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Re: Question for Simus » Simus

Posted by KaraS on September 12, 2004, at 17:38:08

In reply to Re: Question for Simus » KaraS, posted by Simus on September 12, 2004, at 15:00:15

> One discouragement I have been dealing with lately is the fact that if ANY of the doctors had listened to me 10 years ago and had done ANY endocrine testing I asked for AT ALL, I wouldn't have had to go through the he** of 9 years on unneeded and unhelpful SSRIs and all the complications and life disruptions they have caused. My family doc wouldn't, nor would the p-doc. I even went on my own money to a nationally known Ohio "Clinic". I wanted to go to their endo department. They sent me to the psych department and told me that the psych dept would refer me to endo if they saw the need. The "student" took a look at my info, said,
> "You were properly diagnosed, and you are on the right meds.", and sent me home. If I had only known then what I know now... Looking back, I was slender at the time, so they probably wouldn't have considered thyroid problems. But I was slender because of my obsessive dieting and exercise to control a life-long tendency toward "chubbiness". I probably not only masked the "symptom" of weight weight gain associated with thyroid problems, but also burned out my adrenals. Anyway, now I have to undo both the damage of 10 years of psych drugs and untreated endo problem (which I still have to pinpoint the exact cause of). Well, enough whining...


Dear friend,

I can certainly see why you're so mad! So often with women, our complaints are passed off as just depression. That's unbelievable that you spent your own money only to get the same results. Did you ever send any of these doctors letters telling them how wrong they were and how much better you're doing now that you've been adequately diagnosed and taken off of those darn SSRIs?

Unfortunately, years ago, the SSRIs were given to everyone for depression and they were really only the answer for a small subset of depressives who needed more serotonin. The rest of us got made worse by them. I have also wasted many years on them. Maybe they could have helped had they been combined with other kinds of medications or supplements but just on their own, they stifled any motivation I may have had (not to mention what they did to you!) Also unfortunately, there are still doctors out there giving out the SSRIs to everyone who walks into their offices even though that person's symptoms don't really warrant their use. As we keep saying, you have to be your own doctor. But what do we do if they won't honor our requests or give us the tests we need?????


> > Do you get church pictures taken every year and you were looking at your picture every year over that time span? Is that what you were talking about in your previous message? We all age unfortunately (everyone other than Dick Clark that is). Just think how much wiser you are than you were 15 years ago? (I know that doesn't work much for me either but I thought it was worth a try...)
>
> The directory is redone every 4 years, and there were dramatic changes between every picture. I gained considerable weight and I am clearly "unhealthier" from directory to directory. I hate having my picture taken, ESPECIALLY when I know it is going to be "published".


As for the pictures, I believe that you will finally get your system under control. You're on the right path now. Then you will lose weight. I was overweight for many years and never thought I'd be thin again. About a year ago I took off a lot of weight and have so far maintained it. That can happen to you too. Then your next directory picture will make you happy again and you'll finally and visually see all the progress you've been making.


> > I'm not great either. That job is awful and I think that they might can me anyway. The people are nice but it's just a dirty and gross environment and they're not explaining things well (partly because it's so busy and crazy there). My insomnia lately and the awful brain fog are making it more difficult.
>
> I understand, and my heart goes out to you. Brain fog is awful, and insomnia has a way with messing with every part of our lives. And people just don't seem to understand either one. It's hard enough to keep going in a job you love, not to mention a job you can't stand.

How true! Also, in a job you've been at for awhile, you can get away with some brain fog now and then but if you're being trained and they're watching your every move to see if you've gotten it and you're in a grogged out state, you can't get away with it.

> > I know that if I get myself out there I can do a lot better than this job but I was happy about this one because the evening hours would allow me time to interview during the day. What worries me is that my brain won't be up for any of the jobs and that once I get them, I won't be able to hold them. I started panicking about it a bit yesterday and today. The panic is good in some ways because at least it may get me moving to interview.
>
> This is exactly where I am right now. The tears started welling up when I read that. I understand so well. I don't want to let another employer down because of my health taking another turn for the worse. I don't know if I could do it one more time...

I'm more worried about me than letting the employers down. They've never been all that concerned about me in the corporate world. The rejection is just horrible and my stomach is in knots now just worrying about this stupid job because of the ego thing and because of the implications for future jobs. (Sorry to make you tear up.)

The good days vs. bad days, do you also feel exhausted and malaise throughout your body - not just the brain fog on the bad days? When I'm in that kind of fog, it doesn't feel like anything can penetrate it. It's so scary. There's the usual brain fog of depression but then there's the complete brain fog of those days after I've finally gotten a good night's sleep after not sleeping well for at least a couple of nights.
I slept 8 hours the other night and woke up feeling so out of it. I could understand if I had slept for 12 or 16 hours straight but it was only 8! I wonder if MAOIs would help with this at all.

I'm definitely going to have to try the teas. I have green tea here already and some Siberian ginseng in capsules. I think I've mentioned that the S. Gingseng gives me a strange feeling like electricity is going through my body but I can tolerate it in smaller doses. Also, I'll have to try it when not on Effexor and try a different brand. Why the ginger? I really hate the taste of that one although green tea is really bad too.

> > I'm thinking seriously of trying Cymbalta. I've been following the other people who are taking it on the main board and overall the reports seem to be quite good. Maybe that will at least get me to being semi-functional.
>
> That's a new one to me. What is it???

It's a new medication that just came out. Hasn't even been out a month yet. There are some people on the main board who are trying it and they post journals everyday on their progress and a lot of us are following their results. It's like Effexor in that it is an SNRI but it's a more balanced SNRI. Effexor is mostly serotonergic until you get to the higher dosages and even then it's skewed to serotonin. Cymbalta is more evenly noradrenergic from the start. It's supposed to work faster than other ADs but the new ones always say that, don't they? I remember the same hype about Effexor which never panned out. Anyway, so far 3 out of 4 people seem to be seeing results and the fourth one is very treatment resistant (but then so am I).


> > Do you think that the Wellbutrin has helped you think clearly?
>
> Oh, absolutely. But maybe it wasn't as much the Wellbutrin as finally getting off of the SSRIs.
>
> > I keep meaning to try the ginkgo but I just hate trying these different things and dealing with all of the side effects. I know you understand. Have you had the nerve to try the licorice again?
>
> I HATE taking a new ANYTHING. I am going to go to the health food store and get ginkgo tea and licorice tea. It isn't as strong as a pill, but I can "sip" a little and wait to see how I react to each, and work my way up. That is how I got into ginseng and ginger.

You could also try the tinctures. Then you could put drops into your drinks (tea or juice or a smoothy) and it could still give you that control but might make the taste better. The tinctures tend to stay fresh a long time too because their is a bit of alcohol in them.

> Please write about anything you are going through. It always helps me too because more often than not I am going through the same thing. I may not have an answer, but it sure helps to know we aren't alone in this battle.
>
> God bless,
>
> Simus

Thank you. It really does help to know that someone else understands, is listening and cares.

God bless you too.

Kara


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poster:KaraS thread:384584
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040901/msgs/390056.html