New Medications

So a bit earlier I discussed how I agreed to begin a regime involving daily medication... I was definitely a must do situation!
The first night I took the Neurontin and the Xanax ER I was able to sleep ALL NIGHT!
It was the best night sleep that I had in years! No lie!
For the first week the Neurontin was at bed only then starting week 2 I was to increase the dose to every 12 hours (2x per day). It has been several weeks now, and believe it or not I actually feel very positive about taking my new medications. The effects last about 8 or 9 hours, so there is a little gap of increased issues, but I feel at least 50% better than before medication.

The medications seem to provide a "buffer" between my neurosensory system and the world (both stress and environmental triggers). As the weeks go on, insomnia, pain and emotional/psychological instability still escalate in parallel to the stress of my home life.

My home life can really "blow you over"... I deal with it as best I can... as anyone would. What are my choices??? Live as a hermit, a recluse, in the mountain forests of my childhood... rubbish... some days I can hardly walk to the bathroom! Besides... could you imagine the guilt and enormous sense of loneliness???
Forget it! My husband, my children, my friends, associates and community members are stuck with my presence... although I do consider the benefits of solitude, peace and serenity that eloping with AIP from human interaction... "Utopian Seclusion in Nature"...

Even "Good" stress gets to me... oh how I struggled to appear "pulled together" and "June Cleaver-ish" for my daughter's recent wedding day! My younger daughter has AIP as well and found her bridesmaid role a challenge in the midst of managing her eruption of ever-irritating AIP symptoms.

One day I forgot whether or not I had taken my medication... I was afraid to take it and overdose... so I didn't take it (I now have a pill box). By 1pm I was absolutely certain that I had not taken the morning medication! My nerves were jumpy at any little thing... my legs (especially the right shin) were radiating with pain... my emotions were up...down... all over! It was a terrible day! I took my night time medications at 6pm and could not go to sleep until about 3am!! Awful!!! The next day remained a challenge but with each day things have settled a bit more.

My very best days "health/ wellness-wise" are the days I stay at home in an environmentally controlled atmosphere (children outside in pool or playing...until school starts in a few weeks!). Stress is low, the temperature is comfortable, no scents, low sensory stimulation, and daily afternoon naps! I have even been able to return to stretching with the yoga ball and walking for 30 minutes on my elliptical trainer a couple times a week.

I find the more tired out I get through the day the less my legs work and the less I am able to understand what people say or do. I appear drunken when I walk and my brain just stops working... I can't even write... until I take a nap (usually about 2hours, 2pm to 4pm). When I wake up I feel much better and am able to continue with my day until about 10pm, when I go to bed for the night (up again at 9am).

I have a follow-up visit with my Primary Doctor in a few weeks... we will see what she thinks...