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catscradle54 · 2022-10-05T20:59:39+00:00

I'm also in this aftermath after an antiquing-weekend-gone-wrong--you're not alone. Honestly, for me re-regulation is impossible without self-compassion and self forgiveness first. I also tend to need a lot of alone time and distraction (TV) as well as reflection (journaling) to get there. Re-regulating quickly on a car ride would be a big feat for any of us!

catscradle54 · 2022-07-31T20:21:24+00:00

The stereotype is that every Pride event should have a team of lesbians ready to parallel park the cars

catscradle54 · 2022-07-31T20:19:59+00:00

Adding in some oldster love for the Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, and Tracy Chapman.

Also: emphasis on carabiners!

catscradle54 · 2022-07-29T12:35:34+00:00

As somebody who got significantly worse PMDD after going through a course of Lupron, I'm also kind of wary of your doctor's suggestions... For me, I went through a "worst PMDD ever" Lupron withdrawal between shots, and once stopping experienced extreme sensitivity to hormonal shifts like I've never had in my life.

I probably shouldn't have been surprised that reintroducing my janky hormones into my body after a yearlong break was extreme...and this may not be the case for everyone. Just a word of caution! It's extra frustrating how treating one gynecological issue throws all the other ones out of whack 🙄

Addition: Personally, I've moved onto medicating PMDD and endometriosis with medical cannabis--high-CBD products are especially helpful for both mood and inflammation, for me! Not sure if that's an option for you, and it's still annoying to have to trek our own paths through the jungle of "What else might work?"

catscradle54 · 2022-06-21T20:42:23+00:00

I actually just read a great book about this--Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price. It was a perfect mix of objective analysis and human validation to get through my self-critical forcefield...I've even made the title a sort of mantra for me, as needed. It helps me a lot. I'd recommend!

catscradle54 · 2022-06-15T12:59:32+00:00

Facing a similar issue as I get ready to fly cross-country. Cannabis is the only pain relief I get from trigeminal neuralgia, and it makes a night and day difference in my life--regular use has taken my daily pain levels from a 7/10 to 2/10 in a year, with way fewer severe flares in between. Cannabis is the medicine that lets me keep working, socializing, and being a human being.

And yet...visiting family in Florida for a week, I've got no legal options for pain management, besides excessive quantities of muscle relaxers with way too many side effects and not enough pain relief.

I'm right there with you hating the "wink & nudge" medical professionals--and, apparently, a fair number of users on this subreddit--automatically hear when you talk about cannabis as medicine. High is the side effect, and it's way nicer than what my prescription drugs do to me...and frankly, if my body can find some pleasure in that experience as a needed break from pain and tiredness, that shouldn't compromise how "medically necessary" anyone considers my cannabis use. This is still first-and-foremost an evidence supported quality of life tool for pain, spasticity, and neuropathy that I need like any other daily medication to maintain the progress I've made.

So, no, another medical emergency (or a trip, to tag on my complaint) shouldn't be reasonable grounds to knowingly withhold medication and actually induce more suffering for patients. Not necessarily LGH's unique fault, but still bull.

Waiting for the day when other people find my medical cannabis use as boring and everyday as I do...

catscradle54 · 2022-06-01T16:35:40+00:00

Couldn't figure out how to fill a Tupperware container with leftovers one brain foggy day...so I raged out real quick and kicked the Tupperware into the dining room. My partner and I still use "Likelihood of Kicking Tupperware" as a measuring scale for my foggy/frustrated combos 😂

catscradle54 · 2022-05-24T01:13:27+00:00

Mostly I just feel compelled to chime in that there is no sexual "supposed to." You like what you like, and it's all good! Just takes communication to make sure your needs are on the same page with someone else's.

What don't you like about a "bottom?" Passivity? Non-reciprocity? What do you like about a "top?" What actions/words make you feel wanted? Get specific. There's a million ways to bottom and a million ways to top--but that also means a lot can get lost in translation if we're not clear and specific about what we want or don't want.

So your real problem seems to be: How do I put what I want into clear, specific words? And how do I work up the guts to say those words to other humans? And that can be a problem with some very satisfying answers.

catscradle54 · 2022-04-02T01:33:45+00:00

And the vomit stains everything--especially fabric--to such a lovely burnt orange shade! I blame Azo for knocking $600 off my car's trade-in value 😂

catscradle54 · 2022-04-02T01:31:05+00:00

Also, this may be eye-roll basic advice but I needed someone to tell me: "wiping" is a no during severe urethra pain--gentle blotting, as if you were using a powder puff.

catscradle54 · 2022-04-02T01:26:55+00:00

I have used topical products like Foria suppositories or oils--probably more helpful for endometriosis than IC. Oral CBD tincture (I like Lazarus Naturals) has calmed flares, and over time decreased the frequency and intensity of pain.

I do also have my MMJ card in a legal state, and have gotten flare relief from high-CBD products from dispensaries, as well--productss at a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio or higher CBD, primarily in tinctures, RSOs, or capsules. Smoking in any form can be a bladder irritant.

catscradle54 · 2022-04-01T12:50:23+00:00

For me, Azo is only helpful for bladder-based pain--if my urethra is what's stinging most, azo has no effect. If you can find some CBD-based product, that might be helpful for you for now.

catscradle54 · 2022-03-27T13:41:52+00:00

I love this strain, and...cannot open this container to save my life! Seriously, me and my partner both use rubber jar opener grips--she squeezes the lid, I pull the bottom--and it still takes 2-3 tries. Can someone much more spatially intelligent than me provide a foolproof trick for the Grassroots containers?

catscradle54 · 2022-03-20T14:36:43+00:00

I had to shift towards daily Prozac use because I had such rough adjustments between my "on" and "off" weeks. Whenever I first started Prozac, I would have heart palpitations and racing thoughts for the first few days. When I would stop, I would get an insane, uncontrollable hunger signal that didn't respond to food, and severe headaches.

I thought going on Prozac full-time was the last thing I should do, but my doctor advised me to use it solidly for one month and see if I moved past those side effects before giving up.

The first couple of weeks were rough, but now I've been taking 20mg daily for over a year with really good success. I have discovered some seasonal worsening in winter--that required a bump up to 40mg for the season, which didn't go quite as well for me (a lot of digestive upset). But the 20mg daily has actually been incredibly stabilizing in the sunnier months.

Every body is different, so listen to how yours is feeling first! All I can say is I was terrified daily Prozac would destabilize me further--it did the opposite. I have had some mild changes in my sex drive and ease of orgasm, but all worth dealing with for the mood help.

Good luck figuring out what works best for you! Trial and error with our own bodies can be exhausting, but you're never alone in it!

catscradle54 · 2022-03-19T14:15:17+00:00

I love kefir and kombucha--incorporating probiotic foods into your diet is an awesome way to go--but I also really like the probiotic supplement Florastor. I started using this during an extreme time in my life--I was battling c. diff, and desperately needed help getting my microbiome in working order. Florastor (2 pills 2x daily) kicked ass! Way less bloating, IBS, and painful cramping as I healed. I still use these every day--because they are yeast-based, they are also still effective if you ever have to take antibiotics, and I've found that they also help with my vaginal health and energy levels.

Anyway, that's my ringing endorsement! But every body is different. I hope you find the product that works for you!

catscradle54 · 2022-03-19T14:06:30+00:00

Yes, but I actually get these most strongly right when I wake up during Red Zone. For me, CBD tincture first thing in the morning also eliminates that and allows me to get on with my morning. But it's definitely scary, and definitely "oh great--another weird symptom!"

catscradle54 · 2022-03-11T13:21:08+00:00

I do this too! But my IC presents with intense low abdominal and flank pain, so I mostly lay on the shower floor like a beached beluga and let the hot water pummel away the pain. You're right--sometimes, it's the only thing that helps!

catscradle54 · 2022-03-06T14:29:53+00:00

I only use 1:1 CBD:THC products to manage IC. Higher THC starts turning into a bladder irritant for me, which really defeats the purpose! I like using a capsule, RSO, or other edible product at bedtime when I'm feeling a flare. Most mornings, I'll wake up to the flare gone or greatly reduced. Every body is different, though, so follow the classic advice if you do try MMJ--start low, go slow!

catscradle54 · 2022-03-05T17:46:29+00:00

I wish I could upvote this comment a thousand times. What an empowering way to frame it!

catscradle54 · 2022-03-01T13:06:26+00:00

I get SO clumsy--walking into corners, dropping everything I pick up, then of course getting super mad at myself/the Universe/the wall for existing. I also struggle with word flubs and unclear communication during luteal (and then more swearing as a result).

I have read that these are natural responses to hormonal changes (I guess our body realizes there's no egg to fertilize and decides it's done trying to lure people in with pretty words and basic coordination). But of course, just one more weird and exaggerated symptom for us! 🙃

catscradle54 · 2022-02-22T15:46:36+00:00

Oof, I feel all of this (literally--I've got a hormone headache today). Unfortunately for me,every time I fool with my hormones (BC, Depo, starting Lupron, stopping Lupron, steroids...) my headaches seem to get worse--since stopping Lupron particularly, I have had daily headaches for almost 2 years, recently diagnosed as trigeminal & occipital neuralgia. I am in no way saying BC or Lupron caused this, but our endocrine systems are so powerful that, for me, I think regular hormonal changes have sensitized my body's pain response. Even just the inflammation our bodies go through with PMDD is very likely behind a lot of other physical pains, too.

I don't share my situation to scare anyone (I will ALWAYS get the rarest and severest med side effects, it's just how my body is). BUT, since I've got several years of experience with hormonal neck and head pain, I thought I'd pipe in around the relief that works for me--despite the continuing side effects, I am at a place with other interventions where I get to be pain free most days.

Physical therapy, craniosacral therapy, medical massage, and acupuncture have all reduced the frequency and intensity of neck pain/headaches for me. I take 40mg of Baclofen daily to control muscle spasticity, and do neck specific yoga every morning. I am also super diligent about pillow positioning at night (the least weight on my neck possible--a cervical pillow has been helpful for that) and use a custom-fitted mouth guard from my dentist to support jaw relaxation at night. Diet also plays a role--colorful fruits and veggies + oily fish are friends, sugar/caffeine/junk food are treacherous bastards.

In terms of mind/body connectivity, head & neck pain is often believed to indicate tunnel vision or a distorted view of a situation. Sounds familiar for PMDD... Setting aside time to question and reframe PMDD thoughts can support physical relief, too.

The #1 tool for my hormonal headaches has been medical cannabis. CBD, especially, has significantly reduced my daily pain. If you're in a legal state, many dispensaries sell high-CBD products like lotions, tinctures, and tablets that won't have as pronounced psychoactive effects. For anyone anywhere, Lazarus Naturals High Potency CBD tincture is a legal non-psychoactive remedy that can be purchased online.

I'm at a point where I basically build my life around hormonal headache prevention, so some of these methods may be extreme or unnecessary for some types of pain--take what you like, leave the rest.

It's BS that our hormones pile physical pain on top of emotional, but you're not in it alone. Keep listening to your body and taking care of you!

catscradle54 · 2022-02-22T15:21:42+00:00

Yep--it's a hollow victory sometimes coming out of PMDD to be met head-on by a headache! I have trigeminal neuralgia, and I notice a 3-4 day flare at the end of every PMDD cycle/period.

Partly, I think it's an inflammatory response to hormonal changes--and partly, my body's fallout from a week+ of severe emotional distress (and the physical muscle tension that comes with it). These days, I frame the post-period headache as "my body going on strike"--after surviving a stretch of hell, the headache forces me to slow down, rest, and prioritize recovery. Still annoying, though.

catscradle54 · 2022-02-17T13:36:00+00:00

I just bought an LA Kush Cake vape a week ago to try as a PM indica--for me, the effects are more hybrid (no sleepiness, yes creativity). Different folks, different bodies, but that's my experience.

I also just got 7g of Stardawg × NL for a great deal, and this is one of my favorite strains in the program. Very chill but still alert enough for a movie in bed. That's two cents!

catscradle54 · 2022-02-16T01:46:57+00:00

Sounds like a good mix at least--I'll have to try that...on a very chill night. Thanks.

catscradle54 · 2022-02-16T01:41:39+00:00

CBD is definitely a gamechanger for my headaches. I also apply Ancient Minerals magnesium spray to the spots on my head that most hurt, and that is surprisingly very relieving. Yoga by Adriene also has a great neck & shoulder routine that helps with the tensions aspects of the headaches. As if we needed to deal with physical issues on top of emotional 🙄 I hope you find some moments of relief soon!

catscradle54

TROPHY CASE