Antidepressants?

[Hemps]

Unfortunately I do have counselling once a month but she doesn't seem to help much. Been seeing her for over a year. In and out within half an hour.

[Hemps]

Hi just been to doctor and he has suggested trying going back up another 37.5 mg again. He is going to do a referral back to physciatrist. He thinks that my dosage might not be enough and maybe should even be doubled. This totally freaks me out. Last time we upped it it made me feel weird.

He said he had a client who had the same problem, and ended up having dose doubled and is now doing great so I will see what happens.

[hanshan]

The reality with antidepressants is that even psychiatrists don't know for sure what will work with any given patient, so they are more or less poking around with sticks, although they like to pretend differently.

But there are always new medications coming onto the market, so don't lose hope. Also, people with anxiety/depression do get better without medication.

[Hemps]

Yeah I hate it, I just have this fair that if my dose goes too high I will go totally manic and lose control. Just something that happen in the past.

Anyway I just need to get to a level where I can cope and have a good life, enough to enjoy my family and be able to work.

Hopefully I can also put some strategies into place that can help me cope with the anxiety and stop having relapses.

[SADnomore]

Okay, this is the first time I've noticed you mention the manic episode. Do you remember mentioning this to your doctors? I think you ought to make sure they are aware of this before you increase your dose.

Good luck, keep us posted!

[Hemps]

Sorry I didn't say this very well. Just one time when I went to high I got really worried, crying etc, extremely high anxiety. I did tell my doctor and that is when we agreed to swap to Effexor.

I hope things are going well for you Marie. I have increased my dosage feeling little more anxious especially today, but it could be because I am tired as my little boy has a sore shoulder and keeps waking me up in the night.

I think also last time I increased I might not have given it enough time. Who knows, I am going to try and give it a bit longer this time.

[SADnomore]

That's the stuff, Paula, give it the old college try! Were you able to go up 37.5 at a time? Sorry if you've said already, I just popped on here for a minute because I'm on my way to bed ... Aw your poor little boy, I have a sore shoulder that wakes me in the night, very hard to get past! Hopefully it will be gone in a day or two more, and you can both get your rest! Fingers crossed for you both on my end xx

Meanwhile, I'm doing really well on the Effexor, thanks for asking! I just do not find myself going off to the negative place anymore! I get a bit of a pang due to a bad memory (I'm wondering if this is what people mean by "intrusive thoughts") from time to time. But it is very fleeting these days, not the pain that would twist my heart and drag me down like before. This. Is. Huge. Such a relief, I cannot begin to tell you!

So, for now I am staying at 225 mg. I am more than willing to try to stay at this dose for this first "trial" winter, if possible. I am pretty excited that it is working, as you can tell! Normally I would have a constant, knawing sense of dread by now, and I haven't felt a bit of that fear! I am beginning, just beginning mind you, to even feel happy at times. Lol! I think I need to do a bit more confidence-building insofar as establishing boundaries and making sure to meet my own needs first and all that. That includes peace and harmony in my life, for sure. I am still wound pretty tight, but I'm okay as long as I don't go over the top to just what you describe (I was there before meds, this past February).

Try to remember that a lot of what you are feeling is due to the physical effects of the increase, with serotonin receptors in the gut and perhaps adrenaline now as well. The pharmacist told me that it differs with individuals. I did have the "butterflies" again but not as strongly, and they went away quicker this time. The occasional bit of jittery feelings, heightened anxiety, which I attribute to the bit of uptick in adrenaline, perfectly normal as I get settled, I'm sure. I think it's good in that I don't feel like just sitting and thinking too much. I have met with a friend for lunch twice in the past few weeks, which is really good. Feeling hopeful that I will be motivated to do it still when the real cold hits, ha ha! Try to look at it as "energy" to be expended, and do what you can to use it up! By the way, it's been a month or more on this dose, and just recently have noticed that I am really alert and am finding it way easier to not become upset even when I'm a bit anxious, (crying, talking too much like I used to do). Easy to just stay quiet. Easy to be positive with others. Very, very cool ... xx

If any of this sounds good, then try to keep going a bit longer, yes! Do you do deep breathing for tension? If you get palps and stuff, have you tried propranolol? I keep telling myself that if my anxiety gets too bad, I can ask the doc for some, but it hasn't stayed long enough for me to go in

Marie

[Hemps]

Hi Marie, I am so glad you are feeling better, its good to see the effexor is working. I see from our news that weather has been bad over your way.

We unfortunately are still waiting for summer which is extremely annoying.

I think for me I just haven't found the right dosage level of medication. I am prepared to hang in there and see if this increase will settle and help.

My doctor has done a referral to a physchatrist (sorry spelling hopeless). I just want to talk to him about the meds. I think if I get a better balance of meds I can sort the anxiety out and then focus on getting off diazepam and zoplicone. It scares me that I have been on it for so long.

Going to polytech everday was fantastic for my anxiety but now I have finished the anxiety and depression is back it is worse.

Such an up and down battle. I am sure I will get there one day! I just have to hang in there.