Night and Day
Yesterday was one of the hardest days, physically, I've had in a few weeks. Why? I don't know. Today, I woke up and felt nearly 180 degrees different. To quote Pete Townshend (guitar riff here) "Can't Explain".
Some theories:
1) Methlyn (Ritalin) is not for me. That part isn't a theory. I stopped taking it around Monday, and perhaps it is just starting to get out of my system. Perhaps stopping it is helping my body bounce back from the MS episode.
2) Caffeine and Methlyn do not mix. It took me a few days to figure this out. (Note to self: read stuff BEFORE you take the pills. I am quite trusting.) Having both in my system made my body feel buzzy, tingling and crappy. It's quite possible that this week those feelings had nothing to do with MS.
3) It's possible that when MS is triggered in my body, I am that much more sensitive to whatever chemicals are floating around - drugs, caffeine, aspartame, etc and the tingling and buzzing is more likely to occur.
4) The steroids are bringing down the inflammation and this is the natural progression of that.
5) The Tysabri from a week ago is helping.
6) All of the above.
7) None of the above.
My plan is to sell the Methlyn on the black market for as much as I can and get rid of it. Ok, well, at least get rid of it. I am also going to let the aspartame be for a while. My friend Sally said a very wise thing to me today. She said "if you really want a soda, have an actual Pepsi, not a diet Pepsi." My mind says "What? You can do that?" Years ago I bought into refined sugar as the evildoer and chose what I thought was the lesser evil, artificial sweeteners. For a while I was "all stevia" but diet Pepsi always crept back in. Plus, Sweet and Low mixes with iced tea much better. So, I am rethinking my position. Lastly, keep an eye on my caffeine intake just to see how it makes me feel.
I brought my cane to work with me but left it in the car for the whole day. One thing I knew today was this: I was so happy to be alive, and to be feeling something remotely like normal. Gosh, it would be great if it happens again tomorrow. If not, I really enjoyed today.
Some theories:
1) Methlyn (Ritalin) is not for me. That part isn't a theory. I stopped taking it around Monday, and perhaps it is just starting to get out of my system. Perhaps stopping it is helping my body bounce back from the MS episode.
2) Caffeine and Methlyn do not mix. It took me a few days to figure this out. (Note to self: read stuff BEFORE you take the pills. I am quite trusting.) Having both in my system made my body feel buzzy, tingling and crappy. It's quite possible that this week those feelings had nothing to do with MS.
3) It's possible that when MS is triggered in my body, I am that much more sensitive to whatever chemicals are floating around - drugs, caffeine, aspartame, etc and the tingling and buzzing is more likely to occur.
4) The steroids are bringing down the inflammation and this is the natural progression of that.
5) The Tysabri from a week ago is helping.
6) All of the above.
7) None of the above.
My plan is to sell the Methlyn on the black market for as much as I can and get rid of it. Ok, well, at least get rid of it. I am also going to let the aspartame be for a while. My friend Sally said a very wise thing to me today. She said "if you really want a soda, have an actual Pepsi, not a diet Pepsi." My mind says "What? You can do that?" Years ago I bought into refined sugar as the evildoer and chose what I thought was the lesser evil, artificial sweeteners. For a while I was "all stevia" but diet Pepsi always crept back in. Plus, Sweet and Low mixes with iced tea much better. So, I am rethinking my position. Lastly, keep an eye on my caffeine intake just to see how it makes me feel.
I brought my cane to work with me but left it in the car for the whole day. One thing I knew today was this: I was so happy to be alive, and to be feeling something remotely like normal. Gosh, it would be great if it happens again tomorrow. If not, I really enjoyed today.
Comments
Here's hoping for more days like that. The skipping, not the train.
:)
thanks Amy,
trrish