So, you have to titrate your way onto this new drug. “Huh,” I thought, “I didn’t have to do that with my old drug. Then again, I had to spend a day at the hospital under observation.”
So I shrugged, and popped the first pill, which is one tenth what my final dose will be.
Then I forgot about it entirely because I had a day at work so stressful I developed a twitch in my upper lip. It wasn’t until six that it occurred to me to check if twitching is a side effect. (It is not.)
I woke up at three a.m. so hungry I had to go and raid the fridge. I ate a half cup of leftover rice and I wondered if hunger is a side effect. (It is not.)
Ten minutes later, I felt an overwhelming wave of nausea. I mean, falling-down-can’t-lift-your arms nausea. It stayed with me a hour. I checked to confirm: is nausea is the number one side effect? (It is.)
If I get this nauseated over half a cup of rice (rice!), imagine how sick I would have been if I started off with a full dose. Why the nausea didn’t hit me as I ate my lunch of popcorn and chicken strips (again, stressful day) I can’t guess.
6 responses to “New Drug Day One”
Ick. (and yes, the “is this a side effect? what about this?” game is So Fun To Play. Or not.)
KC – I seem to have been eating like a pig today, so is that a side effect? Or leftover work stress? The fat does not care.
Oy. I’ve had several medications alter my metabolism (in different directions!) so there’s that: the fat may care, if this is your new “required number of calories for weight maintenance” – but I admit that’s relatively unlikely.
Anyway! I hope things tick along better for you soon (but at least you don’t have fully debilitating nausea?).
KC – I bumped it up again today and got some more nausea, but again not enough to make me stop eating. I think I’m at 1/5th of a normal dose.
KC – Not all at the same time. Hunger leads to eating which leads to nausea. And I usually get all the side effects for six weeks and then I get over it. But, I did just gain seven pounds in four days. Hopefully that goes away in six weeks.
Nausea vs. hunger: annnnnd fight!
(this is not a good wrestling match to be in the middle of, honestly. I hope it improves soon!)