Question:

Hello is something happening in here Pleased request my question

Response:

recently replied to a question from Dawn Waker who was hoping to power a Macintosh Notebook from a 12VDC electrical system. George Schemm stated that 2 LM317T adjustable voltage regulators parralleled together could be used to supply 7.5 volts at 2 amps from the 12vdc supply. I am interested in building the same circuit but have not been able to find out how the LM317T should be wired up.  I have tried Radiospares but they do not have a Data sheet on this integrated circuit. than one pound sterling each this must be a very cost effective solution to the problem. I expect that the circuit will be very simple and will require few components. Any assistance with such a circuit would be greatly appreciated. — Barry Harvey

Response:

My friedn (we both have asthma) has been struggling along for some time with both inhaled & oral steroids.  Her GP (we live in the UK) has started her with Singulair and she is at present (touch wood etc.) off the oral stuff, which has to be better for her than previously.  She has been on it a couple of weeks, though I don’t know how long her response took.  Singulair has only arrived in the UK since last time I saw my GP so I can’t currently have any personal experience. We wait to see her long-term outlook on Singulair. Note the posts saying that some people have no response at all to Singulair & Accolate. writes Hi, Hope newcomers are welcome. I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help? Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped? Thanks. Peace,                nyteowl

– Surfer! http://www.nevis-vieww.demon.co.uk http://www.nevis-vieww.demon.co.uk/flash Hopeful anti-spam: alter double ‘w’ to single ‘w’ to view site & send Email.

Response:

Hi, Hope newcomers are welcome.

Newcomers are welcome. I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help?

Accolate seems to be a ‘wonder drug’ for about 1/3 of the people who try it, shows some results for another 1/3, and does absolutely nothing for the last third.  A very few people taking it have had elevated liver enzymes and had to stop.  Some doctors feel that this is something that should be checked and others apparently do not. Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped?

I have tried Allegera and noticed that it helps my allergies during ‘hay fever’ season but have not really noticed a detectable asthma improvement.

Response:

of weeks to feel the difference.  As for the drawbacks, you must make sure that you take it 2-3 hrs. before or after eating.  It doesn’t metabolize well and have the strongest affect if taken with food.

Actually it is the other way around.  Accolate should not be taken within 1 hour before a meal or 2 hours after. Taking Accolate during this time peroid reduces the effectivness of the medication by 40%.  (Source: Pharmicist’s Data Sheet for Accolate).

Response:

 I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help?

I don’t take Accolate, so I can’t be any help there.  Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped?

I do take Allegra for allergies.  It is God’s own gift! Chris Owens

Response:

Hi and welcome. THere has been a lot of discussion, info, etc on Accolate and Singulair – a newvomer that has a similar mechanism. posts thatn may not be carried on our newserver any longer. Hi,  Hope newcomers are welcome.  I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help?

there are two kinds of responses: some people have incredible results and they can occur in a few days. the majority improve on these meds but it can take a month or so to be sure.  So take your  whole scrip before making a decision.  BTE, about a third of patients show absolutely NO response to these drugs. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped?  Thanks.  Peace,                 nyteowl

Response:

Hi,  Hope newcomers are welcome.  I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help?  Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped?  Thanks.  Peace,                 nyteowl

Response:

Hi nyteowl: Welcome… in response to your post, I was on Accolate for 16 months.  I found it very effective and had no problems with it.  I was recently taken off it and have now been put on Singular. Accolate has a few drawbacks to it, and don’t be surprised if you don’t feel the results immediately.  It usually will take a few days to even a couple of weeks to feel the difference.  As for the drawbacks, you must make sure that you take it 2-3 hrs. before or after eating.  It doesn’t metabolize well and have the strongest affect if taken with food.  Also, one of the side effects is a high liver enzyme count.  Make sure your doctor takes blood tests to monitor this.  I had no problems, and if a problem does occur, usually by stopping it for a few days will lower the count, thus allowing you to begin taking it again.  Accolate must also be taken twice a day.  What I found when taking it, and again this is just me,( as I’m sure others have different experiences ) is that at times I had problems sleeping (no asthma symptoms), sometimes I had a bigger appetite and craved sweets (which I don’t eat).  Most of this occurred when I first went on it.  I had a few severe asthma attacks, that was brought on by a cold/infection which put me into the hospital for a week.  There was no warning of an attack, which Accolate is supposed to help, but not stop the attack. As for Singular, I’ve been on it for a month now and it’s so much better for me.  It’s taken at night only, and you can take it with food.  I sleep great, feel stronger and don’t have any tightness at all.  My peak flows have improved almost 50%, and I use my inhaler 1X a day, 2 puffs. There are no found side effects (liver or other), and I haven’t had any asthma attacks or breathing difficulties. Good Luck,          -Althea

Response:

Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do? Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ? Can my daughter  100% or partly  be cured? I need ANY INFORMATION Thank You.

Response:

Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do? Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ? Can my daughter  100% or partly  be cured? I need ANY INFORMATION Thank You.

You can find a lot of information at http://www.jdfcure.org which is the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International. Jude —                  - Coming Soon –  BestOrgs.NET         Oak Park, IL  708-848-0134  URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch

Response:

Hello Eduard Hello.  I am new to this newsgroup but have been a diabetic since I was 14, am 30 now.  I remember when I was diagnosed, my father felt completely frustrated and helpless.  But, my step mother went through the steps with me to learn to deal with diabetes.  We learned together to take shots, meal plans, exercise, etc.  It was nice to have someone there learning with me. It was also nice cause if I didnt feel like taking the shot myself, she could give it to me. I am not always the best diabetic, and being a father now I know there is nothing I can say that will completely relieve your fears for your daughter. But what I can say is that if you take the time to learn about diabetes with her, and make sure she follows the plan and makes her diabetes care a routine;  that she will become stronger from it and be able to manage as healthy lifestyle as another other child.  Maybe even healthier because she will be following a good strong diet. I wish the best for you and your daughter. Jim — Captain {OTH}, Ouch, That H3RTZ http://othserver.coxinet.net/ MARS Cars-2, Nascar 3 Driver #147 http://www.mars-racing.com/ http://members.tripod.com/rage613mars/

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do? Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ? Can my daughter  100% or partly  be cured? I need ANY INFORMATION Thank You.

Response:

Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do?

Hi Eduard, First of all calm down, and take a deep breath. No need for this much stress on your part or to pass panic messages to your child through your behavior. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of answers about diabetes, but I’m going to talk to you about being the parent of a "different" child, and coping with the unexpected. While my son was not diabetic, he had many other problems. I remember feeling like you are right now when my son was diagnosed as a dwarf with a predicted adult height of slightly over 4 feet, and facing daily injections of growth hormone. What you can and will do, it educate yourself about your daughters condition. I know you asked for messages to be posted to your personal mail, but you need also to stay with this group, alt.support.diabetes and read lots of messages. You can get information about diabetes from your duaghter’s medical team, and your local diabetes assn, but I promise you you’ll learn faster here, and you’ll come to understand what your daughter is going through faster. What you can also do is remember your daughter is still the person she was before and parent her. Some parents tend to freak on medical issues and forget to do stuff like read bedtime stories, go to the park to play, and those kinds of things. Keep your life as normal as possible. Expect your daughter to be able to live as normal a life as possible, so you don’t handicap her with limited expectations. Please write us again and tell us what you feel powerless to cope with or what actions you want to take that you can’t figure out how to accomplish. Maybe then we could give you greater support. Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ?

No. Not anymore likely than saying I’d rather my daughter’s left arm was borken instead of her right. Can we do that doctor?  Of course not. Can my daughter  100% or partly  be cured?

Not today, but we all hope for a cure in our lifetimes. There is promising research out there. Carol D.

Response:

I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site.  Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???).  Finally, I am trying Lithium.  The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith. How about weight gain.  Wanting to eat more?  Do you take this med with other medication?   would you consider Lithium a MS?  What effect does it have on depression ?  Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it?  The latter problem i have experienced recently.

Hi Debie, I hope your treatment goes smoothly and your pdocs can work well with you. I was on lith for about 5 months. It didn’t work all that well for me but its a long story I tell in another post… It was the first aproved mood stablizer that worked with out sedating the heck out of people. But it is a very strong CNS depresant drug.  I had some sleep problems and some sleep improvement on lithium.  The time release formulation is far superior and will give a dose of the drug upfront.  Lith does make most people drowsy. But its not activly targeting brain areas that have to do with sleep. Like the benzodiphine receptors. As a sleeping pill its not very good. But when I was on it  (the normal version) I would sometimes become intencely sleepy about an hour or so after taking it. This drug will alter your sleep. I had real problems waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep. Taking higher doses of lithium at night will really screw up your sleep because of its strong CNS depresant effect. If you have ocational sleep problems I would ask your pdoc for newer sleep medicine like temazapam or ambiem. They both have short half lifes so you generaly don’t have a hangover. You might also try trazodone. Most pdocs will give this out first. Its an older sedating antidepresant that works ok for sleep at low non theraputic doses. Its not a drug that you can keep upping the dose with for sleep problems with out experencing hangovers. A lot of people take trazodone every night just for sleep. If it doesn’t work for you TELL your pdoc and look at the alternatives and their risks. Some other benzodiphine drugs that are also used for sleep are clonazapam (klonipin) or lorazipam (antivan). Klonipin has strong anti convulsant properties so can be uses as "night time mood stablizer". All benzo drugs have the risk of dependance if you keep using them at higher doses. I hope this helps. Reid

Response:

Hi Debbie, I’ll try to keep this really short.  I hate long posts. I don’t want to discourage you, but I was diagnosed five years ago, and I’m still trying to find the right cocktail of drugs.  I can tell you for certain, the ONLY mood stabilizer I responded to right off the bat was Lithium.  It was "the" miracle" drug for me.  Now years later, they’ve added Tegratol into the mix.   As far as sides go, the only time I had them was when my last doctor damn near killed me with toxicity.  He had me on way too much.  I experienced heavy discusting sweating, body twitches, and the worst was the hand tremors.  I couldn’t even sign my own name.  The other major one was vision imparement.  Now these are side effects of toxicity.  Not normal routine dosages.   Now I’ll try to answer your other questions:  I have migraines.  Always have so I don’t know if Lithium makes them worse.  They’re unpredictable at best.  Weight gain?  Not really.  I’ve been this weight for forever… always a bit over.  The med regimine I’m on now consist of 1200mg Lithium, 800m. Tegratol, 150mg. Wellbutrin, and 100-200mg of Trazodone.  The last is for sleep purposes only.  Having said that, you need to also know that I take other meds for other conditions.  How they play into the BP mix is anyone’s guess.  Confusion and memory problems for me are a constant… with or without meds. One very important thing to note with Lithium usage, is to get your blood levels drawn regularly.  I have mine done every 3 months.  And I’ve failed to keep this short. <g I wish you the very best.  And should you have any questions at all, please feel free to email me. Linda (Briteyes) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site.  Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???).  Finally, I am trying Lithium.  The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith. How about weight gain.  Wanting to eat more?  Do you take this med with other medication?   would you consider Lithium a MS?  What effect does it have on depression ?  Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it?  The latter problem i have experienced recently. I have lots of confusion and some memory problems.  I do not know if this is the nature of bp or if the meds I have taken are the cause.  I am tired of this whole business and am STILL trying to accept that I have this illness. There are not a whole lot of folks out here who I can discuss this with. Again, I am grateful I can discuss this with you.  Thanks for sharing your experience-Debbie N

Response:

I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site.

Welcome,  Debbie. Tristana

Response:

Hi Debbie, Welcome to ASDM. I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site.  Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???).  Finally, I am trying Lithium.  The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me.

That is the prudent action to take. Have you discussed other medication options. There are 20 meds from which to chosse today. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith.

It can happen. How about weight gain.

Yes…many have gained weight while taking Lithium. Wanting to eat more? Do you take this med with other medication?  

It can be augmented with another MS. would you consider Lithium a MS?

It is a MS…one of the oldest ones.   What effect does it have on depression ?

Not effective with depression. The newer MS like Lamictal and Neurontin have AD properties. Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it?  The latter problem i have experienced recently.

I never did but it can happen I have lots of confusion and some memory problems.  I do not know if this is the nature of bp or if the meds I have taken are the cause.

Lithium  has the potential of causing these side effects. I am tired of this whole business and am STILL trying to accept that I have this illness. There are not a whole lot of folks out here who I can discuss this with. Again, I am grateful I can discuss this with you.  Thanks for sharing your experience-Debbie N

Please discuss these side effects with your pdoc. I have enclosed James Milton’s post about the 20 medications available to treat BP stabilization in the US. Peace, "Twenty Medications Used for Bipolar Mood Stabilization in the US" By James D. Milton Last Updated: 7/30/99 <For best results specify that display and printing be done 80 characters/line  with a fixed pitch font to avoid line wrapping. Please see below for various psychotropic meds that are presently being used as mood stabilizing meds in the United States. I have not attempted to list either all of the adverse side effects or all the potential benefits from these psychoaffective medications because they vary considerably from person to person. In addition an entire book could easily be written about the pros and cons of these meds. A person with a Bipolar (BP) disorder will just have to keep on experimenting until they find the meds that are effective for each individual with side effects that can be personally tolerated. In general most people usually find that the newer mood stabilizers will have a more benign adverse side effect profile than the older meds. Also these meds may well prove to be more effective — particularly when the traditional older mood stabilizers have failed for some reason or another. For additional most important information about the efficacy of the newer mood stabilizers please see the following article: Current Treatments in Bipolar Disorder: http://www.cme-reviews.com/supplements.html Since these newer meds have not been available as long, the long term benefits and disadvantages are not as well known as the mood stabilizers that preceded them. Each person should thoroughly discuss ALL the various medication options together with their associated pros and cons with their pdoc (psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist). I strongly advocate a collaborative team approach between patient and their physician. You can find out a lot about the treatment of bipolar disorder by visiting the following most informative Web page compiled by Dr. Ivan Goldberg and then following the many valuable links to other educational sites about bipolar disorder: Bipolar (Manic-Depressive) Disorder: http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.bipolar.html Knowledge, Patience, Persistence, and Med Compliance IMO are vital keys to victory over our common illness. I wish you all the very best in your search for mental stability and well being!                   "Information Regarding BP Mood Stabilizers" Note: Only some of the potentially important effects are listed in the       following tables. Since there are NO universal responses to any       particular psychotropic medication, a person MAY or MAY NOT       experience the positive benefits or the negative adverse side       effects. YBMV (Your Brain May Vary) — and likely will!                             Older Primary Mood Stabilizers Lithium       — Lithobid, Eskalith CR (thyroid damage? tremors? weight gain?) Divalproex    – Depakote, Epival (liver damage? hair loss? weight gain?) Carbamazepine — Tegretol XR, Carbatrol (rare life-threatening anemia and rash?)                   Newer Primary Mood Stabilizers (Anticonvulsants) Gabapentin  – Neurontin (antidepressant? antianxiety med? IMPROVES COGNITION?) Lamotrigine — Lamictal (antidepressant? rashes? rare life-threatening rash?) Topiramate  – Topamax (antidepressant? kidneystones? heart probs? WEIGHT LOSS?) Tiagabine   — Gabatril (blocks reuptake of GABA? cognitive impairment?) Felbamate   — Felbatol (possibility of developing fatal aplastic anemia?) Gamma-vinyl-GABA — Vigabatrin (GVG may aid in cocaine and nicotine addiction?)     Calcium Channel Blockers (to be used ONLY as Secondary Mood Stabilizers) Verapamil  – Calan SR, Isoptin SR (anti-dysrhythmic/anginal/hypertensive agent) Nimodipine — Nimotop (improves cognition? aids multiple sclerosis depression?) Amlodipine — Norvasc, Lotrel (anti-hypertensive agent) Diltiazem  – Cardizem CD (anti-hypertensive/anginal agent) Felodipine — Plendil (anti-hypertensive agent) Isradipine — DynaCirc (anti-hypertensive agent) Nicardipine– Cardene (anti-hypertensive agent) Nifedipine — Procardia XL (anti-hypertensive/anginal/pulmonary-edema agent)             Adjunctive Medications Having Mood Stabilizing Properties Clozapine — Clozaril (older antipsychotic to be used only with anticonvulsants) Levothyroxine — Synthroid (adjust T4 level to 25% the upper limit of normal) Liothyronine sodium — Cytomel (adjust T3 level to treat refractory depression) Combining two (or more) mood stabilizers MAY be more effective than when each is taken alone. This is called "polytherapy" as opposed to the more traditional "monotherapy". One med may "potentiate" the effectiveness of another — so that the total effect becomes greater than the sum of its individual contributors. I believe that the efficacy of this approach is becoming increasingly apparent — particularly in refractory cases. It is my personal belief that polytherapy should also be utilized in nonrefractory BP cases as well. This concept is a "defense-in-depth" approach. Where one mood stabilizer is weak, hopefully another will be able to compensate for this weakness. For additional important technical information on "combination" or polytherapy please see: The Role of Complex Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Refractory Bipolar Illness: http://www.cme-reviews.com/CNS598_post.html Lithium carbonate (or another mood stabilizer) may prove helpful as a secondary adjunct to one of the newer mood stabilizers which have demonstrated powerful antidepressive properties for some people. Consequently for example I suggest that Neurontin-lithium and Lamictal-lithium combinations be considered. It is also possible that subtherapeutic dosages of lithium carbonate may be taken so as to minimize its adverse side effects. My recommendation for optimal results is Neurontin-Lamictal. However due to the potential strong antidepressive properties of each med, suggested conservative dosage titration protocols are given below. Of course only one mood stabilizer dosage should be adjusted at a time. A calcium channel blocker should at this point only be used as a secondary mood stabilizer — solely in conjunction with an effective primary mood stabilizer. There is some evidence to suggest that calcium channel blockers may be effectively used as antimanic agents — possibly as a replacement for lithium. They appear to have a much more benign side effect profile because they do not cause weight gain, do not cause tremors, and are well tolerated for gastrointestinal upsets and other adverse side effects. Of the 8 calcium channel blockers listed above, verapamil and nimodipine are the ones most commonly being used. Nimodipine is unfortunately quite expensive but shows promise under certain circumstances. Nimodipine is one of the few drugs found to increase the cerebrospinal fluid levels of somatostatin, a neuropeptide known to be permanently reduced in patients with Alzheimer’s and transiently reduced during active episodes of both depression and multiple sclerosis. Somatostatin depletion is also associated with problems of learning and memory. Subjectively, a number of patients felt more cognitively clear on nimodipine. Clozaril (clozapine) is … read more »

Response:

I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site.  Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???).  Finally, I am trying Lithium.  The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith. How about weight gain.  Wanting to eat more?  Do you take this med with other medication?   would you consider Lithium a MS?  What effect does it have on depression ?  Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it?  The latter problem i have experienced recently. I have lots of confusion and some memory problems.  I do not know if this is the nature of bp or if the meds I have taken are the cause.  I am tired of this whole business and am STILL trying to accept that I have this illness. There are not a whole lot of folks out here who I can discuss this with. Again, I am grateful I can discuss this with you.  Thanks for sharing your experience-Debbie N

Response:

Dear Debbie, welcome to the group, I am glad you found us. It is nice to see you here. I personally do not have any experience taking lithium so I will leave it to others to talk about that. But I just wanted to say that I can empathize with you about the struggle to accept the illness.  It is a huge change in how you see yourself, at least it was for me. and the struggle to get the medications right is a major hassle. One of the things I find most frustrating is that the body chemistry and life circumstances that affect it, keep changing, so my meds have to be changed and fine tuned. I wish I could get the meds settled once and for all.  One of the keys is to try to establish a stable life routine, particularly a healthy sleep schedule. I am not so good at that, sometimes I end up staying up way too late. Also I don’t have a great diet and exercise plan. I am definitely not the model bipolar. However, even with my shortcomings I am doing well in my life, and I wish for you a similar success. — For info about this service, see http://www.twwells.com/anon/ or e-mail:

Response:

Thanks for the tip -Ephraim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just got a new computer and I can access the Net from my house instead of having to go to the library. I wonder, have any of you explored the Depression Central link on Dr. Bob’s Psychopharmacology Tips site, http://uhs.bsd.uchicago.edu/dr-bob/tips/tips.html ? Dr. Bob has a great site for people who want to learn about the scientific aspect of mood disorders. I first heard of Neurontin while exploring his site, and, though it took a while to find a Psychiatrist who would let me give it a try, once I found one and started taking it I discovered the first antimanic agent that I’m responsive to. I have mixed episodes, so I’m treatment-resistant, but now I’m on Wellbutrin and Neurontin and it’s the most effective combination of medications I’ve encountered. The Depression Central site has more info on Bipolar Disorder than I’ve ever encountered before. I can spend hours reading and re-reading the articles. I’ve found that you get used to the scientific jargon after a while if you just keep digging. I wish my Psychiatrist would read the articles therein. The problem with Psychiatrist is that they treat a whole spectrum of illnesses and don’t have the inclination to do any deep digging for info on BPD. It wasn’t until I printed out a series of posts to DBPT and read sections of them to my shrink that he finally agreed to give Neurontin a try. He didn’t think that I was suffering from mixed episodes, even though that was the diagnosis I got when I was an ‘inmate’ at the Cleveland Clinic Psych ward. Knowledge is power, inform yourselves.

Response:

I just got a new computer and I can access the Net from my house instead of having to go to the library. ….snipped…. Knowledge is power, inform yourselves.

Welcome and thanks for sharing the sites.  Fascinating info, isn’t it? Others in the group have provided great links for learning and will be able to direct you further.  Also, and you probably know this but I am the "queen of the obvious", type "bipolar disorder" or "manic depression" into a search engine for more quick sites. regards, julie

Response:

I just got a new computer and I can access the Net from my house instead of having to go to the library. I wonder, have any of you explored the Depression Central link on Dr. Bob’s Psychopharmacology Tips site, http://uhs.bsd.uchicago.edu/dr-bob/tips/tips.html ? Dr. Bob has a great site for people who want to learn about the scientific aspect of mood disorders. I first heard of Neurontin while exploring his site, and, though it took a while to find a Psychiatrist who would let me give it a try, once I found one and started taking it I discovered the first antimanic agent that I’m responsive to. I have mixed episodes, so I’m treatment-resistant, but now I’m on Wellbutrin and Neurontin and it’s the most effective combination of medications I’ve encountered. The Depression Central site has more info on Bipolar Disorder than I’ve ever encountered before. I can spend hours reading and re-reading the articles. I’ve found that you get used to the scientific jargon after a while if you just keep digging. I wish my Psychiatrist would read the articles therein. The problem with Psychiatrist is that they treat a whole spectrum of illnesses and don’t have the inclination to do any deep digging for info on BPD. It wasn’t until I printed out a series of posts to DBPT and read sections of them to my shrink that he finally agreed to give Neurontin a try. He didn’t think that I was suffering from mixed episodes, even though that was the diagnosis I got when I was an ‘inmate’ at the Cleveland Clinic Psych ward. Knowledge is power, inform yourselves.

  QRQ.vcf

< 1K Download

Response:

Suzie,   Welcome to the group!  You’ll love it here.  Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue

Response:

Suzie,  Welcome to the group!  You’ll love it here.  Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue

Amen!! Jane

Response:

hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20  years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie

Response:

hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20  years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie

Suzie, You’ll find lots of support here! A great bunch of people! You can whine, bitch and cry here….and everyone knows how you feel! Keep Smilin’ ~Krissy "The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that  in which one has not laughed." Nicolas Chamfort

Response:

Hi Marge — have you been lurking or just missing for a few weeks? Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! Welcome!  There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The  book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this  theory.

Response:

Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead! hugs! -kk p.s. I have RA (rheumatoid arthritis). I have to take strong meds for it but it’s better than ending up with my joints damaged. So be sure to take the advice of others here and get a good rheumatologist to check you out! p.p.s. Notice the body of this note is about chocolate, and the subject of arthritis is relegated to the PS! You can tell from that what is important around here! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello Carol, and welcome to the group.  I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort.  Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA.  Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment.  It would be better for  your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking. Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you?  Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;- Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead!

kk, Now you know you shouldn’t be lifting things with that costo flaring. Here, i’ll just go ahead and help you out……. Aim To reply via email, make sure to remove the DEATH-TO-SPAMMERS from my address! It should read:  aimgrrrl at mindspring dot com

Response:

I started acupuncture for my shoulder about 5 week ago and it has really helped with the pain.  It took about 7 treatments before I really seen a difference.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Hi! Welcome!  There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The  book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this  theory. I was sick and on many traditional treatments for over 16 years and,for me, not good results.  Minocin has allowed me to wean off Pred, off MTX aa well as stomach meds and sleep meds. I take no pain meds and have gotten a lot of my old strength back.  There have been clinical trials for minocin proving it safe and effective for RA and it has done well with the newly diagnosed especially. My daughter( also an Ra-er) is in remission on Minocin for over 3 yrs now. The website www.roadback.org has a lot of information on it as well as a free protocol. There is a bulletin board to ask questions  under online support.. If I can help in any way, let me know I was so happy to find this treatment. It has really given me back a great quality of life! Love, Marge Marge

Response:

Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Welcome (((Carol)))  Plenty of freindly and informed people on this site. Have you got a really good Rheumatologist?  If not as a first priority get one to diagnose you etc.  maureen   UK

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Hello Carol, and welcome to the group.  I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort.  Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA.  Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment.  It would be better for  your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking.     Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you?  Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;-

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Hi Carol: have you seen a rheumatologist [RD]?  If not you need to do that first. Get a start to a diagnosis and then on to a medicine choice which will help you before you get any joint damage. Here are two good sites for reference work: http://www.arthritisinsight.com http://www.arthritis.co.za/   This site even has a section on preparing for your first visit to a RD. Keep us posted. Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Suzie,   Welcome to the group!  You’ll love it here.  Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue

Response:

Suzie,  Welcome to the group!  You’ll love it here.  Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue

Amen!! Jane

Response:

hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20  years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie

Response:

hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20  years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie

Suzie, You’ll find lots of support here! A great bunch of people! You can whine, bitch and cry here….and everyone knows how you feel! Keep Smilin’ ~Krissy "The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that  in which one has not laughed." Nicolas Chamfort

Response:

Hi Marge — have you been lurking or just missing for a few weeks? Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! Welcome!  There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The  book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this  theory.

Response:

Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead! hugs! -kk p.s. I have RA (rheumatoid arthritis). I have to take strong meds for it but it’s better than ending up with my joints damaged. So be sure to take the advice of others here and get a good rheumatologist to check you out! p.p.s. Notice the body of this note is about chocolate, and the subject of arthritis is relegated to the PS! You can tell from that what is important around here! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello Carol, and welcome to the group.  I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort.  Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA.  Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment.  It would be better for  your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking. Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you?  Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;- Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead!

kk, Now you know you shouldn’t be lifting things with that costo flaring. Here, i’ll just go ahead and help you out……. Aim To reply via email, make sure to remove the DEATH-TO-SPAMMERS from my address! It should read:  aimgrrrl at mindspring dot com

Response:

I started acupuncture for my shoulder about 5 week ago and it has really helped with the pain.  It took about 7 treatments before I really seen a difference.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Hi! Welcome!  There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The  book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this  theory. I was sick and on many traditional treatments for over 16 years and,for me, not good results.  Minocin has allowed me to wean off Pred, off MTX aa well as stomach meds and sleep meds. I take no pain meds and have gotten a lot of my old strength back.  There have been clinical trials for minocin proving it safe and effective for RA and it has done well with the newly diagnosed especially. My daughter( also an Ra-er) is in remission on Minocin for over 3 yrs now. The website www.roadback.org has a lot of information on it as well as a free protocol. There is a bulletin board to ask questions  under online support.. If I can help in any way, let me know I was so happy to find this treatment. It has really given me back a great quality of life! Love, Marge Marge

Response:

Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Welcome (((Carol)))  Plenty of freindly and informed people on this site. Have you got a really good Rheumatologist?  If not as a first priority get one to diagnose you etc.  maureen   UK

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Hello Carol, and welcome to the group.  I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort.  Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA.  Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment.  It would be better for  your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking.     Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you?  Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;-

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

Hi Carol: have you seen a rheumatologist [RD]?  If not you need to do that first. Get a start to a diagnosis and then on to a medicine choice which will help you before you get any joint damage. Here are two good sites for reference work: http://www.arthritisinsight.com http://www.arthritis.co.za/   This site even has a section on preparing for your first visit to a RD. Keep us posted. Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now.  First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy.  Seems to be worse since I had that done.  My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything.  If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful.  Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin.  Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips.  Doctors dont seem to be very helpful.   Knee is very stiff.  I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

hi Kile! If you imagine it will be such a hard time for you, then you might benefit from some preparation. For instance: have you considered using patches or Zyban, or any other aid? In this group, there have been a lot of discussions about the aids, and you can also find information (and see the faces of the people here!) on www.quitbuddies.org. Preparation, for me, also consists of doing things I like. I make sure I’ve got plenty of fat fantasy novels in the house, and allow myself to eat whatever I like, for a few weeks. In short, I’m *nice* to myself. Keep reading, and posting, so you feel familiar here and feel comfortable to shout for support (or fun, or chat) when the time has come. It is your quit, and yours alone. May the road rise to meet you, and be welcome to the Rockers 2004! Gita … I have not smoked in two days and 15 hours. 47 cigarettes remained unbought, saving fl 7,95. Time saved to save the earth and wonder about the meaning of life: 3 hours, 55 minutes.

Response:

Congrats on making the decision to quit, Kyle.  I’m glad you’ve set a date; now is the time to prepare, and you’re in the right place.  Jump on in here, read the posts, scour the internet for credible information, post here as much as you want, and get yourself psyched up for the most important decision you’ll ever make.  It likely won’t be an easy thing to do but the people here can make it bearable (and even fun sometimes!); the support to be found in this group is second to none. Yes you are right that smoking becomes an ingrained activity that we associate with everything we do.  That’s a pretty key point when it comes to this and it’s great to see it early on.  You’ll be changing lots and lots of habitual behaviors and it can help you to have a plan, or at least to have presence of mind about this so that you can change your habits. In fact, you can start working on this now, before you even quit.  For example, you could think about each cigarette you smoke and think about what you might be able to do as a non-smoker in this circumstance instead.  You can start planning those trigger-shifting habits now, as part of your preparation.  You can also start shifting the way you think about smoking now, by looking at each cigarette you smoke in a different way.  Each time you light one, tell yourself that the cigarette is just a poison delivery system, that it’s nothing but a paper tube filled with burning leaves, and ask yourself if any sane, non-addicted person would be caught dead putting that thing in their mouth… and answer honestly, every time you light up. Stuff like that, as preparation, can help you when the time comes. Glad to have you with us hugs, elle

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

Welcome Kyle, get comfy & settle in here. You can do this! Cat

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Welcome along Kyle! Heaps of good advice in this thread already, so will just trot out my favourite thing to do when preparing for a quit. Make lists. Lists of why you want to quit – all the awful things about smoking that make you feel like this is it, you have gotta lose this habit, and for good. Lists of what you will do during a crave…be it chew some NRT gum, or normal gum, drink a glass of water, have a cup of tea, take a shower, go for a walk…your list will be as individual as you. And finally, my favourite, a list of rewards for each milestone. This might be something as simple as a soak in the bath with a new bubble bath, or a cd, or movie, or even saving up for a major indulgence (some folks got bikes, or kites, or whatever their thing was)… Best wishes to you. Get prepared. You can do this…and using the time until 20th January for preparation means that your quit is going to be that much better. Paula

Response:

Kyle,    Don’t know what your dietary issues are, but if you can have sugar at all try some hard candies.  I used to suck on REEDS Cinnamon candies.  One role, a tad larger than life savers, would last a day and the strong cinnamon flavor handled the oral fixation part of smoking.    Hang in there cause as I can tell you a cold turkey quit can be tough at first.  It does start to get easier earlier than other methods but still the first few weeks are real mind benders. Ian OOF — 8y 11m 2d 15:39 smoke-free, 110,789 cigs not smoked, $13,671.36 saved, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

You’ve come to the right place Kyle, my friend. Getting over the constant oral stimulation was a challenge for me too.  (Oh, I can hear the jokes now!) I also missed the hand to mouth motion.  M&Ms helped but weight gain is a concern for me.  So (as someone here suggested) I made a smoking straw.  Cut a soda straw in half and stuff one end with cotton.  The cotton can be "flavored" by a drop of vanilla, mint, eucalyptus, clove, whatever.  When the craves got overpowering I would "smoke" my straw.  It helped alot.  I mean ALOT. Looking forward to getting to know you Kyle. Chris 4M

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Welcome, Kyle!  Can you have celery or carrots?  Apple slices or Altoids? Do you have a short drinking straw or a toothpick?  Suck on some bottled water for fun!  You can do this.  Perhaps the girlfriend can suggest other distractions to take your mind off cigarettes . . . ? Welcome to the elite January 2004 quitters.  We rock! Maude

Response:

Welcome to the group….I started posting a month before I quit although I usually only lurked….I really built myself up…use this NG as a tool to get ya hyped! — Steff Medic1455

Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s

the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce,

however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I

don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every

facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument

against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys

soon because you are – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

Hey Kyle…you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading, it really helps to hear what others are/have going/gone thru.  :- Oh …and what the hell is Chinese licorce?? Ripley / placid in Pink — Nuttin nasty in here!!  :-) Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Response:

Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

hi Kile! If you imagine it will be such a hard time for you, then you might benefit from some preparation. For instance: have you considered using patches or Zyban, or any other aid? In this group, there have been a lot of discussions about the aids, and you can also find information (and see the faces of the people here!) on www.quitbuddies.org. Preparation, for me, also consists of doing things I like. I make sure I’ve got plenty of fat fantasy novels in the house, and allow myself to eat whatever I like, for a few weeks. In short, I’m *nice* to myself. Keep reading, and posting, so you feel familiar here and feel comfortable to shout for support (or fun, or chat) when the time has come. It is your quit, and yours alone. May the road rise to meet you, and be welcome to the Rockers 2004! Gita … I have not smoked in two days and 15 hours. 47 cigarettes remained unbought, saving fl 7,95. Time saved to save the earth and wonder about the meaning of life: 3 hours, 55 minutes.

Response:

Congrats on making the decision to quit, Kyle.  I’m glad you’ve set a date; now is the time to prepare, and you’re in the right place.  Jump on in here, read the posts, scour the internet for credible information, post here as much as you want, and get yourself psyched up for the most important decision you’ll ever make.  It likely won’t be an easy thing to do but the people here can make it bearable (and even fun sometimes!); the support to be found in this group is second to none. Yes you are right that smoking becomes an ingrained activity that we associate with everything we do.  That’s a pretty key point when it comes to this and it’s great to see it early on.  You’ll be changing lots and lots of habitual behaviors and it can help you to have a plan, or at least to have presence of mind about this so that you can change your habits. In fact, you can start working on this now, before you even quit.  For example, you could think about each cigarette you smoke and think about what you might be able to do as a non-smoker in this circumstance instead.  You can start planning those trigger-shifting habits now, as part of your preparation.  You can also start shifting the way you think about smoking now, by looking at each cigarette you smoke in a different way.  Each time you light one, tell yourself that the cigarette is just a poison delivery system, that it’s nothing but a paper tube filled with burning leaves, and ask yourself if any sane, non-addicted person would be caught dead putting that thing in their mouth… and answer honestly, every time you light up. Stuff like that, as preparation, can help you when the time comes. Glad to have you with us hugs, elle

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

Welcome Kyle, get comfy & settle in here. You can do this! Cat

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Welcome along Kyle! Heaps of good advice in this thread already, so will just trot out my favourite thing to do when preparing for a quit. Make lists. Lists of why you want to quit – all the awful things about smoking that make you feel like this is it, you have gotta lose this habit, and for good. Lists of what you will do during a crave…be it chew some NRT gum, or normal gum, drink a glass of water, have a cup of tea, take a shower, go for a walk…your list will be as individual as you. And finally, my favourite, a list of rewards for each milestone. This might be something as simple as a soak in the bath with a new bubble bath, or a cd, or movie, or even saving up for a major indulgence (some folks got bikes, or kites, or whatever their thing was)… Best wishes to you. Get prepared. You can do this…and using the time until 20th January for preparation means that your quit is going to be that much better. Paula

Response:

Kyle,    Don’t know what your dietary issues are, but if you can have sugar at all try some hard candies.  I used to suck on REEDS Cinnamon candies.  One role, a tad larger than life savers, would last a day and the strong cinnamon flavor handled the oral fixation part of smoking.    Hang in there cause as I can tell you a cold turkey quit can be tough at first.  It does start to get easier earlier than other methods but still the first few weeks are real mind benders. Ian OOF — 8y 11m 2d 15:39 smoke-free, 110,789 cigs not smoked, $13,671.36 saved, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

You’ve come to the right place Kyle, my friend. Getting over the constant oral stimulation was a challenge for me too.  (Oh, I can hear the jokes now!) I also missed the hand to mouth motion.  M&Ms helped but weight gain is a concern for me.  So (as someone here suggested) I made a smoking straw.  Cut a soda straw in half and stuff one end with cotton.  The cotton can be "flavored" by a drop of vanilla, mint, eucalyptus, clove, whatever.  When the craves got overpowering I would "smoke" my straw.  It helped alot.  I mean ALOT. Looking forward to getting to know you Kyle. Chris 4M

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Welcome, Kyle!  Can you have celery or carrots?  Apple slices or Altoids? Do you have a short drinking straw or a toothpick?  Suck on some bottled water for fun!  You can do this.  Perhaps the girlfriend can suggest other distractions to take your mind off cigarettes . . . ? Welcome to the elite January 2004 quitters.  We rock! Maude

Response:

Welcome to the group….I started posting a month before I quit although I usually only lurked….I really built myself up…use this NG as a tool to get ya hyped! — Steff Medic1455

Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s

the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce,

however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I

don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every

facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument

against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys

soon because you are – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

Hey Kyle…you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading, it really helps to hear what others are/have going/gone thru.  :- Oh …and what the hell is Chinese licorce?? Ripley / placid in Pink — Nuttin nasty in here!!  :-) Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Response:

Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle

Response:

Question:

: You could be having an allergic reaction to the medication.  This is : something you should report to both your doctor and pharmacist (IMO a : pharmacist tends to do a better job of keeping track of the : medications you shouldn’t take than a doctor does). : There should be no direct problem from abruptly stopping Accolate, : however Rule #2 for asthmatics is: Never stop taking a medication : without checking with a doctor (unless this is covered by an ‘Asthma : Action Plan’). Except in this case, there is the potential for not stopping to be life-threatening.  I believe that the rule is if you get an allergic reaction to some medication, especially things like antibiotics, that you stop the medication first and find a doctor next, the speed depending on how serious the reaction is. : You should try to find a walk-in clinic in your area and consult with : a doctor. I agree entirely, except that I think that it would be a good idea to stop taking the medication if you suspect that it is causing an allergic reaction, and then get your hands on a doctor ASAP. Cheers, Kin Hoong

Response:

If you break out in an itchy blotchy rash after each dose then you should clearly stop the drug. There is no danger inherent to stopping Accolate abruptly other than worsening asthma. If you don’t feel that you were responding tot he Accolate than this should not be a problem. Keep taking the Zyrtec, it may be the only thing stopping a more severe reaction. If your asthma worsens contact your doctor immediately. — Good Luck, CBI, M.D. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Folks, I need some information.  Both my pharmacist and physician are unavailable for another two weeks [the health center is closed for the XMas holidays]. I have been taking Accolate for just over 2 weeks now; to be honest, I haven’t noticed a significant change in my asthma that can definitely be attributed to the Accolate as opposed to just getting over the stupid virus that I have had; though being sick means judging how well the underlying asthma *itself* is doing has been a challenge [respiratory infections are an almost guaranteed flare-er of my asthma]. HOWEVER, that is not what concerns me.  Last night for the third time or so that I have taken my dose I have broken out in a blotch rash/hives and been *severely* itchy, especiall on my legs.  Last night I finally clued into the fact that I think the Accolate is what is causing it — it started within a half hour of taking it, and the only thing I had was it and some water; nothing else that I can think of could possible have triggered the reaction.  I could have handled the headache that many people get; this kind of itchiness is intolerable. So, I haven’t taken my dose this morning [I am pretending I forgot ], and I want to stop taking it.  But I need to know if it is safe to stop taking it abruptly or not.  So: IS IT SAFE??  I’ve been on 20mg twice a day since the 11th of December, and have rarely forgotten to take it. FWIW, I am also on Zyrtec [aka Reactine in Canada; and have been for about 5 years] 10mg/d, Pulmicort Turbuhaler 1600mcg/d [haven't come off the increased dose from being sick yet; have been on this dose basically since the week before the US Thanksgiving], and Bricanyl as required [in the last few days, not needed at all].  I have been on deltasone 3X in the last month and a half, most recently a 40mg/d X3d, 20mg/d X3d, 10mg/d X3 days taper regimine [finished under week ago]; I have a burst dose Rx for deltasone [40mg/d X 3 d] if I need to use it, which I am allowed to use. So, folks, is it safe to come off of the Accolate abruptly, and if so/not, what should I look for if anything if I do?  I am assuming my asthma may worsen some, but I think I can manage that ok [I am allowed to flex my medications to a certain degree]. Thanks for your help!! SW.

Response:

HOWEVER, that is not what concerns me.  Last night for the third time or so that I have taken my dose I have broken out in a blotch rash/hives and been *severely* itchy, especiall on my legs.  Last night I finally clued into the fact that I think the Accolate is what is causing it — it started within a half hour of taking it, and the only thing I had was it and some water; nothing else that I can think of could possible have triggered the reaction.  I could have handled the headache that many people get; this kind of itchiness is intolerable.

You could be having an allergic reaction to the medication.  This is something you should report to both your doctor and pharmacist (IMO a pharmacist tends to do a better job of keeping track of the medications you shouldn’t take than a doctor does). There should be no direct problem from abruptly stopping Accolate, however Rule #2 for asthmatics is: Never stop taking a medication without checking with a doctor (unless this is covered by an ‘Asthma Action Plan’). You should try to find a walk-in clinic in your area and consult with a doctor.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Folks, I need some information.  Both my pharmacist and physician are unavailable for another two weeks [the health center is closed for the XMas holidays]. I have been taking Accolate for just over 2 weeks now; to be honest, I haven’t noticed a significant change in my asthma that can definitely be attributed to the Accolate as opposed to just getting over the stupid virus that I have had; though being sick means judging how well the underlying asthma *itself* is doing has been a challenge [respiratory infections are an almost guaranteed flare-er of my asthma]. HOWEVER, that is not what concerns me.  Last night for the third time or so that I have taken my dose I have broken out in a blotch rash/hives and been *severely* itchy, especiall on my legs.  Last night I finally clued into the fact that I think the Accolate is what is causing it — it started within a half hour of taking it, and the only thing I had was it and some water; nothing else that I can think of could possible have triggered the reaction.  I could have handled the headache that many people get; this kind of itchiness is intolerable. So, I haven’t taken my dose this morning [I am pretending I forgot ], and I want to stop taking it.  But I need to know if it is safe to stop taking it abruptly or not.  So: IS IT SAFE??  I’ve been on 20mg twice a day since the 11th of December, and have rarely forgotten to take it. FWIW, I am also on Zyrtec [aka Reactine in Canada; and have been for about 5 years] 10mg/d, Pulmicort Turbuhaler 1600mcg/d [haven't come off the increased dose from being sick yet; have been on this dose basically since the week before the US Thanksgiving], and Bricanyl as required [in the last few days, not needed at all].  I have been on deltasone 3X in the last month and a half, most recently a 40mg/d X3d, 20mg/d X3d, 10mg/d X3 days taper regimine [finished under week ago]; I have a burst dose Rx for deltasone [40mg/d X 3 d] if I need to use it, which I am allowed to use. So, folks, is it safe to come off of the Accolate abruptly, and if so/not, what should I look for if anything if I do?  I am assuming my asthma may worsen some, but I think I can manage that ok [I am allowed to flex my medications to a certain degree]. SW.

First, I’m not a doctor, but a well informed asthmatic taking Singulair (sometimes), inhaled steroids (just switching from Vanceril DS to Pulmicort; etc. Antileukotrienes like Accolate and Singulair don’t help all asthmatics, maybe half or 2/3. Your main preventor drug is your inhaled steroids, Pulmicort; and 1600ug is a very High Dose. My advice would be to try stopping Accolate for a while; any drug that can cause an allergic reaction like you described could be dangerous; and if it doesn’t help why take it.[The nice thing about asthma drugs is you can tell whether or not they are working] You may want to try Accolate again after your exacerbation is under control; or try the better drug Singulair. Here’s the Prescribing Info on Accolate: http://www.accolateinfo.com/ http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/zafirlukast.htm zafirlukast Excerpt: "Contraindications: Zafirlukast is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive  to zafirlukast or any of its inactive ingredients." My personal experience with a similar drug Singulair is initially it increased my personal best peak flow by 10%. Later I noticed I seemed to have signs of fatigue, and it doesn’t seem to help at all during exacerbations. So now I take it about every other day. It seems to work best when my asthma is relatively well controlled. I have recently had to switch to a higher strength steroid inhaler (Pulmicort) I had hoped the antileukotriene would be a steroid sparing drug, but it doesn’t seem to be the case; tho I think it still helps. Ellis

Response:

Folks, I need some information.  Both my pharmacist and physician are unavailable for another two weeks [the health center is closed for the XMas holidays]. I have been taking Accolate for just over 2 weeks now; to be honest, I haven’t noticed a significant change in my asthma that can definitely be attributed to the Accolate as opposed to just getting over the stupid virus that I have had; though being sick means judging how well the underlying asthma *itself* is doing has been a challenge [respiratory infections are an almost guaranteed flare-er of my asthma]. HOWEVER, that is not what concerns me.  Last night for the third time or so that I have taken my dose I have broken out in a blotch rash/hives and been *severely* itchy, especiall on my legs.  Last night I finally clued into the fact that I think the Accolate is what is causing it — it started within a half hour of taking it, and the only thing I had was it and some water; nothing else that I can think of could possible have triggered the reaction.  I could have handled the headache that many people get; this kind of itchiness is intolerable. So, I haven’t taken my dose this morning [I am pretending I forgot ], and I want to stop taking it.  But I need to know if it is safe to stop taking it abruptly or not.  So: IS IT SAFE??  I’ve been on 20mg twice a day since the 11th of December, and have rarely forgotten to take it. FWIW, I am also on Zyrtec [aka Reactine in Canada; and have been for about 5 years] 10mg/d, Pulmicort Turbuhaler 1600mcg/d [haven't come off the increased dose from being sick yet; have been on this dose basically since the week before the US Thanksgiving], and Bricanyl as required [in the last few days, not needed at all].  I have been on deltasone 3X in the last month and a half, most recently a 40mg/d X3d, 20mg/d X3d, 10mg/d X3 days taper regimine [finished under week ago]; I have a burst dose Rx for deltasone [40mg/d X 3 d] if I need to use it, which I am allowed to use. So, folks, is it safe to come off of the Accolate abruptly, and if so/not, what should I look for if anything if I do?  I am assuming my asthma may worsen some, but I think I can manage that ok [I am allowed to flex my medications to a certain degree]. Thanks for your help!! SW.

Response:

Question:

Hi all!  Just came from Dr, now we have 2 inhalers (Flovent and Albuterol) plus ventolin to add to the albuterol nebulizer.  We also have the Steroids (Predinisone) for 5 days and another allergy medicine to try (Claritin didn’t help)…..     Thanks everyone who posted and emailed me, we have an action plan now and the Doctor talked to me for a long time today about what to look for – in order to know to take her to the ER, signs like some of the ones mentioned…     Finding the trigger I’m thinking will be next to impossible since she only gets it 2x per year, we are thinking it’s pollen or something seasonal.  I tried to respond via dejanews about the environment suggestions, it’s not showing up here now but anyway, the possibility of eliminating dust mold etc are pretty remote, if it’s the house, carpet, furniture…. Thanks again all, Kathleen | Hi Steve and Kathleen, | | I have a daughter 6 1/2 years of age and a son 4 years of age. Both have | had asthma since they were 3 months old. | | I have two nebulizers at home and I give the kids ventolin when they are | coughing.  They also have taken preventative medication Intal (didn’t work) | and Pulmicort.  They are now on 2 other preventative treatments Flixatide | (which is like Pulmicort) and Serevent (which is a preventative ventolin). | | I have them under the control of a pediatric respritory doctor who is | superb.  I can give my kids Ventolin every 1 – 2 hours.  My asthma plan is | they have 2 machines close together 1/2 hour apart.  Wait an 1hr give | another and wait an 1 hr and give another, if they don’t settle I take them | up to the hospital or start a 3 day course of prednisolone. | | Take a good close look at their chest.  If their chest is suken when you | lift their shirt then they need oxygen immediately. | | If she needs prednisolone, I feel she needs a preventative.  My children | have not been able to stop preventative medication for more than 3 months at | a time. | | Are you in Australia? | | LA

Response:

Barry is a salesman.  He sells air cleaners.

I am glad that you asked this question as it was the first thing I thought when I read the posting.

Response:

Hi ! First let me say that I can not help you but before you toss this you might be able to help me… I am a preschool teacher ( 4 and 5 year olds) and more of my students are being diagnosed with asthma.  One of my students was hospilatized theis weekend. ( he’s fine now but it got me thinking) I have taken courses in Health, Safety and Nutrition as well as CPR and First Aid and yet I too, do not know much about the early signs of a problem. I hope I would recognize a child in a severe condition and could respond accordingly but I’m not sure I could detect the early signs…. Can you help educate me? Can you share some information? Do you know of any helpful books or brochures. I would hate to think I could overlook sign until a distressful situation developed.   I probably won’t remember how I got to this board so can you respond in a

Response:

Tough call. If your child is mature enough to understand how to use a peak flow meter then I would get one. It is a little plastic device that they blow into as hard as they can. Asthmatics have a hard time getting air out of their lungs quickly. If there is an asthma attack it will show up on the peak flow. Have your child do three blows twice a day and record the results. Know what her best is. If she is 80-100% of her best, she is ok. If she is 60-80% of her best she is having some trouble, needs albuterol, but you don’t need to rush to the ER. Just see your doctor as quickly as possible. Under 60% then an ER visit is indicated. Remember, asthma is a desease of inflammation, not bronchoconstriction. Albuterol is a bronchodilator and steroids are antiinflammatories. Although you cannot overdose albuterol you may get to a point were it’s not effective anymore because you need that steroid. Also, is your child on a preventative medicine? I hope that helps. For more information on asthma you can check out my website at www.ibabydoc.com. No spam I just love being a pediatrician and helping children. Dr. Michael Bornstein, M.D. F.A.A.P. www.ibabydoc.com

Response:

My daughter has had asthma since she was around 2yo, just ‘officially’ diagnosed early this year.  We have a nebulizer at home and I have been instructed to use it when she starts coughing, with albuterol & saline solution.  About 2x a year it isn’t enough and she has had to take Pedipred/predinisone (spelling?) for 10 days and that has always cleared it up.     My question is, how do I know she needs to go to the hospital?

The Expert Panel Report 2 has a figure classifying severity of asthma exacerbations [Fig 3-9]. Some of the symptoms for a severe exacerbation are: Breathlessness–while at rest Talks in words, rather than phrases or sentences. Agitated Repiratory rate often 30/min Wheeze–usually loud; throughout inhale & exhale Pulse–120/min Peak flow <50% personal best [a 5 yr old should be             able to use a peak flow meter] Note: The presence of several parameters, but not necessarily all, indicates the general classification of the exacerbation.  Her appetite is better today than yesterday, she is wanting to get around today (yesterday she slept on and off all day) but I can feel the wheezing in her chest.  I have been giving her breathing treatments at least every three hours.     This started up Friday morning and I let her go to school, however the nebulizer does not seem to be helping, not more than for a couple hours anyway.  Is it possible to overdose on Albuterol??

Ask your doctor; albuterol is a fairly safe drug. Current asthma guidelines are to have an Action Plan to increase drugs when peak flow decreases or symptoms increase; typically a steroid inhaler is added or increased and albuterol used as needed, when peak flows drop below 80% personal best or symptoms increase. Such an Action Plan may help avoid the need to go on oral steroids like Pedipred or make a trip to ER. http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/treatmnt/updates/patient.htm Patient Asthma Action Plans Ellis – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –     We have had a great doctor since she was born, and will go see her tomorrow but it would be nice if I could converse with others who have dealt with this type of asthma…..   It never seems particularly severe to me but her doctor is always very concerned by the time I take her in.  I tend to worry about it a lot when she gets like this and fear the worst.. that I will under-react and it will be TOO LATE. Thanks, Kathleen

Response:

My daughter has had asthma since she was around 2yo, just ‘officially’ diagnosed early this year.  We have a nebulizer at home and I have been instructed to use it when she starts coughing, with albuterol & saline solution.  About 2x a year it isn’t enough and she has had to take Pedipred/predinisone (spelling?) for 10 days and that has always cleared it up.     My question is, how do I know she needs to go to the hospital?  Her appetite is better today than yesterday, she is wanting to get around today (yesterday she slept on and off all day) but I can feel the wheezing in her chest.  I have been giving her breathing treatments at least every three hours.     This started up Friday morning and I let her go to school, however the nebulizer does not seem to be helping, not more than for a couple hours anyway.  Is it possible to overdose on Albuterol??     We have had a great doctor since she was born, and will go see her tomorrow but it would be nice if I could converse with others who have dealt with this type of asthma…..   It never seems particularly severe to me but her doctor is always very concerned by the time I take her in.  I tend to worry about it a lot when she gets like this and fear the worst.. that I will under-react and it will be TOO LATE. Thanks, Kathleen I am not looking for treatment or medical gagets, just people who are familiar with this scenario — "If you think you are too small to be effective then you have never been in bed with a mosquito."

Response:

Barry here of http://www.aircleaners.com I know that your against medical devices, but if the drugs arent working then mabe its an environmental problem that products such as HEPA air cleaners, DustMite Proof mattress and pillow encasings Ect.. may help. Mabe your homes indoor environment needs to be cleaned up. Do you have any carpet that is less then two years old ? Have you had any roof leaks in the past? You could have a chemical outgassing problem or a mold problem in your home that could cause chronic health problems.Also have you had much pest control ? If you dont get rid of the triggers first, the drugs wont always do a good job.You need to look at the big picture for possible environmental problems.Both at home and at school. The drugs are just a part of it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My daughter has had asthma since she was around 2yo, just ‘officially’ diagnosed early this year.  We have a nebulizer at home and I have been instructed to use it when she starts coughing, with albuterol & saline solution.  About 2x a year it isn’t enough and she has had to take Pedipred/predinisone (spelling?) for 10 days and that has always cleared it up.     My question is, how do I know she needs to go to the hospital?  Her appetite is better today than yesterday, she is wanting to get around today (yesterday she slept on and off all day) but I can feel the wheezing in her chest.  I have been giving her breathing treatments at least every three hours.     This started up Friday morning and I let her go to school, however the nebulizer does not seem to be helping, not more than for a couple hours anyway.  Is it possible to overdose on Albuterol??     We have had a great doctor since she was born, and will go see her tomorrow but it would be nice if I could converse with others who have dealt with this type of asthma…..   It never seems particularly severe to me but her doctor is always very concerned by the time I take her in.  I tend to worry about it a lot when she gets like this and fear the worst.. that I will under-react and it will be TOO LATE. Thanks, Kathleen I am not looking for treatment or medical gagets, just people who are familiar with this scenario — "If you think you are too small to be effective then you have never been in bed with a mosquito."

Response:

Barry here of http://www.aircleaners.com I know that your against medical devices, but if the drugs arent working then mabe its an environmental problem that products such as HEPA air cleaners, DustMite Proof mattress and pillow encasings Ect.. may help. Mabe your homes indoor environment needs to be cleaned up. Do you have any carpet that is less then two years old ? Have you had any roof leaks in the past? You could have a chemical outgassing problem or a mold problem in your home that could cause chronic health problems.Also have you had much pest control ? If you dont get rid of the triggers first, the drugs wont always do a good job.You need to look at the big picture for possible environmental problems.Both at home and at school. The drugs are just a part of it.

This in no way remotely addresses the questions she was answering. I don’t understand you people.

Response:

Barry here of http://www.aircleaners.com I know that your against medical devices, but if the drugs arent working then mabe its an environmental problem that products such as HEPA air cleaners, DustMite Proof mattress and pillow encasings Ect.. may help. Mabe your homes indoor environment needs to be cleaned up. Do you have any carpet that is less then two years old ? Have you had any roof leaks in the past? You could have a chemical outgassing problem or a mold problem in your home that could cause chronic health problems.Also have you had much pest control ? If you dont get rid of the triggers first, the drugs wont always do a good job.You need to look at the big picture for possible environmental problems.Both at home and at school.

That is assuming that there is an ‘environmental problem.’ Generally, in the case of asthma the problem will be allergy. Identifying the allergen in question is a must before you try to spend any money controlling things that usually are not causing problems. "Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off."    General Colin Powell

Response:

Barry here of http://www.aircleaners.com I know that your against medical devices, but if the drugs arent working then mabe its an environmental problem that products such as HEPA air cleaners, DustMite Proof mattress and pillow encasings Ect.. may help. Mabe your homes indoor environment needs to be cleaned up. Do you have any carpet that is less then two years old ? Have you had any roof leaks in the past? You could have a chemical outgassing problem or a mold problem in your home that could cause chronic health problems.Also have you had much pest control ? If you dont get rid of the triggers first, the drugs wont always do a good job.You need to look at the big picture for possible environmental problems.Both at home and at school. The drugs are just a part of it. This in no way remotely addresses the questions she was answering. I don’t understand you people.

Barry is a salesman.  He sells air cleaners. PS  Barry, are you still selling Alpine products? "Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off."    General Colin Powell

Response:

: : Barry here of http://www.aircleaners.com I know that your against medical : devices, but if the drugs arent working then mabe its an environmental : problem that products such as HEPA air cleaners, DustMite Proof mattress and : pillow encasings Ect.. may help. Mabe your homes indoor environment needs to : be cleaned up. Do you have any carpet that is less then two years old ? Have : you had any roof leaks in the past? You could have a chemical outgassing : problem or a mold problem in your home that could cause chronic health : problems.Also have you had much pest control ? If you dont get rid of the : triggers first, the drugs wont always do a good job.You need to look at the : big picture for possible environmental problems.Both at home and at school. : : That is assuming that there is an ‘environmental problem.’ : : Generally, in the case of asthma the problem will be allergy. : Identifying the allergen in question is a must before you try to spend : any money controlling things that usually are not causing problems. I do have asthma triggered by environmental problems and the air cleaners don’t help much if any. If you have an environmental trigger you get away from it or clean it up. At best a room sized air filter help me a very little bit. Cleaning the airconditioner ducts and sealing the leak between the cloths dryer and the return air and putting a decent filtering set helped a lot. The fabric softener in laundry products causes me problems if I get in in my lungs. I don’t use the crap on my cloths and we had changed for the one that caused me trouble but there was still enough in the  ducts to cause problems. I am not cured but I am a lot better. Before you spend money fixing problems find out what  triggers the asthma. An allergy test is a good start. Baring that some commons sense things that don’t cost anything are don’t run the vacuum while your child is in the house. Do it when she will be at school or a friends for a few hours. Make sure some fresh air gets in the house don’t live on recycled air. Wash the bed clothes in hot 150 degree water and dry them on high heat or dry them on a line in the sun shine. Both hard on dust mites. Keep the humidity between 30 and 50% if possible. Higher than this dust mites an molds are a problem lower than this air way irritation is a problem. Use ivory soap and avoid perfumed stuff for her in particular. They may or may not cause her a problem but they don’t help. Don’t use perfumed products when you can get a better cheaper plain product. Make your house smell clean by being clean not by deodorizers. Don’t use fabric softener on her clothes or bedding. It may not be a problem but it won’t help her asthma. One thing Barry is right on about is roof leaks and black slimy mold. If you have black slimy mold in the house you need to find out what it is and get rid of it. Some of them are very very bad news. They are also very rare. The seem to like to grow on the paper on sheet rock in the walls. Mildew is a lesser problem that should be dealt with by lowering the humidity until it is not much of a problem except at the corners of the bath tube and so on. Keeping molds out of carped bath rooms is hard to do. If you must have carpeted bathrooms make sure the shower curtain is tight and run the exhaust fan a lot and make sure the male members of the family have good aim. If you have animals move them outside or get rid of them. Don’t use a lot of Clorox or other cleaners that irritate the airways while she is in the house. Until you find the triggers or she grows enough that the asthma no longer causes attacks because the air ways get big enough the don’t close off you are running blind on trying to find relief by avoiding triggers. An allergist and pulmunolgist are your best bets for finding triggers and developing a plan to treat the asthma. Your daughter may be able to tell you what makes her feel bad. Sometimes they are right. — Gordon    W5RED

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I’m 23 y/o female who has has depression/anxiety all my life…   And I get panic attacks/anxiety attacks…  I don’t get the I’m going to die feeling though so the doc says it’s not true panic attack just anxiety.   I went to the Doctors because I couldn’t function.  No energy, motivation, depression, severe anxiety, can’t concentrate/focus. About the start of  Nov. I was put on Celexa on a Friday morning.   I started taking it and was nausous for 2 days and then I got double vision and couldn’t focus my eyes so I stopped taking that Sunday morning and felt poopy for 2-3 days.. The next friday I got put on Wellbutrin.   That was absolute HELL.   I heard my dog talk and I was insane beyond belief for like 4-5 days and I only took the Wellbutrin for 3 days.   I kept repeating over and over "I’m crazy, I’m crazy".   And I had 3 panic attacks in one day.    So obviously that wasn’t the drug for me.  stopped again.   The Tues-Wed. following the Friday that I was put on the Wellbutrin I had a panic attack in my marriage counseling session.  She helped me go to this Psychiatric place where I met Doctor M. They wanted me to be an in-patient at a Psych Ward.   I said no and they scheduled me an appt w/ Dr. R for 3weeks later.   That same day Doctor M. prescribed me .5mg Klonopin to be taken every 4-6 hours as needed. Klonopin just made me drowsy/semi-drugged.  No good.    So I called back and Dr. M prescribed me Ativan.   I was nervious about taking that so I went on Base (husband is in the military)  and went to a Physicans Assistant-M (PA-M) and he presribed me Zoloft 50mg once a day and Xanax .5mg  3x’s a day that was about Nov. 22.    It started working immediately and I felt great. I had been taking xanax 1-2 times a day when I got really nervous/anxious and over-excited and couldn’t calm down.  I ran out of xanax and called PA-M to get a refill just to last me until my appt w/ the psychiatric nurse Dr. R.  This last friday I went to Dr. R and she decided that I was bi-polar . She was very unorganized and didn’t seem to know her shit.  She kept trying to prescribe medicine for me that I told her had caused me problems in the past.   Kept saying she didn’t like this drug or that drug.  (another doctor had said that in the past also that I was bi-polar possibly.  I think I am more adult ADD than bi-polar though although I have a lot of symptoms for both of them).  So she griped that xanax is a horrible drug and so addictive blah blah blah.  Xanax has been a miracle drug for me.  I felt NORMAL. HUMAN.   It gave me energy and I could concentrate and was happy and funny and social.    So she dicked around and today I finally got my xanax refilled.   But on Friday she gave me Trileptol for the bi-polar and was weaning me off of the zoloft down to 25mg for a week and then off of it. This last Sunday I got depressed. and then Yesterday was hell I couldn’t even get dressed/showered until 5:30pm.   Luckily this happened when I don’t have to work.   The xanax/zoloft has made me so much better that I have been able to get a job and now I am enrolled in college classes online.     At 1:30am last night I had another major panic attack and ended up having to call a Doctor on base to try and calm me down.   Today I went and saw Dr. R again and I told her that the zoloft was ok other than the vivid nightmares and no sex drive..   I said I could deal with that as long as I was happy and could function.  She decided she wanted to put me on Paxil.   Which in the past had given me the nightmares/no sex drive..  DUMB *itch.    Then tried to prescribe me prozac which also doesn’t work for me and I’d told her that twice also that it didn’t work that I was fine on the zoloft.    So she decided to put me on Elavil along w/ the Trileptol.   I have a bad astigmatism and was wearing glasses and Elavil causes depth perception problems again DUMB *itch.    But I got my prescription for xanax refilled. She kept going on and on how addictive it was.   Previously I had been told to take it 3 times a day.  Now she had Dr. M (she can’t presribe scheduled drugs/addictive ones.  she’s not really a Doctor just some special glorified psychiatric nurse).    So Dr. M presribed me #60 pills to take ever 4-6 hours or 4-6 pills a day.  Grrrrrrrrrr…    What should I do now?     I am soooooo confused.   I need to be able to function and work and go to school. Without the xanax and zoloft at 25mg yesterday I couldn’t function.    In the past I have taken Trazadone, Remeron, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa,  Effexor and probably more I’ve forgotten all with some major negative side effects. Help!!!!       I am not doubling up the dosage of the xanax nor even taking it as often as the doctor says I can.   Just when I need it but it’s a miracle when I do need it.    So frustrating.   I admitted to doing drugs in the past.   (pot, mushrooms, acid 2times, xtc25 times or so, never any other methanphetamine drugs).     My sobriety from drugs is very important to me and I believe I have never been addicted to any of those drugs.   I worked in a drug rehab for 9 months helping drug addicted girls.   But from going to feeling normal to and happy to being told that I may not be able to have what has made me happy anymore is very frustrating.   I really don’t care if I get addicted.   I just want to be happy and be able to function and work and live.  I’m tired of existing and not living.     Please help give me some direction on where I should go from here?   Can I report this ladies erratic behavior?    She tried to prescribe me wellbutrin 3 times when that pill puts me in hell. Also my personal counselor told me she talked to PA-M to originally prescribed me the xanax/zoloft and he told her that he was surprised the xanax lasted me as long as it had and he didn’t think that I was a high risk for addiction. Thanks, Jaimie P.S.  Sorry this is so long.  I needed to vent.

Hi Jaimie & welcome to ASAP! This is typically one of those stories… paved with incompetent mental health practitioners. If Zoloft and Xanax *as needed* works so well for you you’d better stick with it. It’s common and often very effective to combine an SSRI with a benzo. There is no reason why anybody would want to prescribe Paxil or Prozac instead of Zoloft when that is the med that works, it’s plainly ridiculous. Wellbutrin is the most stimulating of antidepressants and as an only med is contra-indicated for anxiety/panic sufferers, in the vast majority of cases it will only exacerbate anxiety as you noticed. BTW you don’t have to think you’re dying when having a PA. As a matter of fact when in the middle of a major PA I wish I *would* die, anything to *stop* it… If you would be bipolar they shouldn’t have prescribed an SSRI for you but lithium or some such. From the scarce information you give it doesn’t sound like you’re bipolar to me and the fact that Zoloft/Xanax helps that makes it even more unlikely. So find another doc or have them prescribe you Zoloft/Xanax as a regular combo. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Welcome, Jaimie.   I was nervious about taking that so I went on Base (husband is in the military)  and went to a Physicans Assistant-M (PA-M) and he presribed me Zoloft 50mg once a day and Xanax .5mg  3x’s a day that was about Nov. 22.    It started working immediately and I felt great.

If this is what works for you, then why not go back to this person.  A good psychiatrist would be best to go to in the long term, one who understands that this is a good med for you.  I take Zoloft, and find it to be a good med.  My psychiatrist also gives me Ativan when it is needed, but I have not needed to take it for quite a while.  The Zoloft is handling things pretty well. Take care, Liz

Response:

HI Jaimie, welcome to ASAP, yep that was a long post, but hope you feel better having vented. No wonder you are confused, you sure have been on a roller coaster with meds and docs. So after all this do you have a proper diagnosis? It appears from what you say that the zoloft/xanax combo works best for you. I understand your docs concerns re addiction given your past but from what you say you are in control. Just wanted to tell you that with the Klonopin/clonazepam it usually does cause drowsiness to begin with but for most people this subsides within a few weeks. It doesn’t give the immediate relief that xanax does but as a longer acting benzo it has major benefits – not suggesting you should go back to it, just giving you my experience with this med. So where to from here? Are any of these docs you’ve seen specialist in anxiety, if not it would be great if you were to get a proper diagnosis. From here you could get back to the meds which have helped in the past and perhaps you might like to consider some therapy to develop coping strategies for the panic attacks. Wishing you all the best for the wedding. Even a happy event can add stress to our lives. Vanessa )

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I’m 23 y/o female who has has depression/anxiety all my life…   And I get panic attacks/anxiety attacks…  I don’t get the I’m going to die feeling though so the doc says it’s not true panic attack just anxiety.   I went to the Doctors because I couldn’t function.  No energy, motivation, depression, severe anxiety, can’t concentrate/focus. About the start of  Nov. I was put on Celexa on a Friday morning.   I started taking it and was nausous for 2 days and then I got double vision and couldn’t focus my eyes so I stopped taking that Sunday morning and felt poopy for 2-3 days.. The next friday I got put on Wellbutrin.   That was absolute HELL.   I heard my dog talk and I was insane beyond belief for like 4-5 days and I only took the Wellbutrin for 3 days.   I kept repeating over and over "I’m crazy, I’m crazy".   And I had 3 panic attacks in one day.    So obviously that wasn’t the drug for me.  stopped again.   The Tues-Wed. following the Friday that I was put on the Wellbutrin I had a panic attack in my marriage counseling session.  She helped me go to this Psychiatric place where I met Doctor M. They wanted me to be an in-patient at a Psych Ward.   I said no and they scheduled me an appt w/ Dr. R for 3weeks later.   That same day Doctor M. prescribed me .5mg Klonopin to be taken every 4-6 hours as needed. Klonopin just made me drowsy/semi-drugged.  No good.    So I called back and Dr. M prescribed me Ativan.   I was nervious about taking that so I went on Base (husband is in the military)  and went to a Physicans Assistant-M (PA-M) and he presribed me Zoloft 50mg once a day and Xanax .5mg  3x’s a day that was about Nov. 22.    It started working immediately and I felt great. I had been taking xanax 1-2 times a day when I got really nervous/anxious and over-excited and couldn’t calm down.  I ran out of xanax and called PA-M to get a refill just to last me until my appt w/ the psychiatric nurse Dr. R.  This last friday I went to Dr. R and she decided that I was bi-polar . She was very unorganized and didn’t seem to know her shit.  She kept trying to prescribe medicine for me that I told her had caused me problems in the past.   Kept saying she didn’t like this drug or that drug.  (another doctor had said that in the past also that I was bi-polar possibly.  I think I am more adult ADD than bi-polar though although I have a lot of symptoms for both of them).  So she griped that xanax is a horrible drug and so addictive blah blah blah.  Xanax has been a miracle drug for me.  I felt NORMAL. HUMAN.   It gave me energy and I could concentrate and was happy and funny and social.    So she dicked around and today I finally got my xanax refilled.   But on Friday she gave me Trileptol for the bi-polar and was weaning me off of the zoloft down to 25mg for a week and then off of it. This last Sunday I got depressed. and then Yesterday was hell I couldn’t even get dressed/showered until 5:30pm.   Luckily this happened when I don’t have to work.   The xanax/zoloft has made me so much better that I have been able to get a job and now I am enrolled in college classes online.     At 1:30am last night I had another major panic attack and ended up having to call a Doctor on base to try and calm me down.   Today I went and saw Dr. R again and I told her that the zoloft was ok other than the vivid nightmares and no sex drive..   I said I could deal with that as long as I was happy and could function.  She decided she wanted to put me on Paxil.   Which in the past had given me the nightmares/no sex drive..  DUMB *itch.    Then tried to prescribe me prozac which also doesn’t work for me and I’d told her that twice also that it didn’t work that I was fine on the zoloft.    So she decided to put me on Elavil along w/ the Trileptol.   I have a bad astigmatism and was wearing glasses and Elavil causes depth perception problems again DUMB *itch.    But I got my prescription for xanax refilled. She kept going on and on how addictive it was.   Previously I had been told to take it 3 times a day.  Now she had Dr. M (she can’t presribe scheduled drugs/addictive ones.  she’s not really a Doctor just some special glorified psychiatric nurse).    So Dr. M presribed me #60 pills to take ever 4-6 hours or 4-6 pills a day.  Grrrrrrrrrr…    What should I do now?     I am soooooo confused.   I need to be able to function and work and go to school. Without the xanax and zoloft at 25mg yesterday I couldn’t function.    In the past I have taken Trazadone, Remeron, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa,  Effexor and probably more I’ve forgotten all with some major negative side effects. Help!!!!       I am not doubling up the dosage of the xanax nor even taking it as often as the doctor says I can.   Just when I need it but it’s a miracle when I do need it.    So frustrating.   I admitted to doing drugs in the past.   (pot, mushrooms, acid 2times, xtc25 times or so, never any other methanphetamine drugs).     My sobriety from drugs is very important to me and I believe I have never been addicted to any of those drugs.   I worked in a drug rehab for 9 months helping drug addicted girls.   But from going to feeling normal to and happy to being told that I may not be able to have what has made me happy anymore is very frustrating.   I really don’t care if I get addicted.   I just want to be happy and be able to function and work and live.  I’m tired of existing and not living.     Please help give me some direction on where I should go from here?   Can I report this ladies erratic behavior?    She tried to prescribe me wellbutrin 3 times when that pill puts me in hell. Also my personal counselor told me she talked to PA-M to originally prescribed me the xanax/zoloft and he told her that he was surprised the xanax lasted me as long as it had and he didn’t think that I was a high risk for addiction. Thanks, Jaimie P.S.  Sorry this is so long.  I needed to vent.

Response:

Hi Jaimie, Welcome to ASAP! It sounds like you’ve been threw the ringer so far. It sounds like you have yet to receive a proper diagnosis and therapuetic routine to work with. I knwo this is frustrating for you but I would try to be as paitent as possible and see this all through. If you receive a firm diagnosis, such as bipolar, they therapy will be different than if you were to suffer from Anxiety/Panic attacks. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is the best therapy for A&P. Work with your Doctors. You clearly don’t have confidence in the one who is unorganized and scattered. Are you confined to using Military Doctors? Would you be able to use civilians and have CHAMPUS reimburse? Military life is difficult to adjust to. How long have you been married?  From your note it sounds like you are going through major life adjustments at the moment. Is your spouse with you? I imagine with the likelyhood of us having a war with Iraq you must be concerned about your husbands life. Good luck and keep us posted as to your progress. Hang tough! Peace, John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I’m 23 y/o female who has has depression/anxiety all my life…   And I get panic attacks/anxiety attacks…  I don’t get the I’m going to die feeling though so the doc says it’s not true panic attack just anxiety.   I went to the Doctors because I couldn’t function.  No energy, motivation, depression, severe anxiety, can’t concentrate/focus. About the start of  Nov. I was put on Celexa on a Friday morning.   I started taking it and was nausous for 2 days and then I got double vision and couldn’t focus my eyes so I stopped taking that Sunday morning and felt poopy for 2-3 days.. The next friday I got put on Wellbutrin.   That was absolute HELL.   I heard my dog talk and I was insane beyond belief for like 4-5 days and I only took the Wellbutrin for 3 days.   I kept repeating over and over "I’m crazy, I’m crazy".   And I had 3 panic attacks in one day.    So obviously that wasn’t the drug for me.  stopped again.   The Tues-Wed. following the Friday that I was put on the Wellbutrin I had a panic attack in my marriage counseling session.  She helped me go to this Psychiatric place where I met Doctor M. They wanted me to be an in-patient at a Psych Ward.   I said no and they scheduled me an appt w/ Dr. R for 3weeks later.   That same day Doctor M. prescribed me .5mg Klonopin to be taken every 4-6 hours as needed. Klonopin just made me drowsy/semi-drugged.  No good.    So I called back and Dr. M prescribed me Ativan.   I was nervious about taking that so I went on Base (husband is in the military)  and went to a Physicans Assistant-M (PA-M) and he presribed me Zoloft 50mg once a day and Xanax .5mg  3x’s a day that was about Nov. 22.    It started working immediately and I felt great. I had been taking xanax 1-2 times a day when I got really nervous/anxious and over-excited and couldn’t calm down.  I ran out of xanax and called PA-M to get a refill just to last me until my appt w/ the psychiatric nurse Dr. R.  This last friday I went to Dr. R and she decided that I was bi-polar . She was very unorganized and didn’t seem to know her shit.  She kept trying to prescribe medicine for me that I told her had caused me problems in the past.   Kept saying she didn’t like this drug or that drug.  (another doctor had said that in the past also that I was bi-polar possibly.  I think I am more adult ADD than bi-polar though although I have a lot of symptoms for both of them).  So she griped that xanax is a horrible drug and so addictive blah blah blah.  Xanax has been a miracle drug for me.  I felt NORMAL. HUMAN.   It gave me energy and I could concentrate and was happy and funny and social.    So she dicked around and today I finally got my xanax refilled.   But on Friday she gave me Trileptol for the bi-polar and was weaning me off of the zoloft down to 25mg for a week and then off of it. This last Sunday I got depressed. and then Yesterday was hell I couldn’t even get dressed/showered until 5:30pm.   Luckily this happened when I don’t have to work.   The xanax/zoloft has made me so much better that I have been able to get a job and now I am enrolled in college classes online.     At 1:30am last night I had another major panic attack and ended up having to call a Doctor on base to try and calm me down.   Today I went and saw Dr. R again and I told her that the zoloft was ok other than the vivid nightmares and no sex drive..   I said I could deal with that as long as I was happy and could function.  She decided she wanted to put me on Paxil.   Which in the past had given me the nightmares/no sex drive..  DUMB *itch.    Then tried to prescribe me prozac which also doesn’t work for me and I’d told her that twice also that it didn’t work that I was fine on the zoloft.    So she decided to put me on Elavil along w/ the Trileptol.   I have a bad astigmatism and was wearing glasses and Elavil causes depth perception problems again DUMB *itch.    But I got my prescription for xanax refilled. She kept going on and on how addictive it was.   Previously I had been told to take it 3 times a day.  Now she had Dr. M (she can’t presribe scheduled drugs/addictive ones.  she’s not really a Doctor just some special glorified psychiatric nurse).    So Dr. M presribed me #60 pills to take ever 4-6 hours or 4-6 pills a day.  Grrrrrrrrrr…    What should I do now?     I am soooooo confused.   I need to be able to function and work and go to school. Without the xanax and zoloft at 25mg yesterday I couldn’t function.    In the past I have taken Trazadone, Remeron, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa,  Effexor and probably more I’ve forgotten all with some major negative side effects. Help!!!!       I am not doubling up the dosage of the xanax nor even taking it as often as the doctor says I can.   Just when I need it but it’s a miracle when I do need it.    So frustrating.   I admitted to doing drugs in the past.   (pot, mushrooms, acid 2times, xtc25 times or so, never any other methanphetamine drugs).     My sobriety from drugs is very important to me and I believe I have never been addicted to any of those drugs.   I worked in a drug rehab for 9 months helping drug addicted girls.   But from going to feeling normal to and happy to being told that I may not be able to have what has made me happy anymore is very frustrating.   I really don’t care if I get addicted.   I just want to be happy and be able to function and work and live.  I’m tired of existing and not living.     Please help give me some direction on where I should go from here?   Can I report this ladies erratic behavior?    She tried to prescribe me wellbutrin 3 times when that pill puts me in hell. Also my personal counselor told me she talked to PA-M to originally prescribed me the xanax/zoloft and he told her that he was surprised the xanax lasted me as long as it had and he didn’t think that I was a high risk for addiction. Thanks, Jaimie P.S.  Sorry this is so long.  I needed to vent.

Response:

Hey Jaimie! I don’t post here a lot but I do certainly understand and empathize with your predicament .   Just get your meds sorted out and start feeling  human when  the rug gets yanked out from under you AGAIN!!  IT BITES ~ From your comments it would seem that  the PA-M has it the most together, overmedicated state by many of your fellow sufferers opinions or needs. Since you’ve switched  SSRI’s in the past,  I’m guessing going to 50 mg of Zoloft was not a rough start, but you  have a lot happening and the Xanax has helped you smooth over the potholes.   Any change in meds can be uncomfortable. the comment that PA-M was surprised the initial xanax RX lasted you as long as it did  is heartening.  also heartening that your personal counselor  has been in touch with PA-M and they are willling to work together.   thats a wonderful combination.  I don’t knock PA’s either in  Military  or civilian attire, sometimes they have more time to LISTEN. We talk a lot about doctor shopping here, but it seems like/looks like you’ve shopped  and maybe found your own best solution…..  if the Zoloft /Xanax combo works for you, why mess with it? We all want to be well, feel well and  we all search for the Right Stuff. If you are as lucky as I have been you will need the Xanax less and less as the "right" SSRI does what its supposed to do. You CAN chose your  health providers, you MUST chose your health providers, and you are in no way obligated to suck up to anyone who isn’t helping you. That applies to those who may be confusing the issues For your own empowerment, stick with the providers who help you.  Alphabet soup means nothing, results count. Hugs to you. Sue in Maine

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I’m 23 y/o female who has has depression/anxiety all my life…   And I get panic attacks/anxiety attacks…  I don’t get the I’m going to die feeling though so the doc says it’s not true panic attack just anxiety.   I went to the Doctors because I couldn’t function.  No energy, motivation, depression, severe anxiety, can’t concentrate/focus. About the start of  Nov. I was put on Celexa on a Friday morning.   I started taking it and was nausous for 2 days and then I got double vision and couldn’t focus my eyes so I stopped taking that Sunday morning and felt poopy for 2-3 days.. The next friday I got put on Wellbutrin.   That was absolute HELL.   I heard my dog talk and I was insane beyond belief for like 4-5 days and I only took the Wellbutrin for 3 days.   I kept repeating over and over "I’m crazy, I’m crazy".   And I had 3 panic attacks in one day.    So obviously that wasn’t the drug for me.  stopped again.   The Tues-Wed. following the Friday that I was put on the Wellbutrin I had a panic attack in my marriage counseling session.  She helped me go to this Psychiatric place where I met Doctor M. They wanted me to be an in-patient at a Psych Ward.   I said no and they scheduled me an appt w/ Dr. R for 3weeks later.   That same day Doctor M. prescribed me .5mg Klonopin to be taken every 4-6 hours as needed. Klonopin just made me drowsy/semi-drugged.  No good.    So I called back and Dr. M prescribed me Ativan.   I was nervious about taking that so I went on Base (husband is in the military)  and went to a Physicans Assistant-M (PA-M) and he presribed me Zoloft 50mg once a day and Xanax .5mg  3x’s a day that was about Nov. 22.    It started working immediately and I felt great. I had been taking xanax 1-2 times a day when I got really nervous/anxious and over-excited and couldn’t calm down.  I ran out of xanax and called PA-M to get a refill just to last me until my appt w/ the psychiatric nurse Dr. R.  This last friday I went to Dr. R and she decided that I was bi-polar . She was very unorganized and didn’t seem to know her shit.  She kept tryin g to prescribe medicine for me that I told her had caused me problems in the past.   Kept saying she didn’t like this drug or that drug.  (another doctor had said that in the past also that I was bi-polar possibly.  I think I am more adult ADD than bi-polar though although I have a lot of symptoms for both of them).  So she griped that xanax is a horrible drug and so addictive blah blah blah.  Xanax has been a miracle drug for me.  I felt NORMAL. HUMAN.   It gave me energy and I could concentrate and was happy and funny and social.    So she dicked around and today I finally got my xanax refilled.   But on Friday she gave me Trileptol for the bi-polar and was weaning me off of the zoloft down to 25mg for a week and then off of it. This last Sunday I got depressed. and then Yesterday was hell I couldn’t even get dressed/showered until 5:30pm.   Luckily this happened when I don’t have to work.   The xanax/zoloft has made me so much better that I have been able to get a job and now I am enrolled in college classes online.     At 1:30am last night I had another major panic attack and ended up having to call a Doctor on base to try and calm me down.   Today I went and saw Dr. R again and I told her that the zoloft was ok other than the vivid nightmares and no sex drive..   I said I could deal with that as long as I was happy and could function.  She decided she wanted to put me on Paxil.   Which in the past had given me the nightmares/no sex drive..  DUMB *itch.    Then tried to prescribe me prozac which also doesn’t work for me and I’d told her that twice also that it didn’t work that I was fine on the zoloft.    So she decided to put me on Elavil along w/ the Trileptol.   I have a bad astigmatism and was wearing glasses and Elavil causes depth perception problems again DUMB *itch.    But I got my prescription for xanax refilled. She kept going on and on how addictive it was.   Previously I had been told to take it 3 times a day.  Now she had Dr. M (she can’t presribe scheduled drugs/addictive ones.  she’s not really a Doctor just some special glorified psychiatric nurse).    So Dr. M presribed me #60 pills to take ever 4-6 hours or 4-6 pills a day.  Grrrrrrrrrr…    What should I do now?     I am soooooo confused.   I need to be able to function and work and go to school. Without the xanax and zoloft at 25mg yesterday I couldn’t function.    In the past I have taken Trazadone, Remeron, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa,  Effexor and probably more I’ve forgotten all with some major negative side effects. Help!!!!       I am not doubling up the dosage of the xanax nor even taking it as often as the doctor says I can.   Just when I need it but it’s a miracle when I do need it.    So frustrating.   I admitted to doing drugs in the past.   (pot, mushrooms, acid 2times, xtc25 times or so, never any other methanphetamine drugs).     My sobriety from drugs is very important to me and I believe I have never been addicted to any of those drugs.   I worked in a drug rehab for 9 months helping drug addicted girls.   But from going to feeling normal to and happy to being told that I may not be able to have what has made me happy anymore is very frustrating.   I really don’t care if I get addicted.   I just want to be happy and be able to function and work and live.  I’m tired of existing and not living.     Please help give me some direction on where I should go from here?   Can I report this ladies erratic behavior?    She tried to prescribe me wellbutrin 3 times when that pill puts me in hell. Also my personal counselor told me she talked to PA-M to originally prescribed me the xanax/zoloft and he told her that he was surprised the xanax lasted me as long as it had and he didn’t think that I was a high risk for addiction. Thanks, Jaimie P.S.  Sorry this is so long.  I needed to vent.

Response:

Hi all, I’m 23 y/o female who has has depression/anxiety all my life…   And I get panic attacks/anxiety attacks…  I don’t get the I’m going to die feeling though so the doc says it’s not true panic attack just anxiety.   I went to the Doctors because I couldn’t function.  No energy, motivation, depression, severe anxiety, can’t concentrate/focus. About the start of  Nov. I was put on Celexa on a Friday morning.   I started taking it and was nausous for 2 days and then I got double vision and couldn’t focus my eyes so I stopped taking that Sunday morning and felt poopy for 2-3 days.. The next friday I got put on Wellbutrin.   That was absolute HELL.   I heard my dog talk and I was insane beyond belief for like 4-5 days and I only took the Wellbutrin for 3 days.   I kept repeating over and over "I’m crazy, I’m crazy".   And I had 3 panic attacks in one day.    So obviously that wasn’t the drug for me.  stopped again.   The Tues-Wed. following the Friday that I was put on the Wellbutrin I had a panic attack in my marriage counseling session.  She helped me go to this Psychiatric place where I met Doctor M. They wanted me to be an in-patient at a Psych Ward.   I said no and they scheduled me an appt w/ Dr. R for 3weeks later.   That same day Doctor M. prescribed me .5mg Klonopin to be taken every 4-6 hours as needed. Klonopin just made me drowsy/semi-drugged.  No good.    So I called back and Dr. M prescribed me Ativan.   I was nervious about taking that so I went on Base (husband is in the military)  and went to a Physicans Assistant-M (PA-M) and he presribed me Zoloft 50mg once a day and Xanax .5mg  3x’s a day that was about Nov. 22.    It started working immediately and I felt great. I had been taking xanax 1-2 times a day when I got really nervous/anxious and over-excited and couldn’t calm down.  I ran out of xanax and called PA-M to get a refill just to last me until my appt w/ the psychiatric nurse Dr. R.  This last friday I went to Dr. R and she decided that I was bi-polar . She was very unorganized and didn’t seem to know her shit.  She kept trying to prescribe medicine for me that I told her had caused me problems in the past.   Kept saying she didn’t like this drug or that drug.  (another doctor had said that in the past also that I was bi-polar possibly.  I think I am more adult ADD than bi-polar though although I have a lot of symptoms for both of them).  So she griped that xanax is a horrible drug and so addictive blah blah blah.  Xanax has been a miracle drug for me.  I felt NORMAL. HUMAN.   It gave me energy and I could concentrate and was happy and funny and social.    So she dicked around and today I finally got my xanax refilled.   But on Friday she gave me Trileptol for the bi-polar and was weaning me off of the zoloft down to 25mg for a week and then off of it. This last Sunday I got depressed. and then Yesterday was hell I couldn’t even get dressed/showered until 5:30pm.   Luckily this happened when I don’t have to work.   The xanax/zoloft has made me so much better that I have been able to get a job and now I am enrolled in college classes online.     At 1:30am last night I had another major panic attack and ended up having to call a Doctor on base to try and calm me down.   Today I went and saw Dr. R again and I told her that the zoloft was ok other than the vivid nightmares and no sex drive..   I said I could deal with that as long as I was happy and could function.  She decided she wanted to put me on Paxil.   Which in the past had given me the nightmares/no sex drive..  DUMB *itch.    Then tried to prescribe me prozac which also doesn’t work for me and I’d told her that twice also that it didn’t work that I was fine on the zoloft.    So she decided to put me on Elavil along w/ the Trileptol.   I have a bad astigmatism and was wearing glasses and Elavil causes depth perception problems again DUMB *itch.    But I got my prescription for xanax refilled. She kept going on and on how addictive it was.   Previously I had been told to take it 3 times a day.  Now she had Dr. M (she can’t presribe scheduled drugs/addictive ones.  she’s not really a Doctor just some special glorified psychiatric nurse).    So Dr. M presribed me #60 pills to take ever 4-6 hours or 4-6 pills a day.  Grrrrrrrrrr…    What should I do now?     I am soooooo confused.   I need to be able to function and work and go to school. Without the xanax and zoloft at 25mg yesterday I couldn’t function.    In the past I have taken Trazadone, Remeron, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa,  Effexor and probably more I’ve forgotten all with some major negative side effects. Help!!!!       I am not doubling up the dosage of the xanax nor even taking it as often as the doctor says I can.   Just when I need it but it’s a miracle when I do need it.    So frustrating.   I admitted to doing drugs in the past.   (pot, mushrooms, acid 2times, xtc25 times or so, never any other methanphetamine drugs).     My sobriety from drugs is very important to me and I believe I have never been addicted to any of those drugs.   I worked in a drug rehab for 9 months helping drug addicted girls.   But from going to feeling normal to and happy to being told that I may not be able to have what has made me happy anymore is very frustrating.   I really don’t care if I get addicted.   I just want to be happy and be able to function and work and live.  I’m tired of existing and not living.     Please help give me some direction on where I should go from here?   Can I report this ladies erratic behavior?    She tried to prescribe me wellbutrin 3 times when that pill puts me in hell. Also my personal counselor told me she talked to PA-M to originally prescribed me the xanax/zoloft and he told her that he was surprised the xanax lasted me as long as it had and he didn’t think that I was a high risk for addiction. Thanks, Jaimie P.S.  Sorry this is so long.  I needed to vent.

Response:

Question:

On my third week at 200 mg.  Still nothing.  Does anyone have any experience using Serzone?  Please share.

Response:

Taking serzone, 250 mg/day. Started at 75, then up to 125, then 150, now 250.  I’ve been on it probably 9-10 months.  I am very glad I found it. I can’t take prozac, paxil, zoloft, effexor . . . but the serzone does what it needs to. I don’t feel "flat" or numb – I still have emotions, it’s just that the highs are not as high nor the lows as low.  I still have bad days, but they come and go much quicker than when I was on no meds at all.  My pdoc says I will probably be on the serzone for a couple of years at least. The only side effects i’ve noticed are that I sweat a whole lot (I sweat a lot before I ever took ADs, so now it is profuse!), and my dreams are very, very vivid.  But I can handle both of those SE. Good luck with it, Oliver. Kym The Tintinnabulation of the bells, Bells, BELLS! Remove "blech" to e-mail me

Response:

serzone nearly wrecked everything , 400 per day , welcome to the zoo , well it was for me , the best med i took so far , has been no med , and i mean no med at all . not even a coffee .

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Taking serzone, 250 mg/day. Started at 75, then up to 125, then 150, now 250.  I’ve been on it probably 9-10 months.  I am very glad I found it. I can’t take prozac, paxil, zoloft, effexor . . . but the serzone does what it needs to. I don’t feel "flat" or numb – I still have emotions, it’s just that the highs are not as high nor the lows as low.  I still have bad days, but they come and go much quicker than when I was on no meds at all.  My pdoc says I will probably be on the serzone for a couple of years at least. The only side effects i’ve noticed are that I sweat a whole lot (I sweat a lot before I ever took ADs, so now it is profuse!), and my dreams are very, very vivid.  But I can handle both of those SE. Good luck with it, Oliver. Kym The Tintinnabulation of the bells, Bells, BELLS! Remove "blech" to e-mail me

—–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

mind you, normally i wouldn’t be bothered by the easy access to a script… but it only verified for me that nobody in a 90 mile radius gives a sh*t about me.

Honey, it’s not you.  Doctors are under so much pressure to see as many people as possible that they simply give you pretty much what ever you ask for just to save time.  Yes it’s horrible, but it’s not aimed at you personally. anybody experience really bad headaches with this drug?

I couldn’t tell you that because I’ve had bad headaches pretty much all my life no matter what drug I’m on. Monica Tittle   Bad habits are hard to break.  Especially if you like them.                                   –Found inside a fortune cookie

Response:

That’s the med’s that my doc gave me. I’m taking 100 mg’s.  I’ve only started today, so I woulden’t know. The doc said it should take about 2 1/2 weeks to kick in. Give it another week.  If it is not working, then tell your doc. ~Racheal G           ICQ# 91183600 You can’t fight the tears that aint coming, or the moment of truth in your lies. When everything feels like the movies, you bleed just to know your alive. Before you buy.

Response:

The only side effects i’ve noticed are that I sweat a whole lot (I sweat a lot before I ever took ADs, so now it is profuse!), and my dreams are very, very vivid.  But I can handle both of those SE.

Oh god!  I thought it was just me!  I’ve never sweated very much before, but now I sweat buckets.  I was folding laundry (only three baskets) and I looked like I had been working out for an hour afterwards.  I’m talking dripping off my nose soaked hair kind of sweaty here. I wish I had the vivid dreams.  I haven’t had a good one in a very long time.  :-/ Monica Tittle   Bad habits are hard to break.  Especially if you like them.                                   –Found inside a fortune cookie

Response:

serzone had it’s ups n downs , sex was finally possible again , but the toilet trips were a little much , i got bum burn

% Sorry you had trouble with the serzone. For me it has been a godsend – a way to be able to live, productively, work, be active in my church, and quell most of the suic*de thoughts that I was having. As for no caffeine – ACK – i’d never survive! Kym The Tintinnabulation of the bells, Bells, BELLS! Remove "blech" to e-mail me

—–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

% Sorry you had trouble with the serzone. For me it has been a godsend – a way to be able to live, productively, work, be active in my church, and quell most of the suic*de thoughts that I was having. As for no caffeine – ACK – i’d never survive! Kym The Tintinnabulation of the bells, Bells, BELLS! Remove "blech" to e-mail me

Response:

Question:

Does anyone think taking 300 mg wellbutrin and 225 mg effexor per day (as prescribed) then taking handfuls of klonopin on the weekend to calm down (not prescribed) is a problem?  I have felt better that ever on the effexor and the wellbutrin and viagra takes care of the sexual problems for me, but weekends are still rough.  I just want to be alone and be numbed. Can anyone relate? I feel like I should be so very grateful, cause I feel better than I ever have before, but I like to play with pills. I’d just like to know I’m not alone in this. Thanks… — I can’t think of a single movie that couldn’t be improved by a lesbian sex scene.

Response:

Does anyone think taking 300 mg wellbutrin and 225 mg effexor per day (as prescribed) then taking handfuls of klonopin on the weekend to calm down (not prescribed) is a problem?  I have felt better that ever on the effexor and the wellbutrin and viagra takes care of the sexual problems for me, but weekends are still rough.  I just want to be alone and be numbed. Can anyone relate? I feel like I should be so very grateful, cause I feel better than I ever have before, but I like to play with pills. I’d just like to know I’m not alone in this. Thanks…

When I was taking 300 mg Effexor and 150 mg Wellbutrin, I had to take Klonopin quite often.  I just got so tense and anxious and sometimes I was really irritable or angry.  Lots of Klonopin helped.  I’m not on the Wellbutrin anymore, and I haven’t had to take the Klonopin recently either. No, you’re not alone. Deb

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone think taking 300 mg wellbutrin and 225 mg effexor per day (as prescribed) then taking handfuls of klonopin on the weekend to calm down (not prescribed) is a problem?  I have felt better that ever on the effexor and the wellbutrin and viagra takes care of the sexual problems for me, but weekends are still rough.  I just want to be alone and be numbed. Can anyone relate? I feel like I should be so very grateful, cause I feel better than I ever have before, but I like to play with pills. I’d just like to know I’m not alone in this. Thanks… When I was taking 300 mg Effexor and 150 mg Wellbutrin, I had to take Klonopin quite often.  I just got so tense and anxious and sometimes I was really irritable or angry.  Lots of Klonopin helped.  I’m not on the Wellbutrin anymore, and I haven’t had to take the Klonopin recently either. No, you’re not alone. Deb

I just don’t like benzo’s.  I want to take the whole bottle sometimes. I like the tense and anxious feeling better.  I really do. — I can’t think of a single movie that couldn’t be improved by a lesbian sex scene.

Response:

Question:

Hi Charla, Thanks for the response.  Gradual is ok with me, so just getting past some of the things that would otherwise stress me out even while on xanax is an indication the Zoloft may be doing some good? I’m glad you didn’t mind my ‘oh so detailed’ rambling.  I was a great student in creative writing in highschool. little bear–who is feeling better just from writing that post last night; theraputic, it was  to get all my ducks in a row….especially after all of the crap about Zoloft hitting this board recently. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Little Bear, I can not translate sorry. But I find your spirit and strength unbeatable in the face of adversary. IME with Zoloft being the first and only AD Ive taken..I could evaluate it helping me in times of trouble..because I did not react as intensly to the stressors. eg. My husband gets layed off,we were living at my moms,a five month old at the time..Snow piling up outside as high as the fence it dawns on me something is working. I was  relaxed and accepting of the circumstance.. I think when you have found the right mg range with the right AD you gradually see results. For me it did not just happen it was a gradual.I did not know when it started working..I just started feeling better. BTW I like your detailed post..:-) Hope all gets better soon Charla — Being safe is about being seen and heard and allowed to be who you are and to speak your truth.                                    —Rachel Naomi Remen,M.D. Hi Everyone! I have been ready to post this for a couple of days now but with all the b*llshit that’s been going on here (of which I admit to being a part of) along with some personal stuff, I just haven’t gotten around to it. I want to let you know how my meds are doing compared to before and just give you my updated condition, and hope to hear from many of you telling me I’m healed  LOL. No, really, just let me know how you think I’m doing as I am a first timer on the AD thing and a long time xanax friend, as well as pain meds which tend also to produce a false sense of well-being. If it were one or the other, I know it would be much simpler to evaluate my progress so please bear with me. (PUN CERTAINLY INTENDED.  ALL RIGHTY THEN, LET’S GET STARTED <g) As you may remember my problems started about 3yrs ago with horrible back pain. I was temporarily living in a town of about 10,000 after being transferred from a mega-city on the west coast.  I saw any and all available docs but I believe I was clearly out of thier league and a bit of a mystery to boot. I had two kids and was a stay at home mom for the first time in my life. (And I’m old <VBG, more than 20 but less than 42). Eventually, after MRI’s and xrays, and limited bloodwork including thyroid, I was told I had no strength in my back and was sent to PT.  This was a joke indeed.  I might as well have been in a 4th grade P.E. class–no hands on, no direction etc.I had no improvement with my back pain but within about 3mos, I had the first of three consecutive PA’s.  Of course, I had no Idea what was happening to me but the ER diagnosed them and a visit to a GP the next day confirmed it. So, that was that; I was given .25mgs xanax twice daily.  I was given very little info about benzos but I assure you, I was miserable enough with the accompaning symptoms (GAD in a nutshell )-) that I would have gladly taken them anyway.  I would have done anything to escape that awful panic/nervousness I was racked with.  And they did the trick. After a year we moved back to the big city.  I became close to a neighbor whos husband had eerily similar symptoms as mine (back and anxiety) and she recommended a doc that was supposedly the finest in his field so I called.  I was desperate by then with my back pain and the panic escalated accordingly.  I was told he was not taking new patients and I quite literally would not hang up, and I cried on the phone basically begging for an appt. until they set me up for 3mos later.  So, I had something to look forward to finally!  This was the time that I thought I could wean off of the xanax (I had learned more about the dependance issue by this time) and I weaned very slowly-or so I thought but I was hit with a series of PA’s almost exactly like the ones a year earlier. A quick call to the doc in the little town on the prairie got me scolded for going off of them with no direction or support and I was back on them but this time at .5mgs 3/day to get the GAD back under control.  I have since (stupidly) tried to stop them again, but I always had other things going on and the GAD was always present so I don’t know what I was thinking except that I wanted to know that I was in control of my own body (I don’t even want to go there). IOW, it was always a huge mistake. In the year since I started seeing this back specialist (he found 3 buldging dics in my back–two in my neck and one in my upper back. He showed me the MRI I had taken in the little town and even I could see them. So, I have endured about 10 cortisone/lidocaine injections either epidural or facet joint injections and have regained full range of motion in my neck and back but the "knife in the back" pain was still there, as painful as ever. When it was clear the injections had done all they could, I was sent on to PT. BTW, this doc is very particular and insists on specific specialists when he refers me, and I go because he obviously knows what he is doing.  I have been seeing a PT doc for about 2mos now and she is marvelous! (So was the shot guy TTTT) My back has been getting better…so much so that I no longer fear some terminal illness the way I constantly used to.  Between the three of these specialists I was finally finding answers to the pain in the back and even relief!   Now, keep in mind, and you might remember I went on Wellbutrin to quit smoking (when hubby had pneumonia in July) and though I did quit smoking (HOORAY FOR ME!!!) the Wellbutrin just about did me in. I was a screaming, sweaty, panicky mess–24hrs a day for about 9wks I think. To be fair, for those of you who are new to this group, I was warned by some of our veterans about Wellbutrin and that it would not be a good choice for someone already suffering anxiety. But for a few reasons, I took it anyway, quit smoking and proved our experts to be experts.  I reacted word for word the way I was warned I would. It was awful but YMMV when it comes to meds. It just wasn’t right for me.  I was then put on Zoloft 50mgs daily and was still getting better in the back pain department.  I had no bad side effects from the Zoloft (some sweating and a little irritablity at first but was immediately better when I put down the Wellbutrin so it’s difficult to say whether it was getting off the W and on the Z or both.  Anyway, out of the blue during PT, it was discovered I have an internal impingement on my right shoulder.  Off to another specialist who says no more PT until he fixes my shoulder either with cortisone injections or simple surgery. H gave me a shot in the bursa? and my elbow was stuck to my waistline for a week. Right arm too….bummer.  The problem is that while I am away from ‘hands on’ PT, my back muscles go back into spasms and my neck tightens up and all of the progress I’ve made is fading quickly.  I am having a bit more difficulty getting in touch with the shoulder doc so no MRI has been scheduled yet and I’m hanging in limbo.  My PT is frustrated for obvious reasons–things were going so well. Let me be clear on something here: when I say my back got so much better, it is to say that the pain went from unbearable to bearable and I was able to move again and because of that progress, I was mentally more at ease (and I always believed the pain caused the anxiety since I could think of nothing else).  Anyway, during the Wellbutrin phase, I was up to the max xanax dose for me 2.5-3mgs daily. It was awful. With the Zoloft, so far 5-6wks? I am down to .25mgs 3/day. But I can feel the urge to take more while I go through the return of the back pain and watching all that progress go down the drain. I may need to go up another .25 each day–either that or chew my lips off, grit my teeth (Oh yeah, I had 3 crowns done last month-I consider dental work a setback just for existing!) or get angry all the time, etc.  See, I was so looking forward to the AD taking over for the xanax–I just knew that Zoloft was the answer.  I feel sorta good on it; I am cautiously optimistic. Now I don’t know what to expect or how I should proceed. I know I have bored you silly—-I don’t know why my posts are always so long.  I guess I don’t want to miss anything and then I read your posts that are so clear and concise and to the point……But I had so many points <BG I look forward to your observations regarding the Zoloft, how much better do you think I should expect to get. How do I know if it’s the right one for me, and isn’t it a bitch that just when I might be able to pull everything together, half of it falls apart. I’m not going to know if the Zoloft helps my anxiety until I have a normal, calm, regular period of time in my life to evaluate it. What I mean is, the thought of the back pain returning in it’s original form is enough to scare the crap out of me. And then there’s the holidays….OMG, don’t know if I am going to make it. Thanks everyone who took the time to read this in it’s entirety.  I look forward to any responses at all. little bear–who

… read more »

Response:

Hi Cheryl, I  have responded in length to other’s posts to this thread and I guess I’ve said all that can be said (hopefully, ASAP is secretely thinking). But thanks for sharing your coffee with me this morning and for your kind words. The "Jim Carrey on Acid:" cracked me up.  See, I can be cracked up. That hasn’t been true for months and months.  Thank you for your prayers, I believe they help–I really do. little bear-who needs a nap now (see you in 6mo) NOT :0} – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Little Bear,   I wish I could help you with the Zoloft issue…but I am on Remeron and I have been on Wellbutrin and it made me nuts!  Jim Carrey on Acid so to speak!  Anyway, your story brought tears to my eyes.  I can identify, being chronically ill myself.  I know the vicious vicious cycles it produces, the one illness festering into another into another.  I am on pain meds myself and the "false sense of well being" really hit me.  When I take them it’s the ONLY time I feel "normal."  Little Bear, you have been through so much and I think you have maintained your sense of self, humor and faith. Just know you are not alone…and I am here and we are all here for you. And I love long posts, I kick back with the old cup of coffee and feel like you are right in my living room.  God bless you, friend.  I will keep you in my prayers and mostly in my thoughts. Hi Everyone! I have been ready to post this for a couple of days now but with all the b*llshit that’s been going on here (of which I admit to being a part of) along with some personal stuff, I just haven’t gotten around to it. I want to let you know how my meds are doing compared to before and just give you my updated condition, and hope to hear from many of you telling me I’m healed  LOL. No, really, just let me know how you think I’m doing as I am a first timer on the AD thing and a long time xanax friend, as well as pain meds which tend also to produce a false sense of well-being. If it were one or the other, I know it would be much simpler to evaluate my progress so please bear with me. (PUN CERTAINLY INTENDED.  ALL RIGHTY THEN, LET’S GET STARTED <g) As you may remember my problems started about 3yrs ago with horrible back pain. I was temporarily living in a town of about 10,000 after being transferred from a mega-city on the west coast.  I saw any and all available docs but I believe I was clearly out of thier league and a bit of a mystery to boot. I had two kids and was a stay at home mom for the first time in my life. (And I’m old <VBG, more than 20 but less than 42). Eventually, after MRI’s and xrays, and limited bloodwork including thyroid, I was told I had no strength in my back and was sent to PT.  This was a joke indeed.  I might as well have been in a 4th grade P.E. class–no hands on, no direction etc.I had no improvement with my back pain but within about 3mos, I had the first of three consecutive PA’s.  Of course, I had no Idea what was happening to me but the ER diagnosed them and a visit to a GP the next day confirmed it. So, that was that; I was given .25mgs xanax twice daily.  I was given very little info about benzos but I assure you, I was miserable enough with the accompaning symptoms (GAD in a nutshell )-) that I would have gladly taken them anyway.  I would have done anything to escape that awful panic/nervousness I was racked with.  And they did the trick. After a year we moved back to the big city.  I became close to a neighbor whos husband had eerily similar symptoms as mine (back and anxiety) and she recommended a doc that was supposedly the finest in his field so I called.  I was desperate by then with my back pain and the panic escalated accordingly.  I was told he was not taking new patients and I quite literally would not hang up, and I cried on the phone basically begging for an appt. until they set me up for 3mos later.  So, I had something to look forward to finally!  This was the time that I thought I could wean off of the xanax (I had learned more about the dependance issue by this time) and I weaned very slowly-or so I thought but I was hit with a series of PA’s almost exactly like the ones a year earlier. A quick call to the doc in the little town on the prairie got me scolded for going off of them with no direction or support and I was back on them but this time at .5mgs 3/day to get the GAD back under control.  I have since (stupidly) tried to stop them again, but I always had other things going on and the GAD was always present so I don’t know what I was thinking except that I wanted to know that I was in control of my own body (I don’t even want to go there). IOW, it was always a huge mistake. In the year since I started seeing this back specialist (he found 3 buldging dics in my back–two in my neck and one in my upper back. He showed me the MRI I had taken in the little town and even I could see them. So, I have endured about 10 cortisone/lidocaine injections either epidural or facet joint injections and have regained full range of motion in my neck and back but the "knife in the back" pain was still there, as painful as ever. When it was clear the injections had done all they could, I was sent on to PT. BTW, this doc is very particular and insists on specific specialists when he refers me, and I go because he obviously knows what he is doing.  I have been seeing a PT doc for about 2mos now and she is marvelous! (So was the shot guy TTTT) My back has been getting better…so much so that I no longer fear some terminal illness the way I constantly used to.  Between the three of these specialists I was finally finding answers to the pain in the back and even relief!   Now, keep in mind, and you might remember I went on Wellbutrin to quit smoking (when hubby had pneumonia in July) and though I did quit smoking (HOORAY FOR ME!!!) the Wellbutrin just about did me in. I was a screaming, sweaty, panicky mess–24hrs a day for about 9wks I think. To be fair, for those of you who are new to this group, I was warned by some of our veterans about Wellbutrin and that it would not be a good choice for someone already suffering anxiety. But for a few reasons, I took it anyway, quit smoking and proved our experts to be experts.  I reacted word for word the way I was warned I would. It was awful but YMMV when it comes to meds. It just wasn’t right for me.  I was then put on Zoloft 50mgs daily and was still getting better in the back pain department.  I had no bad side effects from the Zoloft (some sweating and a little irritablity at first but was immediately better when I put down the Wellbutrin so it’s difficult to say whether it was getting off the W and on the Z or both.  Anyway, out of the blue during PT, it was discovered I have an internal impingement on my right shoulder.  Off to another specialist who says no more PT until he fixes my shoulder either with cortisone injections or simple surgery. H gave me a shot in the bursa? and my elbow was stuck to my waistline for a week. Right arm too….bummer.  The problem is that while I am away from ‘hands on’ PT, my back muscles go back into spasms and my neck tightens up and all of the progress I’ve made is fading quickly.  I am having a bit more difficulty getting in touch with the shoulder doc so no MRI has been scheduled yet and I’m hanging in limbo.  My PT is frustrated for obvious reasons–things were going so well. Let me be clear on something here: when I say my back got so much better, it is to say that the pain went from unbearable to bearable and I was able to move again and because of that progress, I was mentally more at ease (and I always believed the pain caused the anxiety since I could think of nothing else).  Anyway, during the Wellbutrin phase, I was up to the max xanax dose for me 2.5-3mgs daily.  It was awful. With the Zoloft, so far 5-6wks? I am down to .25mgs 3/day. But I can feel the urge to take more while I go through the return of the back pain and watching all that progress go down the drain. I may need to go up another .25 each day–either that or chew my lips off, grit my teeth (Oh yeah, I had 3 crowns done last month-I consider dental work a setback just for existing!) or get angry all the time, etc.  See, I was so looking forward to the AD taking over for the xanax–I just knew that Zoloft was the answer.  I feel sorta good on it; I am cautiously optimistic. Now I don’t know what to expect or how I should proceed. I know I have bored you silly—-I don’t know why my posts are always so long.  I guess I don’t want to miss anything and then I read your posts that are so clear and concise and to the point……But I had so many points <BG I look forward to your observations regarding the Zoloft, how much better do you think I should expect to get. How do I know if it’s the right one for me, and isn’t it a bitch that just when I might be able to pull everything together, half of it falls apart. I’m not going to know if the Zoloft helps my anxiety until I have a normal, calm, regular period of time in my life to evaluate it. What I mean is, the thought of the back pain returning in it’s original form is enough to scare the crap out of me. And then there’s the holidays….OMG, don’t know if I am going to make it. Thanks everyone who took the time to read this in it’s entirety.  I look forward to any

… read more »

Response:

Hi Chip, Good to hear from you!  First of all, don’t I know how complicated my situation is.  That is why it is so difficult to get a handle on any progress made and being terrified to let any of it go (the back thing). Let me itemize a bit. Smoking-easy as could be to stop, never had an urge since. Can take it or leave it for friends and family–would never preach. I always take my meds as prescribed. Never one for the other or vice versa. I do not drink alcohol at all anymore. I used to love it. Problem is, I take pain meds and xanax from the time I get up in the AM every four hours. I am on a pain mgt program so I don’t wait for the pain.  And I just happen to take the xanax at the same time. So if I were to lack one or the other, it would feel the same I’ve been living with the back and shoulder thing for 3yrs, it is better than it has ever been–and I’m mentally better for it, but I also fear a huge setback if this shoulder thing isn’t taken care of soon. I’m comfortable with all of my docs–no added anxiety there, though the shoulder guy could use a better bedside manner and might have warned me about the shoulder pain that resulted from the injection. Also, I would be less stressed if he would call back so we can get going on this. Ironically, my old insurance runs out end of Nov. and is currently paying 100% due I have met max out of pocket for year (boy, that says something doesn’t it?) Holiday season? Can’t avoid it, can I.  So I’ll just blow them away with gourmet stuffings and mouth watering desserts.  Nothing traditional–I need to occupy my mind and feed my ego <VBG.  I got through my husbands near fatal illness this summer without a scratch. You were all a tremendous help (for the 40th time). My husband is the kind of man who takes me as I am. The other morning (the shoulder morning) I walked into the bathroom when he was showering and said, "you know, I think you may want to trade me in on a newer model with a good warranty program, as it seems I’m falling apart a little more each day".  He said, "yeah, but if I recall, I got a lifetime guarantee when I married you". I bitch about him sometimes but he is head and shoulders above any other man I (personally know). And I love him dearly with never a doubt he feels the same way.  How do I rate my recovery?  Well, I feel real happiness for the first time in a long time. I get through situations normally considered difficult, with much more ease. I can go a bit longer between xanax doses. Yesterday I went 7 1/2 hrs (and though you may think they would, pain meds do not control anxiety at all!) And I no longer feel euphoria when taking my pain meds–that pleasant effect lasted a very short time……so I take them on the theory that if I don’t and my back flares up, we can undo much of what we have accomplished.  Much like the situation I face with the shoulder.  My PT is so upset–she could probably use about .25mgs Well Chip, you said all comments were welcome and I handed you a few to get started with but if I had to grade myself it would probably look something like this:  1996-F   1997-F  1998-F 1999 C+ / B- depending on the day–now that is just for my mental state and anxiety. Unfortunately, since my mental outlook depends so much on my physical health, it’s like a yo-yo.  Oh, yeah, nearly forgot–before the Zoloft, I had constant fears of having cancer or any one of 20 different horrible diseases. I tortured myself with thoughts of ‘who will take care of my family when I go’. That seems silly to me now, but it was very real believe me.  I also think the Zoloft has given me the gift of GAB as it works to control the gift of GAD. little bear Little Bear, I know for my recurrant depression and panic anxiety (with agoraphobia) I need a "cocktail" of meds including Klonopin 2 mg/day, Zoloft 150 mg/day, desipramine 50 mg/day, and p.r.n.  Xanax ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 mg/day. It can take time to find the right mixture of meds to make you feel better. And that mixture can change from time to time as your body adjusts to the chronic administration of your meds. You have the additional problems of back and shoulder pain which makes your situation even more complex than mine. I would advise taking pain meds for pain, and anti-anxiety meds for anxiety. I.E. don’t take more Xanax because you have increased back or shoulder pain! (take pain meds) It’s difficult for me to judge how you are doing because you have introduded so many variables into your equation (panic anxiety, cig smoking, back and shoulder pain, fear of "terminal" illness, stress over husband’s illness this past summer,  multiple care providers, upcoming holiday season, etc). Plus, you are married to a man and I know how difficult we can be to live with sometimes! How would you translate your progress? How are you feeling these days? How do you think you are doing? All comments and observations are welcome!! You seem to be in good spirits. Chip my progress? Hi Everyone! I have been ready to post this for a couple of days now but with all the b*llshit that’s been going on here (of which I admit to being a part of) along with some personal stuff, I just haven’t gotten around to it. I want to let you know how my meds are doing compared to before and just give you my updated condition, and hope to hear from many of you telling me I’m healed LOL. No, really, just let me know how you think I’m doing as I am a first timer on the AD thing and a long time xanax friend, as well as pain meds which tend also to produce a false sense of well-being. If it were one or the other, I know it would be much simpler to evaluate my progress so please bear with me. (PUN CERTAINLY INTENDED. ALL RIGHTY THEN, LET’S GET STARTED <g) As you may remember my problems started about 3yrs ago with horrible back pain. I was temporarily living in a town of about 10,000 after being transferred from a mega-city on the west coast. I saw any and all available docs but I believe I was clearly out of thier league and a bit of a mystery to boot. I had two kids and was a stay at home mom for the first time in my life. (And I’m old <VBG, more than 20 but less than 42). Eventually, after MRI’s and xrays, and limited bloodwork including thyroid, I was told I had no strength in my back and was sent to PT. This was a joke indeed. I might as well have been in a 4th grade P.E. class–no hands on, no direction etc.I had no improvement with my back pain but within about 3mos, I had the first of three consecutive PA’s. Of course, I had no Idea what was happening to me but the ER diagnosed them and a visit to a GP the next day confirmed it. So, that was that; I was given .25mgs xanax twice daily. I was given very little info about benzos but I assure you, I was miserable enough with the accompaning symptoms (GAD in a nutshell )-) that I would have gladly taken them anyway. I would have done anything to escape that awful panic/nervousness I was racked with. And they did the trick. After a year we moved back to the big city. I became close to a neighbor whos husband had eerily similar symptoms as mine (back and anxiety) and she recommended a doc that was supposedly the finest in his field so I called. I was desperate by then with my back pain and the panic escalated accordingly. I was told he was not taking new patients and I quite literally would not hang up, and I cried on the phone basically begging for an appt. until they set me up for 3mos later. So, I had something to look forward to finally! This was the time that I thought I could wean off of the xanax (I had learned more about the dependance issue by this time) and I weaned very slowly-or so I thought but I was hit with a series of PA’s almost exactly like the ones a year earlier. A quick call to the doc in the little town on the prairie got me scolded for going off of them with no direction or support and I was back on them but this time at .5mgs 3/day to get the GAD back under control. I have since (stupidly) tried to stop them again, but I always had other things going on and the GAD was always present so I don’t know what I was thinking except that I wanted to know that I was in control of my own body (I don’t even want to go there). IOW, it was always a huge mistake. In the year since I started seeing this back specialist (he found 3 buldging dics in my back–two in my neck and one in my upper back. He showed me the MRI I had taken in the little town and even I could see them. So, I have endured about 10 cortisone/lidocaine injections either epidural or facet joint injections and have regained full range of motion in my neck and back but the "knife in the back" pain was still there, as painful as ever. When it was clear the injections had done all they could, I was sent on to PT. BTW, this doc is very particular and insists on specific specialists when he refers me, and I go because he obviously knows what he is doing. I have been seeing a PT doc for about 2mos now and she is marvelous! (So was the shot guy TTTT) My back has been getting better…so much so that I no longer fear some terminal illness the way I constantly used to. Between the three of these specialists I was finally finding answers to the pain in the back and even relief!

Question:

I can hardly keep my thoughts together today…..I’m not going in to work again today. ….and, when I called in, she tried to make me feel guilty.   It’s almost like my hormones override these medications.  I become overly sensitive, irritable, paranoid, fearful, anxious, restless…..just to name a few symptoms.  I know that stupid depo shot is still in my system.  I can feel it. I don’t have anything to grip on to, and this is a horrible feeling.  Maybe that’s why that show Greed kept my heart pounding last night.   I know this will go away in a few days, but what do I do in the meantime? I haven’t done a "pity party" post for awhile, so I guess it was overdue.     My doc is out of town AGAIN for the weekend….. I feel like Sharyn today…..I just want to cry. ( Maria

Response:

Thanks Chip, I really like these articles…. For anyone interested, or that has PMS problems…   I took the other half of my celexa pill the other day, (because of feeling horrible, and PMS) and noticed quite immediate effects….as I was laying down for a nap, I realized she had given me 40 mg. tabs, which I break in half so they last me 2 months, or so that I can increase to 40 if I want to.  So, it turns out I’ve been taking double my usual dosage these past couple days.  (It never occurred to me, because I always broke my paxil in half). Well, the funny part is when I did this once before, not during PMS…..I was so tired, I could barely walk. This time, I feel great…..no PMS symptoms!! Today I feel very calm….and, even spent the day at the mall with some friends, (which usually makes me cranky being around crowds for long periods of time). I wasn’t a bit irritated…and, before the extra celexa I was a wreck. Now, I’m curious to see the effect it will have on me after my period….if it will be too high of a dose.   I really like this 40 mg. right now. Just an interesting self observation of my situation…. Bye, Maria    

Response:

: : Valerie Davis Raskin, MD, wrote a very good book titled, : "When Words Are Not Enough; The Women’s Prescription for : Depression and Anxiety." The book is not too expensive : and written for the general public, so you may want to : buy a copy via Amazon or some other book shop. It covers : a lot of issues that are important to women who suffer : from anxiety and depression. : : Thankyou for that information Arthur. I remember it being one of the trivia : questions, but I didn’t know what it was about. : Maria I had originally bought the book for my mother. However, she didn’t read it at first (being very psychoanalysis oriented) so I borrowed it for a while. The book is very practical; with chapters on sex, pregnancy, menstral cycles, etc. It addresses medication questions that I often see posted here in ASAP and has some nice tables on medications. I’m tempted to buy a copy for my own little anxiety-panic library. Which reminds me, mom still has my copy of Sheehan. I ought to start distributing library cards (grin). Best Wishes, Arthur

Response:

Biological Therapies in Psychiatry Alan J. Gelenberg, M.D. Treating PMS While most women experience some physical and emotional changes premenstrually, a minority are clinically impaired by the premenstrual syndrome (PMS). For ages, unproven and largely ineffectual remedies were promulgated. In recent years, however, greater methodologic rigor has enhanced clinical research on this condition. Better still, the advent of the serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants has shown that medication can alleviate PMS symptoms and reverse dysfunction. Several recent reviews present evidence and knowledgeable opinions on treating PMS. Dr Walter Brown notes that SSRIs have a much more rapid onset of action when used to treat PMS than when the same drugs are used to treat depression. (1) PMS symptoms improve almost immediately, while depressive symptoms typically take several weeks to lift. This author also observes that while serotonergic, noradrenergic, and other agents appear equal in efficacy when treating depression, only highly serotonergic antidepressants are effective for PMS. Further evidence for the role of serotonin in PMS is that tryptophan, the essential amino acid that serves as a dietary precursor for serotonin, and fenfluramine (Pondimin and Redux), which stimulates serotonin neurotransmission, also appear effective against PMS. Moreover, women with PMS show abnormalities in blood serotonin. What about other antidepressants? Yonkers and Brown write about an ongoing, multicenter trial of venlafaxine (Effexor) for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). (2) Venlafaxine can be started at 25 mg bid to manage side effects and then increased by 25 to 37.5 mg/day each cycle until remission is achieved. Investigators hope venlafaxine’s rapid onset of action will be beneficial in this type of intermittent disorder. An open trial suggested that nefazodone (Serzone) may be effective against PMDD or premenstrual exacerbation (PME) of a preexisting mood disorder when administered in daily doses of 200 to 500 mg throughout the menstrual cycle. Anxiolytic agents too might have a role to play. Limited data suggest possible efficacy for buspirone (Buspar). Yonkers and Brown also use alprazolam (Xanax) for women with mild PMS symptoms of limited duration. They recommend a starting dose of 0.25 mg bid or tid, increased as needed. In many studies of drugs to treat PMS, agents are administered daily throughout the month. But some women appear to benefit from taking a drug only during the premenstrual week or starting with the first symptom and ending with the beginning of menses. For example, clomipramine (Anafranil) is efficacious when administered only in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Although there are no systematic data on the long-term use of drugs for premenstrual disorders, Yonkers and Brown state that symptom relief appears to be maintained. What else can be done to combat PMS symptoms? Pearlstein cites recommendations to increase complex carbohydrate consumption. (3) When combined with more frequent meals, this strategy might enhance cerebral uptake of tryptophan, thereby making more serotonin available. Some women find exercise alleviates symptoms. Other nonpharmacologic strategies include cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation training. When symptoms of PMS, PMDD, or PME rise to the level of clinical significance, serotonergic antidepressants often can bring relief, with dosage and timing individualized for each patient. Recommendations for diet, exercise, and other nonpharmacologic strategies — as alternatives or additions to drug treatment — also can be considered based on preferences and circumstances. (1) Brown WA: PMS: A quiet breakthrough. Psychiatr Ann 1996; 26: 569-570. (2) Yonkers KA, Brown WA: Pharmacologic treatments for premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Psychiatr Ann 1996; 26: 586-589. (3) Pearlstein T: Nonpharmacologic treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Psychiatr Ann 1996; 26: 590-594.

Response:

Thanks Chip, I’m actually saving this in my files.   BTW, I do feel much better today, and will from now on increase my celexa dose during PMS.  I’ve actually learned a lot over the  last couple of days.  I apologize if I snapped anyone’s head off in the meantime.   Bye, Maria   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Int Clin Psychopharmacol 1999 May;14 Suppl 2:S27-33 Serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoria. Eriksson E Department of Pharmacology, Goteborg University, Sweden. Premenstrual dysphoria (PMD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, afflicting approximately 5% of all women of fertile age. The cardinal symptoms are irritability and anger. In addition, sadness, tension and carbohydrate craving are common complaints. The symptoms surface regularly between ovulation and menstruation, and disappear completely within a few days after the onset of the bleeding; in patients with remaining symptoms during the follicular phase, alternative diagnoses should be considered. In a large number of recent trials, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (clomipramine, citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline) have been shown to reduce the symptoms of PMD much more effectively than placebo; in contrast, non-serotonergic antidepressants (maprotiline, bupropion) appear to be ineffective. Interestingly, the onset of action of clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is much shorter when used for PMD than when used for depression, panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Consequently, patients with PMD can restrict the medication to the luteal phase of the cycle. In a recent placebo-controlled trial, intermittent administration of the SSRI citalopram was shown to reduce the symptoms of PMD significantly better than placebo, but also better than continuous administration of the drug. A reasonable interpretation of the latter, unexpected finding is that continuous medication may be associated with a certain development of tolerance than can be avoided by intermittent drug administration. The observation that the symptoms of PMD may be effectively reduced by SSRIs is of considerable clinical importance since previously no effective treatment for this common condition – apart from those disrupting ovarian cyclicity – has been available. It is also of theoretical importance because it constitutes one of the first pharmacological observations supporting the concept that serotonin may dampen irritability and anger in humans. PMID: 10471170, UI: 99397771

Response:

Int Clin Psychopharmacol 1999 May;14 Suppl 2:S27-33 Serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoria. Eriksson E Department of Pharmacology, Goteborg University, Sweden. Premenstrual dysphoria (PMD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, afflicting approximately 5% of all women of fertile age. The cardinal symptoms are irritability and anger. In addition, sadness, tension and carbohydrate craving are common complaints. The symptoms surface regularly between ovulation and menstruation, and disappear completely within a few days after the onset of the bleeding; in patients with remaining symptoms during the follicular phase, alternative diagnoses should be considered. In a large number of recent trials, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (clomipramine, citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline) have been shown to reduce the symptoms of PMD much more effectively than placebo; in contrast, non-serotonergic antidepressants (maprotiline, bupropion) appear to be ineffective. Interestingly, the onset of action of clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is much shorter when used for PMD than when used for depression, panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Consequently, patients with PMD can restrict the medication to the luteal phase of the cycle. In a recent placebo-controlled trial, intermittent administration of the SSRI citalopram was shown to reduce the symptoms of PMD significantly better than placebo, but also better than continuous administration of the drug. A reasonable interpretation of the latter, unexpected finding is that continuous medication may be associated with a certain development of tolerance than can be avoided by intermittent drug administration. The observation that the symptoms of PMD may be effectively reduced by SSRIs is of considerable clinical importance since previously no effective treatment for this common condition – apart from those disrupting ovarian cyclicity – has been available. It is also of theoretical importance because it constitutes one of the first pharmacological observations supporting the concept that serotonin may dampen irritability and anger in humans. PMID: 10471170, UI: 99397771

Response:

its been documented that ssri’s and benzo’s blood plasma levels change when women ovulate and vice versa when they don’t-since you are changing your bodies ability to ovulate the plasma levels may drop somewhat-you may want to ask your doc to augment some benzo or ad meds with your next shot-medroxyprogesterone acetate is a known sensitizer of depression-you can just try and pamper yourself until the effects slough off LM

Margrove, you hit the nail on the head again.  I took extra celexa today, thinking at least it will do "something."    (I don’t think she’s gonna go for increasing my benzos, and I don’t want to ask her to), but I had a really nice nap, and feel better.   That is a very very very good idea.  I think I will increase my celexa during this time of the month.   It was a one time shot (depression is putting it mildly, I was thinking of ways to end my life).  It is still in my system, and I can feel the effects during this time of the month.   Thanks, Maria

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Maria, Being male, I can’t personally relate to PMS, but the hormonal character of panic disorder has given me some appreciation of the subject. Valerie Davis Raskin, MD, wrote a very good book titled, "When Words Are Not Enough; The Women’s Prescription for Depression and Anxiety." The book is not too expensive and written for the general public, so you may want to buy a copy via Amazon or some other book shop. It covers a lot of issues that are important to women who suffer from anxiety and depression. Best Wishes, Arthur

Thankyou for that information Arthur. I remember it being one of the trivia questions, but I didn’t know what it was about. Maria

Response:

its been documented that ssri’s and benzo’s blood plasma levels change when women ovulate and vice versa when they don’t-since you are changing your bodies ability to ovulate the plasma levels may drop somewhat-you may want to ask your doc to augment some benzo or ad meds with your next shot-medroxyprogesterone acetate is a known sensitizer of depression-you can just try and pamper yourself until the effects slough off LM

Response:

Maria – YIKES…..deprovera.  I’ve heard enough nightmare stories from my two daughters and my soon-to-be daughter-in-law.  All three have had unpleasant reactions to it and some very unpleasant effects getting off.

Hi Cindy,   For the first time since I got this shot, I feel that "someone understands." My face actually lit up while reading this. (not that they had to go through the horrid mess, but that I’m not alone).   It was a one time shot…..that was enough…it just about killed me.  (literally). Thankyou for the information!! Maria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can hardly keep my thoughts together today…..I’m not going in to work again today. ….and, when I called in, she tried to make me feel guilty.   It’s almost like my hormones override these medications.  I become overly sensitive, irritable, paranoid, fearful, anxious, restless…..just to name a few symptoms.  I know that stupid depo shot is still in my system.  I can feel it. I don’t have anything to grip on to, and this is a horrible feeling.  Maybe that’s why that show Greed kept my heart pounding last night.   I know this will go away in a few days, but what do I do in the meantime? I haven’t done a "pity party" post for awhile, so I guess it was overdue. My doc is out of town AGAIN for the weekend….. I feel like Sharyn today…..I just want to cry. ( Maria Maria – YIKES…..deprovera.  I’ve heard enough nightmare stories from my two daughters and my soon-to-be daughter-in-law.  All three have had unpleasant reactions to it and some very unpleasant effects getting off. It might be of some comfort to know that your emotional reaction to the provera in depovera is typical.  Also know that symptoms of normalizing can go on for 18mo to two years.  The progesterone in depovera is a chemically synthesized progestin, not natural hormone and SOME people are terribly sensitive to it. The good news is that although it’s EXTREMELY uncomfortable, kind of like your skin wants to walk off your body and your brain wants to escape, it DOES eventually go away. Some months you may find your own production of hormones will fluctuate and some months may be worse than others.   Other chemically synthesized birth control hormones can have the same effect and even when stopped it can take up to and longer than a year to normalize your natural horomes.   So you aren’t going crazy, it’s just the hormones talking and it WILL go away. for more information about what you, in your particular situation, can do to help yourself get right sooner…a book I highly recommend (easy read too)…. "Hormonal Health" Michael Colgan, MD. Hope this helps KC Cindy

Response:

: I can hardly keep my thoughts together today…..I’m not going in to work again : today. ….and, when I called in, she tried to make me feel guilty.   It’s : almost like my hormones override these medications.  I become overly sensitive, : irritable, paranoid, fearful, anxious, restless…..just to name a few : symptoms.  I know that stupid depo shot is still in my system.  I can feel it. : : I don’t have anything to grip on to, and this is a horrible feeling.  Maybe : that’s why that show Greed kept my heart pounding last night.   : I know this will go away in a few days, but what do I do in the meantime? : I haven’t done a "pity party" post for awhile, so I guess it was overdue.     : My doc is out of town AGAIN for the weekend….. : I feel like Sharyn today…..I just want to cry. : ( : Maria Hi Maria, Being male, I can’t personally relate to PMS, but the hormonal character of panic disorder has given me some appreciation of the subject. Valerie Davis Raskin, MD, wrote a very good book titled, "When Words Are Not Enough; The Women’s Prescription for Depression and Anxiety." The book is not too expensive and written for the general public, so you may want to buy a copy via Amazon or some other book shop. It covers a lot of issues that are important to women who suffer from anxiety and depression. Best Wishes, Arthur

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I can hardly keep my thoughts together today…..I’m not going in to work again today. ….and, when I called in, she tried to make me feel guilty.   It’s almost like my hormones override these medications.  I become overly sensitive, irritable, paranoid, fearful, anxious, restless…..just to name a few symptoms.  I know that stupid depo shot is still in my system.  I can feel it. I don’t have anything to grip on to, and this is a horrible feeling.  Maybe that’s why that show Greed kept my heart pounding last night.   I know this will go away in a few days, but what do I do in the meantime? I haven’t done a "pity party" post for awhile, so I guess it was overdue. My doc is out of town AGAIN for the weekend….. I feel like Sharyn today…..I just want to cry. ( Maria

Maria – YIKES…..deprovera.  I’ve heard enough nightmare stories from my two daughters and my soon-to-be daughter-in-law.  All three have had unpleasant reactions to it and some very unpleasant effects getting off. It might be of some comfort to know that your emotional reaction to the provera in depovera is typical.  Also know that symptoms of normalizing can go on for 18mo to two years.  The progesterone in depovera is a chemically synthesized progestin, not natural hormone and SOME people are terribly sensitive to it. The good news is that although it’s EXTREMELY uncomfortable, kind of like your skin wants to walk off your body and your brain wants to escape, it DOES eventually go away. Some months you may find your own production of hormones will fluctuate and some months may be worse than others.   Other chemically synthesized birth control hormones can have the same effect and even when stopped it can take up to and longer than a year to normalize your natural horomes.   So you aren’t going crazy, it’s just the hormones talking and it WILL go away. for more information about what you, in your particular situation, can do to help yourself get right sooner…a book I highly recommend (easy read too)…. "Hormonal Health" Michael Colgan, MD. Hope this helps KC Cindy

Response:

Question:

I have just been prescribed  venlafaxine for anxiety.  Could anybody tell me anything about this drug i.e. positive and negative results. Thank you. Tracy

Basically it’s a TCA. It may well work. But other TCA’s are better researched and I would never try velafaxine as a first choice med. It it should be a TCA- which may well work and can be combined with a benzo – I’d opt for imipramine first (the mother of all TCA’s ) But of course YMMV. Philip

Response:

My understanding is that effexor is one of the ‘newer’ antidepressants that inhibits the reuptake of serotonin – like the the ssri’s [paxil zoloft] but also controls levels of noradrenaline [as the old TCAs do]. Effexor is thought to be very ‘effective’ .. but also a bit prone to producing side-effects — high blood pressure, nausea, weight -loss, sexual dysfunction etc — very similar really to the SSRIs Hope this helps Chris

Response:

I have just been prescribed  venlafaxine for anxiety.  Could anybody tell me anything about this drug i.e. positive and negative results.   Thank you. Tracy

Response:

Did not work for me at all.  The side effects were terrible.  But remember that everybody is different and it may work for you. JP – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have just been prescribed  venlafaxine for anxiety.  Could anybody tell me anything about this drug i.e. positive and negative results. Thank you. Tracy

Response:

Question:

Im looking for any information regarding results people have found using Manerix or other antidepressants for treating Panic

Response:

Im looking for any information regarding results people have found using Manerix or other antidepressants for treating Panic

Manerix is one of the so-called "reversible" MAOI antidepressants. The main advantage it seems to have over traditional MAOIs (Nardil and Parnate) is that it doesn’t impose the hefty food restrictions they do. Against that, it seems to have picked up a reputation for not being very wonderful against PD, though *some* have reported successes with it so it might be worth a try. I was on it for a few months. They were the most expensive M&Ms I’ve ever bought — Gary Cooper

Response:

Marks) writes: Org.  : York University Im looking for any information regarding results people have found using Manerix or other antidepressants for treating Panic

Dear Brad (?), Hello, and welcome to ASAP! Depending on what you want the info for, you may have to be a little more specific… I monitor this group fairly regularly, and would hazard a conservative guess that at least 50% of us are on some sort of antidepressant. Some are on the older types (e.g., imiprimine, etc.) while many others are on the newer SSRI’s (Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, etc.) Some take an antidepressant alone, others take a combination of antidepressant plus a benzodiazapine …again, the benzos seem to range from good ol’ Valium to newer things like Xanax (alprazolam) or Rivotril (called Klonopin in the U.S., available here in Canada as generic "clonazapam".) Still others take only the benzo with no antidepressant. In this, as in so many areas of life, the watchword is YMMV (your mileage may vary.) For example, I take .5 mg Rivotril (clonazapam) and 10 mg imiprimine once a day, at bedtime, which seems to keep my panic attacks at bay. My doc has suggested a switch to Zoloft and gradually dropping the Rivotril, but I’m foot-dragging… partly due to fear of change (and possibly having to experience a flood of panic attacks) and partly due to the increased $$ I will have to spend on meds if I decide to switch. Hope this helps, Jane. —

Response: