Question:

Pulmicort and Budesonide are the same medicine.  One is the trade / brand name and the other is the generic name, just like Salbutamol  is called Ventolin. The delivery device is called a turbohaler, for the powder.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello Jack, Yes I am from the UK and Flixotide is indeed fluticasone administered with the CFC free propellant-HFA 134a, known as the Evohaler (correct spelling). So in the USA it’s known as Flovent, that’s interesting to know, thanks for pointing this out to me. I asked my chemist if the old propellant ones were still available but he said they’re being fased out…..enviromental regulations. I take it this also applies in the United States? I must say, the new evohaler doesn’t give me much confidence, especially when nearing the end of it’s 120 actuations.  The spray is sometimes very weak unlike the older propellant which was very strong and you could actually taste it which I found reasurring. Anyway, I’ll persevere, like my GP suggested but I don’t like the idea of increasing the medication, that to me seems a backward step, afterall I did so well on the 50 micrograms for the past 3 years, I don’t believe my asthma as worsend, just the change in medication. This brings me onto the powder alternative, the ‘Pulmicort’, is this the name of the actual device from which the powder is administered? And what is Budesonide? Thank you to all who replied. BTW, when I visited my GP recently I had my Peak flow checked and after 3 tries I could only get as high as 450, I was quite alarmed when he said the average for a normal male of my age and height is 680. John. < John.  Don’t think I have the answers but want to clairify some items as it’s apparent you’re writing from outside the US, probably from the UK and some important names are different. Flixotide is fluticasone isn’t it?  We call it Flovent.  Available here with propellant or as a powder. If you want to try a powder ’steroid just as good I’m pretty sure you can get the Budesonide (Pulmocort) Turbuhaler Are you sure this Evoinhaler isn’t powder? You sound like someone having a bad time handling a powder ’steroid.  In which case you may want to go back to a propelled  medication whether the old  or new type. (Also in which case your doctor wasn’t listening to your complaint, ‘ cause he should sure as ____ should know whether the medicaton is powder or the new propellant.)

Response:

John.  Don’t think I have the answers but want to clairify some items as it’s apparent you’re writing from outside the US, probably from the UK and some important names are different. Flixotide is fluticasone isn’t it?  We call it Flovent.  Available here with propellant or as a powder. If you want to try a powder ’steroid just as good I’m pretty sure you can get the Budesonide (Pulmocort) Turbuhaler Are you sure this Evoinhaler isn’t powder? You sound like someone having a bad time handling a powder ’steroid.  In which case you may want to go back to a propelled  medication whether the old  or new type. (Also in which case your doctor wasn’t listening to your complaint, ‘ cause he should sure as ____ should know whether the medicaton is powder or the new propellant.)

Response:

Hello Jack, Yes I am from the UK and Flixotide is indeed fluticasone administered with the CFC free propellant-HFA 134a, known as the Evohaler (correct spelling). So in the USA it’s known as Flovent, that’s interesting to know, thanks for pointing this out to me. I asked my chemist if the old propellant ones were still available but he said they’re being fased out…..enviromental regulations. I take it this also applies in the United States? I must say, the new evohaler doesn’t give me much confidence, especially when nearing the end of it’s 120 actuations.  The spray is sometimes very weak unlike the older propellant which was very strong and you could actually taste it which I found reasurring. Anyway, I’ll persevere, like my GP suggested but I don’t like the idea of increasing the medication, that to me seems a backward step, afterall I did so well on the 50 micrograms for the past 3 years, I don’t believe my asthma as worsend, just the change in medication. This brings me onto the powder alternative, the ‘Pulmicort’, is this the name of the actual device from which the powder is administered? And what is Budesonide? Thank you to all who replied. BTW, when I visited my GP recently I had my Peak flow checked and after 3 tries I could only get as high as 450, I was quite alarmed when he said the average for a normal male of my age and height is 680. John. < – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – John.  Don’t think I have the answers but want to clairify some items as it’s apparent you’re writing from outside the US, probably from the UK and some important names are different. Flixotide is fluticasone isn’t it?  We call it Flovent.  Available here with propellant or as a powder. If you want to try a powder ’steroid just as good I’m pretty sure you can get the Budesonide (Pulmocort) Turbuhaler Are you sure this Evoinhaler isn’t powder? You sound like someone having a bad time handling a powder ’steroid.  In which case you may want to go back to a propelled  medication whether the old  or new type. (Also in which case your doctor wasn’t listening to your complaint, ‘ cause he should sure as ____ should know whether the medicaton is powder or the new propellant.)

Response:

I can remember when I couldn’t see across the street on smoggy days. I think that things are actually a lot better, as compared to the 60s for example. Perhaps you are younger, and don’t remember! Boyd — "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

Response:

I wonder whether recent environmental degeneration has had an impact on our air quality / pollutants and therefore a knock-on effect to asthma sufferers

This has been examined.  Poor air quality can aggravate existing asthma but will not cause asthma. "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea — massive, diffucult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." Gene Spafford 1992

Response:

Since I was put on Flixotide 50 (replacing Becotide 100) about three years ago, my ashtma has been very well controlled, so much so I rarely used my Ventolin/Salbutomol, quite a dramatic improvement to say I used to use my ventolin 2/3 times aday for several years. But now my inhaler has changed to a more enviromently friendly ‘Evoinhaler’ and after a couple of days of using the new evoinhaler, my asthma came back to trouble me. The first thing I noticed when using it was that I couldn’t taste the medication, very unreasurring, not knowing if it was administer correctly or not and it doesn’t spray so powerfully as the old type.  Secondly, a little while after use my chest would tighten a little and now I have a dry/barking cough, maybe it’s the different propellent that’s not suiting me? My Doctor said I should persevere, to readjust and if necessary he would increase the medication to 100. I would like to hear of other peoples experiences with this Evoinhaler, maybe you’ve noticed a difference too. Also, is Flixotide available in dry powder form?  I use to use a spinhaler which I found effective. Thanks. BTW this is my first post to a newsgroup, I discovered this newsgroup with the help of a friend. John age 35

Response:

I just got changed from Flovent to pulmicort for the same reason (propellant made my chest tight after use.) works lots better. I think Flovent has changed it’s propellant, too. Boyd — "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

Response:

Instead of Beclazone 250, I am using now Seretide 250 (a snazzy little non CFC inhaler) and it has given me alot more control of my asthma.  After nearly two years in & out of hospital I am relieved to have found it & thoroughly recomend it !! Have you noticed an increase in your own asthmatic events over the last few years? I wonder whether recent environmental degeneration has had an impact on our air quality / pollutants and therefore a knock-on effect to asthma sufferers …….

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Since I was put on Flixotide 50 (replacing Becotide 100) about three years ago, my ashtma has been very well controlled, so much so I rarely used my Ventolin/Salbutomol, quite a dramatic improvement to say I used to use my ventolin 2/3 times aday for several years. But now my inhaler has changed to a more enviromently friendly ‘Evoinhaler’ and after a couple of days of using the new evoinhaler, my asthma came back to trouble me. The first thing I noticed when using it was that I couldn’t taste the medication, very unreasurring, not knowing if it was administer correctly or not and it doesn’t spray so powerfully as the old type.  Secondly, a little while after use my chest would tighten a little and now I have a dry/barking cough, maybe it’s the different propellent that’s not suiting me? My Doctor said I should persevere, to readjust and if necessary he would increase the medication to 100. I would like to hear of other peoples experiences with this Evoinhaler, maybe you’ve noticed a difference too. Also, is Flixotide available in dry powder form?  I use to use a spinhaler which I found effective. Thanks. BTW this is my first post to a newsgroup, I discovered this newsgroup with the help of a friend. John age 35

Response:

Question:

YOU SAID YOU WAS LEAVIN’ !!!!  doncha hate when people come to yer house, advertise they’re leavin, get in tha dang car… then come back’n stay awhile? JUST when ya get nekkid and start eatin a nuked artichoke, feelin’ like you can breathe agin? ok.. i’m gunna call ya Uncle Buck from this day forward .Yoga helps a lot, and specially CBT. CBT ain’t cognitive behavioral therapy where i come from, Uncle Buck.. and i gotchur CBT !!!! Sagan, and hypochondriac. (no, english is not my mother tongue

(cept when it’s convenient)  and by tha way.. WHO ASKED YA?

Response:

I have been on Atenolol 25mg which is a beta blocker and about the lowest dose around, in fact my doctor told me that it has only been around 2 or 3 years.  I’ve been taking it for about a year now and I have to say I feel a lot more rested and together than when I was on no medication at all. Panic Attacks are rare now, although I still get bouts of anxiety but I guess that everyone.  One thing though, coming off it is annoying because of the shakes but because of my low doasge my doctor said it wouldn’t neccesarily be that much of a problem. Daniko.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Tom I take Xanax and a beta blocker, but I have a pacemaker so the beta blocker is to lower the heart rate when the pacer isn’t doin it’s job…sometimes it fires off to a rate of nearly 200bpm. If you get on a beta blocker, take it at night because it tends to make you tired and feel crappy (due to the lowering of the heart rate). — If you sing a country song backwards, you get your job and your wife back. Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues.

Hi Tom. This sounds very familiar to me. I have exactly the same problem/fear though I had more frequent attacks (one every three days) until I started to take xanax and zoloft. I feel quite well now. I’ve found that my dosage is fine, or perhaps in the borderline, at 3.5mg of Xanax XR (1.5-0.5-1.5) and 75mg of Zoloft. Sometimes I take 0.5mg of Ativan if I feel a bit anxious or Xanax IR for special occasions My resting HR is among 60 and 65 bpm, and during a Holter test, it decreased to 40 being asleep, which you know is normal, and increased to 140!!! in the afternoon because of my fear while thinking about the possible results of the test. I also had white coat HBP (140-155 sistolic and 90-95 diastolic), while my normal BP (during a 24h. monitoring was 137-87) and I was VERY anxious that whole day, I didn’t sleep at all :/ (I was not taking benzos). The lowest BP I’ve seen in body was 130/80, one night, after the doc at the ER told me I was not dying (the first time I had a panic attack), I felt so well and happy that didn’t notice they were measuring my BP Yoga helps a lot, and specially CBT. Change your point of view, stop thinking about your health/yourself. This was MHO. Good luck. Sagan, and hypochondriac. (no, english is not my mother tongue

Response:

Gary and others, Thank you for the replies.  You have eased my anxiety, and all have diagnosed me quite accurately….you’re hired.  Imagine being anxious because BP is not 120/80, or because sleep is not perfect, or because resting heart rate increases from 50 to 65 BPM.  That’s me. I suspect all of my recent ailments are related to doing too much (running, volleyball, weights), without paying enough attention to food and water intake, and paying too much attention to heart rate and blood pressure.  Interestingly, overtraining symptoms (OK, from what I’ve read in the medical literature) include anxiety, moodiness, and insomnia.  My sleep in near normal now that I’ve backed off the excessive/obsessive exercise! I have an excellent benefit plan and will see someone in the employee assistance program.  If medication is the answer, I will consider it. Thanks again for the replies.  I will stay tuned here to keep tabs on all the latest and greatest. Tom – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Tom, it just occured to me that I left out one thing I wanted to tell you. The current zeitgeist in medicine is to treat anxiety with SSRI antidepressants, such as Paxil, Effexor etc, or tricyclic antidepressants, such as desipramine or nortryptiline..  In that you referenced some episodes of what are likely postural hypotension (dizziness when standing), a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) would not be a particularly good choice for you – these drugs have a ‘moderate’ affinity for alpha 1 adrenergic receptor blockade, which is the primary reason why postural hypotension is such a common side effect with these agents.  Celexa (an SSRI) is my personal favorite because it is the most selective agent for the serotonin receptor – ten times moreso than Paxil, despite the fact that Paxil is clearly the most potent inhibitor of serotonin reuptake.  Potency is mainly a good predictor of adverse events and drug interactions, whereas selectivity will be a better predictor of clinical results.  In the slang of the psychiatry industry, Celexa (or lexapro if you like) is more "clean". Having taken many of these drugs myself, I’ve also found that Celexa is the most anxiolytic of them that I’ve tried.  Another thing I wanted to mention but forgot – I’ve been taking Xanax for 13 years now, and the dose is still the same, and it works just fine every single day. –Gary

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. Hi Tom. This sounds very familiar to me. I have exactly the same problem/fear though I had more frequent attacks (one every three days) until I started to take xanax and zoloft. I feel quite well now. I’ve found that my dosage is fine, or perhaps in the borderline, at 3.5mg of Xanax XR (1.5-0.5-1.5) and 75mg of Zoloft. Sometimes I take 0.5mg of Ativan if I feel a bit anxious or Xanax IR for special occasions My resting HR is among 60 and 65 bpm, and during a Holter test, it decreased to 40 being asleep, which you know is normal, and increased to 140!!! in the afternoon because of my fear while thinking about the possible results of the test. I also had white coat HBP (140-155 sistolic and 90-95 diastolic), while my normal BP (during a 24h. monitoring was 137-87) and I was VERY anxious that whole day, I didn’t sleep at all :/ (I was not taking benzos). The lowest BP I’ve seen in body was 130/80, one night, after the doc at the ER told me I was not dying (the first time I had a panic attack), I felt so well and happy that didn’t notice they were measuring my BP Yoga helps a lot, and specially CBT. Change your point of view, stop thinking about your health/yourself.

Now that is good advice Sagan, and is also very familiar. Now where have I heard that before?! ;o)

Response:

Tom, it just occured to me that I left out one thing I wanted to tell you. The current zeitgeist in medicine is to treat anxiety with SSRI antidepressants, such as Paxil, Effexor etc, or tricyclic antidepressants, such as desipramine or nortryptiline..  In that you referenced some episodes of what are likely postural hypotension (dizziness when standing), a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) would not be a particularly good choice for you – these drugs have a ‘moderate’ affinity for alpha 1 adrenergic receptor blockade, which is the primary reason why postural hypotension is such a common side effect with these agents.  Celexa (an SSRI) is my personal favorite because it is the most selective agent for the serotonin receptor – ten times moreso than Paxil, despite the fact that Paxil is clearly the most potent inhibitor of serotonin reuptake.  Potency is mainly a good predictor of adverse events and drug interactions, whereas selectivity will be a better predictor of clinical results.  In the slang of the psychiatry industry, Celexa (or lexapro if you like) is more "clean". Having taken many of these drugs myself, I’ve also found that Celexa is the most anxiolytic of them that I’ve tried.  Another thing I wanted to mention but forgot – I’ve been taking Xanax for 13 years now, and the dose is still the same, and it works just fine every single day. –Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Many physicians are even ill-informed on the full depth and breadth of the subject of benzodiazepines.  When *taken for an indicated condition in the amount prescribed* benzodiazepines RARELY show evidence of tolerance or tachyphylaxis (needing to take more of the drug to get the same result). Over about 30 days, and often less, they DO lose their ability to sedate generally, so are not an especially good choice for sleep medicines in the long term – for most people.  I work with hundreds of MD’s and can absolutely assure you that a blood pressure of 135/85 is something that they would be UTTERLY unconcerned with.  The American Cardiology Association says that ideally one should have the diastolic (bottom number) pressure at 85 or less, so I’d keep an eye on the sodium intake. IF your pressure were to rise further, particularly the diastolic part, the first thing they’d likely want to do would be to add a mild diuretic to your ace-inhibitor, usually hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) As an athlete with a low resting heart rate and a BP like that, you would likely be unremarkable to any cardiologist, and I’ve worked in some pretty fancy shmanzy places where virtually everything was reacted to and treated aggressively.  The point:  don’t worry so much.  If ya can’t stop worrying, get some Xanax or some anxiolytic drug from your doctor – he should be far more interested in that problem than in your enviable pulse and blood pressure.  Kudos to you for exercising, it does keep anxiety from getting totally out of hand for a lot of people. I’ll even go so far as to say that if your physician actually agreed to give you a beta blocker with numbers like that (in that the drug isn’t indicated at all), I’d fire his ass.  It is clinically dangerous to administer any amount of beta blockade to someone with a resting heart rate of 50. Kindest Regards, Gary You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax. I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers. You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85. Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels. That’s what I’ve heard.  I’ll pass thanks. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult I have no one to blame but myself.  Funny how all of my sedentary friends and relatives all feel dandy 24/7.  My New Years resolution on Nov 1: exercise less eat more work less vacation more…. Thanks for the input. Mike Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax.   I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly.

You listened to the wrong people. As a rule no *tolerance* occurs with anxiety sufferers, it’s really exceedingly rare. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers.  

I certainly agree. You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85.

Actually this is well within the normal range, no reason to worry. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Many physicians are even ill-informed on the full depth and breadth of the subject of benzodiazepines.  When *taken for an indicated condition in the amount prescribed* benzodiazepines RARELY show evidence of tolerance or tachyphylaxis (needing to take more of the drug to get the same result). Over about 30 days, and often less, they DO lose their ability to sedate generally, so are not an especially good choice for sleep medicines in the long term – for most people.  I work with hundreds of MD’s and can absolutely assure you that a blood pressure of 135/85 is something that they would be UTTERLY unconcerned with.  The American Cardiology Association says that ideally one should have the diastolic (bottom number) pressure at 85 or less, so I’d keep an eye on the sodium intake.  IF your pressure were to rise further, particularly the diastolic part, the first thing they’d likely want to do would be to add a mild diuretic to your ace-inhibitor, usually hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) As an athlete with a low resting heart rate and a BP like that, you would likely be unremarkable to any cardiologist, and I’ve worked in some pretty fancy shmanzy places where virtually everything was reacted to and treated aggressively.  The point:  don’t worry so much.  If ya can’t stop worrying, get some Xanax or some anxiolytic drug from your doctor – he should be far more interested in that problem than in your enviable pulse and blood pressure.  Kudos to you for exercising, it does keep anxiety from getting totally out of hand for a lot of people. I’ll even go so far as to say that if your physician actually agreed to give you a beta blocker with numbers like that (in that the drug isn’t indicated at all), I’d fire his ass.  It is clinically dangerous to administer any amount of beta blockade to someone with a resting heart rate of 50. Kindest Regards, Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax. I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers. You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85. Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels. That’s what I’ve heard.  I’ll pass thanks. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult I have no one to blame but myself.  Funny how all of my sedentary friends and relatives all feel dandy 24/7.  My New Years resolution on Nov 1: exercise less eat more work less vacation more…. Thanks for the input. Mike Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax.  

I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers.  

You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85. Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels.

That’s what I’ve heard.  I’ll pass thanks. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult

I have no one to blame but myself.  Funny how all of my sedentary friends and relatives all feel dandy 24/7.  My New Years resolution on Nov 1: exercise less eat more work less vacation more…. Thanks for the input. Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax.

i dunno what the topic is, but xanax ALWAYS gets MY vote.. AYE! Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult

not difficult at all.. come live at my house. BADDA BING ! ::tossin backah twinkie:: ~tanya

Response:

Tom I take Xanax and a beta blocker, but I have a pacemaker so the beta blocker is to lower the heart rate when the pacer isn’t doin it’s job…sometimes it fires off to a rate of nearly 200bpm. If you get on a beta blocker, take it at night because it tends to make you tired and feel crappy (due to the lowering of the heart rate). — If you sing a country song backwards, you get your job and your wife back.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax..  In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers.  Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Question:

The loss of bloating and heart burn after eliminating wheat is very common to low carbers.  If you eat wheat it will come back with a vengeance. However, I found that after 1 1/2 yrs of low carbing when I reintroduced modest amounts of wheat back into my diet I no longer had major problems with it. The explanation may be that resting the system allows something to heal.

Response:

I used to have chronic bloating and stomach pain every evening after meals. Yet, when I tried LC, my bloating disappeared. I am thinking I might be allergic to wheat or something like that.  Has anyone else experienced positive side effects (besides weight loss), as a result of eliminating or cutting back on carbs? Tina

I haven’t had gas problems since I started. I used to have them all the time. My mood cycles (I have been manic-depressive all my life) have pretty much cleared up. Any bad periods only last a couple of days, and they have been rare. I have much better muscle control ( I have benign essential tremor and sclerotic symptoms) in fact I’m starting art again, and can go back to playing instruments I haven’t been able to play in years. Sandra lc since 1/15/01 290/251/145 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

I used to have chronic bloating and stomach pain every evening after meals. Yet, when I tried LC, my bloating disappeared. I am thinking I might be allergic to wheat or something like that.  Has anyone else experienced positive side effects (besides weight loss), as a result of eliminating or cutting back on carbs?

I think that bloating after eating wheat/grain products is a symptom of Celiac Disease, something that basically makes people who are allergic to the grain products and don’t know it very ill. Or you could just have a digestive system sensitive to grains. Amy

Response:

Welcome to the group!  Keep on posting!  I think you’ve got a great attitude about your weight and putting more importance on how you feel. Don’t think you’ve got to stick with eggs for breaky… anything will do. Last night’s leftovers, even.  Sometime’s I’ll panfry a pork chop or chicken breast for breakfast, or have a protein shake.  Haven’t done this in a while, but there’s a recipe for flax meal hot cereal that is yummy, too, plus provides lots of fiber as well as good fats.  Of course, unless you’re in the southern hemisphere, it’s starting to get too warm to have hot cereal in the morning.. but to each his own. LOL! Good luck on your low carb journey! — Cheers! Nicole K. 263/202/150 ~~ Yes, its tough to do, but the results that last a lifetime are      worth more then a bowl of ice cream that lasts only 5 mins.          –Tinakaye

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – << – PMS virtually disappeared yes, me too since starting this Low carb. this is my first time posting on here, since i’ve been trying out this low carb thing i haven’t been really following like the induction diet too closely but i will soon.. i found that i very rarely have cravings for sweets(which are the worst for me) and pasta/bread. that the hunger pains disappeared,(usually when i don’t skip lunch) and have less bloatedness and stomachache aches. I haven’t  noticed any weight losses yet which b/c i don’t like the scale, i’m like 200lbs by the Dr’s scale, so i would like to be about 150 but i’ve always went by how i feel and how my clothes fit. I want to really start this induction diet soon, but i’ve found that i’d never thought i’d get tired of eggs b/c sometimes i don’t know what else to eat esp. for breakfat. i’ve been trying to cut down on the caffeine which is the hardest b/c i feel that it causes me to be more hungry afterwards. so hopefully i can get more motivation to do this induction diet and start ’seeing’ some results! take care, kim

Response:

I also had occasional "wind" problems that were solved by this WOE and return when I go back to my evil ways –especially sweets! Kirsten

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering for a minute there how "wind" could cause stomach aches. but now I understand you didn’t mean the weather kind — -Beth, Pseudo usenet cop BikeE FX, AT and rans gliss Anchorage, Alaska http://home.gci.net/~dawg/ My daughter suffered with stomach aches caused by wind. On the second day of induction she wasnt a nice person to be around but she has got rid of her stomach ache and hopefully the wind that was causing it. I used to have chronic bloating and stomach pain every evening after meals. Yet, when I tried LC, my bloating disappeared. I am thinking I might be allergic to wheat or something like that.  Has anyone else experienced positive side effects (besides weight loss), as a result of eliminating or cutting back on carbs? Tina

Response:

<< – PMS virtually disappeared yes, me too since starting this Low carb. this is my first time posting on here, since i’ve been trying out this low carb thing i haven’t been really following like the induction diet too closely but i will soon.. i found that i very rarely have cravings for sweets(which are the worst for me) and pasta/bread. that the hunger pains disappeared,(usually when i don’t skip lunch) and have less bloatedness and stomachache aches. I haven’t  noticed any weight losses yet which b/c i don’t like the scale, i’m like 200lbs by the Dr’s scale, so i would like to be about 150 but i’ve always went by how i feel and how my clothes fit. I want to really start this induction diet soon, but i’ve found that i’d never thought i’d get tired of eggs b/c sometimes i don’t know what else to eat esp. for breakfat. i’ve been trying to cut down on the caffeine which is the hardest b/c i feel that it causes me to be more hungry afterwards. so hopefully i can get more motivation to do this induction diet and start ’seeing’ some results! take care, kim

Response:

I was wondering for a minute there how "wind" could cause stomach aches. but now I understand you didn’t mean the weather kind — -Beth, Pseudo usenet cop BikeE FX, AT and rans gliss Anchorage, Alaska http://home.gci.net/~dawg/

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My daughter suffered with stomach aches caused by wind. On the second day of induction she wasnt a nice person to be around but she has got rid of her stomach ache and hopefully the wind that was causing it. I used to have chronic bloating and stomach pain every evening after meals. Yet, when I tried LC, my bloating disappeared. I am thinking I might be allergic to wheat or something like that.  Has anyone else experienced positive side effects (besides weight loss), as a result of eliminating or cutting back on carbs? Tina

Response:

My daughter suffered with stomach aches caused by wind. On the second day of induction she wasnt a nice person to be around but she has got rid of her stomach ache and hopefully the wind that was causing it.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I used to have chronic bloating and stomach pain every evening after meals. Yet, when I tried LC, my bloating disappeared. I am thinking I might be allergic to wheat or something like that.  Has anyone else experienced positive side effects (besides weight loss), as a result of eliminating or cutting back on carbs? Tina

Response:

I used to have chronic bloating and stomach pain every evening after meals. Yet, when I tried LC, my bloating disappeared. I am thinking I might be allergic to wheat or something like that.  Has anyone else experienced positive side effects (besides weight loss), as a result of eliminating or cutting back on carbs? Tina

Response:

Absolutely! – PMS virtually disappeared.  Now I have to pay excrutiating attention to the calendar instead of relying on breast tenderness, bloating, moodiness, rages, etc to indicate that my period was about to start. – Digestive problems greatly diminished. – Depression has disappeared.  I’m now on an even keel emotionally for the first time in my life. – I’m awake and alert all day, where before I used to take a nosedive onto my desk at about 2 in the afternoon. –  I sleep better and can wake up easier in the morning. – Food no longer has control over me. – I can stop eating when I’m satisfied instead of being compelled to eat more, even if I was gorged. Oh, and I’ve lost 61 pounds. — Cheers! Nicole K. 263/202/150 ~~ Yes, its tough to do, but the results that last a lifetime are      worth more then a bowl of ice cream that lasts only 5 mins.          –Tinakaye

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I used to have chronic bloating and stomach pain every evening after meals. Yet, when I tried LC, my bloating disappeared. I am thinking I might be allergic to wheat or something like that.  Has anyone else experienced positive side effects (besides weight loss), as a result of eliminating or cutting back on carbs? Tina

Response:

Question:

Hi Betsy, Excellent thread! For those of you who are on antidepressants, what different sorts of experiences have you had that show they’re working? We’re all taught to recognize such symptoms of depression as deep sadness, lack of energy, apathy, etc.

What shows they are working.  I think it’s good to approach this from both the lack of negative symptoms *and* the return of positives: – Less deep sadness, replaced by feelings of calm or "normalcy".  The "normalcy" is noticed by realizations that "hey!  this is how I used to feel when I wasn’t depressed!". – Lack of energy, replaced by just the ability to get out of bed and in the shower in order to make it to work on time.  Feeling rested after a normal nights sleep, instead of wanting to sleep all day. – Apathy replaced by hope that things can get better, and caring about that, which also can ironically cause some fear in me.  In the 3 weeks I’ve been taking meds for dysthymia (low grade chronic depression), these things, to the less profound degree I’ve felt them, have cleared up.  

Good!  I’m glad for you! But a more noticeable difference for me is a greater ability/willingness to be open and honest with my feelings *before* a fuse gets lit — I don’t keep from speaking up and let things fester so much.  Then a problem can be resolved when it’s still small, and my feelings stay more neutral during and after the resolution.  It’s weird.  : )

I’ve noticed that I tend to be able to resolve things in a more tactful appropriate manner sooner when I’m doing well on antidepressants.  One concern that I have is that one of the meds I take is Klonopin, and it gives me what I would consider an artificial self confidence and changes my personality in ways that I’m more laid back and I’ve noticed that people respond very positively to that.  My sense of humor increases too, or at least my ability to convey it. The concern is that Klonopin is addictive, and I must moderate its use.  I never take more than the prescribed dosage, but sometimes recently I have been taking up to 2mg (like today), so I want to go a week or so without it, or maybe taking only .5mg. Two of the lesser-talked-about symptoms of depression are persistent feelings of low self-worth and guilt.  I’m not saying that antidepressants are the cure-all for these feelings, but I wonder if the meds are helping to relieve some of these feelings in me so that speaking up is a more tolerable option now?

I think this goes back to speaking up — that can help relieve guilt. If you’re feeling less depressed and good about yourself in general, it’s easier to brush off someone else’s inappropriate guilt feelings. This past weekend I told my Mom I was going to try to contact the Make a Wish Foundation to see if she could get tickets to see Tiger Woods in Rockford.  My Mom’s been through a lot, she loves Tiger Woods, and it would make her sooooooo happy.  It would make me equally or more happy to be able to make her happy.  Well, when I asked my Mom if I have her permission to do that, my sister said, in an irritated condescending tone of voice that Make a Wish is only for terminally ill children. Well, my first feeling was hurt.  I had taken a risk and gone out of my way to try to do something positive, and immediately it was shot down by my sister (but my Mom liked the idea — anything to see Tiger Woods  My sister started to say more, and I realized I didn’t want to get into a debate with her.  So, I said I didn’t want to talk about it.  She called me rude for not wanting to talk about it, that when someone wants to talk I "should" talk.  I said no, I’m setting a boundary and I choose not to talk about it. Mainly, because I saw it as a lose-lose conversation or a win-lose conversation.  In converstations like that, I don’t want to be the winner or loser.  I want it to be win-win, or an intelligent discussion of the ways to find out what the Make a Wish covers, and also an acknowledgement of the intent. If I were in depression, I may not have been as internally comfortable about how I handled it.  I was at peace after I set the boundary, event though my sister was frustrated and tried to get me to participate more in the conversation. She also has a young daughter.  During the weekend she said "Kevin!!! Shannon has hair spray in her hand, you "should" have closed the bathroom door".  I said "Sure, no problem, I will be happy to do that in the future.  I just need to be informed of these things and you hadn’t let me know to do that".  She said yes, I know I did because I told Randy (my brother).  (as if someone else is evidence that she told me).  I left it as a final "I don’t believe you told me otherwise I would have gladly complied, but I’ll be sure to do it in the future". It’s almost like the meds have taken the power out of the "excuses" depression makes me vulnerable to (I’m too tired; it’ll never work; I’m not good enough) and the healthier thoughts I’ve been planting all along in therapy, etc. have a chance to actually be heard — by me.

YES.  *This* is what meds (IMO) are good for.  The depression support group I go to says this too, and this is my experience.  For me, the meds put me in a state where I’m more willing to remember and apply the healthy thoughts from therapy and other sources, and it also makes therapy more effective — instead of always dealing with depression in therapy and "dysthymia-struggles" (to coin a term), it can get to dealing more in the soluiton. Of course, it could all be placebo effect, too.  At this point I really don’t care.  : )  Just wondered what you guys have experienced?

I don’t think it’s the placebo effect.  After years of taking meds, not taking them when I was supposed to, forgetting to take them, not taking them as prescribed, taking them while drinking, I eventually had a lot of empirical data that leads me to believe, for me anyway, that the meds do help a lot.  I have been taking them as prescribed, except for Klonopin which I choose to take as needed because I know how addictive it can be. Betsy

Another point about meds.  Sometimes it takes a loooong time to find a good match, or the right meds (not to mention a good psychiatrist). Right now, crossing fingers, the combination of 150mg of Effexor XR, with 50mg Zoloft recently re-added (because I was proactive and contacted the psychiatrist), occasional use of Klonopin as needed, and 50-100mg of Trazodone for sleeping (I almost always take 50mg) works very well.  Today, I can honestly say I feel "normal" (just for today).  Maybe a little depressed and sad, but at least functional. About the placebo effect.  I wonder whether the full spectrum lights and the SAD lights have a placebo effect for me.  I don’t care.  All I know is that after a long day at work under my full spectrum light, when I go out into the dark winter here, I almost feel like I had a day of sunshine and the dark night seems more natural.  So, the lighting helps also. Kevin P.S. — thanks for your recent e-mail Betsy, I’ll try to get back to you (and a few others who’ve e-mailed in the last few weeks, some of whom I haven’t heard from in a while)

Response:

For those of you who are on antidepressants, what different sorts of experiences have you had that show they’re working? We’re all taught to recognize such symptoms of depression as deep sadness, lack of energy, apathy, etc.  In the 3 weeks I’ve been taking meds for dysthymia (low grade chronic depression), these things, to the less profound degree I’ve felt them, have cleared up.  But a more noticeable difference for me is a greater ability/willingness to be open and honest with my feelings *before* a fuse gets lit — I don’t keep from speaking up and let things fester so much.  Then a problem can be resolved when it’s still small, and my feelings stay more neutral during and after the resolution.  It’s weird.  : ) Two of the lesser-talked-about symptoms of depression are persistent feelings of low self-worth and guilt.  I’m not saying that antidepressants are the cure-all for these feelings, but I wonder if the meds are helping to relieve some of these feelings in me so that speaking up is a more tolerable option now? It’s almost like the meds have taken the power out of the "excuses" depression makes me vulnerable to (I’m too tired; it’ll never work; I’m not good enough) and the healthier thoughts I’ve been planting all along in therapy, etc. have a chance to actually be heard — by me. Of course, it could all be placebo effect, too.  At this point I really don’t care.  : )  Just wondered what you guys have experienced? Betsy

Response:

– Lack of energy, replaced by just the ability to get out of bed and in the shower in order to make it to work on time.  Feeling rested after a normal nights sleep, instead of wanting to sleep all day.

I’ve stopped taking 3-4 hour naps on the weekends.  : )  There’s all sorts of stuff to do when you look for it. I’ve noticed that I tend to be able to resolve things in a more tactful appropriate manner sooner when I’m doing well on antidepressants.  One concern that I have is that one of the meds I take is Klonopin, and it gives me what I would consider an artificial self confidence and changes my personality in ways that I’m more laid back and I’ve noticed that people respond very positively to that.

Is it an antianxiety med?  It’s interesting that you say it feels like an artificial self-confidence.  Does that mean that anxiety feels natural for you??  I don’t quite know how to respond, except that you seem to be staying self-aware about your use of it and that’s a good thing. I think this goes back to speaking up — that can help relieve guilt. If you’re feeling less depressed and good about yourself in general, it’s easier to brush off someone else’s inappropriate guilt feelings.

Exactly.  And the low self-esteem, that also leads to not speaking up or even counting my needs and feelings as important enough to bother dealing with. It’s a sort of self-sustaining loop in depression, apathy/low self-worth/lethargy. Regarding the incident with your sister, she sounds more than a little stressed-out herself.  : )  But you handled her very well! It’s almost like the meds have taken the power out of the "excuses" depression makes me vulnerable to (I’m too tired; it’ll never work; I’m not good enough) and the healthier thoughts I’ve been planting all along in therapy, etc. have a chance to actually be heard — by me. YES.  *This* is what meds (IMO) are good for.  The depression support group I go to says this too, and this is my experience.

You don’t know how encouraging it is to hear this, Kevin. One of the worst things about chronic depression is that little by little, year by year, you’re just resigning yourself to the fact that this is what life feels like.  You don’t even think it CAN be different.  It’s such a relief to know there’s something that can actually help.  And yet, I don’t feel as if the meds are "doing" it to me, I feel like I’m the one making the choices and changing my behavior.  I don’t think it’s the placebo effect.  After years of taking meds, not taking them when I was supposed to, forgetting to take them, not taking them as prescribed, taking them while drinking, I eventually had a lot of empirical data that leads me to believe, for me anyway, that the meds do help a lot.  I have been taking them as prescribed, except for Klonopin which I choose to take as needed because I know how addictive it can be.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, it really is valuable to me. You’ve been around the block with this and I know you speak from experience. Happy New Year! Betsy

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Shanon, How is it different that I am using a drug to alter the way I feel in somewhat the same way that they are using drugs to alter the way that they feel. -)  You are being monitored by a professional throughout the complete period of taking your "drugs" — your friends are not. -)  You are being prescribed the correct dosage of your "drug" — your friends not. -)  Your friends may become addicted to their drugs — you are *very* unlikely to become addicted to yours.

I agree with you completely.  I’m not a chemist, so when I was using pot all those years I really had no idea exactly what dosage I needed to obtain the feeling I wanted.  And I didn’t want to alleviate a painful condition, I wanted to obtain a high. The partnership with one and maybe two professionals, if you have a therapist, makes treatment with meds for depression a vastly different experience than chasing a high with street drugs. Betsy

Response:

Shanon, How is it different that I am using a drug to alter the way I feel in somewhat the same way that they are using drugs to alter the way that they feel.

-)  You are being monitored by a professional throughout the complete period of taking your "drugs" — your friends are not. -)  You are being prescribed the correct dosage of your "drug" — your friends not. -)  Your friends may become addicted to their drugs — you are *very* unlikely to become addicted to yours. Yes, medicine can also be a "drug" and basically humans can become addicted to almost anything, I think. Drugs have been widely used since the beginning of mankind. Weren’t it the Maya who used leaves of the coke plant to enhance their bodily capabilities?? The main difference between the drug known as medicine and what people think of as "real" drugs is that there is a safety/precaution variable included — your doc. If you’re self-medicating yourself its drug abuse and may lead to dependency. At least I think of it that way. Hope that helped. Pete ;O) — ~ But if you’re in the eye of storm. Think of the lonely dove. The experience of survival is the key. To the gravitiy of love. ~ -Enigma

Response:

Since I have started Paxil, I have noticed so many positive effects.. First of all, my anxiety level has plummetted  - thank God!!  Secondly, my need to complete everything in order has subsided a little bit, I no longer panic if I don’t follow a schedule  or stick to an exact plan.  My depression has gotten so much better as well, I still feel bad sometimes, but nothing how I used to feel. But, then I wonder if this is a good thing.  I mean, I have friends who do drugs like pot and ecstacy – they say that the drugs make them happy – ecstacy makes them feel empathetic and like they have a connection with people.  Pot makes them calm, helps them concentrate, takes the edge off of their angry dispositions.  So I’m wondering, how am I different from them in my own use of Paxil?  How is it different that I am using a drug to alter the way I feel in somewhat the same way that they are using drugs to alter the way that they feel.  The only difference is that my drugs are legal.   I guess I’m rambling.. Shanon

Response:

For those of you who are on antidepressants, what different sorts of experiences have you had that show they’re working?

I am able to sleep.  I am able to not obsess about things, to let things go, to go to work.  I am able to eat better without so much worry that I will wake up the next morning weighting a ton.  When I have gone off my antidepressants the first thing I notice returning is my anxiety, which results in insomnia and obsessive compulsive behaviors.  I have gone off and back on many times against medical advise, and I know that they help me tremendously.  When I am off, I crash so bad.  Love Kal

Response:

i am not as reactive emotionally. but in a good way.  i can still cry and i do feel anger, but its not rage anymore.

What a relief this must be.  I have had flashes of rage throughout the years, for me I think they’re related to unrelenting depression.   it has slowed my mind down.  my mind used to race so fast , i talked fast, etc.  now i am more even keeled.  it has helped me to sleep better and longer.  which is wonderful considering my history of insomnia.  and i am more positive thinking now, i dont get so down on myself and i dont feel hopeless. i look for solutions to problems now and it helps to keep my chin up

but you’re an important part of ase-d for me. You are not your struggles, you are the person inside and I just wanted to let you know I see you.  : ) Happy New Year! Betsy

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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi there i take xanax 0.5mgs 4 x day..I just started celexa today to hel p with the obsessive thought patterns i seem to get into…I started at 10mgs..I understand i am supposed to ween off xanax..but by how much?? Tonight i am going to cut my usual pill in half making my daily dose .25 less then regular..how long should i maintain this before reducing more?? My shrink is on holidays and i finally got up enough courage to try a new med….sheesh shitty timing on my part.. also is it ok to advil for headaches while on these meds? I also take 40mgs a day of propanolol…thanks Shannon oh and please dont tell me bad stuff about celexa like side effects etc..or else i will think i have them and stop the meds….please only good stuff Thanks

Shannon, You shouldn’t wean off Xanax while weaning on Celexa. Xanax helps you avoiding initial Celexa side effects which you’re so afraid of. So you’d better wait till Celexa is working properly. You can take Advil for headaches with your other meds but it might be a good question to consider whether your headache is’t an anxiety symptom too which may disappear when the Celexa will have kicked in (which may take a while, up to eight weeks although beneficial effect may come much earlier). Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – —

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi there i take xanax 0.5mgs 4 x day..I just started celexa today to hel p with the obsessive thought patterns i seem to get into…I started at 10mgs..I understand i am supposed to ween off xanax..but by how much?? Tonight i am going to cut my usual pill in half making my daily dose .25 less then regular..how long should i maintain this before reducing more?? My shrink is on holidays and i finally got up enough courage to try a new med….sheesh shitty timing on my part.. also is it ok to advil for headaches while on these meds? I also take 40mgs a day of propanolol…thanks Shannon oh and please dont tell me bad stuff about celexa like side effects etc..or else i will think i have them and stop the meds….please only good stuff Thanks

Shannon –   I’ll start with the positive report that I’ve been on Zoloft (another SSRI like Celexa) for 10 weeks with no big problems with side-effects…I have another friend who’s fiancee is on Celexa and loves it!  Also, I’ve been on Xanax and Zoloft the entire time and have taken Advil several times with no problems…   As far as the Xanax weening, take your time…I was taking .25 mg/ 6 times a day…I am now down to three…First things first, I would not reduce your Xanax for at least several weeks so that you have time to adjust to the Celexa and see some results (the AD’s will not do anything for several weeks).  From my doctor’s advice and my own experience I recommend the following to ensure no problems:  Reduce your intake by no more than .25 mg/week…The best thing to do is to stop taking it first at times when you normally feel least anxious (for me the bedtime dose went first)…Also, DON’T feel like you must adhere to your reduced dosage…If you are having breakthrough problems (as per me the last few days), I’ve found you are much better off taking the extra dose that day so that you don’t aggrevate your situation…You should be able to go to your reduced dose as soon as your breakthrough ends… Hope this all helps… — Charles Phipps

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi there i take xanax 0.5mgs 4 x day..I just started celexa today to hel p with the obsessive thought patterns i seem to get into…I started at 10mgs..I understand i am supposed to ween off xanax..but by how much?? Shannon oh and please dont tell me bad stuff about celexa like side effects etc..or else i will think i have them and stop the meds….please only good stuff Thanks Shannon –  I’ll start with the positive report that I’ve been on Zoloft (another SSRI like Celexa) for 10 weeks with no big problems with side-effects…I have another friend who’s fiancee is on Celexa and loves it!  Also, I’ve been on Xanax and Zoloft the entire time and have taken Advil several times with no problems…  As far as the Xanax weening, take your time…I was taking .25 mg/ 6 times a day…I am now down to three…First things first, I would not reduce your Xanax for at least several weeks so that you have time to adjust to the Celexa and see some results (the AD’s will not do anything for several weeks).  From my doctor’s advice and my own experience I recommend the following to ensure no problems:  Reduce your intake by no more than .25 mg/week…The best thing to do is to stop taking it first at times when you normally feel least anxious (for me the bedtime dose went first)…Also, DON’T feel like you must adhere to your reduced dosage…If you are having breakthrough problems (as per me the last few days), I’ve found you are much better off taking the extra dose that day so that you don’t aggrevate your situation…You should be able to go to your reduced dose as soon as your breakthrough ends… Hope this all helps… — Charles Phipps

Hi Shannon! I’m only 6 weeks ahead of you! Just Xanax and Celexa-not the other one. I didn’t even discuss weaning for the 1st 4 weeks when everything started kicking in with the Celexa. My doc said I’d probably "know" when it was time and she was right. Now that the Celexa is working, the Xanax actually works like it does for people without panic-I get too sleepy! And like Charles, I’ve had moments or a day when I had to take that extra .25mg after not having it-just try to go with the flow, which will probably be your mood eventually anyway. Just take it a day at a time. BTW, I was on 3mgs a day total of Xanax for almost 3 years-I’m down to 2.25mgs a day and everythings been just fine. Celexa does work well. Try to get back to me when you want to know about any of the less pretty aspects…most were transient and not bad at all. I thought it was helpful to find people who had the same reactions. Otherwise, I think I would have been more paranoid. Let me know. Denise – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Hi there i take xanax 0.5mgs 4 x day..I just started celexa today to hel p with the obsessive thought patterns i seem to get into…I started at 10mgs..I understand i am supposed to ween off xanax..but by how much?? Tonight i am going to cut my usual pill in half making my daily dose .25 less then regular..how long should i maintain this before reducing more?? My shrink is on holidays and i finally got up enough courage to try a new med….sheesh shitty timing on my part.. also is it ok to advil for headaches while on these meds? I also take 40mgs a day of propanolol…thanks Shannon oh and please dont tell me bad stuff about celexa like side effects etc..or else i will think i have them and stop the meds….please only good stuff Thanks — Shannon the Barbarian ~*Note To Self : Never, ever post to a Newsgroup again without Headgear and Full Body Armor*~

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi there i take xanax 0.5mgs 4 x day..I just started celexa today to hel p with the obsessive thought patterns i seem to get into…I started at 10mgs..I understand i am supposed to ween off xanax..but by how much?? Tonight i am going to cut my usual pill in half making my daily dose .25 less then regular..how long should i maintain this before reducing more?? My shrink is on holidays and i finally got up enough courage to try a new med….sheesh shitty timing on my part.. also is it ok to advil for headaches while on these meds? I also take 40mgs a day of propanolol…thanks Shannon oh and please dont tell me bad stuff about celexa like side effects etc..or else i will think i have them and stop the meds….please only good stuff Thanks

Hi Shannon, In my opinion this is not the time to be weaning off your Xanax. Most people while weaning on a anti-depressant use a benzo to help them. If you start getting funny physical sensations, you might blame the Celexa when it is really being caused by weaning off Xanax. Who told you that you had to wean off Xanax? I really advise you against decreasing your Xanax dose as of this time. You need to talk to your therapist when he gets back from holiday. I do not recommend taking Advil with the Propanolol. I would call your doctor and discuss this with him. There is a possible interaction if you take the two, and that is a decreased anti-hypertensive effect of the Propanolol. Tylenol should be fine. I think I answered you questions without saying anything bad about the Celexa…..<G!!!! Good luck!! Jackie "Strange as it may seem, my life is based on a true story

Response:

Question:

Hi Wes, by my babysitter as a child. I too have no problem with my sex drive or getting an erection. I just orgasm less than a minute into sex & lose the desire to continue. I want to continue but the drive is no longer

Your sex drive seems OK. Have you tried an anti-depressants like Zoloft (Sertraline)? They can delay the orgasm. — FBI, CIA, KGB, Interpol, MIB, MI6… choke on this pal! Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

The best "lesson" I’ve never read. — Samy (France)

Response:

Everything which you posted was so true, I congratulate you Many years ago in a now outdated book called "Any Man Can" I learned that orgasm and ejaculation are NOT the same thing and that a guy can masturbate having multiple orgasms as long as he does not ejaculate. Just knowing that one can do this was a real shocker. The stop and start technique which you so very well described IS the way to multiple orgasms….and it works. For me it is not possible to do while having intercourse, because I really believe that "Mother Nature" intended us to ejaculate (as soon as possible) and reproduce. That IS what sex is really all about…..continued repopulation. I am interested in the ancient Celtics ad have read that groups of guys( cousins and brothers) stood around waiting their turn to have sex with the women…so any guy taking too long to "get it done" would most likely removed from the female. As an added interest since the "tribes" were brothers and cousins etc, any baby born would obviously look like every one else – fair skinned and lightish hair. This child would then be greatly accepted by the tribe regardless of its father. BOB

Response:

Fabulous answer, Fred . :::::::::standing ovation:::::::::::

Wes, First off, stop beating yourself up.  EVERY man, expecially young ones masturbate.  If someone tells you he doesn’t masturbate you can rest assured he’s lying (yes, even married men and old codgers like most of us on this newsgroup). From about 14, or whenever you reach puberty, through into the twenties, many masturbate daily or even several times a day. ALL MEN either fantasize about sexual situations or look at porno while they masturbate.   IT DOES NO HARM!  If you jack off too much, your body will make you slow down automatically because you’ll either get a sore dick or you just can’t get it up any more on that particular day.   What CAN happen is you can train yourself to come as quickly as possible while masturbating, either because you’re afraid of being caught doing it, you’re doing it when you don’t have much time, or you feel guilty about it.  When you start to have sex with a partner that quick-cum training can carry over and cause you to cum too quickly. As to not being able to get an erection again after you cum, that’s perfectly normal.  It’s called a "refactory period", and the amount of time before you can get an erection again varies greatly between individuals.  The older you get, the longer it takes before you can get another erection.  It’s very rare to find a man who can get an erection again right away after cumming, or avoid losing it at all. Supposedly some young teens can, but I believe that ability fades quickly. There are some things you can do to avoid this Premature Ejaculation (that’s the proper name for it). One is to masturbate before you expect to have sex (far enough ahead of time to get through the refactory period). You should be able to last longer on the second go-around after masturbating earlier.  Some recommend pulling out when you feel it coming, but before you reach the point of no return and having your _partner_ (not yourself) squeeze hard on the head of your penis.  Some recommend trying to think of something else during sex; preferably something you don’t particularly like, to take your mind off it (although this seems to me like it’d take a lot of the pleasure out of sex).  You can also be sure to wear a heavy duty condom and maybe get and use some desensitizing cream, (Prolong is one trade name)  You can get it at a pharmacy or a sex shop.  Be sure to put the cream on and then use a condom on top of it or you’ll desensitize your partner as well. The long term solution is to retrain yourself to lay back and enjoy sex for the great feelings of the slow buildup leading eventually to orgasm, without any sense of urgency.  You can do this with SLOW masturbation to EVENTUAL orgasm, which will have the added bonus of relieving some of the sexul tension and horniness which contribute to your cumming too quickly.   Extended mutual foreplay with your girlfriend, having her stop stimulation when you feel you’re near the edge, can also help. Concentrate on her feelings rather than your own, and try to get her to orgasm either orally, manually or both as many times as you can before you enter. A woman’s centers of sexual pleasure include the vagina only incidentally and she can get as much or more pleasure from stimulation of her clitoris, breasts and nipples, inner thighs, ears, neck, anus (stroke it lightly with a moistened finger or use your tongue), lips, buttocks, feet,  and any other areas she points out (Ask her.  Do the things she says she likes and avoid those she doesn’t.).  Don’t overlook the value of holding, hugging, kissing and just general caressing. To me, at least, there’s nothing that’s as much of a turnon as  giving my wife a series of screaming, out of control orgasms. There’s also a masturbation technique you could try to train yourself not to cum so quickly: First, you need to masturbate when you can take your time and really enjoy the sensations without the possibility of being disturbed.   Lay back on the bed, use some good lube like KY jelly or Astroglide and handle your penis very lightly all over with the fingertips of both hands just enough to maintain your erection. Keep a cup of warm water handy to remoisten the lube from time to time. If you feel yourself getting too close, stop for awhile until the sensation slacks off, then begin again. The idea is to make the good sensations last as long as possible without ejaculating.  Don’t use your fist, just the tips of your fingers lightly stroking the underside of the shaft, your balls, and  your inner thighs. Run a finger lightly from your anus up over your balls to the tip of your penis several times.  Relax and concentrate on the sensations and nothing else. You should be able to go on as long as you like this way, without ejaculating.  When you decide it’s time to cum, increase the tempo and pressure just enough to bring yourself slowly to orgasm. Don’t beat it frantically.. remember there’s no urgency. In the future, try to avoid masturbating when you’re hurried for any reason, or there’s a possiblilty you might be disturbed by someone intruding on your solitude. Use this technique as often as the opportunity presents itself, and you should find that you’ll learn a lot more self control, as well as enjoying sex more.  Using the extended foreplay techniques on your partner will make your sex last longer and give you both more satisfaction, even if you’re never able to lengthen the duration of actual intercourse. Good Luck!

Response:

I waz wondering if Yu had any progress with any of the suggestions in curing yur problem? & if so, what did Yu use to cure it? My name is Wes & I am only 19 years old. I too am experiencing some dysfunction of my erection. But I think I brought it on myself. I have had a difficult past where I constantly masturbated & was obsessed with poronography. I masturbated consistently for atleast more than 5 years average. I was molested, not sexually abused, but touched by my babysitter as a child. I too have no problem with my sex drive or getting an erection. I just orgasm less than a minute into sex & lose the desire to continue. I want to continue but the drive is no longer there. My X-girlfriend wants to help me by practicing with me & I tied but it just doesn’t work. I sometimes/most of the time, find myself getting aroused or having sexual thoughts the moment I get close to, hugging, or even sitting next to my girlfriend. I feel like my mind is perverted & my life is over. I try to exercise, I’ve thought about viagra but I didn’t think I could get a hold of it b/c of my young age. I figured it was for people up in age. I’ve thought about getting some type of surgery in the future when I came across enough money but I heard of certain cancers that can be acquired or side affects. There are so many different inventions that say they’re the best. I haven’t tried anything yet or seen a Therapist/Urologist/Whatever. I’m just investigating my options. I’ve now heard of: cock rings, penile injections, caverjet/ject, Paroxetine, Tri-mix, Stud 100, Sildenafil Citrate Loxanges, Yohimbine, & Herbal Viagra. I’m sorry to have written so much but Yu understand the seriousness of this subject. I’m in need of Help. juslt like Yu, I’m very interested in a sex life. I’m only 19. If Yuhave any ideas or opinions please respond. Thank Yu so much for Yur time, & I hope anyone with the same problem overcomes their discomfort. — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I waz wondering if Yu had any progress with any of the suggestions in curing yur problem? & if so, what did Yu use to cure it? My name is Wes & I am only 19 years old. I too am experiencing some dysfunction of my erection. But I think I brought it on myself. I have had a difficult past where I constantly masturbated & was obsessed with poronography. I masturbated consistently for atleast more than 5 years average. I was molested, not sexually abused, but touched by my babysitter as a child. I too have no problem with my sex drive or getting an erection. I just orgasm less than a minute into sex & lose the desire to continue. I want to continue but the drive is no longer there. My X-girlfriend wants to help me by practicing with me & I tied but it just doesn’t work. I sometimes/most of the time, find myself getting aroused or having sexual thoughts the moment I get close to, hugging, or even sitting next to my girlfriend. I feel like my mind is perverted & my life is over. I try to exercise, I’ve thought about viagra but I didn’t think I could get a hold of it b/c of my young age. I figured it was for people up in age. I’ve thought about getting some type of surgery in the future when I came across enough money but I heard of certain cancers that can be acquired or side affects. There are so many different inventions that say they’re the best. I haven’t tried anything yet or seen a Therapist/Urologist/Whatever. I’m just investigating my options. I’ve now heard of: cock rings, penile injections, caverjet/ject, Paroxetine, Tri-mix, Stud 100, Sildenafil Citrate Loxanges, Yohimbine, & Herbal Viagra. I’m sorry to have written so much but Yu understand the seriousness of this subject. I’m in need of Help. juslt like Yu, I’m very interested in a sex life. I’m only 19. If Yuhave any ideas or opinions please respond. Thank Yu so much for Yur time, & I hope anyone with the same problem overcomes their discomfort.

Wes, First off, stop beating yourself up.  EVERY man, expecially young ones masturbate.  If someone tells you he doesn’t masturbate you can rest assured he’s lying (yes, even married men and old codgers like most of us on this newsgroup). From about 14, or whenever you reach puberty, through into the twenties, many masturbate daily or even several times a day. ALL MEN either fantasize about sexual situations or look at porno while they masturbate.   IT DOES NO HARM!  If you jack off too much, your body will make you slow down automatically because you’ll either get a sore dick or you just can’t get it up any more on that particular day.   What CAN happen is you can train yourself to come as quickly as possible while masturbating, either because you’re afraid of being caught doing it, you’re doing it when you don’t have much time, or you feel guilty about it.  When you start to have sex with a partner that quick-cum training can carry over and cause you to cum too quickly. As to not being able to get an erection again after you cum, that’s perfectly normal.  It’s called a "refactory period", and the amount of time before you can get an erection again varies greatly between individuals.  The older you get, the longer it takes before you can get another erection.  It’s very rare to find a man who can get an erection again right away after cumming, or avoid losing it at all. Supposedly some young teens can, but I believe that ability fades quickly. There are some things you can do to avoid this Premature Ejaculation (that’s the proper name for it). One is to masturbate before you expect to have sex (far enough ahead of time to get through the refactory period). You should be able to last longer on the second go-around after masturbating earlier.  Some recommend pulling out when you feel it coming, but before you reach the point of no return and having your _partner_ (not yourself) squeeze hard on the head of your penis.  Some recommend trying to think of something else during sex; preferably something you don’t particularly like, to take your mind off it (although this seems to me like it’d take a lot of the pleasure out of sex).  You can also be sure to wear a heavy duty condom and maybe get and use some desensitizing cream, (Prolong is one trade name)  You can get it at a pharmacy or a sex shop.  Be sure to put the cream on and then use a condom on top of it or you’ll desensitize your partner as well. The long term solution is to retrain yourself to lay back and enjoy sex for the great feelings of the slow buildup leading eventually to orgasm, without any sense of urgency.  You can do this with SLOW masturbation to EVENTUAL orgasm, which will have the added bonus of relieving some of the sexul tension and horniness which contribute to your cumming too quickly.   Extended mutual foreplay with your girlfriend, having her stop stimulation when you feel you’re near the edge, can also help. Concentrate on her feelings rather than your own, and try to get her to orgasm either orally, manually or both as many times as you can before you enter. A woman’s centers of sexual pleasure include the vagina only incidentally and she can get as much or more pleasure from stimulation of her clitoris, breasts and nipples, inner thighs, ears, neck, anus (stroke it lightly with a moistened finger or use your tongue), lips, buttocks, feet,  and any other areas she points out (Ask her.  Do the things she says she likes and avoid those she doesn’t.).  Don’t overlook the value of holding, hugging, kissing and just general caressing. To me, at least, there’s nothing that’s as much of a turnon as  giving my wife a series of screaming, out of control orgasms. There’s also a masturbation technique you could try to train yourself not to cum so quickly: First, you need to masturbate when you can take your time and really enjoy the sensations without the possibility of being disturbed.   Lay back on the bed, use some good lube like KY jelly or Astroglide and handle your penis very lightly all over with the fingertips of both hands just enough to maintain your erection. Keep a cup of warm water handy to remoisten the lube from time to time. If you feel yourself getting too close, stop for awhile until the sensation slacks off, then begin again. The idea is to make the good sensations last as long as possible without ejaculating.  Don’t use your fist, just the tips of your fingers lightly stroking the underside of the shaft, your balls, and  your inner thighs. Run a finger lightly from your anus up over your balls to the tip of your penis several times.  Relax and concentrate on the sensations and nothing else. You should be able to go on as long as you like this way, without ejaculating.  When you decide it’s time to cum, increase the tempo and pressure just enough to bring yourself slowly to orgasm. Don’t beat it frantically.. remember there’s no urgency. In the future, try to avoid masturbating when you’re hurried for any reason, or there’s a possiblilty you might be disturbed by someone intruding on your solitude. Use this technique as often as the opportunity presents itself, and you should find that you’ll learn a lot more self control, as well as enjoying sex more.  Using the extended foreplay techniques on your partner will make your sex last longer and give you both more satisfaction, even if you’re never able to lengthen the duration of actual intercourse. Good Luck! -Fred- Visit Fred’s Page of Impotence Information and ASI FAQ’s at: http://www.chesco.com/~fps/index.html

Response:

You have no problems, young man!  You are just confused and you someone, perhaps a psychologist-sex-therapist to straighten you out.

Response:

You might take comfort in that fact that you’re not much different than thousand of others. I’m not sure what operation you were talking about. Circumcision? I’ve heard it said that the uncircumcised are very sensitive. There’s a lot of discussion going on about circumcision. Whether is mutilation or not. I would suggest you try some of those desensitizing chemicals. And yes, see a urologist. There’s no age limit to ED or PE. Jerry of ASI I waz wondering if Yu had any progress with any of the suggestions in curing yur problem? & if so, what did Yu use to cure it? My name is Wes & I am only 19 years old. I too am experiencing some dysfunction of my erection. But I think I brought it on myself. I have had a difficult past where I constantly masturbated & was obsessed with poronography. I masturbated consistently for atleast more than 5 years average. I was molested, not sexually abused, but touched by my babysitter as a child. I too have no problem with my sex drive or getting an erection. I just orgasm less than a minute into sex & lose the desire to continue. I want to continue but the drive is no longer there. My X-girlfriend wants to help me by practicing with me & I tied but it just doesn’t work. I sometimes/most of the time, find myself getting aroused or having sexual thoughts the moment I get close to, hugging, or even sitting next to my girlfriend. I feel like my mind is perverted & my life is over. I try to exercise, I’ve thought about viagra but I didn’t think I could get a hold of it b/c of my young age. I figured it was for people up in age. I’ve thought about getting some type of surgery in the future when I came across enough money but I heard of certain cancers that can be acquired or side affects. There are so many different inventions that say they’re the best. I haven’t tried anything yet or seen a Therapist/Urologist/Whatever. I’m just investigating my options. I’ve now heard of: cock rings, penile injections, caverjet/ject, Paroxetine, Tri-mix, Stud 100, Sildenafil Citrate Loxanges, Yohimbine, & Herbal Viagra. I’m sorry to have written so much but Yu understand the seriousness of this subject. I’m in need of Help. juslt like Yu, I’m very interested in a sex life. I’m only 19. If Yuhave any ideas or opinions please respond. Thank Yu so much for Yur time, & I hope anyone with the same problem overcomes their discomfort. — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

Response:

Question:

Recently, I overheard some pdocs discussing some research findings that Paxil, and to a lesser degree Zoloft, inhibits fat burning.  Anybody have any info on this?  Philip? – Valerie

Response:

Recently, I overheard some pdocs discussing some research findings that Paxil, and to a lesser degree Zoloft, inhibits fat burning.  Anybody have any info on this?  Philip? – Valerie

It is true that weight gain is associated with these meds but it doesn’t always occur with everybody. Philip

Response:

I am on Zoloft. It makes me kinda tired and also seem to have gained some weight. My problem is that I am overweight already and have high blood pressure. My blood pressure Dr wants me to loose weight and I cannot. I have to go see her in 1 week and she will give me "THE LECTURE". Of course she is thin and does not understand that loosing weight is sooo hard. Especially when I am on so many meds…Zoloft, xanax, risperdal, norvasc(for bp) and 2 other bp meds. It is so hard.

Response:

Question:

Brett- This kind of problem always appeared for me (as for about a million others) if an SSRI was involved at a normally therapeutic dosage. (I’m including Welbutrin here even though I think its action is primarily dopamine-related, but not sure.)

higher doses-but not ejac.(my studied opinion based on reading. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – When I was properly diagnosed as bipolar I was taken off all SSRIs and put on tegretol which has no such negative effects on plumbing.  Sometime later a very small, "subtherapeutic" dose of effexor was added to the tegretol/klonopin combo.  It seemed to have positive effect on mood in spite of how small the dose was, and it had no sexual side effects at all. If you are bipolar, why don’t you discuss with a psychopharmacologist the possibility of relying less on SSRIs?  Negative sexual side effects are serious side effects in my opinion, in spite of the triviality with which some people may view them. Shukoku I hate to beat on a dead horse and am sure that this subject has been brought up many times, but I needto bring it up again. I’m on a combo of depekote, wellbutrin, klonopin and prozac and am suffering from serious sexual disfunction. Not to get into too much detail, but I can do all but ejaculate.  I was thinking that maybe "Yohimba" might help….  Anyone tried it?  How about that new drug on the market for impotence??  It would just add one more pill to the many we already take daily, but to have a sex live, it would be worth it. I’ve pretty much come to terms with the fact that this subject will always be a problem for me and a delicate one for my partner as she feels guilty that she cannot "please" me as she would like to.  I would rather live a "normal" life and give up a portion of my sex life…  But will constantly look for a solution. Anyone tried either method??? what is an SSRI? thanks, tom arnall fort washington, md usa

Response:

Well I can pretty well tell you which drug is the major *culprit* in

Don’t be too sure that the problem is solely from Klonopin.  Prozac is also known to cause sexual dysfunction, including inorgasmia.  I am not sure, but that may be a general problem with SSRI’s. This problem should be discussed with your pdoc.  Don’t add any "natural" remedies without checking with the doctor first.  It can be dangerous to mix over-the-counter meds with prescription drugs. Good luck.  

Response:

Brett.. just read your post.. Check this out.. it’s becoming the TOC in SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.. it’s a great cognitive enhancer too, but make sure you get a quality standardized extract.  Nature’s Way and Eclectic Institute in Oregon have good products, or you can call L & H Vitamins toll free in NYC.. E-mail me if you want tel #’s.                  http://www.publinet.it/pol/pharmol/gingko.htm    (gingko biloba)

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I find Zoloft is just as bad, with a total kill of the sex drive. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well I can pretty well tell you which drug is the major *culprit* in Don’t be too sure that the problem is solely from Klonopin.  Prozac is also known to cause sexual dysfunction, including inorgasmia.  I am not sure, but that may be a general problem with SSRI’s. This problem should be discussed with your pdoc.  Don’t add any "natural" remedies without checking with the doctor first.  It can be dangerous to mix over-the-counter meds with prescription drugs. Good luck.  

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Brett- This kind of problem always appeared for me (as for about a million others) if an SSRI was involved at a normally therapeutic dosage. (I’m including Welbutrin here even though I think its action is primarily dopamine-related, but not sure.) When I was properly diagnosed as bipolar I was taken off all SSRIs and put on tegretol which has no such negative effects on plumbing.  Sometime later a very small, "subtherapeutic" dose of effexor was added to the tegretol/klonopin combo.  It seemed to have positive effect on mood in spite of how small the dose was, and it had no sexual side effects at all. If you are bipolar, why don’t you discuss with a psychopharmacologist the possibility of relying less on SSRIs?  Negative sexual side effects are serious side effects in my opinion, in spite of the triviality with which some people may view them. Shukoku I hate to beat on a dead horse and am sure that this subject has been brought up many times, but I needto bring it up again. I’m on a combo of depekote, wellbutrin, klonopin and prozac and am suffering from serious sexual disfunction. Not to get into too much detail, but I can do all but ejaculate.  I was thinking that maybe "Yohimba" might help….  Anyone tried it?  How about that new drug on the market for impotence??  It would just add one more pill to the many we already take daily, but to have a sex live, it would be worth it. I’ve pretty much come to terms with the fact that this subject will always be a problem for me and a delicate one for my partner as she feels guilty that she cannot "please" me as she would like to.  I would rather live a "normal" life and give up a portion of my sex life…  But will constantly look for a solution. Anyone tried either method???

what is an SSRI? thanks, tom arnall fort washington, md usa

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You asked what a SSRI is ? It’s a Serotonin-Specific Reuptake Inhibitor. It means that the Serotonin Reuptake site is blocked and serotonin stays in the synaptic cleft (and seeps out, where it might activate pre-synaptic receptors) where serotonin activates the post-synaptic receptors. In other words. a SSRI is a material that has potenial anti-depressant, stabilizing and anti-anxiety properties, because the brains’ Serotonin system is stabilized (mostly at a higher level of activity). a SSRI, like prozac (fluoxetine), paroxetil/Seroxat (paroxetine) will, because it’s serotonin-specific, therefore exhibit very rarely many side effects. Whether they work better as the classical tricyclics still remains to be seen, but the apparent lack of side effects is VERY NICE! GREETINGS and Keep Sailing The Seas Of High Hopes ! Bas                     DE  DIGITALE  STAD

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                    DE  DIGITALE  STAD Op Wed, 27 May 1998, Chip schreef: I hate to beat on a dead horse and am sure that this subject has been brought up many times, but I needto bring it up again. I’m on a combo of depekote, wellbutrin, klonopin and prozac and am suffering from serious sexual disfunction. Not to get into too much detail, but I can do all but ejaculate.  I was thinking that maybe "Yohimba" might help….  Anyone tried it?  How about that new drug on the market for impotence??  It would just add one more pill to the many we already take daily, but to have a sex live, it would be worth it.

Taking Yohimbe (That’s the dutch name of the inner bark of an african tree) in combination with Prozac is a definite No-NO! Yohimbe containse Yohimbine, which is beside a vasodilator of the genitals (Due to adrenergic

Question:

Cyndie  I’ve had PAs that last about a second and can leave me shattered for hours afterwards. The last time it happened it was a sudden escalation of fear caused by rapid thought connections. Something made me think of death and life. How this is the life bit, and the other was the death bit. The result – sudden terror and then nothing except – what the fuck was that? I have no idea why I became so frightened. It happened once when looking in the mirror. All of a sudden I couldn’t decide which was me – the looker or the reflection. They sound a bit like bad trips or temporal lobe seizures rather than PAs. On the other hand I’ve had PAs that last for days, almost seemlessly. Fred

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This is going to sound weird, but this hasnt happened to me before and I would like to know what you think about it.  Today while I was working on a project with the Col. (no not KFC <g)  I noticed a flash of a PA.  It was so weird!  It was like it lasted a second!  It wasnt like a head rush, more like an extremely fast PA! I didnt get upset and nothing else happened, but thought about it off and on cause it was so weird.  I was wondering if it might have been a PA trying to come on but stopped short? I know this sounds weird, but it felt weird too!  I have been on 20mg ever other day of Prozac for a week and a half? and started lowering my dose of Xanax by .5mg a day about a week ago.  Maybe rebound from withdrawel?  I also noticed that in the past few nights I see weird monsters and images (in my mind, not hallucinating) right as I am about to fall asleep and I wake with a start.  I remember having that problem before, when this first started for me 7 years ago.  When I awake I dont have a PA, I just keep trying to go back to sleep, it happens a few times, then I am out like a light until morning.  Does anyone else have these problems? Cyndie

Hi Cyndie: Those PA flashes could very well mean that the Prozac is starting to take effect.  It somehow seems to cut them off before they get going.  Just a guess though, based on my own experience. Also, again just a thought, I would have thought that the rate you’re reducing the Xanax is a little too fast and too soon.  Just my own personal experience and what I’ve read talking here……but usually you stay on your regular doseage of Xanax for the first week or so at least and then, very slowly and minimally, taper down over a period of months.  You might want to check this out with your doctor. Take care. Mally  

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<snipped I have been on 20mg ever other day of Prozac for a week and a half? and started lowering my dose of Xanax by .5mg a day about a week ago.

Maybe rebound from withdrawel?  I also noticed that in the past few nights I see weird monsters and images (in my mind, not hallucinating) right as I am about to fall asleep and I wake with a start.  I remember having that problem before, when this first started for me 7 years ago. When I awake I dont have a PA, I just keep trying to go back to sleep, it happens a few times, then I am out like a  light until morning.  Does anyone else have these problems? Cyndie

Dear Cyndie, Although I’m sorry that you’re having this problem with sleeping, I have to tell you that I am relieved to know that you share this problem with me.  I having had these sorts of images while trying to get to sleep all of my life.  It’s one of the reasons I know that I’ve been having panic attacks for so long.  I think the images are just a way for my mind to cope with the nocturnal PA’s.  When you wake up scared to death, your mind might be inserting a "reason" for your fears.  I’ve often tried to describe these images as little mini-dreams because they’re not hallucinations, although I’m not sure if I’m entirely asleep when it happens.  Anyway, these are just a few theories I have about them.  When you describe waking "with a start," you might actually be describing a panic attack.  My nocturnal PA’s are much different from my daytime PA’s.  It’s something I’ve realized recently. The good news is that when I was on Zoloft (similar to Prozac) these images went away.  In fact, although insomnia is a possible side-effect of Zoloft, my horrible insomnia went away.  I think my insomnia is caused by these nocturnal attacks as well as depression, and the Zoloft helped with both.  And, I wasn’t using Xanax or any other benzodiazepine at the time.  It DID take a few weeks, though: about 6 weeks after I built up to the full dosage for me. Because of that length of time, you might want to consider tapering off the Xanax more slowly.  I realize that this is up to you and your doctor, but going off a benzodiazepine too quickly can be uncomfortable. It does NOT mean that you are addicted.  In his book "Panic Disorder: The Medical Point of View," William D. Kernodle states that everyone will have a different experience when going off a benzodiazepine and that you should go as SLOWLY as you need to.  By the way, I highly recommend this book (1995 edition), if you want some sensible, professional answers to your questions about anxiety medications.  I have been fearful of medication in the past, and this book has explained a lot to me. You’re not alone in these particular experiences, Cyndie, and I want to thank you so much for letting me know that I’m not alone.   Take care, Cathleen P.S.: The reason I stopped the Zoloft had nothing to do with its effectiveness but rather with my financial situation at that time (and my ignorance–and my psychiatrist’s–of financial aid for these sorts of things).

Response:

: This is going to sound weird, but this hasnt happened to me before and I : would like to know what you think about it.  Today while I was working on : a project with the Col. (no not KFC <g)  I noticed a flash of a PA.  It : was so weird!  It was like it lasted a second!  … Wow, that is wierd. The fastest PA I’ve ever had lasted 5 minutes. But then, 5 min is quick compared to the 45 min endurance terror PAs. Perhaps its a good sign?                                         Best Wishes,                                         Arthur

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -This is going to sound weird, but this hasnt happened to me before and I would like to know what you think about it.  Today while I was working on a project with the Col. (no not KFC <g)  I noticed a flash of a PA.  It was so weird!  It was like it lasted a second!  It wasnt like a head rush, more like an extremely fast PA! I didnt get upset and nothing else happened, but thought about it off and on cause it was so weird.  I was wondering if it might have been a PA trying to come on but stopped short? I know this sounds weird, but it felt weird too!  I have been on 20mg ever other day of Prozac for a week and a half? and started lowering my dose of Xanax by .5mg a day about a week ago.  Maybe rebound from withdrawel?  I also noticed that in the past few nights I see weird monsters and images (in my mind, not hallucinating) right as I am about to fall asleep and I wake with a start.  I remember having that problem before, when this first started for me 7 years ago.  When I awake I dont have a PA, I just keep trying to go back to sleep, it happens a few times, then I am out like a light until morning.  Does anyone else have these problems? Cyndie

Cyndie, Happens to me all the time…like 10-20 times a day.  They last 1-2 sec’s and don’t really bother me at all…in fact i kind of laugh at them.   -Scott

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This is going to sound weird, but this hasnt happened to me before and I would like to know what you think about it.  Today while I was working on a project with the Col. (no not KFC <g)  I noticed a flash of a PA.  It was so weird!  It was like it lasted a second!  It wasnt like a head rush, more like an extremely fast PA! I didnt get upset and nothing else happened, but thought about it off and on cause it was so weird.  I was wondering if it might have been a PA trying to come on but stopped short? I know this sounds weird, but it felt weird too!  I have been on 20mg ever other day of Prozac for a week and a half? and started lowering my dose of Xanax by .5mg a day about a week ago.  Maybe rebound from withdrawel?  I also noticed that in the past few nights I see weird monsters and images (in my mind, not hallucinating) right as I am about to fall asleep and I wake with a start.  I remember having that problem before, when this first started for me 7 years ago.  When I awake I dont have a PA, I just keep trying to go back to sleep, it happens a few times, then I am out like a light until morning.  Does anyone else have these problems? Cyndie

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Question:

All of you seem to have such encourement for those afflicted with this condition.  I know I have felt a lot of support reading the postings.  My husband is going through a very difficult time at the moment.  We have had 2 very emotional days, and usually this is a very strong man.  A month ago he had a heart attack and had angioplasty.  Not that the spasmodic torticollis isn’t bad enough, now he is worried about his heart also even though the cardiologist says there is no relation (I certainly question that with all the stress he has been under for the past 18 months).  He seems to be giving up telling me he can’t fight this thing anymore.  He take Baclofen and Artane and of course gets Botox every three months.  The Botox has not taken the pain away but it has allowed his head to remain in an upright position.  He suffers every waking moment with spasms and we have yet to find the right combination to relieve the pain.  Do any of you have any words of encouragement I can pass on to him.  Some of you have suffered with this for many, many years and seem to have found a way to deal with it even through you are in pain and my heart expecially goes out to the children who have to suffer with this.  Would love to hear from you and I will print the messages out and read to him as he cannot sit at the computer.  BethThanks to all of you. Virginia

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writes: He seems to be giving up telling me he can’t fight this thing anymore.  He take Baclofen and Artane and of course gets Botox every three months. The Botox has not taken the pain away but it has allowed his head to remain in an upright position.  He suffers every waking moment with spasms and we have yet to find the right combination to relieve the pain.  Do any of you have any words of encouragement I can pass on to him.  Some of you have suffered with this for many, many years and seem to have found a way to deal with it even through you are in pain and my heart expecially goes out to the children who have to suffer with this.  

I wish I could think of the right thing to say…its so hard.  I feel so bad for what you and your husband are going through.  Cant they admit him for awhile, like they did Jeremy, break the cycle and try other meds until something works?  I know what you must be going through, its so hard to watch someone you love suffer and feel so helpless.  My son has suffered for his whole 13 years of life and he often asked why I kept trying so hard to find a diagnosis and remedy….he had adjusted to it as a part of his life.  (Children adjust so much better than us adults!)  I told him that I would never give up and he was finally diagnosed about 7 months ago…..after 13 years of mis-diagnosis.  He is going through all the trials of medication and I think we have hit on a good combo now, but who knows how long it will last.   He encourages me more than I do him!  He always says *it will pass, dont worry, I’m fine*….as I bite off all my fingernails.   Since I dont know what to say….I asked for Jeremys input.  He found it hard to come up with something concrete except to say that he will pray for him, not to give up….that there is a light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, if God thought it was his time to go….he would, that he will get his reward in heaven for the suffering he has done on earth (I taught him that years ago….hes hoping heaven has alot of Super Nintendo games…you know kids) and that he has a family that loves him very much. I wish I could do better than this, but I am new at the dystonia diagnosis so I dont know exactly what can be done to find the relief he needs.  I am sure that  the more expercienced people on this newsgroup will have much better responses for you.  I just wanted you and your husband to know that we are praying for you and wishing you better days. Love, Cyndie and Jeremy

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writes: This may be a start in bombarding the networks.  

Lets do it!  And thanks for the info! Cyndie

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I finally found some addresses which I will pass along to all of you. NBC is Http://TVnet.com/tv/NYtv/wNBC.html – FAX 212-456-2290 CBS fax is, 212-975-5656 (did not locate an email address) I found a Donahue but not sure if this is Phil, it was just listed by last start in bombarding the networks.  

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Mary Beth you are wonderful!  You speak from your heart and since you have dealt with this condition for such a long time you can understand what he is going through.  I have mentioned you to Doug several times especially reinterating how long you have suffered with this, have raised a family, and, have such a terrific outlook on life.  This is a terrifying time for both of us, I try to give support and guess I am too much of an optimist. I always feel today isn’t so good, but tomorrow will be better.  Thank you for mentioning the depression after surgery, this may be what is hitting him now.  We have been the "I think I’m going crazy" route but that was due to medication which has now been corrected and he is back to normal. We do have to be careful what is prescribed because he takes so many other meds for his dystonia and the 2 doctors are not in the same group, or same city so I am the intermediary trying to make sure he is not taking drugs that will contridict each other.  I will speak with him regarding the possibility of a phone conversation I know if he could sit at this computer and read the messages posted he would find much support from all.  Thanks again for your concern, support, and very good advice. Fondly, Virginia

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Mary Beth you are wonderful!  You speak from your heart and since you have dealt with this condition for such a long time you can understand what he is going through.  I have mentioned you to Doug several times especially reinterating how long you have suffered with this, have raised a family, and, have such a terrific outlook on life.  This is a terrifying time for both of us, I try to give support and guess I am too much of an optimist. I always feel today isn’t so good, but tomorrow will be better.  Thank you for mentioning the depression after surgery, this may be what is hitting him now.  We have been the "I think I’m going crazy" route but that was due to medication which has now been corrected and he is back to normal. We do have to be careful what is prescribed because he takes so many other meds for his dystonia and the 2 doctors are not in the same group, or same city so I am the intermediary trying to make sure he is not taking drugs that will contridict each other.  I will speak with him regarding the possibility of a phone conversation I know if he could sit at this computer and read the messages posted he would find much support from all. Thanks again for your concern, support, and very good advice. Fondly, Virginia

Hi Virginia: I have ST with accompanying essential tremor, I also have panic disorder which causes depression at times for me.  Panic disorder can do a really good job of convincing you that you must be going crazy.  Tell Doug that it’s only the brightest, most brilliant minds that suffer from this kind of depression…….look at me!  <VBG  Having surgery can really knock you down hard, especially if you have other medical conditions that have to be treated properly at the same time.  I hope Doug is well on the way to recovery.  The depression will go, that I know.  No way is he going crazy.  There *will* be a cure for dystonia very soon – I’m convinced of that.  Give him a big hug from me and tell him I’m thinking of  both of you. All the best. Mally  

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Cyndie and Jeremy, Your touching note brought tears to my eyes and I want to thank you for your prayers.  I have pursued this horrible affliction much the same as you but of course not nearly as long.  I have searched for the very best medical Dr.s available and in the beginning, we he wasn’t as bad and was much stronger we would have gone anywhere to get the proper treatment, at least one that would give him relief.  We were lucky in a sense that the first neurologist we saw was familiar with dystonia and put him in touch with a doctor that was a researcher in the field and gave the botox injections.  He has not had any trouble with the blepharospasms after having 4 treatments which was back in October of 1994.  We were so hoping that the Botox would have the same affect on the torticollis, but so far it hasn’t, but we will keep trying.  We live in the Los Angeles area and there are many very fine centers and wonderful doctors here and believe me we have tried them all.  We have even been to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ.  All the doctors we have seen are knowledgable, but they need to come up with the right combination of meds.  My very best to you and many, many kudos to your valiant son. Virginia

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