Coming closer and closer to knowing precisely what you have should in itself provide you with more relief from depression and anxiety. Gyms aren't like this anymore.
https://www.mensjournal.com/health-f...best-medicine/
I consider Southern California to be the Mecca of personal fitness. It would seem to me that you could find a non-traditional gym that you would feel comfortable at.
Best of luck whatever treatment options that you choose.
I'm not going to bother with a gym. I'm not training to be Mr. Olympia.
Hiking is my preferred form of exercise, and to be honest, that will give me the most motivation to do such exercise, because I enjoy it.
If Ben's mom cannot find the time to hike with me regularly, then I'll just find a local hiking buddy and go with him.
Anyway, I have something new to report, though at the moment it's a wait-and-see thing.
One of the best regarded treatments for LPR is something called Gaviscon Advance, which is made only in the UK. There is another Gaviscon made in the US, but that's not known to be effective against LPR.
What is Gaviscon Advance?
It's a thick liquid alginate (yes, from algae), which upon digestion, is said to create a lightweight foam barrier which floats on top of your stomach.
Why is this good? Because supposedly the foam barrier blocks gasses from refluxing up to your throat, thus stopping the LPR cycle and allowing your throat to heal.
This is not an instant relief medication. Rather, it's supposed to stop most of the new reflux injury to the throat, though you have to give it time to heal from the existing injury.
Gaviscon is actually the best-regarded medication against LPR. Most LPR experts recommend it, and I have read reports from many people that Gaviscon drastically reduced their LPR symptoms.
So why haven't I been using it?
Well, I bought it from Amazon in late August. I bought from some shady third party merchant which somehow had it in stock, despite the fact that it's not sold in the US. All other sellers, including the manufacturer, were going to take 3+ weeks to ship it to me. This one seller could send it in 2 days.
So I got it and excitedly tried it one night. I was taking Nexium at the same time, back then. Nexium is supposed to be 20 minutes before the meal, and Gaviscon sometime shortly after the meal.
Well, I got awful side effects about 30 minutes after taking the Gaviscon. Crazy sweating. Shaking. Stomach pain. A weird feeling throughout my whole body. I was very close to going to the ER, but was waiting to see if it would subside. Well, it didn't get worse, and took about 2 hours to finally clear. I never went to the ER, but needless to say, I was afraid to try it again, and put the bottle aside.
Yesterday I thought about it again, and felt like a fool.
I was taking TWO medications at the same time -- Nexium and Gaviscon. While they are supposed to be tolerated fine together, Nexium IS indeed known to cause side effects, while Gaviscon is not. So why did I blame the Gaviscon? Well, I blamed it because the side effects were worse that night than any other night (and I had taken the Nexium other nights prior, with lesser but still noticeable side effects), so I still thought the Gaviscon was at fault.
But that was stupid.
Truthfully the Gaviscon needed to be tried on its own, especially since that was the medication with the lesser side effect profile.
Gaviscon is supposed to be taken once a day after dinner, so I had to wait until tonight to try it again.
So I did.
I took it at 7:20pm, and then tried to distract myself so I wouldn't imagine side effects that weren't actually there.
Well, it's 11pm now, and there were zero side effects. So I was an idiot to fear the Gaviscon for the past 5 weeks. It's totally fine. Still not 100% sure I got an authentic product because I got it from that shady Amazon third party merchant, but it's a hard thing to counterfeit (it's a pretty unique looking and tasting, thick liquid, and there's not exactly a huge market to counterfeit it in the US anyway). So I think it's legit.
Anyway, since I took it with no issue, that will become a new daily routine for me. Gaviscon about 15 minutes after dinner.
Now, even if it works as I'm hoping, it's not a cure-all. It has diminishing effect, as the foam barrier falls apart after a relatively short time. The thought is that you take it right after dinner, so the time you reflux the most (while digesting the biggest meal of the day) will have the most protection. But if I reflux at any other portion of the day, I'll still have the potential to get my throat irritated, and you're not supposed to overdo the Gaviscon, as it can cause stomach issues.
Still, many people have sworn by it, and legitimate medical studies by the National Institute of Health and others have praised Gaviscon as likely the most effective current medication for LPR.
Additionally, some with traditional heartburn have reported that they can eat the most heartburn-inducing meals, such as greasy pizza, and Gaviscon prevents them from getting heartburn.
I might also try soon to supplement it with something called D-Limonene, which is an orange peel extract, and is believed to also provide a similar mechanism to coat the stomach and prevent gasses from refluxing. However, one thing at a time.
I do feel happy right now that I can indeed tolerate Gaviscon. I felt frustrated repeatedly reading about how great it is, believing I couldn't use it without the terrible side effects. Turned out that the side effects were the fault of the Nexium, or perhaps the Nexium/Gaviscon combo. Either way, I'm not on the Nexium anymore, so I can move forward with the Gaviscon.
A random thing I’ve found that does wonders for my anxiety is a 20 lb weighted blanket that I got for my wife.
Haven’t even looked into why it works, but I lay on the couch with that shit on and feel completely chill after about 15 min.
Get it on amazon.
Booze definitely fucks with my anxiety the day after; if I have more than a few these days I will wake up crawling in my own skin. Quickly put a stop to the glory days of my 20’s.
BTW a 1 mg Xanax is god for international flights. Pop that shit and you feel like you’re on the ground 30 min later.
PokerFraudAlert...will never censor your claims, even if they're against one of our sponsors. In addition to providing you an open forum report fraud within the poker community, we will also analyze your claims with a clear head an unbiased point of view. And, of course, the accused will always have the floor to defend themselves.-Dan Druff
So apparently I can take the Gaviscon multiple times per day. So I'll take it before bedtime, too.
Tomorrow I will take a Xanax at about 9:40am.
We will see how much that helps me at the dentist. Plus we will see how groggy I am on Thursday. Not looking forward to either the filling or the grogginess of Thursday, but whatever. Maybe the second time will be a bit better than the first.
Also wondering if the 0.25mg will be as effective this time as the first time.
Regarding Xanax abuse and addiction, I discussed this with the psychiatrist. He said that it's largely dependent upon personality type. People like me who don't ever abuse alcohol or drugs are less likely to get addicted because we aren't naturally drawn to doing substances recreationally.
I can understand why limitles ended up with a Xanax addiction, because of his history with alcohol abuse.
badguy23 is probably another who would have to be extremely careful on the Xanax.
The day-after grogginess actually pushes me away from doing it too often. Tradeoff isn't worth it to me. Other than times I really need it (like in the dentist's chair), I'd rather deal with some anxiety than have a few hours break and then deal with the lethargy the next day.
Limonene also commonly found in certain cannabis strains, todd.Originally Posted by Dan Druff
Start with Lemon Haze imo.
How long has it been since you started to lay off the drinking cause I'm sure you know that can ramp up the anxiety big time.
Don't be afraid of any benzo. Taken as prescribed they will take a big notch out of anxiety.
I unfortunately did abuse benzo's for a time and paid the price. Very nasty ending up in the er type anxiety.
A lot of docs up here refer to benzos as booze in pill form
Don’t be afraid - but do be aware of the hellish withdrawal that follows regular, daily use. After 9/11 (I watched it unfold, 14 blocks away) I immediately started a 6 month period of Xanax which evolved over time, into 2.0 mg of klonopin 3x a day - this, at the time was the FDA max dose. I used to be quite proud of my achievement - that dose would cripple most OF YOU for hours/days. I’m less than 100 lbs. Maybe the real crowning glory goes to my family Doc - would write any rx I’d suggest at whatever dose was allowable by law. I was on an either Xanax or Klonopin (or both) regime for nearly 4 years total (this was pre-adderall days for anyone wondering.) The majority of that time I remained on it - not because it helped but because not being on it for more than 24 hours was worse than any of the side effects of a benzo. My experience- with prolonged use - is common. Benzos are a bandaid. They are designed as triage drugs - they shouldn’t be used in place of CBT/long term psych treatment and regular exercise.
I haven’t touched a benzo in 13 years. I quit cold turkey - when I found out I was having my first child. I won’t belabor the details - suffice to say - I don’t wish the effects of benzo withdrawal on anyone - not even Larry Laffer. Before starting any pharmaceutical treatment - it’s always a real good idea to hear it’s benefits from someone who has success using a drug AND it’s downsides from someone who struggled with [possible] abuse of it.
Last edited by Username; 10-10-2018 at 12:13 AM.
You are correct. You are only considered overweight. Long way to go to be considered underweight though.A lot of times I don't have anxiety on my mind, and I feel it anyway. Like right now. I have a medium-level anxiety right at this moment, for no apparent reason. Wasn't reading WebMD or anything like that. Wasn't even on the computer, or even thinking about anything medical. Now I'm thinking about it, but I wasn't when the anxiety showed up.
The Dodgers game actually lifted the anxiety (temporarily), as did the hike. I think that positive experiences do enough for me to where the anxiety temporarily lifts, and then comes back when a few hours pass.
The heart attack is unlikely but it's something that would have such a horrible consequence (basically I'd likely die) if no one was around to see it, that I don't want to take that chance.
Walking on a flat trail would be fine, but I actually take trails with steep hills where I have to exert myself to climb them. So for that type of trail, I don't want to be alone. 10 years ago yes, today no.
I read stories every so often about men who hike alone, and are found dead because they had a heart attack and no one was there to help. Often their age is under 50, and they had no previous known heart issues.
BTW I'm not anywhere close to medically obese, especially now.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/as...alculator.html
Well you'd be wrong Druff. It was never Xanax btw but that's beside the point. What got me overdosing on benzos was my addiction to Ritalin. Won't bore you with the long and winding story but was diagnosed with ADD around the time of the poker boom and booya my play was ehanced significantly and I could play for hours on end. The physical tension brought on by steady stimulant intake is wacked and benzos allowed me to continue. It wasn't long before I was ripping through both prescriptions in no time and sought other sources. Those sources dried up occasionally and I was left holding the bag.
Late 90s and early 2000s were at least here the time when Benzo use was at it's worse. I think something like 10% of the population had a script and that in combination with smuggling/pharmacy breakings fed the black market. Everyone was kinda oblivious that something bad could happen from daily use.
Don’t be afraid - but do be aware of the hellish withdrawal that follows regular, daily use. After 9/11 (I watched it unfold, 14 blocks away) I immediately started a 6 month period of Xanax which evolved over time, into 2.0 mg of klonopin 3x a day - this, at the time was the FDA max dose. I used to be quite proud of my achievement - that dose would cripple most OF YOU for hours/days. I’m less than 100 lbs. Maybe the real crowning glory goes to my family Doc - would write any rx I’d suggest at whatever dose was allowable by law. I was on an either Xanax or Klonopin (or both) regime for nearly 4 years total (this was pre-adderall days for anyone wondering.) The majority of that time I remained on it - not because it helped but because not being on it for more than 24 hours was worse than any of the side effects of a benzo. My experience- with prolonged use - is common. Benzos are a bandaid. They are designed as triage drugs - they shouldn’t be used in place of CBT/long term psych treatment and regular exercise.
I haven’t touched a benzo in 13 years. I quit cold turkey - when I found out I was having my first child. I won’t belabor the details - suffice to say - I don’t wish the effects of benzo withdrawal on anyone - not even Larry Laffer. Before starting any pharmaceutical treatment - it’s always a real good idea to hear it’s benefits from someone who has success using a drug AND it’s downsides from someone who struggled with [possible] abuse of it.
I'm a bit too young to have first hand experience from Barbiturates, but that was the group of drugs that Benzos replaced. They were somehow worse than Benzos in every aspect. More toxic, the same things that potentiated Benzos potentiated them and worse withdrawal. When wrong people started dying they were eventually pulled from the market (Marilyn Monroe and Elvis are the most famous of the bunch). So in relation Benzos were great, it just didn't mean you could eat them like candy.
Rivatril (Klonopin) was one of the 3 most common Benzos that were used here alongside Xanax and Valium. I don't remember ever using it and mostly i remember it as something kids took when they went boosting car stereos or any other nighttime activity to feed other bad habits. I guess you could say it lowered inhibitions.
Random source for Druff if he's interested in user reviews of Drugs...
https://www.erowid.org/
...with all the standard caveats that come with people. They often lie sometimes without knowing it themselves. In the last 10 years prescription drug counterfeiting became a staple of the illicit drug market. Before that it was mostly an Extacy problem in that, if you got lucky you got mostly MDxx and it was a miracle, if it was just MDMA.
Seeing a psychiatrist is very good. It's highly beneficial to have one voice to steer in to right direction that also has an access to a prescription book. You might benefit a bit from behavioral therapy and at the very least you get clues to what you should do your own research for. Venturing a guess that you aren't that like to accept authority blindly. I'm kinda the same.
Our resident psychiatrists usually can't chime in if they're still practicing. Mild issue has been also that you've held back a lot of information at every step. Partly for a good reason, but that shouldn't be as much of an issue with your our own psychiatrist. Access to your medical records, ability to test hypothesizes and to ask questions to eliminate possible alternate issues makes everything a lot easier.
Even though this community has a tendency to use information as an ammo, you're fairly safe with anything regarding to anxiety and depression. This group was selected by their need/will of instant gratification though gambling. Less so with sports, more with poker and peaking with slots/video poker. The reason you get support for your ordeals is that we are familiar with your demons. And when the cause is chemical imbalance/deficiency it really has nothing to do with mental fortitude. You just got fucked in the genetic lottery or the road that took you here.
Hiking is great. You know there's something that helps and it's something you like. Rest is just logistics. The same with the Dodgers game. All this goes back to silly proverbs like idle hands being the devils playground. For some it really is true. You build your own hell, but there's always a way out. Part of the reason why a lot people here suggest drugs is that it's a very functional crutch. It let's you heal, rest and find ways to move forward. And like crutches you're suppose to give them up at some point.
Took 0.25mg of Xanax at 9:45am.
Had a bad night of sleep last night, so that wasn't a good start. Wasn't because I was worried about today, just had issues staying asleep for some reason.
Because of dealing with 6 years terrible violent nightmares as a young kid, I don't want nightmares or vivid dreams, hence my reticence to take Ativan, which is known to do that.
Xanax did not give me nightmares the one time I took it, though I didn't go to sleep until 12 hours later.
Anyway, here's the differences between last time and this time so far:
- Last time I felt a weird sedation at the beginning (within 5-10 minutes), which I didn't like. This subsided after about 30-45 minutes. This time there was no sedation effect at the beginning.
- Last time I felt a very noticeable lifting of my anxiety, and it stayed that way until the 3 hour 15 mark from when I took it. This time, there was no noticeable lifting of my anxiety, though the anxiety wasn't all that high when I took it. I actually wondered if it was working at all.
- Last time I just sat at home and didn't do anything difficult. This time I was in the dentist's chair for a simple cavity filling. That went fine, and I got through it okay. There were some times when I felt anxiety anyway, while in the chair, but it was never too severe.
- Last time I did not feel tired on the day of taking Xanax. This time I already feel tired, though this may be a result of the bad night of sleep I had.
- Last time there was a noticeable abrupt kick when the Xanax lost effectiveness and the anxiety came back somewhat. Currently (3.5 hours in), there has been no noticeable difference.
I ate a big bowl soup and I'd like to take Gaviscon Advance, but I can't find any information about how safe it is with Xanax, so I think I'll wait until tonight to do it, when more of the Xanax is out of my system.
It is possible that my dose was too low. I have a filling next week and will take 0.25 again, but I might up it to 0.5 for the following week's videostroboscopy.
I am attempting to schedule everything at minimum a week apart, so as to avoid any kind of dependence, whether physical or psychological. From what I've read, once a week Xanax use is not likely to cause any kind of addiction. Also, this will only be a short term once-per-week use. Once the dental work and other tests are over, I won't take it again for awhile unless necessary.
When I have trouble sleeping I just masturbate (or intercourse if there is a receptive vagina available which is very very rare these days) and it seems to do the trick. But it is addictive, so probably not the best option in your case.
Your obsession with every micro-detail of everything you put into your body is the thing exacerbating your LPR and your anxiety. Do you want to lessen the feelings of despair? Do this: minimize all of your daily health-related decisions into yes / no questions. Make things black and white.
Did I sleep well last night? yes/no
Am I in pain? yes/no
Do I feel anxious? yes/no
Do I have important things to accomplish today? yes/no
Can I tolerate the comedown of Xanax today? yes/no
Minimize your decisions to non-emotional and rational simple answers. Leave the what-ifs and other conditions out of your decisions. If the answer is no - don't carry out the activity. End of story. Move on to the next thought.
Black and white thinking for many people - is dangerous - especially people like myself - who are pre-disposed for addictive behavior. You are one of the few people that could probably benefit from a little less colorful and a little more concrete thinking. Deal with what you know. Try to not worry (in the moment) about things unforeseen. Be pragmatic - I know you have a very reserved and rational side - you need to re-find that in yourself.
Try (easier said than done) to slowly shift the focus away from what you cannot do to what you CAN do. Period. You are not helpless. You can do some things - what are those things?
I highly suggest you look into "mindfulness." Its a much better way to spend your empty hours of the day than contemplating or worrying about death and disease.
Just my $0.02 - take it or leave it.
Not sure if anyone has suggested any of these books - if not, allow me:
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/00.../ref=as_li_tl?
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/18...28f7b093cb0daa
Zen and the Art of Happiness
https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Happi...le+books&psc=1
Druff doesn’t read books. Not a troll.
10% Happier. Catchy title.
For fuck’s sake, lovebug - play along. Don’t be contrarian.
AUDIOBOOKS will also work. And require minimal effort / concentration.
I have all 3 in PDF format - PM if you get your head out of your ass. ❤️
Your obsession with every micro-detail of everything you put into your body is the thing exacerbating your LPR and your anxiety. Do you want to lessen the feelings of despair? Do this: minimize all of your daily health-related decisions into yes / no questions. Make things black and white.
Did I sleep well last night? yes/no
Am I in pain? yes/no
Do I feel anxious? yes/no
Do I have important things to accomplish today? yes/no
Can I tolerate the comedown of Xanax today? yes/no
Minimize your decisions to non-emotional and rational simple answers. Leave the what-ifs and other conditions out of your decisions. If the answer is no - don't carry out the activity. End of story. Move on to the next thought.
Black and white thinking for many people - is dangerous - especially people like myself - who are pre-disposed for addictive behavior. You are one of the few people that could probably benefit from a little less colorful and a little more concrete thinking. Deal with what you know. Try to not worry (in the moment) about things unforeseen. Be pragmatic - I know you have a very reserved and rational side - you need to re-find that in yourself.
Try (easier said than done) to slowly shift the focus away from what you cannot do to what you CAN do. Period. You are not helpless. You can do some things - what are those things?
I highly suggest you look into "mindfulness." Its a much better way to spend your empty hours of the day than contemplating or worrying about death and disease.
Just my $0.02 - take it or leave it.
Not sure if anyone has suggested any of these books - if not, allow me:
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/00.../ref=as_li_tl?
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/18...28f7b093cb0daa
Zen and the Art of Happiness
https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Happi...le+books&psc=1
Solid advice . Unfortunately you need to address the hypochondriac symptoms with intense mental health sessions with a doctor.
Or eat Benzos . Option 2 is ideal . But Druff will certainly find a reason why Benzos will kill him or hiking will kill him . We are all going to die Druff . We don't get to choose when and how. Man up and deal with life instead of worrying when it will end.
Bunch of seriously pussified shit in this thread
This is embarrassing. Fucking micro managing every minute of your life. I like you so I say this with all due respect but you're fucking bat shit crazy. It's as simple as that.
If you had a conversation with a doctor regarding your Xanax use it would go something like this.
Druff: Hey doc I've got some concerns with my xanax use.
Doctor: Absolutely Druff. Xanax can be a very addictive and dangerous drug if taken the wrong way.
Druff: I'm also concerned that I may also be immune from the benefits of Xanax.
Doctor: That could be. How much are you taking and how often?
Druff: Well I've taken one pill in my life and it was a .25 mg. I think it may have been close to an over dose since I didn't feel great after it wore off...my body felt run down like I was going through withdrawal. I took another .25 today before the dentist and even though I wasn't feeling anxious at the time, whatever anxious feelings I may have had didn't go away as well as the last time. I'm also tired now even though I didn't sleep last night.
Doctor:
Normally I'd be long gone after reading a few threads once every three months but I need to see how this clown show ends. Shit's riveting. The literal minute by minute posts of how he is feeling exactly during his day is astonishing and makes one wonder how the guy isn't in a padded room yet.
Years of benzo experience have caused very little if any dreaming of any kind. And I'm a normally a vivid dreamer. I can drop right back into both good and bad dreams and I'm off benzos
There is no way Ativan could be singled out among this family of similar medications as the cause of nightmares.
I think this is just some bad info you've read.
Take a poll, there seems to be no shortage of members here with lots of experience.
And come on, the lowest possible dose of Xanax on two occasions and you're writing a trip report?
You might have to get your psychiatrist to hook you up with a Propofol script
The funny thing is he has absolutely no problem popping a vicodin when his headache is bad enough but a .25 xanax is just too much drug. I'll go on record saying Vic's are much more dangerous than benzo's ever could be. Especially at the level he is taking.
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