Guest guest Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 well, gosh, if this isn't the most compassionate and balanced message I've read. I especially appreciate the line about those with babies. Parents often come under criticism, and I as a totally blind parent, with depression and panic disorder, have certainly had my share. What this whole message was the voice of wisdom and reason, and a hug for us parents who are challenged to be there for our kids when we can't be there for ourselves. Thank the Lord I have Him, some good friends, and a supportive hubby. Purrs and furs-- Thea random musings > Just some random musings, just some thoughts contemplating today's digest: > > Crashing: monthly (or otherwise) cycling of hormones for females can temporarily radically alter typical or trigger atypical mood & behavior; serotonin is a major hormone for both men & women; SSRIs radically affect our the hormone dynamic; sometimes they stabilize, sometimes they fracture one's non-SSRI hormone situation, and this too can fluctuate radically over time for an individual; it helps me to remind myself of these possible factors when I'm having a particularly hard time; I never really know if I'm having a med reaction or escalating into a major depressive episode or my natural hormones are acting up or I just can't take " it " anymore for some imagined or situational reason; for me, it no longer matters that I have answers but it's still difficult to go through and I empathize with this struggle; of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > > Dosage: it's so important to have patience; it's so important to increase doses slowly, much more slow, IMO, than most Drs prescribe (Drs=psychiatric, not non-psychopharmicos) - whenever possible (depending on if I can cut a pill or if small dosages are available) I will take, at the very least, one week per one quarter percent increase/decrease; once I've reached the min. recommended dose, even if my Dr & I assume I'll be needing a higher/lower dose, I'll stay at that dose for four weeks before I increase/decrease again; this gives us a reference point for deciding what course of action to take next; oh how I wish Drs would encourage a slower paced drug treatment, but I've never had a Dr who wasn't supportive of this course of action - there is no harm going slow; there can be rare exceptions, of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > Side effects: patience, patience, patience; it's not my idea of healing to feel like I've dropped LSD continually for two months, but when I've stuck with it, I've had great success with a few SSRIs; these have simply stopped working for me over the years; our bodies' response to meds over time can change; this is a typical disappointment for many people and why I have experience w/ changing meds; some work, some don't, some work for a while, some take a while to work; go slow, slow, slow; those of us who have tried several meds will probably agree that there is a distinct difference between " side effects " and " adverse reactions " ; unless we is unable to function without help; unable to care for those whose well being we are responsible; experiencing clinical mania or catatonia; having blackouts, speech & motor problems; unless major physical alarm bells are ringing to which anyone on meds or not should respond to, I advocate giving the meds and yourself time, time, time beca! > use, oh, it is so very worth it when a med works, even if only to take the edge off; having said this, some of us, and some of us at different phases of our lives and dis-ease, JUST CAN'T DO IT and I fully support the decision to not continue meds; of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > Education: I do a moderate amount of research; it helps me to understand what's going on in my brain; it's a sophisticated yet simple dynamic; that little Serotonin Guy on the Zoloft commercial says it all - Zoloft didn't do much for me, but I think the commercial is wonderful; a basic understanding goes a long way in helping me separate my physiological problems from any other " stuff " so that I don't identify myself with my illness; gives me a clear space for knowing a reality of, if not the experience of, health; when I can speak the same " language " as my Dr, we seem to work together more effectively; it helps keep the " pull yourself up by the boot straps " comments at bay when one can discourse on concepts like " neurotransmission re-uptake inhibition " and be able to pronounce words like " norepinephrine " ; of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns.. > > Drs: the one thing I DON'T consult my Dr about is when I don't like him/her, for whatever reason; I get much better results now that I see psychiatrists - no more GPs or psychologists w/ an MD to sign prescriptions; as well meaning (and relatively affordable) as they may be, they have simply not had enough info to help me; it's also important to have mutual respect; don't let the strange man w/ the clammy handshake and wearing a white coat, sitting frowning at your from behind a big desk in a sterile office decorated w/ wall-to-wall diplomas intimidate you; the most effective Dr I ever had was a psychiatrist who didn't say two words to me; we have a physical illness; non-med treatment can be an essential part of healing, but it will not effect our brain chemistry... > > For those with babies, whatever age they may be: my heart goes out to you; it is so very hard to be there for them when you can't be there for yourself... > > Blessings, > ElleGet more from the Web. 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Guest guest Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Thea, We are so close...Only islands away. I read your writngs and tell myself... " I have to meet this woman. My parents have a time share on any island they choose. They just have to book in advance. They have already told me that I can go anytime I like if they aren't going to use it. I like reading your post. I just wanted you to know that.,... Jacquie Re: random musings well, gosh, if this isn't the most compassionate and balanced message I've read. I especially appreciate the line about those with babies. Parents often come under criticism, and I as a totally blind parent, with depression and panic disorder, have certainly had my share. What this whole message was the voice of wisdom and reason, and a hug for us parents who are challenged to be there for our kids when we can't be there for ourselves. Thank the Lord I have Him, some good friends, and a supportive hubby. Purrs and furs-- Thea random musings > Just some random musings, just some thoughts contemplating today's > digest: > > Crashing: monthly (or otherwise) cycling of hormones for females can temporarily radically alter typical or trigger atypical mood & behavior; serotonin is a major hormone for both men & women; SSRIs radically affect our the hormone dynamic; sometimes they stabilize, sometimes they fracture one's non-SSRI hormone situation, and this too can fluctuate radically over time for an individual; it helps me to remind myself of these possible factors when I'm having a particularly hard time; I never really know if I'm having a med reaction or escalating into a major depressive episode or my natural hormones are acting up or I just can't take " it " anymore for some imagined or situational reason; for me, it no longer matters that I have answers but it's still difficult to go through and I empathize with this struggle; of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > > Dosage: it's so important to have patience; it's so important to > increase doses slowly, much more slow, IMO, than most Drs prescribe (Drs=psychiatric, not non-psychopharmicos) - whenever possible (depending on if I can cut a pill or if small dosages are available) I will take, at the very least, one week per one quarter percent increase/decrease; once I've reached the min. recommended dose, even if my Dr & I assume I'll be needing a higher/lower dose, I'll stay at that dose for four weeks before I increase/decrease again; this gives us a reference point for deciding what course of action to take next; oh how I wish Drs would encourage a slower paced drug treatment, but I've never had a Dr who wasn't supportive of this course of action - there is no harm going slow; there can be rare exceptions, of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > Side effects: patience, patience, patience; it's not my idea of > healing to feel like I've dropped LSD continually for two months, but when I've stuck with it, I've had great success with a few SSRIs; these have simply stopped working for me over the years; our bodies' response to meds over time can change; this is a typical disappointment for many people and why I have experience w/ changing meds; some work, some don't, some work for a while, some take a while to work; go slow, slow, slow; those of us who have tried several meds will probably agree that there is a distinct difference between " side effects " and " adverse reactions " ; unless we is unable to function without help; unable to care for those whose well being we are responsible; experiencing clinical mania or catatonia; having blackouts, speech & motor problems; unless major physical alarm bells are ringing to which anyone on meds or not should respond to, I advocate giving the meds and yourself time, time, time beca! > use, oh, it is so very worth it when a med works, even if only to > take the edge off; having said this, some of us, and some of us at different phases of our lives and dis-ease, JUST CAN'T DO IT and I fully support the decision to not continue meds; of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > Education: I do a moderate amount of research; it helps me to > understand what's going on in my brain; it's a sophisticated yet simple dynamic; that little Serotonin Guy on the Zoloft commercial says it all - Zoloft didn't do much for me, but I think the commercial is wonderful; a basic understanding goes a long way in helping me separate my physiological problems from any other " stuff " so that I don't identify myself with my illness; gives me a clear space for knowing a reality of, if not the experience of, health; when I can speak the same " language " as my Dr, we seem to work together more effectively; it helps keep the " pull yourself up by the boot straps " comments at bay when one can discourse on concepts like " neurotransmission re-uptake inhibition " and be able to pronounce words like " norepinephrine " ; of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns.. > > Drs: the one thing I DON'T consult my Dr about is when I don't like him/her, for whatever reason; I get much better results now that I see psychiatrists - no more GPs or psychologists w/ an MD to sign prescriptions; as well meaning (and relatively affordable) as they may be, they have simply not had enough info to help me; it's also important to have mutual respect; don't let the strange man w/ the clammy handshake and wearing a white coat, sitting frowning at your from behind a big desk in a sterile office decorated w/ wall-to-wall diplomas intimidate you; the most effective Dr I ever had was a psychiatrist who didn't say two words to me; we have a physical illness; non-med treatment can be an essential part of healing, but it will not effect our brain chemistry... > > For those with babies, whatever age they may be: my heart goes out to > you; it is so very hard to be there for them when you can't be there for yourself... > > Blessings, > ElleGet more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Hi, Jacquie. That's so sweet. I'd like to meet you as well. I don't often find people from the islands online, so it's cool beans when I do. Thanks for your Effexor stories. My dh is off to the drugstore to pick up my Effexor XR. The psych told me to drop now to 5 mg of Lex, so that's what I did. This is the first time I ever did any of this cocktail stuff--being on two meds at the same time for the same condition. Usually I was just switched. I hope the 37.5 mg of Effexor XR and 5 mg of Lex do better than the 10 mg of Lex did. I already took the Lex, but didn't take the Effexor since my hubby wasn't home yet. Thea random musings > > > > Just some random musings, just some thoughts contemplating today's > > digest: > > > > Crashing: monthly (or otherwise) cycling of hormones for females can > temporarily radically alter typical or trigger atypical mood & behavior; > serotonin is a major hormone for both men & women; SSRIs radically affect > our the hormone dynamic; sometimes they stabilize, sometimes they fracture > one's non-SSRI hormone situation, and this too can fluctuate radically over > time for an individual; it helps me to remind myself of these possible > factors when I'm having a particularly hard time; I never really know if I'm > having a med reaction or escalating into a major depressive episode or my > natural hormones are acting up or I just can't take " it " anymore for some > imagined or situational reason; for me, it no longer matters that I have > answers but it's still difficult to go through and I empathize with this > struggle; of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > > > > > Dosage: it's so important to have patience; it's so important to > > increase > doses slowly, much more slow, IMO, than most Drs prescribe (Drs=psychiatric, > not non-psychopharmicos) - whenever possible (depending on if I can cut a > pill or if small dosages are available) I will take, at the very least, one > week per one quarter percent increase/decrease; once I've reached the min. > recommended dose, even if my Dr & I assume I'll be needing a higher/lower > dose, I'll stay at that dose for four weeks before I increase/decrease > again; this gives us a reference point for deciding what course of action to > take next; oh how I wish Drs would encourage a slower paced drug treatment, > but I've never had a Dr who wasn't supportive of this course of action - > there is no harm going slow; there can be rare exceptions, of course - > always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > > > Side effects: patience, patience, patience; it's not my idea of > > healing to > feel like I've dropped LSD continually for two months, but when I've stuck > with it, I've had great success with a few SSRIs; these have simply stopped > working for me over the years; our bodies' response to meds over time can > change; this is a typical disappointment for many people and why I have > experience w/ changing meds; some work, some don't, some work for a while, > some take a while to work; go slow, slow, slow; those of us who have tried > several meds will probably agree that there is a distinct difference between > " side effects " and " adverse reactions " ; unless we is unable to function > without help; unable to care for those whose well being we are responsible; > experiencing clinical mania or catatonia; having blackouts, speech & motor > problems; unless major physical alarm bells are ringing to which anyone on > meds or not should respond to, I advocate giving the meds and yourself time, > time, time beca! > > use, oh, it is so very worth it when a med works, even if only to > > take > the edge off; having said this, some of us, and some of us at different > phases of our lives and dis-ease, JUST CAN'T DO IT and I fully support the > decision to not continue meds; of course - always consult your Dr with any & > all concerns... > > > > Education: I do a moderate amount of research; it helps me to > > understand > what's going on in my brain; it's a sophisticated yet simple dynamic; that > little Serotonin Guy on the Zoloft commercial says it all - Zoloft didn't do > much for me, but I think the commercial is wonderful; a basic understanding > goes a long way in helping me separate my physiological problems from any > other " stuff " so that I don't identify myself with my illness; gives me a > clear space for knowing a reality of, if not the experience of, health; when > I can speak the same " language " as my Dr, we seem to work together more > effectively; it helps keep the " pull yourself up by the boot straps " > comments at bay when one can discourse on concepts like " neurotransmission > re-uptake inhibition " and be able to pronounce words like " norepinephrine " ; > of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns.. > > > > Drs: the one thing I DON'T consult my Dr about is when I don't like > him/her, for whatever reason; I get much better results now that I see > psychiatrists - no more GPs or psychologists w/ an MD to sign prescriptions; > as well meaning (and relatively affordable) as they may be, they have simply > not had enough info to help me; it's also important to have mutual respect; > don't let the strange man w/ the clammy handshake and wearing a white coat, > sitting frowning at your from behind a big desk in a sterile office > decorated w/ wall-to-wall diplomas intimidate you; the most effective Dr I > ever had was a psychiatrist who didn't say two words to me; we have a > physical illness; non-med treatment can be an essential part of healing, but > it will not effect our brain chemistry... > > > > For those with babies, whatever age they may be: my heart goes out to > > you; > it is so very hard to be there for them when you can't be there for > yourself... > > > > Blessings, > > ElleGet more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : > http://explorer.msn.com > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 I Thea, For me I find that the Effexor takes the edge off SAD. I am able to handle certain situations better now.... Jacquie Re: random musings Hi, Jacquie. That's so sweet. I'd like to meet you as well. I don't often find people from the islands online, so it's cool beans when I do. Thanks for your Effexor stories. My dh is off to the drugstore to pick up my Effexor XR. The psych told me to drop now to 5 mg of Lex, so that's what I did. This is the first time I ever did any of this cocktail stuff--being on two meds at the same time for the same condition. Usually I was just switched. I hope the 37.5 mg of Effexor XR and 5 mg of Lex do better than the 10 mg of Lex did. I already took the Lex, but didn't take the Effexor since my hubby wasn't home yet. Thea random musings > > > > Just some random musings, just some thoughts contemplating today's > > digest: > > > > Crashing: monthly (or otherwise) cycling of hormones for females can > temporarily radically alter typical or trigger atypical mood & > behavior; serotonin is a major hormone for both men & women; SSRIs > radically affect our the hormone dynamic; sometimes they stabilize, > sometimes they fracture one's non-SSRI hormone situation, and this too > can fluctuate radically over > time for an individual; it helps me to remind myself of these possible > factors when I'm having a particularly hard time; I never really know > if I'm > having a med reaction or escalating into a major depressive episode or > my natural hormones are acting up or I just can't take " it " anymore > for some imagined or situational reason; for me, it no longer matters > that I have answers but it's still difficult to go through and I > empathize with this struggle; of course - always consult your Dr with > any & all concerns... > > > > > > Dosage: it's so important to have patience; it's so important to > > increase > doses slowly, much more slow, IMO, than most Drs prescribe (Drs=psychiatric, > not non-psychopharmicos) - whenever possible (depending on if I can > cut a pill or if small dosages are available) I will take, at the very > least, one > week per one quarter percent increase/decrease; once I've reached the > min. recommended dose, even if my Dr & I assume I'll be needing a > higher/lower dose, I'll stay at that dose for four weeks before I > increase/decrease again; this gives us a reference point for deciding > what course of action to > take next; oh how I wish Drs would encourage a slower paced drug treatment, > but I've never had a Dr who wasn't supportive of this course of action > - there is no harm going slow; there can be rare exceptions, of course > - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns... > > > > Side effects: patience, patience, patience; it's not my idea of > > healing to > feel like I've dropped LSD continually for two months, but when I've > stuck with it, I've had great success with a few SSRIs; these have > simply stopped > working for me over the years; our bodies' response to meds over time > can change; this is a typical disappointment for many people and why I > have experience w/ changing meds; some work, some don't, some work for > a while, some take a while to work; go slow, slow, slow; those of us > who have tried several meds will probably agree that there is a > distinct difference between > " side effects " and " adverse reactions " ; unless we is unable to > function without help; unable to care for those whose well being we > are responsible; > experiencing clinical mania or catatonia; having blackouts, speech & > motor problems; unless major physical alarm bells are ringing to which > anyone on meds or not should respond to, I advocate giving the meds > and yourself time, > time, time beca! > > use, oh, it is so very worth it when a med works, even if only to > > take > the edge off; having said this, some of us, and some of us at > different phases of our lives and dis-ease, JUST CAN'T DO IT and I > fully support the decision to not continue meds; of course - always > consult your Dr with any & > all concerns... > > > > Education: I do a moderate amount of research; it helps me to > > understand > what's going on in my brain; it's a sophisticated yet simple dynamic; > that little Serotonin Guy on the Zoloft commercial says it all - > Zoloft didn't do > much for me, but I think the commercial is wonderful; a basic understanding > goes a long way in helping me separate my physiological problems from > any other " stuff " so that I don't identify myself with my illness; > gives me a clear space for knowing a reality of, if not the experience > of, health; when > I can speak the same " language " as my Dr, we seem to work together > more effectively; it helps keep the " pull yourself up by the boot > straps " comments at bay when one can discourse on concepts like > " neurotransmission re-uptake inhibition " and be able to pronounce > words like " norepinephrine " ; > of course - always consult your Dr with any & all concerns.. > > > > Drs: the one thing I DON'T consult my Dr about is when I don't like > him/her, for whatever reason; I get much better results now that I see > psychiatrists - no more GPs or psychologists w/ an MD to sign prescriptions; > as well meaning (and relatively affordable) as they may be, they have simply > not had enough info to help me; it's also important to have mutual respect; > don't let the strange man w/ the clammy handshake and wearing a white coat, > sitting frowning at your from behind a big desk in a sterile office > decorated w/ wall-to-wall diplomas intimidate you; the most effective > Dr I ever had was a psychiatrist who didn't say two words to me; we > have a physical illness; non-med treatment can be an essential part of > healing, but > it will not effect our brain chemistry... > > > > For those with babies, whatever age they may be: my heart goes out > > to you; > it is so very hard to be there for them when you can't be there for > yourself... > > > > Blessings, > > ElleGet more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : > http://explorer.msn.com > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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