Messages By: weidgate51

Hi Beverly,  

First, I'm so sorry to hear about all the health problems and the death of your mother. It's very hard to see them go through so much agony. My mother at 83 several years ago, fell asleep and never woke up. We should all go so peacefully. 

To continue, I have been on Klonopin for 5 years. Only 1 MG per evening. I have never experienced weight gain taking it. If you do a Google search on Klonopin (Clonazepam) you will find it does not cause weight gain. However, the Elavil and the Paxil you were taking does.  

I was mis-diagnosed with Fibromyalgia several years ago and was put on both of the later mentioned medications. Starting at 10 mg and going up to 100 per day over the course of several months.  

I am 5' 8 1/2", always weighed about 120 - 130 pounds. I went up to 185+. The medications weren't doing anything anyway with the Fibromyalgia symptoms, so over the course of time, I weaned myself off of them, and am now down to my 130 pounds with which I am very happy about.  

I am still taking the Klonopin with no ill effects or weight gain.  

As it turns out, I have Multiple Sclerosis. If you go to the National MS Society page and go under treatments and find Klonopin it will give you a list of  the side effects. Klonoping is used usually for seizure disorders as they involve the central nervous system. MS involves the nerves in your brain. 

I do have some of the side effects listed regarding the Klonopin but usually over the course of time, some of them go away. 

If you are on the Elavil still and decide to go off of it, remember to not just stop taking it. This and the Paxil you were on should always be gradually decreased over the course of time to get completely off of it.  

It took me 6 months to wean myself off of Elavil. As I did so, so did my weight decrease. 

So take care with these and all other medications used to treat depression. 

I also am a firm believer of more natural cures than prescription. I take a lot of vitamins and natural herbs for my MS.  

I was in nursing years ago. Always do your homework on medications you are on. Years ago before computers were commonplace, we used a Physicians Desk Reference to cross medications. Today the internet is so close at hand and a lot faster in finding information.  

Take care, Valerie 

First of all, from the time I was a little girl I was always fascinated with my dad's Naval Tattoo he got when he was in the Korean War on his one arm and the black panther on his other arm.   

He died unexpectedly when I was 28 and that Panther always was on my mind. Around the 25th anniversary of his death at 53 years old in remembrance of my father I had the same and only tattoo put on my lower back.   

No one can see it, it is for me only, I don't care if anyone finds it distasteful or not. It's not like I go around pulling up my shirt and flashing everyone. I work in finance and no one is the wiser and if they were I wouldn't care less. As the song goes "it ain't nobody's business if I do" Let it alone.  

If this is the only "wrong" thing this kid is doing, that mother should be grateful. It could be a lot worse. Look around.   

Now about Nancy and the MS thing. I too have MS. I really am glad she can cope as she does and appears to always have a positive attitude.   

However, MS isn't choosy. It doesn't decide who is going to be okay with it and who isn't. Or who is going to have a great "for the rest of your life" or not.   

I haven't been able to feel the left side of my face and body for 2 years. Ever been to the dentist and got Novocaine? Ever try to drink something when you left the dentist? Well, welcome to my world. No, nothing runs out of my mouth but I feel like it's going to.   

There are days when I feel on top of the world. This is where MS really gets you and sneaks up on you. When you feel okay what is the first thing you do? (those of you that do have MS) Pretend there is nothing wrong and over do it.  

Then reality comes maybe the next day or the following day and you will be in bed or laying on the sofa several days whether you have a positive attitude or not.  

Oh, and don't go out in to the sun and the heat, you will lose your vision temporarily and the numbness gets even worse. Air conditioners are tax deductible though.   

I do consider myself to be a very positive person and my life just took a different turn and now I just have to make some adjustments.  

But I never take MS for granted having a positive outlook or not. Basically the nerves in your brain are dying. Sometimes fast sometimes slow. This is where the different levels of the disease are determined. I take seizure meds and I give myself shots everyday to slow the process down.   

Was I angry when i found out what I had? You betcha! At some point did I feel sorry for myself? Of course, who wouldn't. A part of me died! Did I give up? NO WAY!  

The biggest mistake people make is to not educate themselves about the disease itself. Especially the caretakers. We already know what we have and how we feel.   

We look normal just like anyone else does on the outside. So when someone asks "how do you feel" and you tell them your "not having a good day" they say "well you look fine". Well, duh!  

If someone told me they had some type of illness I wasn't familiar with instead of judging, I would educate myself first to get a better understanding of what they are gong through.  

Anyone can go to the NMSS.org to get all the info they need on MS.  

Yes, I do believe keeping a positive attitude is a great thing but there are days when it just doesn't happen, and you know, it's okay!     

Sorry to hear about your step-son. My nephew has been in and out of rehab several times now. I pray that it works for him. Question to you, are you going to Ala-non? That being asked. 

Let you kids get their tattoos. 

I got my first tattoo at 53 and I'm glad I did it! I'm even thinking about getting another one. !! 

The Bible also says that there is NO sin greater than another. Be it murder or stealing. If you feel that getting a tattoo is a sin and you have never sinned; cast the first stone.  

While watching the show, I believe Paul Mooney is very racist. I am white, I do not look at color. He spoke of all the hard ships of slavery.

Well, I'm am of Native American descent. How would he feel if he had his WHOLE country taken away from him and be given a postage stamp size piece of land to live on?

I am of Irish/Engish, Great-grandparents and Great-aunts came off the boat, one of them married Native American. They were called Micks, Halfbreeds, etc.

I do not live my life today in the past, I live it in the now. He needs to get over it. It happened, it's over, it became a part of history and believe it or not, a lot of good eventually came out of it. It was in God's time. He was the one that had the plan.

I marched for Dr. King back in the day and he would have been very disappointed in Paul Mooneys display of obvious racism. That is not what Dr. King stood for or believe. He said we were all one. That I believe to this day.

I do not like the "N" word, nor do I like or believe in any word that is demeaning to another person.

I'm sorry his ancestors were made slaves but I nor us today did not do it.

I'm sorry my Native American ancestors land was stolen from them. But the people today did not do it.

I believe in what Rev. Sharpton said, in song, and in joking around. It is giving the wrong message. Children here it and think it is okay and it is not.

When my grand-daughter saw a little boy (who by the way was black) she asked me if she could play with the little boy and I said yes. She is 4.  She didn't ask "the little black boy", just, the little boy. This is the way I was raised, my children were raised and the way my grand-children are being raised. We are all one.

There is no color. We are all Americans

Again, all I saw today on the show was hate.  The only thing I hate is calling someone a name that will degrade them, whatever their color.

Has everyone forgotten Dr. Marting Luther King Jr.? I was 15 years old, white, and I will never forget the profound, humility, I felt hearing that speech.

Maybe all of you should go buy the book and read it and remember what he was all about and what he stood for.

We celebrate his Holiday and most get a day off of work. Do you all just take the day off? Or do you really remember what that day is all about?

He was an awesome man who wanted change, and I think most of the people on that stage today, especially one, forgot what that was and should be ashamed.

                                                       From: I have a Dream

I am just an American. My Great-grandparents immigrated from England and Ireland along with some Great Aunts & Uncles.

One of them in turn married into the Cherokee tribe.

I do not call myself Irish-English-Native American-American.

I'm just an American.

I was born here, not there.

Of course, this is just my opinion. If you were born here; you are an American. You might have some Russian, or German, or Portuguese ancestry somewhere along the line, or African or Irish.

You were born here; you are AMERICAN period.