First Zometa Treatment

I have been guilty of shunning my blog in favor of the privacy of Inspire.com for all my woes. I know I should keep it up here, but I really don't feel I've found the right 'voice' for blogging. Oh well.

And now I don't feel like typing about my Zometa treatment (which netted me fever and chills), and will have to do so later.

I don't seem to be sleeping again. I don't know if it's because of the day I spent in bed ill after the Zometa changed my sleep schedule, disrupting my circadian rhythms, or what, but here I go again. Also for the first time in a long time, RLS has reared it's ugly head (PLM actually; a wholly-owned subsidiary of RLS). I end up getting up, doubling my magnesium, and hoping for the best. At this point (4:30am) it will be light soon, and a valium would be an ill-advised solution. I would sleep until 11:00 again, like I did today (yesterday - Saturday).

Thursday night I was awake until sun rise (about 5:00am), got up at 10:15ish to throw clothes on and take Brad to school. I bought a new bed with my tax return money; a memory foam mattress. Last night was my first night sleeping on it. Once I finally got to sleep, I slept well. It's just the falling asleep part that always alludes me. The alarm is set for 9:00am, so I can make it to church. I don't know how easy that is going to be, given the current hour.

I am left wondering if the insomnia and RLS/PLM are an added bonus to the Zometa side effects of aching and bone pain. Research time. The timing makes it suspect. Were the Pristiq causing the RLS, I would think that it would have done so at some point over the past three months, rather than conveniently waiting until three days after my Zometa treatment.

I do have things to write about. The Zometa experience, the Day of Art aftermath...I just have no cerebral power to do so.

The Other Foot. When is is scheduled to fall?

I had a night of insomnia late last week. I was doing a med change, because I didn't want to pay non-generic copay for Pristiq when I didn't feel like it was a wonder drug. I was supposed to cut my dose that that in half for two week, meanwhile starting Trazadone at night, and after the two weeks was going to go on just generic Prozac. Several years ago, Trazadone was prescribed to me with Paxil, and it pretty much knocked me out at night. I think I tried the Trazadone last Friday night....and was awake until 5:00am. I panicked. I can't do the sleepless nights thing again, I can't let my schedule get completely turned around again! So Saturday night, I said, "screw it" and went back to my 4mg of Xanax, and 10mg Abmien.

A couple of days later, I found I was actually in a good mood. Huh? Wha? So I went back to my full dose of Pristiq, and I am weaning down the Xanax. 1mg Xanax last night with the 10mg Ambien. Woke at a decent hour and WANTED to get up...didn't have to force myself. I haven't taken Methyphenidate or Valium during the day all week.

Today is Thursday, and this feeling not-so-stressed is starting to freak me out. How long can this last? Could it be that Pristiq IS a wonder-drug? Could I have been having some sort of rebound effect from the Xanax? And why the heck did I say up all night on Trazadone, when it worked for me before?

Ok, maybe my body chemistry and functioning has changed since having cancer, poison pumped through my body again and again, and enough radiation to nearly give me spidey-sense. No, that's wrong...the big green guy was the radiation. Anyhow, that could explain the changed reaction. Or it could be the "possible side effect" of the Femara making Zoloft and Trazadone not have the same effect on me.

I have 2 xanax left. I'm going to try .5mg tonight. I should probably call my doctor and tell her what I am not doing (the new meds, going off Pristiq), and get her started on getting me that card from the Pristiq makers to make the copay only $25 instead of my $40 for non-generic. She said, "Look on their website", website said, "Ask your doctor". I took the info to her, she filed it for future reference as I was planning to go OFF it...but now I think I should stay on...

This morning on the way driving my son to school, I was hit in the stomach with this feeling of waiting for the other shoe to fall. I'm not used to feeling "OK", really OK, not just what we say to people when they ask how we are. (I don't say well, or good, or fine anymore; "OK" for the day is seriously as good as it gets with Stage IV cancer.) But this new mood...strange, new sensation. How long can this last?

I got a little more stressed when I called my SSDI contact, and her voicemail box was "unable to receive messages"...for the 2nd time...either she's not emptying her vm box, or she's not there any longer. Now I have to try to find someone there to talk to and explain my current issue...Hartford Disability (my long-term through work) needs "documentation" from SSDI (their mistake) that I'm NOT receiving SSI for Brad, since he is NOT a minor...spoke to both sides verbally, but Hartford wants it in writing before they will resume paying me that amount.

Eligibility for SSDI started Jan 1st. Still no check. Said to be coming in February. Meanwhile, this puts me VERY behind on EVERYTHING, and going on a month and a half with no money.

My mom is sick and so I can't go to her house. Usually I do better with phone calls at someone else's house. I hate phone calls. So, I'm a little stressed right now, but not paralyzingly so, as I usually get. Time to search through paperwork for some other contact info and maybe an ID number before I call and try to speak to a new person. Deep Breath.

Maybe a little comedy video first...

Lunesta...one-hit-wonder

The lunesta only worked the one night, but at least I was awake for Thanksgiving day. Next night I was up until 3 or 4, night after that, I was up until 7:30am, and still awake at 9:00am when my son woke me for the cursed Femara. Needless to say, I slept until 5:00pm.

Then, I tried a brilliant, yet naughty, plan...(naughty since I did it without permission)...I took 2 alprazolam (xanax). Didn't do anything, so in an hour or so, I took 2 more. Of course by this time it was midnight, so I overslept the alarm I set to get up and make it to church! I even showered that night, so I could just get up and get dressed, since showering is SUCH an ordeal to me. I may be mixing my nights up here...I think it was Saturday night when the plan didn't work until late, and I overslept church. Anyhow, Sunday night I took 3 alprazolam, and before I even got to bed a bit later, I was feeling it...HOORAY! I went to sleep quickly (my biggest hurdle) and slept through the night, though, since I went to bed about midnight, had a bugger of a time getting up at 9:00 to make my Doctor appt w/ my PCP. I confessed my experiment w/ the alprazolam, and she didn't bat an eye...wrote me a scrip for 3mg/night. My Onc will probably have a fit; he thought 1mg was a lot...but I need to sleep so he'll have to a) get over it, or b) write me Valium.
I am also switching from Zoloft (and stopped the Celexa) to Pristiq. I know it's not a generic, but I want to try it. Dr. gave me a month worth of samples, and I'll see her again in 30 days to see how it worked, and get a prescription for probably a higher dose.

I can hardly wait until bedtime tonight to try it again. I hope it wasn't a fluke, like the one time with the Lunesta. I am going to go to bed earlier, so I wont sleep the day away. I'm so excited at the prospect of doing things in the daytime! I was beginning to feel like a vampire.

Well, an agoraphobic vampire, since I never went out at night either....

I'm just sayin'.