(no subject)

[the_rck]

Scott gave his cold to me and Delia both. I find a certain irony in Delia catching a cold from her father since that reverses the usual expectation. Pre-schoolers are supposed to catch everything, bring it all home and pass it on. Sadly, Delia's got it worse than either Scott or I do. Part of that is that she refuses to drink and still doesn't know how to blow her nose (we've tried to explain and demonstrate, but she doesn't want anything to do with it).

I'm concerned that she won't be well enough for pre-school tomorrow. It wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm scheduled to assist. If Delia's sick, I have to arrange for somebody else to take my place. Then I have to explain to Delia that she's not going. No fun all around.

Delia's been spending at least half of her time glued to my side. She denies feeling sick, but she keeps burrowing up against me and saying, "Snuggle!" Somehow, she manages to be both imperious and pathetic.

In spite of the cold, I'm actually feeling better than I have for a while. I saw the neurologist on Monday, and we decided to discontinue the lyrica. Three months should have been long enough for me to start seeing benefits if I was going to. Instead, I had dragging side effects and some very undesirable changes in my menstrual cycle. (Cramps and menstrual headaches should *not* last for two weeks of every cycle. The neurologist wasn't entirely convinced that it was the lyrica, but I pointed out that it started immediately after I started the lyrica and had never happened before. If it continues for more than one cycle after stopping, I will consider other causes, but right now, I lean toward calling it a medication side effect.)

So, I'm to start topamax. I've filled the prescription, but I'm not willing to start taking it until after I'm over this cold. I want to be able to feel the differences caused by the medication without confusing them with the cold symptoms. I'm a bit dubious about the topamax. I'm concerned that the side effects might be worse than the occasional migraines. I suppose I'll try it and see.

I'm also supposed to start taking magnesium supplements. I'm a bit more optimistic about that. Well, not so much optimistic as fairly sure that magnesium won't cause really nasty or peculiar side effects.

Comments

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

Er, darnit. I volunteered to work the book sale tomorrow during class, or I would switch with you in a heartbeat. Sherry was scrambling for people for the book sale on Monday; you may have gotten that email (it was unclear if it was sent to the whole community or just the board). :(

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

Hope you two feel better as soon as possible, and that the med switch works out.

OT: I have lost your snail mail address. Would you mind emailing it to me once more? Thanks! :D

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

Oh for crying out loud! The general rule for migraine preventatives is that nobody is supposed to take them unless they have 2 migraines/week, on average. Otherwise, it's not worth the side effects. For Topamax, I don't think it's worth the risk unless you're having debilitating migraines 3 days/week. Topamax side effects include anxiety and depression! You should not be taking them for occasional migraines! (Well, nobody should, but especially not you.) Sometimes I say, "Yes, it does make me more depressed, but it's worth it." I can't imagine you saying that.

I take magnesium supplements. They don't have nasty or peculiar side effects. (They don't help my headaches enough to notice, but they seem harmless and might help my bones a little.)

I hope you and Delia feel better soon.

[the_rck]

I suspect that the neurologist is feeling a little pressure because my primary care doctor passed the buck to him. He may also have missed the point that I emphasized repeatedly in this appointment-- While on the lyrica, I had a *lot* more migraines. He may have forgotten that I normally only have 1-4 a month because during the last three months, I had fourteen days out of every twenty-eight when I'd get a migraine if I stopped taking anaprox for even a few hours.

I suspect that he gave me lyrica largely because it's supposed to help so many of the other problems I have. That is, with the anxiety and the fibro figured in, it was well worth trying.

Of course, having given me the lyrica, he's now on the treadmill of accelerating treatments. I may try the topamax in a few weeks, when Scott has some time off, just to see where the side effects are so that I can weigh the costs and benefits thoroughly.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

I would suggest waiting until your body reaches a new lyrica-free equilibrium before starting the topamax. You really can't do a sensible comparison of topamax and non-topamax if everything is contaminated by the lyrica.

[the_rck]

Given that I have at least another week and a half of recovery from this cold (judging by the fact that Scott's still coughing, three weeks out) and that it will be a while before Scott has time off again-- probably some time in January-- I think I'll have the lyrica well out of my system before I try the topamax.

I am already noticing a very positive trend since I stopped taking the lyrica, in spite of the cold getting worse.

[evalerie.livejournal.com]

I take a daily calcium-magnesium-zinc-vitamin-D supplement and a multivitamin, and both do amazing things for me. My mind is clearer, my body works better, cuts heal better. I have weird food absorption issues and a restricted diet, so these vitamins wouldn't necessarily be right for anybody else, but it amazes me how much better I feel when I'm taking them.

[the_rck]

I normally take a multivitamin and a calcium supplement. I'm still looking for the particular magnesium supplement that the neurologist recommended. I'm starting to think that it doesn't exist (or that I'm misreading his handwriting).

What's the name of the brand you use?

[evalerie.livejournal.com]

It is called "Schiff Cal-Mag-Zinc." I find it at Meijer.