Take it From Me - Take Your Meds

While I was in the hospital, after being freed from my 9 IVs, I was given a slew of pills. They started bright and early with my synthroid, then I was brought a smorgasbord to swallow in the late morning, followed by a smaller round just before bed.

As I became more aware, I counted them. First one, then nine, then five more. Fifteen pills a day. I got sent home with a laundry list of prescriptions, including ones for  heartburn, stool softeners....even depression and anxiety. I realized then that half of what they were giving me was to combat the side effects of the other half. Seriously. The pain patch would cause nausea, so I was taking something along the lines of Prevacid. The nebulizer treatments could cause anxiety, so I was given an anti anxiety med, along with the option for Xanax when I asked. Being in the hospital itself could cause other anxiety / depression, so I was put on Zoloft, even though I told them I didn't want it. It went on and on.There was no way I was going to take anymore than I had to now that I was home an in control.

First thing I dumped was the Zoloft. I did ask my PCP beforehand and he said it was a low enough dose that I should be able to  wean quickly. I went cold turkey. I decided that it was so easy that I'd go cold turkey on the pain patch too. That one, well, it was a little bit more difficult. I actually was shocked as I realized that I was going through withdrawal, For nearly three days, I felt so edgy and twitchy. It was scary. I had never been so glad to feel pain in my life as it wore off,

So, over these last few weeks, I thought, since I already went from 7-8 pills down to a regular 4, I was going to stop taking my Synthroid because I felt fine. I also stopped taking my water pill for a couple of days - after all, I'm not all swollen like I was, and having to run and pee every 15 minutes every day gets a little old.

After a few days of my new regimen, I felt a bit run down. I got on the scale and was up 15 pounds!

I decided to swallow my pride and my pills, and within two days dropped 10 pounds - all water weight. Unreal.

I guess 4 meds isn't so awful for the time being - Synthroid, a water pill, a blood pressure pill and blood thinners. Its by the grace of God I'm already off of the Diabetes meds that I was taking before all of this went down. I have nothing to compain about for sure,

No more self doctoring here! Make sure you don't either, cause apparently all those years in medical school really do mean something. :)

Lots more to come - sorry for the hiatus....just been trying to recfocus on strength first, weight loss second. I'm maintaing 350 right now, and I know its only a matter of time before it begins to fall.

See y'all soon!!