Don't Do Drugs

I'm sleepy. I just finished a 2 hour nap. My sleepiness is, in part, due to my decision to stay up late last night, enjoying the company of a good friend along with a few glasses of rum and egg nog. I did not get my requisite beauty sleep of 12 hours, having so suffice with 10. It's not just the late night and ALS, however. The list of drugs I am on is getting longer and longer, and most of them list drowsiness and dizziness as side effects.

The worse was the Gentamycin. I ended with its notorious effects of vertigo and hearing loss. I wonder how long it will take for that to finally wear off. Perhaps it has gone as much as it will, with the other drugs making up for it. To combat the damage of the Gentamycin, I take Betahistine. Side effects are mild, only itching for me, although many people get a rash and stomach pain. Well, maybe I get the stomach pain too.

Of course there is the Ciprofloxacin I am on to combat my latest bladder infection. This powerful antibiotic is the same drug they use to treat Anthrax. For me the apparent side effects are limited and increase in the numbness, tingling, and the burning pain in my legs and feet, something which has existed for a long time, gettnig worse lately.

My newest medication is Gabapentin, ostensibly for the neuropathic in my legs and rear end. This stabbing, needle and fire pain can run wild one day yet be only mild or moderate today. This morning was bad; seemed the medication was doing anything at all. Common side effects of Gabapentin which I am dealing with are dizziness, drowsiness, and tiredness. It also may be adding to the swelling in my feet and pre-existing vision problems and coordination problems. I'm not sure if these last few are hitting me; I've been having problems with these things for a while.

The rest of the pharmacy I put in my body all have their own special effects, most commonly drowsiness. Not on that list is the Venlafaxine I take for the depression and congitive issues associated with ALS. It's side effects trouble with vision and increased bleeding with injuries.

There are more. Rivaroxaban to stop blood clots. Tamsulosin to increase urine flow. Ramapril to thin my blood and reduce heart problems. Metoprolol to stop me from stroking out. Zopiclone to help me sleep. Pantaloc for GERD. Each and every one of these medications have their own side effects, dizziness and drowsiness being fairly common. Some don't; they have their own special impacts. All of them do something in addition to their intended purpose.

So if I am tired, I get to blame late nights. I also get to blame ALS and the drugs. It doesn't really matter. I'm always tired. Only now I get dizziness to go with it. I've already given up driving, so I'm relatively safe. Now all I can say is "Don't do drugs, unless you have to."