How are you today?

[Badger]

Quite tempted to lower Pregab from 150mg and see if it helps brain fog along with a more disciplined routine for relaxation and sleep. Lowering from 450mg helped, forgetting a word in the middle of a sentence doesn't happen as often. However it can still feel like I'm just existing with poor memory, drawing a blank in conversation, it can be humiliating trying to socialize and doesn't help depression.

Elsewhere there are some things in longterm memory, it's still possible to understand at times and study in small doses. For the most part retention is a problem. I guess it could be similar to people who feel they are numb or blank on meds. It's striking to realise how long I've been taking it and the life experiences that have happened on autopilot.

Difficult choice with severe burning forearm pain being one of the few things meds have helped.

 

[Auriel]

You could see how it goes @Badger, a lot of people forget words (though I think we do it more ), way up pro's and cons, I'm sure your gp won't mind (if they're a good + undertand8ng one?) ️️

 

[Badger]

There's someone at the surgery who deals with prescriptions that I can speak to and she will enquire with a GP. It's been a few years since I've seen a doctor, not too keen on them to be honest. I'll sleep on it and maybe try a lower dose.

 

[Auriel]

Ok, cool, good luck, badger

 

[Badger]

"To inhabit silence in our aloneness is to stop telling the story altogether." David Whyte

Reminding myself despite the stress and constant discomfort it's important to try being present.

 

[Auriel]

Absolutely going back in the past can be nice (in some instances) but I literally force myself to be present (cos my mind slips back to damaging experices) it's sooo sooo good to stay present (present and aware for all kinds of reasons)

 

[Auriel]

Badger, your post made the power of now by eckhart tolle pop into my head

 

[Badger]

"Damn my eyes if they should compromise the fulcrum, if wants and needs divide me, then I might as well be gone."
Maynard James Keenan: lyrics from Jambi

 

[MissNeverWell]

Thank you, Auriel, for the check-in to see how we are doing; very thoughtful. Harpy, I'm sorry you are in so much pain combined with the pressure of trying to suffer in silence to spare your husband (?, I assume that's what h stands for). Cookiebaker, I can so identify with the frustration and, for me, feeling invalidated, by the health care system. On the one hand, it's reassuring that no advanced pathology has shown up in tests, but on the other hand, we can feel disappointed and left hanging from being left to our own devices and trying to make sense and deal with our experiences. I'm not having such a great day either, but better than yesterday. In addition to a lump/swelling on my leg after what was possibly a COVID gastrointestinal/mild upper respiratory strain of flu that left my legs so weak I couldn't walk, I ended up having digestive problems this past week. It's so hard to sort out the symptoms and causes alone (I am looking for a family doctor since moving here last February). I think it might have been the sunflower seeds which I snacked on over the course of a few days - everything is in such large quantities, I wish the food industry would cater to single people - and it's either an intolerance or possibly contamination, or another stomach bug, or the butter than I was trying to use instead of margarine, which gets a bad rap. I had to leave mass on Sunday, and now my legs are starting to feel weak again, as well as my abdominal muscles a little sore at times, just a generally unwell feeling and even some dizziness, but that might be related to the ear/neck. I did find a doctor who is taking new patients, so my brother drove me over and I picked up a form, now have to wait to be contacted for a meet and greet - which does not address current health concerns, so a further delay before I get checked out. To tell you the truth, I'm feeling anxious. Sorry for the ramble.

 

[JayCS]

It's so hard to sort out the symptoms and causes alone (I am looking for a family doctor since moving here last February).

Not that any family doctor, or any doctor can help sort out the symptoms and triggers much, of course, at most the big 'uns...

digestive problems this past week.... sunflower seeds which I snacked on over the course of a few days ... - and it's either an intolerance or possibly contamination, or another stomach bug, or the butter than I was trying to use instead of margarine, which gets a bad rap.

Good that you've got 4 ideas there.... All I can add is that sunflower seeds and oil aren't as healthy as we always thought, because the have too much omega 6 in relation to omega 3. But that wouldn't explain digestive problems, just give an additional reason for not eating them.

- everything is in such large quantities, I wish the food industry would cater to single people

Does that mean you ate so much cos the package was so big?

I had to leave mass on Sunday, and now my legs are starting to feel weak again, as well as my abdominal muscles a little sore at times, just a generally unwell feeling and even some dizziness, but that might be related to the ear/neck.

Yeah, my severe vertigo attack in August I believe might have come from a neck issue I didn't think too important, along with several other things. When I realized, I tackled it and got it down in 3 days.

To tell you the truth, I'm feeling anxious. Sorry for the ramble.

Get it, but that's what this thread and this forum is about... - sharing the load!

 

[Auriel]

"Damn my eyes if they should compromise the fulcrum, if wants and needs divide me, then I might as well be gone."
Maynard James Keenan: lyrics from Jambi

Shine on forever
Shine on benevolent sun
Shine down upon the broken
Shine until the two become one

 

[Auriel]

Yes @MissNeverWell (I actually made this thread cos I found after people joined there was only so many threads they could go on?) I think cookie's left (I liked cookie) and yes harpy's h is husband, do you like sunfllower seeds then? (I was a bit scared to eat seeds when I was younger in case I grew flower's in my stomach ) i put them in smoothies now

 

[MissNeverWell]

Does that mean you ate so much cos the package was so big?

I think over the course of a few days it accumulated more than I realized; not that I sat down and ate half a package at the same time. When all is said and done, though, eventually, one ends up consuming the contents of those prepackaged goods eventually. If it's there, I'll eat it. If it's not there, I don't usually miss it (except those foods to which manufacturers add simulated flavour and chemicals to make you want more). Then I realize I have to come off that food totally, like chocolate or cookies. When I've been off it, I don't have a craving, but if I treat myself, I find that I've acquired a taste for them again and wanting to replace them when their gone.

 

[MissNeverWell]

es @MissNeverWell (I actually made this thread cos I found after people joined there was only so many threads they could go on?) I think cookie's left (I liked cookie) and yes harpy's h is husband, do you like sunfllower seeds then? (I was a bit scared to eat seeds when I was younger in case I grew flower's in my stomach ) i put them in smoothies now

Good point, you are innovative, you saw a need and initiated a solution to the problem. I'm sorry to hear cookie has left; virtual connections can be just as strong as in-person connections.

Actually, interesting enough, I don't really like sunflower seeds, there's an unpleasant taste to them and it's hard to find unsalted. I bought them to improve my nutrition (although I do relatively well because I cook my own meals, make my own bread and avoid processed foods; however, after a slow but steady decline in weight, I dropped to approximately 75 pounds after this last flu and even my siblings/friends were concerned. That's when I consulted a nutritionist independently and, while he didn't specifically recommend sunflower seeds, I tried incorporating them into my diet for the magnesium, Vitamin E and other nutrients (particularly for my skin). I also wanted to test if they were healthier for me in their natural state.

You see, I've been waging a war with Becel margarine because I'm in a quandary: I "need" some kind of spread on my toast, which since time immemorial has been margarine because butter doesn't go down too well with me, not surprising because I have been tested for food intolerance and dairy was one of them; not exceptionally strong, but intolerant nonetheless. For years, I bought into the Heart and Stroke Foundation"s stamp of approval on Becel Unsalted Margarine (I guess they were one of the foundation's biggest sponsors). It is plant based, and uses sunflower oil (as well as canola oil, which I'm not happy about because it's synthetic). I also use sunflower oil in my homemade bread; mom used to use butter). From what I've read, and what both professionals and nonprofessionals alike have told me, vegetable oils, including sunflower oil, are volatile and can go rancid easily. Also, I was horrified to learn the processes involved in manufacturing the oil, and tried to find cold, hard pressed (an impossible task so far); hence my interest in the experiment with the real sunflower seeds instead. So I tried this Thorleigh grass fed unsalted butter, and thought I could somehow adjust to it, and I thought it was working, but since I've had this recent flareup, I've been just using plain toast or bread and my homemade jam (which is really stewed fruit with about a teaspoon or so of sugar in it). So I can't tolerate butter, margarine is bad for you, I tried olive oil to make bread and left a terrible, salty taste to it, I don't like the sweet taste of coconut oil (and it melted at room temperature, as did my butter). Coconut oil isn't as heart healthy as they make it out to be, apparently, so I'm going around in circles trying to determine the best course of action.

 

[Auriel]

Ooh @MissNeverWell, home made Jam sounds really nice!, I was watching people make homemade bread in YT shorts (it looked really nice) there's a thing that comes up sometimes Burrata on toast with different things on it (they put oil in that not in it though?) it looks really nice too (Italian looking!) do you have a special diet then?
( like are you vegan/vegetarian?) I don't eat meat (I've not for a while)