depression

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Vindicated!!!!!!!

If you want a great psychiatrist in the Orlando area, Dr. Lillian Saavedra is the one to go to. She said that allergies are the cause of depression! That when one is undergoing a bad about of allergies to use the anti depressants, then get off of them! That one does not have to be a slave to the drugs! She will be where I will stay in this current about of allergy flare up. Why go anywhere else? She said that the current administration of allergy shots and the VNS should be fine for me. She switched up the medications and the timing of them. We will try this new way of doing things.

Singular in the morning, Xyzal in the noon time, no more antihistamines after about 2pm. She took me off the Abilify and Lexapro, and put me on Cymbalta. Gave me a schedule of how to get off Abilify. We mentioned me going to Steven Spieser for treatment, however Lillian is about only two miles away from me. I had Spieser twenty years ago. He may have changed in all that time, but I like her more than him because she the drugs are not to make you a slave to them, he was different on that tack. But more information has come out in twenty years.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Could I Use SNRIs?

I have used these drugs before:

Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR)

And found out that they worked for a while then quit. Here is an article by the Mayo Clinic:

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Antidepressant SNRIs help relieve depression symptoms, such as irritability and sadness. Here's how these antidepressants work and what side effects they may cause.

By Mayo Clinic staff

SNRIs are a class of medications that are effective at easing depression symptoms. SNRIs are also sometimes used to treat other mental health conditions such as anxiety.

How serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors work

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) ease depression by affecting chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) used to communicate between brain cells. Most antidepressants work by changing the levels of one or more of these naturally occurring brain chemicals.

SNRIs block the absorption (reuptake) of the neurotransmitters serotonin (ser-oh-TOE-nin) and norepinephrine (nor-ep-ih-NEF-rin) in the brain. They also affect certain other neurotransmitters. Changing the balance of these chemicals seems to help brain cells send and receive messages, which in turn boosts mood. Medications in this group of antidepressants are sometimes called dual reuptake inhibitors.

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors approved to treat depression

SNRIs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat depression, with their generic names followed by brand names in parentheses, include:

Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR)
Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

As with some other antidepressants, venlafaxine is available in an immediate-release form that requires two or three doses a day and in an extended-release (XR) form that allows you to take it just once a day.

Sometimes, SNRIs are used to treat conditions other than depression.

Side effects and cautions

All SNRIs work in a similar way and generally cause similar side effects. However, each SNRI has a different chemical makeup, so one may affect you differently than does another.

Side effects of SNRIs can include:

Nausea (particularly with duloxetine)
Dry mouth
Dizziness
Insomnia
Sleepiness
Constipation
Increased blood pressure (with venlafaxine)
Excessive sweating
Reduced sexual desire or difficulty reaching orgasm
Inability to maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction)
Increased heart rate
Heart palpitation
Difficulty urinating
Tremor
Headache
Agitation or anxiety
Changes in appetite
Abnormal vision, such as blurred vision or double vision
Muscle weakness

Nausea is less common with the extended-release form of SNRIs.

If you want to read more of the article, just click the link below in right corner.

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Thursday, February 26, 2009

The new setting for the VNS implant

On February tenth I had the implant turn up to 1.75 every two hours. the next day I had a dental appointment. The Dentist stayed in my mouth for one hour and ten minutes. I ended up crying and being sick for a day and a half. The next week, on the 18th he did only about 15 min of work and I skipped going on the 25th. It has been this stress that has kept me from going down further and faster from the drugs. Now the level is 60 cymbalta, 200 Provigil, 15 Paxil. When I am resting, or have relatively little stress my brain tingles. It is that feeling that I get when it know that I my brain is in a healthly zone. I can handle things better.
The teeth problems will continue for a while, so I will do the teeth appointments every other week.
(All this teeth work needed antibiotics, which caused more problems with depression because they further messed up my digestion by killing the flora in my intestines that provide for the digestion and immunity functions of the body-editor)

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Back on paxil at 30mg

I am on 60 cymbalta and 200 provigil and now after this morning, thirty paxil. I have been noticing the symptoms of the disease returning. I am groggy throughout the day, I crave carbohydrates more and caffeine . I can't have the caffeine because of the fibrous nodes in my breasts. Somehow the more caffeine I have the more soreness in the breasts.
When the device is working the best I can eat very little, am more active, leave thoughts that disturb me, feel that I can get through anything. I just have a better quality of life all around.
The 1.50 at 2.5 hours worked for about 4 days as I went down on paxil. I was just taking the cymbalta and provigil. By the tenth day I was going into depression again. So I went back on 15 paxil and at times took 45mg a day this I did for about four days. Then for about a week I was fine just taking 15mg, then the down turn again getting more tired, more craving carbohydrates and so today I went back to 30mg.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Got through Christmas Rush

I started taking the paxil again(on Dec 3), as stated in the last post.This put me at 200 provigal,15 paxil, 60 cymbalta VNS at 1.25 every 2.5 hours). The paxil was restarted at 15mg. This increasing of the amount of serotonin stopped the migraines. During the vacation I was active and moving around more than usual. I stuffed myself daily and ate every night before bed. I began taking the restless leg syndrome drug regularly. I notice with less stress the implant seems to cause me to burn more calories. Not necessarily through action, but sped up metabolism. It also allows me to get more done, mentally as well. I am more willing to do more stuff and combine tasks, and have energy even after that. I can depend on the level of energy. This pleases me to no end.
During the vacation Cheryl called me and told me that Dr. Rivera now had all that he needed to start up therapy again. I made an appointment for Tues. Jan 13th.
As I weighed myself after the vacation, I had only gained three pounds. As I went back to work and stress increased I gained weight eating less than on vacation. So more stress decreases the effect of the implant. Dah. But I was able to handle the stress with out the anxiety and depression coming on. I worked 57 hours in six days, straight, no days off. Only tired on the last day. No depression. Before the implant and on far more medications ( 200 provigal,60 paxil, 50 thoridiazine, 60 cymbalta) I could only work 32 hours in a 5 day period.
I am scheduled to have a scan on the liver, enzymes are denoting possible problems.
I am going to diet and exercise in the new year to stop the cholesterol and oncoming sugar problems.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Magnesium Works!

The Tricor that was given to me for high cholesterol gave me intense migraines. I had ordered a book, a health book from Bottomline Books and in there it suggested to take magnesium. I stopped the Tricor and began to take the magnesium and slowly over a period of a week lessened the headaches. I will continue to take the mag every 2-3 hours at 500 mg and see what happens. Hopefully all symptoms will go. I have increased eating spinach and other greens as well. It has also sharpened my mind. I am down to only the Cymbalta and the Provigil now. I have not had to adjust the VNS since July.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Depression Returns

Depression hit me strong yesterday, almost, but not quite to the crying stage. I am better today, still having floaters in the eyes. I want to use the massage pillow, but I do not know if having an electronic field that close to the area ( my upper back) would bode well for the implant.
As for thoughts of depressive things, they have backed off. OCD has backed off. Teeth hurt, must be clenching my jaws in my sleep. I have bumped up the provigil to 300 mg every day, along with my other medications.(Cymbalta 120, generic paxil at 60, thyrodiazine at 50 mg) Right now I am having naps of only light sleep. but I sleep normally at night. To me this is good news.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Lapse in Cymbalta

The latest headline in the tumultuous life of the medicated. With silent wavering the mind continues to withdrawal from the one of the two leaders of the drug cocktail that I daily consume. I am coming off of Cymbalta at this time. Awaiting the turn on of the implant. Dizziness, odd sensations of reality shifts, I mean can I really read peoples minds? Sometimes I believe I can, most of the time the information from what I believe is mindreading is picked up from the minute things said or done by the person I am "mindreading". I think that's it.
I am now having silent migraines on a daily basis, floaters and visual outages, sensitivity to noise. And the need for caffeine is beyond huge.
Still trying to lose some weight, and the different levels of the drugs sometimes speeds up the metabolism. I don't know how else to explain it. Cram peanut butter down my food hole and I should fear revenge from the fat god. But I survive that assault and I continue to bloat my way through life. On a happy note from the instrument that is my life the implant is reported to help food cravings to stop. Heh, heh, we'll see.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Caroline at Aetna Behavior Health

A bubbly voice who's owner's name is Caroline called and left her number. After four return calls I wonder if the bubbly is in her head. She has left the line dangling. I am proceeding as if all is cool. I called Dr. Fig and told him that I had to go up to 150ml of the drug Cymbalta. He said that I could not do that and to return to the 120ml level. I asked what I should do once the depression returns. He said I would have my ups and downs. I am fed up with a doctor that has never had depression before. down means images of bloody knives, accidents, relatives dying, anger, irritability, floods of tears and much concern over sanity. So I upped the dosage of another drug. Just a wee bit. I can hide it better. Yes this is not right. But when is the desire for sanity not right. Possible liver damage. But relief from the bizarre thoughts and the crushing"brain hurt".
Brain hurt is a term that I've come to use to describe the get me outta here, this is insane, @#$%& it's here again feeling. It's much more than the last sentence can describe. It's hopelessness that nothing can do anything for me, it is anger that people close to me can not see it. They see me after the tears are dry, once a week for an hour or two. Yes, I can hide it too. Specially to people who don't want to hear about it anyway. I take more medications, and the pit moves away, for a little while.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Getting through the Holidays

It has been a stressful two or three weeks. Mom went into the hospital because she did not feel right. Good thing too, for she found out that she has a problem in her kidneys and the veins in her neck are too narrow for good health. She would not have found this had she just gone to the doctor. So, it was a stressful new year. She is back home today.
Now the billing supervisor for the Deland branch of the Florida Hospital still has not called back. It has been two weeks. Ann Stefurak, the regional Cyberonics person has called me today and left a message. I called back and told her the story, once again, about no information from the Hospital.
I am having problems getting my Cymbalta. Usually the doctors office has had it when needed, but not this time, so I requested a scrip for the med. I must have it or in two days time I probably can't work. I feel crippled by the need for this med, but I can not do without the stability that it gives me. That is the life I lead, and I feel if I make to much of it, the people around me feel that my problem is self administered. That if I were strong enough that I could just make myself stop crying, make my depression go away. I get that feeling from that lack of concern that prevades the relationships around me. Perhaps that part is all in my mind. Don't know for sure. Maybe the meds, when they work, allow me to be very near to normal, and in so doing the seriousness of the problem is not readily seen. But long term kidney and liver function is in question and the quality of life is not there.
Hey the medical office of Dr. Fig has just called, and the Cymbalta is waiting for me. The drama continues.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The co-pay Sucks

On October the tenth the insurance company came through with the coverage for the implant of the VNS device. But there is a big block to getting the procedure because of the copay of 1000.00 and the need to pay 30% of allowable costs. My work place insurance has over the years been cut bit by bit and now I am thinking of getting some kind of supplemental insurance.
Cheryl called me on Friday last and said she could talk to me about the copay. I've not have had the time to call her back; I've been working long hours and all day shifts. I will get back to her very soon.
I believe the cost of the procedure is 30,000,and I don't have that kind of funding.
A co-worker reported that maybe I can work out a deal with a surgeon that would just take the amount that the insurance pays and not want anymore. This type of deal is called assignment. I will take that up with Cheryl and the doctor.As yet I have not been assigned to a surgeon.
Doctor Figeuroa said that he wanted me to wait for three months to see what the Cymbalta will do. I am at 90 mil of Cymbalta, 200mil of Provigal, 60mil of paxil, and 50 mil of melaris. I am hoping if I have this procedure done that the amount of medications will go down, that I will be more stable emotionally, that the medications that I do take would work better and that I can better manage the disease.
I have noticed that when I am up and not on the borderline with depression that I am
more confident, less sheepist, quicker in response, more witty in combating sarcasm, and less clingy to negative thoughts. That is in essence the quality of life is there. I can handle life better in many ways. This may indeed sound selfish, but I don't have the time to sit and stew and try new self help plans that sound good, but in the end go nowhere.
In the vein of self help, I have tried everything under the sun. Nutritional pathways have worked for a few weeks, and then they are impotent and I am at square one again.
This up and down, uneven life that I have had to live only makes problems seem larger than life itself.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Information Quest

The Cymbalta upgrade did the trick. I can now remember when I have been happy. (Having to have a drug to remember when I was happy.) Over the past month Dave and I have gone to LA to celebrate our 30th anniversary and we had the best time. It is the quality of life that I am after. On the vacation the colors seemed so rich, so vivid, and they had a quality of cuteness about them that had me laughing. Upon returning to the daily routine of work the depression came on strong again. I tried to recall the vacation experience, and the colors were less vivid. Some of the images were not all there. Partial images floated around in my memory. I manually put the colors back into the memory and the depression decreased.
The Cyberonics Corp. has paired me with an insurance specialist by the name of Cheryl and she has sent more paperwork for me to follow up on. The folks at Dr. Figeuroa's office have sent info in to Cheryl and I will follow up on my end. When I tried to contact therapist Anne Bercik I could not get in touch with her. Her phone number(s) are not working. But I will try through the State of Florida licensing board. Cheryl wants a list of the pharmaceutical medications that I have been on and the people at Walgreens said that all I needed was an ID and they could research it for me. I will also find out what I need to know on how I am to get my hospital records of when I went in for psychiatric problems.
I know that I have not had as much a problem as some people in the area of hospitalization, but there are and were days that I should have gone in, but I felt that others would stigmatize me for that.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Cymbalta strikes again

In leu of nothing much to say Cymbalta is sweeping me away. My dreams are back, colorful and wacky as they should be. Another sign is that I could forgo my nightly chow down of beef jerky. I am getting motivated again to keep to my diet. When "down" comes around Reeses peanut butter cups seem sound. I am much more creative in everything I do. It is as if life is worth living again instead of just existing through. I am going to see if there is any type of medical grant than can be applied for. Because of the newness of the VNS therapy and the general cost of the procedure I think that I must have all options available to fund it. The reason that I feel that I must at least try to obtain this therapy is that I can at least tell myself with all due truth that I tried to do the best for myself.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Trying to connect with Cyberonics

I have some interesting things to note about trying to connect to the Cyberonics company.These are the people that have the Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy that I have been investigating. I called the number off the internet and constantly the message would ask me to redial the number that I had just called. When I looked up the company's main number and got in touch with an operator, I found out that the person responsible for my part of Orlando was on vacation. Then I left a message on a another representative's voice mail. The voice mail promised me a return call in 48 hours. That did not happen either. The phone number I got from my doctor turned out to be answered by a "Rachel", not a Cyberonics company rep. Now, just minutes ago I tried to contact the Cyberonics people again and the phone system just shuts off. Meanwhile the extra dosage of Cymbalta (now 90 mil),which the doctor gave me is making me a bit more creative and "floaty".