#gabapentin information

[violetmelancholia]

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My interpretation of 'Patent Leather Do-Over', a poem written by Lana Del Rey 𝜗𝜚

'Patent Leather Do-Over' is an unreleased poem from Del Rey's unreleased book 'Behind Iron Gates- Insights From an Institution'. A video of Del Rey herself reading this poem was posted on her Instagram account in May 2020, accompanied by a variety of photos and videos that she felt correlated with it.

The immediate reference to Sylvia Plath's novel 'The Bell Jar' in the first few lines inform the reader that this poem will be melancholic, perhaps reflective, and extremely personal. The first verse reads, "Sylvia- I knew what you meant when you talked about swimming in the ocean and leaving your patent leather black shoes pointing towards it, while you swam". Throughout the entirety of 'The Bell Jar', Plath's protagonist, Esther Greenwood, makes various attempts to end her life, each one of them devastatingly symbolic in a way unique to itself. The instance in which Del Rey is alluding to is an excerpt where Esther explains that she plans to drown herself in the ocean, and takes off her leather patent black shoes and points them towards the water to demonstrate that she has waded into the ocean and committed suicide. Del Rey choosing to reference this specific passage in Plath's novel is particularly significant, as three years after this poem was posted, she opened up to her listeners about a potential suicide attempt she herself made as a teen in the song 'Fingertips' on 'Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd', where she was saved by her neighbours who witnessed her attempt as they were driving nearby ("when I was 15, naked, next-door neighbours did a drive by, pulled me up by my waist, long hair to the beachside. I wanted to go out like you, swim with the fishes that he caught on Rhode Island beaches, but sometimes, it's just not your time"). Having such a personal, similar experience to Esther's character/ Plath herself ('The Bell Jar' is a semi-autobiographical book, meaning that many of Plath's real life experiences are mirrored directly in the protagonist of her novel, Esther) could explain why Del Rey feels that she resonates so much with Plath, 'knowing what she meant' by vocalising this suicidal ideation.

"I knew what you meant" being in past tense is also important in understanding this poem, because although it initially seems like listening to a heartbreaking confession of Del Rey's suicidal thoughts, we soon go on to learn that she has in fact invested in her own wellness and recovery. She speaks of admitting herself to a "facility by the ocean". Although it is implied that this admission could be due to her wishes of ending her life, this is never specified- and in a later verse she mentions a drug called Gabapentin ("as I fall asleep by Gabapentin"), which can be used as a treatment for meth, cocaine, and alcohol addictions, and it is widely known that Del Rey struggled hugely with alcoholism throughout her youth. Therefore the time that she spent in the facility could actually have been as a result of her addiction, rather than due to suicidal ideation.

In the next verse, Del Rey firstly speaks of the lessons she has learned throughout her own life that have taught her the key to blissfulness, serenity, and inner peace. In the lines, "it takes diligence, consequence, and other things to keep that see from churning, and to keep yourself from longing to let those painted waves take you under". In this passage, she appears to be reflecting upon the things she has discovered upon overcoming her own personal battles, and to me, this seems like a short soliloquy primarily addressing herself, in oppose to being advice for her readers. The word "diligence" portrays the unwavering, perpetual hard work that one must put in in order to invest in their recovery, as it is utterly impossible to overcome addiction/ suicidal ideation without such consistent efforts. "Consequence" could be referring to the impact that engaging in suicidal behaviour can have on the people closest to you, and how it is necessary to develop self awareness, and become in-tune with the pain that you could be unwillingly causing those in your inner circle by hurting yourself so terribly. Acquiring this characteristic of diligence, and understanding the vast consequences of your actions are an essential part of recovery.

In the final lines of this verse, Del Rey mournfully describes how she wishes that she could've been there to support Plath whilst she was alive. Plath herself met a tragically young death at the hands of suicide, and this could understandably be very upsetting for Del Rey, as we've seen how much she resonates with Plath's work. In these lines, we also see more similarities between this poem and the song 'Fingertips', as she seems to be questioning the boundaries that separate life from death. We see this in 'Fingertips' in the lyrics, "if I take my life, find your astral body, put it into my eyes, give you two seconds to cry. Take you home, I, I'll give you a blanket, your spirit can sit and watch TV by my side". And in 'Patent Leather Do-Over', we see this briefly in the lines, "I wish you were here now, if you're not- because who knows how these things work?" Grief can be extremely difficult to overcome, and Del Rey's sense of spirituality could be helping her to come to terms with both the deaths of individuals in her personal life, and also of well known poets, like Plath. Dissecting the lines between life and death, and allowing yourself to consider the possibility that a deceased loved one is still somehow existing alongside you can be more comforting than having to admit that their presence has been eternally lost, and you will never see them again. This also isn't the first time that Del Rey has expressed her spirituality, there are many examples of her revealing her spiritual beliefs and values, and there are even times where she has gone as far as to publicly engage in witchcraft.

In the next, short stanza, Del Rey lists several well loved celebrities, all of whom have died young. "Sylvia, Marilyn, Violet, Diana. All of my kind women who came before me, blonde. I dyed my hair black for you, I turned my back on that black pond." These lines, followed by Del Rey's promise of 'not stopping until she's dead' refer to the terrible, untimely deaths of several of the female inspirations of her career. "Sylvia" refers to Sylvia Plath, the poet who took her own life at just 30. "Marilyn" alludes to Marilyn Monroe, the famous actress who ended her own life at only 36. "Diana" is a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash at 36 (it is widely speculated that this was an assassination, rather than an accident). And "Violet" could be a reference to her published poetry book, 'Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass', where although it initially seems that 'Violet' is a flower, it is soon proven to be a person ("I saw Violet, bent backwards over the grass, seven years old with dandelions grasped tightly in her hands"). It is unclear who exactly Violet is, although she could be a relative of Del Rey's, perhaps another individual who 'came before her'.

It is symbolic that Del Rey speaks of dying her hair black for these women, because we can interpret this as her turning away from the harmful subcultures within the industry. Despite her own natural hair colour being blonde, Del Rey refuses to succumb to the 'curse of fame' (and Hollywood) that has arguably been the leading cause of the deaths of many young starlets. Being blonde is associated with youth, innocence, and a conformity to the beauty standard, so by dying her hair black (a bold, daunting statement), she could be saving herself from meeting the same fate as all of the blonde women that she has listed seem to have met. This is exhibited in her next lines, "I turn my back on that black pond", which certify that she will not be allowing herself to fall victim to the everlasting abuse that coincides with fame. This is described as a "black pond" because the colour black has connotations of death and malice, and the 'pond' illustrates the reflection of herself that Del Rey bares witness to when she gazes into this metaphorical, murky water. It is a pool of premonition that provides her with an insight into what her future shall be if she obediently complies with the demands of the industry (another portrayal of her spirituality).

The most noticeable, reoccurring theme throughout this poem is the concept of choosing life over suicide. The line "and here I am at 34- and what for?" highlights the sheer velocity of inner conflict that Del Rey is experiencing. She is perhaps wondering why so many of her biggest inspirations so tragically lost their lives prematurely, and why it is that she has grown to outlive them despite never having intended to live to turn the age that she is at. Although this may seem like a morbid, hopeless statement for her to make, it is juxtaposed in the next line, where it is revealed that Del Rey has made the decision to retire her harmful thoughts and behaviours, and invest in her future. In the stanza directly after the previous quotation, we witness the volta of the poem in the sentence "to leave my pair of baby patent leather shoes and then them the other way- towards the sea cliffs stairs, not the ocean". Although we've seen a lot of Del Rey's self doubt and ambivalence throughout the majority of this poem, this vulnerable statement beautifully conveys her final resolution- whilst Esther significantly pointed her shoes towards the sea to indicate her suicide, Del Rey has turned hers the opposite way to illustrate that she will be walking in the direction of the facility that she has admitted herself to. Instead of swimming far away into the ocean, and gasping in vain as she takes her last breath of air before plunging herself deep down, Del Rey will be climbing quietly and calmly up the sea cliff stairs in order to receive the help that she desperately needs so that she can go on to live the life that she deserves, no longer will she be plagued by her illness.

In the final stanza, we again see more similarities with the song 'Fingertips', as Del Rey is accommodating another spiritual entity, and trying her hardest to ensure that he/she/it remains as comfortable as possible ("take you home, I, I'll give you a blanket, you spirit can watch TV by my side", "I kept your shoes on the sill by the window seat- in case you got restless and wanted to leave"). She firstly speaks of singing Plath's spirit a "lemon melody". This aligns well with some lines we have seen prior to this- although Del Rey is behaving as though she is able to have contact with Plath via the spiritual realm, she is also acknowledging the sad reality that she has passed away, and she will never be able to thank her for the comfort that she has found in her art. She will also never be able to save her. This is a very bittersweet realisation to come to, bittersweet like a lemon. "And sang your spirit to bed" could be reflecting Del Rey's wishes of allowing Plath to rest peacefully, 'singing her to bed' referring to her soul finally being set free. The lines, "the way I would have if you were my child, or if I had children" really demonstrate the undying love that Del Rey has for Plath, she loves her unconditionally, the same way that a mother will eternally love their child. This line also solemnly portrays the sadness that she feels about never having had children, she has spoken openly before about her love for kids, however in 'Fingertips', she has also opened up about how she has been told by people that her mind is "not fit, or so they say, to carry a child". Perhaps she is looking for a way to express the maternal love that she feels with Plath.

The final line, "my Queen Anne's lace heart weightless on your little head" alludes to a flower named 'Queen Anne's lace'. The flower was named after an old story, in which Queen Anne was challenged to create a piece of lace as pretty as a flower. As she was working on this project, she pricked her finger, causing a droplet of her blood to fall onto the centre of the lace, which is represented by a small red flower in of the middle of the white petals of the flower. Del Rey's choosing to reference this specific flower is relevant because it allows us to understand how she perceives the depths of her personality. Her heart is elegant and alluring, however the pain of her past leaves behind a crimson stain that she will never be able to rid herself of. Despite her healing and recovery, she will perpetually remember her trauma, but this doesn't mean that she must still continue to engage in her previously damaging behaviours.

'Patent Leather Do-Over' is an extremely personal poem by Del Rey, and I think it is a beautiful representation of why it is that so many of us connect to her on the level that we do. Underneath layers of metaphorical language, powerful analogies, and symbolic imagery, there is a very moving depiction of the internal struggles that Del Rey has faced throughout her life. Woven within the web of this poem is the message of choosing to live, rather than to die, and receiving this insight from such an influential artist like, Del Rey, makes it all the more compelling. Her eloquent way with words is incredibly inspiring, and I hope that this poem has been as much as friend to everybody else as it has been to me.

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[dogshitdotnet]

personal health musings. wondering what steps I should take with all this information in mind.

like literally for as long as i can remember in my life, i have had some kind of inflammation issue... i had spinal meningitis shortly after being born and survived it, and the doctors apparently worried I wouldnt have a functional immune system, but that didn't seem to be the case. I had massive growth spurts and hormone activation (I started having acne at age 6) at very young ages and tended to be bigger + taller than my peers up until high school, I recall many a night tossing and turning in bed crying from growing pains, to which my parents would usually treat with ibuprofen. When I reached my early teens, stress caused by bullying, SA, coming out as gay and trans, and unaddressed autism + ADHD triggered chronic tension migraines (I spent a few weeks with a team working on trying to figure out the cause of my migraines, including a lumbar puncture to search for a spinal fluid leak, to no avail) OCD, and clinical depression that have followed me to present day, but I was also dealing with a anxiety/panic disorder that I've thankfully been able to overcome.

Starting hrt (T) actually helped a lot with my muscle pain! I attributed that to being told that testosterone can help retain muscle mass, but I'm not sure. T unfortunately has been causing some issues with my urinary health, and I'm not super sure how to address that yet; apparently I used to get kidney infections as a kid a lot? I used to be sick in one way or another back then, I had pneumonia for months in 5th grade. I remember a lot of ear infections, too. I spent a lot of time in and out of children's hospital.

I have literally never been able to figure out why my body just tends to hurt so often, most often evenly spread through my muscles. Even with regular exercise and food/fluid intake this still happens. Just an ambient and what feels like consistent inflammation. I have had countless blood, cat and MRI scans, and doctors have never found anything. At this point, nearing 30, I'm like losing my mind trying to think of things to suggest to healthcare workers; to try and pinpoint perhaps a specific lack of or overproduction of a certain chemical? hormone imbalances? I've been told that psychosomatic issues from me being autistic could be a root cause, and that I should just use therapy to remedy that, but I've had TONS of therapy and I'm still stuck. Not to mention the lifelong sleep issues. If I don't get enough sleep, my body flares up so fucking badly I wince thinking about it.

I've been on a couple of mood meds (venlafaxine and gabapentin) for like, over a decade. I take methocarbomol for muscle pain, which is a bandaid on a chronic issue. I still feel like I have to resort to OTCs like every other day, I know I shouldn't but I don't know what else to do. I take 5mg melatonin for sleep at night, some fish oil bc my cholesterol is a little high. Finasteride to prevent any hair loss that may come with testosterone injections weekly. It's a lot of information to stew over trying to figure out how to move forward.

[cpl-gator]

AUTHORIZATION FOR DISCLOSURE OF MEDICAL OR DENTAL INFORMATION

NAME: Miles Jack D.

CALLSIGN: Gator

RANK: Corporal (E-4)

MOS: 0372 (CSO - Critical Skills Operator)

YOS: 6

AGE: 23

DOB: 29 OCT 2000

SEX: Male

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Heterosexual

BIRTHPLACE: Highlands, Florida

NATIONALITY: American

BLOOD TYPE: O-

RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE: Catholic

PRESCRIPTIONS: Acetaminophen (500-1000mg every 6-8hrs as needed), Ondansetron (4-8mg every 8hrs as needed), Trazodone (25-100mg at bedtime), Gabapentin (100-300mg up to TID), (updates through interactions)

ALLERGIES: N/A

PHYSICAL INJURIES: Abdominal gunshot wound - right hip, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), (updates through interactions)

PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURIES: (updates through interactions)

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: (updates through interactions)

HEIGHT: 5’11” (179cm)

WEIGHT: 225lbs (102kg)

TATTOOS/PIERCINGS/SCARS/ODDITIES: (updates through interactions)

HOBBIES: (updates through interactions)

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Flowers & Quotes

Lavender = Distrust (victorian era)

&

“Fides est periculosa ludum”

-Trust is a dangerous game-

[fenmere]

We had never heard the term “neo-animism” before we saw you mention it on that poll. We’ve long called ourselves animists but we never had the words before to distinguish our beliefs from others under the animism umbrella, and now we do, thanks! Turns out we’re neo-animists as well

If you want to share, we’d be curious to hear more about your belief system

Ah, cool!

We got the term "neo-animism" from a blog post pointing out that the term "animism" has usually been used to describe a certain handful of Indigenous belief systems from around the world. And that descendants of colonizers like ourselves should, out of respect for that, use the term "neo-animism" to talk about any similar beliefs we develop ourselves. And we're OK with doing that.

Especially since, while we certainly haven't been developing our beliefs in a vacuum, not ignorant of the various forms of animism, we have been looking inward and at our own experiences to do so.

We've been very, very slow to adopt the words "spirit" and "spiritual" to apply to anything we've observed and felt. Though, at a certain point, there's just no any other good English words for it.

OK.

Our actual beliefs:

We have thirteen Outsiders in our system, all of whom were originally non-living spirits of some sort. They all have identities that come from aspects of the universe: Entropy, the concept of forward, interconnectedness, containership, dirt, etc.

While in our system, these beings can become people and think and make memories and have emotions. Some of them embrace this more enthusiastically than the others.

But they all have memories of what it was like for them before joining us, and these memories are profound and wild and strange.

They're pretty static, honestly.

Outside of a human brain, the processes for parsing information and change are much slower and much less chaotic. But they're still there, enough so to develop something like identity, will, and memory.

So, we've come to think that everything, every tiny little thing to every gigantic sweeping abstraction, has a mind of sorts. An identity, and a sense of purpose, a kernel of consciousness, with memory of a sort associated with it.

And you can call these spirits.

Such a spirit isn't all that different from its thing. The spirit of a gabapentin pill is pretty much exactly as complex as that pill. But it's there.

And, essentially, since everything is interconnected and always interacting with each other, this means that the universe is inherently plural. Like, the universe is a plural system with infinite subsystems, sidesystems, and median clusters, and all that.

This is probably the simplest way we've explained it. We could go into what we think some of the actual physics of this are, and how scientific discoveries and thought make room for this interpretation. But that's really unnecessary for us, and would make this post ridiculously long.

We do cover it here and there in our novels, though.

Anyway, spirits of things that are chaotic and complex, like the system of Entropy and Enthalpy across the whole universe, have enough room to be quite person-like, and that's how we get beings like @ohthatphage.

[tussive]

So at work there's a guy named Bill. Bill has been with the restaurant for about nine years, he works six days a week for roughly four or five hours a day. Before we went 24 hours, they gave him his own key because he would show up to work anywhere from like 1-2 hours early and just start setting things up for the day. Which, I don't love because he does still do that as much as he can, though it is harder with us being 24 hours, but it's like. If he ever gets injured while working off the clock, obviously the company is not going to pay for those injuries. And when they find out about it, I'm sure they're going to ask, "Well why did the manager on duty allow him to work?" And so then it'll be my ass, even though he's been doing this for many years longer than I've even been with the company.

Anyway, Bill is a very particular kind of guy. He likes things done his way, he likes to complain when they aren't done the way he likes, etc. He's never been like, rude or shitty towards me at all, but I did get the feeling that he didn't particularly like me. Which I mean, ultimately is fine. You're not going to like everyone that you work with and like I said he's never disrespectful or anything, so he's not doing anything wrong. But I did get that sense. I think part of the problem is they keep coming up with different ideas for how to do things for overnight which impacts his ability to do things. The latest thing they're doing is they want one side of where we make sandwiches turned off each night, one of the fryer vats turned off each night and where we hold the fries to keep them warm turned off each night. And y'know, I relay this information to him and he gets mad and I really think that he was thinking that it was like, my idea. And I was trying to explain to him like, "No this is the restaurant or district manager saying this, I don't want to do this either." Another problem is that some of the other managers who do work overnight, do not do the things that they're supposed to. So then it probably does seem like I'm the only one doing them, so it does make it feel more like 'my' idea. But that's a different issue.

Anyway, one of the managers happened to work overnight for the first time maybe a few weeks ago. And apparently he did tell her that he doesn't like me, but then she did talk to him and did tell him like, "That isn't him, that is Becky or Deb asking him to do those things." And I don't know if that's what did it, but literally since the night she told me she told him that, he's been way nicer. Just like, friendlier, more willing to show me things and like help me learn them if it's something I don't know, the other day he just came up to me and asked if I ever had eaten at Chipotle (they're right across the street from us) and if I liked them, how they were, etc. I mean, it's nice, honestly. Like, he's there 6 days a week for probably close to half of my shift most days. We don't have to get along or anything, but if we can, it's definitely going to make things easier, y'know?

Also like, just the social aspect of working somewhere is always where I really struggle with things the most. So it's cool when something is going well. I was talking to the one other manager one night and I was on gabapentin so I was pretty chatty and we get along pretty well and also he's autistic, so I feel like he's probably someone who will get something like that more. I was just telling him like, "Y'know the actual job is the easiest part of my day here. Like of the total effort I expend, I'd say like 25% maybe is doing my job. The other 75% is like, talking to people, trying to navigate things correctly, saying the right thing, being friendly, etc, etc."

I don't know. I'm rambling. But I was just thinking about that and it is cool when things kind of work out like that. I've been getting along with Ben pretty well recently too. I know that there was a meeting where they did talk to him and I don't see him super often anymore, but even from what I've heard from other managers, he does appear to be y'know, being less of an asshole and not really lying about dumb things and just all of that. So that's also pretty cool.

[spikeyjo]

okay theydies and gays. join hands with me as i make a bulleted list to say at my gyno appointment tmmrw.

okay.

I have tried physical therapy, it didn't do anything, was weirdly intrusive and was a waste of time

i have tried lidocaine, it works temporairily for five mins max then i have to reapply and wait five mins. very impractical

i have tried gabapentin: didnt do a damn thing

i do not have pelvic floor issues, i do tension releasing for anxiety, it has no effect on my vaginal pain

i would like more information on different treatment options. like botox or nerve blocks or even surgery at some point.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH ME THAT SPECULUM FUCKING HURTS

Please refer me to someone else if you cant/wont offer different treatment options.

i love you <3

[endlessvoidsnkittens]

Welp.

Got some kinda heavy information to digest this morning.

Took Mr. Spock to the vet for his immunizations and to also follow up on his chronic diarrhea issues that he's had for years.

He was such a good boy. I'm sure the gabapentin helped quite a bit, lol. But bless him.

However, as far as the chronic diarrhea goes, they don't think it's a food issue, as I had hoped. Said it could be many things at this point, but the many things they suggested were not...good.

He's not in any immediate mortal peril, I don't think, but now I need to save up to get bloodwork done ($190.25) and he's probably going to need sedated ($135.50.)

IF I am fortunate enough to stay on my SSI...this is gonna be difficult to pull off, but I can manage probably in the next few months.

IF my SSI gets revoked then idk.

Regardless, it sucks. And uh, yeah.

[lacefuneral]

thing that sucks about fibromyalgia is that it really only started to be taken seriously by doctors the last couple of years so there isn't much information about what treatments are effective and what aren't

so a lot of people lean into like. pseudo science bc they think it will fix their pain

which is frustrating because it's like. i want to know what is actually helping people. not some anti-vax person covering themselves in arnica montana (which is a poison at best and absolutely nothing at worse, which is the case of homeopathy) and guzzling laxatives (i shouldn't have to explain why is this an issue)

the scary thing too is seeing ppl on reddit say "no yeah my doctor just mixes me a special lotion with opiods and ketamine and gabapentin" or people saying they're taking all of these medications orally. ARE YOU INSANE.

other people are like "ya my routine is simple!" and then lists no less than 10 very expensive supplements

like. okay. i do take some supplements. i am intending on trying another. but like..... can we get some actual medical professionals running trials on fibro that don't rely on extremely addictive drugs? y'know, during a fucking opioid crisis. and stop having doctors shrug at their patients and say "idk maybe go for a swim? get stabbed with needles?"

[riley-coyotl]

Yesterday, Maple had a consult with an orthopedic surgeon in Chattanooga. It went very well! We were very happy with the vet hospital--their facility was excellent, and everyone we talked to there was kind, respectful, professional, and helpful. Maple, of course, was a very good girl and did wonderfully at the hospital! Ultimately I feel we received good news, and I left feeling encouraged and more confident in both medical management and surgical options for her hip dysplasia.

We mostly went there to discuss total hip replacement (THR) surgery for Maple. According to the surgeon, she is a good candidate for THR surgery, and it would be a reasonable choice for her, with the goal of eliminating pain and returning normal function to her hip(s) for the rest of her life. There is even a good chance she would regain function well enough and be pain free with only one hip being replaced.

We were also told that it is perfectly reasonable to wait and possibly get the surgery done in the future if we want to continue to try medical management first for now; the surgeon assured us that Maple’s age is not a factor that should prevent her from getting this surgery, not now nor when she is older. As he put it, “[dogs] don’t come with an expiration date.” He regularly does THR on older dogs and told us there is no reason that they cannot get and benefit from the surgery; just the other week he performed a THR on a giant schnauzer who was around Maple’s age, as well as another dog recently who was 14 years old. With Maple turning 12 later this year, it was a big relief to hear that there isn’t this big looming time limit on her being able to be helped with surgery.

(The surgeon did not particularly recommend FHO surgery for Maple, which is already in-line with how we felt about it, which is that it’s not the right choice for her case.)

That said, we also talked about medical management. In the surgeon’s opinion, at Maple’s current age and progression of arthritis in her hips, there is no reason for us to limit her activities at all—he does not think that she will really be able to do further damage/make her arthritis any worse than it already is. In his opinion, we should let Maple choose how she wants to limit herself and how much she wants to do. I am a little skeptical on that simply because Maple is a high drive dog who has a tendency to push through pain...however I feel like I can try to make informed judgment calls based on her pain levels (especially now that I know her issue is there,) and continue to do what I’ve always done throughout her life—be her sense of self-preservation for her. I am going to try to compromise with Maple—she can do what she wants as long as I don't see her struggling with pain. If she is noticeably having a hard time, she's gotta stop, and at least take a break.

So, especially since there is no reason we cannot choose surgery for her in the future if we decide that's best, our plan for now is to see if medical management (pain meds + supplements + physical therapy) can help Maple be pain-free and mobile enough to have good quality of life and continue to do the things she loves. We’re gonna see how it goes. I already see some improvement since starting her on gabapentin and omega 3s, and hopefully that trend continues. I hope she will be ok and continue to be able to be Maple to the fullest capacity. 🧡

[etirabys]

I've been on gabapentin for anxiety/irritability for 2 weeks. It magically gave me a good personality & the ability to work full time (at my half time job).

But when I skip a dose, all the irritability comes back at once in an irritability tsunami. It is yet unknown which graph I'm at the beginning of:

Good path:

Bad path:

I might as well make a shoddy prediction market of it.

Have you ever been on a prescription medication (not an easily-buyable supplement) specifically for anxiety or irritability? If you have been on prescription medications but not for those issues, pick "not medicated for those things".

Would you bet that the trajectory I'm on is closer to the green or to the red?

(I think I've successfully disabled replies on this, but, uh: I'm trying right now to ease off gabapentin & am irritable. Please don't reply with personal anecdata unless you think it's 90th percentile informative.)

[clementiens]

yesterday i had a pain management appointment and i felt soo brushed off ending up there (kind of a long train of frustrating appointments leading there, and my first appointment there was an excruciating hip injection that didn't help and also the local anesthesia didn't work) like i'm here because everyone's given up on Fixing things but it was actually really great

the nurse (?) getting me set up was way more understanding of Chronic pain than i'm used to, like how ineffective and inappropriate the 1-10 scale is. frustrated to hear about a time i felt brushed off by a doctor and not informed about things, told me about a time she was in a similar situation and what she said to get more information. like "i'm not blaming you for not doing this but here's a way you can say this" it was so sweet

and the doctor!! holy shit. really thoroughly familiar with EDS. wasn't just validating things i said, but things he was saying unprompted were so validating of my experience and really made me feel like he actually got what i'm dealing with without me having to explain everything (and got it when i said how much of a relief that is), and really validating of pain that so many other doctors and PTs etc just don't get at all, in a way that i honestly really worry negatively affects my care AND makes me worried about what my records look like (especially in the context of SSI tbh). explained HOW different kinds of medications worked which i've never! ever!! in MY LIFE had a doctor do. it was fucking fantastic. he started me on gabapentin, but i feel a lot more confident about it knowing What my other options are if i don't like it, and referred me to an orthotics office for a hip brace. i think the only time i've felt this good about a doctor appointment was the geneticist diagnosing me properly with EDS but that still had a big dark cloud over it of, like, had the DX but he was more DX than treatment so in a lot of ways i was still kind of in a pit.

like for years i've felt like the best case scenario is a doctor who will listen and do what i ask for, but i'm not a doctor, i don't want to have to be fully directing my own care, i don't always know What to ask for, i need some direction, and i feel like i've finally ended up with someone who can give me that

[moonlight26posts-blog]

In Baltimore City, MD: Stressed senior boy whose owner admitted to beating him- seeking love and attention - BARCS, Baltimore MD

- Rescue Needed -

Ox- 9 years, unaltered male, 65lbs

9-year-old Ox is a sweet senior boy that is playful, sweet, and cuddly. He is treat motivated and happy-go-lucky. He is strong despite his low riding, pig-like body, but he listens to his person and will surely improve his leash skills with a little patience and training. His former owner reports that he is house and crate trained. He likes hanging out in the yard, exploring and playing.

When tested off-leash in the shelter's play yard, Ox was loose and playful with other dogs. He did attempt to mount a few times, but he also takes corrections well and is able to coexist peacefully.

Because his surrender notes reported that Ox had bitten a person previously, our staff followed up with the owner for more information, during which time they stated that the bite occurred because they "were beating him." They also reported that the bite did not break skin and that Ox had no other behavioral issues/concerns, even with strangers.

Unfortunately, Ox is quite stressed in the shelter environment. He has been started on trazodone and gabapentin to help ease the transition, but we're really hoping to see Ox back in a home ASAP.

Ox is available immediately for rescue pick-up.

Please let us know if your organization can help!

Thank you,

The BARCS Rescue Team

Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS) ​New Address! 2490 Giles Rd, Baltimore, MD 21225 rescue@barcs.org| (410) 396-4695

Rescue pick-up hours: Monday-Friday: 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m

Adoption hours: Monday-Friday: 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc. (BARCS) | 2490 Giles Rd, Baltimore, MD 21225

**If you would like to foster Ox, we can contact local rescues to ask for help, please email foster@charlietotherescue.org (we are only a volunteer group that tries to help rescues help the dogs/cats of MD)

[talkethtothehandeth]

I accidentally deleted someone’s ask about how I manage my chronic pain. I’m so sorry, I wasn’t ignoring you. Since someone took the time to ask me, maybe they’ll see this again

Drugs, anon.

I use drugs/hj

I take very warm/hot baths, heat helps expand blood vessels and relieves my stiffness (from my arthritis). I’m glued to my emotional support heating pad, which you can find here in my cripple recommended products/wishlist. Whenever my friend comes to visit me, they know which side of the bed to sit on because my heating pad has already claimed my seat

Next, ice. I have multiple ice packs, and have plenty of “one time” *whispers* I use them more than once, instant ice packs. Which can also be found in the aforementioned link. They help with my inflammation as well. I bought a large ice pack from my old physical therapist’s place, it covers my entire back, and I usually transition from heat to ice depending on the symptoms

I keep my room dark and quiet, which doesn’t always work when my birds are with me. But I am sensitive to extra noise and light because my pain has gone past the point of no return and has turned my body into an over sensitive ball of nerves, quite literally. My room is my space, and unless my nephew and I are playing video games, it stays mostly quiet and very much dark because of black out curtains

I trigger point using a tennis ball to help release my muscles that have atrophied, I stretch when I need to, to the best of my ability during any given day, I mostly lie in bed tbh, that’s the only thing that makes it tolerable most days is rotting

For medicine I take a lot of different things, celecoxib, gabapentin but mmj helps me the most I’ve found— and also pisses off doctors enough for them to just accuse me of using recreational drugs (I don’t, and that doesn’t make me superior, but damn they do not fully believe you after you share that information)

I use topical relief like diclofenac or lidocaine, tiger balm helps immensely but also burns my skin at times. I have a massage gun that I got for like 75% off with the right Amazon coupons

I wear braces when I absolutely need to, which isn’t often bc I’m stubborn but also know how to navigate brace-less bc I’ve been doing this for so long

I have to have distractions, I play video games— fast paced like Warframe and assassins creed, things where it’s from one thing to a next and you’re completely submersed in the game. I forget I’m in pain sometimes when I’m playing, and then the game pauses and I get the quick reminder

I used to do music therapy, but I’ve been in too much pain to pick it back up again, so much that I ugly cried after playing the piano for the first time in months. I draw on my bent second hand iPad (that person must have just planted their cheeks on it bc HOW does it bend like that?) because it gives me the most control with my hand than paper and pencil does

I am so thankful that I have access to two mobility aids, which I wouldn’t have had access to if it weren’t for my friend who paid for the whole chair, it was one from Amazon like $100, and someone cared about me enough to do to understand my pain and wanted to help me through it, and I cannot ever express how grateful I am. I recognize that having a walker and wheelchair are very much a privilege, but my wheelchair hurts me because it isn’t custom made

My fiancée helps a lot, they bring me medicine or do things for me that I can’t, my long distance best friend is about the same level of disabled as I am because they just hAD TO COPY ME/j and when they come over we just rot, watch shows and coexist in the same space because they get it, and I feel so comfortable with them because I know there isn’t judgement, I feel comfortable with my other friends for this same reason, but sometimes my anxiety still runs rampant banging a wooden spoon on pots and pans

Having a support system really does help, it really does, and I literally only have one physically abled “irl” friend who I love so very much because they take the time to understand and they accept me as me, not “despite” my disability

And there are support groups online, there are people who aren’t assholes and who do not play Sick Olympics ™️ and I promise you there are people who you will find to be such amazing friends through your pain and who won’t leave you, I promise it is possible

And I get myself treats when I can. Like a smoothie from the café I like going to, it’s like a reward

I’ve been doing a lot better mentally, though when my pain comes around in a flare, it feels permanent, and that makes everything just a bit lot worse. I still have a very high baseline of pain, this won’t go away and I’m not sure if I’ll ever return to where I was back when I was 15, before It Truly hit.

Pain might be forever, so the best thing we can do is manage it, and if that feels helpless right now then that is how it feels and you shouldn’t force yourself out of it, imo. It’s okay to sit with the Bad thoughts and feelings even though it’s the worst ever, but I think it’s healthier than “find the good!”

Bestie, my joints dislocating enough to leave me with permanent degeneration is not good, I won’t find the good in that unless my joints aren’t swollen to the point where they make me immobile, I’ll find the good when I have relief. But when I’m flaring up? Let me have my pity party and let me be a bitter cripple. I’ve been in pain forever, and I managed to stay alive every single time I considered or tried to make that not happen. But I’m not some sort of inspiration, I’m just someone whose body broke them enough to the point where I saw no return. And maybe there won’t be, but when you find the right pain management (which, unfortunately, will be the burden you mostly have to carry) you will feel better, maybe not Better, but better.

You’ve got this, we’ve got this.

TL;DR: I manage my pain with lots of drugs, coping skills, art, a support system, and plenty of outside help from mobility aids to literal tennis balls to help, *bear grylls voice* improvise, adapt, overcome

[voredere]

This also goes for many other downers! Opiates, benzos, barbiturates, gabaergic drugs (ie, gabapentin) can all develop physical chemical dependence and need to be tapered. There are some dedicated subreddits for this process if you don't have access to medical assistance. Tripsit and psychonautwiki can give you reliable information on which substances have dependence potential if you aren't sure.

And as an aside, if you try to quit, but relapse: do NOT go back to your old dose! Treat yourself as if you were a newbie. A LOT of overdoses (alcohol, opiates, and so on) happen because of failed attempts to quit. Your tolerance goes down or resets depending on how long you quit for, and your usual dose may become a lethal one. if you have a trusted person to keep an eye on you, call them. if you don't, these guys exist.

Stay safe out there.

Do not quit alcohol cold turkey

Do not suddenly stop drinking alcohol as a new years resolution if you have been consistently using alcohol most days

Your body gets used to the presence of the alcohol as a sedative in your system

Suddenly removing the sedative you are chemically accustomed to is like suddenly removing the wall you are leaning on - you will topple over

You brain electricity gets overexcited

This causes seizures

This causes sudden onset dementia (Wernicke's encephalopathy)

This causes brain damage

If you use alcohol often (even in moderate amounts)

Or in large amounts

Or you have ever noticed you get shakey tremors and anxious when you stop drinking

Then your body is chemically dependant and you need to be very careful coming off alcohol otherwise you will cause brain damage

Slowly wean down the amount you drink over days or weeks

Talk to a doctor about your goals to quit and ask about support options

Medically supported withdrawal is a lot safer

If alcohol withdrawal goes badly there is a 15% chance it will kill you.

Do not go this alone

You deserve to be safe

[gabapentintablet]

Gabapentin: Myths and Facts You Should Know

Gabapentin is a medication often prescribed to treat nerve pain, epilepsy, and sometimes anxiety disorders. While it is highly effective for many people, there are several misconceptions about its use, effects, and potential risks. Some believe it is a dangerous or addictive drug, while others assume it is just a simple painkiller. The truth lies somewhere in between.

Whether taken as a gabapentin tablet or in another form, its increasing use makes it important to separate myths from facts to ensure people take it safely and with the right expectations. In this article, we will explore some of the most common myths surrounding gabapentin and provide clear, factual information based on medical research. Whether you are a patient, caregiver, or simply curious about the drug, this guide will help you understand what gabapentin really does and how it should be used responsibly.