updates: tapering off RX, mucus etc.

[Carolina]

Hello dear angels,

Well, I'm in month two of tapering off the anticonvulsant I've taken for 5 years (in one version or another).  Down to 1/4 dosage. 

POSSIBLE RESULT:  I am having worse osteo arthritis pain in the second month.  Keeping me awake at night, primarily.

HOWEVER, I've also stopped taking the Benedryl regularly at night that I've taken for a couple of years.  Soooo, maybe I'm just waking up for something that's always been there?

This is the result of unscientifically changing two variables at the same time.

Sigh.

I just got very enthusiastic about getting off more medications!

And I was wondering if I would feel more alert and peppy during the day without all that Benedryl in my system.

Both the anticonvulsant and Benedryl cause sleepiness and tiredness and slow thinking.

But last night I did get up and take one Benedryl at 4 AM, so I could get back to sleep.  I used to take two every night.

Forging ahead however with perhaps just one Benedryl at night tonight, and so on.

I'll see my new Rheumatologist on the 10th of November, so I'll know a bit more by then and can talk to her about it.

MUCUS:  You may recall that I had episodes of mucus in my 'stool' for about three weeks in late August/early September.  All is well now, and who knows what that was about.  Not me. 

WEIGHT ISSUES:  I started with on line Weight Watchers three weeks ago, and so far I'm doing reasonably.  My son showed me Lose It! on line, which is very similar to WW, and FREE.  So I've switched to that.  It counts calories, unlike WW which accrues no values for fruits and vegetables.  So it is a bit more exact, which is probably good for me. 

I've lost about 2.5 pounds, but I'm not putting up a Mission Accomplished flag any time soon!

I'll keep you posted.

Hugs

Elaine 

[Aquarius]

Carolina, It is surprising you can take Benedryl.  That is such a drying drug.   I would never be able to tolerate it or the antidepressant Elavil. 

Congratulations on the weight loss.  Sounds like you are on a program that works for you.   Bit by bit you'll start heading to your weight loss goal, which is the safe way to go about it.

[jazzlover]

Carolina, It is surprising you can take Benedryl.  That is such a drying drug.   I would never be able to tolerate it or the antidepressant Elavil. 

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That's what I was thinking. NO way I could take benadryl. I had to give up Zyrtec about 6 mo ago and it helped to drop that one!

Carolina.. were you on gabapentin?? That one is extremely drying too. Wish I could take it.

[Luna]

Definatly keep us posted Elaine.

Luna

[Carolina]

November 1 update:

Took my regular dose of Benedryl last night and slept fine.

I rather imagine I was either 1) having a temporary pain flare, or 2) just not sleeping as well through regular pain without the Benedryl.

I may ask the rheumy if there are better sleep aids than Benedryl.

BTW I do have dryness and sip water and mist my eyes three or four times a night (that's how often I get up to pee, sigh).

However, long ago I realized that my dryness isn't as terrible as many of you suffer. 

In spite of having three or four of the co-conditions of Sjogren's (Sicca, IC, peripheral neuropathy, dizziness and fatigue) I do NOT have Sjogren's.  Anyway, we all experience everything differently.

And remember I didn't start on any of this until I was 60.  So I'm a late comer to the party, as it were.

I have certainly learned the degrees of difficulty of this and many other conditions here on the forum, and send love and care and whatever strength I can to all of you.

Hugs

Elaine