The biggest piece is I've switched antidepressants: after almost ten years on venlafaxine (Effexor), I have migrated over to duloxetine (Cymbalta), which I hope will alleviate my fibromyalgia symptoms. My doctor didn't understand why I hadn't been put on Cymbalta ages ago, since that's the usual antidepressant for fibromyalgia sufferers; I vaguely remember some years ago discussing Cymbalta with my doctor, but can't remember why we didn't do it... it was either my insurance wouldn't pay for it and there wasn't a generic, or it had suicidal ideation side effects and they thought it unwise to add that since I already had suicidal ideation. But my current doctor did see that on the side effects list and there was plenty of generics about, so he put me on it. It took a while to wean off the Effexor, though, so I'm still not fully migrated yet, but though I don't feel any lessening of the fibromyalgia yet, I also don't feel more depressed than I was before so I'll just wait and see.
I've also started hormone replacement therapy for my chronic fatigue and am self-injecting testosterone into my thigh every two weeks which is a lot less difficult than I feared, though it takes some finagling since I can't watch the needle going in, I have to set it in place and hold it still with my other hand, then look away while I push it in; I can watch depressing the syringe, but have to close my eyes again to pull the needle out. For some reason, it hurts more when I'm looking at it, and freaks me out on top of it. But the doing it sort of blind works really well and I have no qualms about it anymore. Oh, and the testosterone is making me feel so much better, it's totally worth it. I still get tired really quickly but I don't stay tired as long and feel more motivated to push against my tiredness.
Plus, I've started using a hemp CBD supplement that has damped down my anxiety and racing thoughts to a satisfying degree. I worried about using CBD or THC because of my addiction issues, so I talked to my doctor and he didn't know of any danger to one's sobriety; if I was concerned about getting high, stick to the CBD at first, since it doesn't have the euphoric effect that THC does. And I did a lot of reading about both types and the difference between cannabis and hemp, and finally decided to try Tommy Chong's Good Vibes hemp CBD drops. They're kind of expensive for daily use but I got a really good intro deal so dove in with both feet, and am really glad I did. And though they didn't do anything for the pain, as I'd hoped, they really improved my mood and sleep without any side effects or feeling loopy.
On the nonmedical side, I've been bingeing on RuPaul's Drag Race the last few months and have absorbed all fifteen years of regular and all-star seasons, five UK seasons, four Canada seasons, and the recently completed Global All Star season; I'm starting to work my way through the Down Under seasons now, and may or may not attempt the foreign-language versions. As a result of this immersion in Drag Race, I have reignited my passion for drag and am working on plans to get back into face, if only to put some content online.
I'm thinking a YoutTube channel with me putting on makeup tutorial-style, first trying to recreate my makeup from ye olde days, then copying other tutorials to learn new techniques and develop a new makeup style of my own, and maybe even graduate into performances in drag, monologues or chatty vlogs or lipsynchs in the Quarantine style. I just have to learn to film and edit YouTube/TikTok videos, perhaps get some sound and video equipment beyond a ring-light and fuzzy mike, so it's not going to happen right away. Stay tuned for developments.
And most recently, I've started NaNoWriMo again and am keeping my daily writings in a blog you can follow if you like! I've had a hard time getting into the swing of it, as I've had every year for the last I don't know how many years, only squeezing out a hundred or so words at a time instead of the 1667 I intend, but crawling along at a painful pace is better than not trying at all, so painful crawl it is. Hopefully I'll build up some momentum and catch up with my word count, but even if I don't, it feels good to make myself write again.
So until next time, don't take any wooden igloos.
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