Not long after my last post a friend commented that I would probably have the same amount of energy if I took a 5-hour Energy drink once or twice a day as I get from taking DE in the mornings. I have tried 5-hour Energy before, and it does work, but not the same as DE. Still, I decided to try going a week without DE, and just using the energy shots instead.
My fiancee and I (yes, we are now officially engaged!) went to Costco, and I bought a case of Kirkland's version of 5-hour Energy - which from this point forward will be referred to simply as energy shots to make things easier. The next morning I took an energy shot before breakfast instead of my usual dose of DE. It seemed to work okay, but by early afternoon - about 5 hours after I had the morning energy shot - I was feeling worn down and very low energy. I took a second shot at about 3 in the afternoon, and felt good enough to get some housework done, and get dinner ready. By bedtime, I was tired, restless, and cranky, but was unable to get to sleep until about 2am.
I took another energy shot at breakfast the next day, and once again I had energy until sometime around 3pm at which point I took another energy shot. This time my energy was not as high as the day before, and I was extremely tired, cranky, and restless by bedtime (around midnight). This time I slept through the night.
The remainder of the week followed the same pattern - two energy shots needed to give me energy throughout the day, and I was totally worn out by bedtime. By the end of the week, the energy shots were not working as well as they had been at the beginning of the week.
During my time of taking the energy shots instead of DE I noticed several things - except for that second night it was difficult to get to sleep at night, and it was difficult to get out of bed in the mornings. My moods were dropping, and I was being very snippy towards my fiancee. My back started feeling worse, my left knee was aching a lot more, and my energy was steadily decreasing the longer I used the energy shots instead of DE.
I stayed away from DE for 8 days total - and by the end of that time I was miserable!
After the 8th day, I happily returned to my morning dose of DE - along with an energy shot just to make sure I could get through the work day as I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. I noticed only a slight improvement that day, and no change in my sleep that night. But the next morning it was much easier to get out of bed, and I was in a better frame of mind. After only a few days of taking DE, I had a noticeable improvement in both energy and mood! Not only that, but I sleep much better at night, and my back and knee are both feeling better.
I think that the experiment with the energy shots in place of the DE has pretty much proven that DE is more effective for me than the energy shots in more ways than one. I still take the energy shots when I want an extra boost, but I will never again use the energy shots to replace DE.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Getting Better
Still taking DE pretty much regularly, though some days I take two doses, and other days I only take one. There were two days where I missed because there was a lot going on, and I simply forgot to take it, and on those days I had a noticeable drop in energy. I don't know if this was because I realized I had forgotten to take my morning dose of DE (I was at work at the time) or if it was truly the effects of not having it.
So far it seems the DE is helping me just like it did before. I find myself getting more done around the house, and I have more energy at work. My knees are feeling better, and I have lost some weight - the scales have weighed me at 156 for two days in a row! I know this is only a three pound loss, but I have not changed my eating habits much, and the problems with the eye keep me from feeling like doing any real exercise other than housework or yardwork.
Speaking of yardwork, code enforcement decided to start harassing the entire block again, and they had a huge list of so-called violations that we have to correct - despite the fact that my boyfriend is keeping the yard looking nice. Among other things, apparently we are not allowed to have chairs and a table outside so we can sit and enjoy our front yard because they don't approve of the type of chairs or table we have, we are not allowed to have any room for the cars to turn around in the dirt driveway - only a straight path from the gate to the garage despite the fact that it has been that way for over 40 years and code enforcement has never had a problem with it before, and we cannot store anything at all in the front yard - not even the bbq that has been there for years (code enforcement has never complained about this before either). They even cited us for the ice chest that we had set outside to dry out! Thankfully, my energy and motivation are still high enough for me to get the stuff done outside, and my knee has not bothered me at all while I am doing yardwork.
So far it seems the DE is helping me just like it did before. I find myself getting more done around the house, and I have more energy at work. My knees are feeling better, and I have lost some weight - the scales have weighed me at 156 for two days in a row! I know this is only a three pound loss, but I have not changed my eating habits much, and the problems with the eye keep me from feeling like doing any real exercise other than housework or yardwork.
Speaking of yardwork, code enforcement decided to start harassing the entire block again, and they had a huge list of so-called violations that we have to correct - despite the fact that my boyfriend is keeping the yard looking nice. Among other things, apparently we are not allowed to have chairs and a table outside so we can sit and enjoy our front yard because they don't approve of the type of chairs or table we have, we are not allowed to have any room for the cars to turn around in the dirt driveway - only a straight path from the gate to the garage despite the fact that it has been that way for over 40 years and code enforcement has never had a problem with it before, and we cannot store anything at all in the front yard - not even the bbq that has been there for years (code enforcement has never complained about this before either). They even cited us for the ice chest that we had set outside to dry out! Thankfully, my energy and motivation are still high enough for me to get the stuff done outside, and my knee has not bothered me at all while I am doing yardwork.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
There Are Some Things DE Can't Help With
Last Friday I noticed that my left eye was feeling a little sore - specifically the top eyelid. I didn't think much of it because I had just started wearing makeup again, and figured that it was just a little irritated. Well, that little irritation slowly got worse until it turned into a hideously swollen eyelid that is so large that I cannot keep that eye open. I am on antibiotics, and I have a special ointment to put into the eye now. Hopefully this thing will quickly resolve itself.
When it first started swelling I was searching desperately for home remedies to bring this to a head, but nothing worked. Then I had what could only be described as an insane idea - you probably know what I am thinking, and no I did not do it. I knew that DE had worked to draw out infection in a cat bite on my hand, and in a cut on my finger. So for one moment I wondered... then I quickly reminded myself (more like I said to myself, "What are you thinking!!??) that DE is not good for eyes. I did toy around with the idea of putting some DE in a coffee filter, but that would definitely be too dangerous . So I have tried other remedies I have read about before finally getting antibiotics. So far things look like I might have my eye back soon.
Last post I mentioned how it seemed that DE was helping my moods. I am still not sure if the DE is actually affecting my moods outright or if it is the energy the stuff gives me that is helping. I am still feeling much better on all levels even with the eye problem. Energy is still up, and my appetite is still down a bit. My weight is still the same, and I have not taken my blood pressure yet. My knees are feeling a bit better, but my back is still having some problems. I am really hoping that I will get the same results with my back and knees that I got the first time I was taking DE steadily.
When it first started swelling I was searching desperately for home remedies to bring this to a head, but nothing worked. Then I had what could only be described as an insane idea - you probably know what I am thinking, and no I did not do it. I knew that DE had worked to draw out infection in a cat bite on my hand, and in a cut on my finger. So for one moment I wondered... then I quickly reminded myself (more like I said to myself, "What are you thinking!!??) that DE is not good for eyes. I did toy around with the idea of putting some DE in a coffee filter, but that would definitely be too dangerous . So I have tried other remedies I have read about before finally getting antibiotics. So far things look like I might have my eye back soon.
Last post I mentioned how it seemed that DE was helping my moods. I am still not sure if the DE is actually affecting my moods outright or if it is the energy the stuff gives me that is helping. I am still feeling much better on all levels even with the eye problem. Energy is still up, and my appetite is still down a bit. My weight is still the same, and I have not taken my blood pressure yet. My knees are feeling a bit better, but my back is still having some problems. I am really hoping that I will get the same results with my back and knees that I got the first time I was taking DE steadily.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Still Moving Forward
It's been a very busy day for me today, but I was able to deal with it far better than I would have before starting DE up again. I got through a difficult housecleaning job, drove my boyfriend out to the hospital for the tests his doctor wanted, and waited for over an hour and a half without feeling like falling asleep, did a quick grocery shopping trip, made dinner, and listed some items on ebay without feeling tired - though I did take a quick nap before making dinner. Just two weeks ago I would have been too tired after work to do anything except take a long nap the minute I got home from work.
My appetite is finally decreasing. I had a difficult time making myself eat breakfast this morning, and my desire to snack was pretty much gone today. The lady whose house I cleaned this morning said that it looked like I am losing weight, though the scales don't show any difference yet. Last time I weighed myself the scales showed 257.7, which is pretty much the same as I weighed a few days ago.
My moods have remained very stable even in situations that would normally put me in a bad mood. My boyfriend suggested that maybe the change in mood is simply because I am feeling better physically. He might be right about that because pain, and overall lack of energy, will take away one's motivation, and bring a person's mood down. But what I was going through seemed like more than just dealing with low level pain and lack of energy. Anybody else have any thoughts on this or noticed mood changes after taking DE?
My appetite is finally decreasing. I had a difficult time making myself eat breakfast this morning, and my desire to snack was pretty much gone today. The lady whose house I cleaned this morning said that it looked like I am losing weight, though the scales don't show any difference yet. Last time I weighed myself the scales showed 257.7, which is pretty much the same as I weighed a few days ago.
My moods have remained very stable even in situations that would normally put me in a bad mood. My boyfriend suggested that maybe the change in mood is simply because I am feeling better physically. He might be right about that because pain, and overall lack of energy, will take away one's motivation, and bring a person's mood down. But what I was going through seemed like more than just dealing with low level pain and lack of energy. Anybody else have any thoughts on this or noticed mood changes after taking DE?
Monday, March 26, 2012
DE Affecting Moods?
I had a very difficult time getting to sleep last night. My stomach was very upset, and I could not get it to settle down. I thought about trying DE to calm the indigestion, but I was worried that I would be too restless after taking it. So I only got about 4 hours sleep. Which brings me to the reason for my update today.
Over the last few months when I haven't been taking DE I have had quite a few nights where I didn't get enough sleep - whether I was just too restless or upset stomach - I only averaged about 3 - 4 hours sleep during those nights. The mornings after rough nights like those tend to be difficult at best. My moods range from grouch to depressed to almost impossible to deal with, and make life very difficult for my boyfriend who gets the worst of my ----. But this morning was completely different. Yes I was tired, and a little grouchy at first - but nothing like those other mornings. In fact, after taking my morning dose of DE I felt great. My motivation to get things done lagged a bit, but my energy was fairly high considering, and my mood was actually good.
My boyfriend was happily surprised at the difference in me.
This brings me to something else I've noticed. My moods are much better over the last two or three days. I hadn't really thought about it until now, but I am definitely feeling better emotionally. During these last few months away from DE I have been going through periods of intense depression. I realize that there have been many changes in my life over the last year and a half - I have lost three people I love (the pastor from my church, my housemate, and my aunt), I spent several months living alone for the first time in my life, and I got into a new relationship. These things alone can take a huge emotional toll on a person. But the mood swings I was dealing with were, for lack of a better way of putting it, not me. A day or so after starting the DE again I started feeling like myself again.
The increase in motivation that I have always felt when taking DE could be the DE affecting my moods, but I never really felt this kind of effect from it before. Maybe I just never noticed it because I wasn't dealing with these kinds of mood swings and depression before. All I know for certain is that I feel better, and more able to cope with things.
Over the last few months when I haven't been taking DE I have had quite a few nights where I didn't get enough sleep - whether I was just too restless or upset stomach - I only averaged about 3 - 4 hours sleep during those nights. The mornings after rough nights like those tend to be difficult at best. My moods range from grouch to depressed to almost impossible to deal with, and make life very difficult for my boyfriend who gets the worst of my ----. But this morning was completely different. Yes I was tired, and a little grouchy at first - but nothing like those other mornings. In fact, after taking my morning dose of DE I felt great. My motivation to get things done lagged a bit, but my energy was fairly high considering, and my mood was actually good.
My boyfriend was happily surprised at the difference in me.
This brings me to something else I've noticed. My moods are much better over the last two or three days. I hadn't really thought about it until now, but I am definitely feeling better emotionally. During these last few months away from DE I have been going through periods of intense depression. I realize that there have been many changes in my life over the last year and a half - I have lost three people I love (the pastor from my church, my housemate, and my aunt), I spent several months living alone for the first time in my life, and I got into a new relationship. These things alone can take a huge emotional toll on a person. But the mood swings I was dealing with were, for lack of a better way of putting it, not me. A day or so after starting the DE again I started feeling like myself again.
The increase in motivation that I have always felt when taking DE could be the DE affecting my moods, but I never really felt this kind of effect from it before. Maybe I just never noticed it because I wasn't dealing with these kinds of mood swings and depression before. All I know for certain is that I feel better, and more able to cope with things.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Starting Over (Again)
I cannot believe I nearly forgot about this blog. So much has happened in my life, and it has taken time to adjust to all of the changes that have taken place since I first started this blog.
First things first, let me fill everybody in on what has happened since my last post. I had renters for a month and a half during last August and part of September staying in the room that used to belong to my roommate/housemate. During that time I pretty much forgot about taking DE as I was getting readjusted to sharing my house with other people. Then in September, while they were still here, my boyfriend moved down here to stay. I should point out that this was a huge leap of faith for both of us because we had never met face to face, but we had been spending several hours a day on the phone with each other so we had gotten to know one another quite well. Still, that's not the same as getting to know each other face to face. But we hit it off wonderfully from the moment he got here, and the animals adopted him almost immediately - which is very unusual because they aren't very friendly with strangers.
So, between getting used to a new relationship, and a new living situation while still recovering from the grief I was dealing with, I kind of forgot about a lot of things - like taking DE regularly, and updating this blog.
This is why I have titled this post, 'Starting Over.' I just started taking DE again two days ago, and I intend to keep taking it regularly from this point on. While I was away from DE, I noticed a huge drop in energy (this could be attributed to the things I was going through, but I think being away from DE also played a huge part), my back and knees have been giving me a lot of trouble, my weight has gone up a bit - not much, but it is still a gain, and last time I took my blood pressure it was 160/115. Also, I have not been sleeping as well as I was when taking DE, and my appetite has skyrocketed to the point where I want to nibble on snacks constantly. Motivation to do anything was almost zero during the time I was away from DE as well.
As I mentioned, I started taking DE again just two days ago, and this is what I have noticed so far. My energy is coming back, and I feel motivated to get things done. I just feel 'brighter' somehow - to the point where my boyfriend has noticed the change over the last couple of days, and has told me that he will make sure I continue to take DE on a daily basis! I am sleeping better - two nights of solid, comfortable sleep instead of waking up during the night and not being able to get back to sleep.
My appetite is still there, but not quite as bad. I weighed myself tonight - 258, so I know that I haven't gained a huge amount of weight, but I am hoping that the DE will help me start getting rid of it again. There has been no change in the joint and back pain yet, but that will take some time. I am hoping to get up the courage to take my blood pressure again in a day or two so I can monitor whether or not the DE is helping with that.
Well, that's all for now. It's late and I am getting sleepy. Hopefully, I will be posting regularly again from this point forward.
First things first, let me fill everybody in on what has happened since my last post. I had renters for a month and a half during last August and part of September staying in the room that used to belong to my roommate/housemate. During that time I pretty much forgot about taking DE as I was getting readjusted to sharing my house with other people. Then in September, while they were still here, my boyfriend moved down here to stay. I should point out that this was a huge leap of faith for both of us because we had never met face to face, but we had been spending several hours a day on the phone with each other so we had gotten to know one another quite well. Still, that's not the same as getting to know each other face to face. But we hit it off wonderfully from the moment he got here, and the animals adopted him almost immediately - which is very unusual because they aren't very friendly with strangers.
So, between getting used to a new relationship, and a new living situation while still recovering from the grief I was dealing with, I kind of forgot about a lot of things - like taking DE regularly, and updating this blog.
This is why I have titled this post, 'Starting Over.' I just started taking DE again two days ago, and I intend to keep taking it regularly from this point on. While I was away from DE, I noticed a huge drop in energy (this could be attributed to the things I was going through, but I think being away from DE also played a huge part), my back and knees have been giving me a lot of trouble, my weight has gone up a bit - not much, but it is still a gain, and last time I took my blood pressure it was 160/115. Also, I have not been sleeping as well as I was when taking DE, and my appetite has skyrocketed to the point where I want to nibble on snacks constantly. Motivation to do anything was almost zero during the time I was away from DE as well.
As I mentioned, I started taking DE again just two days ago, and this is what I have noticed so far. My energy is coming back, and I feel motivated to get things done. I just feel 'brighter' somehow - to the point where my boyfriend has noticed the change over the last couple of days, and has told me that he will make sure I continue to take DE on a daily basis! I am sleeping better - two nights of solid, comfortable sleep instead of waking up during the night and not being able to get back to sleep.
My appetite is still there, but not quite as bad. I weighed myself tonight - 258, so I know that I haven't gained a huge amount of weight, but I am hoping that the DE will help me start getting rid of it again. There has been no change in the joint and back pain yet, but that will take some time. I am hoping to get up the courage to take my blood pressure again in a day or two so I can monitor whether or not the DE is helping with that.
Well, that's all for now. It's late and I am getting sleepy. Hopefully, I will be posting regularly again from this point forward.
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