COPD & Effexor Are Assholes.

I am not a medical professional. I am only sharing my personal experience. Now that I have that out of the way, Effexor sucks! It's the worst medicine in the world! I would never recommend the drug to anyone. It should be off the market. Every professional I've seen has said how easy it is to get off this stuff. This blows. I have brain zaps--it literally feels like a mild electrical zap in my head. I can be in the middle of doing something, and completely blank out on what I was doing or saying. I cannot concentrate for long periods of time. What does help is physical labor and exercise. I spent most of the day working in the yard. I really enjoy yard work. But twice I forgot what I was trying to accomplish. Most people who aren't on medication might think that isn't a big deal, but I know the cause of my forgetfullness and it's name is venlafaxine. And he's an asshole.

 Going to see Mom tomorrow. She's in rehab; she was hospitalized on Mother's Day. We expect she'll be in for at least another week. I hope to buy her a new bed before she comes home. The COPD is in check but the exacerbation has aggravated the chronic heart failure. That's why her ankles are swollen. The doctor has upped her Lasix and that seems to help. She has gotten so used to being unhealthy that she doesn't know when she's in distress. You would think the rehab facility would provide some sort of wellness education but they don't. She says it seems like a medicare scam. The doctor on staff is going on vacation and there is no backup. When it's time for her to be discharged, she will not have been seen by a doctor. The upside of her stay is she gets showered daily and she loves the food. At home she can't lift her legs over the tub to get in the shower, even with a seat there. Since she lives in an apartment, we can't modify the tub. Assisted living is too expensive. Things are not going to get better; she's in a chronic state and the COPD is stage 4. I really don't know what the next move should be. COPD? Cee you next Tuesday.

Today I am...

...completely distracted because my ipad was delivered when no one was home. My daughter returned from class 10 minutes after the attempted delivery. They didn't even leave a little note saying they had been there. I overpaid for it, but I cannot wait to play fruitninja all night long become even more productive posting to my almost dormant blog.

...excited the traps for my slacking boarders have been set. I've got two whistlepigs (groundhogs, woodchucks, varmits, non-rent paying bastards) burrowing in my shed and under my porch. The city provides live traps and will remove them IF the rat bastards (literally) go into the trap. Meanwhile, I've got to restock on mothballs and ammonia. I don't want to harm them, but they cannot stay. I pay rent. They don't. And they could hurt my dog if he gets one cornered. And he's trying really hard to do so.

I hope I don't turn into Carl.

...feeling pretty good even though I slept for about 5 minutes last night. I'm trying to come off  Effexor. I think I've been on it for at least 6 years. I can say it helps. But coming off is a BITCH! Doctors tell you to step down, but there's nothing they can do for the zaps you feel and that's the hardest part. The best thing to do is your own research by talking to others who have managed to stick it through.  This time I'm taking it every other day for a few weeks at 75 whatever those things are. I hope I can sleep tonight. I may work in the yard, so that might help me doze.

...still searching for a good homemade hummus recipe. I've tried one with tahini and one without; canned chickpeas and bagged; but still nothing matches the mouthgasm that happens when I eat this stuff.

...proud for how I've handled my situation with the Eye Are Ess. For so long I was so afraid and intimidated to contact them even though I knew I was making it worse by putting it off. At some point, a chick's gotta tit up, vag up, grow up and handle her business. Still have a long way to go, but I've got my big girl panties on!

...sorta glad my mom is staying in the rehab facility. She's got COPD, asthma, diabetes, CHF, and arthritis. She had an extreme exacerbation on Mother's Day and my daughter and I called 911. COPD is a behemoth of a disease.  If she didn't have that, she wouldn't have asthma or diabetes or CHF. It's the third most common chronic illness in women; of course cancer and heart disease have it beat. Right now the doctors have her breathing in check, without steroids, but her legs are super swollen; more than usual. Hopefully they will figure it out and she'll be home soon. Mom has been stage 4 for quite some time now.

...going to be distracted until that freaking ipad gets here. GRRR. I can't even set the delivery for pick up until the third attempt.

beckie