LETS ALL LAUGH AT PEOPLE WITH DEPRESSION!!

Gongoozler

I'm doing fine on the 15mg of Cymbalta. Saw my doctor today for another thing, and I was expecting her to ask did I need more. I told her I'm coming off it, and then started explaining that I'm splitting them into half doses, when she kinda cut me off to ask if she needs to write me a script for more of the 30mgs. I was quite shocked at the lack of care for someone who's coming off anti-depressants. Not a single question about how I was doing, how long I was planning on spanning it over etc etc. No, only to know if I needed a script.

Anyway, I'll be moving onto 7.5mg in another week I think. I'll have to work out the timing of it, to try work around holidays, so that I'm not coming down to 0 then.

Feeling fine. Mood is grand. I've had a couple of weepy moments here and there, but doing good, I expected it to be worse. I'll never go back on any of them again.

lukesmom

Gongoozler wrote: »

I'm doing fine on the 15mg of Cymbalta. Saw my doctor today for another thing, and I was expecting her to ask did I need more. I told her I'm coming off it, and then started explaining that I'm splitting them into half doses, when she kinda cut me off to ask if she needs to write me a script for more of the 30mgs. I was quite shocked at the lack of care for someone who's coming off anti-depressants. Not a single question about how I was doing, how long I was planning on spanning it over etc etc. No, only to know if I needed a script.

Anyway, I'll be moving onto 7.5mg in another week I think. I'll have to work out the timing of it, to try work around holidays, so that I'm not coming down to 0 then.

Feeling fine. Mood is grand. I've had a couple of weepy moments here and there, but doing good, I expected it to be worse. I'll never go back on any of them again.

Fair play to you getting down to 15mg sounds like your doing great, helps me as I'm also on cymbalta 120 mg. as for the doctor that was pretty thoughtless of them but you keep on going.

handbagmad

To be peaceful, is to be free,
Amongst the cruel and twisted light
There is life yet to be lived you see,
Question: can we fight the fight?

Sorry things just pop into my head

DeVore

handbagmad wrote: »

To be peaceful, is to be free,
Amongst the cruel and twisted light
There is life yet to be lived you see,
Question: can we fight the fight?

Sorry things just pop into my head

That's cool... actually, I think that's what I needed to read right now.

handbagmad

Thanks devore. I sometimes find little quotes n stuff popping into my mind and write them down. Have quite a few. All at different stages of gloom and elation.

TeddyTedson

I discovered this video a little while ago and while I haven't been following his advice 100% just yet I certainly intend to. He encourages depressed people to practice meditating for 20 minutes daily as if your life depends on it and while I haven't fully managed to completely fit it around my day just yet it's been the best thing I've done in years.

A few weeks ago I had a long post written out about how **** I was feeling, mostly due to anxiety but couldn't bring myself to post it because felt I was sharing too much. It's amazing that now that I'm feeling so relaxed and can't wait to wake up tomorrow . The odd thing is people often tell me I seem really chilled out and stress free all the time when in reality inside I'm feeling the opposite, to be honest I have no idea how any comes to that conclusion. I've haven't felt so in control of my life in so long!! I've only be able to meditate for less than 5 minutes so far so I can't wait to see how I'm feeling after being able to do 20! The idea of meditation is something that never really entered my mind much and I couldn't have imagined that it could really help much but for me personally I think I've really found something here and really encourage anyone else to give it a go if you haven't already.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7bRGzFt2oE

Esel

handbagmad wrote: »

To be peaceful, is to be free,
Amongst the cruel and twisted light
There is life yet to be lived you see,
Question: can we fight the fight?

Sorry things just pop into my head

We are programmed for fight or flight,
But we can also choose to freeze.
Until darkness turns back to light
And a new dawn can set us free.

Macavity.

Have you guys heard of Penzu? It's an online journal, completely private. Anyway, I've been recording my thoughts and have written a lot of poems in there about how I've been feeling/my past. I think it's a great way of letting off steam.

Here is the link. http://penzu.com/

Esel

@Teddy - it is very good, but it can be hard to establish as a routine. That is not a deal-breaker though.

If you miss/skip a session or twenty, don't beat yourself up. Just have another go.

Every single time you calm your mind is a great achievement. Recall that time, and realise that you can do it again.

While 20 minutes might be recommended [twice a day by some people], even a single minute can do the same trick. You can do it anywhere and at any time when you do not have to concentrate on the external environment.

So, on the bus/train is OK (unless you are the driver). Private time is best i.e. where you do not have to interact with anyone else.

Meditation v Medication, eh... no, this is not the issue.

Each one has its place - and time.

Time is the main thing though.

Take/think time.

Gongoozler

Gongoozler wrote: »

I'm doing fine on the 15mg of Cymbalta. Saw my doctor today for another thing, and I was expecting her to ask did I need more. I told her I'm coming off it, and then started explaining that I'm splitting them into half doses, when she kinda cut me off to ask if she needs to write me a script for more of the 30mgs. I was quite shocked at the lack of care for someone who's coming off anti-depressants. Not a single question about how I was doing, how long I was planning on spanning it over etc etc. No, only to know if I needed a script.

Anyway, I'll be moving onto 7.5mg in another week I think. I'll have to work out the timing of it, to try work around holidays, so that I'm not coming down to 0 then.

Feeling fine. Mood is grand. I've had a couple of weepy moments here and there, but doing good, I expected it to be worse. I'll never go back on any of them again.

Is your doctor telling you to split your Cymbalta dose? How are you halving it? I just can't believe that a doctor would tell a patient to halve and potentially quarter a duloxetine gastro resistant capsule.

TommieBoy

Macavity. wrote: »

Have you guys heard of Penzu? It's an online journal, completely private. Anyway, I've been recording my thoughts and have written a lot of poems in there about how I've been feeling/my past. I think it's a great way of letting off steam.

Here is the link. http://penzu.com/

Thanks for that Macavity. The Ladies Lounge has been like that for me, and I've been so grateful for it - although penzu sounds a bit more appropriate to vent thoughts or feelings. If I get things out that are weighing heavily on my heart or rolling around in my head, then I feel less ... less ...well it feels like my load is lightened somehow. So, thanks. Will go check out penzu.

Gongoozler

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is your doctor telling you to split your Cymbalta dose? How are you halving it? I just can't believe that a doctor would tell a patient to halve and potentially quarter a duloxetine gastro resistant capsule.

No she's not telling me to. I spoke to a different doctor about coming off then but she didn't want to know. So I decided to go do it myself. Coming off completely didn't work for me, see previous posts in here, so I've started splitting them. My posts mentioned how she didn't say or ask anything. Maybe she didn't approve of me splitting then. Whatever the reason, she's wrong not to, and I've lost faith in her as my doctor.

The company who make it have made it difficult to come off it do I imagine most people don't have a choice but to split them. Didn't want to myself but I have no choice if I want to get off them. I imagine other doctors actually advise you on doing it.

lukesmom

I've known a few to come off cymbalta under the advice of their doctors. It's not rocket science and in my opinion they should help patients to find the least painful way of discontinuing the med snd any other med for that matter.

Gongoozler

Gongoozler wrote: »

No she's not telling me to. I spoke to a different doctor about coming off then but she didn't want to know. So I decided to go do it myself. Coming off completely didn't work for me, see previous posts in here, so I've started splitting them. My posts mentioned how she didn't say or ask anything. Maybe she didn't approve of me splitting then. Whatever the reason, she's wrong not to, and I've lost faith in her as my doctor.

The company who make it have made it difficult to come off it do I imagine most people don't have a choice but to split them. Didn't want to myself but I have no choice if I want to get off them. I imagine other doctors actually advise you on doing it.

Sorry to hear your troubles. What you need to do is talk to a psychiatrist and get advice on switching to to different SSRI which has a longer half life for tapering off your medication.

Halving and quartering your dose will lead to a lot of the duloxetine been inactivated by stomach acid.

looking_around

Gongoozler wrote: »

No she's not telling me to. I spoke to a different doctor about coming off then but she didn't want to know. So I decided to go do it myself. Coming off completely didn't work for me, see previous posts in here, so I've started splitting them. My posts mentioned how she didn't say or ask anything. Maybe she didn't approve of me splitting then. Whatever the reason, she's wrong not to, and I've lost faith in her as my doctor.

The company who make it have made it difficult to come off it do I imagine most people don't have a choice but to split them. Didn't want to myself but I have no choice if I want to get off them. I imagine other doctors actually advise you on doing it.

I did the same thing coming off cymbalta, much much easier than stopping it on the 30mg.
I did use the capsules it came in though, and dumped the half I wasn't using. Dropped to 15 for about 2 weeks, then down to half that for 2 weeks, than off completely. Was still rough but nothing like I felt when I tried dropping from 30mg to 0.

shame you can't get 15mg from pharmacy, or 10mg, it would make coming off much easier than trying to measure it yourself.

Gongoozler

Deleted User wrote: »

Sorry to hear your troubles. What you need to do is talk to a psychiatrist and get advice on switching to to different SSRI which has a longer half life for tapering off your medication.

Halving and quartering your dose will lead to a lot of the duloxetine been inactivated by stomach acid.

Thanks for the suggestion, but no, I don't need to. I've spent (wasted) enough time on tablets and I've taken so many of them, all a waste of time, given me nothing but more issues. I don't need to get onto another one. If I get down to 7.5mg and go to 0 from that and it doesn't go smoothly then I'll consider something like that. I've already halved my dose, with next to no ill side effects.

Edit: I misread what you were saying. Thanks for the advice/suggestion. I might go back to my doctor about getting some more capsules. Though, still, I can't believe she didn't ask a single thing about how I was doing it, how it was going etc.

looking_around wrote: »

I did the same thing coming off cymbalta, much much easier than stopping it on the 30mg.
I did use the capsules it came in though, and dumped the half I wasn't using. Dropped to 15 for about 2 weeks, then down to half that for 2 weeks, than off completely. Was still rough but nothing like I felt when I tried dropping from 30mg to 0.

shame you can't get 15mg from pharmacy, or 10mg, it would make coming off much easier than trying to measure it yourself.

Yeah, I'm using anadin capsules which are fine. A little big maybe.

How rough was the come down from 7.5 to nothing?

It'd be great if they did a smaller dose, but then, small doses don't make money, do they. plus they hardly want to encourage you to come off them.

looking_around

Gongoozler wrote: »

Yeah, I'm using anadin capsules which are fine. A little big maybe.

How rough was the come down from 7.5 to nothing?

It'd be great if they did a smaller dose, but then, small doses don't make money, do they. plus they hardly want to encourage you to come off them.

Yeah I suppose it's not in their interests for people to stop taking them. (In saying that, cymbalta was the med that cleared my mind enough to start working on my issues. It's a med that I won't hesitate to go back on if I need to again.

The come down was rough enough. It lasted over a week With dizzy spells and head zaps, but nothing too intense. (I didn't feel like I was about to topple over, or my brain was bouncing....which is it how felt when I tried dropping from 30 to 0.) ...It was the same withdrawal symptoms but weaker and manageable.

lukesmom

Have had the anxiety in the background past few days. I honestly think it's the much earlier starts. My eldest son has started secondary school and I've been up at 6.30 each morning so worried I'd not be up in time and he'd be late for school. Least he's off tomorrow and not back until next week. Just have to remember:

- It's only anxiety and it can't hurt me
- I'm doing really well just under a but more stress what with my son starting secondary
- Go with the flow
- it WILL pass

Just had to get this down somewhere and I actually feel a little bit better for doing so. I'm exhausted x

is mise spartacus

In school today and my anxiety went through the roof. Then I felt very down... I don't think my medication is working anymore

lukesmom

is mise spartacus wrote: »

In school today and my anxiety went through the roof. Then I felt very down... I don't think my medication is working anymore

Was it just today you felt this way? It's normal to have ups and downs from time to time. If it continues maybe a good idea to talk to your gp but try go with the flow and a bit of mindfulness can work wonders.

is mise spartacus

lukesmom wrote: »

Was it just today you felt this way? It's normal to have ups and downs from time to time. If it continues maybe a good idea to talk to your gp but try go with the flow and a bit of mindfulness can work wonders.

It's been gradually getting worse but today was atrocious... I almost had to leave class because of the nausea

lukesmom

is mise spartacus wrote: »

It's been gradually getting worse but today was atrocious... I almost had to leave class because of the nausea

Awful feeling that I know too well. Hang in there it will pass. Have you class tomorrow?

Calibos

No kids so nothing to do with back to school stress but anxiety was back in a big way Sunday to today. Well it had been coming back for most of the Summer but only on my days off funnily enough but back with a bigger bang this week to the point I needed to scrounge a couple of Xanax off the old dear yesterday and this morning before I could see my doc. I was monitoring the timing and assosciated mental states and physical states all Summer to try and discern a trigger or cause. Basically I feel it was anxiety and guilt about falling behind with responsibilities causing more anxiety meaning falling even more behind etc. ie a catch 22 situation and while happy and optimistic. Etc in all other respects, basically getting anxiety symptoms purely out of fear of getting anxiety symptoms if you get me.

A bit of research told me that it was classic GAD and that combined with my high blood pressure and excessively high resting pulse despite being on BLood Pressure meds could explain everything without bringing depression or SSRIs back into the equation and that Beta Blockers could be the answer to both the resurgent anxiety and the pulse rate and excessive tiredness.

Ie the only thing I had mental anxiety and frustration about was the jobs piling up and they were only piling up due to fear of physical anxiety symptoms being triggered mid job by a moment of stress or frustration. Big problem with a window half installed or a hedge half cut for example but not a problem for a big multi hour job like cooking for 7 because worse case I could hand off the rest of a job like that to another family member. Thus I never had a problem or anxiety from the likes of the Dinner which could be handed off to someone else but did feel anxiety about starting jobs that couldn't be handed off to someone else mid job. The anti physical anxiety effects of a Beta Blockers can help short circuit that catch 22. If I don't have to worry about an physical anxiety episode then I don't feel anxious about the job at all, it gets done and doesn't pile up behind other jobs triggering mental anxiety and guilt.

The doctor read the anxiety history/ timeline I typed up ( this particular doc has only seen me in relation to BP issues not anxiety) lest I forgot to tell him anything during the appointment from my anxious state. He laughed when he got to the end when I suggested we try beta blockers because that's what he had been thinking of a few bullet points back.

My reasoning was sound apparently!

I stay on my BP meds, take 3x 10mg Inderal Beta Blockers a day and he also prescribed some Xanax to be taken if I get a bad bout of anxiety.

Result!

Hopefully the Beta Blockers will be my silver bullet.

is mise spartacus

lukesmom wrote: »

Awful feeling that I know too well. Hang in there it will pass. Have you class tomorrow?

I do unfortunately

Paperduel

Calibos wrote: »

No kids so nothing to do with back to school stress but anxiety was back in a big way Sunday to today. Well it had been coming back for most of the Summer but only on my days off funnily enough but back with a bigger bang this week to the point I needed to scrounge a couple of Xanax off the old dear yesterday and this morning before I could see my doc. I was monitoring the timing and assosciated mental states and physical states all Summer to try and discern a trigger or cause. Basically I feel it was anxiety and guilt about falling behind with responsibilities causing more anxiety meaning falling even more behind etc. ie a catch 22 situation and while happy and optimistic. Etc in all other respects, basically getting anxiety symptoms purely out of fear of getting anxiety symptoms if you get me.

A bit of research told me that it was classic GAD and that combined with my high blood pressure and excessively high resting pulse despite being on BLood Pressure meds could explain everything without bringing depression or SSRIs back into the equation and that Beta Blockers could be the answer to both the resurgent anxiety and the pulse rate and excessive tiredness.

Ie the only thing I had mental anxiety and frustration about was the jobs piling up and they were only piling up due to fear of physical anxiety symptoms being triggered mid job by a moment of stress or frustration. Big problem with a window half installed or a hedge half cut for example but not a problem for a big multi hour job like cooking for 7 because worse case I could hand off the rest of a job like that to another family member. Thus I never had a problem or anxiety from the likes of the Dinner which could be handed off to someone else but did feel anxiety about starting jobs that couldn't be handed off to someone else mid job. The anti physical anxiety effects of a Beta Blockers can help short circuit that catch 22. If I don't have to worry about an physical anxiety episode then I don't feel anxious about the job at all, it gets done and doesn't pile up behind other jobs triggering mental anxiety and guilt.

The doctor read the anxiety history/ timeline I typed up ( this particular doc has only seen me in relation to BP issues not anxiety) lest I forgot to tell him anything during the appointment from my anxious state. He laughed when he got to the end when I suggested we try beta blockers because that's what he had been thinking of a few bullet points back.

My reasoning was sound apparently!

I stay on my BP meds, take 3x 10mg Inderal Beta Blockers a day and he also prescribed some Xanax to be taken if I get a bad bout of anxiety.

Result!

Hopefully the Beta Blockers will be my silver bullet.

Do you know how to meditate? Your goal should be to be in a meditative state most of the time.

lukesmom

is mise spartacus wrote: »

I do unfortunately

I wish you well. Hope you get a good nights sleep and things seem a little easier for you tomorrow

lukesmom

Paperduel wrote: »

Do you know how to meditate? Your goal should be to be in a meditative state most of the time.

I love meditation but I would change meditative to mindful above.

Esel

Paperduel wrote: »

Do you know how to meditate? Your goal should be to be in a meditative state most of the time.

Meditation is good and very helpful.

Not sure how realistic a goal it is to be in that state most of the time though?

Are you thinking more of a mindfulness state?

DeVore

lukesmom wrote: »

Have had the anxiety in the background past few days. I honestly think it's the much earlier starts. My eldest son has started secondary school and I've been up at 6.30 each morning so worried I'd not be up in time and he'd be late for school. Least he's off tomorrow and not back until next week. Just have to remember:

- It's only anxiety and it can't hurt me
- I'm doing really well just under a but more stress what with my son starting secondary
- Go with the flow
- it WILL pass

Just had to get this down somewhere and I actually feel a little bit better for doing so. I'm exhausted x

So what if he's a few hours late one day... do you know how many days I bunked off school and I did just fine

Stop putting these ridiculous pressures on yourself, if he arrives in late its far FAR from the end of them world. If his mum is inoperative because her anxiety has roofed... that's much worse.

You sound like an awesome mum from your posts here, for God's sake give yourself a break once in a while

is mise spartacus

Absolutely dreading tomorrow.. So anxious my stomach hurts