Ugh, this is so hard (long and rambling) - Page 5

tina76 · 03-08-2006, 12:07 PM

oandesmama - Are you taking anything to help you sleep at night? You mentioned that you aren't getting any sleep. Sleep is VERY important during your taper. The less sleep you get, the worse you will feel. If you dont' have anything prescribed as a sleep aid I would recommend going out and buying some plain old benedryl (the generic kind will be cheapest and almost EVERY store has their own generic of benedryl). Take two about half and hour before bed and THEN eat something right after taking them. I was insomniac long before I had a pill problem so I know a lot of the sleep tricks which came in handy when I was in w/d. It is important that you eat AFTER taking the benedryl though. The food helps your body start absorbing the meds faster and within half an hour you will be nice and sleepy. It is normally good for at least 4-6 hours of sleep and it is SAFE and available over the counter. Benedryl is the same medication that is in sleep aids such as Nytol, Excedrin PM, etc.... It works quite well.

oandesmama · 03-08-2006, 04:27 PM

Thank you so much, Tina. The sleep thing is getting better every night. Although last night was a total nightmare. My two year old was sick last week with an ear infection. (I also have a 10 month old.) He had gotten much better from his antibiotics, but yesterday I noticed he was feeling hot and sure enough he had a fairly high fever. 102 or so. That lasted all evening even with alternating Tylenol and Motrin. He went to bed at 7:30 and then woke up about half an hour later screaming. This went on all night. He and I probably got a total of an hour of sleep last night. Poor thing was in so much pain - I finally figured out that it was his throat that was hurting because he wanted to drink but would cry so hard when he'd try to. He was drooling too because it obviously hurt his throat to swallow.

I debated taking him to the ER, but they are just not the greatest there and I figured it would be a long and drawn out process ending with a prescription for a different antibiotic that we wouldn't be able to pick up until the morning anyway. So we stuck it out and I had him at his pediatrician's office when they opened. He's got some terrible bacterial infection in his throat, so he's on a new antibiotic now. Poor baby - he's so miserable. Anyway, he just woke up from a half hour nap - he can't seem to sleep for very long because of the pain. So - I'll doubtless be so tired tonight that I'll be able to sleep just fine!

Anyway, thanks - I've got to run - good news is that even as stressed as I've been over the last 24 hours, I've had NO urges to take extra pills or deviate from my schedule. That is going great!

tina76 · 03-08-2006, 04:40 PM

OH man! I feel SO bad for your little one. It's so hard for them when they are THAT sick at that age because they aren't good at communicating what the problems are etc... yet. And it has to be so frustrating to not be able to make him feel better! I don't have kids but I know how bad I feel when even one of my PETS (although, to me, my pets ARE my kids since I probably won't be able to have my own biologically) is sick or injured. It's such a helpless feeling....

Which all leads me to...................... GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All this stress and lack of sleep and you have not even had one single slip???? That is SO wonderful. Great will power. I would never have been able to handle it, I can tell you that for sure. You are doing an amazing job with your taper. Tapering is VERRRRRY hard. It takes a lot of will power and sheer determination. And you obviously have oodles of both. I am SO happy for you. Keep it up and you will be on your way to a drug free life in no time at the rate you are going!

I hope your little one feels better. Are they worried that the younger one will catch it??? Those bacterial infections can be really contagious can't they? Did they give you any tips on how to prevent it from spreading to the rest of teh family? Or a timeline on how long after starting the anti-b's before he is no longer contagious. I know I have a houseful right now (my brother lives with me permanently and then my best friend -more like a sister to me-, her finacee, and their 5 month old son -my beautiful godson- and when ONE of us catches some bug it goes around the house in record time! Ugh....

Tina

oandesmama · 03-08-2006, 05:39 PM

Thanks Tina. I really am getting worried about him. He's been laying in his crib screaming hysterically for the past hour. I left a message for the pediatrician telling him that the Tylenol and Motrin were not working and he was in so much pain. He said that he could call in some codeine for him. I told him that I did have codeine syrup here from when I had bronchitis last year. Don't worry - it doesn't do anything for me - I am not tempted at all to try any - I guess the chemical makeup of the two drugs are different enough that I have no interest in the codeine cough medicine. So he asked his weight and told me to give him 4MLs. I did and he's finally getting some rest. I've never seen him this sick. And bacteria are so scary too - I just worry about what it is and hope and pray that the new antibiotic will kill it.

I know what you mean about your pets. There was a time when we wondered if we'd be able to have children - I'd had a miscarriage and it was taking forever to get pregnant again - and our dogs were definitely our babies. Unfortunately since we do have kids now, the dogs have been lowered a notch on the totem pole - they're still pretty spoiled though, so don't feel bad for them, lol. Sounds like you've got lots of company/family around you - that's great! I love a house filled with people. Makes me happy.

The baby so far has been great at fending off anything my son gets. The doc checked her out today since she was there with us and for now we'll just hope she steers clear. My mom took her home with her to give me more one on one time with my boy, so that will help too.

I guess as far as the taper goes - I just have it in me this time that I'm going to do it. I've basically told myself it's a bunch of BS to keep taking these pills when I don't need them. I even had a migraine yesterday, but just stuck with my Imitrex shots and didn't even think to ask for extra pills. Just don't want them anymore. It's a great feeling. So wish me luck with my baby boy. I can't stand to see him sick....

tina76 · 03-09-2006, 12:17 AM

Hey there,

Just writing a quick note here tonight to wish you guys well! Hope your little boy is feeling much better. I'm sure the sleep he is getting with the codeine will help him out. Sleep always helps when you are sick. Help him get his strength back, poor little guy! It's good that your little girl has been able to fend it off. The only thing worse than one really sick kid is TWO really sick kids! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you guys that you stay lucky!

Codeine never did anything for me either. Except waaaaay back when before I had my endo and I had to take it for bronchitis and it got me all loopy. But back then I didn't like that feeling. Ha! Wish that feeling would have stuck. Sure would have saved me a lot of strife and heartache over the past few years. Oh well. Things are on the right track now and that is what counts.

I'm so happy that you are doing so well. And GOOD for you to stick with the imitrex for the migraine and not to take anything else. I know from personal experience what misery a bad migraine can be. Unfortunately for me I had bad reactions to imitrex and other typical migraine meds so if I get one I have to go to the ER for IV meds. It sucks. I can't complain though because I used to get them CONSTANTLY, like once a week for a long, long time. Now I get maybe 2-3 a year. Just grew out of them I guess. Hopefully they stay gone!

Hope you get some rest tonight! You AND your little one!

Tina