blueskies

Hi all, Just wondering how many of you have found they have too low vitamin d levels and if supplementing vitamin d helped anyone to feel better? Apparently I have low vitamin d levels -- at 40 instead of 80, apparently. I've just been researching it and have found out that vitamin d isn[t really a vitamin at all but rather a hormone. As it's summer here in Australia I've elected to get out in the sun every day for 15-20 minutes, exposing 45% of my body, between 10am and 2pm. EXACTLY the opposite to recommendations given by the Cancer Council in Australia - it's slip slop slap, here - Slip on some clothes, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat when going out in the son -- so I'm not suggesting anyone do what I'm going to do as there is the skin cancer factor which is certainly serious. It's a chance I'm willing to take to see if low vit d levels are making me feel sicker. But again, Not Suggesting that anyone else do it. Besides which, 15-20 mins in the sun could not be that harmful, I figure. I'm hoping that the short exposure to the sun everyday will up my vitamin d levels without having to resort to vitamin d tablets which can cause constipation - one of my worst symptoms. It's a pity I can't drink cod liver oil because it's high in vitamin d apparently but my skin would probably react to its probable high amine levels. blue Visit us http://mykitchen-4all.blogspot.com/

Sorry Ryan that you had such a painful experience. I'm at a loss to know why opting out of sedation with a colonoscopy would be any less painful. I thought that a colonoscopy would be very painful without sedation. Has anyone experienced this/ BLUE

thank you medic girl. {{{{{hugs}}}} right back to you. blue

I just had a quick cry - it doesn't help but somehow I felt overwhelmed -- and for once the god's were looking out for me as I rang my allergist's secretary and was told she was booked out to way into next year but then I got a 3.30pm appointment this coming Monday. So, I'll put back my next dental appointment and see her first and she what she has to offer up. As you suggested, Katybug, I'll ask about genetic testing. I'm so sick of this hit and miss approach, especially as I seem to take more hits and it hurts. blue....the only thing that stops me going insane is knowing I'm not alone with this thing.

Thanks katybug, I'm in Australia so I guess I need to ask my docs about genetic testing, I guess. They've not bought it up. Certainly anything that would help pinpoint what is going on with my skin and adverse drug reactions as well as food intolerances etc would seem that it might be helpful. Not sure that I haven't experienced some sort of reaction like Steven Johnson's Syndrome although much much milder. Though my allergist has never suggested it and I was not hospitalized for it. I was taking my usual large weekly dose of magnesium sulphate to make my bowels work a few years back and eventually I started to get red burning skin with it. Then one day I took it and ended up with the skin on my face peeling mildly, just like a bad sunburn. It was very weird in that small bits of skin lifted away from my face -- it looked like pustules on first examination all over my face - but finally when I touched them they started to peel. Those 'pustules' were dead skin. Cortisone cream fixed it up. But my allergist said to expect it to happen again. It has a couple of times but I have not been able to pinpoint the cause and also, the 'pustule/dead skin' on my face has only been very mild -- one or two little ones that tell me that I've eaten/taken something that my body does not like. Small doses of prednisolone will clear it up. The cream just drives me crazy now, it causes my face to itch like crazy. I'm actually taking prednisolone. I should have been more specific. At the moment my face and neck have returned to their usual pale colour but I have a moderate burning sensation on the skin of my arms and back. I think the smaller dose of predinisolone this morning combined with sitting in front of a fan and having a few cool showers is keeping it the worst red burning feelings at bay. But how does one have a life sitting in front of a fan and having to get in and out of a shower numerous times in a day? Venting here, sorry. blue

I often have to take cortisone to help with my allergies and my red burning skin problems that could be allergic response, intolerance or just 'something to do with POTS' as my allergist put it. I had a dental appointment yesterday. I've developed an intolerance, (possibly building to an allergy -- it happens to me this way sometimes) to lidnocaine it seems (without the adrenalin part btw). My allergist worked out a strategy for me. Told me to take 25mgs of cortisone on the day before I had dental work, 50mgs on the day of dental surgery, and 25mgs on the day after. It's now the day after and I feel like ****. My skin is sore and red and burning and I'm sitting in front of a fan, and having cool showers on and off. It seems like the cortisone did nothing but make me feel sick and so far, give me a couple of terrible nights of agitation and nausea etc. I'm shakey today after this mornings dose. I can usually take smaller doses of cortisone - e.g. 5mgs to 12.5mgs without too much ill effect but these larger doses make me feel so sick and anxious. I have more dental surgery scheduled next week but am going to have it put back another week because I need time to recover, physically and emotionally. Then early next year I have to have 2 teeth removed and wear a plate until the site heals and then, if I can afford it, I'm looking at surgery to have teeth implants. The reason my allergist worked out a strategy of cortisone for my surgery is that I was deleveloping stronger and stronger reactions when I had the injection at the dentist. But this reaction was as strong as any I had. Almost as strong as the reaction I have to twilight anaesthesia. just feeling very despondant and not sure if I should just have the dental work done and not take the big doses (for me) of cortisone or if this is being silly and I should 'brave up' and take the cortisone for the dental work. Talk about being between 'the devil and the deep blue sea,' as old sailors used to say. No choice or a choice, it all seems scarey and daunting. blue

Margiebee, Excellent news. Alas I have not been so lucky with anti-d meds. But I am pleased to hear of your most positive response. Got a laugh out of you not being able to google the side effects as you were in hospital. I never google side effects anymore or read that section of the patient info sheet until I feel I've got a side effect. It's saved a lot of grief. Gangzlolz, Sorry to hear that you have had such a bad time with meds. You make a great point, really spot-on, about ' how crazy and difficult these conditions are to manage.' Hope you get some good response with Cymbalta. blue

I've got incredibly sensitive skin. Have had for about 10 years and it was this one symptom that was the starting point to my pots becoming ongoing rather than periodic. When I stick to a very strict diet -- an elimination diet but one that includes dairy because I can tolerate that -- and when I don't have to try new meds (as they can often cause this skin sensitivity problem) I usually do okay and am able to wear more 'normal' clothing - still soft but not my old worn stuff that is like the oldest flannel to touch. I sleep on high thread count but very old sheets as they are so soft. I was doing fine but yesterday I had a dental appointment. I've become reactive to the lidnocaine and had worked out a 'strategy' with my allergist to try help me with the skin problems when facing dental work. I took 25mgs cortisone the day before treatment, 50 mgs yesterday, the day of treatment, and 25mgs today and still have had a burning hot red skin reaction to the injection (no adrenalin in the shot). I'm sitting in front of a fan now, am having frequent cool showers (but not cold ones as this can make it feel better at first as it lowers the core body temp. but then rebounds and am hotter than ever for a while) and just having to suck it up. I have another appointment next Tuesday for an hour and half in the dentist chair but am going to put it back a week as my reaction has been so severe this time that I will need more time to recover. BTW, the cortisone makes me feel like ****. Waking in the night, feeling agitated and anxious. I've tried all the meds for mast cell overaction but none have worked -- two caused severe migraine breakthrough and one caused the problems they were supposed to solve. I find anti-histamines no longer help with my skin, unfortunately. blue

Hi Banana, My vision seems to change from day to day. Sometimes more often. I just can't wear the multifocals that I need as they often do cause my migraines to break through my meds. I can wear reading glasses to do stuff like read (duh, lol) and work on the computer (but can't spend a lot of time on computer either as it's often a migraine trigger). It's not just the lenses for me either, I have to have really loose glasses -- so loose they fall off my head when I bend. Hubby's head is bigger than mine so I get him to wear my reading glasses for a while to stretch the arms. I do wear sunglasses a lot - whenever I'm outside the house, even inside areas that have bright flouro lighting. The sunglasses (esp. the polarized ones) really help but I do spend a lot of time picking them off the floor because I have to wear them so loose. blue

I've known that most of our serotonin is in the gut - for some years. When I'm very badly constipated (which happens to me a lot) I feel very low and depressed and seem to shed a lot of tears and get very distressed. I'm of the opinion that my gut problems are a symptom of my pots and after 8 and half years of dealing with various levels of constipation from complete to not to bad, I have come to accept that I just can't solve the gut problems -- I've tried everything that it was possible for me to try. I rely on a strong laxative when things get bad and this laxative causes problems in itself. Sigh blue

Thanks for your imput everyone. Looney mum I think I need to see my neurologist again. Or perhaps I might find another neurologist. I know chronic daily migraine will cause these problems but things I've been putting down to pots stuff and migraines ....well it occurred to me in the chemist today when I reached for a bottle of vitamins and instead of grasping it I actually batted it away that I do this stuff all the time. The vitamins were at eye level so I can't blame the lack of co-ordination (****, is that word right?) I think it is. Anyway, I will experience dizziness and gravity problems when I look down at shelves or up at shelves in the library or supermarket etc (I tend to only buy things that are at eye level because searching bottom or top shelves makes me go all potsy, and I'm already dealing with those fluro lights and way too much stimuli. at the pharmacy and then at the supermarket when I knocked the thing, that was next to the item I wanted, clear off the shelf I realized for the first time it was not about hurrying or looking up or down or anything. Rather that it's like I don't get my hand around things securely (god the amount of coffees I've dropped at home when I've only grabbed part of the cup) or I'm looking at the thing I want but my reach goes to the thing next to it...but not quite...I sort of nudge what's next to the thing I want while reaching out. Sorry, this sounds confusing. Maybe time for a new neuro doc. Although both my neuro and my allergist/immunologist have said when I've told them brain fog worries is that I'm actually sharper than I think. But I'm 57 now and it could be another problem. That's something that those of us with pots who get to this age have to be aware of. That we don't put everything down to pots. That it could be something else. Sue, I do the same thing as you do when I'm typing. The letters are in the wrong order. In the old days (I learned on an old typewriter) this would cause the letters to jam but I know how rarely this happened to me. It's like I can see the word in my head but it comes out completely jumbled. (A lot of the time I'm so tired and sick of it happening At any rate, hubby just explodes with frustration at my 'clumsiness.' He says it's because I'm not taking care but I am. (This from the man who can't tell his left from his right and always drives the wrong way if there's a choice to be made). E. Soskis. You also have a point with anaesthesia. Two and half years ago I had a long op on my spine (a laminectomy that took much longer than they expected) followed a few months later by a sedation to check the growth in the submucosal layer of my stomach by an ultrasound endoscopy). Too much of that stuff is, now they know for sure, not something we get over right away. My personal belief is that some of the ill effects following surgery stay forever although docs used to say it takes 6 months to recover from a full anaesthetic. Artluvr, your numb feelings sound similar one of the types of aura I get when I do get aura. I get numbness and also parts of my vision will either be silver zig-zags with no vision edging it, or part of my visual field will just be missing. My brain fills up the space by sort of closing the gap that would be there if I could see properly. eg. I can see two gate posts but not the gate, or all of the gate if I look at it directly -- is the best way of putting it. I get aura's during migraine too. It's weird. I hope the atenolol is working. I will look it up. I'm in Australia and our drugs often have different names that those in U.S. and elsewhere. blue

Hi all, I'm experiencing great difficulty finding the 'word I''m looking for' and I have little ability to concentrate enough to read and my spelling is now a disaster. I used to be an excellent speller, had a broad vocabulary and could write and punctuate very well. And was always reading something. I've seen a 10 year decline in all the above and now it's hard to type on the computer. I learned to touch type many years ago and seem no longer to be able to do it as well -- so many mistakes. I've been told that frequent migraines have an impact on these functions and the neurologist said given that I get migraine so often that I should not worry about word recall etc.. I try to not worry about it but it does depress me that this is happening. I do blame 'brain fog' for a lot of things. But when I realize I can't remember things my whole family remember it really gets me down. I just have to live with it but boy, it's depressing and annoying and embarrassing when I can't find a simple word when talking to someone. Also I used to be able to be more succinct when writing stuff but now I have to write and write to try to get my message across. It's a miracle that the word 'succinct' came to me.

I allergic to many meds. Anaphlactic to one, anaphylactoid response to another. Swelling under a med delivered by patch. Rashes to others. Then I have the meds that make me a little crazy -- they hype me up when they should calm me down and I get my skin burning sensation and redness. I have a host of food intolerances. Until 12/13 years ago I was not allergic or intolerant to anything I know about. My first allergic response was anaphylaxis to aspirin (we think it was aspirin). Doctors won't test to make sure.

Hi andybrose, I didn't sweat for 6 year - 4 prediagnosis of pots and 2 years post diagnosis. (just spent a minute try to work out how to spell diagnosis - my migraines cause me to have word problems although I get there eventually) , Anyway, after 6 years I was down on hands and knees cleaning the kitchen floor (standing up to mop brings on pots symptoms) and I noticed a fine sheen of sweat above my upper lip. Slowly, over months, I started to sweat more and more. I got so excited as I thought I was getting better but now I've flipped to the other side and sweat profusely. As inconvenient as sweating profusely is, it's a lot easier to manage than not sweating. I don't have to worry about overheating as much. I'm more like your 'average' person in that. Just recently I started to worry that my sweating ability had pretty much disappeared again only to realize I'd moderated my physical behaviour to such an extent that I just didn't break out in a sweat that and the fact that Sydney's humidity levels have been unseasonably low (don't tell me there's no such thing as global warming) . But not to worry, the last week or so has reassured me that I'm still sweating. I've had to be very physical getting ready to move house and sweat is pouring off me again. Do you sweat? was one of the questions that the doctor who diagnosed pots asked me some years ago. At that time I had not sweat for 4 years and I remember saying that no doc has ever asked me that before, and telling him I was 4 years no sweating. blue

I was never fitter than when my pots symptoms became very obvious. Now my exercise regime is very hit and miss. I have gotten very little exercise this past year because where I'm living means walking has to be my main form of exercise and I'm finding walking any reasonable difference will bring on migraine at high levels. In a week's time I move back to a suburb that is right near the water and I'll be swimming once I've recovered from the move - sigh. I am hoping this will work out. Swimming, since pots has factored big in my life, has been the best exercise. It's vertical, it's cool, and the water has compression qualities. Once I've built up my swimming over a month or two I start to concentrate on kicking hard -- seeing how high I can kick the water amuses me and also exercises my leg muscles big time which helps, I think. Because I'm allergic to chlorine I can only swim at the beach so it's a bit of a chore to swim according to the tides but I need mid tide or higher for the water to be cool enough and clean enough. (I'm in Sydney, Australia and we have had summer weather for the past month and more and it's not summer officially under dec. Ist. Once I went for a swim with a migraine and the cool water stopped the migraine. Miraculous. I drink 3/4 of litre of water before I get in the water, sometimes I stop for a drink during my swim and then drink another 3/4 litres of water as soon as I'm finished -- that's when I'm swimming my 1km to 2kms each swim. It takes me about a month and a half, usually, to build up to that distance. Apparently you sweat when you swim only you don't know it so it's important to remember hydration. I'm so hoping that this summer will be bearable (if I have to I'll set up a tent on the beach to stay cool). Last summer was so hot living away from the coast with no airconditioning. I got sicker and never got back to pre-summer wellness levels even when winter arrived. blue

I get migraines. Chronic Daily Migraines and every day I will experience migraine == breakthrough for an hour or so or anfor 3 days or more every 2 -3 weeks. I'm floundering now when it comes to medication. However one thing that worked beautifully for me once was cyproheptadine (in Australia also known as periactin). It's an older generation anti-histamine which I took in dosage form of up to 12 mgs at night. I built up slowly to the 12mgs. Started off at 4mgs for 3 nights, then 8mgs for next 3 nights then 12mgs from then on. For 3 months I did not have a single migraine. But unfortunately the effect died. My neurologist told me a 'holiday' from the med might make it kick in again. So I stopped it for some months and then started and it did work, not as well, but still pretty well. I've had a number of holidays now from the med when it stopped working and unfortunately it does nothing for me now. However there was a person posting on an old dys. site that is now defunct who said that the cyproheptadine worked very well for them and last she wrote about it she said it was still working. That it had been 'a miracle' for her. It kind of makes sense for me that cyproheptadine did work for a while. It's an anti-histamine and one of the things that happened when I started to show strong pots symptoms is increasing allergies and also food intolerances. The cyproheptadine will help with that. I now assume I have an over active mast cell condition that causes the hives, and hot burning sensations on my body when I eat certain foods etc. I believe having over active mast cells and the histamine produced by this is connected to my migraines. Anyway, that's my experience and what I know of the experience of one other person who, last time I interacted with her had had unqualified success with cyproheptadine - it's certainly worth checking with a neurologist about it. blue

Thanks Rachel I just wrote a longer response to your answer to me but I've lost it and it's dinnertime here in Australia so I will answer you another day. But thankyou for answering me. It has been enlightening. Tyler is obviously putting up with a lot of pain dealing with this scalp problem. Your belief that it might be a sleep deprivation problem is extremely interesting. I've had sleep deprivation going on too. As I said, I will respond more fully. Thank you again for taking the time to answer me. I appreciate it. Blue

Hi Looneymum, In a post some months back you mentioned that your son has 'scalp sensitivity' and migraine. I deal with migraine too and in the past year I've certainly experienced 'scalp sensitivity.' I'm just wondering if it's like your son's. When I get migraine and they last for days there will be many hours when I can't rest my head on anything. The migraine pain will usually be uni-lateral but every surface on my head hurts to touch and resting my head on a pillow or even cupping my face in my hands is extremely painful. It's added pain to the migraine and increases migraine pain, also. Sometimes, when not migrainous, I will notice that when I touch my head it will be very painful under the area I've touched. For example, I will put my whole hand over a part of my scalp and get instant intense pain that goes as soon as I remove my hand. Sorry that's such a long explanation. But I was wondering if that is anything similar to that which your son experiences. I did have a very brief look at the survivingpots.com site that you mentioned to me but did not know under what name your son would have posted his story. I must say, looking at the site was pretty sobering. All those young people with this problem. I count myself lucky that my pots symptoms did not really take hold until I was 46 (11 years ago now). I've noticed that I tend to think of myself having this sometimes unbearable disorder -- at wits end and terribly unhappy at the unfairness -- only to realize repeatedly that others are dealing with stuff at a younger age than me, and/or with stuff that is so much more serious. It certainly gives me perspective. blue

Hi Allaboutpeadce, Some years ago I posted to another POTS site (now defunct) about my terrible teeth but no one had this problem and I thought it was just specific to me. I've needed to have so much work done despite brushing, flossing and using an interdens brush. (I've been flossing since my 20s when floss came on the market in Australia -- I'm now 57). I've had a number of teeth removed, have dental implants, caps and lots of fillings and a few years ago my gums started to shrink quite suddenly and rapidly and strangley, given that I do all the right things to prevent this. I don't fit the EDS profile either. I'm currently aware that I have a couple of cavities and am hoping that I can hold out visiting the dentist until after we have moved house (in a month's time) when I'll be living much closer to his surgery. I'm virtually housebound at the moment (have been for two years this time) and am currently living too far from my dentist to make it easy to see him. Fingers crossed that I get to move house, have a bit of time to recover from the move and then I will be seeing the dentist. I don't want to see another dentist because I now have to start taking cortisone tabs before and during dental work as I seem to be developing an allergy to the anaethetic (no adrenalin). I've been seeing this dentist for about 12 years and he's not going to think I'm weird because he's been just as perplexed as to why this is happening to my teeth, so a new allergy to the anaesthic is not going to shock him. This gets so old, doesn't it. I'm probably going to end up and old woman with all false teeth. I tell myself that really that's not so bad but it used to be one of my worst nightmares. Now it's just one of my many 'worst nightmares'. My four sisters all have beautiful teeth with no problems and no pots. Yet I'm the one who is the diligent flosser. I had to educate them all in the importance of flossing. Go figure! I've truly looked after my teeth as best as I can yet they continue to deteriorate alarmingly. blue

I've had constant constipation problems for about 8 years. I've tried everything. Sometimes I'm not doing too bad and glycerine suppositories and occasional fleet enemas keep me comfortable. I have a script for a compounding chemist which I must get filled soon. Essentially my gi doc has recommended the stuff that they give you to clean you out before a colonoscopy. But I'm getting it made up without the colouring and artificial sweetener because I react to that. I have to get out and get this done soon as possible because I feel like my bowels are going to stop completely again. BTW, fibre is not my friend. This can be the case for some people with constipation problems. Unlike bedhead (sorry to hear you have such a problem bedhead) I never feel like not eating (years ago I stopped being able to eat and lost a lot of weight but that passed and now I'm fatter than ever). You'd think with a gut full of crap that I wouldn't want to eat a thing but that is not the case. In fact, high fat dairy is soothing to my gut. I've had all the tests from colonoscopy to anal mamometry (?) and there is no mechanical problem, apparently. It's a POTS thing. At least I have a gi doc who is very interested in pots. I had a gi doc for nearly 6 years that did not bother to educate himself on it even though he had another patient with pots. Because the gi doc I have now is interested in pots and how it affects the enteric system..well, I find it somehow reassuring even though he hasn't been able to 'cure' my constipation. blue

Yep, I have chronic daily migraine. Actually, 'bad balance' and migraines were my first symptoms of POTS. I've tried all the meds available for migraine prevention and struck out on all of them except for an older generation anti-histamine -- generic name 'cyproheptadine.' It doesn't help completely (although for a period of time it's all I needed to take and I had no migraines at all during that time) but I do believe I have less migraines with aura when I take it regularly. After years of suffering from migraine daily I was hospitalized for them about 6 years ago for a couple of weeks. I consulted with a host of specialists including my pots doc, a neurologist, and my now pain specialist. I now take opiates for the migraines -- which made my constipation problems (POTs induced) even more pronounced until some brilliant scientist mixed oxycontin with naloxone. It's called Targin here in Australia and I'm on a continuing dose (also need it for back pain following an operation for back pain (rolling eyes at the waste of time and money the back operation was as well as an old neck injury. the naloxone mixed with the oxycontin stops the opiates affecting the bowel. It's costly medication but well worth it for me. I've been able to keep my dosage low as well. I do this by putting up with getting more migraines than I would if I increased my dose but that's a road I don't want to go down yet. I want to keep my dosage low enough that addiction does not become a problem. I'm not recommending opiates. Just relating my experience to you. I had tried EVERY drug that migraine specialists have in their arsenal and only cyproheptadine helped -- somewhat. There is no way I would have been put on opiates unless I'd tried all the other preventatives and abortives first. Hope you have a neurologist who specializes in migraines. Not all neurologists do. blue

Thanks KareBear, If I do end up needing anti-biotics you've been very helpful in your info about anti-biotics. I don't feel so scared of them anymore. Hi Hanice, I'm doing a little better now. Not fully recovered but feel like I'm heading in that direction. Less coughing and phlegm -- although it hasn't completely stopped. Cross my fingers fingers that I continue to get better. I already eat very little processed food. I have multiple food intolerances which means I have to prepare my own food pretty much from scratch so I know what is in it. I've had to do this for a decade now and I'm over it but hate it when I react to a food I've eaten and known I shouldn't have. I really pay. Ashely-Poo your advice did help actually. I felt like I didn't have to rush off to the doctor's. I still might end up needing to go but hopefully not. I'm not as anxious about it anymore thanks to the responses to my post. blue

Hi I've had a virus for two weeks now. A very bad cough and quite a bit of phlegm. Stronger bouts of dizziness, hotness, tachy than I'm used to, generally. Plus sore throat and the other and fever at times. BTW Over the past decade my POTS symptoms became undeniable - measurable and 'no longer in my head' and as well much worse. And the increasing severity of symptoms is what led to pots diagnosis 7 years ago. Anyway, I've been putting off going to the doctor -- hard for me to get there on my own plus the 4 times I've been given anti-biotics over the past 10 years I've had adverse reactions to each one of them - got very sick in different ways and had to stop them eventually, once after taking only one tablet and reacting badly within 20 mins. Either my skin burns(Once my face peeled like it had been sunburned) or I have a vomiting, freezing, shuddering episode that lasts 3 hours and leaves me pots-worse for weeks after. A couple of the adverse reactions were very violent but they weren't 'allergic' ones' -- I've developed allergies to meds as well. Anyway, of the four I had to discontinue all of them. (My 'adverse reactions' are never listed on the info form that come with the tablets. Rulide, Keflex, amoxillian and the fourth one that I can't remember the name of that led me to go to emergency where the doctor there told me stop the anti-biotic. I waited hours in emergency and by the time I got to see a doc the worst of the reaction had passed. But he was the first doc who actually put me on the right road as to finding out what was wrong with me by telling me to see an immunologist -- which I did and still do. A couple of years later the immunologist recommended I see another specialist she knew and that's the one who diagnosed pots -- I'd never even heard of it until then. I have no reason to believe that a fifth go at anti-biotics is going to prove anything but another disaster. I'm not sure what to do. I've thought twice over the past two weeks that I was getting a bit better only to experience the virus return in full force. Last night was bad again. And today is not good but have a feeling by evening I will feel worse once again, I know going to the doctor will mean him offering up anti-biotics but I am I crazy to think that it's highly unlikely I'm not going to strike out 5 for 5 and have another adverse reaction and have to stop the course as well as get through the 'storm' I suffer when I take the tablet/s and the days after recovering, plus I'm thinking that no magic wand is going to take the virus away meanwhile. I've had so many bad reactions that I'm scared of putting myself into a worse situation. This has been such a truly hard year for me physically that my family (hubby and kids and my usually reliable sister) have turned away because their lives are very demanding and they can't deal with my illness and I understand it but I'm left feeling like i'm handing off a ledge by a finger tip healthwise I know the doc will offer the anti-biotics. He's not there to see what they do to me when I take them and no one (not even my pots doc) gets just how sensitive I am to so many meds with anti-biotics near the top of the list. After I have experienced the adverse reaction I'm told to stop the medication and the docs just seem to pretend I'm okay now. If you can understand what I mean. It's like putting myself into a medical insanity situation -- absurd but not funny, just really sickening in the true sense of the word. Absurdly sickening. blue

Hi, I'm allergic to a number of things. Some allergies are very serious and some not so much. I know what most of my allergies are but not all. I too have been given an epipen. I also take anti-histamine 'cyproheptadine' when needed. I'm using it now as I have quite a few hives so I have reacted to something. It's only a H1 blocker. I have problems with H2 blockers -- they make my severe constipation problems worse. I am now reacting to zylocaine so next trip to the dentist to have work done will mean taking 25 mgs of cortisone the day before, 50mgs on the day of the procedure, and 25mgs the day after as well as crossing my fingers. There's plenty of info here on mcad. I just have not been to successful with the usual meds such as singulair and cromoglycate. When I do any activity I go bright red and sweat like crazy. But I can do that sitting on the couch, too. Sometimes certain foods will cause it. I just wanted to say that I doubt that you are deconditioned. Given that you bike and walk for transport I would think you would be in pretty good condition -- just not as fit as you were when you could run. Perhaps it's that you are used to being extremely fit from running and are negating the fitness you'd get from biking and walking. Just a thought. blue

I agree with Janice -- you are a good writer. If I had your skill I'd write for sure. I do try and write but the next day I will read what I've written the day before and realize how terrible it is. I'm a big reader so I'm used to good writing. My daughter is a journo and she can write very well. My dad can, also. As could my grandmother. But somehow the ability passed me by. That old saying that there is at least one book in everyone -- well I must be the exception to the rule. Oh, btw, I do forget that I take a pill every now and then. It's because I'm always full of racing thoughts and not concentrating on one thing at a time. I really really need to learn to live in the moment. blue