Length of time symptoms and conditions

2 genetic mutations in the gene that encodes for the transporter protein responsible for moving anti cholesterol statin drugs into the liver to be detoxified. have been identified. This gene is "SLCO1B1" (also referred to in the scientific lit as "OATP1B1"). Drugs must be "detoxified" by organs within the body and then eliminated, otherwise the drug stays in the blood stream, building up to toxic levels. With either of the 2 mutations, statins have been found to be (from various studies) anywhere from 122% to 400% ABOVE NORMAL plasma statin levels. How many people have either of these mutations? (Population genetic studies were done in Finland on Caucasian pop--so all the #'s refer to Caucasian population) 25 % to 38% of ALL Caucasian possess one of these 2 mutations. Thus, for however many yrs someone with one of these mutations has taken a statin, the level of the statin in their blood stream conceiveably could have been 400% ABOVE normal statin levels. ALll those pharmacologic effects of statins--decreased coenzyme q10, depressed manufacture of dolichols, depressed manufacture of selnproteins and thus glutathione, interrupted production of GTPases and glycoprotein function, decreased brain cholesterol levels--neuron synapses and new growth of neurons depend upon brain choelsterol--are intensified unrelentingly for the length of time the drug is taken.

I stopped Yaz about a month ago after being on it for a year and a half and should have had my period a week ago. Freaking out, I took a pregnancy test but it came back negative and I couldn't think why I would be late.Even before I went on Yaz I always had very regular periods, always on time and always for the same length of time, Yaz did help with the severity of my periods and the length of them. My husband suggested that it may be something to do with me quitting Yaz...has anyone else who's quit taking it had these side effects??

I recently started the nuvaring for the first time a little over 1 week ago. I placed it as directed (on your first day of your period). my periods are typically 3 to 5 days with the last two days being extremely light. Since I have begun the nuvaring I have been having moderate to heavy bleeding. I was under the impression that this would give me about a 3 day period. I have never had bleeding for this length of time. Again, this is my first time to use this. Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions?

This is my first time being on birth control and I am in the second week of the second pack. Like the first pack, I have started my period on the second week, and not during the sugar pills .Last month I had a mild/moderate period for almost 2 weeks through the sugar pills. Is this going to change or am I always going to be getting my period at this time and for that ridiculous length of time?

They had me on a 600mg dose to begin with, which I cut way down to 200mg daily.I have high blood pressure and tachycardia and it does lower all that quite well. However, I am scared to go to bed at night, because I wake up shaking like I'm having seizures, I feel like my whole body is twitchy. Leg cramps, ringing in my ears, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, hot sweats, cold sweats, dark spots on the wall, (my blood pressure was normal), thirst, panic and anxiety, not caring about life or the house or bills, and horrible dreams, no appetite, then increased appetite, insomnia,and this all started about 3 days into the meds. Let your body adjust to it, yeah, it's getting worse so we'll see.

I had Mirena placed when my husband got back from Iraq. That was 5 years ago this month. All those years, I loved that I didn't have to worry about periods or birth control. Unfortunately, I had to worry about everything else. I blamed everything on stress. Learning to be a family again when my husband got home was hard. Then, we had no income for a year after he left the Army. Then, he got a new job and we moved and I went back to school. Stress, stress, stress. I blamed my weight gain on stress. I blamed my constant heartburn and acid indigestion on the weight gain. I had joint issues that I also blamed the weight for. I had chest pains and actually was afraid I was having a heart attack--I'm only 36 now. I thought being fat was the reason for that too.

I figured I just needed to lose 50 pounds. I'd go to the gym and get on track. I was hardly eating anything, since everything made me sick. I'd plan to go to the gym, but the next day, (I don't work, just go to school online), I'd have no energy. I would stay in bed for hours. I stopped cleaning my house, didn't care what my kids ate for dinner. I stopped doing my hobbies. I was so depressed. I saw one other lady here had said that she HATED her husband and he hadn't done anything! Ditto!!! I was ready to file for divorce and the poor guy wasn't even in town!!! He was on a business trip!

I had the Mirena taken out April 1. Yesterday, I went to the doc to confirm (though I already knew it) that my blood pressure was dangerously low. (84/52) I'm not allowed to drive, shower, stand for any length of time... This happens to me when I get sick or my immune system takes a hit. Since I'm having bleeding similar to what others are, I assume that's the problem and my BP will hopefully go up in the next couple of days.
However, I'm happy. That is something I never was before. I'm still tired, but I'm not sleeping on a regular schedule yet.

The biggest thing that no one has mentioned yet is HUNGER!! I'm SOoooo hungry. The day after removal, I woke with my stomach growling. I don't remember the last time my stomach growled! I can't seem to eat enough, though I'm scared to gain more weight! I'm thinking maybe my metabolism is going back to normal??!! Anyway, anyone else had this?

K.

My son (14 years old) was given levaquin for a sinus and ear infection
2 weeks ago. Around the same time he began practices for his high school baseball team. He complained about his legs being stiff and aching. We assumed it was the intense practices causing his muscles to ache. After a week on the drug, he could barely walk and his knees were swollen. We were very concerned and looked up the side effects of levaquin on the internet. We were shocked and angry when we found out that levaquin should not be given to children under the age of 18 because on the possibility of joint and tendon problems. Today we went to the orthopedist and he drained a lot of fluid off of both knees (it looked like about a 1/2 cup from each).The doctor thinks it has to be a side effect of the drug, because the symptoms began at the same time. He doesn't
think after examining the knee and having him perform certain tasks that he has damaged any tendons. He has all the symptoms of rheumatiod arthritis. He is very athletic and plays competitive sports and we are praying that his knees are not permanently damaged by this drug. Parents please research all drugs and there side effects before giving them to your children! Doctor's DO make mistakes!! The pharmacist failed us too.

I had a slight cough for a while, but don't any more. I have been on 20mg for a couple years. About 6 months ago, both knees started hurting, but thought I was just getting old. (49). Then everything started aching. If I am moving, then I'm fine, but if I sit for any length of time and try to get up, I hurt all over. I don't know if it is this med, but reading all these posts make me think it could be. I just need to get my weight off and get off of this!
Also, I got to this site because I started having a sharp, fast pain just below my left ribcage. 2 yesterday, but about 10-15 today. Good thing it only lasts about a second, because it is bad. So-could this be from this drug, as well?

During my 6 months on Warfarin (Coumidin) I experienced tremendous lethargy and short term memory loss. No issues with other commonly reported symptoms of hair loss, heavy legs,…
I am a 49 year old male. In January 2008 I was diagnosed with DVT's in my right lung. Interestingly I experienced 100% of the pain on my left side though the DVT’s were on the right. The onset of symptoms was a pain in my chest like I pulled a muscle lifting something. The pain progressed from "notable" to progressively uncomfortable, where I was restless in bed to the point of not sleeping. On the 3rd day after fitful sleeping and progressively more painful breathing, I made a doctor's appointment for that afternoon. By the time I got to the Dr. I was sure I had made the right decision (I am male and avoid these things).
My primary care did an EKG to rule out a heart attack which the symptoms were identical to; sharp pain in chest toward left shoulder and arm, trouble breathing. I was sent for an X-ray and was very uncomfortable laying still on the Xray bed as the pain as I inhaled had gotten sharper. I went home and resumed office work but soon was in extreme pain with each breath. So much pain that I could not lay or sit, but collapsed to my knees where I stayed for 20 minutes until I could move again. I called the doctor's office and was advised to go directly to the ER. Duh. The ER again ran an EKG and ruled out cardiac issues.
Three ER Attendings pondered my condition for an hour or so and then began asking as series of questions and at the 3rd question – had I flown any long flights recently? Yes, several transatlantic – at which I saw their glances and was whisked off to a CAT scan which confirmed DVT’s. I was put on morphine and some IV’s and admitted for 5 days. I started Lovenox shots and by the 4th day was feeling better.
Blood tests did not revel any genetic disposition (factor V) for clots and no family history so it was recorded as “Coach Class Syndrome”. I was put on Warfarin for (5mg/day) for 6 months. I was able to keep relatively good INR’s. I came off Warfarin (12 August 2008). I will have to take Lovenox shots before long flights. I am happy to come off the Warfarin as I experienced tremendous lethargy and short term memory loss. No issues and I have been off coumadim for 6 months now. Glad to have that behind me… hopefully.

My dad, 84 years old, was given this drug for a lung infection caused by an undiagnosed agent. That was the first mistake as it had no effect on his condition (The shotgun in the dark approach). I do not know the dose are length of time it was taken. Hopefully not very long. Now hospitalized, barely able to walk. General weakness, vision deteriorating, Carpal Tunnel like symptoms, swollen ankles, pain in shoulder, loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss, and who knows what else. Seemed to be pessimistic about recovery, negative thoughts. "Cannot go on like this" so went to hospital. What a tragedy, turning a vibrant elderly person into practically an invalid. Perhaps effects wiil wear off. Any ideas?

I started taking 500 mg of Levaquin on Friday. I have a sinus infection, bronchitis and was wheezing. I finished chemo a year ago and have long term effects from it including joint pain. I was improving by working with a trainer, doing basic pilates, etc... My joints are awful and it's not the same pain. My knees hurt all the time, I can't stand for any length of time. My hands, shoulders and hips hurt. My doctor was out today, but the nurse told me to stop taking it and I see her tomorrow.

This is so upsetting, I read the insert from the pharmacy and it mentioned joint pain, so I know it's where the pain is coming from. It took me so long to get to where I am and now this. I am still sick with the sinus infection and bronchitis.

I will post tomorrow after I see my doctor.

N.

I am so glad to know it is not just me! I've been on the pill since I was 16. Loestrin for almost two years now. I went on it originally to lessen the length of time I had my period. Each time I had spotting, I've been told it's normal and that it's just my body getting used to it. I found that if I took the pill an hour later then I took it the previous day that I'd start spotting. I felt like I was spotting ALL of the time! or like I was getting my period twice a month at least. I was told that it’s just my body and hormones adjusting.

Over this past summer I actually set timers on my phone and blackberry to take it at 11am every day out of fear of taking it 15 minutes late and starting spotting again. In October I skipped the brown pill week due to a vacation. I thought it was ok to do this. I started to feel depressed, tired all the time, like I was getting sick, I was anxious about my relationships, edgy and completely over emotional- I attributed that to stress at work and maybe just PMS, or again my hormones just adjusting. In November out of fear of getting my period when I shouldn't have it due to the time change, I actually switched the times of my alarms and started taking the pill at 10am. In December after finishing that pack, I actually switched it to noon with the start of my next pack. Then mid-month I started having a lot of spotting.. for over a week before I actually got my period. Again, I figured this was due to my switching times. Since then I haven't changed the times I take it, and I'm not due until Jan 26th and yet I started spotting again this weekend- and still am.

After reading these blogs I'm starting to wonder if EVERYTHING I've been experiencing is due to these pills. I had read an article last week that stated the low dose birth control pills cause a decrease in Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, B12, Magnesium. A Vitamin B6 depletion can inhibit the production of serotonin, which increases a woman's risk of becoming depressed. A magnesium deficiency is associated with insomnia, anxiety and depression. Since reading that article I've been taking a multi vitamin- Woman’s One a day brand, and have felt 200% better emotionally. The article also links taking pills and having an increased risk in cervical cancer and/ or dysplasia cells- Which I’ve had the cells, and had them removed about 6 years ago. I’m also wondering if my levels of Progesterone are low, and that’s why I’ve been spotting so much. These pills contain progestins, which block the action of natural progesterone. Low levels of progesterone are what make you start your period every month.

My appointment with my Dr. isn't until next month, but I will be sure to bring up that article and this blog and get my pills changed. I seriously can’t take this anymore.

Hi all, I have used the Mirena now for 6 years! I have never had any problems with the insertion or taking it out as I've just had it changed after my first five years. It was recommended to me by my doctor as a form of birth control and because I used to get bad PMT, for this it has worked a treat. My periods have stopped completely and I haven't bled for the at least the last 3 years, but it's not something that happens over night. However like everything it has it's down sides and now at 31 years old I am suffering with really bad acne and have done for at least the last 2 years, it is really i tchy and painful and really gets me down, I have been prescribed two different courses of antibiotics which haven't worked. I have over this time also gained weight. So after this length of time I am toying with the idea of having it removed, but for me i need to make the decision whether I want my periods back again and no acne or no periods and terrible skin, it's a difficult one, oh to be a woman!!

I too have eosinophilia pneumonia and have been on Prednisone for over two years. Doctor told me he had not seen a case of EP since the 1980s but as of last week he has now had five cases of the disease with no explanation as to why. After determining my condition was not parasitic he started me out on 60mg and then I tried to wean myself by dropping 5 mg every two weeks but to no avail. This continued for at least 18 to 24 months until I decided I would try to drop by 2-1/2 mg every four weeks and am now down to, as of today, 5 mg. Walked four miles this afternoon and did experience some wheezing but didn't feel like my lungs were going to explode so I consider this success. Have this wired moon face that makes me look like someone I don't even know but have been pretty lucky to maintain a constant weight with a starvation diet. Am hoping I am able to continue at the 5mg and lose some of these terrible side effects but don't know how long it may take. Last time I was at the doctor's office and in a desperate state, he prescribed (he continues to research all options and some alternative methods to provide relief) Stromectol tablets which is used to treat parasites but is the active ingredient in the treatment of heartworms in animals. Once I determined the side effects did not outweight the potential benefits I took the one dose treatment and maybe, just maybe, it is helping. Only time will tell. Can anyone tell me if the length of time on the treatment is a determining factor for how long the moon face and other symptoms will last.

Hang in there and hopefully we can help each other through.

After reading this I feel inclined to write. I am a 35 year old mother of 2. I decided to use NuvaRing as my bc after having the morena (sp?) IUD taken out due to weight gain and excessive acne. I was really excited about the ring as pills make me feel pregnant i.e. go to bed early and force myself to eat saltines.
I have in the past 4+ years of being on this drug noticed huge mood swings and definite lowered sex drive. This is suppose to be my sexual prime and man, I feel like a dead fish. I am recently separated and filing for divorce so it is interesting to think that all my husbands comments about my mood, over the years, may have been directly due to the NuvaRing. I thought that he was being insensitive (which he has always been guilty of).
Don't get me wrong...my marriage was abviously not strong enough to withstand such hormonal turmoil especially for this length of time, however, this is all very interesting. I have felt rageful around ovulation time. I cannot keep from yelling. Also prior to my period I am again feeling a little crazy. I had excessive eating and drinking due to depression but some of that could be my unhappy relationship.
I did have leg cramps mostly at night that I did not understand. Nausea seems to hit mostly at night and headaches were something that happened off and on. The fatigue I remember off and on over the years.
I believe that I was one of the first people to try this drug and was very happy with it. I always recommend it to others. I thought it was wonderful. I did go off at one point and remembered why I need regulation...My periods are long, heavy, painful, horrible and irregular.
I am due to put the ring back in tomorrow, however I will be heading down the road of recovery alone, with out my beloved NuvaRing that may have led me astray long ago.

I have been making inquires as to how and if the fda will conduct investigations in to permanent damage left from this drug.Although on taking my son off this drug i saw a 90% improvement,i am still missing the final piece,is it that he lost 3 years to this drug or did it do damage that cannot be fixed,we as parents need to know.The FDA responded to my letter,they said if they see a trend in reports from medwatch,it may prompt an investigation .I am asking all who still have missing pieces to file a report.What has happened is a tragedy,we need to explore ever option for continued success for our childrens future.Good Luck to all,Keep Fighting

I have been on 20 mg Lipitor for years, and as I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis, all my symptoms have been blamed on that. I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and put on Lyrica because of the muscle aches and depression. My lower back, hurt in a car accident when I was 17 years old, had gotten so much worse that I had 12 steroid shots in my lower spine a couple of years ago. They didn't help my back at all, but my blood sugar went from normal to diabetic levels, and I am now on Byetta to try to lower it.
I am a 56 year old woman who was the math specialist in a school district until last December when I had to retire early. My back pain was so severe that I could no longer go from school to school carting materials. I could barely make it from the parking lot to my office. Mentally I was not ready to retire, but physically, I was (and am) a wreck. I have severe muscle pain in my shoulders, sometimes one or the other, but always present. I have tingling in my right hand, especially in my fingertips, and have trouble gripping and drop things easily. In the last few months the pain in my right thigh and calf has gotten unbearable. I thought at first it was sciatica, but I have had sciatica before, and this isn't the same, although there is tingling, burning , but the pins and needles is so deep in the muscles I have just sat and cried, or wanted to scream. I have wished I could just cut my leg off. And...I am on some pretty heavy duty pain killers for the RA: a small dose of prednisone plus Enbrel, Methotrexate, and Vicodin, and this pain is cutting right through all these meds. I get severe headaches, I went off Lipitor for 5 days and seemed a little better, but then went back on, and it came back.
Since I no longer work, I sleep longer, am exhausted ALL the time, have terrible mental fog, am clumsy, cannot stand for more than a minute or so without wanting to scream, cannot walk more than a few yards...just getting to the car is an ordeal. I tell people that I can only shop in shoe stores and furniture stores...the only stores with places to sit down.
I no longer cook or clean, cannot play with my granddaughter, even holding a book to read can be too much, and I love reading. I feel I am just dying bit by bit as I lose parts of myself.
My doctor is really into lowering cholesterol, and has put me on Zetia in the past few months...and it has been in this time that the pain in my leg has gotten unbearable. He wants my cholesterol to be between 50-60, and has said that the Zetia along with the Lipitor will do that. Is this normal or in any way reasonable??? I am having a full blood workup done tomorrow morning, and I want to go off the Lipitor starting the day after.
I came across this web site tonight while looking up Lipitor side effects, and I am shocked. I have so many of these symptoms, and there are so many I had no knowledge of at all. I knew about the muscle aches, but that's all. I hope someone can help me with what supplements and vitamins I should be taking. I started taking CoQ10 a month or so ago. What else should I be taking for my health? I know vitamin C and fish oil, but don't know how much or anything else. Right now I am just stunned with the thought that all of these problems that have left me unhappily retired, exhausted and in constant pain can all be caused from a drug I have been taking to help me be healthier.

Hello everyone! I just want to thank each and every one of you for your postings. On more than one occasion I would come to this site because without all of you I probably would have truly lost my mind. I just want to give a brief history of what's been going on with me because if it can help one other person then it's all worth it. In 2005, I go vaccinated for chickenpox, I work in health care, never had them, and wanted to start having children since I'm 36. A month after the vaccine I broke out in a horrific rash ALL OVER and had it until April of 2008. I went to the hospital where I had the vaccine, 5 dermatologists, 3 Infectious Disease, various medical doctors and no one knew what it was. This April, I was admitted to the hospital with Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. After 3 hematologists, the last one feels the vaccine threw my immune system into a tizzy. I started with 60mg of Prednisone and eventually got down to 2.5mg. The hemolysis(body produces antibodies that attacks it own body) started again so I went to a new Hematologist and was put back up to 30mg and just got put down to 10mg today. Right now my biggest concern is the hair loss. I use to have such thick hair and now I cry almost daily because I loose so much. I am going to try the Ensure like someone posted just to see if that helps. I drink protein shakes, take Silica, multivitamins (Solgar) that have biotin, and going to try Nioxin shampoo. I have terrible mood swings and now I feel like I am going through withdrawal. It's almost like I want to take more just to feel better. I know that sounds crazy. The big fat moon face, my joints feel like they pop out, confused easily, can't sleep, and just can't really leave my house and live a normal life since April. I HATE IT!!! The only thing that helps me feel better when the daily prednisone "kicks in" is walking and exercising. I feel so bad for everyone this drug is just awful. I get angry because not one person told me what life was going to be like on prednisone. I think that is just mean. That's why these postings are so important. I know this is entirely to long but I feel so much better getting my story out there. Did everyone's hair eventually grow back. I don't know if I will have any left next month. Thank you all so much.
GG

Hi all i no there is a lot of side effects, i have had mine for nearly 10 weeks now, hardly any bleeding which is why i got it in the first place, but have gained weight, and still get sharp pains, realistically does this change after the 3-6 months, as i am willing if there is hope of feeling better after this length of time, before i give up, as they say if you have it removed you go through a bad time also

I wish I would have read the side effects before trying this med on my 4 year old. I've been receiving complaints from his preschool teachers in the last few weeks about him throwing things, hitting kids and adults, yelling, spitting, name calling and the length of time it takes him to calm down. He can't tell me why he is doing these things but can give me a detailed account of all he is doing and to whom and admits its wrong. I've ignored the messages he's sent me saying his stomach hurts even to the point of crying about it 1 day, complaining of headaches that he is sleepy at home and school no matter how early he goes to bed or how late he wakes, a little vomitting, eye swelling occasionally, stuffy nose, thirst leading to increased accidental bed wetting and all this has been going on since he started the med in late July. I even took him to a child psych who said he couldn't find any reason he would act out and that he is well spoken, mannared, entertaining and knowledgeable for his age. Starting today he will never take this med again! The doctor says give him 5 days for the med to be out of his system. I hope this is the problem and feel terrible for putting him, his classmates, and teachers through this.

I'm a physician. Usually Kenalog injections can be avoided and oral steroids used like prednisone. The local dimpling effect may occur if the injection is too shallow, actually there is a temporary "disolving" of the subcutaneous tissue, the muscle and joints are not damaged. It is usually viewed as a "cosmetic" adverse effect. The Kenalog injections was primarily designed for joint injection and the kenalog or similar depo form stays active in the joint for a few weeks. All steroid medications can cause irritability and this is usually temporary for a few days. Steroids can cause muscle weakness- this is usually associated with high doses for prolonged use like being on prednisone for 3 or 4 months. Steroids can have an adverse effect on menstruation, but this is usually associated with chronic use. The most serious problems with the steroids result in bone weakness(osteoporosis) and serious damage to joints like the back and hip. Steroids can also result in weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and cataract formation. I don't think Kenalog is any different than other steroids such as Medrol or Prednisone in terms of the side effect profile. These are dangerous medications that can also be very helpful in saving lives and diminishing pain.

I have been on Zoloft for 13 years, up and down with the dosage. I don't believe I should be on this for the this length of time. My doctor says I may take it the rest of my life. I am long over the situation that caused me to take it in the first place.

I have been trying to come off of it and feel terrible. I am not depressed. Such physically ill.

I just started taking Diovan (one dose) after taking another blood pressure medication which had horrible side effects. I feel fine, except for extremely painful soles of my feet. In fact it's so painful, I can't stand or walk on them. I couldn't figure out what was going on, but after reading all of the posts, I now know. It was my first and last dosage of Diovan, Thank you.

I am on my 3rd NuvaRing, and my last NuvaRing. This thing has cause me more pain and problems than anything I have ever used! The first time around the only problem I had was an increase in UTI's and extreme discomfort in my vagina and urethra, especially during and days after sex. I was told these side effects would go away within the next trial of the NuvaRing. Boy, were they wrong. After Taking out my second NuvaRing my period lasted from JULY 5TH to JULY 18TH! I also had to face the heaviest period of my life. I would go through a super plus absorbency tampon and panty liner in less than an hour. How embarrassing, inconvenient, and uncomfortable! I have had two ultrasounds, and 3 pelvic exams since starting the NuvaRing just 3 months ago. I have also had to face headaches, stomach pains, MOOD SWINGS, IRRITABILITY, and depression. This thing has put a damper on my sex drive and my relationship with everyone around me including my boyfriend of 3 1/2 years. I would not recommend the NuvaRing to anyone!!!!!!!!

I just went to the Dr. for my second Lupron injection and to get some help with the side effects. Menopausal/emotional me, started crying!!! Gawd! I went in with my list of side effects from the last 3 months (and it was long!) and wondered what was worse, the pain of endometriosis or the life changing side effects of Lupron. My Dr. is wonderful and spent an hour with me; he decided to put me on Provera (progesterone or add-back therapy) for a week to see if the side effects improve. If they do, I get my second dose of Lupron in a week. If not, we stop it all and let my body slowly try to get back to normal (although I have never known what "normal" is since endometriosis) and see how the "therapy" worked. He is strongly encouraging me to follow through with the 6 month course as that is the recommended length of time for the best results. I'm 5'8" and have lost 10 lbs. in the last three months, I'm down to 107 lbs. He told me to try and eat more if I could (although my nausea is constant 24hrs. a day) and make sure to take a daily vitamin and calcium for bone loss. He said that he has never heard of blurred vision to be a side effect of Lupron, "But every woman is effected differently." I'm really hoping the Provera works - any kind of relief is better than this! I'm still having 3-4 hotflashes every hour with extreme exhaustion/fatigue, night sweats, daily migraine headaches, nausea 24hrs. a day, life changing mood swings, and shaky hands. He kept reminding me that this only 6 months out of my life - it's not forever ... forever feels like an awful long time when you can barely get out of bed!