Guest guest Posted January 9, 2004 Report Share Posted January 9, 2004 Thank you Beth! I'll have to try the " Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star " but upside down? I can't even sing it rightside up! I loved your point about a good sense of humor. I think it's a great reminder and too easy to forget. Laughing is one of the best ways to forget pain at least momentarily. I'm glad you are part of the group! Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2004 Report Share Posted January 9, 2004 Jennie, I have another suggestion. I've been on several " courses " of Elavil, and the first time my doctor weaned me off of it he recommended I take melatonin to help me sleep. I got quite dependant on the melatonin (though I don't believe it's at all addictive; it just works well for me and I'm normally a poor sleeper). I hear it gets mixed reviews and doesn't necessarily work for everyone, but I experimented enough to discover that: 1. Its effects are lost when my eyes are exposed to light. (I mentioned this to a health food store clerk, and she said I was right. I guess she'd read or heard it; I learned it by experience.) 2. A dose of regular melatonin wears off in 3-4 hours and can leave me wide awake, but timed release pills are good for at least 6 hours. 3. Sublingual pills are great to help me drift off quickly, before the timed release pills take effect. So my nightly routine includes both types of pills. (I use the orange flavored 1 mg. sublinguals by Source Naturals. They are sugar-free. I've seen some advertised which contain sugar, and there's NO WAY I'm going to sacrifice my teeth for a night's sleep. I actually put one under my tongue and one or two in my cheek, where it dissolves a little more slowly. I sometimes wake up with a nearly dissolved melatonin pill still in my cheek!) Yes, I'm using them in addition to the Elavil. What a junkie, LOL. But it works for me, and I thank God for it. Re: Re: spasms post revision My experience w/Elavil was so long ago it is quite possible I was given too high a dose and I was so young I didn't even give it another try or talk w/the doctor about my reaction (if my fuzzy memory is correct!). It may be worth trying again since one of my concerns is my reliance on Ambien. I have taken it every night for 2 years at least. I can't seem to sleep w/o it and even then if the pain is bad enough I wake up. So I open to suggestions - thanks for all the feedback! Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2004 Report Share Posted January 10, 2004 Also malic acid and magnesium. spasms post revision Beth, An inexpensive thing to try would be to add a calcium supplement to your diet. They're at stores with the vitamins. The usual dosage is 500 to 600 milligrams 2 or 3 times a day. Most of them are on the large side so I break them in half. Also make sure you stay well hydrated. Joyce RN- Atlanta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 Don't feel too bad about the Zen fountain, . The male member of my household didn't mind it (though my brother commented it made him need to pee), but, soothing as it was, I found as time went by the nearby radiator began to rust and its paint to peel, and the carpeting took on a strange, sticky feeling from the build-up of minerals from the tiny water splashes which, no matter how I tweaked and fiddled with the fountain, I could not eliminate. I love my fountains, on the front lawn, on the back deck, and the waterfall in the lily pond, where they belong, and where water can do no harm. In winter I have to settle for aquarium sounds. Re: Re: spasms post revision Jennie, I scoff at nothing if it helps someone! If someone would tell me that standing on my head while whistling " Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star " would help the pain, you can bet your 'you-know-what' that I'd be figuring out a way to balance on my head long enough to whistle the song to it's final note!!! I have not tried hypnosis (yet!) but have done Bio-feedback, Accupuncture, visulization, tranquility tapes, and even bought one of those battery operated, trickling water fountains that are all the rage now...all the fountain did was make me want to pee frequently; and a menopausal, approaching the big 50, woman, (like myself) doesn't need stimulated to pee any more than I already do!! But I am not adverse to even the weird and unusual when it comes to pain control! I find that laughter helps me more than anything sometimes...hope y'all got a chuckle out of this posting, if for no other reason than it helped you forget your pain for a few moments! All the best, Beth Support for scoliosis-surgery veterans with Harrington Rod Malalignment Syndrome. Not medical advice. Group does not control ads or endorse any advertised products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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