March 02, 2005
That's that over and done with
Well, after all that worrying, the psychiatrist's appointment yesterday went ok. Apart from the fact that the psychiatrist didn't have my notes. Not a good start to any medical appointment, but particularly a psychiatric one I would have thought. Anyhow, I filled her in. She's increased my antidepressant dosage from 75mg to 150mg, and told me that if I'm not feeling better in three weeks, to add another 75mg.
We talked about a community psychiatric nurse, like I've had in the past, but apparently they are about as easy to find as hen's teeth at the moment. Presumably why the notes not turning up is a regular occurrence. She wants to see me again in six weeks. Presumably I don't need to go back to my GP now, as she's dealt with the anti-depressant situation, and will be letting him know what she's done. I rarely go more than three or four weeks without seeing him anyway, because of the physical health problems. Other than that I'm still feeling pretty lousy. Tired, achey, down, OCD-ing, etc...
Posted by Annie at 01:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 03, 2005
Feeling blah!
I'm feeling pretty grotty today. Achey, very tired, and nauseous on and off. Poor appetite too. The eczema is improving apart from my left thumb and a bit on the back of my left hand. My thumb is very sore and rather hot. I don't think it's infected, I think the cold is making it worse, but I'm putting on some antibiotic(?) cream the doctor gave me for troublesome eczema. I'll see how it is tomorrow. I've had a letter from the pschiatrist, well, a copy of her letter to my doctor. She has said that I need to increase the meds again if I'm not better in one week's time, not three weeks as I thought she said.
Posted by Annie at 06:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 04, 2005
No improvement
I'm feeling much the same as I was yesterday. I slept ok, but not as good as the previous two nights. Still quite depressed, and OCD-ing. My thumb is very sore, but no worse. I have a nervous habit of raking my thumbs with the nail of the finger next to them, and I don't think it helps the eczema at all. As long as it doesn't get any worse I'll keep on with the ointment, and if it's still bad on Tuesday I'll ask the nurse about it when I go for my blood tests, and see what she thinks.
I can't believe that they've only been testing for lithium. I just assumed they would do the others (kidneys and thyroid) when they needed to, and they should have, without me prompting them. I'm wondering if they've been checking my liver - one of the doctors last year told me that my liver function wasn't quite as good as it should be.
Posted by Annie at 12:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
My thumb
I went to the doctor's after all. My thumb is probably infected so I've got antibiotic tablets as well as a bland ointment as I refused to have a steroid ointment. I know my skin doesn't react well to them. I asked her what I could use to wash my hands as I can't find anything that doesn't irritate, and she suggested aqueous cream, which is totally bland, and very cheap! I had to laugh when I saw a big notice saying that when they do lithium tests they must do the other tests as well. I bet they've only just put that up, after my phone call from the nurse yesterday. Apart from my thumb things are much the same.
Posted by Annie at 09:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 05, 2005
More sleep but more pain too
I slept for a long time last night, but woke up a few times. At one point my hip was hurting where I was lying on it, and my other hip was hurting just from the weight of the covers. My thumb is a little bit better today, but still very sore. My lips are sore too, despite using loads of lip salve. Everything else is much the same. I'm very tired, quite down, & still OCD-ing. I'm in more pain than yesterday though.
Posted by Annie at 05:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 06, 2005
Same old symptoms
I'm feeling much the same today, except that the eczema is slightly better.
Posted by Annie at 07:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 07, 2005
More short-sighted
Well, the verdict from the optician was that I've got more short-sighted since my last test in September. It's not been my best day ever - I'm achey, feeling low, and very tired. The eczema is getting better though so that's something.
Posted by Annie at 07:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 08, 2005
So-so
I'm feeling less depressed than I was last night, but still not great. Pretty blah physically, but my thumb is getting better. Tummy seems a bit unsettled this morning.
Posted by Annie at 12:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Loads of blood tests !
I saw the nurse and got my blood tests done this morning. She tested for liver, full blood count, cholesterol and lipids, as well as the lithium, kidneys and thyroid that I was expecting. I have to ring up on Friday afternoon for the results. I asked her why my lips are going blue and she didn't know, and told me to ask my doctor next time I see him. I haven't seen her before. She was very pleasant, and gentle, which they aren't always.
Posted by Annie at 05:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 09, 2005
Feeling blah again
Not my best day ever healthwise. I've been feeling totally exhausted, quite achey, and generally blah. I've spent most of the day sleeping. The eczema is still getting better, but apart from that I feel lousy. Mentally not too great either.
Posted by Annie at 08:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 10, 2005
Not feeling very good
Not feeling very good today. Very tired, achey, depressed, and had awful tummy trouble first thing this morning. I've taken 5 loperamide tablets today already. The eczema is a lot better, and the OCD is slightly better, so I suppose that's something to be grateful for. Don't feel like doing much, even reading, or surfing the internet.
Posted by Annie at 05:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 11, 2005
Some good news for a change!
Good news on the blood test results. They were all normal, except the cholesterol and lipids ones which were slightly raised. It was such a small amount that I don't even need to see the doctor about it. I'm relieved that the kidney and thyroid ones were normal as they haven't been tested for so long. One less thing to worry about.
Apart from that I'm still feeling very tired, achey, and quite low. I'll probably go and see my doctor next week, as my lips are still very sore and my tummy is still playing up, despite all the stuff I'm taking for it. The bigger dose of anti-depressant should be well into my system by then. Surely I should be hanging off the ceiling by now, on a big dose, with the amitryptiline and lithium as well?!
Posted by Annie at 06:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 12, 2005
Sore lips
Still very tired, more achey, and still down. Lips still sore too. That just about sums it up.
Posted by Annie at 04:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 13, 2005
Feeling tired, achey and low
I'm not feeling great today, mentally or physically. I'm in more pain than for a while. My eyes are really struggling with the tv. I need to get my new glasses sorted this week.
Posted by Annie at 09:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 14, 2005
A bit better mentally? I hope so!
I think I might be finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Let's hope it's not the headlights of an approaching train! LOL! I'm feeling a bit brighter today, mentally at least. I'm still feeling pretty grotty physically, but at least there's some improvement in my mental health. I think having more company today has helped really, but then, sometimes when I'm depressed I just want to be on my own, so who knows. I'm feeling pretty achey today. I'm just off to have a hot shower, so hopefully that will help.
Posted by Annie at 08:37 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 15, 2005
At last, some improvement!
I'm finally feeling (a bit) better mentally. I'm also feeling a bit worse physically, but I'd rather have it that way around. My tummy has been a bit dodgy over the last couple of days. I'm more achey than I was too, but the eczema is much better thank goodness. The lithium nausea was worse than usual last night, but that's something I just have to live with.
Posted by Annie at 12:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Pooped!
I'm tired and very achey right now. More achey than I've been for a while actually. My lips are still sore too, so I can see me heading back to see my doctor soon about that. I'm going to try vaseline on them as I've tried several different brands of lip salve. After that I've run out of ideas. It's cutting down on what I can eat or drink too.
Posted by Annie at 07:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 16, 2005
Tired and achey
I'm still feeling a bit better mentally, but I'm more tired and achey. I didn't sleep very well either. My lips are still sore and I think they're swollen. I hope the vaseline works as I really don't want to go to the doctor's this week. Tummy is ok (so far). Eczema is still much improved. OCD is definitely a bit better, but has a way to go yet. Depression is better but not gone.
Posted by Annie at 12:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Not feeling too great
Ugh - I'm definitely not at my best this morning. At the moment I'm trying to decide whether to take some painkillers for a slight headache. I might need to take the strong ones later today if the muscle pain doesn't improve. I'm very achey, and feeling so sore that even the towel across my shoulders after my shower was hurting. I hope I'm not going into another flare up.
Mentally I'm definitely feeling better than I was. I'd hesitate to say normal. I've been up and down for so long I've forgotten what normal is, and living with this amount of pain isn't what I'd call normal either.
I had a thought about the sore lips. Maybe it's the new medication. I know that people on chemotherapy often get mouth ulcers, so perhaps it's the new meds making my lips sore. The timescale would be about right. I've tried everything I can think of now and they're still sore. Sometimes it's almost as if my saliva is burning them.
Posted by Annie at 10:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 18, 2005
Took pain medication, slept better
I slept a bit better last night, and clocked up quite a few hours sleep altogether, but the pain was, and is bad. I took one strong painkiller before going to sleep last night. I think I should have taken two. I've been up for a while this morning but I'm still sore and stiff. I'm debating the painkiller issue as I write. Otherwise, I'm still feeling better mentally, but not great. My lips are still sore, and the end of my tongue is now sore too. The eczema is the best it's been for ages. The funny thing is that I haven't used any hand cream for days - it's the aqueous cream I've been washing my hands with that has made the difference.
Posted by Annie at 12:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 19, 2005
Bad night's sleep
Bad night's sleep, in lots of pain, feeling crappy.
Posted by Annie at 09:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Pain and stiffness
I fell asleep propped up in bed watching tv and woke up seven hours later! Which was good in terms of sleep, but bad in terms of pain and stiffness - ouch! Everything else is much the same. I'm hoping to get some extra rest today.
Posted by Annie at 10:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 20, 2005
Fibromyalgia flare up
I went out for a while to see if some fresh air and exercise would help, but I actually feel worse. Apart from pain just about all over there's a headache hovering and I just feel really yucky. I'm going to spend as much of the rest of the day as I can lying down. I think this could be a serious flare-up. I'm in so much pain.
Posted by Annie at 05:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 21, 2005
In a lot of pain
I'm in even more pain today, and feeling a bit sorry for myself. I slept better but kept waking up needing to go to the loo & in lots of pain. Otherwise things are better, apart from my tummy which is undecided, oh, and the fact that I don't have any extra painkillers that work.
Posted by Annie at 02:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 22, 2005
Pain Still Causing Sleep Problems
I slept for longer last night, but still woke up a couple of times because of the pain. I don't understand how the weight of the duvet can give me pain. Feeling ok-ish today. Tired, achey and a bit down, but what's new?
Posted by Annie at 12:21 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 23, 2005
Taking a break
On the off-chance that there is actually someone reading this, I've decided to have a break from blogging for a few days. I'm just not in the mood.
Posted by Annie at 01:04 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
