VW, some people just don't have the ability to put themselves in someone else's place. Has your bro ever had any kind of serious problem? Has he ever dealt with anything remotely like what you have had to deal with?

I hate it when people are so unrealistic about problems they've never come close to facing. They're all "Bootstraps! Just do it!" and your like "Dude. Bootstraps? I don't have FUCKING FEET."

I would have nothing constructive or kind to say to your brother either, vw.

I have a long rant about how this country's obsession with drug addiction keeps people from getting the medication they need to live semi-normal lives. The U.S. notoriously under-medicates people in chronic pain because of that. Let's see: leading a productive life even though you have to take an escalating amount of pain medication or screaming in pain and living on disability. Generally, American medicine picks the latter. If you have a doctor who actually treats your pain, the odds are the government will flag your file or his and accuse you of dealing.

This is related to my personal rant about being treated like a junkie when I just want to stop coughing for a few days.

There was an OTC drug back in the early '80s called Cope. I don't know what it is, and it's too common a name to use the Google-fu on, but that was some damned fine stuff. The only thing that would knock down the neuralgia.

It's asprin and caffine

BEHOLD MY MAD GOOGLE-FU

[link] [link]

God, I'm so glad you wrote that, Ginger, cause after I hit post, I was like, wow, they're all going to think I'm so deluded and addicted.

BEHOLD MY MAD GOOGLE-FU

I bow before the awesomeness that is the Trudy. Go to bed, already!

I'm running low on Ambien and don't have my new health insurance yet!

I'm just happy you can still get the drug.

As long as you have a refill, Trudy, generic Ambien is about $50 for a 30-day supply with no insurance.

SO much better generic, cause I remember buying 5 tablets at a time for $25 pre-generic. My pharmacy used to be really nice, then they hired some new people.

Erin, Ginger, I am nodding my head furiously in agreement with your rants. I have nothing to add to them, but I agree with them.

Wow, you all are making me feel better. Though my insomnia isn't usually quite as bad as Jilli's or Erin's, I definitely have had more than my share of sobbing-at-the-clock-punch-the-wall-in-frustration nights. Ambien is the only insomnia drug that works for me, too, and though I try very hard not to use it more than a few times a week, I am desperately grateful for its existence. (And yeah, Rozerem sucked, and melatonin made me dream crazy, freaky dreams without improving the quality of my sleep at all.)

I get the little round generic at my local CVS, though, and now I'm wondering if I should be filling the script at another pharmacy. Hm.

I'm also giggling at the "oh dear why didn't I go right to bed after taking it" stories. I've definitely learned that lesson the hard way. Apparently ND has had full conversations with me that I have absolutely no memory of. Also, nothing like looking at your cell phone text message record and seeing some bizarre-ass text you sent the night before. Ah, Ambien. I love you so.

And yes, Ginger, I completely 100% agree with your rant. There's such a stigma against taking any medication in this country, even though most of us do. That's one of the reasons I've tried to come to terms with my various medications as helpful rather than feeling like a failure for having to take them.

Also...{{{{vw}}}} and {{{{Sean}}}}