Narcolepsy Forum Posting

Posted by freakycat on October 10, 2001 at 18:13:22:

I am a 40 year old mother of two. I have been tired since I was 12, and was finally diagnosed with IEDS a couple of years ago, before that I self medicated with herbs. I used to say I had low energy, or the disposition of a 10 year old basset hound. I didn't know what to call it but I learned how to treat it. I started with massive doses of Gensing, then later on I went to ephedra, my hung and the last thing I was using was a little concoction called "Rocket Fuel!"
As I got older it got harder to treat, between tolerance and busy schedule and more concerns than my own well being. No longer did I carry my weekly pill pack in my purse full of herbs I could pop as I monitored my energy levels. Nor could I tolerate those days when nothing seemed to help.I also became worried that I was getting too much Ephedra and that my heart was going to blow up on me, even though I didn't ever have high blood pressure, or Rapid heart rate. I never felt any side effects from herbs. I gradually quit the herbs then a few month or years later, I really don't remember, I felt so awful I couldn't function. I reluctantly went to the doctor. I say reluctantly, because I had been a before, and they just dismissed me.
Once they gave me anti-depressants. Zoloft was great for six months, but left me a lot worse for the wear in the end. It wasn't helping any more so I just stopped taking it. I crashed and burned, I just didn't get my script filled for a couple of days after it ran out. It stopped helping so I figured no big deal, I'll try it without. In two days I realized my mistake, but was afraid to leave the house, I was such a mess. I was depressed, paniced, parinoid and a lot of other feelings I had never felt before. And no other reason than running out of Zoloft. I went cold turkey and will never take anti-depressants again. I leveled out in about a month, but it was just awful. It took about six months to get over it entirely, if I have.
Anyway, when I went to the doctor again and told him I was not depressed, I was Exhaused, and hurt all over, but I was not unhappy, except for things that I legitimately had a right to be unhappy about ie. how I felt, and the way I couldn't get anything done, because of how I felt. He gave me a choice, sleep center or a place that specialized in fibromyalgia. I decided to go to the sleep center, because the pain wasn't as bad as the sleepiness and there is no cure or effective treatment for fibromyalgia. Besides my pain didn't feel nearly as bad as those people on the fibromyalgia site made it sound. Of course I once went christmas shopping while passing a kidney stone. So I may tend to minimize pain.
Anyway the sleep center found I was sleepy all the time and that they didn't know why. I sleep fine. No restless leg. All phases of sleep in the right order. No problem, except that they monitored my brain waves and found I was sleepy to the point of dozing off all day long. I went on Ritlin and later on Concerta. This all has worked fairly well for the last year and a half, although I am not as energetic as I would like, at least I am not sleepy 24/7 Actually, I get insomnia sometimes! it is very strange. The problem is it tends not to be as effective after a while. I take a lot of days off lately from my meds. Because of tolerance, and this feeling of being tired, but not sleepy, which is not too cool. Worst of all, my heart rate goes up to 105 and my blood pressure is 150/100 sometimes. I have never in all my days of eating ephedra and all sorts of caffine had a problem with my blood pressure. It has always been between 110/80 and 120/80 so even though I have ganed some weight over the years, smoke, and eat what I want, these are things that have not changed significantly in the last two years. The only thing that has changed is the Concerta. I take 36 mg about every other day. Also I read on the web that eating certain foods would lead to hypertensive crisis, It is the same food list as for MAOI's. The doctor never told me this even as he was going over my family history and asking me about salt and writing me a new script of concerta. I am seriously concidering quiting concerta, and going back to herbal remidies. Exercise also helps, so I was thinking about adding some of that to my schedule.
I think that all my favorite foods are on this list, things like tomatoes, Cheese, spinich, liver, caffeinated beverages, soups, gravy, canned meats of all kinds. Things that one would most definately eat every week, and yet my doctor didn't tell me. I don't know if this is the reason my blood pressue has shot up or not. But I am interested in other people's experience with blood pressure and Concerta, I am also wondering if Concerta is worth the risks.
I know this is long, but I wanted to give you enough background to come up with an answer for me.
thanks,
freakycat

Follow Ups:

• Re: Meds, High BP and Health Mona 06:50 10/11/01 (0)

Copyright ©1995-2005 Sleepnet.com., All rights reserved