Vegepa and crashing

I've once more tried to see how I go without taking supplements. It's not good.
The VegEPA really do help, when I'm on them and I crash (as I did in class on friday last week.. Most embarrassing and more than a tad worrying since not 30 minutes earlier I'd been alone on public transport) I'm peripherally aware of what's going on around me, yes I'm embarrassed because of it and yes I cry, but at least I can make myself understood (eventually) and I can get help and the crash also ends much sooner.

If I've run out of VegEPA or like the last few days forget/ don't take them - when I crash it's much more serious. Yes, my limbs don't work, they're too heavy and I can't move - but there the similarities between a VegEPA crash and a non-VegEPA crash end.
It's like I'm on high dose painkillers and I'm cushioned from everything - ok so I can't move, I'm uncomfortable - but I don't care. I'm completely detached from everything - I could be dying or lying naked for the world to see and it wouldn't matter, I'm not really aware of anything around me, or if I am I just couldn't care less because I'm locked in some kind of immovable armour that's shielding me from the world at large.

I think that's why the non-VegEPA crash lasts longer, when I'm aware I have an incentive to come out of it. It's quite a strange one really, if I fight it it lasts longer and exacerbates all my other symptoms but at the same time if I don't fight it or even seem aware that I could, then I don't come out of it for a good hour or two - and even when I do I'm not 'with it' for the rest of the day.
That doesn't make sense does it..? ok, in a slightly more understandable format:

With VegEpa

Sudden wash of exhaustion, enough warning to sit/ lie down and tell someone what's happening before everything is too heavy to move. I'm aware of my surroundings and able to speak though it's slurred and hard to understand. I'm aware of discomfort and uncomfortable positions, if I don't fight it I'm out for an average of 20 minutes. When it's over I feel shaky and a little unwell but I can at least interact 'normally' with people again.

Without VegEPA

Exhaustion comes on suddenly, no warning. I'm completely detached from everything I can't move and I don't care. No matter what position I fall into I'm 'happy' to stay that way, it's like I'm cushioned from the knowledge of pain and discomfort - I know it's there but I can't be bothered to do anything about it. I can only communicate in grunts which means only my carer (stef) can understand me. It takes a minimum of an hour to regain movement and even then it's only enough energy to move into a more comfortable position, I'm usually out for a minimum of 2-3 hours though it can last the entire day as it comes and goes.
When it's over I'm uncommunicative and remain slightly detached from everything, I can move but everything irritates me and I don't want to be bothered with anything.

I've tried doing without the supplements before but I've never bothered to record the results, just the knowledge that I'm better with the pills without remembering why was enough - now though I feel the need for the record, I don't want to attempt this experiment again, with college I've too much at stake, I need to be aware and functioning. While it's kind of 'nice' to let everything go and feel completely detached from the world now and again that's not how I want to live my life - I had that fog for a year or so when I first started dealing with CFS/ME and it confused the hell out of me, I was upset and in pain all the time and I REALLY don't want to go back there.

catch up.

I've been a tad on the whacked side this week, Wednesday was pants as I nearly crashed in class, managed to fight through but felt awful right through to Friday morning when I was riding the biggest high I've had in months - was practically dancing up the high street and barely containing the songs pouring through my mind in a happy stream.

That didn't last of course because I've discovered that I'm not a fan of databasing, methinks I'll be outsourcing that particular job should I ever be in a position to do it. By Friday night I was shattered and yesterday was basically a washout as I spent most of it in bed.

I did get up at 7:30pm though, Stef took me to the local cinema to see 'Run fat boy, run' I have to say I really quite enjoyed it there's a brand of humour for everyone in that film, it also highlighted how strange my sense of humour must be because at certain points I was the only person laughing while at others everyone but me seemed to be laughing.. ah well, m'an original ;)

I've also been getting grief from a few of the guys on the support group - I know they're right and it's just because they care but.. I do wish I'd never mentioned the low blood pressure thing, some of the comments were a little scary.

I've been getting dizzy spells and faint nausea quite regularly for the last few weeks, I've also been having to watch my breathing because it's very shallow, if i'm not thinking about it I don't breathe deeply - it's not asthma it's just as though I've forgotten how I'm supposed to breath.

I've also been getting sharp twinges in my chest. I am going to go to the doctors, I have an appointment booked - it's just not until the 6th november. I'm fine with that but the guys in the support group keep telling me to demand an earlier appointment.

It may be daft but I don't want to put anyone out. This new doctors is not one I can easily get to - I need to be taken there. The appointment on the 6th is for both my man and me, since he has to go anyway it's not putting him out - that and since the nurse is doing all the prelim checks then the doc will be able to see for himself what my blood pressure etc is like. I don't see the point in going before he has some data on me - it'll take a good couple of months for him to get hold of my records.

Meh, I'll be fine. I just need to take things a little easier is all.

Coping with college.

It's been three weeks now and I'm just about handling things.

I come out of classes feeling as though my head is about to explode and I'm shattered when I get home, but I'm not crashing in the day and my communication skills are improving by leaps and bounds - it's only towards the end of the day I start stumbling so hopefully after a month or so I'll have built myself up to the point where I can get through an entire day without a single stumble. At least I have a day off after each lecture day so I can rest up.

The last week or so have been worrying though, I've had a faint nausea and slight dizziness come on every other day, my appetite is not what it was I get slight 'tension like' headaches and I'm dehydrating a lot quicker than usual.
I need to sort out a doctor asap!

Fingers crossed it's just a slight bug and that I'll get over it swiftly,but it's likely related to low blood pressure - the NHS survey nurse said I had incredibly low blood pressure, I just haven't been to the doctors since for a check up - methinks it's time to.