Doggie Weed and the Road to Recovery

Yesterday, I wrote about my need to kick my sugar habit, which had recently spiraled out of control.  Then, I trotted off to a quick meeting, followed by an invite from a dear friend to come enjoy a glass of wine with her and catch up. Even though a severe sugar-deprivation migraine was knocking to get in.

As I was enjoying my visit with a fellow Spoonie.  We were chatting about all my changes over the past year-the last time we had gotten together, I was new to fibro and dealing with food elimination challenges. (Wait, that sounds like I'm talking about the actual elimination of food-poo.  That's not where I was going. Sorry 'bout the visual. I meant, my elimination diet, where I eliminate certain things from my diet to figure out what causes problems...)

We were talking drugs, and I mentioned my Mirtazapine for sleep. She said, "What???  At work, (she works with a vet) we give that to animals who don't want to eat." So I'm on doggie drugs.  Mirtazapine, from what I have since read, is like Marijuana, but for dogs. Doggie weed. Fab. Which explains why I no longer have fleas.  But I have had some more pressing problems come up.

Now I have the answers to many of my recent questions.  Namely:
1. Why have I been gobbling sugar like Chong on a 3-day pot-munchies bender?
2. Why have I begun to pant when I'm hot?
3. Why do I have a strange desire to chase cats with my car?

 Basically, Mirtazapine (Remeron) is an anti-depressant that is used as a mood stabilizer.  My sleep doc gave it to me because it also makes you drowsy.  Which it does. Within 20 minutes of taking it, I would be having a hard time staying awake. I've been taking it since November, which is when my weight began to climb.  I figured it was due to holiday over-indulgences, of which I will claim a significant number.  But I have had a really hard time kicking the processed junk-breads (gluten!), candy, baked goods.  I got rid of the gluten, but still have been eating all manner of junk, just the gluten-free kind.  So all these realizations made me feel a little less guilty about my failings as a Weight Watcher.  If you want to read more hilarious anecdotes about Mirtazapine, go here.

 It is all making sense to me now. So, it's off the doggie weed. 

What this means is that I may start sleeping horribly again.  But it's possible my 20 pound weight gain could be attributed to this.  So, no sleep, but getting thinner.  I think I can get on board with that.

Wish me luck!  (But for God's sake, DON'T send me a Cookie Bouquet)

 

This ^  equals this:

I'm in recovery, people.  Be sensitive.