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February 01, 2005

Seeing the doctor

The doctor's appointment went ok. He's referring me to the psychiatrist as regards the OCD. He says he can't really do much with my medication, and that the large dose of Fluvoxamine is correct, which the pharmacist was querying. My eyes look ok medically, which the optician was querying. As far as my tummy troubles go, I have to increase the Loperamide to 6 a day, and I've also got fibre drinks. I asked about Crohn's disease but he thought I was unlikely to have it because of my build, but he says he can't rule it out. Anyway, he doesn't want to do any scope stuff until I've tried this.

Posted by Annie at 05:42 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 02, 2005

Salad - friend or foe?!

Had salad for lunch which was lovely, but might have a bad effect on the IBS or whatever it is. I just took my first dose of Fybogel. Yuck! It tastes like orange squash (which I loathe), with bits of bran cereal floating in it! I can't see why I have to take six imodium every day to stop diarrhoea, and two doses of Fybogel to stop constipation! Otherwise I'm just tired and in pain, and trying not to let the OCD get me down. I had a lovely time out with my Mum which kept my mind off things.

Posted by Annie at 08:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 03, 2005

Bad night

I don't like this Fybogel stuff. I had a restless night anyway, and I've 'been' about four make that five times since five o'clock this morning. I have tummy ache too. Blah!

Posted by Annie at 12:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 05, 2005

Most bits hurting

I'm feeling hurt-y today. Like one big bruise. I slept ok-ish, but I'm very achey and sore, including my upper body. I noticed yesterday that lifting my arms and keeping them up to do things was painful. It seems to have spread a bit today. My tummy is ok-ish. I'm still going umpteen times a day, but I haven't had real diarrhoea. Lovely subject isn't it? I hope you're not having your breakfast! My eyes are still wonky, the eczema is getting better slowly, I'm very tired (physically rather than mentally), and the OCD is still driving me nuts! I've been feeling more depressed over the last couple of days too. Anyhow, that's all for now, and if your name is Bill and you're selling vi*gra, please don't leave me any more spam comments! Okay?

Posted by Annie at 01:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Not only, but also...

Add all-over aches, wonky balance, a runny nose and sore throat to this morning's list. Feeling blah!

Posted by Annie at 07:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 06, 2005

Sunday update

I didn't sleep very well last night. I'm in a lot of pain, especially in my upper body. My balance is still not very good. Tummy seems ok so far. Eczema is playing up a bit. Mentally much the same.

Posted by Annie at 02:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 07, 2005

Feeling blah

I'm getting fed up with the amount of comment spam directed at this blog. I know I can just delete it, but it's a pain. Anyhow, I'm in pain still, especially in my upper body. I have a bit of a cold. The eczema is playing up again. I've just had a bout of lithium-induced nausea. I just managed not to throw up. Still depressed, and having trouble with the OCD. I'm off to bed to watch tv. I don't feel up to anything else.

Posted by Annie at 09:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 08, 2005

A cold, etc.

Not feeling too good at all today. Shaky hands and general cold symptoms as well as the usual stuff. Went to bed mid-afternoon. Feeling grotty.

Posted by Annie at 03:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Still feeling yucky

I slept most of yesterday evening and most of the night. I'm still feeling very tired, and generally blah. I'm achey all over, but particularly in my upper body. All I want to do is curl up in bed with my heat pads, but I can't do that today unfortunately.

Posted by Annie at 11:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 09, 2005

Not my best day ever healthwise

I'm not at my best today. I'm tired and achey, still sniffly, and just to add to my enjoyment (not) the eczema has gone bananas! It's only on my hands, thank goodness, but it's still a right pain. I've been putting on the hand cream that was helping, but it doesn't seem to be having much effect. Tummy has been better the last couple of days. Grip and fine finger movements are very poor. Depression and OCD are getting to me, especially OCD. Finger joints are sore, and most of my muscles seem to ache. Upper body, back and left knee are worst. Fed up!

Posted by Annie at 08:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 10, 2005

Feeling down, tired and generally blah

I slept a bit better but I'm not feeling too great today, mentally or physically. I feel down and stressed, I'm achey and very tired, the eczema is playing up, just lots of things getting me down. I think I'm going to try and get some extra sleep later.

Posted by Annie at 12:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Feeling rotten

I'm still feeling really grotty. Tired, achey, the eczema is playing up, I'm feeling yucky, the OCD is getting to me and I'm feeling very down. I've been napping for the last couple of hours and I'm going to have a snack, take my meds, and go back to bed.

Posted by Annie at 09:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 11, 2005

Driving me nuts!

Another day of feeling blah? I hope not! I've got an appointment with my doctor this morning, to talk about the mental health stuff again. This combination of manic depression (bipolar disorder) and OCD is driving me nuts - literally! The physical problems are enough to cope with, without all this as well.

Posted by Annie at 07:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A change of meds

Well, I saw my doctor and told him how bad I've been feeling. He would have liked to have given me beta-blockers, but they're out as I'm asthmatic. He's changed my current anti-depressant (fluvoxamine) to one I haven't tried before (venlafaxine). I can start it tomorrow, as I've already taken some fluvoxamine today and I shouldn't take both together. Apparently venlafxine can make people very sleepy, but as I have trouble sleeping well that probably won't matter. I'm a bit wary as the fluvoxamine has been replaced by other drugs in the past, without much success. On the other hand - maybe it's a wonder drug. That would be nice! I doubt it though.

Posted by Annie at 11:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Researching my new tablets

I've been doing research on my new meds. The drug is called venlafaxine and the marketing name, in the UK at least, is Efexor XL. I've never taken it before, and I don't think I'd ever heard of it. Here is what Net Doctor had to say about it. I also came across a forum with a thread about Efexor XL which had a load of people saying how bad the side-effects are. I wish I hadn't found that one! That's the trouble with taking medication, you end up having to take stuff for the side effects of the original meds! The doctor said that this could make me very sleepy, but as I'm having trouble sleeping properly maybe that could be a good thing. I have to give this a try anyway. Things are pretty rough at the moment. It's hard enough coping with the fibromyalgia without being very depressed and OCD-ing madly.

Posted by Annie at 02:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 12, 2005

A bit sore today

I'm not really feeling any better. The sore throat is back and my right hip is hurting as well as all the usual stuff.

Posted by Annie at 05:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 13, 2005

Sleep versus pain

I had a bad night with lots of pain, so I spent most of the day in bed. Still feeling very achey and the sore throat is back too.

Posted by Annie at 09:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 14, 2005

More pain

I had a rotten night. The pain kept waking me up. I could have taken painkillers, but the mild ones don't work and the stronger ones are addictive so I save them for the unbearable pain. The eczema is bad, I'm aware of the asthma a bit more than usual, and I just feel tired and achey. The OCD is still bothering me and I'm feeling quite down. Apart from that everything is wonderful - ha, ha!

Posted by Annie at 02:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Feeling grotty

I'm feeling really grotty today. I'm sore and achey, I have a runny nose, I'm very tired, I'm having bad hot flushes etc. Mentally I'm coping, just. No major improvement with the new tablets.

Posted by Annie at 08:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 15, 2005

Tired etc.

I had another bad night, mainly because of the pain. I stayed in bed most of the morning, but it doesn't seem to have helped much. I'm seeing black dots in front of my eyes this morning, just to add to the excitement. The IBS is better since I've been on the new regime. Everything else is pretty bad at the moment. I'm not feeling any benefits from the new anti-depressant yet. I just want to sleep a lot.

Posted by Annie at 04:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 16, 2005

Terribly tired

I'm feeling pretty lousy today. At first I thought I was just tired, but my short flit into town this morning really wore me out, and I'm feeling tired to the point of feeling sick. I don't feel sleepy exactly, it's more of a bodily tiredness. Anyhow, I'm going to bed very early to get some extra rest. hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.

Posted by Annie at 09:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 17, 2005

Sooooooooo tired

I think I'm as tired as I've ever been in my life. Not sleepy, just an effort to do anything - sort of physically tired. It's too much effort to read - I just want to stare at the tv. Pain is about the same. I slept a little better last night, but my tummy is a bit worse again. OCD still bad. Depression bad too. Eczema slightly better today, but not much. Think I might be having a 'stay home and get some extra rest' day tomorrow.

Posted by Annie at 09:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 18, 2005

Not a good day

I'm feeling pretty bad mentally today, and not too good physically either. Very low. Tummy is a bit unsettled, eczema playing up, eyes tired, memory awful etc. I bought a book about the menopause this afternoon. Ironic really, because I was having a hot flush at the time. All I really feel like doing is sleeping and watching tv.

Posted by Annie at 06:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 19, 2005

Better

I'm feeling a bit better today, mentally at least. I'm tired and a bit achey and headachey, but I'll live. I'd rather cope with that than the way I was feeling yesterday.

Posted by Annie at 01:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Poorly tummy

I think that being in the throes of an IBS attack is like being on a scarey roller coaster. It's horrible, but you can't get off until it stops. I've just had my worst session since before I started on the new regime. Fortunately I was at home, alone. The eczema is pretty bad too, especially on my left thumb. I'm wondering if it's got infected again. I'm very hygiene conscious because of the OCD, but unless you live in a sterile bubble you're going to come into contact with germs. Mentally I'm feeling a bit better today. I'm pretty tired and feeling grotty physically. I'm very achey. I still have a little bit of a cold. My hands are very, what's the word, non-sensitive(?) at the moment. I'm having a lot of trouble with earrings and stuff like that. The part of my lip where I had the lip biopsy is a lot worse too, so something 'neurological' is going on. I think that covers everything!

Posted by Annie at 08:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 21, 2005

How I feel - in brief

Lots of pain, all over. Tummy dodgy. Hands sore and itchy. OCD pretty bad. Not feeling quite as low.

Posted by Annie at 02:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Oww!

I'm feeling much the same as this morning, apart from the fact that I'm in a lot more pain. I feel like just one big bruise. I'm going to go to bed after tea, and see if the heat pads help at all.

Posted by Annie at 08:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 22, 2005

More pain

I'm feeling roughly the same as yesterday, except that the pain is worse and more widespread. It's actually worse than it has been for months. My tummy is ok-ish, the eczema is a tiny bit better, and mentally I feel much the same, maybe slightly better. The OCD is much the same too.

Posted by Annie at 08:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 23, 2005

So-so

I'm feeling much the same as yesterday, a bit yucky, but the eczema is a bit better. I've been using a new hand cream which seems to be helping.

Posted by Annie at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 24, 2005

Still feeling grotty

I'm still not feeling very good. I'm feeling particularly grotty physically today. I've got a rotten sore throat too. I think it's more due to the dry mouth and cold weather than any new cold or infection.
Mentally I think I'm feeling a bit better than I was before my tablets were changed, but the OCD is still bothering me more than it should with all this medication. I've decided not to go and see my doctor tomorrow. I'll leave it until next week, but I absolutely must see him, and see the optician again then.
I've managed not to take any of my strong painkillers this week, but more due to bloody-mindedness than lack of pain. I think the most effective thing for the pain has been resting and using heat pads. Anyhow, I'm going to rest up a bit this evening, and hopefully everything will feel better again tomorrow.

Posted by Annie at 06:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 26, 2005

Much the same

I'm really still feeling much the same. The sore throat was really bad yesterday, and my eyes have been worse, and those are about the only two changes. Sorry I've missed blogging some days. I've been going to bed earlier so it's cut down my computer time, and my ISP has been playing up too.

Posted by Annie at 12:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 27, 2005

Tired and sore

I'm feeling very tired today. I really overdid it yesterday, going out three times. Good job I don't need to do much today. The insides of my lips are really sore, but the sore throat is better. My muscles are really sore, and I've had that awful throbbing down my backbone feeling. Mentally things are a little better. Hopefully by the end of the week when I've seen the doctor, psychiatrist & optician, I'll have got things a bit sorted out. I know there's not going to be an easy answer to all this, but even if some of the smaller things were taken care of it would help.

Posted by Annie at 05:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 28, 2005

Sore mouth

Can somebody tell me why the insides of my lips are sore and burning? Just inside the outside bit, if you see what I mean. I've been using some fragrance (and just about everything else) free lip salve on them, but no improvement. The tip of my tongue gets sore too, and the inside of my cheeks. Apart from that I'm also more achey again, especially in my upper body. The eczema is still flaring. Tummy is so-so. Mentally I'm feeling low, and anxious. I'm seeing the psychiatrist tomorrow so hopefully she'll have some bright ideas.

Posted by Annie at 02:03 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack