Ahhh...it's great to be back in Sydney!
Our move back here to NSW went well. Not too many complaints.
A few things have been going on besides the obvious moving business.
I have successfully (too soon to claim this?) weaned myself off of Pristiq as of 3 days ago. No more antidepressants - yay! This has not come without a few bum bum moments. Dr B suggested I take half a tab every day for five days, then move to 1/4 every second day for 10 days.
I decided to stop taking Pristiq because I am now back in Sydney (although I have no job which is known to cause some anxiety!) within close reach and support of friends and family. And a big reason to stop is because my ability to sweat is just outrageously wrong and this may be due to taking Pristiq.
I need to sidetrack somewhat and mention Christmas here. I forgot my Pristiq when I went down to mum and Chris' farm (located in between whoop whoop and no man's land) for 6 days over Christmas. I had to search for a doctor to see for the prescription in Cooma, on Christmas Eve. My search failed (are you surprised?), so I ended taking up precious time in the local hospital 'emergency' room. I did not like this idea at all and I really did feel like such a dick forgetting important medication. But it is definitely not recommended that you stop taking antidepressants cold turkey, so I had to do what I had to do. I had some physical symptoms reveal themselves due to not taking Pristiq- I wouldn't call them 'headaches', but I got a bit kind of dizzy and this feeling came on quite sporadically, and unexpectedly. I did not like it. I managed to see a doc in ER within 2 hours and apologised profusely for for taking up his valuable time all because I 'forgot' my Pristiq. Idiot.
Anyways...with this little experience in mind, I thought I was well prepared in what to expect coming off Pristiq. So the weird head mess was there...then there was the other thing. I don't have the medical term for it, nor have I come up with some creative and amusing term. Without sounding like some crazy person...it was more an audio issue in my head. No pain. Just sudden, again unexpected, quick, freaky sound. No voices or anything! If any of you have tinnitus, you may be able to understand my description. I tend to get a sort of tinnitus when I get a fever from the Rebif - I can hear and feel every heart beat and it's like my inside body noises are amplified in my head. You still with me? So I all of a sudden I get that tinnitus sound in my head/ears, but really loud! Just for a moment. Not even a second. Sometimes it was triggered by moving my head. I did not enjoy this, and it would, at times, make me physically grab my head and close my eyes. Luckily, it has been now 24 hours since I have had this sensation in my head. And that is that.
Gosh, I feel like I am not very entertaining tonight. Sorry :-/
And moving on...
Perhaps you are trying to work out why the hell I am reciting a line from a childhood toe touching nursery rhyme? My second toe on my left foot was very active last week. Hmmm interesting huh? I was doing stuff (probably searching for a job) at home. M was out at Bunnings or doing some other 'man' thing. I had a little break, having a seat on the couch with my laptop on my lap. Then I felt it. The toe I mentioned, was moving. by itself. Ahhhhh, freak out! I look up at the toe, probably said something to myself like, "Oh great", put my laptop aside and placed my fingers around the base of my toe. It was really weird hey. I could feel the nerve shaking like it were some booty on the dance floor of a Beyonce concert! Then...it stopped. Then it started again, Then stopped. And yes, then it began again. This went on for at least 15 minutes until it stopped entirely. I haven't had an issue with this toe since. I am sure you are really happy I shared this story with you :-)
There is one more thing I will talk about. And this was a really big heavy weight on my skeleton for most of my morning today. I do not know what it has to do with...Mad Sascha, the Hashimoto's, being on/coming off Pristiq, being on Rebif or maybe I am just a freak that should be featured on one of those freak medical shows. The issue, dear readers, is the sweat. It is amazing, but not in a mesmerising way. All jokes aside, this issue is running (and close to ruining) my life.
This morning I was preparing to head up to the shops to get a few things for lunch, pop into the library and visit the pharmacy. I was a bit hot before I left home, but it just got worse and I began to sweat, profusely. I wasn't rushing or anything. I had the air con on in the car for the short trip. There was air con on in all the places I went. Yet, I could not cool down. I was just sweating. Why??? I wish I knew :-( It began to really upset me. I began to feel so self-conscious and extremely uncomfortable. I held back tears as I got my stuff from the supermarket. You might want to jump in here and say that my own anxieties are making it worse...and yes, you are completely right. I do acknowledge this. But why did it start to begin with? I was really struggling to hold back my tears as I stood on the escalator travelling down to my car. As soon as I got in my car I let the tears unleash. This was not ideal, as I still needed to see the road for the drive home. I took some deep breaths and I got myself home...but then, Niagara falls begins again. There were moments where I was somewhat inconsolable. Seriously.
I tried to make an appointment to see Dr B in Wollongong, but he is away for the next few weeks. I just can't wait that long. So I decided to make an appointment with a local doctor here, in the new 'hood. I am seeing her tomorrow morning and to be honest, I don't know how I will go. What I do know is it is running my life and I feel like I am out of explanations, and in turn, options on what I can do.
Maybe this is my life calling to work in a supermarket cool room, on night shift? What do you think?
