Losing count of the days and the names

I haven't been posting a lot as I have been really struggling with trying to manage my life with pain. 
I have bad news to tell, I have been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome - Dysautonomia. I have also come off all of my medication, including Lyrica and Panadol osteo. Which basically means, every time i sit or stand up I get light headed and my heart races because the blood is settling in my lower body instead of my head. It makes me feel like I'm having a heart attack and I see stars and fall into the wall. I was also starting to get terrible side effects from taking so much of the prescribed medication that it started to upset my stomach and so on, where I could no longer handle it. I'm doing alright off of my medication. I did not wean myself or anything, I just stopped. I kind of went cold turkey from the Lyrica, shaking and what not.. but I got over it. I was struck with Gastro virus for a while which ultimately made my situation worse. I have not attended school in many weeks. I've had a meeting with the principal and the guidance cousillor and they suggested I do home schooling (BSDE). I feel like they no longer want to deal with me at school and tried fobbing me off with the opportunity at reach. Although, I do agree that in my sistuation, distance education is probably the more suitable choice for me. Yes I have lost friends from not being at school and that is difficult, but if I get added to a virtual class, I may make some friends through the social media side of the schooling. I can also no longer eat products with dairy or egg as I become very sick. I'm afraid to eat. The only thing I can eat is bread with nuttelex (nut free, dairy free, egg free etc) butter, which I haven't tried yet. I am able to eat Thai noodles from the local noodle shop which is funny enough. I'm not eating often, only at dinner time and I'm not hungry or anything. Do I have an eating disorder? I want to eat, but I just can't. It makes me feel too unwell at the moment. I lay in my hospital bed at home and just watch movies because I'm in too much pain to do anything else. 

Hazey days

So I haven't been posting as often as I would have liked to, due to me struggling with managing my pain at the present times. I've started back at school and I'm not doing so great either. It's really hard, going to school, just to sit alone in every class and at lunch time with no support from any of my friends. I'd really appreciate if just one person talked to me and asked me how I was, even though i would probably ball my eyes out and cry. On my first day of term two, last Tuesday, the only day I went that week, I sat by myself at lunch and cried. I felt like a freak because I literally had no one. Tomorrow will be my second day and I really don't want to go, just to sit alone again. I can't even concentrate in class because of my pain levels and people around me just think dumb. I used to get all A's now I'm scraping in on an E or an NA mark. I've been suffering with jut about every part of my body lately, my hands, arms, shoulders, tmj, neck, back, stomach, hips, knees, ankles an my fingers and toes are also arthritic and swollen. I lay here trying to swallow my tears, but the pain is becoming too strong, that I am no longer able to keep pretending that it doesn't hurt anymore. I just want to be normal. I can't even afford the braces/wheelchair/etc I need to be able to maintain my conditions. It's so hard to wake up in the morning, knowing I'm going to be in pain for the rest of my life. I've read that a lot of EDS sufferers die at young ages with organ problems, this worries me. I have all of the symptoms of POTS too, an every type of EDS (6 types) I fall under most of the categories also. I'm actually terrified. If I'm in this much pain at 15, what about 30, 70? How am I going to get through this? I downloaded this pain app which let's you mark in your pain, I've done 3 days, so far it's shown one flair up over 3 days.. I can't wait to show my pain cycle to a doctor! I just wish that there were some people or organizations willing to fund the equipment I need to live a relatively normal life. Today I painted a picture to try and keep my mind off of the pain, it only heightened the level of pain in my hands. This was heart breaking. Soon, I will no longer be able to do the things I love and enjoy;  and this is beginning to tear me apart. If there is anyone with EDS/RSD/CRPS etc that can relate, please leave a comment.

Unkown days, lost time

I haven't posted for a while, this makes me sad. I'm totally un-aware of the number of days that have passed me by. I've been really struggling, both physically and mentally. I was given my jaw splint, it's quite uncomfortable and has given me a lot of tooth pain. I have also tried new ways on managing my pain, including Acupuncture. I was given 5 acupuncture needles to place in my ear for four days. Although I noticed my levels of pain, reduced by a fair bit than usual, it gave me such terrible pain in my ear. It also resulted in me feeling dizzy and nauseous. After weighing up the pros and cons, I have decided not to use acupuncture on the ear as a form of pain management as I felt that the ear pain was more of a distraction from my other pain. My jaw has not been sliding out of place as much since I have inserted the jaw splint. It makes me talk funny, but I guess that's okay. My ankles, knees, hips, back, neck, jaw, shoulders, elbows, wrists and left thumb have been bothering me a lot.
Since my last post, I have been diagnosed with Osteoperosis imperfecta, which means that I have 150% more calcuium than a normal person of my age, this means I am borderline brittle bone disease. My doctor also noticed today when he examined my whole body that I have gluteal crease abnormality that I was born with. Ooh look, another thing to add to the list. The other night my eyes were constantly blinking and I couldn't stop. I also think I have blocked tearducts as my eyes are constantly watering. I have a nasal spur which I don't think I mentioned it previously. Tomorrow I am getting scans done on my uterus, which I am not looking forward to at all.

But You know what? I was born with some terrible medical conditions. I've learned to try and live with it although things are getting worse for me, I still try and look for the brighter side of the situation that I'm facing. It's probably one of the hardest things in the world, to be receiving diagnostic result after result, condition after condition. But when things get personal, it's probably the most heart aching, destructive thing. Being torn down and stripped back, with open wounds is even worse. There is a toxicity that over rides all and it's such a terrible thing. I'm suffering, so are others, but being attacked emotionally, while being fought by your own genes is so utterly destructive for a person. Take a look at yourself, take a long, hard look at me and realize that causing more destruction is only knocking me down even more. I hate how people are such horrible creatures, bound into their DNA with such darkness, it's such a terrible thing.

Losing track of time

I can't even remember what number of days have passed since I last posted. I feel terribly annoyed that I didn't get to update on how I'm going on the correct day.It's quite frustrating as I was hoping for daily posts. I haven't been feeling the best of late. I've been in a lot of pain also. I've had problems with just about every bone in my body. Both ankle, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrist, left thumb, back, neck and jaw. I've been having allergic reactions to every meal I've eaten. So, tomorrow I'm going to the doctors to organise testing done to see if I've become intolerable to other foods, as I am already prophylactic to peanuts and tamarind. Oh joy. I've been feeling a little blue of late as I've been gaining huge amounts of weight. I went from having a thigh gap to none, I've visably gone up a cup size and my stomach is bigger than previous weeks from being on Lyrica. I'm going to be reducing my intakes to liquids also. I tried a soup diet, but I got sick afterwards. I've also tried Sustagen, but it tasted like a thick, strained custard tart! On thursday I'm going to get my jaw splint mouth guard thing and having a physio session done I think. I've been looking foreward to this for a while. I'm also looking forward to making clothing. I'm picking up a few things and I'm going to make some cool stuff to try and take my mind of the pain. I've also been painting a few pictures and drawing, but I have to take a lot of breaks as my hands get really sore and tired. Like right now, writing this post. I went to the Art Gallery in the city with my friend on Saturday, she pushed me around in my wheelchair. It was a lovely day over all, I did get really sore though. We also went to the beach at 10pm and left around 12am. It was really lovely, to just go sit on the sand, enjoy the night sea breeze and the smell of the ocean. It was amazing just to simply put my feet in the sand and the water, even if it was pitch black!
I'll be updating how it goes tomorrow!

Today is day 14 and I feel like crap. I didn't get to post earlier as my hands were sore. I took my first lyrica in the morning and at night today and I felt really sick. My jaw, feet, knees and hips, shoulders and wrists hurt today. I was also struck down with an allergic reaction which left me sick for ages. I woke up to write this post as I'm in a bit of pain and couldn't sleep well. Tonight I had Italian minestrone soup for dinner, with just the liquid to consume. Atleast it tasted good and didn't make me feel any worse. My arms are starting to get really weak again. I've had several breaks in writing this short passage to rest, but the weakness relapses often. I'm trying to brave through the pain I'm having and to try and walk faster with my crutches, but my left ankle is slipped out of place if I do so. I've had a few headaches today also. I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get to post this before the night ended. Oh well. I'm really looking forward to getting my jaw splint because I'm hoping it will reduce some of the terrible pain I'm experiencing like at present. My mum bought me a shower mobility stool today to sit on, while in the shower; it makes it much easier for me to get up out Of the shower instead of off of the floor. So it was a bargain from Aldi at $49.99 I don't think I've ever seen any cheaper anywhere! Not even in a mobility store/outlet. Well I must go try and get some rest now.

Day thirteen, if only is was just a dream

Today is day thirteen and I've has a terrible day. My thumb has been really bothering me and I had to re bandage it because it was so sore. I also tried my first vanilla sustagen an it tasted like I was drinking a custard, it was thick like a milkshake and was worse than a protein shake. Today I had problems with my left able, left knee, left hip, left shoulder, left thumb, left side temperature mandibular, right ankle, right knee; right hip, right shoulder and right wrist. I also had right sided pain with my pelvis/hip joint area. I got the phone call saying I go for my splint fitting for my jaw next Thursday which will be good. And I also have my first physio appointment with the hospital for this year next week. Mums taking me to the beach tomorrow to just sit on the sand and relax, so hopefully that will be great. I can't type much as my left hand is bandaged and my right hand is super sore also. Tomorrow I will be increasing my Lyrica intake from 25mg at night, to 25mg two times a day (one in the morning and one at night) so I'll update how that goes tomorrow.

Struck down with pain on day twelve

Today is day 12 and what a horrible day it has been. I've been in so much pain. Today I dislocated my left thumb and I had to get an X-ray and get a ball bandage done so i can't use my whole hand, but it was causing more pain a the bandage moved so I removed it. I also got my flu needle today. My left ankle, right ankle, right kneeC right hip, left shoulder, left elbowF left thumb, right shoulder, left side lumba and left side temperal mandibula have been bothering me today. Not only have I been crushed by physical pain today, but emotional pain. People have made me feel like complete crap today. I had a massive fight on Facebook with some guy over a status I wrote to do with being in a wheelchair. I know that everyone is entitied to their own opinion, but there is a line that needs to be drawn. Some people are so ignorant and it upsets me deeply. You are not in a wheelchair, you do not go through the pain and suffering as I do, you do not live in my shoes. Therefore you have no right, what so ever in saying how I should feel or act. Some people are so ignorant and are just completely unable to comprehend and grasp the topic of understanding a medical condition. The lack of education involving what right someone has over a person with less physical privlages with clearly more academic skills to judge and compare someone's life to another is appalling. You can not compare pain from one person to someone with emotional pain. Just because you have had family problems in your life, does not mean you can compare yourself to a person with disabilities and say that you know what they're going through. You simply can not. You can learn to understand, but you can never truely know unless you are that person. There is a difference. I'm really frustrated. I could go on for hours about how I'm feeling but it's hard to type with one hand. Someone told me to stay optimistic and think positive because technology is fat changing. Yeah right. Why is there any reason to stay "optimistic" or "positive" when unless someone is able to break throug the space time continuum, discover the genetic engineering required to cease the diseases from being genetically passed on before the unborn child develops in the womb. Which is already too late to genetically engineer the coke gon and connective tissue of my unborn self. However, thus resulting in me, simply not giving a crap about optimism.

Woven with pain on day eleven

Today is day eleven, what a terrible day it was. I have had terrible pain with my left and right ankles, my right knee, right wrist, left shoulder, right shoulder and left and right elbow, temple pain, right lower lumba pain, neck pain, arthritic feeling in my fingers and pain on the right hip. I had to have a sleep this afternoon because I was feeling really tired and in pain. I was only asleep for an hour I think, but it helped a little bit. I've found that ever since I've started taking Lyrica, I have extremely vivid dreams, not always night mares though. I'm able to remember every single detail of the dream which is quite an odd experience on my behalf. As I said yesterday, I was looking forward to going to the beach with my friend, but it was crappy weather and I just didn't feel like going anywhere. I told a random person that I was in a wheelchair on Facebook, and they immediately stopped talking to me. It's a horrible feeling that you get when you realise that no one genuinely wants to associate with people who have disabilities. Just because I'm in a wheelchair for periods at a time, does not mean I'm a "retard" or a "freak". I'm a perfectly sane person with medical problems that affect my limbs, not my capability of talking, or being able to excite mathematical equations. Some people are so rediculous, they throw around the words like its nothing and call people terrible and hurtful things.
Sometimes I'm afraid to tell people that I can end up in a wheelchair at any given point. Because not many people are willing to accept people into society with disabilities. The world is such a terrible place!

Day ten, I need a boost of adrenalin

Today is day ten of being on Lyrica and I feel like complete and utter crap. I'm in so much pain that I can't even tie up my hair because my arms get so weak. I dislocated my right ankle tonight and I'm in terrible agony. I couldn't even use my crutches because I couldn't bare any weight on my left leg, let alone my right. Mum had to wheel me down the hallway to the bedroom in my wheelchair, it's a tight squeeze but we made it. I feel like a failure, what kind of parent should have to deal with a child with disabilities when they have their own pain? It makes me so upset, I don't know what i would ever do with out my mum, she means everything to me. My left and right ankles were severly painful today, my right hip, leg an right shoulders, left and right elbows and right wrist, temporal mandibular and lower lumba pain, as you can tell from the list..pain was scheduled to rise today. I wish I could do the things I love, go outside without being stared at for being in a wheelchair and just to feel like a normal kid my age. People don't understand how to cherish the little things in life, like riding a bike or flying a kite, until those privileges get snatched away from them. It makes me terribly sad to see other people in pain. Today, mum wheeled me to the grocery store and as we went past several people having conversations, they paused and stared at me. It's a terrible, terrible feeling to be examined by complete strangers, labelled as a retard or a freak. People don't understand ehlers danlos syndrome. One day you can be walking around having fun, playing baseball and the next day you're in a wheelchair, on crutches, in a sling or wrapped in bandages. I can't even eat dinner without my jaw sliding out of place continuously. People just don't understand, that some people may looks perfectly fine but they can have such debilitating diseases. Things like the conditions I have will NEVER get better, you can reduce the impact it may have on your life, but you can't rid it from your life. It's hides in the shadows and jumps out to test your faith and strength to keep going. Sometimes and injury can heal in a few hours or days, Sometimes weeks, months and years. I often wonder what the highest age is that someone lives to with having eds/RSD/CRPS when every form of medication, technique and mental strength ceases to help. How does anyone live past 15, let alone 80 something. Chronic pain affects you mostly physically and mentally/emotionally. Tomorrow, my friend is going to take me to the beach in my wheelchair for some fresh air. I'm hoping I can get out of my chair and sit in the sand and rub it over my legs to desensitize them. I feel CRPS pain in my legs so I think it's a good idea to nail it on the head before It gets worse. Oh well, I'll see how it goes. Hopefully it will be a great day, without storms!

Losing track of time on day nine

Today is day nine. I don't feel as terrible as I did in the previous days. My mouth has come back to normal and I only had painful left knee and left and right shoulders and my jaw today. Although I decided to moisturise my legs and it felt like I was getting scalpeled open! It lasted for an hour or so but reduced over time. It was a terrible sensation!  Supposed to be getting a bone density scan tomorrow, but it's raining terribly and it's not particularly a good idea to go out in the pouring rain in a wheelchair! So I suppose I will have to reschedule that appointment. I'm been having dreams and nightmares that I'm able to remember when I awake, which is quite annoying! My jaw keeps using out of place and causing me grief and it's quite annoying! Im only beginning to feel tired at the moment so I suppose I'll head off to sleep now!

Day eight, full of hate

Today is day eight and I'm in terrible pain. My left and right shoulders are giving me a lot of grief, as well as my left hip, right knee, right elbow (stabbing pain), left ankle, lover back and temperature madibula (jaw). The right side of my rib cage was hurting when I sneezed also. Today I have really discovered some of the side effects of taking Lyrica. I gave been itching all over and constantly feeling nauseated. The worst side effect of taking Lyrica today was the uncontrollable exasibated levels of saliva being produced. I was drooling, as I ate my dinner; saliva ran out of my mouth and I was unable to control it. I produced 60ml in 6 minutes, of what I let fall from my mouth into a measuring jug. I've been getting terrible headaches and nightmares of late also, which is a bummer. I've been feeling really depressed at the fact that there are so many jobs I will be unable to do with suffering from the lengthy list of conditions and problems I have. I've also felt disheartened at the fact that my friends don't wanna hang out with me if I'm in my wheelchair and do not want to be seen pushing me around in Public. This makes me feel like complete and utter crap. It's quite sad how people of today's society act, the level of immaturity and the lack of care  towards others fills me with such rage and sadness. It's such a terrible way of life that the people of Australia live. With no consideration to other peoples feelings and no compassion for people who do feel emotions and aren't robots; what kind of generation is this? "Generation don't give a crap about others". Some people want to be loved, and enjoy the things that life has to offer. There is so little I am able to do without being torn apart by pain, but I would like compassionate friends to stay by my side. But it's too much to ask  I suppose. I would appreciate a moment where pain didn't matter and I was surrounded by compassion and filled with content.

Day seven, still praying to heaven

Today is day 7 and I feel like a wreck. This mornings events included going to the dentist to get impressions for my mouth guard mould for my jaw, my mum running me home in the wheelchair through the rain with a bright pink poncho on and getting wheeled into a puddle! Atleast I had a good laugh with mum. What a sight! After all that excitement I started to get quite tired and just layed down for a while. I got this sharp, stabbing pain in the bone of my right elbow. It felt like someone had taken to biggest knife they could find and had scrapped it alone my bone! It's an excruciating pain which lasts no longer than a minute but occurred several times throughout the night. It almost brought me to tears! My jaw has slid out of place a few times and wouldn't go back into place, which is also causing me a fair bit of grief also. I also noticed I have a rash (hives) that were really bothering me today. My right shoulder is giving me a hard time with my left ankle and right knee too.  I also had terrible pain in my temples which lasted a few minutes and was excruciatingly painful to endure. I had a bad day with my stomach also. I'm very tired and I guess it's the lyrica that's causing these outrageous bursts of pain! I'll call my doctor in the morning about the occurrence.
I have been looking at cars lately for when I get my license (if I'm allowed to with my condition) and it's hard to find vehicles that will accommodate to my needs which is a bummer!

Stay pain free everyone x

Hit me up with a quick fix on day six

Today is day six and I feel like absolute crap. I stayed in bed all day, in pain. Today was a bad, extraordinarily painful day. My right hip with giving me a lot of grief. As well as my left ankle, left calf muscle, right knee, right foot, left shoulder and right collar bone, also my back. I had a lot head pain and pressure also. A few light headaches with pulsating. I had nausea worse than the previous days. My jaw keeps slipping out of place and causing me grief. Luckily, tomorrow I'm going to the dentist to get impressions done on my teeth so that I can get a mouth guard to help hold my jaw in place. My mums decided to take me to the appointment in my wheelchair. I'm not looking forward to it. Although, it means I'm one step closer to trying to help reduce my pain, even if it only helps a fraction. I'm putting on weight with these new tablets and I can't exercise to burn calories because of my heightened pain so I'm not too happy about that. I'm also getting booked into radiology to get another bone density scan to see if I still have osteoporosis in my legs. Wish me luck!

Day five, feeling awake and alive

Today is day 5, I have cried several times today from pain and emotional stress. Lyrica has made my hands swell, break out in a rash and made me dizzy. I have also been going hot an cold and breaking out in sweats. I dislocated my left and right shoulders, left elbow, left wrist and left pointer finger, right hip sublaxed and my right knee sublaxed. Today was not a good day for me. I tried to take my mind off the agony and layed in bed watching movies. I went outside for a little while until I became stricken with a sick feeling to my stomach. I was hoping that a breath of fresh air would do me some good, I suppose not. I tried telling some people that I will end up in a wheelchair permanently eventually.. It scared off a few people. I guess I know who will stick around to support me.. My mum. Family first, yeah it certainly applies, my mum is here beside me every step of the way. I cherish these moments when I'm in agony and she's here to comfort me. It makes me feel content and at ease.

Day four, tears hit the floor

Today is day four, a night mare. I've been suppressed to live a nightmare in reality. My hands and my feet are swelling. My legs and my arms are in a lot of pain, roughly a 7/10 with restlessness. PBo hi. One of the side effects of Lyrica is rashes, I'm covered in them. My stomach has been cramping and I haven't been able to go to the bathroom because of h medication. Today was an emotional day for me. I broke down and cried. I cried for hours about different things, all in relation to pain some how. I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with this at such a young age. I was also disappointed that I was getting prank calls when I made it clear to everyone I didn't need shit like that to annoy me when I'm in pain. My left shoulder is also bothering me at present at a 7/10. I wish I knew how to fix everything. If only I could :(

Sunshine dripping with acid rain

Today was a long, painful day. I dislocated my right knee, left and right knee, right elbow and right and left shoulder today. I mostly stayed in bed, to help ease my pain but it didn't work. Today is day 3 of being on lyrica and it's not easing my pain one single bit! I'm currently laying in my bed in agony with tears sliding down my pain stricken cheek. I hate this. I don't understand how anyone could live with this much pain; I'm just scraping through. It's times like this that personally I think I should be hospitalized with pain killers to help ease my struggles. I'm thinking of trying to make a legacy for myself.. I've been talking with mum about asking volunteers, clubs, sponsors and hospitals or famous people to donate to an Australian summer camp for kids living with chronic pain and illnesses. Like a camp to meet other people your age who feel an struggle with pain with their conditions and to make some good friends. I think that it would be a wonderful thing to meet other kids my age with similar disorders and things! I'm going to ponder it long an hard and see what I can try to accomplish in the near future. It will be a good distraction from my pain. Lately I have been writing short stories, playing my flue (bearing through the pain) and drawing to try and distract my self from the pain! But on Monday I have block exams and I'm stressing which is resulting in aggravation to my pain levels. I'm very stressed with my exams and assignments for year 11 which will impact my year 12 op with 5op classes. Ughhh I just feel like sleeping forever.

Holding on to Thursday

Today, I started off my morning with a dislocated jaw! On top of my dislocated shoulder and left ankle. Not a good start.
I took codeine, pariet, maxalon and panadol with my breakfast. I had wheatbix with milk so that it wasn't so hard to eat with my jaw although it didn't help with reducing discomfort while eating...
I started talking with a friend who also has a severe medical condition, I guess it made me feel less weird, knowing that I have someone else to talk with. I decided not to attend school today with having taken my first Lyrica tablet in 25mg last night. I feel a bit tired and lacking in concentration more than usual to be honest. I have some reflux at the moment and an ear ache with a sore sinus and throat..I think that I'm getting sick also.
I just want to be with my friends but they don't really care about how I'm feeling.. My closest friends haven't even bothered to message me. I guess this is the beginning of becoming a cat lady with no friends because I can't get out and do things. Soon I will be in a power chair (motorised wheelchair) with less friends! Oh well...
I have to think of some way to raise money to get a power chair and airfares to go to the Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Conference in Paramatta/Sydney in July.. But I don't know how I'm going to raise the money with having to buy a power chair, joint guards etc. 

A little bit about me

Hello, my names Kaitlyn. I'm a 15 year old girl, living In Brisbane. I'm currently in year 11.
I am a suffer of:

• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) 
• Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)
• Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) 
• Scoliosis 
• Chronic pain
• Hypermobility syndrome 
• Gord 
• Connective tissue disease 
• Previous osteoporosis 
• Weakened immune system
• Previous tumor attached to the main artery in my face
• Nasal spurs/pollups
• Permanent sublaxed joints
• Anaphylactic to peanuts, tammarind, worstishire sauce, morphine, ibuprofen, nurofen, phenergen, trees, grass etc
• Restless Legs
• Anxiety, panic attacks and depression from being in chronic pain
• Gluteal Crease Abnormality
• Osteogenesis Imperfecta 
• TMJ

And a few other things that are yet to be confirmed with study

I have been on panadol, panadene, codeine, gabbapenton and now i am trying Lyrica.
The gabbapenton made me a complete zombie and I was taking up to 6 tablets. It helped for a little while with managing my pain. My concentration levels  were rapidly reducing and I felt nausea  a lot, it helped with managing my pain for a while but had a lengthy list I side effects. ATM I am in a wheelchair/crutches with my left leg in a moon boot and my right shoulder resting from a dislocation resulting in a hospital visit.  I've held out for 5 years without taking big pills as I did not want to become immune to the pain relief so early in life and not be able to take anymore further down the track with my pain.


Today I have taken my first Lyrica, I felt a bit tired at first and it took my pain from a 9-8 whether or not that was from the tablet or rest I'm not aware. I felt a bit dizzy and weird in the head, I guess it's a bit better than gabbapenton! They say it can take up to 2 weeks to get use to it before increasing the dosage. I can either become a zombie with a reduced pain level and fail year 11 or be a half zombie with more pain and fail. It's a struggle.