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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mandy on August 20, 2006, at 15:14:45
I do not post very often, but I am in dire distress right now. i am a nurse, working 5 days a week, and I don't know how to be nice to myself on days off so I usually retreat to bed. I know I am in a part of a clinical depression, but my ppsych is not one for changing meds. I am on Wellbutrin XL 300mg. Lexapro 10mg. Lamictal 300mg, Klonopin 2 mg at bedtime and rozerem 16mg and Lunesta 3 mg at night. She has me on two sleepers because I am such a chronic insomniac.
What can I do? I know meds are not the total answer and I should try yoga or something, but I am so exhausted. And my husband had to retire so I have to work for the money and insurance. Which makes somewhat mad at home. I feel like I am at the end of my ropes. Any help?
Posted by Phillipa on August 20, 2006, at 17:01:36
In reply to I am losing it-I need help, posted by Mandy on August 20, 2006, at 15:14:45
Mandy sounds like there is a lot of pressure on you. Do you have vacation time or sick time or short term disability ? Love Phillipa
Posted by Mandy on August 20, 2006, at 17:14:03
In reply to Re: I am losing it-I need help » Mandy, posted by Phillipa on August 20, 2006, at 17:01:36
> Mandy sounds like there is a lot of pressure on you. Do you have vacation time or sick time or short term disability ? Love Phillipa
Unfortunately I am new with the company and trying to make an impression so I really don't have time off collected yet. And if I go out on disablity, I lose my insurance. I truly hate having all this responsibilty placed on me, and resent my husband a lot for losing his jobs and making me work full time at 60, when I thought I would be close to retirement.
I guess there is no magic pill to make this all go away. I hope it is really true that time heals all things
Posted by fca on August 20, 2006, at 20:04:11
In reply to I am losing it-I need help, posted by Mandy on August 20, 2006, at 15:14:45
I am not sure any med(s)in the world are going to help with your resentment--unless you take so much you just don't give a damn. In which case I would guess your work performance and everythingg else will suffer.
I do have some empethy for you as my wife also lost her job four years ago. She was suppose to go back to work for benefits as I was to retire three years ago (I am five years older).She has not and I am still working (age 64) Fortunately I have a great job and complete control over my schedule. Nevertheless, my AD's and low dose klonopin did nothting for the occasional resentment/disappointment. Actually, what really helped with that was regular attendance at Al Anon which I was attending because my daughter has a serious alcohol problem. Best wishes--the resentment is going to aggravate all your other issues--hope you find a way to more effectively manage it. fca
Posted by Phillipa on August 20, 2006, at 20:28:29
In reply to Re: I am losing it-I need help, posted by Mandy on August 20, 2006, at 17:14:03
Mandy I can empathize with you . I'm your same age, out on disability. With a husband l3 years younger than me. This means that by the time he retires I'll probably be dead. And I also am an RN and want to try to work maybe four hours a day as it's been 9 years since I nursed. I have an active license. NC Nursing Board said I still have til 2008 before I have to go back to school to work. But the hospitals here all say I have to. Which would mean a few months on the computer, then two months full time med/surg, then two months full time psych before parttime. I let the Board Know and they said it's a Catch 22. As the hospitals can set their own policies. And my back can't do the med/ surg. What type of nursing are you doing? Any ideas? Can you babblemail me and I'll give you my e-mail address? Or turn on your babblelight by going to the registration page and clicking yes I want babblemail which is a form of e-mail not publically shown. Love Phillipa
Posted by Jost on August 20, 2006, at 21:34:13
In reply to Re: I am losing it-I need help » Mandy, posted by Phillipa on August 20, 2006, at 20:28:29
Have you tried any other ADs?
Maybe the wellbutrin isn't doing it for you any more?
Even if your pdoc doesn't like to change meds, if the meds aren't helping enough, and you're on a combination already, it may be time to think about another type?
Jost
Posted by finelinebob on August 20, 2006, at 21:55:47
In reply to I am losing it-I need help, posted by Mandy on August 20, 2006, at 15:14:45
What can you do? Get a second opinion, for one.
I can see why your PDoc wouldn't want to change meds ... that's quite a balancing act. And to get to that complicated a cocktail, you must have been seeing her for quite some time and have built up a trusting relationship, something that shouldn't be set aside without careful thought.
Between Wellbutrin and Lexapro, she's got all of the big 3 neurotransmitters covered plus a high dose of a mood stabilizer and you're still depressed? Toss on top of that enough anxiety that you need a benzo and 2 sleep meds to knock you out at night? IANAP (I am not a psychopharmacologist) but I'd say there's something toxic in the first half of that equation.
I spent 2.5 years of hell getting bounced from one SSRI single therapy to SSRI + something else until my PDoc finally decided to augment zoloft with nortriptyline and BAM!, it was like night and day. He was convinced that he'd found the right "augmentor", and it took me a month or two to convince him he had it backwards. My brain doesn't have a problem with its seratonin levels, so all these seratonin meds were just plain toxic to me. Apparently, I do have a problem with norepinephrine.
I tried Wellbutrin and it made me psychotic. I'm not exaggerating ... I wound up taking perphenazine as well. I don't know the specific differences between Wellbutrin's action on dopamine compared to Ritalin and, in particular for me, Focalin ... but (dextro)methylphenidate stabilizes me where buproprion incites near-uncontrollable rage. Add in the TCA for me, and nortrip/Focalin is working on the same neurotransmitters as Wellbutrin but in different ways -- one results in a toxic, negative outcome; the other (along with 150mg Lamictal and 3mg clonazepam) produces a state of mind I can only describe as "well being".
Bottom line for me was that it took moving away from NYC for 3 years for me to break that comforable bond with someone who wasn't willing to do more fine tuning and start anew with someone who was.
Bottom line for you is whether having the reuptake of the big 3 inhibited is hurting more than helping. The status quo isn't working for you. It's your doctor's responsibility to address that. If she can't, then it becomes your responsiblity to either shake some sense into that PDoc or find one that will listen to you.
I know it will be hard. I didn't have the courage to do it myself, and let a life event make the decision for me. But we'll be here if you need support, whatever your decision is.
Posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on August 21, 2006, at 1:33:51
In reply to I am losing it-I need help, posted by Mandy on August 20, 2006, at 15:14:45
It sounds like you are in the midst of a very stressful and pressure-packed situation. My heart goes out to you, and I think that is so noble and courageous of you to carry on so your family will have money and benefits.
However, it sounds like this situation may be pushing you too hard. Have you thought about asking your husband to consider returning to work, at least at a part-time level? Or maybe he could go back to school at this time?
As far as your meds, every med affects everyone differently, but WHEN THINGS CALM DOWN think about taking 25 mg of Seroquel, which may allow you to eliminate Klonopin, Rozerem and Lunesta.
Please keep posting your thoughts. We care.
Posted by Mandy on August 22, 2006, at 20:37:39
In reply to Re: I am losing it-I need help » Mandy, posted by Phillipa on August 20, 2006, at 20:28:29
> Mandy I can empathize with you . I'm your same age, out on disability. With a husband l3 years younger than me. This means that by the time he retires I'll probably be dead. And I also am an RN and want to try to work maybe four hours a day as it's been 9 years since I nursed. I have an active license. NC Nursing Board said I still have til 2008 before I have to go back to school to work. But the hospitals here all say I have to. Which would mean a few months on the computer, then two months full time med/surg, then two months full time psych before parttime. I let the Board Know and they said it's a Catch 22. As the hospitals can set their own policies. And my back can't do the med/ surg. What type of nursing are you doing? Any ideas? Can you babblemail me and I'll give you my e-mail address? Or turn on your babblelight by going to the registration page and clicking yes I want babblemail which is a form of e-mail not publically shown. Love Phillipa
I donot know much abouthow to do the babble light but I would like to keep in touch. I really do feellike I am hanging on by a very short string.
Posted by Phillipa on August 22, 2006, at 21:36:55
In reply to Re: I am losing it-I need help, posted by Mandy on August 22, 2006, at 20:37:39
Mandy look at my name if you read my post. Is it blue? That means babblemail is on. Click on my name in blue and a babblemail screen appears. Write your message to me. It's like an e-mail. No one but you and me can read it and that way if you're willing we can exchange e-mails. That way we can corrospond directly. E-mail each other. Love Phillipa ps we can talk about whatever you want.
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