grandmaD: turtle here

[Songbird]

I've had patches of sharp needle-like pains various places at times, it just comes and goes, there's no rhyme or reason to it!  I have found that vitamin C helps me with sneezing and rhinitis type stuff - seems to calm it down, so that might be something to try if you can tolerate vitamin C.  Fatigue is very frustrating for me too - today is Sunday, my one day off work and I'd been hoping to get lots done, but instead I felt exhausted and napped most of the day!  I have not had to deal with headaches like you though, that must be awful.  Glad to hear you got huge improvement in the adrenaline surges, that's something to celebrate at least.  I hope this all settles down for you very soon.  

[grandmaD]

 

 

Thanks Songbird, it’s always reassuring to hear of others with similar symptoms, so you know it is w/d!  It must have to do with nerves mis-firing??  The “prickles” are back again, they also come and go (like stinging nettles on my back) and I think this is due to nerve sensitivity on the skin surface. 

 

 I have vit. C each day already, thanks!  Yes, celebrating the adrenalin surge improvement! 

 

Yes, I know the fatigue is also annoying, like headaches, you never know when and for how long -  and so you can’t plan ahead and there is nothing you can do but rest! 

 

I had 3 headaches this week so thought that’s it for this week.  The next day I had a pressure head and did as little as possible and the next day felt good enough to go and water, but instead of doing 1 garden I did several and got a headache again next day!   It looks like exertion brings this on also.  Keeping on turtling on …..

How are things with you now?

[LexAnger]

Hi grandmad, 

Try this trick for the princkles on back. Wet a big towel with hot water, place it on your back covering as much as possible your spine, and the entire area that feels the principle. Leave it there for a while like 10 min see if the princkles lesson.

 

Thank you for checking on me on my thread. I have been in an unique battle of wd complicated by many other health accidents. I will update when this special wave settles.

 

Lex

[Songbird]

I have not had prickles but more a kind of burning feeling in the skin.  The prickles or burning skin sensations are known medically as paraesthesia.  The worst was during my "crash" in 2008 when I had a patch of burning skin at the top of my right leg near the hip joint.  You could not see anything there - no redness or rash - but it was very painful, and took months to go away.  I've had it again at various times and in other places, but nowhere near as bad.  I never found anything to help it, but I didn't try the hot wet towel so that could be worth a try.

 

It is frustrating that when you finally feel good you then end up overdoing it and paying for it afterwards!  That happens to me too but with fatigue and brain fog, not so much headaches.  It's good that you can tolerate vitamin C.  I'm a big believer in the powers of vitamin C.  Keep on turtling on, and I'll keep on turtling on too!

[LexAnger]

GrandmaD, just to check on you. Now I'm bed ridden again with more time on the forum--and pray for both of us!

Hope you got some relief from the pin and prickles lately. They are one of the most torturous sxs of all and I mam having

 lots those since the MRI and then the MSG reactions. But still trying hard to keep the faith they will lesson over time, as they did during my first 6 months off lex.

 

love,

lex

 

[grandmaD]

On 4/11/2018 at 11:45 AM, LexAnger said:

Hi grandmad, 

Try this trick for the prickles on back. Wet a big towel with hot water, place it on your back covering as much as possible your spine, and the entire area that feels the principle. Leave it there for a while like 10 min see if the prickles lesson.

Lex

Thanks for the advice about the hot wet towel.  I normally get them worse in bed and by then I couldn't be bothered getting up to do the hot wet towel and I never think to do it in advance!  Also I don't want to get the bed wet!  Where do you normally lie to do it? 

 

I thought the heat from being in bed set it off, so thought it interesting you used heat for it so based on that I got a hot wheat pack and heated it up and put that on my back and found it did help!

[grandmaD]

On 4/11/2018 at 8:49 PM, Songbird said:

I have not had prickles but more a kind of burning feeling in the skin.  The prickles or burning skin sensations are known medically as paraesthesia. 

I have the burning thing on my legs, especially painful around ankles feet and going to some toes.  I'm worried about having nerve damage, but so far I still have feeling there.  It is excruciating at bedtime when trying to sleep.  I must try Lex's wet towel trick for that.  Years ago Brassmonkey recommended cold wet sox and I did that and that helped.

 

It is frustrating that when you finally feel good you then end up overdoing it and paying for it afterwards!  That happens to me too but with fatigue and brain fog, not so much headaches. 

Yes, very frustrating and makes you angry and then that doesn't help either, I'm sure!  I'm becoming more alert more often now and this has led me to realise it is any extra things I do (as you said - overdoing it).  I now have to decide to continue for more years doing "nothing" but my usual routine or do other stuff and simply decide I will pay for it afterwards!

 

 

[grandmaD]

3 hours ago, LexAnger said:

GrandmaD, just to check on you. Now I'm bed ridden again with more time on the forum--and pray for both of us!

Hope you got some relief from the pin and prickles lately. They are one of the most torturous sxs of all and I mam having

 lots those since the MRI and then the MSG reactions. But still trying hard to keep the faith they will lesson over time, as they did during my first 6 months off lex.

 

love,

lex

 

Oh Lex, this is just so horrendous and so unfair!  I really want to come and visit you and give you a big hug and wish I could TAKE IT ALL AWAY!!!  It is a pain in the bum, especially when you have now experienced other things causing you to go backwards that were probably needless!  I have just discovered that the more rest I get, the better I can cope, so while it seems such a waste of our life being bedridden, I can now tell myself it is helping me!  Press on fellow turtle.

 

Hold on to your faith, that is all we have left and you don't want to lose that!  We ran into an 88 year old lady the other day WHO STILL GOES SKY DIVING!  So there is hope for us yet, right????

[grandmaD]

4 hours ago, LexAnger said:

GrandmaD, just to check on you. Now I'm bed ridden again with more time on the forum--and pray for both of us!

Hope you got some relief from the pin and prickles lately. They are one of the most torturous sxs of all and I mam having

 lots those since the MRI and then the MSG reactions. But still trying hard to keep the faith they will lesson over time, as they did during my first 6 months off lex.

 

love,

lex

 

Thanks Lex for checking on me, you are such a sweetie, especially in your own suffering.  It makes me so mad seeing what people have to go through on here.  Do you have family or friends to help take care of you??

 

Thanks, the prickles and pins and needles and shooting pains are heaps better.  It is just the head issues that are back again!  I am never in a position where everything is good or even fair because it is always one thing or another.  It is hard to keep strong and a battle fighting off the thoughts that this will never improve, I'll be like this forever and so on. 

 

I was so sure that the lower I got the better I would be, however I have just experienced the opposite of getting worse and worse with each passing year and the lower I go, there is still no letting up.

 

It is absolutely ridiculous what a tiny bit of this poison can still do.  I guess my age has a lot to do with it also as you don't heal very quickly the older you get.  I even thought of jumping off before this but when I saw how much worse you got, even from such A TINY DOSE, it frightened me to do that!

 

So here, I am, still suffering and still plodding along with no end in sight and having to wait even longer now instead of dropping at the 8 week mark because I'm still not stabilised.  That makes me mad also, having to go slower.  On the other hand I try and console myself that it may not be w/d but just all the added stress I mentioned above.

 

It is at this point in tapering (after 6 months of tapering) that for last 3 years I have had to stop and hold for 6 months.  That is also in the back of my mind, wondering if I'm going to have to do that again and the thought of that makes me furious!

 

My plan from now on is to take it easy, do my mid morning rests, stick to routine and do as little as possible (which i normally do anyway - I'm so thankful for a wonderful hubby who pays the bills, does the shopping and helps with housework and cooking when necessary).  If I improve over the next few weeks that will show it isn't w/d but was all the other stressors.

[LexAnger]

im crying over reading your post,. GrandMa! It makes me heartbroken thinking the mental and physical daily torture and desperation we are going though for these many years. No one would ever understand how much it takes a human being to endure all these and in doubt every day and minute about our future surviving. 

 

I live alone lone all these years, only meet up with my son over weekends for lunch or dinner while I try my best to pretend I was not that miserable. I can't be seen by others for longer than an hour or so even for the best time so I tried not having anyone around. Somehow I feel living alone is better in some way as I don't feel stressed by letting ppl see me. My life has been super simple with minimal house work or cooking so I somehow managed feeding myself so far. Your words of care and love totally melt my heart and wet my eyes. I too want so much to be with you and give you hugs everyday for some comfort. Thank you so much my dear friend! I have so much love to you too!

 

i didn't make it clear in my other post to your thread about the warm wet towel for pins and needles . I use warm water to wet the towel just to avoid too much stimulate from the coldness. But I don't use hot water, only warm water. So my skin will not react too much to the initial touch. The towel gets cool quickly that's when the cooling effect starts. So you are right that cool towel helps not the hot one. I usually lying on my stomach when I put the towel on my back where my worst needling pain locates. Another technique is knitting or sewing which I only tried once. This one actually takes away all types sxs probably by the distraction. The last time I alternated a pair of jean for my son, all my sxs were gone during the work. I feel it's the full attention I gave to the work did the trick.carmie also mentioned this and it works for her too.

 

looking back now after all types of experience and lessons, I feel the key of surviving this ordeal  is NOT to sensitize the CNS. my case is a great example how much trouble and challenge you will face once your System is super senentive. It seems everything now works like lexapro causing severe reaction to my sensitized system. I needed only to take care of lexapro before, now I don't know what are the hidden bombs until I hit them. I don't know if my sensitivity was caused mainly by WD or lexapro updose, but as long as you don't have drug reaction issue, going slow sounds the safer way to avoid sensitizing your symptoms. As long as no drug reaction, Taperin fast doesn't win us any time for final healing, most often it just causes  more suffering. So try not to think much about the time needed to be off, it's not the most important thing in this battle.

 

Another thing I learned after stopping, that it seems the root cause of all symptoms including physical ones, are the same--stress and anxiety even you don't feel anxious or stressed, and the stressors of all types can ramp everything up. So your plan of taking it easy, relax and rest, distract are the best handling. 

 

Having you you during this journey is such a great privilege !  Thanks for giving me strength during my war against this madness! 

i will pray more regularly for both of us!

 

lots love and big hugs!

lex

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LexAnger]

Oh about the head sxs, yes, me exactly the same. All my sxs are in the brain and head and back. When they lesson in the head and only on my back, I would feel livable. That's how different for sxs to be on brain/head or other parts of the body. It's more like if sxs on other parts of body, they are more like true physical, while in head, they are both physical and something else ( mental, cognitive etc) 

[grandmaD]

 

UPDATE 8 WEEKS

 I'm just getting round to doing my 8 week update when I would normally taper.  

I've just gone downhill so bad since my daughter's wedding and still not recovered:

Week 5 saw some improvement, but I went downhill again for the next 3 weeks. 

I think I may have been starting to stabilise but then was my daughter’s wedding (week 6)  This meant a trip away so we took our van, thinking at least I'd be in the same bed each night (as this can upset my bodyworks).

After the wedding all the usual head issues returned much worse, including the pressure heads, banging head, sore heads and I got a headache which lasted 10 days again.  We stayed for 5 days during which time we tried to catch up with rellies every day.  It is times like this when I know I should not visit as we did as I already had the stress/anxiety symptoms from the wedding and all the head issues.  However, being in town was a good opportunity to catch up with others and I felt very torn and just hoped I “could do it.”

 

Following that, we went off in our van and visited friends every day for a week so this probably prevented the headache from getting better.  It also made the anxiety issues worse, including adrenalin surges, dizziness, breathlessness, insomnia (4 hours several nights in a row) and pulse to 115bpm each day for that week.  Which also proves to me that even visiting people (just sitting having a cup of tea or lunch) ramps it up.  I’ve known for a while now that just talking makes me heaps worse and can cause adrenalin surges, dizzy and breathlessness.  Also, the inner vibrations and tremors went sky high.  Again, we went all that way to visit them (because brother in law now has Parkinsons Disease) and I would have felt like I was being rude to stay in the van each day!  We have stayed with them before in their home, which was probably better as I could go and lie down whenever I wanted.

 

*A note on Parkinsons.  He is now the 3^rd family member, along with another friend to get this disease and all of them were on cholesterol tablets.  I researched this and found it is a side effect.  Anyone reading this and being advised to go on cholesterol tablets would do well to research it before making that decision.  Our friend and his wife were both advised to go on cholesterol tablets.  The husband did and the wife refused.  He died twenty years ago from Parkinsons and the wife is still alive!

 

It has become quite clear to me now that I just cannot cope with anything over and above my usual routine (pretty much the same one I’ve had for almost 7 years now). 

 

I got worse and worse.  Then the muscle spasms hit me and I saw for sure how I react with GREAT FEAR and panic when this happens because of being laid up for weeks previous times, and at one point it was 2 months bad and 4 months all up.  Next day another spasm sent me to (reluctantly) take Voltarin (strong anti-inflammatory).   I was still fighting hard to resist the fear and panic and practising the “Dare Response” book where he talks about “accepting” it and not fighting it!  VERY HARD!  I’ve practiced this with anxiety but not with the spasms!  I got thru that day without any more spasms that day - a miracle in itself!!  Today I’m feeling okay and more confident but did resort to codeine p/k yesterday because the headache came back bad again.

 

The headache seems to be a permanent sort of ache on the right side.  Always there and sore. It goes from mild to moderate to severe.  It is very debilitating and I have noticed exertion makes it worse.  I’ve noticed rest helps.  I’ve had to go back to mid morning rests as well as my usual afternoon rest and I noticed the headache improved after my mid morning rest, (and codeine) along with the pressure head, “dead head” feeling and incredible fatigue.

 

Apart from that one fairly good week 3 weeks ago, the last time I had a decent week before that was 9 weeks ago.  This taper has seen only 1 good day a week whereas my average would normally be 2.  I will wait another week and hope things improve...

[LexAnger]

You are in my prayer grandma . I'm in extreme pain too, I know how you feel.

 

love, lex

[grandmaD]

Lex, you couldn’t have put it any better! The daily one problem or another.  A couple might improve while another couple get worse.  Definitely torture is a very good word and it goes on and on relentlessly for years.  I don’t know how I have gone on for this long.  I do know I am very fed up and I feel trapped.  You cannot plan for tomorrow and going out is out of the question unless you pay for it dearly!

 

I’m glad you are still in contact with your son.  I can understand it being less stressful living on your own.  I doubt I would have survived without my hubby as there have been plenty of times I would have gone without meals/food and since I cannot drive because of my bad cognitive issues, I still am not able to shop or pay bills, etc.  I’m so pleased you have been able to feed yourself so far.

I am so sorry about your extreme pain, it is so distressing to see people have to go through all this.  I continue to pray for you too, God bless you x

[grandmaD]

Lex I appreciate your suggestions for “distraction” however I cannot do any of these crafts.  In fact, the patchwork I was cutting up/sewing back in 2014 just before my gall surgery, is still sitting in the corner of the family room!  At times I have looked at it but I do not have the energy or the incentive to do anything.  I can do puzzles to occupy my mind and these are easy to pick up and put down whenever.

I’m sure you are quite right NOT TO DO ANYTHING TO SENSITISE the CNS.  This MUST BE OUR AIM because there are times we do things that we don’t even realise is upsetting it!  Like you said, we don’t know the hidden “bombs until we hit them (or they hit us!)

Plenty of times I wonder if my CNS is sensitive to the drug, like you and would dearly love to just CT, but after what you went through, I am too scared!  I am down to 1/8^th tablet and surely it isn’t doing anything and surely you would think must not have any affect anymore, but who knows? 

I am now only doing .5 drops instead of 1.0, yet I have been getting worse and worse since week 5 of this taper and don’t understand unless it is all the added stress, and this is very discouraging.  That is when it hits you mentally.  I had 2 very bad days which I don’t recognise at the time, but when I come out of it realise it must be deep depression.

You’re right there with the stress and anxiety.  I thought I coped pretty well with the wedding,  visiting, etc and since then have been crap for 5 weeks!  There are times I can detect the anxiety ramping up but there are times I don’t notice it until bedtime.

I think all I can do is to continue to relax as much as possible and rest as much as possible, especially keeping up with the mid morning rests as long as the afternoon ones.

It has been a blessing to know you too on this journey!  It does give us comfort and strength during this horrendous torture!  Thank you for your prayers, I continue to pray for you too.  Much love and big hug x

[grandmaD]

Week 9/week 2 of HOLD

Another horrendous week.  It feels like things are getting worse, and I’m doing downhill still, however there has been a slight improvement in headaches, head pressure and head banging sensation.  Worse is the nerve problem and muscle stiffness and feeling very vulnerable like I might “break”.  I have felt this before in the past, which is some slight comfort, knowing it might pass!  

 

 The headaches I had for 10 days in a row have improved.  After reading on LexAnger’s thread about a person with a couch issuing toxic gas – I removed a mattress topper that was blue gel foam.  The next day, after 14 days of this particular headache, it was gone!

 

Now I have other bad head issues with head vibes worse and a very sore head every day on the right side, sort of like a headache in one spot, not all over.  As long as I do NOTHING, it is okay but just going for a walk can make it worse.  This continues to be a permanent symptom.  There are times it moves to the top of my head and then across to the left side!

 

I can’t know for sure, but I have an achey shoulder, which at times goes up my neck, causing a stiff neck and into the right side of my head.  This seems to come and go, and I just don’t understand why at times it seems much better and other times much worse!

 

Worse week for vibrations/inner tremor and tingling.   I think are my nerves on fire, super sensitive and is very difficult to cope with.  I believe this could be affecting my muscles as I’m having lots of muscle issues – weak, tight, painful, stiff and the return of the itchies and prickles in a big way.

 

Then, I got the back muscle spasms again for another 3 days which sent me reeling again.  Again, I tried hard to not panic and continue with my mid morning rests and of course the relaxation and breathing exercises.  I am very pleased to say so far no more spasms, but still issues with hip, back and right shoulder muscles aching.

 

Rapid pulse is still in the 100’s each day and I’m sure this is from the anxiety stirring up the central nervous system, as I’ve had the adrenalin surges again each morning along with feeling dizzy and daily breathlessness.

 

Incredible fatigue again for much of this week.  Will continue to hold for the next 2 weeks at least…

[grandmaD]

 

UPDATE Week 10/Week 2 hold

Most of my issues are physical ones in my head, daily, so that if I don’t have a headache, I have pressure head, if not that, then head vibes and always a sore head and now this seemingly “permanent” right sided headache!  It is just so discouraging.

 

However, it is not just my head, I feel like my whole body is deteriorating.  Muscles problems with aches and weakness and tinkling, especially in legs is quite painful.  Then at times the muscle spasms.  The nerve pain on my right foot and toes is quite bad and definitely getting worse.

 

Nerves lately are all “alive” and this is very distressing.  I think this affects my muscles and my head issues.  I can cope when I lie down much better and in fact, spent 2 days in bed this week. 

 

 

UPDATE Week 11/Week 3 hold

This week saw an improvement from 3-4 headaches to 2-3 which is good; Big improvement from head banging 4 days to only 2 days; insomnia is 3 nights a week for 1-2 hours and that’s manageable as I had been having insomnia for 4 hours every night.

 

Breathlessness, anxiety and rapid pulse are every day and the “prickles” are my biggest issue at present; Tiredness and some fatigue remains the same; sore heads the same; 

 

Having major issues now with muscle weakness, aches and pain and stiffness in knees, neck and shoulder, fingers and hips.  Muscle ache in legs still severe, also ankles and feet with a nerve that is very painful to touch on both feet and cannot bend my foot back without intense pain.  Also my chest muscles are weak and I feel very fragile like I might break if I move the wrong way or too fast.  Still holding ...

 

[Songbird]

Sorry to hear you are having a rough time again, GrandmaD.  I know that for me, stress makes a huge difference, or even just too much sensory stimulation - it doesn't have to be negative or feel stressful to have an impact on a sensitive nervous system.  I've now stabilised from my last drop, but it was a bit rough and I had quite a lot of that feeling like my body was buzzing.  If you feel better with rest, then rest as much as you can.  Have you ever tried Bowen therapy?  I've found it great for muscle pain, stiffness, etc.

 

I hope you feel better soon, sending you (((hugs))).

[LexAnger]

Hi grandmad, I'm so heartbroken to hear what you are going through! I share with you for every single sxs plus high anxiety that was triggered by the recent trauma from multiple things. 

 

Can't type much in this condition but still want to let you know you are in my thoughts and prayer.

 

And many big, long hugs.

 

Lex

 

 

[LexAnger]

Hi grandmaD, 

 

im learning something new from my recent experience and my finding is very shocking.,I want to share with you just in case you are taking any of the other poisons like I did.

 

one is MSG and the other is aspartame to both I had severe reactions lately and now I'm in withdrawal of aspartame with extreme ( much worse than the original lexapro caused ) shortness breath, anxiety, pain, numb, heart pounding etc. 

 

lex

 

 

 

[grandmaD]

Thanks Songbird for your kind words and hugs!  It helps just being able to talk to others who understand.  I’ve just come to realise the stress from what our bodies are undergoing takes its toll.  I am beginning to understand how sensitive my CNS is and have a clearer understanding now my head is starting to have better days.

I now realise as you said, it doesn’t have to be negative stress either.  In fact, I’ve thought for a long time now that it is just doing something “different” that causes it.  We went to the city today, leaving early in the morning and getting back late afternoon.  We stopped at a park for morning tea and then while hubby went looking for stuff, I lay in the back of the car and rested.  Then we went to the Botanic gardens and walked there for 30mins and had our picnic lunch.  Then I had my nanny nap and hubby went grocery shopping.  I don’t usually go with him, but I followed him around for 30mins, which is do-able for me and then lie in the car while he went to other places.  Then back to the park for afternoon tea.  So basically, I didn’t too much extra,it wasn't negative and I rested A LOT! 

That night the vibrations were higher, and I had insomnia for 3 hours despite being very tired from the day.  What I find hard to believe is just HOW sensitive my system is.  I had an extremely sore head, painful to touch, the head banging again and the prickles which had started to ease up returned again!  It seems absurd that we cannot even do something pleasurable without it causing added stress.

That is great you have stabilised already! Goodonya!  It looks like you are doing monthly drops??  Wow!

I have the buzzing feeling also, as well as a tingling buzzing sensation.  I also get the inner vibrations which I think must be related but they are different, more like a strong, hard vibration.  All of them are very disconcerting!

My hubby gives me back, butt, hip and leg massages and these help a bit.  They used to help a lot, but the muscle problem seems to be much worse.  Just the same, it often helps relieve the pain enough to be able to get to sleep, so he is a real blessing.  I’ve been considering going to physio for my shoulder if that doesn’t come good soon.  It used to come and go but now is constant.  I thought about tens machine but worried it would be too stimulating to my nerves.  Do you know anything about that?

[grandmaD]

Lex, I’m so sad about your desperate situation, I trust you are also resting all the time to give your body the opportunity to recover.  Have you found anything that helps?

 

 I took some Mercyndol recently for pain, something I took all the time for headaches and worked wonders, but on this occasion I didn’t have a headache, I took it for pain relief and help to sleep and it gave me A BIG HEADACHE  next day!  So many things now that used to help we are finding are coming back to bite us in the backside!

 

I wish I could help you and fix it for you and for all of us!

 

Big hug and love to you xxx

[grandmaD]

Lex,  I discovered myself about Chinese food.  It resulted in a nightmare that night and next day a headache and pain in the right side of my head; anxiety ramped up to feeling like “fear”.

 

I got suspicious when we had Kentucky Fried Chicken and I had another nightmare and remembered the previous one.   Next day I had a very, very sore head again (painful to touch my scalp), anxiety ramped up, palpitations up high, and the inner vibrations were strong and hard.  I looked it up and found it has MSG in it!

This link tells you some other things with it in:

http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2014/11/12/foods-didnt-know-contain-msg.html

[grandmaD]

Week 12/week 4 of hold

This week saw very slight improvement in many things and good improvement for head pressure while other things remain much the same. 

Other things that got worse were the nerve issues with itchies, prickles, back and hip ache and 5 nights of insomnia for up to 3 or 4 hours.  I can't be certain if these are w/d, allergy or the bed I am still trying to figure out how to get comfortable with foam toppers.  One is too hard, the other too soft... and wonder if this is causing the muscle issues of back, hip, shoulder aches.

Anxiety is daily mild to moderate but RP still high along with daily breathlessness which is mostly mild and tolerable.

The improvement in head issues makes me want to do a drop.  I’m a bit apprehensive because of the nerve issues and muscle problems still in case they are w/d.  I’m going to take a chance and hope I do ok!  Sorry guys, I probably should wait yet another week, but I am impatient and just want to get off this crap!

[Songbird]

Hi GrandmaD.  Good to hear your head issues have improved.   What's RP?

 

MSG contains glutamate, which is a neurotransmitter.  It can be very stimulating.  Mersyndol contains doxylamine, a sedating anti-histamine.  I'm not sure why it gave you a headache but our bodies can respond very differently in withdrawal to how they would normally.

 

On 5/30/2018 at 7:49 PM, grandmaD said:

I’ve been considering going to physio for my shoulder if that doesn’t come good soon.  It used to come and go but now is constant.  I thought about tens machine but worried it would be too stimulating to my nerves.  Do you know anything about that?

 

 

I've had great results with my shoulder from Bowen therapy.  It's very gentle and seems to "reset" all the muscles so that they relax and the pain goes away.

 

I've also started using good health magnesium cream, containing magnesium chloride.  I've found it has a subtle effect, gently relaxing the muscles.

[brassmonkey]

Do you cross your legs when you sit? Even crossing your ankles while on a recliner can cause stress on the hips and lower back that can cause pain.  I learned that the hard way.

[Songbird]

I didn't know that, Brass.  I cross my legs all the time!

[brassmonkey]

I was having real trouble with my right hip a while back and finally figured out that it was the way I was crossing my ankles or knees when I sat in my recliner.  I made a conscience effort not to and it cleared up over a few weeks. Same thing happened with lying in bed, but it's harder to manage when you're asleep.  I also have trouble with walking (I can come up with a lot of bad jokes but won't).  Where I used to work I spent a lot of time on the factory floor which involved moving around equipment and the huge things we made, which meant a lot of weaving, turning, stop and starting.  I'm a fairly large guy and all the workers (I typed wankers by accident) were much smaller to things were pretty tight. After an hour or so my back and hips would be killing me from not being able to take a decent stride. I get the same thing while shopping or in crowded areas.  Only cure is to either sit it out or go for a walk where I can really stretch my legs.

[grandmaD]

Songbird thanks for the suggestions, I will look for the magnesium cream.  I ended up taking Ibuprofen this week and panadol for a bit of relief and it helped for 2 days, but then my stomach issues flared up even worse, I guess due to the gastritis I already have.

 

Tom thanks for your help also.  I've known about the crossing of legs for a long time now.  I think a lot of my problem is the mattress/bed situation and sitting on different chairs and using steps I'm not used to.  Again, it could be the cold.  Or the osteo.  Or w/d!   That's whats so annoying, I don't know, so I just decided it might be inflammation and took ibuprofen!  Anyway, hips, upper back, wrists, fingers are a lot better and tolerable.  I agree that stretching and walking help.  I also have to make sure to put a timer on and sit for half and hour if possible but no more than an hour and then walk around for 30mins and then lie down for a bit, and then sit again ...

 

I was reluctant last week to taper, however this week saw nothing major bad.  In fact, more improvements and I would say back to my old pattern (and baseline) for week 1 which was usually quite good when I did see a pattern way back before the generic switch.  After taking the ibuprofen for 2 days and getting some relief from the muscles and joint aches and pains - that helped my mental state as well.  I am beginning to notice just how much difference the mental state has on you when it is better.

[Songbird]

When I was having severe pain with my shoulder every day and taking tons of pain meds, eventually I had to give up the NSAIDs (diclofenac, ibuprofen, etc.) because after a while they were giving me severe stomach pain.  The paracetamol didn't upset my stomach, but it did nothing for the pain.  Doc prescribed dihydrocodeine (which helped a bit) and gabapentin (which had no noticeable effect).  Bowen was the only thing that alleviated the pain for me.

[grandmaD]

On 6/3/2018 at 6:50 PM, Songbird said:

Hi GrandmaD.  Good to hear your head issues have improved.   What's RP?

I've also started using good health magnesium cream, containing magnesium chloride.  I've found it has a subtle effect, gently relaxing the muscles.

RP is rapid pulse - I take it first thing in the morning after sitting for up to 10-15mins and usually in 100's and 90's. for a long time now. Just lately it has been in 80's and 90's which is good improvement.

 

I tried magnesium chloride 300mg/g Bioglan brand, still using it (longer than a week, maybe 2, can't rememeber) but not much help.  I got some arnica today.

[grandmaD]

 

I am currently dealing with the guts issues in a bad way.  Just got worse and worse lately (been a few months now and several weeks acute aching and pain and burning, and finally resorted to the doctors script for Zantac.  I’ve only taken 2 tablets, but then I remembered people giving me advice before so I’ve checked that out again and see that it’s not a good idea!

I think I’ll stop it for now and go back to using slippery elm like I had been doing before – boiling it in milk and then having a few tablespoons before a meal.

I am going to try carb soda, just 1 tsp in glass of water but have to find out if you do that before or after the meal.  Let me know anyone if you know.

I'm also just eating vegetabales and brown rice and porridge.  I hope to make some vege soup later on.

[grandmaD]

On 3/19/2018 at 1:37 PM, LexAnger said:

Hi gradmad,

Zantac is a h2 receptor blocker, milder than poi for treating heartburn. I was on it many year before and during my taper. When I suddenly stopped zantac in 2014, I experienced severe wd of sari symptoms, and due to that I updose Lexpro. That was when all my drug reaction problems started.

 

I remember reading an article about the interaction between poi and sari, saying that ppi  can increase sari effect by up to 50%. That explained my wd sxs from stopping zantac. 

 

I hope you can find some other forms of relief from the heartburn if all possible. 

 

You are in my prayer.

Lex 

 

 

Thanks for posting this before Lex, I just read it again.  What do you mean by "sari" symptoms? Do you mean ssri?  And what is poi?

How is your guts issues now?

[grandmaD]

On 3/24/2018 at 5:38 AM, manymoretodays said:

 

Hi grandmaD,

If you go below the greyed out bar you will see "Account Settings".  That will take you to your signature so you can update.

 

It looks like you have been exploring doing some dietary adjustments, which is good.  You may find you have to switch on up changes in diet, or other, as you continue on your W/D journey.  There are some recent posts about histamine on JungleChicken's intro/journal from freespirit recently, and you can always just type on in the subject you are interested in.....into your browser followed by survivingantidepressants.org.  I think there is something to it.........the histamine changes.  Always good to have something new to try, to slowly alleviate the worst of the W/D.  The headaches.......sure, could be related as well.  Of course they are right there on Joseph Glenmullen's W/D checklist too. 

 

Good to do what you can, when you can.  Keep it simple too   Some simple food reductions are great!!!

 

I keep a simple list of both Nightshades and Oxalates, in my kitchen and just use occasionally or in moderation, mostly in moderation.  You can just do a search and find out what foods are what as far as the N and O's go.  I found some lists with ratings even........higher to lower.  And I too.......realllllllllllllly.......that's really....... have to attend to diet.......MOST especially when life throws some of those tough things my way.   And an occasional ibuprofen.  That's about it for me now.  Frequent feeds help too.......every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day........no big gaps between eating up until about 7 pm.  Oftentimes whatever ........could be W/D......... or sensitivity........ I am having lets up in intensity......... in a couple of hours this way.

 

You can find more on Zantac/ranitidine here:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/4361-tips-for-tapering-off-stomach-acid-blockers-or-ppis-e

Good that your colon and gastric tests went well.  That's a yay!!!

 

grandmaD hugs......(((((())))))) and L, P, H/IR, and G,.

mmt

 

I'm just putting this back here so I can read it again later on and look up the links.

[LexAnger]

11 minutes ago, grandmaD said:

Thanks for posting this before Lex, I just read it again.  What do you mean by "sari" symptoms? Do you mean ssri?  And what is poi?

How is your guts issues now?

Grandmad, I'm sorry for the confusing! I meant ssri not sari, and ppi not poi. The autocorrection of my phone is doing wrong corrections, silly program.

 

Thankfully, I just stopped ppl like that without tapering, and no guy issues. It's very mysterious though as i tried to stop ppl many times before never successed.

[LexAnger]

Hi grandmad, 

I'm so sorry your gut issues got that bad! 

I remember my heart burn was totally intolerable if I miss a dose of ppl or zantac. I don't know how effective the carb soda can be, if on case you have to take ppi, you can try to take a small portion of the daily dose. I always just take the smallest possible before I stopped. Once you find the right dose, just stay on it. You would like to taper it after you are done with ssri tapering. I made the mistake by stopping the ppl and not reinstate it rather than updosed lex. 

 

I will search more about this and let you know if I find anything useful. 

 

Big hugs!

Lex