State of me:
I have been off the depression medication for a few months. I am not taking sleep meds as prescribed due to side effects (though I still have difficulty sleeping). My migraines are manageable. My allergies are worsening (resulting in hives and wheezing). I am still overweight. I am not smoking. I have not had a drink to help me sleep in two days (being off the sleep meds, this is a big sacrifice). Lying there aching at night is a bit of a torture, but I know alcohol induced sleep is not quality sleep and I'll feel better in the long run if I can get my sleep back on track on my own.
So I will continue to focus on my sleep cycle. This is key to reducing the chronic pain that has been awful as of late. Next I need to start back up on the exercise program. That fell to the wayside when my Mom fell ill and I need to get back on the ball. It is one year this coming weekend since I lost my Mom -- she would kick my ass for waiting this long to take care of myself. Following the exercise I'm going to attack my diet. If I attack it all at once I'll lose my mind. Currently I'm throwing more veggies into my diet and less convenience foods. I started drinking a glass of cherry juice (from concentrate) daily to reduce joint inflammation. I'm making gradual diet changes, but I sure wish I liked healthier foods!
My thinking is that if I have given up alcohol and smoking I can have coffee and bagels. I'll cut out the poppy bagel in the future, but for now it makes me happy. I am also thinking of starting to drink decaf tea as a fill me up option. Obviously I have oral fixations if I want to eat, drink, and smoke all the time :) Gum chewing isn't the answer as it makes me look like a 16 year old and then my jaws ache.
St. Patrick's Day was low key besides the green fun with the kids. I went for fish and chips with a good friend to a pub within walking distance. It pays to live in a small town! It was great to catch up as we hadn't hung out in a while (vacations on alternate weeks). She's my work out pal so we discussed getting back on track. She is renovating a 1900's farm house, has four boys 1-6, and has a disabled hubby (auto accident). Her life makes me tired!
I'm never taking 2 classes again while working full time during a winter semester. This is a critical time for me at work -- evaluations are underway and suck the life out of me. Note to self -- only easy classes in the winter!!! Only 6 more weeks!
2 comments:
hi there,
chronic pain and sleeplessness. I've been there. but thank God my chronic bladder pain and also my knee pain has eased way up lately. I guess that means the pain was not really chronic. anyway. it sure seamed chronic last summer when I couldn't sleep because of the nagging pain. I was drinking wine to sleep, but since the pain was in my bladder. I switched to whiskey (less fluid to fill the bladder.) I thought this was a great solution. I could sleep. but in the mourning. uuuh. I felt awful. so., I started trying other things.
5-HTP worked best. It's like prozac, but all natural. you can get it at the grocery store. and if you ask me it's a lot more mild. prozac makes me feel weird.
back to 5-HTP, after about 3 weeks. I started sleeping all night. every night! I hadn't done that since I was 10 years old. but after about 5 weeks. I was so tired during the day time (even after a good 8 hours at night). I could hardly move around. i was afraid I might fall asleep while driving. so I had to stop. but I've been told that other people do not have the major day time fatigue that I had. so it might work for you.
I'm really not one to be giving advice., but while I'm at it. you work to much!! I'm worried about you. is there anything you can do?? take out loans, and be really poor for a term?, while you finish up school and then start working again after you graduate?? I know people that work and go to college, but also have kids?? oh, that's hard.
Rest up. Take care and enjoy those kiddo's.
-wednesdaygirl
wednesday girl -- never feel bad for tossing in advice! I'm one who loves ideas and comments of any sort. Answers in next post :)
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