Posted by Cece on March 2, 2001, at 1:11:29
In reply to Re: 'virtual' therapy , posted by Steffany on March 1, 2001, at 13:21:15
Hi Steffany-
This is an interesting correspondence. I wonder if other people are reading it...? If so, I hope that it's helpful in some way.
Let's see:
I didn't mean in any way to put down AA- it really saved my life, and it saves many lives. Addiction is horrible, horrible, horrible. However, I don't worry about the "addiction" issue when it comes to meds. With good medical supervision, withdrawal can be handled if needed, and in the face of depression, hating being alive, and suicide, "addiction" to a med that is helpful is a non-issue.
I don't have a clue from what you've written who is presently prescribing psychotropics to you. It doesn't seem like it's someone you can really talk to, or you would have mentioned him/her. You need a really good pdoc who you can work WITH! Obviously you are very intelligent, but you need someone with psychiatric training. You are not going to figure out what med you should be taking just from reading these posts. Even doctors (good ones) know better than to try and diagnose and treat themselves. Sometimes being smart can be isolating. There ARE smart, compassionate, up-to-date pdocs out there in the world and you need one. I don't know if it's possible, but maybe you could try emailing Dr. Bob and seeing if he knows of anyone in your area.
The incident with the gynecologist is disgusting!
The medications that I take aren't obscure- it's just that some of them are newer. I take a long list becuz different meds have helped different aspects of my particular mood problems, and some of them I only need to take a very small amount of to get a therapeutic effect. My problems have been "treatment resistent" and I've had to try a LOT of meds to find helpful ones- and I'm still working on it. I say "I" because I work with a doctor who is open to collaboration- I really should be saying "we". I'm going to change doctors soon- for a few reasons, including finances- and I'm scared. But, I know that ultimately I am on my own side, and I will persist and I will not turn myself over to someone I don't trust- I will find someone who is right for me. I truly believe that this persistence has saved my life- and the underlying knowing that what I want most of all is to live and enjoy living. But I went many years trying to solve all my problems with just therapy- the insight and support was great, but I needed psychopharmacology. However, as it turns out, the drugs I needed first of all to get my feet on the ground weren't even around until pretty recently (mood stabilizers (other than lithium, which my body totally rejected)). But you are younger, and your body chemistry is more flexible (as I'm sure your joints are too!)
No, I've never tried an MAOI- not yet. Initially, I always opted for other choices becuz I didn't think I could deal with the dietary restrictions. Now I know I could, but conventional AD's don't happen to be the area we are working in right now. The only AD that I take now is Nortriptyline- it has helped my sleep problems and also fibromyalgia symptoms. I have tried several other AD's along the way. I know that MAOI's can be a godsend for some people- in fact, reading this board, every med is a godsend for somebody.
Why do you think you'll have to take Effexor? I don't get it! There are LOTS of meds out there, and I sure don't know what's right for you, but I do know that it's not limited to one drug. Is this your doctor's idea? Do you know why? Have you been offered a choice of possibilities?
I wish that I could go back and read your other posts while I'm writing this, but I tried it once and lost my whole text. I think that you said that you are crying a lot? It's called lability, and meds can help, and THEN therapy can help. It's not possible to really get the benefit of therapy when your whole system is freaking out- my experience anyway.
Just do it! Be on your own side, and find trained people who'll be on your side too. Don't obsess about the past- you have a whole lot of life waiting for you. Who know's what's waiting around the next bend in the road- aren't you curious?
Cece
poster:Cece
thread:54711
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010221/msgs/55286.html