Question:

I have another question about peak flows. I was diagnosed 14 months ago and, despite many different meds, my peak flows have not really budged. And, based on the charts, I’m 100 below where I should be. So how reliable are they? And why aren’t my meds working? (BTW — Just given another new med today!) The charts are only a rough approximation based on height, sex, and age. Other variables include race, chest size, etc. Your Peak Flow is what is measured when asthma is under control, after using a bronchodilator at mid-day. Your peak flow is not supposed to increase; the asthma drugs keep your lung function in the Green Zone (80% of PB).

Sorry, I was referring to Personal Best peak flow here. Personel Best numbers are not expected to increase, but if your typical peak flow is <80% of personal best, it indicates asthma is not controlled. To determine Personal Best peak flow, it may be necessary to give a burst dose of prednisone to quickly control the asthma. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If asthma meds are not working, it raises doubts about the asthma diagnosis. Asthma is diagnosed using lung function tests. Lung function is measured before and after giving an inhaled bronchodilator like albuterol; a 12% improvement tends to confirm an asthma diagnosis. In difficult cases, a 2nd lung test may be given, called a methacholine challenge. Asthma is a reversible disease. If lung function is not reversible, it raises suspicions of COPD. Ellis

Response:

I have had asthma for 15 years and was told about a month ago that my asthma is not under control at all.  I was on Beclovent but now I take Serevent, Flovent, and Salbutamol. I now only use Ventolin about three times a week instead of 3-4 times a day like before. I monitor my peak flows everyday and have noticed that even when I feel that I am having an asthma attack (short of breath, tight chest, coughing) my peak flows usually don’t drop very much and sometimes don’t drop at all.  Are peak flows really a good way to tell how much distress you are in?  Does it work better for some people and not for others? My doctor always determines the severity of my attacks by having me blow once on the peak flow meter.  The problem is that sometimes my peak flows are good but I’m still not feeling great.  I have read a lot on asthma but I still have no answers to this (forgot to ask my doctor that last time I was in).   Sometimes I have wondered if it is all in my head when my peak flows are good and I’m still having problems breathing, but I know that that is ridiculous.  Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated. Meghan (new to this list) Before you buy.

Response:

I have another question about peak flows. I was diagnosed 14 months ago and, despite many different meds, my peak flows have not really budged. And, based on the charts, I’m 100 below where I should be. So how reliable are they? And why aren’t my meds working? (BTW — Just given another new med today!)

Response:

not everyone fits into the charts.  The charts are based upon an average individual with average non-disease oriented lungs.  The charts are averaged based upon size and age however. therefore, your norm will be unique to you.  If it is not budging upward then you may well be at your personal best and all future measurements will be based upon that number. Scooby RCP, EMT-P Perinatal-Pediatric Respiratory Specialist This mail is a natural product.  The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects.

Response:

I have another question about peak flows. I was diagnosed 14 months ago and, despite many different meds, my peak flows have not really budged. And, based on the charts, I’m 100 below where I should be. So how reliable are they? And why aren’t my meds working? (BTW — Just given another new med today!)

The charts are only a rough approximation based on height, sex, and age. Other variables include race, chest size, etc. Your Peak Flow is what is measured when asthma is under control, after using a bronchodilator at mid-day. Your peak flow is not supposed to increase; the asthma drugs keep your lung function in the Green Zone (80% of PB). If asthma meds are not working, it raises doubts about the asthma diagnosis. Asthma is diagnosed using lung function tests. Lung function is measured before and after giving an inhaled bronchodilator like albuterol; a 12% improvement tends to confirm an asthma diagnosis. In difficult cases, a 2nd lung test may be given, called a methacholine challenge. Asthma is a reversible disease. If lung function is not reversible, it raises suspicions of COPD. Ellis

Response:

Question:

I am using Serevent and Flovent 220 mcg, 2 puffs of each in the morning and then again in the evening.  I use the InspirEase spacer to take my medication.  Both medications state they contain enough medication for 120 puffs, which for me is a months worth of medication.  However, I have noticed that after a month instead of the cannisters being almost empty they are still half full.  I put them in water to measure them.  I am wondering why this is.  Could it be that the InspirEase doesn’t extract enough of the medicatiion from the cannister with each puff? Juls

Response:

I am using Serevent and Flovent 220 mcg, 2 puffs of each in the morning and then again in the evening.  I use the InspirEase spacer to take my medication.  Both medications state they contain enough medication for 120 puffs, which for me is a months worth of medication.  However, I have noticed that after a month instead of the cannisters being almost empty they are still half full.  I put them in water to measure them.  I am wondering why this is.  Could it be that the InspirEase doesn’t extract enough of the medicatiion from the cannister with each puff? Juls

How exactly does InspirEase work? All the spacers I’ve ever used simply had an opening on one end for the inhaler (where the mouth would usually be if not using a spacer) and an opening for me to breathe from. If that’s the case with InspirEase, then it wouldn’t make any difference in the amount of medicine that comes out when you press the canister down. I had actually read on some inhalers (might have been serevent, but I don’t remember) that that water measuring trick wasn’t very accurate and the best thing to do was keep track of how much you’re using. Also, is it possible that you have forgot to take every dose in a given month?

Response:

How exactly does InspirEase work? All the spacers I’ve ever used simply had an opening on one end for the inhaler (where the mouth would usually be if not using a spacer) and an opening for me to breathe from. If that’s the case with InspirEase, then it wouldn’t make any difference in the amount of medicine that comes out when you press the canister down.

Exactly..the only difference is that it has accordian -like folds and collapses as you take the meds…;

Response:

I am using Serevent and Flovent 220 mcg, 2 puffs of each in the morning and then again in the evening.  I use the InspirEase spacer to take my medication.  Both medications state they contain enough medication for 120 puffs, which for me is a months worth of medication.  However, I have noticed that after a month instead of the cannisters being almost empty they are still half full.  I put them in water to measure them.  I am wondering why this is.  Could it be that the InspirEase doesn’t extract enough of the medicatiion from the cannister with each puff?

The canisters are otherwise with propellant in order to ensure that the first actuation with have the same pressure as the 120th actuation.  The problem is that after 120 doses all you will be getting is propellant with no medication. No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.

Response:

Question:

Generic Cadd is a very good program IMHO.  The latest and supposedly the last version is 6.1.  It is just a tad nicer but either one is good.

Unfortunately what I think is good may not suit you but it does whatever I want very well. If you know where to get additional copies please let me know. ernie fisch

I agree this is a very good program.  I have Generic Cadd 5.0 and never felt the need to upgrade.  It’s a very powerful 2D drafting program not aimed at woodworking specifically.  It’s compatible with Autocad since Autodesk makes both.  The products are described on the web at: <http://www.autodesk.com/prod/prod.htm Mark P.

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program?

Generic Cadd is a very good program IMHO.  The latest and supposedly the last version is 6.1.  It is just a tad nicer but either one is good.  Unfortunately what I think is good may not suit you but it does whatever I want very well.  If you know where to get additional copies please let me know. ernie fisch

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program? Generic Cadd is a very good program IMHO. … Jeroen

        When Generic Cadd was bought and then abandoned by Autodesk, its authors bolted and have formed a new company which now makes a highly regarded follow up product "Visual CAD".  This new product will read your old Generic Cadd drawings.  The makers have a home page on the web at http://www.neca.com/~wahoo/viscadd.html. Steve Dettinger

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program? David White

David, Just went through the CAD program choice loop and wound up with DrawingBoard by Ashlar.  It has many very interesting features. Check out the trial version and the demo available at: http://www.drawingboard.com I tried several and this one is the best all around and easiest to use. Good luck, — Charlie

Response:

The programmers that wrote Generic CAD left Autodesk and are putting out a CAD called Visual CADD. It recognizes Generic CAD files. They can be located at: http://www.neca.com/~wahoo/viscadd.html Dan Hogan

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program? David White

I really think it is a pretty good program.  Too bad Autodesk bought it.  It was a really good product with good support, newsletter and stuff.  I heard that the original developers have a new CAD program out but have forgotten the name of the current resurrection. David

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program?

I have been using Generic CADD since version 4.0 and upgraded to v 6.0 as soon as I discovered it was available about 2 1/2 years ago. Compared to other CADD programs, whether DOS or Windows based,  I have found GC to be the most user friendly.  AutoCad is good, and damn well should be considering the $2500.00 price tag that accompanies it, however it’s definately overkill for strictly furniture or the like drawings. As mentioned in another response, GC 6.0 isn’t dynamic when it envolves hatching, meaning that if you were to strech or shrink a given area, whaterver hatch is in that area doesn’t shrink or grow with the change.  Other than this one glitch, I cannot think of another shortcoming. The command line structure is by far better than utilizing the menus. Although, you could successfully complete a drawing without using commands, it makes for a long day by not doing so.  After a couple of weeks at the helm of your computer and playing with GC 6.0, you will quickly learn 90% of the 2 letter commands.  The remaining 10% are not used very frequently and when needed they can be accessed by using the cheat card.  The CADD engine recognizes when a command has been entered and immediately executes that command. As far as accuracy is concerned, you are able to set the parameters to seven decimals.  When using fractions as the base measurement, you can set to 1/64th. Overall, I would rate the performace and user-ability of GC 6.0 a strong 9. Cheers, This Q&A has been sent to http://www.shivasys.com/hbk and http://www.cnl.com.au/~hbk for inclusion in what will soon be the world’s most comprehnsive FAQ on every known woodworking topic. — Joe Known on IRC as "Woodchips"

Response:

Ignoer the address below. I don’t have the foggiest idea how that got entered. Dan Hogan

Dan Hogan

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program? David White

David,      Generic CADD 6.0 is an excellent  _DOS_ cadd program.     Easy to learn and use.    BUT…  Autodesk is not continuing developement of the software.    Basically, it’s a dead product.      Generic CADD was originally written by Generic Software, which was purchased by Autodesk a number of years ago.   The writters then transfer to the employ of Autodesk, only to be let go just 2 years ago.    Now those same creative people have developed a new Cadd program that uses much of the same feel (and programmability) of Generic in a program called Visual CADD.    The new company is Numera Software and is growing quite nicely.    They have both a 16-bit windows version as well as their new 32-bit version available.      If you would like additional information, suggest you try :                     http://www.numera.com      You won’t be sorry.                                      Bob                             (a satisfied VC user)

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program? David White

I have it and use it. It’s one of the best cad programs around, and the experts agree. Unfortunately they no longer make it because they put their emphasis on Auto cad lite. Very easy to learn and extremely versatile.

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program? David White

Response:

Does anyone have any info on Generic Cadd ver6.0 by Autodesk,preferably whether it is good or bad?Any suggestions on a good cadd program? Generic Cadd is a very good program IMHO.  The latest and supposedly the last version is 6.1.  It is just a tad nicer but either one is good.  Unfortunately what I think is good may not suit you but it does whatever I want very well.  If you know where to get additional copies please let me know. ernie fisch

I use Generic Cadd 6.0 for furniture designs, for fantasizing about my house, and for drawing technical illustrations for articles that I write when occasionally doing my real job. For 2 dimensional stuff, I think it is fantastic. It can be driven either by menus with a mouse or by (occasionally weird) 2 letter combinations. I find myself using the 2 letter commands most of the time (very fast), and the mouse for the less often used commands. For a program in this price range it has surprisingly powerful features, including multiple windows, multiple undos (the code for this is OO, which I think is cute), and fairly powerful selection tools. A frustrating feature is that "hatches" aren’t dynamic (if you change the size of a wall, the bricks don’t automatically cover more space). Maybe 6.1 fixes this?         About 2 years ago, I tried most of the windows based stuff, including autocad light, turbo cad, and a few others whose names I can’t remember. After a few months, I was back to GCadd. The comparison between GCadd and most of the windows based versions is similar to that between WP5.1 and word for windows. WP5.1 was stable as a rock, could do almost anything if you knew how, and you could always get under the hood and tell it exactly what you want. It was also fast, both in terms of demands on the computer, and once you learned it, in terms of use. Word is easier to learn, and tries to make things easy for you. However, the trade off is that even when you are proficient, it can be very slow for anything fancy, and god help you if it thinks you want something a little different than you actually do. Autocad light seems to manage to combine the worst of both worlds, although I must admit to having given it a fairly limited test, and maybe after a few months, I would have loved it. My impression is that Autodesk is trying to convert its GCadd users to AutoCad light, and so the upgrade path is uncertain/non-existant. On the other hand, if I remember correctly, Autodesk announced this before 6.1 came out, so maybe they have reconsidered. Hope this helps. Jeroen

Response:

Question:

 He has already been to his peditrician twice since his loss of appetite started. He sees his allergist next week for a regular scheduled appointment and I plan on talking to him about it then.  The Dilantin was prescribed by a neurologist after he had a seizure. The Singulair was prescribed by the allergist, and he knows about the Dilantin. I tell all the doctors he sees about the all the meds he is on. That includes the dentist and the eye doctor.  My reason for posting was to get different opinions from a variety of people. I have found this is often helpfull in obtaining answers. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -no advice is intended in this reply, I am merely providing information. QUstions like yours should definitely be referred to your sons doc .. his pediatrician as well as his allergist/pulmonologist. Appetite loss is NOT reported as a common adverse effect of anti-leukotrienes.  Diarrhea and nausea are listed just abouyt at the 3% "reportable" level.  These same side effects occur with Dilantin and are more common. Did the same doc prescribe the Dilantin and the Singulair? Dilantin is NOT on any common are path for asthma that this researcher is aware of.

Response:

I have been on SINGULAIR for the past month and have noticed no loss of appitite.  Actually I find myself more hungry–that’s probably due to the fact that I’m the the height of track season not the SINGULAIR.  I was taking ACCOLATE, but trying not to eat two hours before or two hours after taking it was a real drag.  Not only is my eating schedule a lot more flexible, but my peak flow is on averege better now that I am on SINGULAR instead of ACCOLATE.

Response:

 My 8 year old son started on Singulair about 3 weeks ago. In the middle of March he started on Dilantin. I noticed no change in his appetite until the Singulair was started. A few days after he started it he would hardly eat at all. Now he will only eat in the mornings and afternoons if I make him. He says he is just not hungry. He does eat a full meal at dinner time. But one meal a day is not good for a growing boy. At least not over a long period of time. My thoughts are it may be the Singulair. But then again maybe it is the Dilantin. His first check of Dilantin level was fine. The peditrician had tests done again today for the Dilantin plus a liver and CBC test. I’ll get those results tomorrow. I’m wondering if any others of you who have started Singulair have noticed a loss of appetite?

Loss of appetite is one of the possible listed effects of Dilantin, per the US Pharmacopeia. Perhaps he needs a lower dose of Dilantin. Here’s a link: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/phenyt.htm phenytoin sodium (Dilantin) Excerpt: "Adverse Reactions: Gastrointestinal System: Nausea, vomiting, constipation, toxic hepatitis  and liver damage." Info on Singulair ar www.singulair.com But I think the problem is the Dilantin. (I assume he is taking the child dose of Singulair). Ellis

Response:

 My 8 year old son started on Singulair about 3 weeks ago. In the middle of March he started on Dilantin. I noticed no change in his appetite until the Singulair was started. A few days after he started it he would hardly eat at all. Now he will only eat in the mornings and afternoons if I make him. He says he is just not hungry. He does eat a full meal at dinner time. But one meal a day is not good for a growing boy. At least not over a long period of time. My thoughts are it may be the Singulair. But then again maybe it is the Dilantin. His first check of Dilantin level was fine. The peditrician had tests done again today for the Dilantin plus a liver and CBC test. I’ll get those results tomorrow. I’m wondering if any others of you who have started Singulair have noticed a loss of appetite?  Sorry this is kind of rambling but I wanted to get it out and I’m listening to my son talk well I type. We are discussing what we are going to do for Cub Scouts tonight.  Thanks

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -question wrote:

I am a 21 year old male suffering from Social Phobia.  I’ve tried drugs in the past, mostly SSRI’s, with no real success.  Some of the drugs I’ve tried I went off immediatly due to sexual side effects, mostly inability to feel pleasure while masturbating. The most recent drug, Zoloft, I went off due to the sexual side effect after 6-8 weeks.  The sexual side effect had occured almost immediatly but I stayed on it for a little while.  After the drug was out of my system I still felt like I wasn’t getting pleasure like I used to.  I also see that I am less interested in masturbating that I used to be. (No sexual partners involved, due to social phobia and all) Can these drugs have permanent effects on a person’s sexuality when you are off them?  The psychiatrist I used to see recommended that I go on the drugs even with the side effect to deal with my social problem.  A this point, I might have to consider it. Sidenote: The drugs I’ve had sexual side effects with are Effexor and Zoloft.

(Sadly), the sexual side effects with Effexor wear off pretty quickly (personally, I’m hoping for an anti depressant that causes me to lose all interested in sex, now that would be something). Without benzos in addition to it, sex drive will go back to normal in say 4 to 6 weeks whereas time to orgasm stays higher but it’s definitely possible after the first few weeks to get there.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -questionfor2…@yahoo.com (question) wrote in message <news:7fcdbfb4.0310192029.2f9937db@posting.google.com

… I am a 21 year old male suffering from Social Phobia.  I’ve tried drugs in the past, mostly SSRI’s, with no real success.  Some of the drugs I’ve tried I went off immediatly due to sexual side effects, mostly inability to feel pleasure while masturbating. The most recent drug, Zoloft, I went off due to the sexual side effect after 6-8 weeks.  The sexual side effect had occured almost immediatly but I stayed on it for a little while.  After the drug was out of my system I still felt like I wasn’t getting pleasure like I used to.  I also see that I am less interested in masturbating that I used to be. (No sexual partners involved, due to social phobia and all) Can these drugs have permanent effects on a person’s sexuality when you are off them?  The psychiatrist I used to see recommended that I go on the drugs even with the side effect to deal with my social problem.  A this point, I might have to consider it. Sidenote: The drugs I’ve had sexual side effects with are Effexor and Zoloft. Any info would be appreciated.

i think it’s unlikely your side effects are permanent, because i experienced them continuously while taking paxil–we’re talking about a period of years–but as soon as i switched to lexapro the side effects were vastly reduced. besides lexapro, the other ssri to consider, as crackwalker pointed out, is luvox. when i decided to switch from paxil at the insistence of my new girlfriend, i told my MD i want to switch to luvox, but he said, oh no, take lexapro, so i did and the results have been excellent, although your mileage may vary. btw, if you’re curious about lexapro vis-a-vis luvox, luvox has been around much longer than lexapro, so presumably it’s not as effective as ssri’s go. lexapro, according to what i read, which might be pharm. co. propaganda, is a modified form of celexa. celexa basically contained two active components, only one of which is the ssri, so they deleted the other component that presumably caused lots of side effects to produce lexapro. good luck.

Response:

I am a 21 year old male suffering from Social Phobia.  I’ve tried drugs in the past, mostly SSRI’s, with no real success.  Some of the drugs I’ve tried I went off immediatly due to sexual side effects, mostly inability to feel pleasure while masturbating. The most recent drug, Zoloft, I went off due to the sexual side effect after 6-8 weeks.  The sexual side effect had occured almost immediatly but I stayed on it for a little while.  After the drug was out of my system I still felt like I wasn’t getting pleasure like I used to.  I also see that I am less interested in masturbating that I used to be. (No sexual partners involved, due to social phobia and all) Can these drugs have permanent effects on a person’s sexuality when you are off them?  The psychiatrist I used to see recommended that I go on the drugs even with the side effect to deal with my social problem.  A this point, I might have to consider it. Sidenote: The drugs I’ve had sexual side effects with are Effexor and Zoloft. Any info would be appreciated.

Response:

Hi I would try a.. Luvox/Fluvoxamine Its the only med in the ssri category  I can’t find anything on sexual dysfunction Crackwalker’ "question" <questionfor2…@yahoo.com

wrote in message

news:7fcdbfb4.0310192029.2f9937db@posting.google.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

Any info would be appreciated.

Response:

Question:

I have been prescribed Zoloft for anti-anxiety/depression,,,,,my psych normal dose? will i be sleepy? I am concerned about forgetting passwords, etc….does that happen? Will I be a zombie? Thanks!

Response:

50 mg Zoloft is what I started at and am now up to 100 mg.  Some meds do tend to make people tired or a little more anxious temporarily but in time the side effects wear off. Of course, YMMV…  Best wishes. smiles, Elise

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been prescribed Zoloft for anti-anxiety/depression,,,,,my psych or normal dose? will i be sleepy? I am concerned about forgetting passwords, etc….does that happen? Will I be a zombie? Thanks!

Response:

I also started out on 50mg, and after two weeks my psych upped it to 100mg. It seems to be helping, it just takes a few weeks.  Drowsiness is a side-effect, but you shouldn’t be too worried.  I would love to tell you that I don’t get tired from it but I’m not sure, I’m tired a lot but I don’t think it’s from the meds. Good luck, lots of smiles,     Robin

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been prescribed Zoloft for anti-anxiety/depression,,,,,my psych or normal dose? will i be sleepy? I am concerned about forgetting passwords, etc….does that happen? Will I be a zombie? Thanks!

Response:

I have been prescribed Zoloft for anti-anxiety/depression,,,,,my psych normal dose? will i be sleepy? I am concerned about forgetting passwords, etc….does that happen? Will I be a zombie? Thanks!

This is asking for trouble, starting at such a high dose will heigthen your anxiety and add other side effects that are temporary in the vast majority of cases and this might scare you off a potentially helpful med. Your pdoc should know better. The recommended starting dose of Zoloft for anxiety sufferers is 12.5 mg. Stay there for a week or so and then raise the dose in weekly increments of 12.5 mg (or at whatever pace is comfortable for you) until you have reached a therapeutic dose. Having a benzo like Xanax or Ativan to take *as needed* on the side at least during the weaning period will help too. *Start low, go slow* and you will have far fewer initial side effect problems. You should give Zoloift up to eight weeks to kick in – although most people get to feel better much earlier. Philip

Response:

50 mg Zoloft is what I started at and am now up to 100 mg.  Some meds do tend to make people tired or a little more anxious temporarily but in time the side effects wear off. Of course, YMMV…  Best wishes. smiles, Elise

Wow, you managed starting at 50 mg with no problems? Amazing (and very fortunate of course). Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been prescribed Zoloft for anti-anxiety/depression,,,,,my psych or normal dose? will i be sleepy? I am concerned about forgetting passwords, etc….does that happen? Will I be a zombie? Thanks!

Response:

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I recently went off my Zoloft which I have been taking on/off (mostly on) for a couple of years.  I have been at 100 mg for the past six or so months.  I only had side effects in the beginning but they all went away except the lack of libido which I can deal with.  The primary reason I am going off it is that I jsut can’t afford it anymore and am hoping that my depression will not return as bad as before.  Right now I seem emotionally stable   (Not to worry, if it appears that I really *need* to go back on it I will).  I have been off about 4-5 days and am having dizzy spells like crazy.  When I stand up to fast or turn my head too fast.  I know I shouldn’t have gone off cold turkey but hell, the money ran out at the same time the script did.  I am also in one of those situations where I make too much to qualify for any type of medication assistance yet not enough to pay for them.  Yeah, the middle class often gets the shaft too. Anyhow…I digress.  Is this dizziness just possibly a withdrawal thing from the Zoloft and if so, how long can I expect it to go on?  It is quite

annoying. Probably is from withdrawal. When I went off 100 mg of Zoloft cold turkey, I was dizzy 24 hours a day for about 4 weeks. It was then I finally gave in and started taking a very low dose with the goal of weaning myself off gradually. Maybe you can get one more scrip of a low dose from your doc, and wean yourself off? Good luck. Cate

Response:

I recently went off my Zoloft which I have been taking on/off (mostly on) for a couple of years.  I have been at 100 mg for the past six or so months.  I only had side effects in the beginning but they all went away except the lack of libido which I can deal with.  The primary reason I am going off it is that I jsut can’t afford it anymore and am hoping that my depression will not return as bad as before.  Right now I seem emotionally stable   (Not to worry, if it appears that I really *need* to go back on it I will).  I have been off about 4-5 days and am having dizzy spells like crazy.  When I stand up to fast or turn my head too fast.  I know I shouldn’t have gone off cold turkey but hell, the money ran out at the same time the script did.  I am also in one of those situations where I make too much to qualify for any type of medication assistance yet not enough to pay for them.  Yeah, the middle class often gets the shaft too. Anyhow…I digress.  Is this dizziness just possibly a withdrawal thing from the Zoloft and if so, how long can I expect it to go on?  It is quite annoying. SWC

Response:

Question:

Well excuseeee me for having a fucking rotten life.

Aw Lee…..you ain’t alone!  If you don’t like them, don’t read them.

The wisest philosophy – seems a bit too complex for some. This is a support group for gods sake.  WE ARE TRYING TO FEEL NORMAL!!!

YEAH YEAH!!!  Well, as best we can! Lee ::kicks the damn computer::

Ooooo..don’t do THAT…we might lose ya for another week!  :) Gwen

Response:

anyone else have a web tv . other than this group what do you look at anne in sf

Hi Anne, You might want to go into TALK City, there are alot of support chat groups and other topics. But watch out there are some chat rooms that you really don’t want to venture into. John

Response:

reading all these messages is depressing.  I here a lot of pain and grief

and I hope there’s more people out there who are actually feeling

normal. Well excuseeee me for having a fucking rotten life.  If you don’t like them, don’t read them.  This is a support group for gods sake.  WE ARE TRYING TO FEEL NORMAL!!! Lee ::kicks the damn computer:: "Life sucks and then you die" but in the mean time, "shit happens" so "deal with it" and "go with the flow" because "life is too important to be taken seriously".

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I’m 19 years old and found myself the other day talking to a psychiatrist. The next thing I know, I’m popping in Zoloft pills.

What was your diagnosis to be put on Zoloft?     The very next day, walking to class, I felt so weird.  My hands were more     ultra clammy, my feet were clammy, my pits were sweating, and I     didn’t have a nauseaous attack luckily, but I had a nausea sensation all that    morning just enough to tick me off.

Sounds like normal side effects when starting an SRI, tho normal seems an odd word to use in this case. mmmm.  reading all these messages is depressing.  I here a lot of pain and grief and I hope there’s more people out there who are actually feeling normal.

I see many positive posts here.  Hope you are seeing those as well. How long are the Zoloft side effects suppose to remain?  I feel like I’m wired up, but tired.

Typically….2 – 6 weeks, but they should lessen dramatically in 2 if the med is going to work for you.  There is no one answer for every person.  Do talk to your doc if you need some reassurance or something to help with the increased anxiety Zoloft sometimes causes in the beginning. Gwen

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anyone else have a web tv . other than this group what do you look at anne in sf

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im using my real name now , i dont know why lady told me to use coded name sfannie

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this is anne . i know i have the web and  am relitavely new. where do other people go to check about  anxiety .  please give  on line address in blue. i dont know if you know what i mean by blue but that means i can click it on without having to type an address . i have a hard time getting around  on line  thanks

My web page is listed below, and might be "in blue" to you… I guess it depends on your mail reader and its set-up.  In any case, I have a references page that lists some other web pages I have found useful, and books, etc.  Let me know if you find it useful. Snit Snit’s Anxiety Suggestions: http://www.azstarnet.com/~snit/anxiety.html Ramblings about my journey toward recovery.  

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(lynn) writes: anyone else have a web tv . other than this group what do you look at anne in sf

No, I don’t. It sounds cool. i’m a tv addict, anne. So i watch lots of different shows. my favorites include: Ally McBeal, Seinfeld, Rosie O’Donnell, Oprah, NYPD Blue, Homicide: Life on the Streets, ER, Law and Order, Larry Sanders, Dennis Miller. I could go on but it’s embarrassing how addicted I am. These tv people are often characters who’s company I prefer to Real people. Not healthy, I know. But I rationalize it that it’s a healthier addiction than alcohol or cocaine. Maybe not. It keeps me isolated. Helps keep me isolated. But now I’m dating and getting out more. Tell us about Web tv. Is it really great? do you have picture in picture? WRITER/CATCH MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT "You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?" (Steven Wright)

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I’m 19 years old and found myself the other day talking to a psychiatrist. The next thing I know, I’m popping in Zoloft pills.      The very next day, walking to class, I felt so weird.  My hands were more      ultra clammy, my feet were clammy, my pits were sweating, and I      didn’t have a nauseaous attack luckily, but I had a nausea sensation all that     morning just enough to tick me off. mmmm.  reading all these messages is depressing.  I here a lot of pain and grief and I hope there’s more people out there who are actually feeling normal. How long are the Zoloft side effects suppose to remain?  I feel like I’m wired up, but tired.

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this is anne . i know i have the web and  am relitavely new. where do other people go to check about  anxiety .  please give  on line address in blue. i dont know if you know what i mean by blue but that means i can click it on without having to type an address . i have a hard time getting around  on line  thanks

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Question:

The following link is with a collection of links about poisonous plants: http://www.ScienceOxygen.com/botany95.html It does not provide any answer directly. But you might start from there to check the associated information.

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Hi All, I have been paging through the various seed catalogs and have seen a wide variety of flowers I’d love to grow.  I have been disappointed in many cases when I saw that Thompson & Morgan listed them as "poisonous".

Don’t be disappointed, it’s a fact that many plants are poisonous, and T&M are simply helping remind the reader of the fact. Two or three seeds of Ricinus can kill a child if eaten, and Aconitum plant fluids are very deadly, as may be the seeds as well. On the other hand, it would take eating a lot of Datura to kill anybody. Most of the buttercup family are fairly poisonous (Aconites, Ranunculus, Trollius, etc.). There are so many plants that are poisonous, though fewer are quickly fatal at small dosages, that it is not really feasible to eliminate them from one’s garden. I would avoid planting Castor beans and Aconites around children’s playgrounds, though, especially, and perhaps some other plants. It is generally wise to teach all children never to put any plants in their mouths. When I was a kid I remember sucking on honeysuckles and stuff we called ’sourgrass’ and lots of other things, with no ill effects. But kids may experiment beyond what local lore has as ‘edible’. Sucking the juice out of the friendly looking Lily of the Valley can be deadly.

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I have been paging through the various seed catalogs and have seen a wide variety of flowers I’d love to grow.  I have been disappointed in many cases when I saw that Thompson & Morgan listed them as "poisonous". This is the case for datura, sweet peas, four o’ clocks, many varieties of nicotiana and others.  Other catalogs (Burpees, Select Seeds, WFF) do not give a similar warning for many of the flowers.  I’m not a toxicologist and have no way of knowing how "poisonous" these plants are. Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

Steve, When a plant is labeled as poisonous, the level of toxicity may not be known.  The range could be anything from deadly to just causing a mild rash. The toxicity of the plant should be considered in two major areas. The first deals with children and animals.  If you have children, they may come in contact, or even ingest, the plants in your garden.  The same is true for pets or farm animals.  The presence of poisonous plants needs to be considered. The second area of concern deals with the gardener’s safety.  Direct contact with the plants may cause negative effects.  Taking precautions like long sleeves and gloves may be all it takes.  The warning of being poisonous in the catalog may be just a flag for you to be careful. If toxicity is a concern before you buy, check out exactly what level of poisoning your dealing with on the plants and flowers you are considering.   For a general guide to toxicity of plants, check out "Take Care With Plants" at –          http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/poison_control/plants.html This is part of the internet edition The Poison Center Answer Book prepared by the University of California, Davis, Medical Center (UCDMC) Regional Poison Control Center. Hope this helps.  Good luck with your garden. Marc

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Hi All, I have been paging through the various seed catalogs and have seen a wide variety of flowers I’d love to grow.  I have been disappointed in many cases when I saw that Thompson & Morgan listed them as "poisonous". This is the case for datura, sweet peas, four o’ clocks, many varieties of nicotiana and others.  Other catalogs (Burpees, Select Seeds, WFF) do not give a similar warning for many of the flowers.  I’m not a toxicologist and have no way of knowing how "poisonous" these plants are. Can anyone shed some light on this subject? Steve Cook Macungie, PA USDA

Many of the plants referred to as ‘poisonous’ are not very toxic. Some, like holly or mistletoe, will cause a mild stomach ache or the like.  Those plants that are very toxic should be considered carefully.  It is confusing when many varieties of plants are categorized as being toxic or poisonous when most of them aren’t really poisonous enough to be of any consequence.  If you have any doubt, ask a nurseryman in your area for advice.  For reference some common plants which are highly toxic are as follows:         Dieffenbachia         Oleander         Rhubarb (green parts of leaves)         Digitalis (foxgloves)         some cacti         most Solanum sp.         Datura (angel’s trumpets)         You should also consider that many plants with milky sap are also very toxic, as are the pits of many fruits (cyanide).  Even the rinds of some fruits like passion fruit have been found to be toxic enough for consideration.  Likewise, some plants often listed as poisonous, but not much so are as follows:         Philodendron         Grasses         Ficus

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Hi All, I have been paging through the various seed catalogs and have seen a wide variety of flowers I’d love to grow.  I have been disappointed in many cases when I saw that Thompson & Morgan listed them as "poisonous". This is the case for datura, sweet peas, four o’ clocks, many varieties of nicotiana and others.  Other catalogs (Burpees, Select Seeds, WFF) do not give a similar warning for many of the flowers.  I’m not a toxicologist and have no way of knowing how "poisonous" these plants are. Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

Hi Steve, The warning of poisonous in your T&M catalogue is merely a courtesy, most catalogues don’t bother. Datura is a hallucinogenic (sp?), nicotanias contain nicotine and so on. (Although I’m curious about the sweet peas, I’ve never heard there was a problem with them) Don’t let the warning deter you from planting these plants. Most garden plants are only poisonous if they are eaten, not by handling. Even edible plants can be poisonous if not used correctly, for example, more that one tablespoon of fresh rosemary leaves can cause a toxic reaction in an adult human and rhubard *leaves* (not stalks) can cause internal bleeding, severe stomach cramps and poisoning. Some plants can kill, some can make you very sick, while others are perfectly safe. The only time you need to truly worry about this is when very young children will be in and around plantings. Children are very likely to put leaves and flowers into their mouths. Small children should never be left unattended in a garden where the possibility of poison exist. (Actually the period in that last sentence should probably fall after the word ‘garden’.) There are several books that refer to the toxicity of plants, unfortunately I don’t have any references for you, perhaps someone else will. The rule for anyone though is: never, *never*, NEVER eat from a plant, in the garden or the wild, unless you know exactly what it is and whether it is safe. But Steve, don’t let the poisonous label deter you from planting the flowers in your garden unless you have the above-mentioned small children. If you do, check out the edible flower thread that is currently going on. You can get some suggestions for ’safe’ plants there. Hope this helps Marianne — As soon as I have something important to say, I’ll put it here.

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I have been paging through the various seed catalogs and have seen a wide variety of flowers I’d love to grow.  I have been disappointed in many cases when I saw that Thompson & Morgan listed them as "poisonous". This is the case for datura, sweet peas, four o’ clocks, many varieties of nicotiana and others.  Other catalogs (Burpees, Select Seeds, WFF) do not give a similar warning for many of the flowers.  I’m not a toxicologist and have no way of knowing how "poisonous" these plants are. Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

The real question is whether it matters to you that the plants are poisonous. I guess the seed companies are just trying to protect themselves from dorks who try to sue them ("I added those Sweet Pea seeds to soup and they poisoned me – it’s your fault!"). There are few if any species which will harm you unless you actually eat the seeds or plant, and unless the plant actually looks attractive to eat, this is most unlikely (with the attractive berries of Deadly Nightshade – Atropa belladonna being an exception). So long as *you* aren’t going to eat the plant, and you are satisfied that young children won’t, then there’s little to worry about. I guess I didn’t answer your question of *how* poisonous they are! In the case of the deadly nightshade – very! I’d guess the Sweet Pea seeds are like many other dried pulses (peas/beans) that you can buy to eat – not good for you unless soaked and boiled. Nicotiana – they make cigarettes out of it. Datura – well discussed in recent threads, but a very attractive plant. I don’t know about Four o’clock – Mirabilis jalapa, except that I’ve seen the ‘poisonous’ notices on it too. — Clarke Brunt (CCB), Principal Software Engineer, Laser-Scan Ltd, Science Park, Milton Rd, CAMBRIDGE, CB4 4FY, England. Tel: (+44) (0)1223 420414; Fax: 420044

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Hi All, I have been paging through the various seed catalogs and have seen a wide variety of flowers I’d love to grow.  I have been disappointed in many cases when I saw that Thompson & Morgan listed them as "poisonous". This is the case for datura, sweet peas, four o’ clocks, many varieties of nicotiana and others.  Other catalogs (Burpees, Select Seeds, WFF) do not give a similar warning for many of the flowers.  I’m not a toxicologist and have no way of knowing how "poisonous" these plants are. Can anyone shed some light on this subject? Steve Cook Macungie, PA USDA Z6 — * Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.          Tel. (610) 481-2135     * * 7201 Hamilton Blvd.                       FAX  (610) 481-8803     * * Allentown, PA 18195                                               * * USA                                                               * *             Emacs – the choice of a GNU generation                * * Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the author.  * *             Any resemblance between my opinions and those of Air  * *             Products is purely coincidental…                    *

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