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 because, 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