Amitriptylin and Me

Yesterday I as ill from symptoms related to gastroparesis that decided to become worse than my 'normal' days.   All of us that suffer from a chronic illness know our 'normal' day is not that of a 'regular' person.  We have to tolerate so much more on a typical day.

For some reason mine decided to continue to get worse last night until I head my head in the toilet.  I know I always flare around the 20th of each month, so now (6th) was very odd.  Nothing changed in my life or what I was eating, even the environment (inside and out) seemed the same.  One day I would love to know what my other triggers are!  That's where my journal comes in handy, if I write enough in it (like a detective)!  Link is here if you want to find out more:  http://melissagpfight.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/chronic-illness-journal-blog-1-of-2/

My husband had the next day off and I wanted to be well, so I could enjoy the little time we do get to have together.   Since the nausea was not going away and I didn't want to be up all night I did the only thing I could.... take 5mg of Amitriptylin.   This is the ONLY prescription drug that worked for me for and I could handle the side effects, if I only took it once during a flare.  The problem for me is it makes me sleepy.  Let me rephrase that!  I took it at 9pm and didn't wake up until 11am and still wanted to sleep.   Like I said my husband was home and I wanted to spend time with him.  Generally I would go back to bed and be awake when he got home at 6pm.  That is 21+ hours of constant sleep because of 5mg of Amitriptylin.   I can not order anything smaller.  I tried cutting mine further, but it wasn't effective.

So I was up, sort of.  Groggy with a huge headache and very thirsty.  Yes, I get cotton mouth with the small dose and a margarine.   But I didn't have my head in the toilet all night.   I had hoped that maybe this time my body would react better with the med.  Guess not.

I made it to the kitchen to get something to drink and watch a little tv.  That turned into a nap.  I made a smoothie so I could get some protein in me (egg powder protein... link here:  http://melissagpfight.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/the-importance-of-protein-powder-ideas-for-smoothies/) and decided to go to the store with my husband so I could get some soup and Gatorade.  I felt like I could make myself do it and I did -for the most part.  He drove as I was way too dizzy to do so.  Closed my eyes a few times and wished I had not gone.  But the store was just a few blocks away and we only needed a few things.  However, the dizzy part is a killer when you are walking down isles with different shapes and colors!  I leaned into him and stopped walking.  He knew what was happening and finished the shopping quickly.  

It is hard for me to just 'rest', (I know it is the best thing for me) when my time with my husband is precious to me and I want to 'be normal'.   Which is highly overated!!  LOL

Back home I had some chicken noodle soup and more to drink.  The dizzy spell is under control, now to work on the headache and off to another nap! 

For me, it is a toss up if I really want to take the Amitriptylin or not.  My GI Dr thinks it is good to have on hand, even though it makes me sleep for so long.  I would never want to forget that I took one, or I could end up in a coma!  Scary drug for me.  I make sure that if I ever take anything my husband knows what it is and when I took it.  Never can be too safe.