Progress
20 %
Goal End Date is Dec 31, 08 158 more days.
sistergal2’s Profile
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About Me
I am a grandmother of two precious grandsons by my only child, my 33 yr old son. I am Bipolar 2 with GAD (only found this out in 2006! what a difference it makes in my life to get the right med combo!), suffer with fibro/CFS, asthma, sarcoidosis lungs, liver, sinus; arthritis, IBS, spastic colon, Crohn's, and anxiety/poor sleep. Seizures in 9/05 but stopped meds 9/07 and so far so good. On disability since 2001 and so glad to slow down! Pain, sleep, etc. keep me mostly indoors. I feel I have better control over my life for a bit of "quality" that I never had working from age 17 (legal secy). I use a TENS unit lots for pain b/c I have to be careful of meds and liver. Had gastric bypass 3/03 due to gaining 125 lbs on steroids for the liver sarcoidosis. Gastro said I must have either bypass or eventually a liver transplant so ins. agreed to pay for bypass! So scared to have bypass done but it was an easy recovery (laproscopic). Funny, I STILL look at the Women's Plus Sizes and think of myself as heavy to this day! I do not date as I have always attracted the wrong type for me and I am taking time (even after 5 yrs) JUST FOR ME FINALLY. Generalized Anxiety Disorder has wreaked havoc for me but mood disorder Trileptal definitely makes a difference in combination with the right antidepressant for Bipolar 2. I am glad to have discovered this Board to be able to connect, learn and vent too. Learn breathing techniques to breath from the ABDOMEN to relieve stress and take one day at a time. Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world! LAUGHTER HELPS ME IMMENSELY AS I NEVER REALLY LAUGHED MUCH IN MY LIFE THAT I CAN REMEMBER. EVERYONE, TRY LAUGHTER (my belly laughs come from America's Funniest Home Videos, even re-runs).God Bless to all and I look forward to reading your posts.
Interests
Art (watercolor, drawing), reading, cats, dogs, walking, movies. I love Court TV, true life crimes on T.V. and reading true life murder books (especially by Ann Rule). I like the Health channel too. I hope to be able to volunteer even for a little bit at my grandson's school (hope that I can). My biggest interest is in being a good mother and a better grandmother!
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Recent Activity
Monday
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sistergal2 and butterfly888 are now friends 6:06am
Sunday
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sistergal2 gave butterfly888 a Hug 12:05pm
Hello! I love your avatar! And I am so happy to hear what you do for children too - what an inspiration…
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sistergal2 gave sunnyc Flowers 12:00pm
Hey Caroline! Still "settling in" since I am slow as Mother Christmas . . . furniture, washer/dryer delivered…
July 18
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sistergal2 wrote a discussion post in the Sarcoidosis support group: blood factors to determine sarcoidosis 11:46am
I finally saw my PC and asked her what she looks for in my bloodwork to determine if sarcoid is present…
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sistergal2 gave EnigmaticMuse Flowers 11:33am
Hey EM! You can be right on the money for upping the dose but remember, the kinds of meds "we" take you…
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Journal
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This entry is private
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Hugbook
Hug
just cuz
Hug
I have been writting in my journal - sometimes it helps sometimes I just wish that I could have done more. Thank you for your support
Flower
Hope your day is as Beautiful as a Bouquet of Flowers.. Much Love Ravin
I’m With You
Hi My Friend, Please let me know how you're feeling. I'm here for you.
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I’m With You
How are you feeling Frances. And then there's Dolly. Anywhere near where you live. I hope not. Keep in touch. I'm with you.
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Photos
sistergal2 hasn’t uploaded any photos yet
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Support Groups
Close Epilepsy & Seizures
5 seizures 9/05 (from high doses antidepressants we think) - on Trileptal and no seizures 2 yrs. got off Trileptal 9/07 ordered by neuro as my EEGs showed I was "nermal" without the Trileptal. Once off Trileptal I learned from my pscyhiatrist I HAD TO TAKE A MOOD CONTROL MED FOR BIPOLAR, and guess what? Trileptal is a mood control drug now! So I am back on 300 mg. X 3 day of the Trileptal. LOL
Treatments
- Avoid Certain Foods / Chemicals Working / Worked
- NO SUGAR SUBSTITUES - use Stevia ONLY - 4 drops per 8 oz. water. Read directions or Stevia takes horrid if too much used! Also take 250 tab of Magnesium daily to help nerves. BOTH WORK GREAT BUT IT TOOK 4 MONTHS TO GET TO THIS POINT. Once in a while I eat something sweet coated w/sugar but I try to make a habit to eat only peanut butter & All fruit jelly as my sweet (no sugar added).
- Dilantin Not Working
- Could never get enough level in my system & wound up drunk on larger doses putting me in the hospital (could not stand, write, talk).
- Klonopin Working / Worked
- Worked great! But Drs did not want me taking it in combo with my other meds and had to stop.
- Trileptal Working / Worked
- Weaning off slowly but now have dizziness & headaches (5 days free of any Trileptal)
Close Insomnia
Since childhood had problems sleeping due to anxiety. I always listen to what my body tells me after taking any med. Trazadone put me out for at least 8 hrs. max. ASAP but not I was not rested upon waking. I had 2 sleep studies which proved I have Restless Leg Syndrome -- BUT I have NO RLS symptoms during the day or at night of RLS. But the Requip puts me out like a light! I sleep sometimes for 10-12 hrs of good sleep so be careful if you do take a med. for RLS -- take it early! Frances
Treatments
- Ambien Not Working
- Did NOT work nor did the Ambien CR!
- Lavender Working / Worked
- Helps me relax - pillow, sheets, bath!
- Meditation Working / Worked
- Listen to my breath no matter WHERE I am works!
- Music Working / Worked
- Replaying relaxing music helped me to relax and sleep but I would not STAY asleep.
- Rozerem Not Working
- Did not work for me or MY DR.!
- Trazodone Working / Worked
- Worked great but groggy & no restful sleep but I didn't know I had RLS at the time.
Open Sarcoidosis
Learned I had sarcoid in 1999. Lost 1/4 lungs, liver totally scarred, outside of heart and scarring in frontal lobe - thought it was a tumor. Took steroids for 4 yrs., gained 125 lbs., gastric bypass instead of liver transplant helped! Lost 125 lbs. in 2003 & has stayed off! Blood checked every 6 mos. for sarcoid indicators. THANK GOD I DID NOT HAVE A LIVER TRANSPLANT! Liver read NORMAL in April 2007! THANK YOU GOD!
Treatments
- Methotrexate Working / Worked
- Took this for several months - it worked. BUT I also lost several teeth right at the gums!
- Prednisone Working / Worked
- I now know you can take Prednison in a little larger dose EVERY OTHER DAY to avoid weight gain and anger which it caused for me! Ask your doctor about this method!
- Meditation Working / Worked
- I learned to SLOW DOWN read my Bible and MEDITATE on Gods word. I suffer from chronic anxiety depression and host of other ilks.
Open Fibromyalgia
Treatments
- Acupuncture Somewhat Helpful
- Cymbalta Working / Worked
- Works the best but still breakthrough pain a couple times a month. I slowly increased to 120 mg. of Cymbalta before it really started working!
- TENS Working / Worked
- My Dr said I could leave the TENS unit on until pain was relieved - this is sometimes 8-10 hrs BUT IT WORKS! I do this instead of taking any pain med as my liver is compromised easily.
- Vitamin B12 Working / Worked
- This helps with the chronic fatigue I have from the fibromyalgia.
Open Bipolar Disorder
Been Bipolar 2 since teenage yrs. but never would take the time to see a psychiatrist until I was 57! She identified what was going on after I rattled off my life story. That helped immensely with always looking back at the past to finally let go of the past! My little shrink was 77 yrs old and I had little faith in her but boy, WAS I WRONG! She saved my life!
Treatments
- Trileptal Working / Worked
- 900 mg. for mood control. Horrible side effects at first b/c I took too much at a time. I went back to a smaller dose and slowly increased to 300 mg. three times a day and it works like a charm!
- Cymbalta Working / Worked
- I slowly increased to 120 mg. day for chronic depression all my life and it works for that and the fibromyalgia pain I have some breakthrough pain each month but I can go to bed for that since I am on disability now. No side effects bc I increased dosages slowly over 2 weeks at a time.
Open Family & Friends of Bipolar
Bipolar 2 with GAD since a teen but never took time to find out until I was 57! Oh, what a difference the right meds make! I was on antidpressants for over 25 yrs and of course I got MORE manic! Want to learn all I can as I am sure I have baffled family and friends forever!
Open Anxiety
Anxious since I was born I believe but thought everyone felt "this way." Valium in 1968, but fell asleep riding bus, etc. and missed too many stops so I quit taking it. In 1988 I was put on Dicyclomine for spastic colon and it helped my pinching colon but did not calm my nerves really. Prozac helped to get rid of chronic round the clock gut pain but my fingernails were always nubs. FINALLY got alprazolam 2006, right antidepressant and mood control meds! HELPED IMMENSELY.
Treatments
- Breathwork Working / Worked
- helps tremendously!
- BuSpar Not Working
- did not work; stopped.
- Hypnotherapy Somewhat Helpful
- don't know if I don't go under well or what. Seemed to help somewhat but not enough.
- Klonopin Working / Worked
- Dr did not want me to continue to take - worked great!
- Meditation Working / Worked
- this and yoga helps to quiet my mind.
- Paxil Not Working
- had to stop.
- Trazodone Working / Worked
- But I was zonked for 10-12 hrs.; had to stop
- Valium Working / Worked
- Put me to sleep at the smallest dose; had to stop
- Xanax Working / Worked
- My God-send! I use it now only as needed. I take it 0.5 mg. if during the day and 1 mg. if I cannot sleep. Don't always need it but rather on an as-needed basis.
- Zoloft Not Working
- nothing but spaced out and sweating, sweating; had to stop
- Cymbalta Working / Worked
Open War & Terrorism
58 yr old granny soon to be 59. Want to share my point of view only. I am open to others but I would like to share my experience.
Treatments
- Xanax Working / Worked
Open Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue started in 1988 at the age of 39. Progressed to out of control until I had to stop working in 11/01 and went on full time disability May 2002 with other maladies as well.
Treatments
- Cymbalta Working / Worked
- Works great on fibromyalgia pain - a couple of breathroughs per months perhaps but not much. Nothing on chronic fatigue though.
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Snapshot
Recently …
- 2 hugs given
- 10 hugs received
- 2 journal comments
