Teen Mom 2: Small Talk

[GreatKazu]

Quote

It looks like the diagnosis of gestational diabetes may have been a mistake. After Seeing the diabetes doc and 10 days of glucose testing 4 times a day, the doc told her everything was perfect and to eat whatever she wants. Her new OB (who she loves!!) will keep a close eye on everything but it looks like everything is moving along just like it should and mom and peanut are in perfect health. What a relief!!

That is fantastic news!! I am relieved to read this as I was concerned for her. I am glad she can enjoy the pregnancy without the added burden of having GD. 

[Tatum]

Hey, @GreatKazu, @CaliforniaLove, and @SPLAIN and any other Southern CA people (actually Splain I know you're in CA but not sure where)...I need your help!

 

OK, so next spring break we were planning on a trip to Disney World. I had always eschewed Disneyland even though I've never been. However, I just read a travel article on it and now I totally want to do it instead of WDW in 2019. We can fly straight into Anaheim for much less than Orlando (which really surprised me). We can avoid LA proper entirely if we want to (which I do).  Here is my question- I would like to go to a beach for a day, and it looks like on a map Newport or Huntington Beach are the closest options.

As I talked about before, I visited LA for the first time last year for work, and even though I HEARD stories about the traffic, I was not prepared to experience it firsthand. OMG I had my coworker's google maps up while he drove and I would watch our highlighted route turn from yellow to red with 30 min just suddenly added to our estimated drive time to our destination which was like 8 miles away. I don't want to spend hours in the car, and my husband would shit a brick if this happened while he was driving. My question is, is south of LA any better traffic wise, or is it all the same? It sounds like we could just plan to stay near Disney and walk everywhere, but I really  want to go to a beach. I am willing to drive longer distances if the traffic route is better. Any tips would be super appreciated!

[Pixiebomb]

Depends on the time of day.  The 55 can be insane. Carpool lanes are key. And the carpool exit will drop you right off at Disneyland. 

[MaggieG]

@Maharincess I'm a little late responding but I wanted to share. Your granddaughter's questions are similar to the questions I had as a child when I found out my grandpa wasn't my biological grandpa. My grandma married him when she was very young, she was only 20. He was 33 and had been married twice before. My gradma fell head over heels for him, nobody could talk her out of it. They had my mom and uncle (twins!). My grandma quickly realized that he was way more into alchohol and other women and they split up when my mom and uncle were 4. She met my current grandpa not long after that. Bio grandpa refused to divorce her and kept trying to win her back. My grandma then got pregnant and my bio grandpa finally agreed to a divorce. Bio grandpa died in a car accident not long after that, he was driving drunk. My grandparents ended up having 2 more kids. My grandpa raised all 4 kids as his own. He has been grandpa to all of us grandkids and we have never once felt that he wasn't ours. I only realized (kind of like your granddaughter) when I was about 10 that my mom and uncle had a different last name then the rest of the family. That is when my grandma explained it to me. It wasn't a huge family secret, but just didn't bring it up because our grandpa was grandpa, even if we didn't share blood. I'm in my 30's now and honestly, I hardly think about it. Grandpa is grandpa and that's it. Maybe it would have been different if my bio grandpa had lived, but because I never missed out on having a grandpa in my life, I guess it didn't really affect me. I do understand everyone is different but from what you have said, your husband has been an amazing father and grandpa so hopefully they won't feel like they need to know too much about bio grandpa. You got yourself out of a bad situation, for yourself and your kids and that's important for her to know. Just like my grandma, when she realized bio grandpa was never going to change and she had to get out. He never abused her, but he would go on drunken benders and disapear for days.

My grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary 2 months ago :)

Edited April 3, 2018 by MaggieG

[CaliforniaLove]

@Tatum, you could do a beach no problem without getting stuck in nightmare traffic. Of course the time of day counts for a lot, but if you're staying near Disney, you could feasibly take streets to Huntington Beach & it would probably take 30-45 minutes without having to deal with a freeway. Once you get to Huntington, you have the option to go either direction (south will take you to Newport Beach, Laguna Beach - north will take you to Seal Beach, Long Beach). Huntington is a pretty good destination though, as it's home to the U.S Open of Surfing, so it's very nice & really caters to tourists (they have a great pier, Main St with tons of dining options etc). Long Beach & Newport would be similar. If you want a more low key beach, Seal, or Laguna would be your best bet (Laguna has prettier water & tidepools, but Seal Beach is considered "Mayberry by the Sea" - very small town vibe). I could go on & on, but hopefully this is a good start for you! Feel free to PM, or continue asking away on here (so the other SoCal people can chime in)! 

@Tatum - edited the post because I realized my "@" didn't tag you. :-)

Edited April 3, 2018 by CaliforniaLove

[LBS]

@Tatum  I saw your post in Kail's page about planning a nice vacation in 2019.   I stayed at the Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue (Dominican Republic) for my honeymoon last year.   It wasn't as crazy expensive as the others.  The rooms are a bit dated but that was my only real nitpick.    No wait for towels and while the beach was crowded, you could still get a lounge chair if you got there early enough.   We stayed for 4 full days in early February.   Just a suggestion!   

[Tatum]

Thanks @LBS! I would LOVE a beach vacation, but I worry my kids and husband will be bored, hence the Disney possibility. My son doesn't really like the beach, and my husband hates it. My daughter and I on the other hand- we could spend a week at a beach, no problem.

 

We always travel on a budget (staying in Best Westerns and the like, eating at Subway, etc) and 2019 is MY year, and if we go somewhere where brunch is $25 a head and my kids only eat strawberries and toast, he has agreed to grit his teeth and say nothing. And if we pay what amounts to one of his monthly expensive truck payments on ONE night at a hotel, he has also agreed to suffer that loss in silence.

 

ETA: Looked it up, just for fun, absolutely beautiful. I had to enter several different dates just to price check, that hotel must be super popular!

Edited April 5, 2018 by Tatum

[GreatKazu]

Hi @Tatum   We have visited Orlando a few times and yet, we never visited WDW because 1) we live here in SoCal as you know and can visit Disneyland anytime and 2)WDW is HELLA EXPENSIVE.  I would rather spend my money on visiting Disneyland. 

I agree with @CaliforniaLove about Huntington Beach. I like Long Beach because of the restaurants that are nearby, but if you are trying to stay on a budget, than Huntington Beach is likely your best bet. There is an In-N-Out nearby as well as a Five Guys. Five Guys make a delicious burger. They are big, but it can be pricey. We have a Five Guys near my home and we go there when we want a huge burger. We used to have a Fat Burgers, but they closed. Five Guys is the next best thing. In-N-Out is a California franchise. 

https://www.dinerank.com/ca/huntington-beach/fast-food-restaurants

Edited April 5, 2018 by GreatKazu

[CaliforniaLove]

OMG @GreatKazu are we going to get into our first fight? In N' Out all the way! lol

I do enjoy Five Guys, so I actually hate the "California burger debate" because there are few burgers I've met that I don't like, but I give In N' Out the slight edge. 

[Tatum]

Haha, so not a burger person. Whenever I get stuck going to Five Guys I always get the BLT. My coworker really wanted to go to In and Out while we were in CA but we just never had time- most meals were already preplanned with clients. He is from Santa Barbara originally and a little more used to the LA scene after traveling there so much.

 

I LOVED both Santa Barbara and San Diego when I visited, but I didn't have the greatest time in LA. Granted, we weren't doing fun stuff (the other two were vacations), but still, in no rush to get back to LA. But I definitely want to see more of CA, as long as the traffic isn't too terrible.

 

My co-worker said when he would drive up the Pacific Coast Hwy going back to SB from LA parts of the highway are so close to the water that the water actually sprinkled his windshield. We did drive through Manhattan Beach but that portion of the highway was too far inland. I felt cheated.

Edited April 5, 2018 by Tatum

[GreatKazu]

35 minutes ago, CaliforniaLove said:

OMG @GreatKazu are we going to get into our first fight? In N' Out all the way! lol

I do enjoy Five Guys, so I actually hate the "California burger debate" because there are few burgers I've met that I don't like, but I give In N' Out the slight edge. 

No debates or fights here. :-)  Like you, there hasn't been a burger I haven't liked. They each have their own distinct taste and they are different. That is what matters. If they all tasted the same, why then have options? Another awesome choice is Rally's. 

 

14 minutes ago, Tatum said:

Haha, so not a burger person. Whenever I get stuck going to Five Guys I always get the BLT. My coworker really wanted to go to In and Out while we were in CA but we just never had time- most meals were already preplanned with clients. He is from Santa Barbara originally and a little more used to the LA scene after traveling there so much.

 

I LOVED both Santa Barbara and San Diego when I visited, but I didn't have the greatest time in LA. Granted, we weren't doing fun stuff (the other two were vacations), but still, in no rush to get back to LA. But I definitely want to see more of CA, as long as the traffic isn't too terrible.

 

My co-worker said when he would drive up the Pacific Coast Hwy going back to SB from LA parts of the highway are so close to the water that the water actually sprinkled his windshield. We did drive through Manhattan Beach but that portion of the highway was too far inland. I felt cheated.

 

Yes, the PCH is the way to go. Your co-worker is right about the water and how it sparkles and glistens at times. You can see different shades of blue water. No, not blue like Amber's eyes. lol  Lots of times seaweed is in abundance and you will see patches of brown in the water. Mugu Rock is a well known site on PCH. Many films and tv commercials for autos are filmed here a lot so, you might have seen it many times over on television: https://www.conejovalleyguide.com/welcome/mugu-rock-at-point-mugu.html

No matter how many times I drive on PCH, I am always thankful for living here. Highway 1 is just so beautiful and it gets even more beautiful as you drive up north on the coast and you get near Morro Bay and beyond. 

 

ETA: for you Road Rules fans (I miss that show!), one of the cast members has died. Brian from season 7 died in his sleep: http://www.tmz.com/2018/04/05/mtv-road-rules-star-brian-lancaster-dies-dead/

Edited April 5, 2018 by GreatKazu

[Tatum]

@GreatKazu- Was that Latin America? I watched most of the early seasons and can't place him.

[GreatKazu]

Just now, Tatum said:

@GreatKazu- Was that Latin America? I watched most of the early seasons and can't place him.

Yes.

The entire first episode is in that link. Scroll to the bottom. My gosh. That takes me back to when MTV actually aired some decent shows. 

So young to die. 

[CaliforniaLove]

19 minutes ago, GreatKazu said:

Another awesome choice is Rally's.

They have burgers there?! Once I see the words "loaded fries", I see nothing else. ;-) How do you feel about Tommy's? I know a lot of people out here love it, but I'm not a fan of chili on burgers (and it's pretty basic if you get it without the chili...not bad, just basic). 

[GreatKazu]

5 minutes ago, CaliforniaLove said:

They have burgers there?! Once I see the words "loaded fries", I see nothing else. ;-) How do you feel about Tommy's? I know a lot of people out here love it, but I'm not a fan of chili on burgers (and it's pretty basic if you get it without the chili...not bad, just basic). 

I always eat a hot dog at Tommy's and have it loaded with chili. I have never tried the burgers. Like you, I am not a fan of chili on burgers. Tommy's had me at hot dogs. lol  Damnit, now I may need to go do a run to Tommy's. 

[teapot]

1 hour ago, CaliforniaLove said:

OMG @GreatKazu are we going to get into our first fight? In N' Out all the way! lol

I do enjoy Five Guys, so I actually hate the "California burger debate" because there are few burgers I've met that I don't like, but I give In N' Out the slight edge. 

Legit one of my biggest regrets in life:  Mister & I visited Las Vegas for three days in 2005 (my parents lived there for a year).  We were hungry at night, and we were driving around, when we spotted a Wendy's (which we obviously have here in New England)  drive-thru.  On the WAY BACK FROM WENDY's we saw In'n'Out burger!  We were sooo pissed at ourselves!

[FairyDusted]

I miss Vegas! You should have thrown that Wendy's in the trash for the In' inOut. Totally. Going to Rally's tomorrow for chili dogs now. 

[GreatKazu]

2 hours ago, FairyDusted said:

I miss Vegas! You should have thrown that Wendy's in the trash for the In' inOut. Totally. Going to Rally's tomorrow for chili dogs now. 

lol  I am craving some damn chili dogs. 

Nooooooooooo @teapot! Ohhhh that must have been upsetting. I would have given the food to a homeless person and driven back to In-N-Out. lol 

[guilfoyleatpp]

I've never been a fan of In and Out <ducks>.

Their burgers are OK. The fries are meh. 

Five Guys is better and the fries are really good.

[FairyDusted]

I'm so glad we at least have a 5 guys in the midwest. Gets me through In N Out neediness. No Jack in the box tho or Del Taco!  

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

Okay, so I know many of your read this on the original recipe girls' thread, but I forgot that I didn't post it here as well....

I posted about it in the TMOG small talk, but if anyone doesn't know, I was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I'm extremely lucky that it was caught VERY early, my doctor thinks it hasn't spread, and I'll have a total hysterectomy to take care of it.  I also shared this over on that thread, but figured I'd share it here, too:

Quote

 

After some debate, I'm going to go ahead and post this GoFundMe page one of my best friends made for us:

https://www.gofundme.com/kickovariancancerkatie

I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first, but it has been a huge help to our family, especially after we lost all of our emergency fund plus more when the tenant in our condo didn't pay us for several months (while we still paid the mortgage/HOA fees/water/sewerage/etc), as doing a timely eviction in Louisiana is damn near impossible and even more expensive.  I know it's kind of tacky to post it, but hell...if these TM girls can have 8 baby showers & gender reveals, then I don't feel as embarrassed about sharing it, I guess.  

Also, ya'll will now see that:

1) I don't actually look like Betty Draper - ha! ;

2) The resemblance my hubby has to (a non-drugged out, cuter) Ryan;

3) and that the Mini-Nordics may just be the cutest Mini-Batgirl & Mini-Robin ever :)   (Pic is from last Halloween).

 

I'm so thankful for everyone's kind words, compliments on our family, donations, and encouragement.  Thank ya'll so much. 

[Mkay]

2 hours ago, MyPeopleAreNordic said:

Okay, so I know many of your read this on the original recipe girls' thread, but I forgot that I didn't post it here as well....

I posted about it in the TMOG small talk, but if anyone doesn't know, I was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I'm extremely lucky that it was caught VERY early, my doctor thinks it hasn't spread, and I'll have a total hysterectomy to take care of it.  I also shared this over on that thread, but figured I'd share it here, too:

I'm so thankful for everyone's kind words, compliments on our family, donations, and encouragement.  Thank ya'll so much. 

Oh goodness. I’m glad they caught it early.  Hang in there. ((Hugs))

[Kazu]

On 4/15/2018 at 9:31 AM, FairyDusted said:

I'm so glad we at least have a 5 guys in the midwest. Gets me through In N Out neediness. No Jack in the box tho or Del Taco!  

We have 5 Guys here, too. A bit pricey, but the burgers are so tasty.

I am missing Fatburgers, though. Rumor has it the owner is seeking a new location around here. Crossing my fingers!

We had In-N-Out the other night. Always delicious. 

Someone mentioned WhattaBurgers. We have one here. Ownership changed and so did the name, but the food is still the same. Love their burgers.

@MyPeopleAreNordic

 When will you be having the hysterectomy done?

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

17 hours ago, Kazu said:

 

@MyPeopleAreNordic

 When will you be having the hysterectomy done?

May 9th.  

My husband wanted it sooner, but I wanted to try to have it done closer to the end of the semester so that I could finish up with my classes.  I didn't want to end class with three weeks to a month left in the semester and all that material uncovered.  The latest my doc would agree to is May 9, so that's the date.  

If anyone has any post-total-hysterectomy things to warn me about, please do.

I've already been dealing with some menopause-like symptoms because of the crazy stuff going on in my lady bits (the cancer on my ovaries, endometriosis, weird hormone stuff, etc and severe iron-deficiency anemia) has caused night sweats, dry skin (and dry elsewhere), more sweating, chin acne, hair in weird places, and hair thinning/falling out of my head (that one the doc says is from the anemia).  But anything else ya'll can think of or tips...I'd appreciate.

My doc doesn't want to put me on hormone replacement because I'm 35 (so I'd be on it for a long time) & because I have degenerative disc disease & osteoarthritis pretty bad in my lower back (and apparently HRT can cause more osteoarthritis).  My mom went on HRT after she had a total hysterectomy after they found cancer, but she was 49.  Same with my cousin, but she was mid-40s.  My mom is a mess if she forgets her HRT - like she cannot think, forgets things, etc, like she has early on-set dementia.  She's been that way since she first had the hysterectomy, so it's not a newer thing that has happened since she's gotten older.  She cannot function as an adult without the HRT and would never have been able to keep a job, run the household, without it.  It was/is THAT BAD.  I've had some of that from the anemia and I cannot live like that.  I have two small kids and a intellectually demanding job...I cannot be that absent-minded and lost and keep working, so I'm terrified about life without HRT*. Ugh. 

*obviously, I'm much, much more terrified of the cancer spreading and what that would mean than going through the rest of my life without HRT, though

Edited April 19, 2018 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[DangerousMinds]

I had a hysterectomy a few years ago (due to a massive uterine tumor) and sailed right through recovery. I do have a huge scar, but that's ok. Hope your experience is similar.

[MissChris]

@MyPeopleAreNordic I don't have any experience to share but I just wanted you to know that I'm sending you all my best wishes and hopes that you'll get through surgery and recover with ease and hopefully your body handles all the hormonal stuff just fine. 

 

BTW, I'm formerly animalnurse. For some reason I couldn't log back in to my account. 

[Scarlett45]

@Christina87 after speaking to various women of different ethnicities “men from the mother land” (whatever motherland that may be) are all the same?. 

Yes I know in certain places it isn’t a cultural norm to wear deodorant or to have crooked teeth- I agree with you, no just no. 

Arab men smell AMAZING!! And Muslim men from all parts of the world are very hygienic- I mean the Islamic empire was bathing daily when Europeans thought was was bad for you. 

If you’re attracted to Indian men on an aesthetic level, a Muslim guy certain won’t give you those issues. Or an Indian guy born in North America or the UK. 

[Kazu]

MyPeopleAreNordic

My experience with menopause has been wonderful compared to what I was dealing with prior to my hysterectomy. I had it done when I was 42 years old. Yes, I have the hot flashes, night sweats, some forgetfulness, but other than that, it has been great. My doctor didn't put me on hormone therapy. I also didn't want to take it.  

I hope all goes well for you. :-) Big hugs to you.

[Tatum]

OMG @MyPeopleAreNordic I am just now reading this. I don't usually go into the Small Talk thread on TMOG. Thinking of you!

 

It's always kind of trippy to see people as they really are. I always picture people as their avatars, if they have them. @Mkay for example is to me Leah's identical twin :).

[crazychicken]

@MyPeopleAreNordic I did not have both ovaries out so I did not experience surgical menopause it is supposed to be quite rough due to the sudden reduction of hormones. I do not know if you will be having follow up treatment I was prescribed Tamoxifen & Lupron (anti-estrogen tumor blocker and ovarian suppressor which caused chemical menopause) and was told HRT was best left as late as possible due to my age and it would need to be oestrogen therapy only. Once I finished my course of treatment my body recovered somewhat as my remaining ovary started to function again at lower levels, I do have increased monitoring due to keeping my right ovary but for me that was the decision I made for quality of life. I will get the remaining ovary out when my body goes through natural menopause and probably start HRT. The worst ongoing side effect for me has been the increased bone pain due to osteoarthritis. Not going to lie I was a space cadet for a few months and it was frustrating, I could not drive as it felt like I lived in a fog and my brain was just not connecting to my body. I could time my medication so my worst nausea, sweats and headaches were at night so that I could functions somewhat normally during the day with my children, the symptoms started to ease around 3 months post surgery.

 

Oh just to add the decision to kept the right ovary was dependent on what they found during surgery, if my tumor had not been contained and there was any spread they would have taken everything out at the time. So going into surgery I had 3 outcomes that were possible. One of the side effects of surgery I did not expect was the burning, when they clean out the cavity I swear they use steel wool it is like a gravel rash on the inside and was quite uncomfortable and took a few weeks to clear.

 

It is really a decision that needs to be made with your oncologist as the benefits vs side effects on both sides of the coin can be quite severe. I would try to do some research and come armed with any questions at your next visit about the best way to manage any symptoms and get on them early. Once the surgery has been done and your tumor staged there may be other options that open up for you. I am lucky that I had an gynecological oncologist that was willing to preserve as much quality of life as possible as my first (regular) oncologist was quite adamant and removing everything even though I was only in the early stages. I found reassurance going with the gynecological oncologist as they specialize in the surgery, I do not know if that is an option for you but if it is I would ask as they really do know a lot more than a regular oncologist . Do not be afraid to find a doctor that suits you as you will be dealing with them regularly for a long time.

 

Good luck

[FairyDusted]

18 hours ago, Kazu said:

MyPeopleAreNordic

My experience with menopause has been wonderful compared to what I was dealing with prior to my hysterectomy. I had it done when I was 42 years old. Yes, I have the hot flashes, night sweats, some forgetfulness, but other than that, it has been great. My doctor didn't put me on hormone therapy. I also didn't want to take it.  

I hope all goes well for you. :-) Big hugs to you.

Very similar here. At 31 I needed a total hysterectomy plus some because it had spread to other organs. They had to do a scar but I can wear the tiniest bikini and you would never see it. The emotional recovery was a real pisser but I healed well and didn't do hormone therapy . You will need help with the children of course because you can't carry them around though. Sending great juju and blessings to you and your family.  

[Mkay]

12 hours ago, Tatum said:

OMG @MyPeopleAreNordic I am just now reading this. I don't usually go into the Small Talk thread on TMOG. Thinking of you!

 

It's always kind of trippy to see people as they really are. I always picture people as their avatars, if they have them. @Mkay for example is to me Leah's identical twin :).

Bahahaha I would probably most identify with her. Minus the cheerleading mom, blonde hair, and 3 kiddos. (My twitter picture is me about 8 yrs ago) I don’t have a Germy (Jeremy) but I do have a Cory. Hahahaha we have one girl. I have a southern accent. I’ve never said bless your heart.  I am Texan but NO country music here. I’m a straight up Linkin Park, Godsmack, Disturbed fan with love for the 90s R&B and 80s hair bands. The louder the better.  I laugh at naughty stuff but rarely say it. Before my kid though that’s a different story.  hahahah  I’m all over the place.  I’m an introvert, but you’d never know that online.  

I like that comparison. :) Much better than the other moms. Lolol 

[Kazu]

22 hours ago, FairyDusted said:

Very similar here. At 31 I needed a total hysterectomy plus some because it had spread to other organs. They had to do a scar but I can wear the tiniest bikini and you would never see it. The emotional recovery was a real pisser but I healed well and didn't do hormone therapy . You will need help with the children of course because you can't carry them around though. Sending great juju and blessings to you and your family.  

My doctor made two small incisions which healed up nice. I don't even notice any scars.

Good vibes go your way @MyPeopleAreNordic.

[Maharincess]

I'm just now catching up on this thread. I had my hysterectomy in 2009 after I was diagnosed with cervical cancer.  My menopause hasn't been too bad at all. Just some night sweats and hot flashes on occasion.  You're in my thoughts @MyPeopleAreNordic, please keep us posted on how you're doing.

My insomnia has been in super high gear the past week. I think I have a total of maybe 6 hours of sleep in the past 7 days. The most I've gotten at one time is about 50 minutes. I always have sleeping issues but it hasn't been this bad in so long and it's making me crazy. I'm so spaced out that I'm seeing things out of the corner of my eye and I'm seeing double of everything.  I've tried everything but nothing is helping. I haven't had any alcohol since 12/29/1995, but at one point I was seriously thinking that a few beers would help me sleep. I have a doctors appointment on the 25th but I don't know if I can me it that far.  Does anybody have any unconventional tips that I can try? I've tried everything I've read online and nothing is helping.  

[druzy]

@Maharincess I feel for you, insomnia sucks. Alcohol will only make your mind race more, it will not help you sleep. It is not worth it. Do you sleep with the TV on? I do because I'm alone and scared, however, a few weeks ago I turned it off and had a great night's sleep. I'm trying to do that more often.  Benadryl has helped me in the past. If I think of anything else that has helped me I will let you know. Sending good vibes your way!   

[Kazu]

I too rely on Benadryl to help me sleep. I also use Melatonin. A friend of mine who is a retired nurse mentioned to me I should try Valerian. It is a supplement. I haven't tried it yet.

What have you tried @Maharincess?

[Maharincess]

I've tried every product on the market that has either a PM or ZZzzzzs on the box. None of it worked. I tried benadryl and that didn't help.   I've heard that melatonin is good so I'm getting some of that tomorrow. 

I'm so sick of it. I toss and turn so much that my sheet corners are popped off in the mornings and the cat who usually sleeps on top of me won't come near me on nights like that.  

[Claire85]

I’ve used melatonin and I recommend starting with the smallest dose (3 mg). I once tried a 10 mg extended release and it gave me nightmares and I woke up a lot during the night. 

[DangerousMinds]

13 hours ago, druzy said:

@Maharincess I feel for you, insomnia sucks. Alcohol will only make your mind race more, it will not help you sleep. It is not worth it. Do you sleep with the TV on? I do because I'm alone and scared, however, a few weeks ago I turned it off and had a great night's sleep. I'm trying to do that more often.  Benadryl has helped me in the past. If I think of anything else that has helped me I will let you know. Sending good vibes your way!   

Why are you scared?

[Kazu]

I have two bottles of Melatonin. One is a red bottle by Schiff (I buy it at Costco) and it is 3 mg. When I started using it, I started out with two tablets. I then had to up that to four tablets. These are NOT chewable tablets.

I recently bought a different brand, Natrol which is in a purple and white bottle. I needed some Melatonin and didn't want to have to go to Costco. This particular brand is 5 mg. It reads extra strength on the bottle. They are also chewable (Tasty too. Tastes just like candy! ™ Lucy Ricardo). I become a bit sleepy with just one tab. If I need another one, I will wait at least one hour before taking another. This was after initially taking three tabs at once and having issues with waking up many times during the night.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Kazu

[druzy]

20 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

Why are you scared?

I'm scared if someone breaks in they are going to kill me ?

[DangerousMinds]

Is there s specific threat? Do you have an alarm system?

[Kazu]

10 minutes ago, druzy said:

I'm scared if someone breaks in they are going to kill me ?

You are not alone.  Even though my family is asleep, if I am up late at night in the living room (which is quite often), I will become scared if I hear certain noises. Then, there are times when I am a badass boss bitch. If I hear some unusual noises outside, I grab my old police baton and go searching. Fuck you, Amber.

[DangerousMinds]

I don't know, I guess I just don't really understand the fear of being alone. I've lived alone much of my adult life (many of those years in big cities) and never had much fear. Never even had a decent alarm system, although I think those are great. 

[druzy]

2 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

Is there s specific threat? Do you have an alarm system?

You ask good questions. There's no specific threat and I do have an alarm system. I think I should stop watching ID shows and Dateline.

 

2 minutes ago, Kazu said:

You are not alone.  Even though my family is asleep, if I am up late at night in the living room (which is quite often), I will become scared if I hear certain noises. Then, there are times when I am a badass boss bitch. If I hear some unusual noises outside, I grab my old police baton and go searching. Fuck you, Amber.

@Kazu you are a badass boss bitch! Fuck you Amber.

[Kazu]

1 minute ago, druzy said:

You ask good questions. There's no specific threat and I do have an alarm system. I think I should stop watching ID shows and Dateline.

 

@Kazu you are a badass boss bitch! Fuck you Amber.

:-)

See, that ^^^^^ is me. Watching late night murder documentaries can bring on some scary feelings. It sure doesn't help my sleeping problems either.  If I am watching King of Queens and I hear noises outside, I am out there quick! If I am watching Forensic Files, Dateline or something similar, every little noise has me concerned and scared.

[LBS]

@Maharincess I use Good Day chocolate covered melatonin.  It satisfies my night sweet cravings and helps me sleep.  You can get it from Whole Foods but I order in bulk from Amazon 

[guilfoyleatpp]

I use Nature's Way gummy melatonin, 3 mg. They're chew-able and I definitely notice a difference in the time to impact than the tablets.

At first I had the "vivid dreams" effect. It has either gone away or I've started to forget them.

If I recall my Sopranos lore correctly, valarian root is related to Valium in some ancestral, extremely diluted and herbal way. I'm scared to even write that because I should just google it. It's in a lot of teas though.

I also lived by myself in the dense part of a big city and would be afraid. It does seem more safe in a population dense apartment building because if you scream, someone will definitely hear you. And the police/fire are close. My sister lived out in a more rural area and I was always more afraid at her house because it was so far away from everyone and so many windows. 

Also, I love murder stories. "I Survived," etc. I'm a big "My Favorite Murder" podcast fan. #SSDGM

[Scarlett45]

Much ((((Love)))), (((Hugs))) and (((healing))) to you @MyPeopleAreNordic.  

3 hours ago, DangerousMinds said:

I don't know, I guess I just don't really understand the fear of being alone. I've lived alone much of my adult life (many of those years in big cities) and never had much fear. Never even had a decent alarm system, although I think those are great. 

Yeah me too. I’ve never been afraid either. Now walking 2 blocks from where I parked my car to my front door late at night in Chicago land would cause me to be extra cautious, but once I’m in the house I’m fine. 

At my own home I have a nice alarm system I can set from my phone which is helpful. Once I sneezed so loud I triggered the glass break in the bedroom though ?. 

[LBS]

When I used to live alone I’d put a spray bottle of Clorox bleach by my bed in case someone broke in.  Super dumb but let me sleep better.  I figured I could spray them in the eyes and run. ? 

 

@Scarlett45 I’m from Chicago too!  I live in the South Loop now but grew up in Edgewater.

Edited April 22, 2018 by LBS