Chem + Nature = Relief

[mykalsunrise]

Greeting from sunny Mexico.

The last time I was here things were dark. Dark Dark days. Augmentation and the emotional baggage that accompanies it were major players in my life. I finally kicked the DA I was on and found some relief managing the disorder through natural means. That lasted a while until I got up the nerve to try again. Plus I was getting tired as the disorder was getting to be front and center again. This is what has helped for the last year or so. I am posting it to maybe give someone else an idea that can work for them. I work during the day so this schedule is reflective of that. It may seem like I have a slight case of this evil disorder from the small amount of meds in my regiment but that is far from the truth. Its been with me since childhood and it affects my whole body. I am just lucky I guess that I am so sensitive to the effects of the chems.

9pm I take .5 ml of Requip. (the generic doesn't work for me as well)
9pm I take 50 ml Tramadol.
10 pm I have sex with my partner or myself. (the endorphine release is the cherry)
Drift off

7am wake up and drink 2-3 cups of strong coffee to shake the remaining cobwebs.
And I am off to the races.

I work out 3 days a week and I eat a normal diet.

My weight is stable and my emotional health is good now. I have a strong "lets do this" attitude were as before on a much larger dose of the DA I was in a fog all the time. I really hopes this gives someone on here some hope. I remember when I needed a little reassurance. Much love from the Sierra Madre mountains in sunny Mexico.

[badnights]

That's fantastic! Augmentation is a horrible thing, I'm glad to see your baseline RLS/WED can be controlled by such a simple regimen.
Have you tried no coffee? I go back and forth on that one. Sometimes it seems to have an immediate bad effect, but other times I seem to drink it with impunity.

[bryher]

Great post! Right along the lines of what I've been trying to get to. NO silver bullet, no magic medicine. I've learned, and truly believe, its a combination of natural, pharmaceutical, healthy living, and routine. Still working on the right combination but soon I envision myself posting a similar thread. Ialso think the right combination might be a changing the routine every now and then.

Questions -
1) what are your thoughts on the endorphin release? masturbation worked for me very well in the beginning. now not so sure. wasn't sure if it was a muscle relaxation thing or what?

2) im curious about the coffee. part of my routine is to cut out caffeine 100%. curious to hear more on this.

[mykalsunrise]

I hope you can find that place you are looking for. I went through absolute he.. getting there and I have to remind myself constantly what I achieved so I won't do something to set myself back. God knows that 3rd glass of wine is always beckoning. (lol) I tried the Endorphins only route but it wasn't strong enough on its own to be effective. The tramadol was the same. When I decided to add the Requip I did so with great trepidation. When I did take the leap and worked all three together it was "just what the doctor ordered".

Answers -
1) The Endorphin release is what brings it all together for me. I would venture to say it is the relaxing effect at just the right time to complement the pharmaceuticals. (Timing is everything). I am starting to lose my eyesight though.

2) The coffee, the coffee, the coffee. Oh the coffee! What I struggled with before when I was all jacked up on Requip was the zombie like effect of the morning after. It was what was driving me mad and eventually drove me over the proverbial cliff. I don't think I could rave about my new found emotional well being without the coffee clearing my head every morning. The pharmaceuticals still leave a little haze but that coffee is what gives me the energy and clarity to feel human again.

So there you have it. RLS/WED is the enemy and I stand with all of you as we continue the good fight. Someday with persistence and diligence we will win the war on this most evil of demons. Slayed and tossed back into the pits from which it crawled. Then we will rejoice and drink a 3rd glass of ruby red Cabernet Sauvignon. Indulge in a large scoop of chocolate chip ice cream and sit through not one but two extra long screenings of outrageously melodramatic period piece theater. Those will surely be glorious days. Glorious indeed.

[Polar Bear]

Then we will rejoice and drink a 3rd glass of ruby red Cabernet Sauvignon. Indulge in a large scoop of chocolate chip ice cream and sit through not one but two extra long screenings of outrageously melodramatic period piece theater. Those will surely be glorious days. Glorious indeed.

Well put. I will echo this

[Chipmunk]

I have to wonder how much living in a sunny area affects your symptoms. For me, raising Vitamin D levels seems to affect the severity of the WED/RLS, and by living in a sunny climate, you will naturally get more Vitamin D than you would otherwise.

[badnights]

Probably you should indeed add vitamin D to the regimen. I know I need it too. Iron and D are my non-prescribed additives, plus a careful (not-quite-stable) balance of narcotic, dopamine agonist, and sleeping pill.

Orgasm helps immensely, but only for a very short time. (I carefully make a distinction between orgasm and sex, which may or may not include orgasm. Sex without orgasm usually worsens my WED symptoms.)

I don't think I could rave about my new found emotional well being without the coffee clearing my head every morning. The pharmaceuticals still leave a little haze but that coffee is what gives me the energy and clarity to feel human again.

I feel the same about the coffee. It is, after all, another drug, and perhaps we should use it the same way. Controlled and for a purpose.

I recently cut out refined sugar and coffee on a naturopath's advice. ( Desperate days.) It was WAY harder to cut out the sugar than the coffee. I was very surprised.