Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Symptoms all gone...at least for now.

The last three days my energy has picked up. I am no longer having hot flashes, muscle cramps and headaches. In place of the seroquel and sodium valproate I was on there is now quite an impressive row of supplements. OK, an exhaustive list. First thing in the morning I drink about 100mls of aloe vera gel (Forever Living Products). I also take their Bee Pollen supplement, for energy and a general tonic, and their Vitamin B12 plus Folic Acid (I am vegan, so this is doubly essential, as I understand B12 can be depleted by Sodium Valproate). I take a cinnamon tablet (supposed to be good for blood sugar levels). From Higher Nature I take an a-z multivitamin and mineral formula. I also take their 'Serotone', also known as 5HTP, supposed to be good for mental balance/mood. I take their HCA as well: it helps curb your appetite so you eat less. And their Chromium...which seems to help a few things to do with insulin, blood sugar levels and so on. Phew!

I am still on 500mg of Sodium Valproate and will remain so at least for a few days more before I start tapering that off as well. Thing is I didn't ask my doc for some smaller-value tablets which I should have. All the results from my blood test for thyroid, blood sugar etc came back plum normal...so I'm not diabetic or owt like that. That's a relief. Maybe I need to get to the GP and ask for those smaller-value tablets. I gather that the prevailing theories on coming off drugs say that tapering is essential and I am aware that many folks take many years doing it.

Anyway, a great relief to be up and about again. This morning I had to take the cat to the vet to get her checked over and buy some industrial-strength flea treatment. The supermarket variety has manifestly failed and I (never mind her) am getting bitten to ribbons. Even found the damn things in my bed. So have been (on vet's advice) washing all the bedding in 95 degree hot water and spraying all the carpets with this stuff he recommended. Also she has a bad tooth, looks quite nasty so I will have to take her to the poor-people's vet on Thursday morning to get it taken out. The local vet is awfully nice, but so are his prices.

Went to DRA yesterday: Dual Recovery Anonymous. Found it quite difficult. I wonder if the changes in me are such that I will find I need to move on from DRA and also certain friends. I hope not, but it is the way of the world. It won't be the first time. I found that nearly everyone there seemed to be in a lot of pain. I felt a bit overwhelmed by it...and I didn't share, because there wasn't time for everyone and I quite honestly felt they needed it more than I did. I don't feel completely at home in OA either because a lot of the people there seem to have more of a problem with food than anything else. For me I think the psychiatric disorder probably came first. However I like the Twelve Step emphasis on getting straight with one's Higher Power. The recognition of a spiritual dimension in life. I seem to need that. Although I have been doing less praying lately...it's hard to pray when you feel ill. I don't want to bother God too much with my nonsense.

OK guys, gotta go and wash this dye off my hair. Love and healing vibes go out to all of you...Zoe.

3 comments:

Monica Cassani said...

Hi great to find you--someone else trying to go natural. I found you via technorati because you linked to me. Thank you!

You actually linked to my old site. My new site is:

http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/

It has all the archives, plus it's up to date.

I look forward to keeping track of what looks like a very promising new blog!

Did you know that to leave a comment on your blog you have the setting set to only allow people with blogger accounts to leave a comment? Therefore I have to leave a link to my old blog as I can't use another name. (I just discovered this as I tried to send the above message)

Anyway---Cheers!

Zoe said...

Hi Gianna lovely to hear from you! I have been meaning to get in touch and now that I am back on my feet would seriously like to write more of my story. The only thing that sometimes holds me up is a distinct lack of techno-savvy! I will get my bf to help me sort out that problem you mentioned if it can be sorted...otherwise I might have to leave and go elsewhere...to Wordpress maybe! Speak again soon...Zoe.

Monica Cassani said...

It can be sorted out Zoe. Changing the link to my new blog is easy (go to customize) and to change the comment setting just go into "settings" and click on "comments." You have to say you are willing to get anonymous comments--otherwise only blogger members will be able to post. I made a request on my blog that people not leave anonymous comments in my side bar.

People can always choose a "handle."

If you are not tech savvy I would leave switching to wordpress until you are more tech savvy. It's much less intuitive than blogger.

Please get in touch with me--I think I remember now that you wrote me--I'll look for your email and send a note perhaps.

Or write me

giannakali (at) gmail (dot) com

Good to have you around. Would love to hear more of your story.