journey 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Happy2Heal

[Happy2Heal]

this post will be a little bit different from most.

 

after being off of lexapro for about 6 yrs now, after many many attempts to get off that dreadful drug- I think I might be in a wave!

 

now please DO NOT LET THIS discourage you if you are just starting out  nor if you've been slogging along in a taper for years nor if you CTed and are still recovering from that.

 

I have a very long history of drug "insults" as I now think of them.  well over 30 different psych meds, many in very high doses, over the course of almost 4 1/2 decades.

 

I was never properly withdrawn off ANY of those drugs, not even a short wash out period. NOTHING. So my poor brain was bounced around a LOT.  

 

THEN for the final drug that I went off of, the lexapro. I started on that in 2002, with the dose quickly being increased from 10 to 20 to 30 and even at one point, 40 mgs a day!!! absurd!

The prescriber it turns out, has been overprescribing for years and has been fined and been dragged into court for this issue as well as many others including giving patients dangerous drug combinantions.

 

I didn't know any of this until just a few years ago!

 

however I did try to get off the lexapro at least 4 times before finally finding SA and learning that WD is real and that I was in a lot of trouble, having kindled from all the dose increases and cold turkeys over the years.

 

I'm telling you all this so you know that it is incredible that I felt as good as I did after my taper was finished!
It truly is!
I have been living a GOOD satisfying life since 2018

 

I did continue to heal, but what I mean by that is: I still had very mild symptoms that I was not aware of UNTIL THEY WENT AWAY!!

so over time I was blessed with feeling better and better.

I think I've been somewhat different from many others in that I had a more or less linear recovery- It pretty much always just got better. I was truly blessed

 

so this LITTLE TINY HICCUP in my recover is just that : a tiny hiccup

a little bump in the road

 

I have been having some odd symptoms off and on for almost 2 yrs now

At first I thought it was my PTSD

then I learned I did have an actual physical/ medical condition that explained SOME of those symptoms

I am still having some testing done (a brain MRI) to rule out any issues with my brain.

A neuro exam took dementia off the list of possible reasons; I was happy to learn my memory is fine. 

The symptoms have varied slightly but are mostly confusion, some GI upsets, some anxiety that I truly thought was PTSD but have determined that is probably not the case

some emotional ups and downs that are dramatic and not at all connected to any current events. 

some sudden and fleeting feelings of depersonalization, some sudden feelings of anhedonia, just all sorts of things that were very common but MUCH much more severe in early acute WD

 

let me stress again, these are very mild and short lived symptoms

 

 

but after arguing with myself over the origin of these symptoms for almost 2 yrs I have to admit that the only thing that makes sense is that they are waves!!!

 

very short and very weak waves

 

my brain is still healing.

I am very glad for the healing, I am

even though it means dealing with odd and unwanted symptoms coming out of the blue

 

it's the very nature of them coming out the blue that cinched it for me- that told me this is a WD recovery thing

 

anyway, it's not having much effect on my life except in a few instances when I had some emotional exchanges with friends that were a bit too intense, but those were smoothed over easily enough (I've got forgiving friends thankfully)

 

so I've been having to dust off my old tool kit.

 

Oddly enough I am somewhat comforted by realizing this is recovery still- because I truly felt that my recovery had gone faster than I ever thought possible and it always just seemed too good to be true, you know?

this validates my understanding and belief that the brain is slow to change....and that I am not some special case (although it was sometimes fun to think I was, it also made me feel like a fraud or an outsider at times)

 

 

I found a therapist, well kind of! she is an intern.

she seems pretty clueless to be honest but caring and sincere so maybe I can do some work on trusting people again, and since she is not yet fully indoctrinated in the ways of the severely flawed mental health system in the US, maybe I can influence her to see things a bit differently. who knows?

 

here we are, only 9 days in to the new year and I can honestly say it's been  LONG year so far!

 because I have been working hard at trying to figure out what has been WRONG with me recently and now that I think I have it figured out

I can relax and just rest

 

which my body seems to want to do a lot of

Thankfully I have been able to sleep for up to 12 hrs (still need to do my bathroom runs but I go back to sleep very fast)
I feel like my brain is sorting a lot of things out as I am able to go into REM sleep and have a lot of dreams

I am getting memories back, so vivid it's like they just happened recently. Most of these are from years or decades ago

I still have some trouble with short term memory but no more than others my age hahaha

 

sorry this is so long

 

I haven't learned how to summarize, I was told that all thru my years in school and it still applies
Hahaha

 

 

[Giuly88]

Hi H2H,

 

I’ m happy to hear you are progressing in your healing even further and pleased that all of the dots are coming together to create a picture of happiness, fulfilment and peace ❤️.

 

For me as well my short term memory is slowly and gradually coming back still with ups and downs though however in my case I’m much more behind you in recovery.

My best wishes for your continued health 😊

 

 

[modelarz71]

You have a lot of wisdom in your approach to WD. I also thank you for your support during the summer when WD was new to me.
The big problem is coming to terms with the fact that one has reached for these powders 

[Greatful]

@Happy2Heal  Hi, I often think of you and how well you are doing after so many years of drugs.  It gives me hope that healing is still in the cards for me.. LOL.. I am a long druggy and old timer....By the time I am off all the drugs it will be around 30 years...I started some time - mid to late 1995 or so.  Plus I am 60 years old.   I panic sometimes that I am running out of time to enjoy my golden years...But you give me hope 🌞

 

I know that you have some past trauma, I can relate to this also...I just listened to this interview today put on by Mad In America with Dr Russel Kennedy.. He talks about trauma and anxiety.  You might find it interesting.

 

You are not the only on that has a hard time summarizing.  I tend to have to over explain things... My hubby tries to remind me that I don't have to explain myself with so much in depth detail......🙄

 

Take care of yourself and enjoy your golden years🌞

[Happy2Heal]

32 minutes ago, modelarz71 said:

The big problem is coming to terms with the fact that one has reached for these powders 

do you mean you have a lot of regrets?

 

I know I did at first but I've come to terms with the fact that I did the best I could at the time with the info I had, and regardless, it's in the past

so I can't change it

 

how are you doing now, if you don't mind my asking?

[sandnit]

@Happy2Heal, good for you that you figured out that you are in a wave and still healing. I hope you come out even better:)

 

I'm still in my wave that is now going strong after more than 2 months.....pffff. I pray it leaves me soon.

 

[Greatful]

@Happy2Heal  I guess my brain is still pretty scrambled 😓  The interview I was talking about was not on Mad in America.....It was on Medicating Normal   

Here is the link.... https://youtu.be/ZZ-vJw_e0yo?si=4lxCq7mEsnb3G1h1

[modelarz71]

On 10.01.2024 at 00:26, Giuly88 said:

Cześć H2H,

 

Cieszę się, że robisz jeszcze większe postępy w procesie zdrowienia i cieszę się, że wszystkie kropki łączą się, tworząc obraz szczęścia, spełnienia i pokoju ❤️ .

 

U mnie także pamięć krótkotrwała powoli i stopniowo wraca do normy, choć zdarzają się wzloty i upadki, jednak w moim przypadku jestem znacznie bardziej opóźniony w powrocie do zdrowia.

Życzę dalszego zdrowia 😊

 

 

A few months ago I developed a faint erythema on my calf with a Diameter of about 5 cm. 
I didn't have a tick it's not Lyme disease.
Just out of curiosity did You hear anyone had this, it is not troublesome compared to other WD symptoms but strange.

[arbor]

Hi @modelarz71  I;m sorry you're having this symptom.  I also have had it.  Here is a report that I found interesting.

 

Erythema nodosum is an inflammatory disorder presenting with painful, red, indurated plaques, usually on the lower extremities. These plaques result from the inflammation of fat cells under the skin. Drugs that may cause erythema nodosum include fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine.

 

Adverse cutaneous reactions to psychotropic drugs - DermNet

 

[JackieDecides]

On 1/9/2024 at 3:15 PM, Happy2Heal said:

after being off of lexapro for about 6 yrs now, after many many attempts to get off that dreadful drug- I think I might be in a wave!

I'm glad you were able to realize it and know what to do about it. I especially think it's wonderful you are able to sleep, I'm sure that is the most healing thing. 

 

How are things going several weeks later? 

[Happy2Heal]

On 1/11/2024 at 2:36 PM, arbor said:

Hi @modelarz71  I;m sorry you're having this symptom.  I also have had it.  Here is a report that I found interesting.

 

Erythema nodosum is an inflammatory disorder presenting with painful, red, indurated plaques, usually on the lower extremities. These plaques result from the inflammation of fat cells under the skin. Drugs that may cause erythema nodosum include fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine.

 

Adverse cutaneous reactions to psychotropic drugs - DermNet

 

@arbor  looks like this was meant for someone else. I'm not sure how to move it over to their thread

 

Oops sorry I just saw the post on my thread, never mind

Edited January 22 by Happy2Heal

[Happy2Heal]

3 hours ago, JackieDecides said:

I'm glad you were able to realize it and know what to do about it. I especially think it's wonderful you are able to sleep, I'm sure that is the most healing thing. 

 

How are things going several weeks later? 

hi @JackieDecides how have you been?

thanks so much for stopping by

 

Yes being able to sleep is wonderful and it actually has gotten even BETTER in the past month- I am now needing an alarm clock if I have a morning appt! 

I love it!
I really never thought it would happen.

I have noticed that the nights that I sleep the best are on days when I have gone outside in the sun during the day- esp if I was out in the morning.

the earlier I go out, the better my sleep is that night

I prefer being out earlier in the day anyway, so this is working very well for me.

It appears that the wave has ended- and it went out with a BANG! 

after about 2 weeks of night time PVCs and PACs (at least I hope that's what they were) I woke up on the 11th with my heart pounding out of my chest, with severe jaw and neck pain.

I was in afib!  
I was a bit worried due to the jaw and neck pain that maybe I was having a heart attack so I called a friend and went to the ED

they were also concerned about the possible heart attack but as soon as my heart rate started to come down, the neck and jaw pain went away.

I was just in afib, whew!

not a big deal but so disconcerting with that awful jaw pain!!

 

I left the hospital with a 2 week continuous monitor that comes off this week and is mailed off to a company to have it read. But I know that I was back to NSR (normal) by 7 pm that same night

 

Since then, a feeling of calm has come over me and I am back to being able to enjoy things (for awhile I had some bad anhedonia) and feel honestly Great!   

I had been sick with a bad headache and all over aches and pains a few weeks back and I did start a new supplement (collagen for my knees) and wondered if that made me sick, so I stopped it and am waiting before I add it back

 

Not really sure what brought this on, but I am so glad it's over. 
:)

 

 

 

 

 

[Happy2Heal]

On 1/10/2024 at 10:13 AM, Greatful said:

@Happy2Heal  I guess my brain is still pretty scrambled 😓  The interview I was talking about was not on Mad in America.....It was on Medicating Normal   

Here is the link.... https://youtu.be/ZZ-vJw_e0yo?si=4lxCq7mEsnb3G1h1

no worries!
mine is scrambled too, I put it down to age lol 

once you're over 60 or so I think you can use that excuse as often as you'd like, hahaha

 

thank you for the link, I will check it out! 

[Happy2Heal]

On 1/10/2024 at 7:25 AM, sandnit said:

@Happy2Heal, good for you that you figured out that you are in a wave and still healing. I hope you come out even better:)

 

I'm still in my wave that is now going strong after more than 2 months.....pffff. I pray it leaves me soon.

 

amazingly, I did come out of it even better!!
I am so happy it's over

 

I hope your wave ends soon! that's a long time

 

has anything eased up at all?

 

[Happy2Heal]

On 1/9/2024 at 6:26 PM, Giuly88 said:

Hi H2H,

 

I’ m happy to hear you are progressing in your healing even further and pleased that all of the dots are coming together to create a picture of happiness, fulfilment and peace ❤️.

 

For me as well my short term memory is slowly and gradually coming back still with ups and downs though however in my case I’m much more behind you in recovery.

My best wishes for your continued health 😊

 

 

hi @Giuly88 thanks so much for stopping by and for your good wishes, much appreciated!

my wave is over, it ended in the Emergency room as I went into afib- I've had previous episodes over the past er 18 yrs or so, but they are very infrequent and very short. I had thought I'd never have another have, having blamed them on the lexapro and WD but  I guess maybe not, I don't know now.

I am back in normal rhythm now and just fine and the wave is over too

 

and I truly feel better than ever. So very happy about that

 

this is a long strange journey, isn't it?

 

we need to keep our focus on the good, otherwise it's very easy to get discouraged

 

I hope your memory continues to improve and that you end your journey in a good place for you

 

wishing you good health and fast healing

 

 

(Afib stands for atrial fibrillation (AF), which is a type of arrhythmia, or abnormal heartbeat. Afib is caused by extremely fast and irregular beats from the upper chambers of the heart (usually more than 400 beats per minute). A normal, healthy heartbeat involves a regular contraction of the heart muscle.)