I know you're closely following my life and are breathlessly waiting for the next installment.
I don't blame you. It is exciting.
For example, yesterday.
We slept in. Got up around 9:30, which is way better than being up at 7 to get ready for a bed delivery, yes?
I had a little headache, which is becoming a way of life since we got the new bed. I know that little headaches are common for me anyway, but after I get a shower and have a little breakfast, I don't usually need to take anything to get rid of it.
Well, until we got the new bed. Now I end up taking either a couple Bufferin or Excedrin every morning.
Every.
Morning.
I can't smell that faint chemical smell now when I get into bed, but evidently it's still there. I don't have any other explanation.
I took two Excedrin with breakfast yesterday morning, but still had a headache and that pressure. I usually wait to see if it's going to develop into a migraine instead of taking one of those expensive damn pills right off the bat.
I hate taking them, they make me feel like I've been kicked several times by a small pony with large hooves. They make me sweaty, then I have to pee about four gallons in the next six hours, and after that, I am exhausted and sleep like a brick.
After I gave up soda more than a year ago, my migraines have shown up once a month, and are directly tied to hormonal activity. I can almost predict the moment they'll hit.
Until this week.
I started the week with a big one, even had to end up taking half a pill at work on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Last night, or rather this morning, about three, I woke up with a screamer. Got up and took one of my pills and went back to bed.
Now here's the strange part. Our morning routine has Eric up before me, and me sleeping a few more minutes while he gets ready for work. We don't communicate much during that time, neither one of us are very cheerful or friendly.
After he's ready for work, he comes in and wakes me up. I get up and hug him and wish him a good day and all that stuff, then I get started with my morning. I have time to veg in front of the computer, start to wake up, do my Yoga and get a shower etc before the kids get out of bed.
Today, I did not wake up when he opened the bedroom door. I woke up about ten minutes before seven because I had to pee AGAIN, and saw that he was gone.
I called him on the phone, and he told me that he had talked to me AND turned on a light in the bedroom. He said he knew I was still alive because I was snoring.
So what's the solution? We spent a LOT of money on the bed, and getting rid of it isn't an option, I don't think. I'm hoping that by leaving the blankets off during the day and airing it out that whatever residue is causing the problems will eventually dissipate, and I can go back to regular life.
It's a comfortable bed (It damn well ought to be) and I'm getting used to it. My electric blanket should arrive today or tomorrow and help things, too.
Meanwhile, I have my friends and acquaintances in cyberspace to whine to.
Sorry to hear about your headaches.I hope you can get rid of that new smell in the bed.Have you tried to sprinkle some baking soda on the bed and leaving it for a while and then running a sweeper on it?I had to do this with a chair I have.That new smell or the dye was driving my allergies into overdrive.Good luck.
ReplyDeletei think teressa has a good idea. I was going to suggest getting one of those allergen mattress cover things (I think 'Life , The Universe and Everything' bought some for all of their beds and it helped with general allergies for them)and seeing if that tanks down the smell some.
ReplyDeleteAmi - I have a lot of the same migraine triggers you do (am blessedly past the hormonal versions) and had the same reaction when we bought our new bed. After ten days of misery my husband had the idea of hauling the mattress outside and leaving it in the sun and fresh air for a whole day. As an afterthought he also took the box springs out (we have a Calif King) about mid-day. It worked! I also got one of those allergen mattress covers, but not 'til about a week later.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, I've shared your misery.
We NEED a new bed, but will have to wait until our move is over.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get rid of your headaches soon....
My bed gives me the worst back aches. I even woke with spasms t he other night. NOT good. It stinks that you have to put up with the headaches just to get a good nights sleep. I hope they start to ease off for you.
ReplyDeleteI also suffer from severe migraines, and have all my life. When we got our new bed we had to air it out in the sun for two days (a rare commodity in OR I know) and then we put one of those allergen covers on it. Within one week I no longer woke up with migraines. By the way, if you take more than 3 pain pills (whether over the counter or Imitrex) you may be triggering rebound migraines which often are worse than the original migraine. I cut back on pain meds and increased my 5HTP and am now getting HALF the migraines I did a year ago. Unfortunately there seems to be no solution for the d*mn hormonal migraines although my naturepath does have me taking flax oil in hopes that will help (flax influences our hormone levels).
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling better soon!
Gina
I have a friend who gets migraines, she gets relief from taking feverfew.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your new bed. Do you have a Little Green Steam Machine or a steam cleaner? That's what I would do to get some of the chemical smell out of it. Maybe rent one?
Good luck and hugs!!
I used to get terrible headaches but I knew what causes them. I had a 'head first into the boards' accident and I've had problems with my neck ever since. I don't get headaches much anymore thank goodness. The Chiropractor managed to fix me up.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing to consider other than the bed, is the pillow. If the bed is a different hardness, your pillow may be either too hard or too soft and it is letting your neck/upper shoulders be in a different position that it isn't used to. It has happened to me and when I changed pillows, the headaches went away.
We bought an organic bed for our older son because his allergies are the worst and he tends to get sinus infections a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt has helped him. We'd like to replace our little guys and ours too - just gotta wait for the funds to do so. They are expensive. I do use allergen covers on all mattresses and pillows and organic sheets and blankets.
It's tough when you're so affected by chemicals. I think the airing out thing is a good idea and definitely a good mattress cover. Until the sun comes out, you can just leave the mattress bare during the day to let it air in the room too. Just crack a window to let the fumes out.