EOT blood draw

[drummerman]

Went in for my eot blood draw yesterday.

Told doc I felt like crap... anxiousness, irritability and insomnia.  He didn't seem concerned and told me that the riba stays in your blood for a month.  I knew that, and did not want to tell him that it can stay in your organ tissue for up to 6 months.

He wanted me to come back for a vl test in 6 months.  I said that everything I am seeing on the internet says to have one done at 12 weeks.  He said "ok"... we'll do one at 3 months and one at 6 months and then at 1 year.  He is very agreeable. 

I don't think he knows much about the new tx or protocol but at least he is easy to get to do whatever I want.  My gp is the same way.  No arguments.  Very agreeable.

Was able to go to sleep last night w/o ambien..yay!  But went to bed at 9PM and woke up at 2:30... but hey, 5.5 hrs sleep is about normal for me.

Its weird, I am just way toooo hyper.  I also am eating about half the amount of food I would normally eat.   Don't know if these are good things or bad things.

Can't wait till all this crap is out of my system.

dm 

[beto]

Hey DM,

Sorry about your sleep and hyper issues.  You ever think you might be coming out of a long term low to medium grade depression?  Just a thought...most likely the ribo.  I have come out of depressions that were low grade but my "normal" and then was kinda hyper for a while and not sleeping near as much as I had been.  I have noticed with ambien, it doesn't matter if I take a small crumb or a half of one...I get pretty much the same effect but wake up between 2 and 3.  I have even found that less is more sometimes.  Anyway, I will periodically take a very small piece like an 8th or less and leave another small piece for when I wake up and it pretty much does the trick.  Funny the full dose does not work as well and makes me delirious.  They are easy to get a bit dependent on, however, I have found it fairly easy to discontinue it.

I don't sleep well when I travel for business and that is how I figured this out,  Sounds like you are in a phase of insomnia that is pretty strong though.  This too will pass.  I have had times where I feel like I am never gonna sleep and just the thought of it (not sleeping) made me anxious.  But, it always passed and better sleep came around again.
Pullin' for ya comrade

[drummerman]

Hey DM,

Sorry about your sleep and hyper issues.  You ever think you might be coming out of a long term low to medium grade depression?  Just a thought...most likely the ribo.  I have come out of depressions that were low grade but my "normal" and then was kinda hyper for a while and not sleeping near as much as I had been.  I have noticed with ambien, it doesn't matter if I take a small crumb or a half of one...I get pretty much the same effect but wake up between 2 and 3.  I have even found that less is more sometimes.  Anyway, I will periodically take a very small piece like an 8th or less and leave another small piece for when I wake up and it pretty much does the trick.  Funny the full dose does not work as well and makes me delirious.  They are easy to get a bit dependent on, however, I have found it fairly easy to discontinue it.

I don't sleep well when I travel for business and that is how I figured this out,  Sounds like you are in a phase of insomnia that is pretty strong though.  This too will pass.  I have had times where I feel like I am never gonna sleep and just the thought of it (not sleeping) made me anxious.  But, it always passed and better sleep came around again.
Pullin' for ya comrade

I actually did consider the depression aspect.   Could be.   Anyway, the sleep issue has improved over the past week and last night I slept till 3am and was able to go back to sleep!  Only had to take Ambien on 2 previous occasions  and wasn't crazy about it.  Fell asleep real fast but only slept 3 hours.  What good is that?  I only took a half both times.  I love your idea about taking a small bit and then another small bit if I wake up.  I am definitely going to try that if I my sleep does not continue to improve.

Thanks for tip!

dm

[dragonslayer]

Hey DM,

Sorry about your sleep and hyper issues.  You ever think you might be coming out of a long term low to medium grade depression?  Just a thought...most likely the ribo.  I have come out of depressions that were low grade but my "normal" and then was kinda hyper for a while and not sleeping near as much as I had been.  I have noticed with ambien, it doesn't matter if I take a small crumb or a half of one...I get pretty much the same effect but wake up between 2 and 3.  I have even found that less is more sometimes.  Anyway, I will periodically take a very small piece like an 8th or less and leave another small piece for when I wake up and it pretty much does the trick.  Funny the full dose does not work as well and makes me delirious.  They are easy to get a bit dependent on, however, I have found it fairly easy to discontinue it.

I don't sleep well when I travel for business and that is how I figured this out,  Sounds like you are in a phase of insomnia that is pretty strong though.  This too will pass.  I have had times where I feel like I am never gonna sleep and just the thought of it (not sleeping) made me anxious.  But, it always passed and better sleep came around again.
Pullin' for ya comrade

Beto, DM,

Ive taken the piecemeal approach to ambien often myself.  Not a bad trick.. When nothing else works, there's always the Diphenhydramine.. It pretty much will always put me to sleep, and keep me there for a good 6 or 7 hrs.  Problem is, it takes til 4pm the next afternoon before the grogginess wears off.  So I make it a last resort kind of thing.

Ive been an insomniac for most of my adult life; might come from relying on mass quantities of so many exogenous materials for so many years in my youth to get me to sleep.  Other than that, Im really not sure why I cant sleep, but it is what it is.  I try not to take Ambien for more than a few nights a week and even then, only a half (5mg), so I often rotate it with a half dose of Diphenhydramine, and Ive found 5-htp to be fairly effective at bedtime for inducing sleep.. Like you guys getting to sleep is easier than staying asleep.. Im usually up 4 hrs after  I fall asleep, and thats when the 2.5mg of Ambien can help.. Sometimes a couple of Valerian and Melatonin can aid getting back to sleep, but that does not succeed that often.  Its a whole trial and error kind of thing, and then, even when you think youve got it all worked out, it stops working.

Sound familiar?  DM, glad youve found some sleep success lately; I keep hoping, 'tonight's the night'.

[drummerman]

Beto, DM,

Ive taken the piecemeal approach to ambien often myself.  Not a bad trick.. When nothing else works, there's always the Diphenhydramine.. It pretty much will always put me to sleep, and keep me there for a good 6 or 7 hrs.  Problem is, it takes til 4pm the next afternoon before the grogginess wears off.  So I make it a last resort kind of thing.

Ive been an insomniac for most of my adult life; might come from relying on mass quantities of so many exogenous materials for so many years in my youth to get me to sleep.  Other than that, Im really not sure why I cant sleep, but it is what it is.  I try not to take Ambien for more than a few nights a week and even then, only a half (5mg), so I often rotate it with a half dose of Diphenhydramine, and Ive found 5-htp to be fairly effective at bedtime for inducing sleep.. Like you guys getting to sleep is easier than staying asleep.. Im usually up 4 hrs after  I fall asleep, and thats when the 2.5mg of Ambien can help.. Sometimes a couple of Valerian and Melatonin can aid getting back to sleep, but that does not succeed that often.  Its a whole trial and error kind of thing, and then, even when you think youve got it all worked out, it stops working.

Sound familiar?  DM, glad youve found some sleep success lately; I keep hoping, 'tonight's the night'.

I actually took a 2 hour nap today!  I think I'm over the insomnia!  Never had problems sleeping in my life until the week following tx EOT.  Thank goodness its over.

Ambien put me to sleep but only for 3 hours.  2 benadryl had no effect on me whatsoever.  It was some vicous insomnia.

dm

[bkmusic]

Hey DM where is the happy dance!! I know you are annoyed about the sleep issues and I understand for  I got a horrendous last 3 weeks of treatment rash and it lasted another 2 weeks post but seriously don't forget to applaud LOUDLY that you made it to the finish line. WINNER!!

I am at the great wall of waiting on October 22 1 month post draw and now I'm getting all kinds of anxious and paranoid that it won't be good news. We do so drive ourselves nuts and lose sight of the tremendous good fortune of having a treatment option after so many years.
HURRAY WOOT WOOT fellow Viekiran.

[drummerman]

Hey DM where is the happy dance!! I know you are annoyed about the sleep issues and I understand for  I got a horrendous last 3 weeks of treatment rash and it lasted another 2 weeks post but seriously don't forget to applaud LOUDLY that you made it to the finish line. WINNER!!

I am at the great wall of waiting on October 22 1 month post draw and now I'm getting all kinds of anxious and paranoid that it won't be good news. We do so drive ourselves nuts and lose sight of the tremendous good fortune of having a treatment option after so many years.
HURRAY WOOT WOOT fellow Viekiran.

Thanks BK!  I needed that!   Getting very nervous about vl results. Wish I had gotten em before the weekend .. oh well.

I'm pretty much over the insomnia!   Gets a little better every day.

ps - are you a musician??

dm