Kids, don't try this at home....

Last week, my neurologist called in a script for a Medrol pack for my status migraine (Medrol is a steroid taper pack; you take 6 pills the first day, 5 the next, etc). I finished the pack Sunday, the 4th.

As of Thursday I still had a migraine. So they fit me in on Friday--I *love* my neurologist. He is such a great doctor and a really caring one at that. He is not only concerned about my headaches, he checks in on how family life is going. He knows, I believe, how Complex Migraine Disease can really impact your life, and that of your family.

Let me preface what happened by saying--this was a BAD WEEK. Monday night (our anniversary), JQ broke up with her bf. Sigh. He really wasn't paying any attention to her, no emails, too busy with friends, etc. She knew she deserved better and ended it. But her dear heart was broken. We spent the next few days on a roller coaster of emotions, culminating in her wanting to sleep in my bed Thursday night. That sound? My heart breaking too.

I didn't get but 3 hrs of sleep watching over her, culminating in a tearful prayer after she got up for school. NOW the good news she is like almost back to normal, she came home that day looking like her old self. Whew.

But me? Color me shocked when they took my blood pressure and it was off the charts for me. Normal for me is like 120's over 70's to low 80's. ALWAYS. EVERY TIME. Except for Friday. 140 over 115. HOLY CRAPSHITHELL.

My BP was slightly elevated at the rheumatologists 2 weeks ago but again, we chalked it up to 2 days of a migraine and not enough sleep. With my neuro, who was definitely concerned but not alarmed enough to send me to the hospital, I explained our week.

Migraine (day 18 at that point). Daughter Drama. Sleep Issues.

He was reluctant to prescribe more steroids but at this point, it may be the only thing other than hospitalization to get rid of it. My last status migraine was 2 years ago, around this time. But since he knows I have an attentive husband who can watch for any alarming issues, and the fact I see the other neurologist next week to discuss Botox, he went ahead with the prescription. And told me to make sure I get rest.

He did check my eyes for any swelling that could indicate a similar condition, pseudotumor cerebrei. Basically no brain tumor but similar symptoms. No swelling. Good. I'll discuss it further with the other neuro--which may mean a lumbar puncture. Joy.

That is, if the blood pressure issue doesn't take center stage first.

In any case, by the time my husband picked up my steroids--NOT a medrol pack, individual pills-it was evening. Here's where I screwed up BIG TIME.

*DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME*

I cannot even emphasise it enough. Seriously. Dude. DON'T DO THIS.

I took all 3 pills at once, instead of separating the doses.

Now, the medrol pack tells you that you CAN do this the first day just to get the meds going. But the pills in that pack are 4mg each. So, 24mg of prednisone.

Yeah. I just blithely took 60mg of prednisone. *stupidstupidstupid*

You know why? Because I woke up around 2 a.m. My head hurt (duh) and I woke my husband to help me get my pain meds (annoying yes and I feel bad but he's my "safety system" when it comes to taking my pain meds--and I'm glad I did).

I decided I needed to go to the bathroom first. All of a sudden I felt REALLY weird. Faint/dizzy/weak like I was going to pass out. Hubby helped me stand and the feeling sort of passed but then it got REALLY TRULY WEIRD.

Did you know, if you take too many steroids at once, you will trip out like you're on some kind of illegal drug? Me neither.

I felt like I was having an out of body experience. And then I began laughing at everything. Yes, I was cackling "FULL ON DOUBLE RAINBOW" at the top of my lungs.

Video for Reference:

And then I would stop laughing and say things like "oh look how pretty the blue towel is. Whoa, it's really blue."

"Willow. Willow. Willllllllloooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww"

Yes, only I could get stoned on steroids. *facepalm* I'm not the medical zebra for nothing.

I give my husband credit for 3 things: Staying calm, checking me carefully for signs of a stroke, and not taking a video of me to put on Youtube.

After sitting back on the bed (most of this hilarity was in the bathroom) and resting a bit, I started to feel more like myself. I went thru a brief paranoia stage because my head was hurting, like rays of electricity shooting down my spine. And my heart was thumping a bit.

The other stuff, holy cats, it feels like a bizarre dream I had a few days ago. Unreal.

Now....to lock up my steroids. That stuff is potent shit, let me tell you.

I've suddenly got the munchies.....