Posted by Paul on Long Island on May 2, 2006, at 4:47:24
Hey Folks,
I promised I would follow up on how I make out with stopping the Emsam and going back to the prozac. Well, yesterday was my first day with no patch. Strangely enough, I had a somewhat better day than I had been having. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the lithium I'm taking. My mood was brighter for periods, and I didn't get that late afternoon/early evening crying jag I'd been having before dinner. I'd read somewhere that certain foods can increase your levels of serotonin, including turkey, so I had a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread at about 3PM. I couldn't begin to guess whether it was being off the patch, the lithium kicking in, or the hopefully elevated serotonin level that caused the improvement, but I'm very grateful, and hope that continues. I still have the anxiety and the OCD to cope with big time, but hey...baby steps, right?
Regarding the anxiety, I do have a question. Do a lot of you also suffer from the following? I wake up very early (around 4AM) in total terror. This usually lessens somewhat to a high state of anxiety. The anxiety triggers the OCD, and starting the day can be a very slow and difficult process. Incidentally, this isn't something new...it tends to come and go, depending on my relief of symptoms from the depression. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to either avoid the early morning terrors, or at least get past them faster?
On a very important note: This is for Egas: I KNOW it all feels so hopeless. I tried so many medications before I found one that worked, that I didn't think I could go on. But they are constantly coming out with new meds. I was lucky enough to find one that worked (and stupid enough to try to find something "more perfect"). I know it's incredibly hard to perservere, and even harder to believe that it could possibly get better, but it can. If for only the remote possibility that you could find something that will help you, please stay with us. Your postings on the board and advice have helped a lot of people, myself included. You ARE a very vital and needed human being. PLEASE stay with us. I personally would like to help you, just as you've helped me and many others. Please post back
poster:Paul on Long Island
thread:639124
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060429/msgs/639124.html