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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by april8 on September 27, 2004, at 23:12:32
Hi, since the light starting changing a week or so ago I have fallen into despair. What really sucks is I am on effexor xr which has been working great but now that the light is going it just isnt' cutting it. Help me. I haven't a clue about the light box stuff and am intimidated, I am fearful it is expensive and complicated. If anyone knows of a reasonably inexpensive way to do it that is simple I would be so grateful.
I have started to realize that the light REALLY REALLY impacts me. When daylight savings happened last spring I was suddenly AWAKE and in a good mood. It was so drastic last spring that I am coming to realize the light is playing a huge role in my mood. Is anyone else like this. and I am fearful of the anxiety and terror and despair I felt today, my god how many years will I have to go through this when it gets darker. HELP ME!I am willing to invest in a light box, but really don't know where to even start. Could someone help me. Please. I am feeling panicked and desperate.
April
Posted by gardenergirl on September 27, 2004, at 23:57:16
In reply to Help! I may need light box therapy or something!, posted by april8 on September 27, 2004, at 23:12:32
Hi april,
I'm sorry you are feeling so down right now. I just purchased a light therapy lamp, and it's doing good things for me so far. You can see my thread on the alternative board. Here is a link to it. There is some good information there. You can also search the archives using the google function below. I found a lot of good old posts about it as well.http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040901/msgs/386953.html
be well,
gg
Posted by sjb on September 28, 2004, at 9:16:11
In reply to Help! I may need light box therapy or something!, posted by april8 on September 27, 2004, at 23:12:32
I hear 'ya and am going through something similar. I'll post in detail on the "Alternative" board, as we will be re-directed there anyway.
Posted by jrbecker on September 28, 2004, at 9:30:12
In reply to Re: Help! I may need light box therapy or something!, posted by sjb on September 28, 2004, at 9:16:11
> I hear 'ya and am going through something similar. I'll post in detail on the "Alternative" board, as we will be re-directed there anyway.
I have two that I keep around and use often. One is more compact that I keep around the office...
http://www.alaskanorthernlights.com/products.htmlhttp://www.litebook.com/usa/products/litebook.htm
I use them fairly frequently during the winter months and find they have a modest effect on my depression and every levels.
Posted by april8 on September 28, 2004, at 11:22:06
In reply to Re: Help! I may need light box therapy or something!, posted by sjb on September 28, 2004, at 9:16:11
Thanks everyone, can anyone recommend a particular box they have used to me. I saw a compact one that uses blue light, any one know about this? I also saw some medlight ones. I would love to get one that doesn't break me financially, but I am going to give it a shot.
I am sure that I am light sensitive. It is just too obvious when my mood shifts like this it is related closely to light change and the times around day light savings! Any advice on light boxes would be a real blessing to me. and thanks again!
Posted by Emme on September 28, 2004, at 13:14:10
In reply to Help! I may need light box therapy or something!, posted by april8 on September 27, 2004, at 23:12:32
I have a Litebook. I has the advantage of being very light and very compact, so it will fit easily on a crowded counter or desk. It's durable and you can travel with it. It produces an intense white light, which I like. I borrowed a very large light box at one time and I like the larger one better. It filled a large part of my field of view wand was pleasant to read by. But I have no room to use such a large one regularly.
Posted by cache-monkey on September 28, 2004, at 14:28:03
In reply to Can anyone recommend light boxes? and thanks!, posted by april8 on September 28, 2004, at 11:22:06
<< Thanks everyone, can anyone recommend a particular box they have used to me. I saw a compact one that uses blue light, any one know about this? I also saw some medlight ones. I would love to get one that doesn't break me financially, but I am going to give it a shot.
||
I am sure that I am light sensitive. It is just too obvious when my mood shifts like this it is related closely to light change and the times around day light savings! Any advice on light boxes would be a real blessing to me. and thanks again! >>This may not be your thing, but you can actually put together light a light therapy system yourself for far cheaper. The basic idea is to use halogen floodlamps mounted in utility clip lamps. The total cost: around $32 plus maybe the cost of a shelf to mount them on.
As far as safety, halogen floodlamps sold in the US filter UV rays, so that's not a problem. They do get hot, so you want to make sure you mount them in an appropriate place. And you also don't want to look directly into them.
Here's a link to a longer message I wrote describing how to set them up, as well as giving the technical details:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040909/msgs/390523.html(FYI, the Sylvania Daylight Plus lamps are sold at Lowes, but not the Home Depot.)
peace,
cache-monkey
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 28, 2004, at 23:49:42
In reply to Re: Help! I may need light box therapy or something!, posted by sjb on September 28, 2004, at 9:16:11
> I'll post in detail on the "Alternative" board, as we will be re-directed there anyway.
Thanks for thinking of Alternative, but FYI, I think it's fine to post here about light therapy, ECT, etc. Even though they're not medications, they're "conventional" as opposed to "complementary" or "alternative":
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam
Bob
Posted by sjb on September 29, 2004, at 8:37:21
In reply to Re: fine to post here, posted by Dr. Bob on September 28, 2004, at 23:49:42
Good point and backed up by the fact that my insurance co. reimbursed me for my lightbox purchase.
This is the end of the thread.
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