That's me today. Can you tell Mike is out of town?
The cat is sick again. Can you tell Mike is out of town? ha! The dog has also been sick. Remind me again why we're getting a second dog? Oh... that's right. We're crazy.
I've been plagued by migraines for several years. It started when I was 20 and sort of went away when I got on birth control. I started cycling through my pills to avoid having them. In April I spoke with my doctor about my migraines and she gave me a hormone patch and some migraine medicine. I had completely forgotten about the migraines when I chose to go off hormonal birth control. Dr. S asked me what I planned to do about the migraines and I had no idea. I hoped that they were a thing of the past.
They're not. It started Wednesday only I didn't recognize the signs. Tab and I were going for happy hour and I couldn't walk straight. This was before the drinks. I just felt dizzy. By the time we got back to her house that night, my head was in full on headache mode. I downed some water and tried to sleep it off. The next day I started taking Excedrin hoping to keep the migraine away. I had stuff to do that day. Today... same story. I came home from work and took a Trexmet and hoped for the best. I think at that point my psyche finally succumbed to what I had been fighting.
Next thing I know, I'm squeezing my head and sobbing. I was so scared. I've never had to go through the pain of a migraine alone and this was by much worse than anything else I had every experienced. My neck hurt, I wanted to throw up and I couldn't stop crying which was only making it worse. I was considering going to hospital but knew I couldn't drive. I have a really hard time asking people for help. What if they took me and I felt better? I'd feel stupid. I sent a text message to my good friend Dr. Dennis asking him about drug interactions.
Let me say that I was very disappointed with my body at this point. Here I am trying to better myself by not taking prescription drugs and now I want to know about drug interactions?! Big sigh.
Anyway. I feel much better now. The soma helped more than anything else. My forehead was so tense that I looked like I had a scowl on my face. It was so painful.
The purpose of this post is to ask what YOU do for migraines. When I worked for a Chiropractor, that totally did the trick but I'm not in a place financially to see a chiro a few times a week. This bums me out beyond belief but it is one of my goals. I know a few patients we had used a spray product that would help with their headaches and I WISH I remembered what it was.
I'm all about naturopathic remedies so please share yours.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Diaphragm Fun
Last Friday I had an appointment with my gynecologist to get fitted for a diaphragm. Diaphragms seem so.... last century to me. Anyway, going in there I had no idea what to expect and boy was it interesting.
Dr. S came in the room and asked what I was there for. I explained that we had recently decided to stop using hormonal birth control and would like to try out the diaphragm. After re-acquainting herself with my cervix she began explaining how the diaphragm works. She squeezed about a half gallon of thick jelly lube in to the diaphragm while explaining that we'd need to use spermicide with it but for learning, lube would be fine. She filled the entire thing with lube.... it was oozing everywhere. She squeezed it in half and popped it right in. Well, not right in. I jumped a little and we laughed. She told me that she'd leave the room to give me some privacy with my new friend. I need to get up and walk around the room, squat down, put my leg up on the bed.... really get a feel for it...because I shouldn't feel it at all. After that, she suggested that I remove the diaphragm and then practice putting it back in. Once it's in, repeat the walking/squatting/leg lifting. She'd be back to check on my placement in a few minutes.
Easy enough, right? Walk, squat, lift. We're good. Remove? Takes a little bit of work to un-suction it but I got it. The edges of a diaphragm are super springy. It's a bit more difficult to squeeze together than I thought it would be. In fact, as I squeeze it together, the slippery little sucker goes flying in to the air and flings lube all over the place. I dive for the device and catch it, thankfully. *whew* It's not the most comfortable thing to put in but I manage and repeat the walk/squat/lift and all is well. I hop back in the stirrups and patiently wait for her return.
I got an A+ for placement! Trips to the lady doctor are always a good time.
Dr. S came in the room and asked what I was there for. I explained that we had recently decided to stop using hormonal birth control and would like to try out the diaphragm. After re-acquainting herself with my cervix she began explaining how the diaphragm works. She squeezed about a half gallon of thick jelly lube in to the diaphragm while explaining that we'd need to use spermicide with it but for learning, lube would be fine. She filled the entire thing with lube.... it was oozing everywhere. She squeezed it in half and popped it right in. Well, not right in. I jumped a little and we laughed. She told me that she'd leave the room to give me some privacy with my new friend. I need to get up and walk around the room, squat down, put my leg up on the bed.... really get a feel for it...because I shouldn't feel it at all. After that, she suggested that I remove the diaphragm and then practice putting it back in. Once it's in, repeat the walking/squatting/leg lifting. She'd be back to check on my placement in a few minutes.
Easy enough, right? Walk, squat, lift. We're good. Remove? Takes a little bit of work to un-suction it but I got it. The edges of a diaphragm are super springy. It's a bit more difficult to squeeze together than I thought it would be. In fact, as I squeeze it together, the slippery little sucker goes flying in to the air and flings lube all over the place. I dive for the device and catch it, thankfully. *whew* It's not the most comfortable thing to put in but I manage and repeat the walk/squat/lift and all is well. I hop back in the stirrups and patiently wait for her return.
I got an A+ for placement! Trips to the lady doctor are always a good time.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Taking charge of my fertility
Let me just say that we are NOT trying to get pregnant. Our goal is to not get pregnant. I've been on hormonal birth control for many years and I feel like it's time to rid my body of synthetic chemicals. No more adderall and no more birth control.
Well, no more birth control in the traditional sense of the word. We are taking charge of my fertility with the help of the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM).
Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The definitive guide to natural birth control. I end the title there simply because that's what I'm using it for. I've only just started reading the book and I'm finding it very interesting. Mike and I have several friends who have been unable to conceive and more than one of them struggle with not knowing WHY they can't. One of our dearest friends says the hardest part for them, is there is no medical explanation as to why they can't get pregnant. Not knowing must be torture. It hurts my heart to think about it.
I think it's interesting that most doctors still go by the 28 day cycle rule and therefore do so many of the tests based on ovulation taking place at 14 days. 28 day cycles are not "the norm" and therefore most testing done isn't very accurate. I also am amazed that many women get pregnant and miscarry pretty regularly. The only way they would know if this was the case was if they were charting the basal body temperatures.
All this time I always thought fertility was based on our eggs... not our cervical fluid. I mean, yes, it's a combination of the two but the fluid is so important.
I'm on fluid watch for sure, from here on out.
Well, no more birth control in the traditional sense of the word. We are taking charge of my fertility with the help of the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM).
Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The definitive guide to natural birth control. I end the title there simply because that's what I'm using it for. I've only just started reading the book and I'm finding it very interesting. Mike and I have several friends who have been unable to conceive and more than one of them struggle with not knowing WHY they can't. One of our dearest friends says the hardest part for them, is there is no medical explanation as to why they can't get pregnant. Not knowing must be torture. It hurts my heart to think about it.
I think it's interesting that most doctors still go by the 28 day cycle rule and therefore do so many of the tests based on ovulation taking place at 14 days. 28 day cycles are not "the norm" and therefore most testing done isn't very accurate. I also am amazed that many women get pregnant and miscarry pretty regularly. The only way they would know if this was the case was if they were charting the basal body temperatures.
All this time I always thought fertility was based on our eggs... not our cervical fluid. I mean, yes, it's a combination of the two but the fluid is so important.
I'm on fluid watch for sure, from here on out.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The Ultimate Laze
After Thursday's workout with Jeff, I stayed and did my final day for week one of Couch to 5k. It wasn't as fun on the treadmill. I kept staring at Soup Plantation and pretending that I was running there. I've never been to Soup Plantation though so I couldn't think of a particular food to run towards.
Food probably shouldn't motivate me but it does. I want to be one of those people who has a bangin' body and eats whatever she wants (Hi Giselle!) because she loves to run so much.
My good friend Tabitha was telling me that she's fallen in love with her Nike+ all over again. I agreed with her that they were awesome because everyone I know that has one LOVES it. It tracks your running and pace and all this stuff and I think I need one. I think I need one of everything though.
I took my body bug off on Friday because I was heading out with friends and it's not the most attractive thing to wear out. I have yet to put it back on. I also have not tracked anything that I've eaten and I have not exercised (in the traditional sense) since Thursday. Saturday we did a lot of walking around Malibu and Hollywood but not near enough.
I need to set a new goal. What inspires you to keep working out? Vacation? Special events?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Failure
This week has been full of it. But you know what? That's ok. Life is full of ups and downs and what matters most, to me, is my happiness. and dangit! I'm happy :)
I've gotten quite a bit of positive feedback from people reading my blog. I wish people would comment HERE but I'll take what I can get.
My best friend from many moons ago contacted me recently about some books that I should check out. They were The Cancer Free Diet, Foods that Heal, Foods that Harm, and Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I'm very excited to purchase all of these. I wonder if Mike would mind if I bought an E-Reader while he's out of town....
I did day two of Couch 2 5k yesterday and I didn't do as well as I did on Sunday. Mike went with me, which is awesome but I feel like I push myself more when I'm alone. I shouldn't feel insecure running but for some reason... I do. I'll do the third day tomorrow and then it's time to kick it up a notch!!
I am meeting with my trainer tonight and I really don't want to go. After I took Mike to the airport this morning, I picked up my phone to text Jeff that I was canceling. Then I remembered "no canceling with Jeff because I want to be lazy"... so I didn't cancel. Good thing too because I ate three tacos today and had some coconut bliss ice cream. I need extra cardio.
Wow... according to My Fitness Pal, my tacos were nearly 1200 calories. That's a whole day's worth of food. Ugh. Going to the gym early tonight.
I've gotten quite a bit of positive feedback from people reading my blog. I wish people would comment HERE but I'll take what I can get.
My best friend from many moons ago contacted me recently about some books that I should check out. They were The Cancer Free Diet, Foods that Heal, Foods that Harm, and Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I'm very excited to purchase all of these. I wonder if Mike would mind if I bought an E-Reader while he's out of town....
I did day two of Couch 2 5k yesterday and I didn't do as well as I did on Sunday. Mike went with me, which is awesome but I feel like I push myself more when I'm alone. I shouldn't feel insecure running but for some reason... I do. I'll do the third day tomorrow and then it's time to kick it up a notch!!
I am meeting with my trainer tonight and I really don't want to go. After I took Mike to the airport this morning, I picked up my phone to text Jeff that I was canceling. Then I remembered "no canceling with Jeff because I want to be lazy"... so I didn't cancel. Good thing too because I ate three tacos today and had some coconut bliss ice cream. I need extra cardio.
Wow... according to My Fitness Pal, my tacos were nearly 1200 calories. That's a whole day's worth of food. Ugh. Going to the gym early tonight.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Where's the hump?
I'm ready for Wednesday. Mike returned on Sunday and it's been crazy ever since. First the cat got sick and now we have plumbing issues. I'm just thankful I don't have to deal with this alone. Poor Mike.... he really needs a shower.
I met with my trainer tonight and had a pretty decent session. I just feel so weak. I know that it takes time to change the body after so many years of being sedentary but I'm impatient.
Today, I'm way over on calories but I really over estimated a lot of things because I was just so unsure. I wasn't able to do my 5k training but it's ON tomorrow.
I am having a hard time tracking food lately and it's sort of frustrating... plus, my diet has been pretty much the same the past few days and it's getting boring.
Yesterday I consumed a total of 1,777 calories. My fat was through the roof because of the coconut milk and then I had coconut bliss ice cream and THEN I had tacos. Mike makes the best tacos ever so I don't regret it for a second. I'll have to snap some photos next time he makes us tacos.
According to my Body Bugg, I burned a total of 2,225 calories yesterday which gives me a deficit of 448. However, I'm really confused because My Fitness Pal (MFP) isn't really BB friendly. My brain can't wrap around how to make them work together. I mean, I know I have to use the Apex website to track everything but I really don't want to track food in two places and last time I used the Apex site... well, I just didn't like it. I've renewed my membership with Apex and will probably track in two places just because I have nothing better to do while I'm at work all day. I really like that at the end of each day, MFP tells me how much I'll way by a certain date if I continue to eat the weigh I'm eating.
I met with my trainer tonight and had a pretty decent session. I just feel so weak. I know that it takes time to change the body after so many years of being sedentary but I'm impatient.
Today, I'm way over on calories but I really over estimated a lot of things because I was just so unsure. I wasn't able to do my 5k training but it's ON tomorrow.
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