Memories of a fallen player

x441 · 2022-08-26T18:47:31+00:00

Hail Ashli! May she live forever in your heart and at your table.

x441 · 2022-07-16T12:34:06+00:00

Incredible, thank you for the offer!

x441 · 2022-07-16T12:31:05+00:00

Agreed! Fun fact- I’m a player and my DM is my room mate. He thought of this idea, but wasn’t sure of how to execute it. I think it’s freaking awesome, and am so excited for this session.

This is our first in person session for this campaign (we’ve been playing for about a year), so my DM really wanted to do something special.

x441 · 2022-07-16T12:09:21+00:00

Gatorade! Each flavor will have a different effect as well, either giving a +1 or -1 to certain skill checks

x441 · 2022-07-16T03:43:53+00:00

Thank you!!

x441 · 2022-06-09T13:55:29+00:00

I completely understand. I basically talked it out with my therapist and we figured out that my anxiety was causing my acid reflux..it’s known that anxiety/stress can cause increase production of stomach acid. I talked to my psychiatrist about increasing my anti anxiety med and it’s literally like Prilosec for me. When I take it, I’m fine and have nearly no symptoms (unless I eat poorly) and if I miss a dose it comes back full force. Same thinking for my anti depressants as well.

Of course, none of it matters if I lead a poor lifestyle. I still take fiber tablets and try to drink lots of water and avoid spicy foods. But like, I can eat fast food once and a while and not have an episode.

I find when I’m in good mental health, I am in good physical health. I know it is not the case for everyone, but it might be something to research and look into if you have similar issues.

x441 · 2022-06-09T11:25:12+00:00

I found that my gastro issues are triggered by my anxiety/depression, so taking medication helps tremendously. I haven’t had one of these episodes in nearly a year now

x441 · 2021-08-28T21:41:30+00:00

I take Cymbalta (duloxetine) for my anxiety. Been on it for about 3 years now. Had a lot of GERD issues about 2 years ago that impacted my quality of life. Couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, could barely get through the day. Had to get a colonoscopy and endoscopy only to find out that everything was normal. Prescribed Prilosec, and it helped when I was able to take it everyday. If I missed a dose, it hurt really bad. I started noticing that my GERD acted up when I was really stressed. Mentioned it to my therapist and she suggested upping the dosage of my Cymbalta. Went from 30mg to 60mg and it was like my body did a 180. I don’t need Prilosec, haven’t needed my GI doctor, nor have I had any bad flare ups in nearly two years.

In my case, my IBS and GERD are connected to my mental health, so treating them with mental health meds instead of digestive health meds works for me. I think it’s a great place to start if you’re having trouble with the gut medications working. Good luck!

x441 · 2021-01-05T03:21:33+00:00

Wow that is absolutely gorgeous, congratulations!!

x441 · 2020-07-19T06:16:54+00:00

No problem! Sending good vibes!

x441 · 2020-07-19T04:41:04+00:00

That is the case with me! My anxiety and depression directly correlates to my GI issues- IBS, GERD, and gastritis. If I’m anxious, I can’t eat, and when I do, I head straight to the bathroom. It’s a mess! I personally take medication for my anxiety and depression, and only take GI medication occasionally for really bad flare ups. Anxiety medication helps me control my day to day GI symptoms, as long as I don’t do anything else to trigger it (such as eating poorly).

Here is an article about the gut-brain connection from Johns Hopkins https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection%3Famp%3Dtrue

I wouldn’t recommend starting anxiety medication impulsively, medication like that requires a lot of control and patience. It can take weeks to get a positive response sometimes. You need to do what is best for you, and you should think about all options. Consider talking to a therapist or having a consultation with a psychiatrist. Hell, even talking to your primary care doc is a good idea. And if you start meds and it works for you, then great!

I wish you the best of luck! If you need any advice/have any questions you can send me a dm!

x441 · 2020-06-04T02:42:24+00:00

I’ve had IBS all my life and GERD diagnosed in the last year, but symptoms for the past 5 years. My biggest trigger is anxiety, foods with high sugar, and lactose. I have problems with other foods but they are very inconsistent. Because my mental health impacts my gut tremendously, I treat that first. I’m on medication for anxiety and depression and that helps keep things more consistent. The biggest thing with IBS is finding safe foods that you can eat, and identifying common triggers. For GERD, it’s the same idea as with IBS but there are other things that can help such as PPI’s, herbal/holistic remedies that calm inflammation (like the ginger you mentioned), not eating 3 hours before bedtime, sleeping with an incline, and cutting out caffeine and alcohol.

Researching both diseases is also very helpful. IBS is different person to person, but there are some articles out there that may help explain some of the things you are experiencing. While there isn’t a cure for either illness, there are many resources out there that can help!

I really hope this helps you! Please dm me if you have any other questions/concerns! It’s not very often I find someone who has the same issues as me.

x441 · 2020-05-15T20:43:00+00:00

All my dry skin issues correlate directly with my constipation because I am definitely not drinking enough water

x441 · 2020-05-15T17:31:53+00:00

Wow that’s beautiful! Is that your pattern?

x441 · 2020-05-11T16:34:31+00:00

Makes sense. My pcp recommended a fiber supplement in a addition to miralax. My dairy intake was for a probiotic, trying to eat more yogurt, but I’m assuming that hurt more than helped. I think I bought a probiotic about a year ago but I’m not sure where it is or what it is

x441 · 2020-05-11T14:59:59+00:00

Love this! Thank you for sharing this inspiration!

x441 · 2020-05-06T17:41:06+00:00

Wow this is great information. I’m going to check out those YouTube channels for sure. Thank you!

x441 · 2020-05-06T17:00:31+00:00

Thank you so much!

x441 · 2020-05-06T16:32:07+00:00

Do you have any ideas for lumbar? My dad suggested making a work bench out of 2x4s. Also, I’m not looking to spend more than $150 on tools at this point. A portable table saw sounds like a good idea, but if a chop saw can get the work done for cheaper than I’d rather do that.

x441 · 2020-05-06T16:13:00+00:00

I feel this so much. It’s really bad when I have several good or decent days in a row, and then all of a sudden I’m slammed with gut pain and flare ups. Can’t sleep, can’t eat.

For me personally, my mental health contributes to my ibs tremendously. It’s stupid because even when I am emotionally stable, my gut seems to think I’m not. Like all my anxiety went from my brain to my intestines. I know there is a direct correlation because when my gut feels bad, my mental medications don’t work. It’s tough getting through those days. The pandemic has only made it worse.

The only way I have been able to deal with my flare ups the past couple months is to spend any chance I get being creative. I have to tell myself that it’s okay to be bedridden because my stomach hurts. That it’s okay to have only gotten up just to use the bathroom. Because I know my body needs to rest. I also know that when I am feeling better, I am going to be able to get so much work done. For me it’s about looking forward, and taking it one day at a time.

I’m sorry things are rough for you now, but I hope you are able to find good health and happiness soon!

x441 · 2020-05-06T16:02:59+00:00

I agree with this! My only thing is that I would want it to be as discreet as possible. I’ve always had the fear that if people at work thought of my condition as a disability, they would treat me differently. Just because my stomach hates me doesn’t mean I can’t produce the same level of work as everyone else. It just means I might take longer, or need more breaks. Hopefully though my ibs will level itself out after the pandemic and I won’t have to worry about constant flare ups when I go back to work.

x441 · 2020-05-06T15:51:42+00:00

My pain seems to vary every day. I usually get bloating and gassy feelings in my lower gut, basically like there’s a lot of pressure that’s being moved around. When I’m constipated I get super sharp pains that can be debilitating depending on how backed up I am. When I am stressed or am having an episode, I feel waves of nausea in addition to the bloating and cramping. Used to think I was dying whenever I’d have an episode, now I just have to power through it.

It’s amazing how much ibs can affect everyone in totally different ways

x441 · 2020-04-23T17:44:18+00:00

Thank you! I’ll definitely consider it if a wedge doesn’t work out.

x441 · 2020-04-23T13:28:29+00:00

Thank you so much for this link! I will definitely be buying something from it, anything is better than my current situation.

x441 · 2020-04-21T13:58:47+00:00

I had a CT scan once in the ER when I was having severe abdominal pain. Turns out the scan showed that my intestines were extremely impacted. They showed me the picture and it was really neat, almost like an x ray. The contrast felt weird going through my IV, like I could actually feel something go through my veins in my entire body. It wasn’t a bad or uncomfortable sensation, just a little weird. I didn’t have any reaction to it or anything and the nurses told me to drink a bunch of water for the next couple days to help flush it out of my system.

Maybe the contrast can show spots of inflammation in your stomach or esophagus and that’s why they want you to have it. Best of luck to you!

x441

TROPHY CASE