Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 How long ago did you go off of fluoxetine? Have you recently stopped any other medication?Are you taking any supplements or Amino acids?What do you eat and drink?Taking anti-depressants can lead to a medication-induced mania.You symptoms do sound bipolar....but I am wondering if they have beeninduced by something else. My intro Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:34:02 -0000 Hi. I'm new to the group, been reading digests... Great NYT article. Thank you, lisamacuser. m.chain, I'm with you. Took fluoxetine for serveral years on and off during my youth (I'm female, 34 now) and very much felt my emotions gone. The reason why I joined this group is precisely the fact that my emotions are on, back full force, and I can't take them. They make me inoperable, basically, I'm not functional. It's too much to handle, too many super ups and super downs toward the day and it simply takes ME over. What do I mean by that, you ask, taking ME over? Simple. All the 24 hours of the day are already taken. Taken by one task: managing the ups and downs, trying to figure out why I'm crying and having suicidal thoughts one moment and laughing the next. Also, outside of the figuring out, feeling all this, plain and simple, consumes time. Study, buy groceries, address problems, things to do, people to talk to, shower, whatever it is that I have to do, life as we know it, the normal use of any 24 hours... When I realize it, the day is already over, I did nothing whatsoever and I still feel like crap -- worse, in fact, because I start to beat myself up for it, then getting anxious that I'll make tomorrow different (never happens, "I have no will power," right) and there you have it, a pretty vicious and nasty cycle that goes back to the beginning and never ends. Yes, I suspect I might be bipolar, but it's a tiny suspicion since I feel depressed most of the time. Anyway, can't bother with that now. The thing is I've been on fluoxetine before and IT WORKED wonders. EXCEPT... And this is probably the part that concerns THIS GROUP more... Besides being robbed of happy/sad when I was on fluoxetine (that was super, I WANTED that, and it worked), I also noticed my sexual desire and just plain everything related to sex gone. Desire? No. Lust? No. I couldn't EVEN masturbate anymore because even the DESIRE to WANT TO give myself the pleasure of an orgasm was GONE. THAT scared the living crap out of me and I started to wonder "WTF is going on?" I mean, one thing is you don't get aroused by this or that, but another is as if your brain had forgotten what the pleasure of an orgasm was or as if you brain never knew such thing even existed, because that's how it felt like to me. So, I even forced myself at times. Rubbing my clitoris forcefully to get it to react, but IN VAIN. Not only it didn't react, as if it was dead, but also I had no lubrication, so swelling, nada. You could mistake me and a lamp for the same thing... Mind you, I could be thinking of horse tracks right now and mount everest. But if I do start to touch myself and rub my clitoris right this moment, I WILL HAVE A REACTION. And this makes all the difference in the world to me. It's like you're on a business meeting and someone is under the desk giving you oral. Your head might be in the meeting, but if someone is giving you oral under the desk, you will get a reaction and goodbye meeting, your brain will shift focus. Not having that reaction, people, just scared me, scared me!... That's what made me quit the drug on my own. I just dropped it. Goodbye. I have my sex drive back, my clitoris is not dead, thank God, but, on the other hand, I have back all the things that fluoxetine once fixed for me. I'm NOT A FUNCTIONAL PERSON. And if life could be simplified to locking myself in a room and having orgasms all day, I'd do it. But, unfortunately, existence can't be summed up like that. We still have to eat, and for that we need income and need to go out. Sigh. And I can't do the simplest things. I feel, I really feel between A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. It seems to me like not just a tough choice, but a no-choice choice, because I can't possibly choose between ability to cum and ability to function. I mean, what's one without the other? I've been reading you, believe me, I DO FEEL your pain because I HAVE BEEN THERE. And once I got out of it INTACT, I don't want to risk going back to fluoxetine only to jeopardize what might have been my pure luck. What if I go back to it and it really puts my clitoris to rest forever this time around? But I still need help to function. And last I heard, of all the antidepressants out there, fluoxetine is still the safest and the one with less side effects -- but stand me corrected if I'm wrong. So what other alternatives do I have? I came to this group exactly because I remember my most unpleasant side effect while on fluoxetine and I went to Wikipedia to investigate further and... Here I am. I am now sure that what happened to me was, in fact, caused by fluoxetine, because nothing else explains it. I need help to function, do the simplest things, not be taken over by how I feel and live a normal life. But I can't give up my sexuality, however modest and lonely it might be. Because, after all, it is MINE. And if I've learned anything out of my own experience (and coming here) is that it CAN'T be taken for granted like I thought it could. I'm in South America, by the way, so any no-drugs and therapy-only approach will not work for me because my medical insurance doesn't cover any kind of therapy. I've also been there before, when I could pay out of my own pocket. But therapy without drugs? I could have gone gardening and it might have been more effective. Sorry, just my experience. Thanks for reading. Thanks for any thoughts you might have, possible alternatives included. Lucy http://naturalgal.wordpress.com/ A journey away from medication through sane eating of healthy food. -- Be Yourself @ mail.com! Choose From 200+ Email Addresses Get a Free Account at www.mail.com! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Exercise, exercise, exercise! There is a scientific study that shows a walk in the woods is MORE effective than an antidepressant. lisa > > Subject: My intro > To: SSRIsex > Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 6:34 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi. I'm new to the group, been reading > digests... > > > > Great NYT article. Thank you, lisamacuser. > > > > m.chain, I'm with you. Took fluoxetine for serveral > years on and off > > during my youth (I'm female, 34 now) and very much felt > my emotions gone. > > > > The reason why I joined this group is precisely the fact > that my > > emotions are on, back full force, and I can't take > them. They make me > > inoperable, basically, I'm not functional. It's too > much to handle, > > too many super ups and super downs toward the day and it > simply takes > > ME over. > > > > What do I mean by that, you ask, taking ME over? Simple. > All the 24 > > hours of the day are already taken. Taken by one task: > managing the > > ups and downs, trying to figure out why I'm crying and > having suicidal > > thoughts one moment and laughing the next. Also, outside of > the > > figuring out, feeling all this, plain and simple, consumes > time. > > Study, buy groceries, address problems, things to do, > people to talk > > to, shower, whatever it is that I have to do, life as we > know it, the > > normal use of any 24 hours... When I realize it, the day is > already > > over, I did nothing whatsoever and I still feel like crap > -- worse, in > > fact, because I start to beat myself up for it, then > getting anxious > > that I'll make tomorrow different (never happens, > " I have no will > > power, " right) and there you have it, a pretty vicious > and nasty cycle > > that goes back to the beginning and never ends. > > > > Yes, I suspect I might be bipolar, but it's a tiny > suspicion since I > > feel depressed most of the time. Anyway, can't bother > with that now. > > The thing is I've been on fluoxetine before and IT > WORKED wonders. > > EXCEPT... And this is probably the part that concerns THIS > GROUP more... > > > > Besides being robbed of happy/sad when I was on fluoxetine > (that was > > super, I WANTED that, and it worked), I also noticed my > sexual desire > > and just plain everything related to sex gone. Desire? No. > Lust? No. I > > couldn't EVEN masturbate anymore because even the > DESIRE to WANT TO > > give myself the pleasure of an orgasm was GONE. THAT scared > the living > > crap out of me and I started to wonder " WTF is going > on? " I mean, one > > thing is you don't get aroused by this or that, but > another is as if > > your brain had forgotten what the pleasure of an orgasm was > or as if > > you brain never knew such thing even existed, because > that's how it > > felt like to me. > > > > So, I even forced myself at times. Rubbing my clitoris > forcefully to > > get it to react, but IN VAIN. Not only it didn't react, > as if it was > > dead, but also I had no lubrication, so swelling, nada. You > could > > mistake me and a lamp for the same thing... > > > > Mind you, I could be thinking of horse tracks right now and > mount > > everest. But if I do start to touch myself and rub my > clitoris right > > this moment, I WILL HAVE A REACTION. And this makes all the > difference > > in the world to me. It's like you're on a business > meeting and someone > > is under the desk giving you oral. Your head might be in > the meeting, > > but if someone is giving you oral under the desk, you will > get a > > reaction and goodbye meeting, your brain will shift focus. > Not having > > that reaction, people, just scared me, scared me!... > > > > That's what made me quit the drug on my own. I just > dropped it. > > Goodbye. I have my sex drive back, my clitoris is not dead, > thank God, > > but, on the other hand, I have back all the things that > fluoxetine > > once fixed for me. I'm NOT A FUNCTIONAL PERSON. And if > life could be > > simplified to locking myself in a room and having orgasms > all day, I'd > > do it. But, unfortunately, existence can't be summed up > like that. We > > still have to eat, and for that we need income and need to > go out. > > > > Sigh. > > > > And I can't do the simplest things. > > > > I feel, I really feel between A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. It > seems to me > > like not just a tough choice, but a no-choice choice, > because I can't > > possibly choose between ability to cum and ability to > function. I > > mean, what's one without the other? > > > > I've been reading you, believe me, I DO FEEL your pain > because I HAVE > > BEEN THERE. And once I got out of it INTACT, I don't > want to risk > > going back to fluoxetine only to jeopardize what might have > been my > > pure luck. What if I go back to it and it really puts my > clitoris to > > rest forever this time around? > > > > But I still need help to function. And last I heard, of all > the > > antidepressants out there, fluoxetine is still the safest > and the one > > with less side effects -- but stand me corrected if I'm > wrong. So what > > other alternatives do I have? > > > > I came to this group exactly because I remember my most > unpleasant > > side effect while on fluoxetine and I went to Wikipedia to > investigate > > further and... Here I am. I am now sure that what happened > to me was, > > in fact, caused by fluoxetine, because nothing else > explains it. > > > > I need help to function, do the simplest things, not be > taken over by > > how I feel and live a normal life. But I can't give up > my sexuality, > > however modest and lonely it might be. Because, after all, > it is MINE. > > And if I've learned anything out of my own experience > (and coming > > here) is that it CAN'T be taken for granted like I > thought it could. > > > > I'm in South America, by the way, so any no-drugs and > therapy-only > > approach will not work for me because my medical insurance > doesn't > > cover any kind of therapy. I've also been there before, > when I could > > pay out of my own pocket. But therapy without drugs? I > could have gone > > gardening and it might have been more effective. Sorry, > just my > > experience. > > > > Thanks for reading. > > Thanks for any thoughts you might have, possible > alternatives included. > > > > Lucy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Welcome Lucy, I am glad you will join this community. You seem nice and intelligent. Definitely read a well chosen self help book about cognitive behavioral therapy. Find it in a big city library. And find high quality web-forums about coping with depression to anonymously discuss the personal problems underlying your depression. And there are also definitely psychotherapists, students, mental coaches, older people and other wise people who are willing to treat or coach you anonymously via email or webchat for free. That will cost you no money at all. Ask for them on community sites, dating sites and on several webforums about psychology or depression. It is no objection if they live on another continent. Use a nickname and stay anonymous, at least at first. You possibly need another life style,insights or skills to help you overcome depression. Nice, caring friends can help as well. Don't have too high professional ambitions in life. Be careful with medication. All the best to you. > > Hi. I'm new to the group, been reading digests... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Lucy, You can increase serotonin levels quite nicely with natural supplements (assuming that your depression is caused by low serotonin, but since Prozac worked so well, we will go with it...) I would recommend you try the following for a few weeks and see how you feel: 1-2 grams/day of Ester-C (a buffered form of Vitamin C) 1000 units/day Vitamin D3 25-50 mg/day Vitamin B6 250-500 mg/day Magnesium (try 250 first; too much can cause drowsiness) 25 mg/day Zinc 2-3 cups of green tea/day. 500 mg-1 gram of tryptophan, or 25-50 mg 5-HTP taken at night. Only add the tryptophan or 5-HTP if you don't get an effect from the vitamins and minerals. Also, as suggested, you could do 30 minutes per day aerobic/cardiovascular exercise to increase the overall effect. Adding 20 minutes of full spectrum light in the morning (or doing the cardio outdoors in the summer) will also help. I wouldn't recommend this regimen to someone with PSSD because it could possibly hinder recovery by raising serotonin too much. Vornan > > > > Welcome Lucy, > > > > I am glad you will join this community. You seem nice and intelligent. > > > > Definitely read a well chosen self help book about cognitive > > behavioral therapy. Find it in a big city library. > > > > And find high quality web-forums about coping with depression to > > anonymously discuss the personal problems underlying your depression. > > > > And there are also definitely psychotherapists, students, mental > > coaches, older people and other wise people who are willing to treat > > or coach you anonymously via email or webchat for free. That will cost > > you no money at all. Ask for them on community sites, dating sites and > > on several webforums about psychology or depression. It is no > > objection if they live on another continent. Use a nickname and stay > > anonymous, at least at first. > > > > You possibly need another life style,insights or skills to help you > > overcome depression. Nice, caring friends can help as well. Don't have > > too high professional ambitions in life. Be careful with medication. > > > > All the best to you. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Lucy, I, too, suffer from panic disorder and anxiety. I have suffered for at least ten years, so in that time i have had the opportunity to figure out a few things that are helpful. First off, no one likes to exercise. Its not fun. Its hard to start. BUT it does work, it does raise dopamine levels and lower anxiety--it helps to still the mind and stop the constant worries. Thinking you cant or not wanting to do it just perpetuates a negative feedback loop that gets worse and worse. I know you are depressed--if you found out definitively that exercise were the total cure, would you NOT commit yourself to doing it? We shower, brush our teeth, fix our hair, etc. etc, but we owe it to the maintenance of our bodies to do whatever it takes to heal. yes its hard to get motivated, and to stay motivated, but your treadmill is the best, non-medicine approach to do exactly that. Just try it for a few weeks, i guarantee you will see results. secondly, after suffering THOUSANDS of panic attacks over the years, i have finally concluded that no matter how much the feeling of doom tries to take over, no matter how convinced i am that something is really wrong, i am not going to die from it. Period. Whatever biochemical reaction is taking place is trying to convince me that i am a goner, and its just not true. Our brains like to go down the path most travelled, so in effect i have FORCED my brain to NOT GO THERE. i can sometimes stop a panic attack dead in its tracks by forcing myself to focus on SOMETHING, anything else. A crossword, a book, ANYTHING BUT the constant worry track that tries to take over and convince me that I AM GOING TO DIE RIGHT NOW. I think we get into a " brain rut " of sorts, and whatever negative thoughts we are thinking become the norm, instead of the exception. YOU are in control of your thoughts. Period. If you have a defeatist perspective and you constantly think like that, it becomes who you are. YOU have to take charge and FORCE yourself to NOT let it take you over. I might sound preachy, and i dont mean to. I think all of us here are anxious and depressed, or we wouldnt have sought the anti-depressants in the first place. i know its hard to realize sometimes that there are other people out there who are experiencing the SAME thing, because you feel alone and feel like no one understands or cant possibly be going through the same hell. But we do, and we are. The way to fix it is CHANGE, pure and simple. YOU are the only one who can fix it and it doesnt come from a magical pill. It comes from within. Hokey sounding, i know, i hate to sound like a self help book, but DONT allow yourself to make any excuses as to why you cant do this or that, especially before you even try. Being defeatist about the situation will only keep you RIGHT in it. If you have a car, go for a drive and get OUT of the city, change your surroundings! i know its winter--so wait for a nicer day. Nature is SO underrated for its abilities to calm and empty the head. No matter what city you live in, you can drive for an hour or less and LEAVE IT. Go to a stream, the woods, a pond, wherever! If you dont have a car, at least get to a park, or take a train outside the city. You owe it to yourself and to your peace of mind. You gotta change your mind, surroundings and perspective for a little bit. Think of what you should be thankful for and live in the present. You have your arms and legs, your sight, your hearing, your capacities, it could be so much WORSE without even ONE of those things. Its easy to focus on the bad and forget the good. TRY to focus on the good. lisa > > Subject: Re: My intro > To: SSRIsex > Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 7:43 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, ... Maybe other depressed people can > actually go outside for a > > walk, but depressed me doesn't actually move much and > stays indoors... > > I have major anxiety issues... I actually had panic > syndrome years > > ago, something I haven't said before... So I guess my > present social > > anxiety (going outside, doesn't have to involve people) > is some > > leftover from those days... > > > > Mood-wise, no woods for me (I'm in the city), so going > out there to > > the pollution, heat, humidity and traffic noise could only > make me > > depressed and annoyed... But thanks, anyway... > > > > I actually used to feel good after walking on the > treadmill... Maybe I > > can go back to it. But right now I just want to trash it > with a > > hammer... I need to feel better before I can walk in it... > Right now > > if I put my hands on it, I'd drag it around and end up > destroying good > > furniture that sits around... > > > > Lucy > > > > > > > > > > Exercise, exercise, exercise! There is a scientific > study that shows > > a walk in the woods is MORE effective than an > antidepressant. > > > lisa > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Please stay Lucy. I find your critical thoughts very interesting. As I said, you can find a psychotherapist or psychologist as an email friend. That gives you free advice. Some are very good and can really help you cope with life and find solutions for problems. Some are not helpful. So be selective and don't take all the advice for granted. I am sure you won't. If high professional ambitions work well for you, stick to them, but watch yourself critically in that respect. And ask the advice from people who love you. There are some high quality websites and webforums about depression, mental help, philosophy or life style that offer very useful advice. I don't know their names now, but I have seen them. Some websites about depression offer little useful information. Look also for professional webforums for psychologists and webforums for alternative therapists. Also find newsgroups and websites about " happiness " . You can use search engines for that. And I will give you some tracks to investigate. I don't know if these websites underneath are the best in the field of depression. Find out and ask there for better websites if needed. Watch out for websites that are secretly sponsored by pharmaceutical companies to promote their drugs. Please give us a message if you have found useful websites on the web. Websites about depression treatment: www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/ www.walkers.org/ www.johnfishbein.com/ www.depression-treatment.com.au/ www.carmha.ca/antidepressant-skills/work/workbook/index.cfm http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/ Websites about treatment of " SSRI Induced Sexual Dysfunction " (SISD) http://www.google.com/search?num=100 & hl=en & client=firefox-a & rls=org.mozilla%3Anl\ \ %3Aofficial & hs=QfV & q=%22SSRI+induced+sexual+dysfunction%22+treatment & btnG=Search > > So, I have to say this before I leave -- I don't want to disrupt the > group since I'm no longer suffering with PSSD... I haven't been to any > yahoo group (or any other) in years. Seeing how this place is so very > orderly kept by the moderators is such a pleasant surprise. Lots of > groups out there are a waste of time and I don't need that -- > especially depression groups. I don't need to step into a virtual nut > house and chaos -- my head is already as messed as it can be and I > don't need any extra help with that. > > That said, if anyone of you can point me to places, but, please, JUST > AS GOOD AS THIS, where I can 1) address my depression, 2) other SSRI > side effects (that I haven't mentioned here, but had), 3) other > antidepressants and 4) even alternative approaches to heal myself, I'd > appreciate that very, very much. Please feel free to write me > privately. (The email is funny, but works. It's just to cut down spam.) > > I have just one more question (on topic) to the group that I will > write shortly in another message. > > Thank you, > Lucy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Situational fear (fobias) are often well treatable with behavioral therapy, especially with the technique called systematic desensitization. That is a simple technique that you can do yourself with help of a book or website. Behavioral therapy is related to cognitive behavioral therapy and can be combined with it. Start physical activity very gradually and try to make it fun. Physical activity is often important in overcoming depression. And as I said earlier, you should definitely read a practical book on CBT! All the best. > > Oh, ... Maybe other depressed people can actually go outside for a > walk, but depressed me doesn't actually move much and stays indoors... > I have major anxiety issues... I actually had panic syndrome years > ago, something I haven't said before... So I guess my present social > anxiety (going outside, doesn't have to involve people) is some > leftover from those days... > > Mood-wise, no woods for me (I'm in the city), so going out there to > the pollution, heat, humidity and traffic noise could only make me > depressed and annoyed... But thanks, anyway... > > I actually used to feel good after walking on the treadmill... Maybe I > can go back to it. But right now I just want to trash it with a > hammer... I need to feel better before I can walk in it... Right now > if I put my hands on it, I'd drag it around and end up destroying good > furniture that sits around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 The links should work now: http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au http://www.walkers.org http://www.johnfishbein.com http://www.depression-treatment.com.au http://www.carmha.ca/antidepressant-skills/work/workbook/index.cfm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Hi Kim! Welcome! Your twitter peep, Healy Seattle, WA > Hello!> > I just found out about this group today and I'me excited to jump in and learn. My name is Kim, I'm a LLLL and I'm preparing to write the IBCLC exam next month. I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with my three kiddos and my husband. I'm currently a holistic health practitioner and I'm interested to learn where combining this with becoming an IBCLC will take me. > > Looking forward to getting to know you all!> > Kim> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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