I had oral dilaudid, but 8mg didn't do anything, and there was a limit to the # of times I was willing to multiply the prescribed dose.

Only Stadol, which one sniffs, works, and I can't have much of it--and it makes me peppy and aggressive.

I do hope you're sleeping. It's about east coast wakeup time.

I want to bake things, but I don't have any softened butter. And I know better. That's commitment to awake.

It turns out when I don't sleep, I think everyone in the entire world should die.

Ditto. Luckily, I don't have huge insomnia problems, just generally stress related ones or creativity-related insomnia. Whenever I'm either in a really juicy part of a manuscript or nearing the end, I cannot sleep. No matter what I take. The voices in my head just will not shut up.

Once I'm done, however, it's the sleep of the dead for the next few days. Until I start worrying about revisions.

I agree with the weirdness that is American attitudes to drugs/medication. That was one of those things that was such a culture shock for me when I left Miami. Cubans are notorious for self-diagnosing and everyone of my mother's generation knew or was related to a doctor, so all you'd have to say is "Ay, tú sabes, I'm not sleeping, ni un poquito," and next thing you knew, you'd have a prescription in hand. (Common at cocktail parties.)

Lewis was appalled the first time I said, "Yeah, I've got a upper respiratory, I need to get some sulfa-- I'll call Mom and have Dr. P. phone in a prescription."

"Isn't he a dentist?"

"Yeah, but he can prescribe it."

"But—how do you know it's the right thing?"

"Dude, it's an upper respiratory, I know it is. I know what I need, I just need it to go away."

"I really think you need to go to the doctor. It might be strep."

"Don't get strep."

"How do you know?"

"Because I don't. But if it'll make you feel better, fine."

Took seventeen negative strep tests when I got upper respiratory infections before he finally believed me. Now, he doesn't bat an eyelash.

It used to be like that when I lived near doctor relatives, but then the authorities started clamping down on who could prescribe what, and I could no longer get neurontin from my dermatologist cousin--I had to go to an actual pain guy. In person.

Now I don't know anyone medical, and I wouldn't want to confuse my GP (pain meds) or migraine specialist (migraine prophylactics) with interactions.

I am awake and actually, oddly enough, have softened butter, If that helps. I am thinking about taking a shower and making a pot pie.

Barb, I remember being so ASTOUNDED when I went to London and you were allowed get an antibio from the chemist. I've had tonsillitis about 30 times in my life. I KNOW it's tonsilitis. Can you just call it in to my pharmacy for I'll only have to drag my 104 degree fever out into the street for 25 minutes instead of 3 hours? Please?

I wish I had doctor relatives. Someone who knew I wasn't an idiot child and would actually believe I knew something about my own body.

ok, off I go to the lady-doctor. And, thx to the conversation here, I'll put in an ask about the squish. Wish me luck.

Barb, I remember being so ASTOUNDED when I went to London and you were allowed get an antibio from the chemist.

Yeah, I've never been to Europe, but Lewis has and he said it was amazing what was considered OTC there vs. here.

And all the doctor relatives are starting to retire or die off-- luckily, however, my sister works at a predominantly Latin-staffed hospital where most of the doctors did their training in Europe or South America. Listening to conversations with them about American drug regulations is... enlightening, to say the least.

Ah, back from the best drug evah -- long burningly hot shower. Right on my back for 10 minutes.

I love my building's water heater!

Dang, I need to get my brows waxed and my hair trimmed. SCARY.

ah ... percocet ... although I find I get side effects

That sucks, ita.