Just got home from spending a wonderful SYMPTOM FREE week in St. Kitts and am starting to bum out as I think it was the weather that made me symptom free, and not the increase in amitriptyline that I started nearly two weeks ago.

I've had this flare going since July last year - stinging/burning/freezing around my waist and back that is not relieved by anything.

But a week in the wild and windy warmth was the first time in 9 months that I have felt comfortable and have been symptom free

I was hoping and keeping fingers crossed that it was because of the increase in meds and NOT the Caribbean, but my body is starting to tell me it was the latter, and I can't uproot and move to the warm at this point.

I was dreading coming back, and while today hasn't been bad, the signs of symptoms returning are already with me, and no doubt once I return to work that will be the real test, if I get all that stuff back on a work day. And if I do, I'll definitely be down in the dumps. I just want to turn the clock back a week where I didn't have to think about this, what my latest MRI results imply, and having to endure this awful pain and discomfort.

If I could win the lottery today, I'd be out of here (where we just had another 6 inches of snow this past week - luckily I missed that) and off to some place that's warm all year round.

I hate this miserable disease, and I hate it now all the more because I've just known what it's like to be "back to normal."

Sorry to be bumming, but I've just had enough of this.

I just think there MUST be a reason for me feeling well in the Caribbean, and grotty within 24 hours of being back home.

I don't know if anyone's studied barometric pressure, sea levels, phases of the moon, etc., to see if any of those thing contribute to how one feels, but if there are any budding scientists out there, or if anyone could suggest a place that I could post some of these questions, I'd really appreciate it!

It just seems like a "cause and effect" type thing - and HOPEFULLY it's not work! Actually, I really don't think it is stress/work related because we got home Saturday night and then went up to my parents for Easter on Sunday and the symptoms had already started up again. I had my back to a window in the dining room and it felt like the window was open and I was freezing to death in my waist/low back area.

If anyone can suggest sites that I could maybe post questions and MAYBE get answers, that would be great! Yeah, I know, we're all searching for the Holy Grail! I just feel like I need to find out SOME reason why this is like turning a switch on and off for me!

All the best,

Sunbeam
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