Is this a blip???

Hi Diane. I havent kept track of what I have eaten but I'm quite sure thats not my problem as I'm a pretty healthy eater. I can actually feel when I'm gonna feel crappy. My energy is low. And I like to stay in moderate shape by riding my bike daily for an hour at a time. But I will keep an eye on my intake just in case. Thanks for the info.

Wasn't much help but I am on 30mg of cit and am going to stay there.

I think it never really leaves but I have many more good days than bad ones.

Hi again Diane. My Doc doesnt seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to Cit. He tells me there are no side effects on this med. He obviously has never taken it!!!! He was also quick to up my dosage from 10 to 40 mg's without knowing whether it was working or not!!! Oh well I hope these "blips" dont give me fits!!!!!! Thanks for youre reply. Always good to hear other peoples experiences.

Hopefully it all levels out. That is crazy jumping like that. I went from 10mg, to 20mg and then 30. Over 2 months.

The only side effects I had was slightly nauseous, dry mouth at night, and increased anxiety. That is,why my psychiatrist prescribed the Clonaxepam

Like you said hopefully it all levels out

Sorry John, just snorted into my cup of tea when I read that your doctor told you there are no side effects on this med.  He should be made to take them haha .

  

Yes. I dont the he liked it when I asked him "are you kidding me". I'm thinking of changing Doctor's!!!!!

Don't blame you.  I learnt which doctors to see at our surgery for different things.  Some are better at some things than others .... and some I'd never set foot through their door ever again.

I find it unbelievable doctors of all people don't know about these meds.

 

I hear you. Cant have much trust or confidence in a dude that gives out these meds and tells you their are no side effects!!!!! I dont know if I should try and ween myself off these or continue taking them. Hate feeling like this. Ppl ask you how you are and you say fine even though you feel like crap!!!!!

Trouble is GP's are just that - General Practioners and not specialists in one thing, though some have interests in particular fields.  Jack of all trades - master of none.

It's great when you find a GP that really cares and understands ..... and listens.  My first GP I had when I started these meds was great.  I spent many a time crying in his office   When he eventually left, I felt quite freaked out by it, and sure enough the first GP I saw (about something quite unrelated) sighed and said 'isn't it about time you came off these meds'?  I had a complete panic and asked if he'd read my notes.  Nope ..... glanced at them and said 'ah, I see.  Maybe not'.  But the damage had been done, I lost my confidence in my 'comfort' zone there, fretted about it for ages in case I was made to come off them, and wondered who I could turn to when I needed help.  One person's 'wrong' words shook me - took a while for me to get over that.

Yep, I remember people asking me that.  How are you .... 'fine' ... but I felt dreadful.  Once a friend saw I was having a bad time, comforted me and I blurted out what was actually wrong (dumbed it down a bit though), and she said 'there, there ..... you'll be going on your holidays soon and it'll do you good to get away from it all and feel refreshed, and when you come back you'll feel as right as rain'.  I wanted to hit her.  She had absolutely no idea.  Didn't know that I'd take my illness with me on holiday, go on the beach with my illness, go sightseeing with my illness, lay in the sun with my illness, play with the children still with my illness, and then I'd come home and bring the god damned illness back with me.  Yep, I wish I could have left it on holiday - drowned it in the sea 

Nobody knows what its like unless they've suffered with it.  Not even the medical professionals.  

You know 40mg might be too much for you.  Some people do struggle on that dose and find a lower one suits them better.  Everyone is different, and each dose suits our different bodies.  A large dose doesn't mean you'll get better any quicker or any earlier - you might do, but it doesn't always mean that.

Don't give up .... not yet.  Try altering your dose, it might help (not immediately maybe, but it might).

Ooooh got to go.  Big spider just ran under my sofa so I'm off now.  Spider phobia!!!! 

K

Hi K. Everytime I went to see this guy and I told him how I felt he would ask me if we should increase the dosage I was taking. I agreed. I would feel better for awhile and then feel crappy. Thats what I'm going through now. Feel good for a few weeks then feel crappy. When I brought up insomnia with him he brushed me off. Hopefully this will pass soon. Maybe I shud reduce the dosage to 30mg's. I have to see him on an unrelated matter so I will speak with him about it then. He always refers to "thats what the good book says". Well he better get a new book. Lol. Have a great evening K and thanks for listening to my rants!!!!

How are you to know if the increase is the best thing - its your doctor that should know whats best to do.  Each dose increase is often like starting afresh from the beginning - you'll get side effects for a few weeks, maybe feel good for a bit and then you'll hit this wave effect of being up and down.  Doesn't matter what dose you take, it seems this is a process most of us go through.  You might recover on 20mg ...... For me, I wanted to take the least dose I could as thought anything greater would be a waste of time and just give me side effects I didn't want.  I recovered on 20mg and then after a few years reduced to 15mg and then 10mg and stayed on that for somemore years as a maintenance dose.

Doctors who don't listen to their patients are just plain rude.  That's what they're for - to help us.  He should be looking at alternatives to help you through the insomnia phase.  To some doctors, depression / anxiety is nothing more than a bit down and unsettled.  Mmmmm.....

Ah ha .... so he looks for guidance from his book eh.  Yes, definitely needs a new one ... and when you next visit, I'd be inclined to smack him round the head with it 

It is trial and error getting the dose just right to suit you.  Many people find 40 is too much and settle on a lower dose, and some of course find 40 is perfect for them.  Reducing may make you have some withdrawl effects though ... just be aware of that.  If reducing to 30mg it might be wise to maybe go to 35mg first (buy a pill cutter and chop up the pills) - just so you can ease back down.

No problem.  Rant away

Its good to listen and talk .......

 

Good morning K. I dont know what to think anymore. Sleep is improving but I dont feel rested. Head is buzzing a little--have had that b4. Just absolutely hate feeling like this. Thank god exercise helps cause this is not a fun ride at all!!!!!!

Morning.  Sorry for the late reply.

Recovery happens very slowly for many people.  Your sleep improvement is probably the first thing, and though you don't feel rested, it should happen in time too.  When I recovered it crept up on me so slowly I didn't realise it was happening.  I just began to notice small things one at a time over months.  When I started looking back I could see things had improved slowly.  

No its not a fun ride at all.  I'd do it all again though - I'd suffer the consequences as I know it makes me well in the end.  I wouldn't want to go back to that dark scary world I was once in.

Exercise really does help - it burns the excess adrenaline and released endorphins helpign to make you feel better.

Every week can be different - this week may feel wretched, yet next week you might feel completely different.  The meds work is mysterious ways 

K x

Good morning K. I dont know what to think anymore. This is the worst I have felt in awhile. Sleep has improved but getting the sweats--which I never got before. I have made an app't with a diff doc but dont go in until the 18 of Oct. i will speak with her then about coming off Cit when I see her. Its been over 8 months since I started these and I should be feeling better by now. I never had these feelings on Effexor. Just doesnt feel normal to me. In fact this cant be normal. Weird thing is my energy level is not bad. In favt I will probably go for a bikeride later. Enjoy youre day!!!

You really do sound like your body is finding 40mg way too much.  A few people I've spoken to on her before have been the same and then reduced their dose and things settled.

Maybe you could try reducing first, and if things don't settle then consider coming off?  You've come a long way so would be a shame to throw it all in before trying a lower dose first maybe? 

Everyone suits different meds, so one type might suit you better than another.  Sounds like Effexor was a good one for you ..... but maybe just try reducing before going back it?

Hope the bike ride was good.  Not been cycling for ages .... must go dig that bike out again too.

 

Hi kate. Thanks for the reply. Bikeride was great. I try to go fo an hr everyday. It does help. Funny how these meds work. Felt really good on my fishing trip two weeks ago and now I feel crappy. Maybe I will try going down to 35 mg's for a bit and see how that works. I will discuss getting off these in Oct when I see my new doc.