Withdrawal symptoms

No, not from the blog, although that too. No sooner did I spout off about having my training routine set when the usual wrench was tossed into the works.

At the beginning of the year, my rheumatologist said one of the benefits of getting into shape and exercising consistently would be the elimination of one of my fibro medications. So, I decided to eliminate it. It was given to me in the lowest possible dose, hundreds of mgs fewer than most people have to take, so I was not worried about withdrawal symptoms. Getting rid of medication was one of my main goals for running, by the way.

This is day four without this particular medication, and it has been hard going. It is supposed to take care of pain, which is not my worst complaint anyway with fibromyalgia, and in that sense I don't miss it. Unfortunately, no one knows why it helps fibro, so no one knows for sure what else it does to you; in my book, that's enough of a reason to wean oneself away. So far I have been nauseated, woozy, with stomach upset and intestinal cramps--it's like a hangover without ever having had the fun of going on the drunk!

I am also having withdrawal symptoms from food. Last Thursday I announced to the whole training team that I have to lose from eight to ten kilos. The only way to do something like this is to say it out loud to supportive people; that way, shame alone can keep you on track. I don't change the way I cook, either, I just stop bingeing on crap like ice cream, cake, and other goodies. The only reason I'm not easier to jump over than to go around is because I'm a very good cook and make killer desserts, so I don't like the bought stuff, but laziness keeps me from baking very often. Once the sweet tooth is tamed or outfoxed, the rest is easier--decent serving sizes, for example. It hurts, but it aint impossible.

It may not have been the best idea in the world to withdraw from two addictions at once, but I figure the digestive upset from medication abstinence will help with the food withdrawal. You just can't get excited about a French chocolate tart made with rich Belgian chocolate if you are thrashing around the floor with stomach cramps.

By tomorrow or the next day, though, I'll be over the abstinence symptoms, and that will leave me alone to face my nemesis in the calorie department.