On the run...

So the massive diarrhea attack I mentioned in my last post has now entered hour 9. My stomach seems settled enough so I ate some ice cream and cottage cheese (no, not together) hoping that the milk products would help stop the massacre.

I also took 3 ibus, 1 excedrin, 2 benadryl, 1 1/2 xanax and a partridge in a pear tree, hoping to sleep off this hideous migraine I have.

Period Tracker: September

I guess my period began yesterday, with light spotting. Today I had a migraine and then cramps that hit me around 5:30.

The thing about menstrual hormones is that I can go from 100% stone wall constipation to explosive diarrhea in under 24 hours. What makes it worse is that diarrhea and cramps feel a lot like one another or come at the same time.

In short, first day of my period and I am miserable.

No serious rashes or allergic reactions so far and I am DEEPLY grateful since I am away from home and don't really want to have to drug myself up or use one of my Epi-pens if I don't have to.

EDIT: Not sure why I didn't blog about it, but I think I started my period on the 9th of last month. Not surprised my period moved up a few days.

Migraine Report

I had a migraine beginning Saturday night around 11pm and took 3 Tylenol before going to bed around 4am.

I slept fitfully, mostly dreaming, and in a great deal of pain. I took another 2 Tylenol and 2 Excedrin around 8am.

I woke up fully around 12pm and got ready for work, taking a Vicodin, which didn't work as well as I had hoped, but dulled the pain enough to allow me to work my 1-3 shift and come back to grandma's. I rested a bit and finally took some Ibuprofin, then ate lunch, made some treats for grandma and grandpa and vacuumed. By the time we left around 9pm, the migraine had finally receded, leaving behind some residual stiffness in my neck.

I am spotting, so I assume my period has begun or will tomorrow. I also assume it will stay at it's continuing low to non existant flow.

I am seeing flashes and spots, which could be a prodrome, so I am going to get into bed, after taking a xanax for sleep. The LAST thing I need is for this migraine to come back/continue.

Allergic Reaction

Just took 2 benadryl, normally I take more in cases like this, but I want to stay awake.

EDIT: Benadryl knocked me the heck out. Around 3pm, Little Sister picked up her children and came in complaining of itching. I suggested she take a benadryl and didn't think anything of it. Ten or fifteen minutes later I noticed my breathing was beginning to be laboured and my throat was closing. I immediately took 2 benadyls and uncapped my Epi-Pen in case I needed to use it. I also began itching in my "hive lines" or areas I commonly get hives when I have an allergic reaction.

I took several puffs from an albuterol inhaler and noticed my breathing eased some, but I continued to cough and itch. Eventually I recapped my Epi-Pen and crawled into bed to take a nap. After the itching and wheezing subsided I was suddenly exhausted.

I was sitting at my desk and hadn't eaten or touched anything in common with my sister, in fact, we don't have the same allergies and while she had a small, itchy rash, she didn't have as severe reaction as I did.

I don't know if it was something she brought in with her, after she picked up the kids, or if this allergic reaction was in line with some of my suspicions involving my monthly cycle and hormones.

I plan on taking these notes into my Dr in Sept or Oct. I need a few more months of observations before I can really draw any conclusions from these incidents.

Yuck

Thursday night dad came home with pizza, which was great, but I wasn't feeling well so I went to bed early. I was in a mixed state with mania and depression and was agitated enough I took Xanax so I could sleep. And by going to bed early, I mean, I was in bed and asleep before 12am. That's miracle zone there.

Last night I had some diarrhea and decided I might be having an allergic reaction, so I took 3 benadryl. As if to prove my point, the benadryl worked and I wasn't sleepy at all.

The pain in my right side (the dread pain) came back and I am NOT happy about it. Right now, Sunday morning 2:45am I have been sneezing and itching for almost 2o minutes. My nose is running as well, so it looks like I am going to take more benadryl.

Today I intended on getting up early and doing housework but instead I ended up doing what I call "Ovulation hibernation." Where even if I am well rested and on top of my sleep schedule I will still end up sleeping away at least one day. I mean, where I can barely open my eyes and even if I get up, dressed etc I still end up passing out. Which I did.

I have a class tomorrow and I really hope my students come. My BDA classes pay me 90% tuition, which is marvelous.

Anyhow, I am trying to keep track of the pain in my right side and I am hoping it's going to go away.

Itching and Hives

On Tuesday, around 7:30am I took 4 benadryl due to sever itching and hives.

Now it's Thursday, June 30, 12:52am and I am itching badly, just sneezed and am having intestinal woe.

It's mostly my shoulders and arms that are itching right now, but all I had for dinner was broccoli and mac and cheese. I ate dinner over 3 hours ago, so I assume a food reaction would have happened by now.

I do know I am ovulating.

With this particular cycle of ovulation I seem to be VERY manic, witch includes very little sleep, hyper moods and elevated sense of everything.

I have not slept well for nearly a week now and am going to call my OBGYN about the itching. Time has come to ask at least.

http://journals.tums.ac.ir/upload_files/pdf/3612.pdf

June 9, 2011

Breasts are getting tender, LS says she is close to here period, so I wonder if, after almost a year, we are syncing. Have yet to have any severe allergic reactions but I wonder if those are coming?

Had a headache for most of yesterday, blossomed fully into a migraine while I was swimming. Around 6:30 or so. Didn't take Excedrin and Ibus until 9:30, shortly before we ate dinner.

Normally we eat dinner much sooner but tonight was Danny's birthday and LS went out to get El Pollo Loco, which is *fairly* healthy grilled chicken. The sweet corn and churros? Not so healthy. Barely redeemed by the salad I ate.

I need to watch for mood swings, I tend to get manic near my period, so I am on the lookout for that this month.

Period Report: April-May

Started my period, or as I am now calling it, my semi-colon, today. Yesterday I was irritable but not noticeably until slightly provoked. I ended up having a spectacular falling out with mum, and regardless of my constant apologizing, she held my mood against me for the rest of the night. To be fair to both of us, she picked on me right after I got off of an 8 hour shift and I snapped and said something awful.

Anyhow, no headaches so far and no cramps. I did have some joint pain, but I am attributing that to the sudden rain storms we had.

Last month, (April) I forgot to blog at all, but my period had skipped forward a few days from the 19th in March, to the 16th. I had constant migraines and a little more spotting than I had experienced previously, but again, so little it can barely be considered bleeding.

If you count Saturday as the start of my period this month, (with almost negligible pinkish spotting) then the date skipped forward another 2 days. I did have several migraines around ovulation.

A few months ago I was put on an appetite suppressant which not only helped lessen late night cravings due to my mood stabilizers, but also honed my attention span so keenly, March was one of the most successful times of my life in almost 3 years. I unwisely discontinued the drug and noticed a sharp drop in attention and while I didn't gain more weight than I had lost, I also stopped losing weight.

Tomorrow I call my Dr for a refill and another appointment. I also need to get vital bloodwork done for the mood stabilizers I am taking and for a host of other things my internist wants to look into. I hope to get those done this week. Since they are all fasting, I need to coordinate both my bed time and the time I take my Tegretol.

I hope that by getting back onto the appetite suppressant I can not only take control of my weight, but also regain my concentration and gear up for the 2 months my niece and nephew will be out of town.

Weather, health, allergies and PMS

I am pre-menstrual and had an allergic reaction this evening. I have learned the difference between "just" allergies that come with dust, cats, pollen etc and the anaphylaxis that can come with severe allergies, such as my reactions to spider bites and multiple mosquito bites.

I don't know if PMS has had a role in any of my attacks, but it's something to consider due to the reactions I have had, including one where I had to use my Epi-Pen, that didn't seem to have a discernable cause. These severe attacks included sneezing, throat constriction, diarrea, and hives.

The ONLY reason I am wondering about this is due to a "Mystery Diagnosis" where a woman had allergy/anaphylaxis she could not explain that later turned out to be her body rejecting it's own ESTROGEN and other hormones like it. She tended to have these attacks around her period.

Anyhow, I am not going to armchair diagnose myself with anything, but I think I will try to keep track of future attacks, to see if there are any patterns I can see, or any foods/habits that lead to this severe of a reaction.

Itching began around 11:15pm March 19. Worsened into hives, along "hive lines" around 11:45. 3 benadryl were taken at 11:47. Itching has not subsided at 12:18am and I am about to take my inhaler to ease breathing.

Really? Seriously?

I had a headache all day today, but I think it was mostly due to the wind. But WHAT is my body's excuse for a yeast infection? I know some women get them fairly frequently, but this is the second time in 12 years. Other than my body just wanting to screw with me, I have no idea why I got it either.

I go to the Dr tomorrow and am not looking forward to it. Yeesh.

Migraine today started at 5:30, took 4 ibus at 6:27 and an Imitrex at 7:45. I plan on going to bed "on time" tonight due to having a Dr's appt tomorrow at 10:45.

So my breasts hurt for the last few days and I have been very easily aroused and also very weepy. I'm thinking the weepy part is PMS as I have also been grumpy and mean.

I haven't had any headaches, (knock on wood) but it remains to be seen if I will stay migraine free this cycle.

Other than some almost imperceptible pink, I have been 100% blood free since Sept of last year, so unless a lot changes this cycle, this will be month 4 with no blood.

I have had some cramps, but they are ridiculously mild compared to what I have previously been through.

As for pre-cycle, ovulation and then menses, I have had predictable issues such as arousal and flushing during ovulation, mood swings and hypo mania, breakouts of skin and migraines pre-cycle and migraines, mild cramps and tiredness during my cycle.

Frankly, the exhaustion I suffer is now my #1 concern now that unholy cramps and blood loss is no longer an issue. Since my migraines can also be brought on by barometric change, altitude and I am exploring food triggers, I am not counting them as quite the womanly issue that I did before.

When I see my GYN for my annual checkup, I will be bringing up the tiredness. It's just not natural that I feel so drained, especially now that I am not losing any blood.