G'Day all!

Have I had a rough time since we were last online! I have been sick with just about everything under the sun in the last coupel of months, including a cold, then gastro, then something like the flu (with a slight temperature and aches and pains), and I am just now trying to get rid of an annoying cough that just keeps hanging on.

To make matters worse, my computer was playing up, and when I took it to the shop, they said it had spyware, and had to completely reprogramme it, and I am still in the process of putting all the software back on. Unfortunately, my mother has my Windows 2000 discs, eventhough she swore black and blue she didn't have them and refused to even look for them, and until she sends them to me, I won't be able to do much worthwhile on my computer until I do. This is all very annoying when I have work due for uni (it is actually overdue).

So, hopefully things will start to look up from here.

Nat.

Hi Kathleen

I saw the picutres of Becca on her first day of school - cute as a button! - and I must say that when I was about Becca's age, I too put on quite a lot of weight at a rapid rate for no apparent reason. I didn't have epilepsy then, so I couldn't blame any medication. I wonder if it is a hormonal issue that could be causing the weight gain and increased appetite? Anyway, just a thought.

Nat.

Great to "see" you, Gnatty!




LIZARD

Thanks Nat! Good to see you!

I am not sure what it is. Her appetite has not really gotten bigger though. And she even started taking her pills without us having to put it in ice cream or something sweet every night. So that is a bit puzzling to us.

I guess we'll see once she's off keppra - though that will not be for about four months as slow as the lamictal build-up and the keppra wean have to go. Ugh.

I too went through a chunky phase - but not until around age 10 or so. It just happened so fast and in conjunction with the med increases. Nothing ever seems to be that simply explained though, right!?

I hope you're feeling better now, girlie. Sounds like you've had a rough time I hope you were able to get your work done too. I hate computer hold-ups!

Hugs,
Kathleen

As I suspected, my mother has all my computer discs, including Office 2000, and Office XP upgrade discs, and although she sent me the XP, I can't install it before the 2000, so I'm still waiting! It's amazing how dependent we can become on technology, isn't it!

This is always a bad time of year for me in terms of illness. Unlike you might expect, I don't often get sick in Winter, but more often, as now, in Spring. There has been so much going around, it has been hard to escape being sick.

You could be right Kathleen, the change in medication may have caused Becca's weight gain, I have heard that a number of epilepsy meds can have that effect. Unfortunately when I suddenly put on all the weight, I never really lost it again, regardless of any dieting I did. I personally believe that a lot of the weight on my stomach is actually fluid, rather than fat, because I am relatively thin everywhere else. I am currently in the process of trying to lose a bit of weight that I have managed to put on over Winter - no easy task! By the way Lizard, I think you've done a great job in losing your weight! Keep up the good work!

I must go then guys - research to do - Ugh!

Nat.

Thanks so much, Gnatty! Lost more last week--81 1/2 lbs gone forever. I had a crappy night with my brain last night (SPs from the hurricane remnants), and I was cold, so I looked for a sweatshirt to put on. The one I found was from a couple of years ago, before I started, and it swallowed me!! WOW...


LIZARD, shrinkin' away!!

I hope you can maintain that weight as far as possible. You won't know yourself soon!


Nat.

Thanks, hon'.

I can't tell you how good it feels to know I can do this--and actually eat!!! I will never go back to the way I used to eat ever again. I would actually get horribly sick if I tried to. It's awesome!!!!!!!!!




LIZARD

Hi, everybody! I just finished registering for this site and I'm trying to catch
up with everybody. I've finally gotten a computer in Delaware, so I won't be
offline when I go on vacation.

I had a bit of a scare recently when a doctor I was seeing took me off of
the pain patch I was using for the pain in my lower back and put me on
hydrocodone (generic for vicodin). I started having trouble with my bowels
and the next thing I know, I was having the same symptoms that I had with
my shunt malfunction in December. It turned out that I was so impacted due
to the pills that it caused a partial blockage of the distal end of the shunt!

My NS did a shunt tap and it was like she had flipped a switch-the pain was
completely gone!

I'm back to using the pain patch and I'm feeling much better. I still have a
couple of doctor appointments (not shunt related), but otherwise, I'm doing
great!

Talk to you all soon!

Gina

Hey, you old wench! Great to "see" ya!

Btw...you never did tell me...How did you get your system hooked up?? I know my hubby hasn't been to Delaware recently, or at least, he got home in good time.


LIZARD, who's still younger than you!!!!!!