Everything seems to have a dark side

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted with the weight loss progress. But it turns out that it comes at a price. 

There's this little thing called discontinuation syndrome I just learned about. In a nutshell, tapering slowly off the headache medication was a good idea except for the fact that if you have been on it 5+ years like I have and you were on the highest dose for the better part of that time and you have a freaky system like I have then sometimes things go sideways after you are off it. 

Normally, I think of myself as a positive person who probably verges on irritating most people around me with my near inability to give in to discouragement. This last week has given me a nice clear view of an ugly, dark abyss that I'd just as soon not venture near again anytime soon. 

Imagine your mental state after a week of THIS:

Near constant nausea

Disrupted sleep

Endless nightmares

Fatigue

Flu like symptoms

Cognitive issues

Sounds crummy, right?  It sure is. I don't recommend it. And I may have 2-3 more weeks ahead of me.  Worst case scenario could be 8 more weeks.  

If I didn't have the family support keeping me going right now, I don't know what I would do. But if I seem off, I am. It's nothing personal, just a blip on my end that I have to muddle along with because the only way out is through. 

On the bright side, no headaches. 

#winning 

Am I right? 

 Somewhere in my subconscious, I have some major issues with car crashes. Every single nightmare has been about one. 

Update: Long overdue

I haven't updated about this whole weight/nurse practitioner drama issue. 

In the end, I did email the program manager. She was quite chagrined to learn of the deplorable level of professionalism that I had been met with in my dealings with the nurse practitioner. She confirmed that I was indeed correct in my estimation of the inappropriateness of the response that I received and assured me that I need have no further dealings with that particular provider given my level of discomfort going forward. She kindly offered me several alternatives and suggested I take time to consider it. After a bit more mulling and some advice from a friend on some potential nutritional issues, I decided to focus on one variable at a time and stick with backing off the medication that could be contributing to the problem. 

That brings me to today. 

Yesterday was my final day on the medication. I've lost 10 pounds since I started tapering the dose. And I've also happily misplaced almost 6 inches overall. The headaches seem to be under control and there has been a huge decrease in my shoulder and back strain. Any way you slice it, things are looking better and even if the NP was a dingbat, she did give me an important clue to investigate. I certainly can't say that the drug was the only problem but I think it is safe to surmise it was a contributing factor. 

Lots of work still to be done, but I am on my way.