u/Adrift715

Through out the decades I’d occasionally dream I was young again and just met a new guy. That feeling of butterflies, the possibility of romance (it felt so real). It was bittersweet as I’m a 60+ grandma who’s been married 40 yrs. Last night I dreamt I was young and living in a big house with roommates. There was the usual drama with difficult personalities and unpaid obligations and I was debating leaving and going elsewhere. I was filled with excitement about where I might end up. I had an optimistic attitude, a can do spirt. Again it felt so real. Gosh I miss that.

Like so many people here I’ve (f60s) had some scary interactions with various medications. Last year I had a shot of Rocephin followed by 4 doses out of 14 of bactrim for a possible uti that I could write volumes about. Here we are a year later with a mild ear infection after two long months of allergies, sinusitis and a clogged lymph node in my neck. I was originally prescribed oflaxacin ear drops at urgent care but that too was problematic after a few hours.

Maybe this post will ease some anxious minds who are starting a Z pak.

I started a z pak on Sunday around 6 am. By 8 am I had stomach and lower back cramps, spent the next two hours running to the rest room. By 10 am my stomach settled down, by 11 am I noticed a wave of calm had settled over me that I hadn’t felt in months. By 1 pm my sinus passage was unblocked, my ear pressure and lymph nodes felt looser. I noticed some slight itching in the evening. I had a decent night of sleep.

My spouse noticed my face looked less puffy, I could see/feel my jaw line, didn’t look like jabba the hut.

Monday I took dose two, the itching was getting a bit more intense so I took a benedryl and it settled right down. My stomach was fine all day, my urine out put was a bit low even though I was drinking but I figured I lost a lot of fluid the day before. Again my ear, sinus and neck all felt fine. I was feeling very tired and unmotivated all day. My heart rate was a bit elevated but I increased my dosage of a beta blocker.

Day 3, woke up feeling very congested, my ear hurt and my neck was stiff. The lymph nodes under my arm on my right side all ached. I again took a benedryl preemptively to keep in itching at bay. Pretty sure it was just part of a die off reaction. My stomach started cramping up again and I was in the rest room several times. I had a big bowl of chicken soup for lunch and stayed hydrated and soon after the morning congestion and lymph nodes tenderness eased up. I am noticing that my urine is clearer, the past few months it’s been yellowish.

Evening day 3, I am noticing feeling a bit agitated…many people said it made them anxious. I think it’s again part of the die off process.

I’ll update this in a few days. All told I’m so happy that this medication is working. I feel so much better, my poor exhausted body had been battling what ever this is for two months.

After 40 years I was tired of trying to figure out what to do with an odd assortment of inexpensive gold jewelry. Most were either graduation gifts from the 80s, anniversary pieces from the 90s, an old dental crown and rings from my late MIL. I knew my kids would have no clue what to do with them down the road. So a few months ago I brought them to a trusted local jewelry store, initially thought I’d be laughed out of the shop. They took the collection in for appraisal and much to my surprise offered me a check for $600 and a consignment contract for my MILs rings. I had my doubts that in this economy anyone would be interested in the rings but once again, I was shocked to receive a check today for $1500. Might gather up some silver next. Perhaps if I’d done more research I’d have gotten more but I’m just thrilled with the outcome.