Are you sensitive about your condition?

ISO2BWELL

Not at all sensitive...

Back in 2005 I was (finally) diagnosed with Meniere's Disease in my right ear. (left ear was normal then).

Meniere's is a disease that attacks the inner ear and all of it's related components, most importantly the vestibular nerve. The Vestibular nerve is what connects the inner ear with the brain, and along with the ocular (optic) nerve these two organs are what sets the BALANCE for the body.

With Meniere's, there is small sac in the inner ear called the endolomph gland, and it acts like the "bubble" in a level, keeping the eyes and balance of the body stable enven if you are twisting your neck to look up, down or anywhere.

Basically, with meniere's the endolomph sac thinks it is empty, when it isn't, and the brain tells the gland to fill the sac up to the right level...and the sac doesn't know it is already full. When this occurs, there is severe pressure that builds up in my head..not "pain" in the classical sense, bvut more like someone stuck a needle valve in your ear and started over-filling your skull with air!

Once that "fullness" starts, if I don't get it under control, FAST (like minutes) it effects the OCULAR (optical) nerve as a result, and I get severe VERTIGO where everything is spinning counter-clockwise, and the brain just goes into overload.

By this time I am generally firmly rested above the toilet bowl, knowing what the near future is going to bring. (at least I hope to God I am at home!) I keep a small tub in there with a hand towel, a bottle of water and a small pillow, as odds are I might be there for several hours or more once the vomiting starts.

Basically, I am sit with my head in my hands, eyes closed because if I open them for a second the spinning view makes the nausea start all over again. Average attack time for me is abouit 4 hrs, but I have had them last as long as 12 with vomiting and . Not fun, at all.

the MJ is the ONLY medication that can stop a vertigo attack before it starts. I have used God knows how many narcotic meds the docs prescribed...no workie at all. MJ will stop the vertigo and allow my stonach to settle.

More later...sick today, damn it.

ISO

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StillSmoking

Hey Brother. Hope all is well with your wife and also with you.

StillSmoking

Hope your feeling better now ISO2BWELL

ISO2BWELL

Took a few days, as I heal slower than most. Seems I had the "triple whammy" hit me a couple weeks ago...bad flu, stress and my Meniere's acting up on top of it all.

Seems I'm gonna live...


Got a very sick (flu) 17 yo daughter at home today...and the only thing worse than cleaning up your own puke is cleaning up someone elses! (Thank God for shop-vac's!...Tim Taylor would be proud!)

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ClosetDWC

well best wishes to both of you and keep that shop vac handy!

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Regard,
Closet-DWC

And remember just try and act NORML

MrsLizard27

I know that Mr Liz has briefly told my story, but here it is in more detail.
Yes, I am sensitive, but not ashamed, about my condition.
In 2005, I chose to have gastric bypass surgery. I weighed 245. I spent 1 1/2 years researching surgery and other weight loss options, not to mention years of trying all the fad diets and pills. I have a strong family history of diabetes and heart disease. I had injured my ankle 5 years prior to this and lived with constant pain when I walked, which also helped contribute to my weight gain (all those ding dongs didn't help either!)
Now remember this part later.....I chose to have surgery for my health!!!

Yeah, I'll admit, I also wanted to be thin again! But my health and my children were my first and foremost concern. You see, I couldn't run and play with my kids anymore and I couldn't work, either, due to my ankle injury. I suffered with bouts of major depression too.

So I, we, made the agonizing decision to have surgery. Not an easy thing to do!!!! I was making a lifelong commitment with no way of turning back. I just love to hear people accuse me of taking the "easy" way out. My response is "what part of surgery do you call easy?!!"

Immediately after surgery I had complications. My stomach (what was left of it) swelled up so bad that no liquids, let alone food, would pass. They finally had to put a tube down my throat and dilate my stomach back open. I spent 8 days in the hospital before I got to come home.

Things went well for about a month, and then the vomiting started. I couldn't hold anything down, not even water. My stomach had closed up again. Repeat the dilation thing again, 2 weeks later I land in the emergency room again. Once again, my stomach closed up. Only this time I'm admitted to the hospital due to severe dehydration. They dilated my stomach yet again and then discover my gallbladder isn't functioning and it has stones!! So out that comes. Hey, I only spent 6 days in the hospital this time!!!

Fast forward 4 months....The same symptoms, nausea, vomiting, and now pain when I ate. Oh yeah, remember the part where I decided to have surgery FOR MY HEALTH?!! When does that start? Anyways, back to the hospital I go. Only this time, my stomach is wide open. Yet the pain and vomiting continued. So back to surgery I go for an exploratory!! Yee Haw!!
The doc found some scar tissue build up around my stomach and intestines, but no real obvious reason for my symptoms. I spent 10 days in the hospital that time.

Soon after coming home, I discovered that if I took the vicodin shortly before meals, I could eat. At this point I was thrilled to be able to eat without pain or puking!! This went on for months, and it began to take its toll on me, and my family. Anxiety,depression, anger...I don't think I need to explain the hell me and my family went through. The doc began to hassle me about the pain meds and I kept yelling "then figure out what's wrong with me!!" He never did.......

Fast forward 8 months later, same thing only now I'm on vicodin, percocet, ativan, phenergan, ambien, prozac.......Oh yeah, remember, I did this for my health.....

I'm finally referred to a specialist, the best in his field. And once again, exploratory surgery. Only this time, I'm 180 miles away from home. Once again, the doc found scar tissue, my stomach was attached to my liver by scar tissue, and I had a section of bowel that was "twisting around too much, huh?" But nothing to explain the pain I felt when I ate.

I was sent home on vicodin and all was well for a few weeks, until I ran out of the pain meds. Then I was right back to where I started from. Only now I'm going through major drug withdrawal in addition to the pain, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and malnutrition. At this point, I'd been on vicodin consistently for a year.

The only explanation the doc could give me was a physical addiction to the pain meds. My stomach had gotten used to the pain meds and reacted with pain when it wasn't there. He likened it to wearing silk socks your whole life and then when you removed them, your feet hurt when you walk barefoot. In otherwords, the so called professionals have created a drug addict, thank you very much!!!

So the doc put me on methadone, with the hopes of weaning me off. Keep in mind, up until this point, I was an occasional user of cannabis. I had been for several years. I only smoked at the end of the day, it was a nice way to unwind and I found it helped with stress and my depression. It also was the only time I could eat well, but I hadn't put two and two together yet.

So back to the methadone......the doc put me on too low of a dose and I was going through some major withdrawals. To help me with the withdrawals, Mr encouraged me to medicate with cannabis during the day in addition to nightime. Wow, did that ever help!! Thank you, honey!! One of the side effects, I noticed, was that I could eat without pain!! Life was great! I could eat, for the first time in a year and a half, without the need for pain meds!! No longer did I have anxiety, and my depression was under control. Life was worth living again!!!

It was at this point, with my hubbie's support and encouragement, I sought out a doctor who recognizes the medical benefits of cannabis. I found one, thanks to NORML and my hubbie's research. I gathered all my medical records and went to my appt. I had an hour long examination and discussion with the doc about the use of cannbis and walked out with my recommendation. Since July this year,I've been a legal medical user(according to the laws of my state) of cannabis and proud of it!!

As far as I'm concerned the feds can go....well I think you get it!!

JohnnyO

I am definately not sensitive about my condition. I have Epilepsy.... I was born with it and I will die with it....the Tegretol I take for it really messes with my brain and body but if I smoke ....I can take alot less of them (only half), I have 98% less seizures(grandmal) and I can remember my name(no joke)....It really saves on hospital and ambulance bills.....would save alot more if I didn't have to pay for any of the meds but that is why I am here. It's something that isn't going away but I can reduce the repercussions(alot of stiches) and costs by learning how to grow.....My glass is always half full and I am just happy to wake up breathing everyday so I never complain about my situation. If you ever have any questions....just ask. Take care.

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JohnnyO

StillSmoking

I had girlfriend once who had Epilepsy. Not to bad though.

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When Injustice Becomes Law,Resistance Becomes Duty

http://www.bjjperth.com/music/Marlon Asher - Ganja Farmer.mp3

SHAMAN

My little sister has epilepsy too. It was hard for me to watch her have seizures knowing there was nothing I could do. While we were growing up..
Now she smokes her meds and is doing alot better. Me and her BF try to keep her stocked with meds, But Know I think she smokes more than me!!!

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{Means}
If we stop sharing our stories, our knowledge becomes lost.

Mogie

My Mom had seizures. So I grew up with them. I would just make sure she couldn't fall and put something soft between her teeth. I'd brush her hair back with a damp wash clothe. Not a whole lot you can do.

I remember one time she had a bowl of chili. The seizure hit and man the bowl went flying across the room and we had chili on the sofa and the ceiling. That stuff is a pain to clean after it dries. LOL

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