Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 17195

Shown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

in case you're wondering...

Posted by CarolAnn on December 20, 1999, at 18:24:18

I probably won't be visiting here for a while. My father-in-law is with us for a few weeks, so I'll be extra busy. Also, the computer room is the guest room, so access will be limited. And of course, there's the ever popular excuse: I worry too much about what he thinks of me to spend any time at all pursuing "downtime" activities(can't even watch my soap opera!).
Anyway, you all have my best wishes for Christmas, and my prayers for well-being in the coming new year.CarolAnn

 

Re: in case you're wondering...

Posted by Noa on December 20, 1999, at 23:06:03

In reply to in case you're wondering..., posted by CarolAnn on December 20, 1999, at 18:24:18

Carol Ann, I will miss you!! Good luck and have a SMOOTH holiday, as someone here says (is it John? SOrry I can't remember). ANd, try to sneak us a hello, if you can.

 

Re: in case you're wondering...

Posted by JohnL on December 21, 1999, at 2:26:30

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering..., posted by Noa on December 20, 1999, at 23:06:03

> Carol Ann, I will miss you!! Good luck and have a SMOOTH holiday, as someone here says (is it John? SOrry I can't remember). ANd, try to sneak us a hello, if you can.

Carol Ann, since you won't see this post probably until in-laws leave, just wanted to say bye for now. Look forward to you coming back. And yeah Noa, it was me who said "Have a smooth day". I hate it when someone says "have a good day". I know they don't really mean it. It's just a habitual saying, and it's not achievable for me. SMOOTH days do happen though, they're achievable, they're nice, and I am wishing you one sincerely. :) JohnL

 

Re: in case you're wondering...

Posted by Noa on December 21, 1999, at 2:41:38

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering..., posted by JohnL on December 21, 1999, at 2:26:30

Hey, JohnL, thanks for sharing your coinage with us. I agree, it sounds ingenuine to wish someone a good or happy time when they have just discussed their low mood, etc.

I see that you are online at this late hour. Oh, yeah, so am I. I have generally been sleeping ok, but the lithium makes me get up 4-5 times per night to use the bathroom. Once in a while, I am a little jumpy and need to stay up a while before going back to sleep.

 

Re: in case you're wondering...Noa

Posted by JohnL on December 21, 1999, at 4:00:20

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering..., posted by Noa on December 21, 1999, at 2:41:38

> Hey, JohnL, thanks for sharing your coinage with us. I agree, it sounds ingenuine to wish someone a good or happy time when they have just discussed their low mood, etc.
>
> I see that you are online at this late hour. Oh, yeah, so am I. I have generally been sleeping ok, but the lithium makes me get up 4-5 times per night to use the bathroom. Once in a while, I am a little jumpy and need to stay up a while before going back to sleep.

Actually for me it's not a late hour, but rather an early hour. That early awakening thing. Have been following your progress with Lithium (sometimes at a ridiculously early hour). I feel for you on those particular bad days. Ouch. Anyway, hope things work out soon. My pdoc said Lithium takes anywhere from 48 hours to 3 months. That's a pretty wide span. I wish you could have been in the 48 hour group. I tried lithium for a couple days, but I couldn't take it. It made my tinnitus much worse. Strange. I can relate to the frequent bathroom visits. I think I had to go every 15 minutes. I drive a lot in my job. I couldn't picture myself pulling over every 15 minutes to tinkle. Can you imagine being stuck in traffic? Yowee! :) JohnL

 

Re: in case you're wondering...Noa

Posted by Noa on December 21, 1999, at 6:57:42

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering...Noa, posted by JohnL on December 21, 1999, at 4:00:20

John, I think about the traffic thing all the time. And, make sure to "go" before I *go* anywhere.

Thanks for following my posts. I guess I can report some improvement, despite the lousy weekend. But I am still dragging. At work, I am still only minimally productive. I guess it may be time to increase the lithium dose, which the pdoc recommended. I just have to find out if I can get the insurance to pay for a blood level done out of town, as I am traveling on Friday. The pdoc wants me to get it done about 5 days after going up to 1200 mg/day.

Even though I am doing a bit better, it is so easy for me to feel discouraged and pessimistic. This illness has worn me down.

 

Re: in case you're wondering...Noa

Posted by Tom on December 21, 1999, at 11:50:34

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering...Noa, posted by Noa on December 21, 1999, at 6:57:42


> Even though I am doing a bit better, it is so easy for me to feel discouraged and pessimistic. This illness has worn me down.

Been watching your posts (and your adventure at the market this past weekend!) and been feeling tons of empathy for you. Hang in there. I'm not a religous man, but there is something in the bible that I've never forgotten... it says "all things shall pass", just as this difficult period your passing though right now will pass.

Tom

 

Re: in case you're wondering...Noa

Posted by Noa on December 21, 1999, at 16:41:05

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering...Noa, posted by JohnL on December 21, 1999, at 4:00:20

JohnL, were you the one looking for a new pdoc? Do I take this to mean you found one you like? What is going on with your meds and mood? Aside from the obvious sleep problems, you "sound" more cheerful lately. Is this perception correct?

 

Re: in case you're wondering...Noa

Posted by Noa on December 21, 1999, at 16:47:29

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering...Noa, posted by Tom on December 21, 1999, at 11:50:34

Thanks, Tom.

I think I could put the whole supermarket fiasco in perspective fairly easily, it is just that my physiological self couldn't--ie, the tears and feeling ashamed kicked in big time, on the spot.

As for depressed moods, I know they can pass, but the problem is my life has been a pattern of ups and downs, and the ups haven't even been very "up" , so I can't say it evens out at all, not that it ever does. So, when I start to feel better, the anxiety kicks in and takes over--"will this improvement last? will it fade and be overtaken by that damned depression again?" etc. etc. Every little "sign" of backsliding is a source of terror. And I am completely intolerant of any depressed or low mood "contaminating" my improving mood. I am working to change this phobia because Iknow it is a terrible way to live and can make the whole illness even worse.
Connecting to you guys helps so much.

Thanks for the encouraging words. And BTW, I don't think you have to be religious to find wisdom in the Bible, afterall it is a classic piece of literature.

 

Re: in case you're wondering...

Posted by Adam on December 21, 1999, at 16:49:52

In reply to in case you're wondering..., posted by CarolAnn on December 20, 1999, at 18:24:18

Just a quick note:

Have a wonderful holiday, everyone, and a Happy New Year!

> I probably won't be visiting here for a while. My father-in-law is with us for a few weeks, so I'll be extra busy. Also, the computer room is the guest room, so access will be limited. And of course, there's the ever popular excuse: I worry too much about what he thinks of me to spend any time at all pursuing "downtime" activities(can't even watch my soap opera!).
> Anyway, you all have my best wishes for Christmas, and my prayers for well-being in the coming new year.CarolAnn

 

Re: in case you're wondering...Noa

Posted by JohnL on December 21, 1999, at 18:04:21

In reply to Re: in case you're wondering...Noa, posted by Noa on December 21, 1999, at 16:41:05

> JohnL, were you the one looking for a new pdoc? Do I take this to mean you found one you like? What is going on with your meds and mood? Aside from the obvious sleep problems, you "sound" more cheerful lately. Is this perception correct?

Yeah Noa, I need a new pdoc. Mine is retiring. He says I can still reach him for a month or two, but then...I don't know. I hate to hunt again. For now, I'm trying to go the direction he wanted me to, which is:

My meds situation goes like this...I dropped the Remeron for sleep, replaced it with Nortriptyline. I experimented one day and found Wellbutrin no longer caused severe tinnitus without the Remeron in the mix. I had suspected for a while that Remeron was the guilty culprit for all kinds of strange things. I've always wanted to try Wellbutrin, because it is usually friendly to the sexually active patient. So, for a week now, I've been taking Wellbutrin 200mg+Nortriptyline75mg+Lamictal 50mg with only a slight increase in tinnitus. I know it would go almost completely away if I put Prozac back in the mix, but I would like to keep things at 2 or 3 drugs max. Dropped the Remeron. Dropped the Prozac. Don't think I need the Lamictal. Could drop it anytime. But I've beaten the serotonin thing to death, so Wellbutrin+Nortriptyline ought to be a completely different ballgame. Hope so. I'm not real depressed or sad, just totally anhedonic and melancholic. In theory Wellbutrin+Nortriptyline would seem like a great combo for my symptoms. Hopefully theory will turn into reality.

I do wake early, but I did with Remeron too. Nortriptyline however gives a much better quality of sleep. It's not a drugged kind of sleep like Remeron or a benzo. I like it so far. But it's only been a week. See ya about 3:00 a.m. :) JohnL


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