The Blogging Platypus

Coffee has been a part of my life for, gosh, nearly half of my life. However, over the years, I have cut back on caffeine, only consuming it before noon for the most part. Coffee and caffeine can sometimes lead to anxiety, irritability, and sleeplessness in some, but others may report no undesirable side effects. Just another example of how different one person can be from the next on a molecular level. Undesirable side effects are nothing new for us in the chronic illness community. The medications some of us have to take can be accompanied by some uncomfortable side effects that may require an additional medication or two. It seems like a laundry list of potential symptoms that could occur, with some of them worse than the initial symptoms for which you are taking the medication. It becomes a vicious cycle. Due to what seems like playing a medication shell game, I have started to look for non-traditional approaches to health. It started first with cannabis a few years ago when we...

Disclaimer: I live in a state where recreational and medical cannabis is legal. I have lived with the symptoms of several chronic pain conditions for a number of years. From fibromyalgia and scoliosis, to neuropathy and connective tissue disorders, my body is in pain daily. The only thing that seems to change about my pain are the locations and intensities. Unfortunately, very little can be done in regards to effective pain relief. I have tried a variety of pharmaceutical prescription medications, often experiencing significant side-effects, which preclude me from even reaching the therapeutic dose. I often get gastro side-effects, but also have experienced a total mental numbness, lack of appetite, and swelling of my hands. I recently started a new medication for my ice pick headaches, which I hope will help to alleviate those annoying and painful sensations. Before it is suggested, I have completely changed my life after getting sick. I switched to my current diet of gluten free...