New 12-18 Month Buddy Group

[[MT...]]

Sofa,

 

I'm glad you're getting some good advice from Pattylu. It's worth checking that stuff out. I have to avoid dairy most of the time but milk at bedtime is good idea. I should probably cut back some on sugar. I tend to go for some most days just to experience that pleasure. I hope the windows start blasting open for you soon.

 

MT

[[so...]]

MT,

 

I miss sugar.  I am really going to give this hypoglycemic diet a go though.  I need to see some darn improvements.

 

The hot milk does wonders for the sleep.  Wish it didn't cause me stomach pain though.  I'm going to try it again tonight and I'll report back.

 

MT, you are so strong and hopeful and positive.  Let's just hold onto each other and all our other buddies till we get through this.  12-18 months is our healing time, okay?

[[so...]]

Hey 12-18 Buddies,

 

I'm having a better day so far, so maybe my baseline is improving.

 

How are you guys doing today?

 

Big hugs to my Buddies.

 

Love, Sofa

[[MT...]]

MT,

 

I miss sugar.  I am really going to give this hypoglycemic diet a go though.  I need to see some darn improvements.

 

The hot milk does wonders for the sleep.  Wish it didn't cause me stomach pain though.  I'm going to try it again tonight and I'll report back.

 

MT, you are so strong and hopeful and positive.  Let's just hold onto each other and all our other buddies till we get through this.  12-18 months is our healing time, okay?

 

Sofa,

 

That would be great. We will all find our inner strength through this and embrace healing while in this time period. Even if some things take longer than 18 months, I bet we'll see real progress between now and then. Let's look for it.

 

MT

[[so...]]

Well I took my blood sugar reading and it's 52.  No wonder I'm shaking.  Powering down eggs, avocado and raw almonds.

 

Didn't need this friggin "incident."

[[gr...]]

MT,

...  I will pass along her suggestions if you want....

 

can you pass it to me as well?

 

[[MT...]]

Well I took my blood sugar reading and it's 52.  No wonder I'm shaking.  Powering down eggs, avocado and raw almonds.

 

Didn't need this friggin "incident."

 

Yikes, Sofa. I sure hope that gets straightened out.

 

Today I'm more tired but it's OK. Not too much to do. It's nice to spend time with my visiting kids.

 

MT

[[so...]]

Sure Greece.  I will pass along all the info so fat.

 

First, eat hypoglycemic diet.  70% protein/30% complex carbs.  No sugar, no gluten, no fruit, no alcohol, no caffeine, no herbal teas.  That pretty much leaves distilled water.  Hot milk before bedtime to help you get to sleep and again if you wake up in the middle of the night.  Google hypoglycemic diet and you'll get he lists of foods to eat and to avoid.  At least three meals a day.  Raw almonds in between meals.

 

No supplements, no vitamins, no juicing, just hypoglycemic meals 70 protein 30 complexcarbs ratio 3 meals a day.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Love, Sofa

 

 

[[so...]]

Hey 12-18 month buddies,

 

Thought I'd give an update on my 14 month anniversary, January 8, 2016.

 

The withdrawal is still ongoing, but things are changing up a bit.  I've noticed a pattern in my lovely journey through hell.  I will have a bad day, with a predominant symptom leading the sh*tshow parade, followed by a milder day of withdrawal, with a decrease in the predominant symptom that was rearing its ugly head big time the previous day.  I could be grasping at straws.  Better straws than clumps of my hair, I guess.  I'm always looking for answers, patterns, logic, SENSE!  None of this makes any sense.  So, I suppose I'll just keep coming up with theories until this is over at which time I won't give a damn about making sense of withdrawal because it will be done and I will be running down the street naked like my hair's on fire screaming at the top of my lungs, "IT IS OVER!!!!!"

 

I like that visual, anyway.

 

I still have my original marching band of symptoms since CT.  Crushing anxiety, agoraphobia, 4am cortisol alarm, heart racing and pounding palps, head whooshing in synch with my racing heartbeat (of course, who doesn't need percussion accompaniment?), plugged ears, intermittent RLS, occasional gastro distress, numb tingling feet, breathlessness, nightmares that look like a Picasso painting on acid, occasional depression (who wouldn't be depressed?), intrusive thoughts that I will be the one person on this forum who doesn't heal and, last but not least, my monthly anal spasm attack.  Hmmmm.  I'm sure I've left something out.  No problem, the overlooked symptom will probably remind me it's still here tomorrow.

 

ANYWAAAAAY, trudging through the goop through month 15 on the horizon.  Or maybe not.  Who knows?  I could win the lottery too.

 

Welcome all graduates from the 6-12 month thread.  Pick up your diplomas and a donut at the door.  Make yourselves comfortable.

 

Love, Sofa

 

 

[[MT...]]

Happy 14 month anniversary Sofa. I'm glad you're seeing some improvements but that's still a bunch of intensity that you're dealing with.

 

I was doing better for much of December. January has been rough so far. The heavy fatigue and weakness is back with more GI symptoms. You mentioned you get anal spasms. I get awakened every so often in agony with my belly. It doubles me over, I can't be still and I'm very nauseated when it happens. It usually lasts about an hour but my belly will feel off for a while after that. It doesn't seem connected to anything unless I take an NSAID I know I'm more prone to the attacks.

 

What I find myself struggling with today is fearing I'll never feel competent again. I feel like I am barely adequate at my part-time job and I don't feel confident about anything--from figuring out how to do something at work to making decisions about eating and cooking. It's exhausting to feel like there's nothing I do well. I was thinking I had made progress with anxiety but when I take this feeling into account I'm actually anxious quite a bit.

 

How are other 12-18 monthers doing? We're slowly marching closer to the finish line.

[[so...]]

MT,

 

I'm so sorry you suffer with the gut issues. I take 225mg of Tagamet when it's bad.  I know I'm in trouble when I start burping after eating.

 

I had a few moderate days in November, but mostly rough days.  I had a few moderate days in December, but mostly caca.  January has been very weird, so far.  Bad days with strong predominant symptoms, followed by moderate days of decreasing symptoms. A few things have popped up I never dealt with before.  About four or five symptoms are always around, playing in the background sometimes, other times shoving themselves in my face.  This is all so strange.

 

I hope it's a sign of turning a good corner.  I want this over with.  I've suffered for 14 months with no clear windows.  My friend, Gioia, said that she dreamt the January 22 or 27 would be the day.  I guess those are better odds than the lottery.

 

We will heal for sure this year.  Hang on every day till we do.

 

Love, Sofa

[[MT...]]

I'm pulling for you Sofa--that this month is your transition to amazing. For all of us!

[[so...]]

Fingers crossed, MT.  How are you doing, Superwoman?

[[MT...]]

I'm trying to hold it together despite a string of baseline and bad days. After the taste of leaning towards good days in December, this is frustrating. I made myself walk today but have been pretty darn wiped since then. Just a lot of feeling ill lately. Still, I'm thankful to have a hear behind me.

 

How are others in our group?

[[so...]]

I think everyone at this stage continues to deal with symptoms as they pop up.  We are getting close to the end of this, I hope. 

 

Love, Sofa

[[so...]]

Hi Buddies,

 

Had acute anxiety today going to the store.  Hope this isn't the new ME.

 

Sofa

[[MT...]]

Sofa,

 

Your anxiety is not the new you. It's just a familiar, ugly head of wd poking up and making sure you're still paying attention. Ride the wave and remind yourself it passes.

 

I had my first leaning good day/window of 2016. I even slept last night. These things feel so miraculous. I never want to lose my gratitude for the sensation of not feeling crappy. Everything else feels more manageable with sleep and some symptom relief.

 

Sending healing thoughts out to all of you.

 

MT

[[so...]]

Oh MT, I am so so so so happy for your decent day and SLEEP!  You deserve it!  You've got such a great attitude and resolve to get through this crapola with grace and dignity.  Mind if I park my butt on your coat tails?  I am jumping for joy at this great news!

 

WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!

 

Love, Sofa

[[MT...]]

Thanks Sofa, ride away. You've been making some pretty impressive progress as well and I see how determined you are. I'm so thankful we have each other here. BB keeps me sane... well, mostly sane

 

How are the rest of the 12-18 monthers? Waves? Windows? Inbetween?

 

MT

 

[[...]]

Hey guys.

 

I haven't been feeling as good as I was leading up to right at Christmas.  Some days have been better than others.

 

I screwed up though.  We made home made turkey soup from bone broth and I ate large quantities of that for a couple of days and bam!  Hit with a wave.  Unfortunately I didn't make the connection until yesterday.  I always associated those homemade soups as being healthy and never considered the glutimate factor.

 

I just read that bone broths are a very high source of glutimate.  Ugh.

 

 

[[so...]]

Geek,

 

I'm not sure if your homemade soup caused your symptoms to flair.  It's so good for you.  Maybe you would get the waves anyway.  It's so hard to tell if we have any influence over anything.  I think January will be progressively better.  Things may pick up speed like it does for others nearing the end.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

I hope we all just settle down a little until it all just peters out.

 

I love you guys, Sofa

[[so...]]

Hey 12-18 month Buds,

 

Well, last week I finished my 14th month, so now onward through month 15.  I'm still accompanied by the same WD companions:  4am cortisol wake up alarm, heart racing, palps, heartbeat in my head, drugged feeling and anxiety.

 

Let's hope it all ends this month.  Who knows?  It could happen.

 

How is everyone today?

 

Love, Sofa

[[MT...]]

Onward to 15 months and beyond, Sofa. I hit 13 in a few days. More often I'm trying to shoot more for seasons, as in to get through winter, then spring, and so forth since it's looking like the sleep issue is going to go on for a long time. Last night zero sleep again but I wasn't agitated and that was nice.

 

Sorry to hear about the wave Geek. Sofa's right. It's hard to know when we're getting an arbitrary wave and when something we did set it off. It's too easy to blame ourselves here. Now, if you'd knocked back a  12 pack of beer, energy drinks, lived on chocolate bars and tried to run a marathon in your skivvies, you'd have some reason to very closely examine your actions Hang in there until you get some clear skies again. It will happen.

 

MT

[[so...]]

Haha, MT.  Love your sense of humor.

 

Sofa

[[Bu...]]

I'm officially starting month 13. Mind if I join you guys here?

 

Bubbles