blueskies

I'd love to know now Mayo and Vanderbuilt came to those conclusions. As someone already said, they haven't been studying it that long. 4 years ago when first diagnosed with pots at age 50 - despite having signs and symptoms of it all my life that started to get radically worse about a decade ago - my pots doc said he expected me to have a 'full recovery.' Now, his opinion is 'we just don't know. We don't know enough about it." I think his latest opinion, which he's held for a couple of years, is the right one. Are the Mayo/vanderbuilt reports stating 'total recovery' up to date or are they more than a few years old? Just wondering. blue.

Hi, I'd given up smoking over 11 years ago. I started again about 7 weeks ago. A couple of reasons why I started were 1) something a neurologist had told me when I mentioned that when I gave up cigarettes my migraines got worse -- he told me he had heard that a lot and 2) I have chronio constipation and I remember a cigarette in the morning always got me 'going.' There was a third reason why I tried smoking again but I've forgotten what it is -- blame it on brain fog. I gave up again about a week back. I found that smoking made really no difference to my migraines and although it did help with the constipation a bit, for a while, that effect soon stopped. I couldn't stand the taste of the cigarettes. Nor could I stand the smell (Even though I was only smoking a few a day). Generally, I found that I feel better, physically, when I don't smoke. Hubby smokes like a train and while I was smoking we got on better so less stress there. But not enough pluses to outweigh the minuses of smoking, for me. blue. (POTS)

Like Bev Ray it takes me about 3 hours to do anything in the morning except take meds, drink decaf coffee and have something light to eat. I just lie around until I get past that time. Then I have some energy on a good day until about 5pm -- this is when I go out if I'm feeling good enough, the period between noon and 5pm -- about 5pm I start to become very bothered by excess stimuli -- just want to shut the world out. This usually passes after a few hours. Here I sit at 8.30 pm and am about to go have my shower now -- and wash my hair -- because I have the energy. That's a good day. Some days I just drag myself around the house all day. Dr Blair Grubb wrote in one of his papers that having bad times and good times in the same day are common for some people with POTS. Not his words exactly of course. I read the paper about 4 years ago now. He also said that doctors should realize how pots impacts on every part of a patients life. Work wise, family wise, money wise etc. I think he also said the best medicine is hope. Not sure. But I think he was the doc that said that. I do know that when I feel hopeless the world and my ability to cope seem very black. But then, sometimes only a few minutes later, I can feel very hopeful. I'm not sure if this is a sign of resiliance or madness -- this back and forth feeling of hope, no hope, hope etc. LOL blue

If you think you have sleep apnea definately have it checked. I thought I had it for years before I went to my gp a couple of years ago now and asked to be referred for a sleep apnea test. He rolled his eyes -- he really doesn't get this and thinks I'm some kind of unbalanced mental case, I can tell. But he gave me the referral and I had the tests and they found that during my night of sleep I go from mild to severe sleep apnea levels. I also have severe bruxism. And have episodes of alpha sleep where I shouldn't (I don't really understand that but I think it means I'm sleeping lightly when in deep sleep cycle or one of the cylces. At any rate it shouldn't be there. So there. To my gp. I bought a cpap machine and for 6 months it became my favourite bed companion. It did take a few weeks to get used to it but I was determined to keep that mask on. And I got wonderful results. Then I had an anaphylactoid reaction to a med and have had chronic urticaria since. All sorts of types of urticaria. One type I have is pressure urticaria. I can't wear the freaking mask anymore because the straps leave deep read marks which hurt on my face. And I"ve tried loosening the straps drastically. It still happens. Every now and then I try the cpap but am still getting the same results so will just have to put up with sleep apnea until the chronic urticaria goes away. Nearly a year and a half later it's still with me. Meanwhile I use a wedge pillow. It helps a bit by keeping me on my side. Apparently when I'm in my light sleep stage I'm on my side and that's when my apnea is mildest. Is anything ever simple with this **** dys. tommorrow I'm going to go see gp and ask him to refer me for an xray, maybe ct scan because I've had a really sore shoulder for a year which I've not bothered to bring up with any doc because of all the other stuff seeming more important. Now the pain has travelled down my arm and across my back and making my neck more painful than it usually is. I bet he gives me the 'eye roll' again. He never learns. Sigh. I just can't work out how, after all this time, he is so skepitcal of me having a serious illness. I intend to change gps, actually. It's just that he's been in the right location for me, easy for me to get there that I've been lazy about changing docs. blue

Hi pandygirl, And you make 4 of us so far. Great to meet you. blue

Hi Dianne, And great to meet you. blue

Hey sunburnt, Nice to meet you. Thanks for that. I'll check out facebook, for sure. blue

Hi all, I'm really interested to know how many other Australians are on this forum. I'm from Sydney. Although there are wonderful people from all around the world that post to this forum I would also like to get to know who are the Aussies. I don't have contact with one other person with dys (I have POTS) and it's just feels less alone to know that there are people in Australia with this problem. Only other Aussie I know of that has dys is Greg Page and I don't know him personally. LOL. blue

thanks issie blue

Hi TxPOTS, I wish I could say one of the many many preventatives they tried on me but they didn't work. Eventually they put me on opiates because I have chronic daily migraine. I take 5mgs of oxycontin 3 times a day. That's a very low dose for opiates. It works pretty good but messes with other pots symptoms. The pain specialist has offered to up the dose a bit but I won't do it. I stopped the oxycontin 2 weeks ago and had no withdrawals at that dose except that I went to the toilet for 2 days a few times (constipation is a pots thing, had it long before they put me on oxy) then the bowel movements stopped. I've read enough to know that the higher the doses of oxycontin I might take the worse the withdrawal will be when/if they finally come up with a workable solution for my migraine. But the migraine came back with a vengence and I had to start up the oxycontin again. The level of pain was just too much to bear. I've given too many years of my life to chronic daily migraine and I won't be taking myself off the oxycontin again -- until they come up with a better answer. The only thing that did work as a preventative for a while was an anti-histamine called periactin (in Australia). I think the generic is called cyproheptadine. You could do a search on it. If your doc has no problem with you taking it I'd give it a go. It worked for me the first time around for 3 months. Did not have a migraine for the entire 3 months as long as I took periactin at night. I think the dose was about 12mgs-- not one hundred percent sure of dosage. Then it stopped working one day and that was that. I left it another year before trying it again and it worked for longer but not quite as effective. Still it was enough. Again it stopped working. I've tried it again since but it no longer works for me and it started giving me worse restless legs than it used to as well as some body jerking when I stopped moving and lay down to go to sleep. I think that's it for the peractin for me. my pain specialist told me not to try it again. but it was good when it worked. Non addictive and helped me sleep. I read somewhere that periactin can stop working suddenly for some people. Hope this info helps a bit, i know opiates weren't the answer you were looking for. blue

If it is migraine aura -- I'm not sure from your description and I'm no doctor, then I want to tell you that I have migraine almost constantly -- I'm medicated for migraine so I don't get to feel full blown migraine pain every day. BUT, I do get the aura. Most of the time it's just weird, barely there aura -- it's like I'm trying to read ajust my eyes all the time because I'm not quite seeing things properly due to weird but very slight light effects, but can't explain it any better than that. It's certainly different from the usual visual aura I can sometimes get when migrain pain breaks through. Then it's more traditional visual aura for migraine. blue

Hello Endure, I'm really sorry to read how much you have to go through and that it seems having sex is out of the question for you for now. Hopefully they will be able to sort out this mess for you sooner rather than later. Your post touched me greatly. I'm having trouble trying to find the words to express how much empathy I feel for you. blue.

Thanks Thankful, I did promise you a 'time - line' but that's the best I could do. I know reading through that last post of mine that the skin burning thing sounds terrible and long lasting. And it is. BUT, I am fully aware that I got off pretty lightly when it comes to OI as I'm doing much better in this regard than I was 4 years ago. I know some people get worse, that they can hardly get out of bed to go to the toilet and are unable to shower regularly without help etc. I can get out of bed most days and do. (Some days I'll sleep 24 hours through but that's usually after a bout of bad insomniaz). itness. 4 years ago I was totally housebound and needed someone to lean on when I went out to go to a doc's appointment. Although often unsteady on my feet I manage to get to appointments etc, by stopping and sitting and resting regularly. in that regard I'm doing so much better. blue

Firewatcher, Can I re-post this over at imazebra. It's very, very good. blue

Timely post. I really have to go looking for a new general practioner. my one is next to hopeless. And thinks I'm crazy. I can tell. He's not fooling me. But the thought of having to form a working relationship with a new doctor -- after spending time finding that new doctor -- is absolutley overwhelming. My current gp is male. I'm wondering, being female myself, if it would help if I saw a woman. blue

Sophia 3 I'm post menopausal and my 'big O's' have been replaced by exended (very extended) orgasms or as you put it 'very extended forms of heightened pleasure.' I miss the big orgasims but not sure I'd trade them for what i can experience now My problem is that being post menopausal and unable to take HRT (and I even react to eostrogen type vaginal cream) I'm -- to use Whoopi Goldberg's analogy -- 'as dry as the Sahara Desert.' Having a really bad time with this that has put a stop to my sex life because it's too painful. And that is making me miserable. They do say 'use it or lose it' (in regards to vaginal lubrication) but I used it and lost it anyway. I have to stay away from 'natural remedies' too. Most are herbal and high in salicylate content and I react to salicylate. I got quite excited about SYLK, made in NZ apparently, when I first read about it. Only to find myself standing in the pharmacy reading on the label that it is made from Kiwi Fruit. Kiwi Fruit is very high in salicylates. I guess I'm going to have to ask my allergist/immunologist if I should give it a try and see if I get skin burning reactions. As to faster heart beat etc, I also agree with others. Until I was unable to have sex with this latest problem, I found it much better to do it in the very early evening as I feel better by bed time. At any rate, good sex is so much better than sleep if it comes to a trade off. It took Hubby a while to understand that if we didn't have it as soon as he got home from work he wasn't going to have it at all. Thing is, not only does 'no sex' make me miserable, it also really negatively impacts on relationship between hubby and me. He feels rejected and gets angry. I feel miserable and 'sexless.' Like I'm a 'sex free zone.'' blue -

Unfortunately, people say things that they shouldn't say all the time, and they make false assumptions about others (like the assumption that you are healthy). Try to forgive them their ignorance, or remind them of their good fortune (like they are reminding you), but gently suggest that not everyone can share their blessing of good health. Some people may be suffering from a hidden illness, an emotional trauma, or a wayward child, all of which may be invisible. I agree with this totally. Is there anyone in this world that does not have a very difficult problem in some form or another? That's why I get so confused when people make assumptions about me. I try very hard not to make assumptions about anyone although I occasionally do and am usually right off the mark and proved wrong. I hardly know what's going on with me to be in a position to judge what's happening to others -- things I can't see. If people would generally start inquiring about the lives of the people they talk to and listen to their answers and STOP with all the assumptions we'd surely have a much nicer world to live in. blue

I spent a few hours in bed last Sunday crying and so depressed and over it. I just wanted to die. i think i go through Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's 5 stages of illness on a regular basis. very regular. LOL. Thank god that hope is one of those stages. It's what got me out of bed finally, last Sunday. The company of other people who don't demand too much from me is great for me too. I've had a bit of that this week -- upon reflection it makes a big difference to my moods and how I cope with this illness. blue

Thankful, I'm sorry about being so tardy in getting back to you on this issue. I did an experiment on myself om the meantime in regards to other symptoms-- stopped the low dose opiates I am on for chronic daily migraine to see if my bowel would move a bit which it did for all of two days. 6 days later I started the opiate med again and it's taken a full week to get back to feeling at the same level I did migraine wise than before I stopped the med. I had some horrors of migraines while off the opiate -- I was put on low dose opiates for the migraines to begin with. Migraine is now under control but still have bowel problem. ANYWAY, I think I promised you a time line concerning my erythema, my red, burning skin. My memory isn't so good -- blame brain fog but I've pretty much figured it out. I'm including the anaphylactic reaction to asprin that I first had as I think it's all mixed up together, anaphylaxis, anapylactoid reaction, hives and fluid filled welts, and finally red, burning flushing skin. Times are approximate: 10 years ago had anaphylactic reaction to aspirin. Had never been allergic to anything before this. Not long after this my skin became red and sort of flushed and warm after taking a week of sinequin (old generation anti-depressant). I was taking it to help me sleep. Around this period I also experienced big fluid filled welts/hives on my abdomen when I tried two later generation anti-depressants -- one a SSRI, one a SNRI. I was being put on anti-di's because at this time 'all my symptoms' were in my head. 8 years ago I started to get hot red irritated skin again. The redness was in patches. It was then I noticed that my clothes were irritating my skin but put it down to being overdressed in warm weather -- which I now realize wasn't all that warm. I can look back and see I was underdressed for weather. I stopped taking the gabapentin (neurontin) I was on but skin problem continued. I stopped the naramig (triptan for migraine) and didn't experience any more skin problems for a little while. I think I'm talking a few weeks here. It all happened so quickly and it scared the **** out of me when it did happen that fear has made it difficult to remember. Not to mention brain fog. Not long after that I experienced a sunburnt shoulders, face and back but couldn't work out why as I'd not been out in the sun long enough to cause the problem. I'd been for a short swim. Two days later 'sunburn' was gone and there was no skin peeling that is usually associated with sunburn. I know now it was the hot burning skin stuff. Around this time I woke up with burning legs. Both legs, toes to thighs. were on fire. Not sure if they were red because I was in bed in dark and couldn't see very clearly and did NOT want to get up. The burning lasted about about an hour. And I was able to go back to sleep. Not much later, I was on Day 5 of a migraine that would not end -- this was when the migraines were working towards beoming daily (it took a few more years until they were daily but pain duration had definately increased). Anyway, I was taking panadeine forte -- which is like tylenol with 30mgs codeine, xanax, and I'd taken some med I can't remember the name of that helps with nausea. After 5 days I couldn't take the pain anymore and it was night time. Instead of dragging husband out of bed like I'd been doing a number of times in the last year for increasing migraine episodes that I could not get under control and getting him to take me to emergency (the hospital could not get them under control either and I just had to wait them out) I rang a night doctor. He gave me pethedine (I think you might call that 'demerol' but am not sure). He gave me the shot and told me I'd sleep for a while but the migraine pain would probably come back. He left very quickly. I didn't fall asleep. Instead. I WOKE UP. I couldn't work out what was going on because I'd had pethedine a couple of times over the years and it had sent me to sleep/knocked me out. I even checked the empty packaging of the pethedine that he'd left behind on my bed to make sure he had given me the right drug and he had. I did not sleep for about 5 days. My skin was hot and burning and I couldn't stand wearing any clothes. i sat on my bed during this time with a very old sheet -- worn and very soft -- wrapped around me in between having cold showers. I was extremely agitated. I was freaking terrifed. But I did not ask hubby to take me to emergency as we'd spent quite a bit of time there over the past few years as my body had started do weird things (undiagnosed POTS things) and emergency had never been able to treat me and hubby agreed with everyone at the time -- that it was all in my head. It was not long after this time that other symptoms got so much worse the doctors could not deny them During the early morning of the 6th Day I finally fell asleep only to be awoken 2 hours later by the alarm clock which I couldn't work out to turn off. (Long story but I eventually smashed it to get it to stop). I realized straight away that my whole back felt on fire . Hubby had left for work so being exhausted and not wanting to try his patience anymore I rang an ambulance. Looking back I now realize I should have done that straight after the pethedine injection. The ambulance took me to a major hospital where i saw a truly horrible doctor who confirmed it was a drug reaction. He gave me some cortisone tablets, and some anti-histamines and sent me home. My back continued to burn and I had bouts of diarrhea. (I was still going to the toilet normally, once a day, back then and had never experienced diarrhea, let alone the complete constipation that was to start 5 years ago. The burning travelled to my face and neck, my upper arms and my feet up to my knees, and across my shoulders. This went on for a couple of months which I spent sitting in front of a fan dressed either in my old sheet or the softest clothes I could find. I was having cold showers as this would stop the burning but I'd get rebound burning later on and finally a doc told me to have coolish showers (not cold) and this helped quite a bit. And the burning was not near as intense as it had been. It seemed to be settling. My gp told me he'd seen this reaction to drugs in one of his patients and it had lasted 2 months for her and then it had gone away. I settled in for a two month wait and then deliverance for this god awful pain (which did, as I said, start to ease off a bit). Then I needed to take an antibiotic for some reason -- forgotten what reason. I took one tablet and within an hour or two the burning was back to it's original horrible level. I dragged hubby out of bed (most of this stuff seemed to happen at night which was really inconvenient) and got him to take me over to a hospital emergency. I waited ages to see a doc. By the time I'd saw him the burning was greatly reduced. But he did have the first bit of advice that was any use to me -- go see an immunologist. But first off my gp sent me to an allergies and food intolerances clinic at a well known hospital here in Australia. They put me on a strict elimination diet and long story short I've never been able to get off it. I reacted with hot red skin whenever I ate things off the diet. So I ended up living on high fat and sugars for a great part of my diet with minimal variety of vegetables and fruit and lots of other restrictions. that hasn't changed. I've put on a ton of weight from the high fat diet. Also, hifibre makes my chronic constipation (which started5 years ago worse and my guts hurt more). I got a referral to an immunologist/allergist who treated me on the diet (she agreed at first with the hospital clinic's assesment) and tried me on a number of meds to help the problem. My skin was calming down unless I strayed from the diet or took a med that caused the skin reaction (not all meds do, but many do). [Oh, about 5 years ago my bowels had stopped working -- overnight. Totally stopped. I now had a gi. I'd seen a cardiologist in this time who failed to diagnose dysautonomia and I was seeing a neurologist for my migraines who also failed to diagnose dys]. About 4 plus years ago my allergist/immunologist suggested I go see another specialist. Not expecting much, I went along to see him and after a barrage of questions and battery of tests he diagnosed me with POTS (by then, I was unable to stand for more than a minute or two on my own and had to lean on someone when I walked -- just putting this in there because it was the other symptoms that were now present that led to his diagnosis). It took about a month for the diagnosis. About 2 years ago I had an anaphylactioid reaction to either a laxative or zylocaine cream. My allergist/immunologist couldn't work out which one it was and neither could I. I'm ususally pretty good at knowing what I've reacted to. All during this time I've built up more allergies. And 'intolerance's which come in the form of hot red burning skin. However, since the anaphylactoid reaction my skin has remained somewhat sensitised all the time -- just waiting for the next trigger (many of which I can't pin point). Meaning my skin can burn for no discernable reason but at a level I can mostly 'ignore' even when it's red. It's when I try something that often I have the reaction that takes me to that painful level where my skin is burning so bad it hurts to put on clothes. eg. while off opiates the week before last I tried another triptan migraine med and spend the night sitting up in my lounge room with just my underwear on and no heater etc. It was one of Sydney's coldest winter nights to date. Although the reaction lasted about 4 days it only lasted at that higer more painful level about 24 hours. Oh, and just over a month ago, a reaction to epsom salts which I'd been using for 5 years to go to the toilet (with more and more erythema like reactions occuring) finally caused my skin not only to go red and burn badly on my face but also to peel, like I've mentioned. This was mentioned in my earlier posts but thought I'd better stick it in here. Absolutely not sure what I'm going to do when my guts back up so much again that it becomes really painful as I can't go off the opiates for the little relief they give me gut wise -- just not worth it for the migraine problem. I have a call into my pots doc because I think he and some of my other specialists have to grapple with this problem (they all practice at the same hospital which is very handy -- I 'organized' it that way, that all my good docs would be at the same hospital) and they need to come up with some sort of workable answer and I think it needs to be in a hospital setting as I just can't do try any more new meds at home and they really need to see that the migraine/diet/constipation problem is NOT something that I'm managing. And if they are all together debating my case then they can't just fix one symptom and forget another. And they need to find an answer to my very highfat, unhealthy diet. My pots doc is away this week but if he's not rung me by Monday I'm going to ring and leave another message again. I'm going to become one of those outspoken patients that push and shove till they get some workable resolution to their problems. I've been too accommodating up until now. My allergist/immunologist told me I was too accomodating and that I had to stop being so complaint and really speak out for myself. It only took me a year or so to digest her advice but I now realize she's right. It's funny how my problems with walking (i can walk a bit further most days) and standing (I can stand for a few minutes most days without feeling sick) have become the least of my worries with regards to POTS. Anyway, Thankful, I hope this helps. I've wandered off the point a bit but ask me any questions you'd like. I'm going to try and pm this to you too. blue

Hi, I have chronic daily migraine and what I'd call chronic daily constipation. Regular migraine was present two years before the constipation became a problem. I've got some bowel movement each day but some days but eventually it all stops and it can stay stopped. Last time it stopped I stopped my migraine med -- low dose opiate which makes the constipation worse -- out of desperation as I was bent over and sweating from pain of constipation (and thought my colon was about to burst). I did get to go to the toilet a few times for two days while off the meds but then that stopped too. Meanwhile my migraine flared -- big time-- and had to get back on my opiate med. Got back on it a week ago today and it's taken a week for it to start performing like it usually does -- keeps my migraines down to about a level 3. But woke this morning 'feeling' that my gut has almost closed down again. I've tried every laxative possible and am allergic to some, others cause my erythema to flare, others just plain don't work. The one thing that was working was magnesium sulfate (I think you call it Milk of Magnesia in the U.S) but I was reacting to it more and more until finally, just over a month ago the red erythema marks I get on my skin when I take it started to peel. This was happening on my face: Saw my allergist and she said 'no more magnesium sulfate.' So no more magnesium sulfate and one month later I had to stop the opiate which led to level 10 migraines just so I could have a few bowel movements. I've been told by my gi that the bowel movements experienced after I stop constipating meds is not a turn of proper bowel motility and I have the body to prove it. It's just a sudden emptying out of the bowel that has been affected by the opiates. Most people, when they stop opiates get diarrhea. No such luck for me. It was what I was hoping for. Instead I just got to go to the toilet a few times for two days and it was still prettty constipated. I will be starting senna and docusate tonight. I hate the stuff because it also causes my erythema to kick in. But I'm only going to use it for a while.... Next stop will have to be daily enemas. It's a last resort. Hopefully it will work. Once I've worked out how to use them. Anyone got any advice or know any good sites that explain clearly how to give an enema. I really think the migraines and the bowel problems are related. blue

Hi Carinara, Like you I'm the eldest child and the one that always took charge. This has had to change. Last year my dad went into hospital for a 'straightforward' prostate operation. He ended up spending 4 weeks in there and came perilously close to death. The crisis happened when one of my youngest sisters and my mother were visiting him. I was having a pots flare during this whole time and knew I'd be useless trying to get to the hospital etc. I stayed in touch with his nurses by phone, checked in with my mother and my sister almost daily to see how he was doing and was able to ring and talk to him a number of times. A week before he finally came home I was able to manage a short visit to see him. The thing is, stop beating yourself up. The oldest children in families often do the hard yards. I did years of it. But finally I've handed over those reins. I learned that my younger sisters were quite capable of being there for my father and helping my mother get to and from the hospital. That it was no longer my job to 'save the day.' blue:)

Thanks Noreen, I have a couple of specialists that are pretty good. It's my gp that's an idiot, in my opinion. Problem is I'm not motivated to change him as I now live just around the corner from him so should I need a script written it's easy for me to get there rather than having to travel. But he's been wrong so many times now I'm starting to think the effort that goes into travelling further to see a decent gp might just be worth it. I realize how lucky I am to have understanding specialists. The best ones frankly admit that I'm one of the rare patients (rare because I have POTS) that seems to react to things arse end around. (Typical POTS patient). I do worry though that they are going to get sick of me -- a lot of the stuff they know about but just can't help me with and have to leave me to deal with it on my own as best I can. They don't leave me hanging though. I can contact them at any time if i have problems I can't get on top of. However, I've read over and over again on dysautonomia sites how docs will suddenly just drop their patients because they can't help them and are frustrated trying to. This, leaving their patient with nowhere to go. It does frighten me that this could happen to me too. I have trust issues, I guess. blue

Hi Thankful and Julie, I remembered yesterday that my allergist/immunologist was pretty certain it was a reaction to a drug. The only one that made sense to me -- because the burning started that afternoon and within two days it I had 'red patches on my face' that in following days started to peel etc -- as I think I've already told you. Anyway, I told her I thought it was the epsom salts I took for its laxative effect. I've had stronger and stronger negative reactions to that stuff even though it's magnesium sulfate and according to a cardiologist I once saw 'wouldn't hurt me at all.' She thought I was probably right, that it was the epsom salts. She said my skin would probably take a while to clear and not to be alarmed if I had little outbreaks again before it's fully healed. Thankful, my skin is feeling much better already and starting to look a bit better. That's partially what I mean by brain fog. I can forget stuff forever. Or I can forget it for a few days then it comes back to me. Yesterday I suddenly remembered her saying 'what drug do you think caused it.' Julie, I took one tablet of singulair and woke up early morning with migraine from ****. My migraine meds couldn't touch it. It's wasn't until yesterday afternoon that it really calmed down. 2 and a half days of bad head pain. It's still feels a bit 'iffy.' Like it could come back. I think it's because singulair is a vasodilator and I just can't tolerate vasodialators. It's sort of weird as even ventolin will bring on a migraine in 15 minutes. But I can use a bricanyl puffer when needed for my asthma. And my seretide preventor is okay. I think it was one of the reasons that hormone therapy for menopause didn't work as estrogen, I think is the one, is a vasodilator. The most effective drug I ever took for my migraine was ergotamine -- a vasoconstrictor. But I was taking it on a daily basis and it's a very bad drug if taken long term. Docs don't like it as it can cause gangrene, heart trouble and I don't know what else later down the line. I had to stop taking it and they put me on low dose opiates. Which mess with my bowels whick are already messed up....and so the story goes, on and on and on. i know most of you would have experienced this sort of thing -- take a med for one symptom and it messes with another. At any rate, I'll ring her after the weekend and tell her that the singulair was a washout. There are others we can try again. Lots of thanks for your responses. You have been very helpful and supportive -- no small thing. blue

'self-doubt.' It's a popular belief or maybe it's for real, that when a woman hits her 50s she's really come into her own. I hear it so often when women are interviewed. They extol the virtues of aging and 'coming into their own.' Is this bull? Or is it just me? blue