So it's been almost a week since I stopped taking Tramadol for pain and Flexeril for muscle spasms. Well, I've taken a Tramadol twice since then, but I was taking four a day. And I haven't had any Flexeril.
I'm taking 500 mg glucosamine/400 mg chondroitin and 100 mg gabapentin a day. I'm not sure if I will keep taking the glucosamine/chondroitin or not but I bought a 20 day supply so I will at least finish that.
In another day or two, I am supposed to increase the gabapentin to 100 mg twice a day. I hope that doesn't make me drowsy during the day. I've been taking it at bedtime and the first couple days, I think it made me sleep well. However, the last three nights, I've slept like crap.
The night before last, I was really worn out so I went to bed early. Like a little after 8:00 pm. But I couldn't sleep. My back hurt and my arms hurt and I was thirsty. Like, so incredibly thirsty.
I think the gabapentin is making my mouth dry, drier than usual. And my mouth is already dry. I think it's a side effect of the Cymbalta. It's a common side effect of so many psych meds. I've dealt with it for years. But now, it's like I can't get enough to drink. Literally two minutes after drinking something, my mouth is like cotton and I am so incredibly thirsty. It's hard to sleep because I am so thirsty. I drink, then I lie down, and before I can fall asleep, I am so thirsty I have to get up and drink some more. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it is what it is.
Anyway. At night I can't sleep because my back hurts and my arms hurt and my hips hurt and I am thirsty. The night before last, I was also hot, then I kicked off the covers and was cold, then I put the covers back on and was hot and sweaty, and so on. I was so tired I felt like crying. But it was after midnight before I fell asleep.
Yesterday I was up before 6:00 am. I did nap for about an hour during the day. And last night? It was a repeat of the night before. My arms hurt and I couldn't find a comfortable position. Any way I lay, it hurt at least one arm in some way. I went to bed a little after 9:00 pm and it was after midnight before I slept. My head ached, my hips hurt, I was thirsty, I was hot, I was cold, I was so exhausted I didn't want to move. Except I had to move, because my arms hurt in the position in which I was lying. But any way I moved, something else hurt.
This morning I managed to sleep until 6:10 am. I have not slept at all, all day.
I've been fairly busy the last few days and I think that distracts me from the pain, at least a little. But at night I'm not distracted. And the pain is worse at night, and the anxiety is worse, and it makes it hard to sleep. I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't get some sleep tonight.
I've been using my anxiety medication to help manage the anxiety that the increase in pain brings up. It doesn't do anything for the pain, though.
I'm functioning better than I thought I'd be, really. Today I did a load of laundry. Yesterday, the weather was really nice and I took Isaac for a long walk, about 45 minutes. Tuesday I picked up a few items at the dollar store, I tutored TK, and I even stopped at the office supply store to pick up a planner for him. His dad cancelled his tutoring session today, but I was planning to do it. So I'm functioning. I'm not just huddling on the couch under my electric blanket.
I don't know how long I can function on so little sleep, though.
Oh. I also think the gabapentin is making me nauseous. I've been nauseous, anyway, off and on. I'm hoping that goes away as I get used to the medication. When I first started the Cymbalta, I was nauseous for almost three weeks. Horribly nauseous. I was about ready to quit taking it but then I guess I got used to it and the nausea went away. This is not as bad, but I feel icky off and on throughout the day.
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