Question:

Hi – need some advice please I am on Flovent 220 2 puffs 2x day – and it has helped me quite a bit but, I’ve had a cold for the past week and it is a bad one!  It settled into my chest – resulting in bronchitis type symptoms.  I am wheezing all the time now, but I am not out of breath, (suprisingly) nor is my phlegm yellow as I understand it probably should be with a bronchitis infection.

Felt the same way in February. Finally called the doc. Went in and had chest x-ray. Had a touch of pneumonia. Couldn’t believe it. I really waited too long to see the doc. (about a week)  She prescribed a Z-pack. Felt better in 3 days but took the whole dosage.

Response:

Felt the same way in February. Finally called the doc. Went in and had chest x-ray. Had a touch of pneumonia. Couldn’t believe it. I really waited too long to see the doc. (about a week)  She prescribed a Z-pack. Felt better in 3 days but took the whole dosage.

What is a Z-pack? Feeling a little scared now. Have a doctor appt. on Thursday. Indya Before you buy.

Response:

Felt the same way in February. Finally called the doc. Went in and had chest x-ray. Had a touch of pneumonia. Couldn’t believe it. I really waited too long to see the doc. (about a week)  She prescribed a Z-pack. Felt better in 3 days but took the whole dosage. What is a Z-pack? Feeling a little scared now. Have a doctor appt. on Thursday. Indya

It is a form of antibiotic. Forget what the Z stands for. But a long name. Pack because – it is a pack of pills. Can’t remember how many days. Maybe 3-4.    (It was not a Medrol pack – which one takes for 7 days — and you start out with a certain number of pills – like 6-7 and each day the dose decreases.  If the Z pack hadn’t helped me — I was to start on a Medrol pack. I’m sure there are any number of people who could explain it better than this.  But hope this helps.

Response:

Z-pack is another name for Zithromax or Azithromycin (the generic).  As the name implies, it is in the erythromycin family of drugs, a macrolide that interferes with bacterial reproduction.  The regimen is usually: 2 tabs the first day, then 1 tab for 4 more days.  It supposedly maintains a titer for up to 12-14 days.  For those with sensitivity to corn starch, it should be mentioned that this is one of the inactive ingredients in Zithromax capsules, but to my knowledge is not present in the capsule-shaped tabs. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Felt the same way in February. Finally called the doc. Went in and had chest x-ray. Had a touch of pneumonia. Couldn’t believe it. I really waited too long to see the doc. (about a week)  She prescribed a Z-pack. Felt better in 3 days but took the whole dosage. What is a Z-pack? Feeling a little scared now. Have a doctor appt. on Thursday. Indya It is a form of antibiotic. Forget what the Z stands for. But a long name. Pack because – it is a pack of pills. Can’t remember how many days. Maybe 3-4.    (It was not a Medrol pack – which one takes for 7 days — and you start out with a certain number of pills – like 6-7 and each day the dose decreases.  If the Z pack hadn’t helped me — I was to start on a Medrol pack. I’m sure there are any number of people who could explain it better than this.  But hope this helps.

Response:

Thanks to you and Gaetz for explaining. Indya – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Z-pack is another name for Zithromax or Azithromycin (the generic). As the name implies, it is in the erythromycin family of drugs, a macrolide that interferes with bacterial reproduction.  The regimen is usually: 2 tabs the first day, then 1 tab for 4 more days.  It supposedly maintains a titer for up to 12-14 days.  For those with sensitivity to corn starch, it should be mentioned that this is one of the inactive ingredients in Zithromax capsules, but to my knowledge is not present in the capsule-shaped tabs. Felt the same way in February. Finally called the doc. Went in and had chest x-ray. Had a touch of pneumonia. Couldn’t believe it. I really waited too long to see the doc. (about a week)  She prescribed a Z-pack. Felt better in 3 days but took the whole dosage. What is a Z-pack? Feeling a little scared now. Have a doctor appt. on Thursday. Indya It is a form of antibiotic. Forget what the Z stands for. But a long name. Pack because – it is a pack of pills. Can’t remember how many days. Maybe 3-4.    (It was not a Medrol pack – which one takes for 7 days — and you start out with a certain number of pills – like 6-7 and each day the dose decreases.  If the Z pack hadn’t helped me — I was to start on a Medrol pack. I’m sure there are any number of people who could explain it better than this.  But hope this helps.

Before you buy.

Response:

Hi – need some advice please I am on Flovent 220 2 puffs 2x day – and it has helped me quite a bit but, I’ve had a cold for the past week and it is a bad one!  It settled into my chest – resulting in bronchitis type symptoms.  I am wheezing all the time now, but I am not out of breath, (suprisingly) nor is my phlegm yellow as I understand it probably should be with a bronchitis infection. My doctor is on vacation and I can’t get in to see him until late next week.  So, is there something I should know about the effects of Flovent with a chest cold; such as is Flovent as steroid at this point doing me more harm than good?  Anything else I should do to help myself out here? Also, I suppose it would be helpful if I mentioned that I am also currently taking Prilosec (acid reflux), Lotrel (blood pressure), and Allegra (allergies).  Could any of these medications be the problem? Would really appreciate any suggestions/advice. Thank you – Indya Morinec Before you buy.

Response:

Hi – need some advice please I am on Flovent 220 2 puffs 2x day – and it has helped me quite a bit but, I’ve had a cold for the past week and it is a bad one!  It settled into my chest – resulting in bronchitis type symptoms.  I am wheezing all the time now, but I am not out of breath, (suprisingly) nor is my phlegm yellow as I understand it probably should be with a bronchitis infection. My doctor is on vacation and I can’t get in to see him until late next week.

Hi Indya, If you are sick and have wheezing going on all the time, I sure wouldn’t wait until my regular doctor got back from vacation to get medical attention.  Even if your phlegm isn’t yellow, there is still an abnormal process going on that needs attention!! Best wishes, Patrice

Response:

Hi – need some advice please I am on Flovent 220 2 puffs 2x day – and it has helped me quite a bit

This is a high dose. How do you know you need this much? If you do decide to cut down, do it very slowly – say by 25%,  and give it at least 2 weeks to see what happens. Also a good idea to have prednisone on hand and know how to use it. (obgligatory disclaimer – conslt your MD) but, I’ve had a cold for the past week and it is a bad one!  It settled into my chest – resulting in bronchitis type symptoms.  I am wheezing all the time now, but I am not out of breath, (suprisingly) nor is my phlegm yellow as I understand it probably should be with a bronchitis infection.

As your statement shows, phlegm does not need to be yellow in a chest infection! My doctor is on vacation and I can’t get in to see him until late next week.  So, is there something I should know about the effects of Flovent with a chest cold; such as is Flovent as steroid at this point doing me more harm than good?

Bingo! – local immune suppression –  But- you CAN’T QUIT THE FLOVENT OR YOU ARE LIKELY TO END UP IN THE ER or worse. Anything else I should do to help myself out here?

Henceforth, you have to choice but to take great care to avoid exposure to contagious persons. Meanwhile, get your chest infection diagnosed immediately, to see if anitbiotics could help. Also, I suppose it would be helpful if I mentioned that I am also currently taking Prilosec (acid reflux), Lotrel (blood pressure), and Allegra (allergies).  Could any of these medications be the problem? Would really appreciate any suggestions/advice. Thank you – Indya Morinec Before you buy.

Before you buy.

Response:

Question:

You have learned a very important thing about there being no upward bound.  The key is to make sure the patient is titrated upward properly.  Many doctors mistakenly believe that at a certain dosage, resp failure will ensue.  That is BS just as long as the patient has been *gradually* taken up to their dosages. As for cost, Oxy and MS-Con are VERY expensive.  Oramorph is about the same price also.   90 Oxycontin of 40 mg strength can run anywhere from $400 to $500. (I’ve heard that the methadone equivalent of these is about $15-$25. You can see why some patients might need to use methadone). That is ALOT of dough for either Oxy or MS-Contin.  It is important for pain physicians to discuss what insurance their patients have and to work with them to make sure they can afford the meds.  Before the doc even pulls out the prescription pad, a discussion should take place about what insurance the patient has (if any).  Most people can simply not afford paying over $1000 per month out of pocket (assuming prescriptions for Oxycontin and a breakthru med like Oxyfast). – Jon  (:o)}< – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First, this is my own personal preferences.  Doctors are allowed to be fickle too (most are MORE so).  I guess if I start using it more and get more comfortable with it, then I’ll start to use it more.  The hospice I direct has contracts for MS Contin/Oxy Contin so they get it cheaper.  The residency program I came from had a pharmacy that had both Oxy/MS and methadone.  I just preferred the first two. Now allow me to clear up one misconception you stated: there are no upper limits for ANY opiate that is not mixed with something else.  So there is no upper limit for morphine, oxycodone or methadone.  You keep taking more until you get the dose that benefits you.  That is one simple rule that many docs don’t like.  Some incorrectly believe that there is some "magic" number that if they pass that dose, the patient (still in horrible pain) will stop breathing.  That is simply NOT true.  No one will be dying from respiratory failure from too much narcotic while they still have significant pain.  Pain is the PERFECT antagonist for opiates…better than naloxone. Cost can be a significant factor, but I have not encountered that yet.  I know I will, just not yet. It does sound like you have a great pain doc.  Stick with her and tell your friends about her too. — Bill Work Personally, it is my last choice for long-acting, oral narcotics. Notice I said "personally".  It has a half-life of 24 hours but you must take it three times a day for pain relief. Is the 3x/day dosing the reason you don’t like the methadone, or is there another reason for not liking it? It surely is a life saver cost wise for those who cannot afford the high prices of OxyContin and other meds which have no generics. My pain-management physician also says that there is no upper limit on methadone. She prescribes whatever it takes to reach the goal that one is seeking for pain relief and gives breakthrough medication also. Now a few questions…who in the world put you on OxyContin four times a day?  What if you took 80 mg every 12 hours (not twice a day but every 12 hours)?  Does it make you too sleepy?  Do you get too much breakthrough pain? I was on OxyContin a while back and found it to be practically useless for me. My first pain-management physician started me out on 3x/day because he said that it didn’t last longer than 8 hours for most people. I can’t see any difference between taking OxyContin 3x/day and methadone 3x/day except for the fact that methadone works much better for me than OxyContin, and I have saved a bundle of money. Annie B.

Response:

Thank you Harley for the inforation you provided….printed alot of it off and have it ready for my Dr appointment  on Thursday. It should give him some idea on what I’m talking about. Thanks again…I appreciate all the help everyone has given me…….Joan

Response:

Hi Joan. I am 28yrs. and I would like to share my medication history with you.  I have been on narcotics for the treatment of Avascular Necrosis for the past 3yrs  I am currently taking 30mg of methadone every 6hrs; 120mg/day.  75mg of morphine ER/day ;30-45mg twice a day . Also, oxycodone 10mg every 4hrs.; 60mg/day.  However, I am still in a great deal of pain every second of the day.  Before switching to Methadone, I was on oxycontin 80mg/day along with the same dose of oxycodone and things where pretty much the same.  So, if cost is the only issue, I would give methadone a try.But i was recently told that methadone can damage the bones.  Therefor, I am now lookng for a drug to replace methadone since I already have a bone disease. I pray that you will soon find the right medication for you.

Response:

I agree…so I guess I need to only treat patients with good insurance????? No, you made some good points. — Bill Work

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You have learned a very important thing about there being no upward bound.  The key is to make sure the patient is titrated upward properly.  Many doctors mistakenly believe that at a certain dosage, resp failure will ensue.  That is BS just as long as the patient has been *gradually* taken up to their dosages. As for cost, Oxy and MS-Con are VERY expensive.  Oramorph is about the same price also. 90 Oxycontin of 40 mg strength can run anywhere from $400 to $500. (I’ve heard that the methadone equivalent of these is about $15-$25. You can see why some patients might need to use methadone). That is ALOT of dough for either Oxy or MS-Contin.  It is important for pain physicians to discuss what insurance their patients have and to work with them to make sure they can afford the meds.  Before the doc even pulls out the prescription pad, a discussion should take place about what insurance the patient has (if any).  Most people can simply not afford paying over $1000 per month out of pocket (assuming prescriptions for Oxycontin and a breakthru med like Oxyfast). – Jon  (:o)}< First, this is my own personal preferences.  Doctors are allowed to be fickle too (most are MORE so).  I guess if I start using it more and get more comfortable with it, then I’ll start to use it more.  The hospice I direct has contracts for MS Contin/Oxy Contin so they get it cheaper. The residency program I came from had a pharmacy that had both Oxy/MS and methadone.  I just preferred the first two. Now allow me to clear up one misconception you stated: there are no upper limits for ANY opiate that is not mixed with something else.  So there is no upper limit for morphine, oxycodone or methadone.  You keep taking more until you get the dose that benefits you.  That is one simple rule that many docs don’t like.  Some incorrectly believe that there is some "magic" number that if they pass that dose, the patient (still in horrible pain) will stop breathing.  That is simply NOT true.  No one will be dying from respiratory failure from too much narcotic while they still have significant pain. Pain is the PERFECT antagonist for opiates…better than naloxone. Cost can be a significant factor, but I have not encountered that yet.  I know I will, just not yet. It does sound like you have a great pain doc.  Stick with her and tell your friends about her too. — Bill Work Personally, it is my last choice for long-acting, oral narcotics. Notice I said "personally".  It has a half-life of 24 hours but you must take it three times a day for pain relief. Is the 3x/day dosing the reason you don’t like the methadone, or is there another reason for not liking it? It surely is a life saver cost wise for those who cannot afford the high prices of OxyContin and other meds which have no generics. My pain-management physician also says that there is no upper limit on methadone. She prescribes whatever it takes to reach the goal that one is seeking for pain relief and gives breakthrough medication also. Now a few questions…who in the world put you on OxyContin four times a day?  What if you took 80 mg every 12 hours (not twice a day but every 12 hours)?  Does it make you too sleepy?  Do you get too much breakthrough pain? I was on OxyContin a while back and found it to be practically useless for me. My first pain-management physician started me out on 3x/day because he said that it didn’t last longer than 8 hours for most people. I can’t see any difference between taking OxyContin 3x/day and methadone 3x/day except for the fact that methadone works much better for me than OxyContin, and I have saved a bundle of money. Annie B.

Response:

May I ask why you are on so many different narcotics?????  You should be on only ONE narcotic and maximize that to its fullest potential. Reminds me of hospice referrals we would get from the Internal Medicine teams.  They would discharge someone on Duragesic patches, OxyContin, Percocets and MS IR (no joke!).  BTW, the patient would still be in 7/10 pain. So, your dose of methadone is too small.  If this is the drug of choice for you (I hadn’t heard about the bone stuff), then it should be maximized. What is the limit?  There is NO limit.  You take an increasing dose until you either have the pain to a manageable level or you get tired of taking so many pills. As a pain physician, I would be VERY uncomfortable giving you that diverse of a medication regimen.  It sounds too complex and more likely to have problems getting the proper doses. Just my two cents…and I didn’t even bill you for it… — Bill Work

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Joan. I am 28yrs. and I would like to share my medication history with you.  I have been on narcotics for the treatment of Avascular Necrosis for the past 3yrs  I am currently taking 30mg of methadone every 6hrs; 120mg/day.  75mg of morphine ER/day ;30-45mg twice a day . Also, oxycodone 10mg every 4hrs.; 60mg/day.  However, I am still in a great deal of pain every second of the day.  Before switching to Methadone, I was on oxycontin 80mg/day along with the same dose of oxycodone and things where pretty much the same.  So, if cost is the only issue, I would give methadone a try.But i was recently told that methadone can damage the bones.  Therefor, I am now lookng for a drug to replace methadone since I already have a bone disease. I pray that you will soon find the right medication for you.

Response:

Ironman is quite right. Trying to last 12 hours on one pill did not come close to helping me anyway. I have found the change to QID, yes every 6 hours for oxycontin has a made major improvement in my quality of life – at least for me. TID is a near norm with many I’ve read over the last year. Some thoughts I wanted to pass along. My previous pain doc used methadone as his fist narcotic of choice for some chronic patients because of it being affordable. This enabled him to treat all folks with pain both rich and the poor uninsured – me. Fortunately I now receive help due to past employment before I could not work. I’m still paying on the previous bills for medication over several years.  I hope and pray each month my medications go through one more time. I could never afford the meds and would be back to my past situation borrowing money. Oxy works best for me, unfortunately. Thought you might find this interesting. Have a good day, Matt

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Personally, it is my last choice for long-acting, oral narcotics.  Notice I said "personally".  It has a half-life of 24 hours but you must take it three times a day for pain relief. Now a few questions…who in the world put you on OxyContin four times a day?  What if you took 80 mg every 12 hours (not twice a day but every 12 hours)?  Does it make you too sleepy?  Do you get too much breakthrough pain? Dr. Work, While OxyContin is a very good pain reliever, it doesn’t last 12 hours. IMHO it stops being effective after 6-8 hours. YMMV, but she could need to take 40 mg. 4x per day. This is just my spin on the situation. ironman Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

Response:

Dear Doc.  Thank you for the info.  I am certainly going to request that my medications be re_ evaluated.  My pain alway ranges 7to 10.  I was starting to feel that there was no hope of having my pain managed.  My doc said that 120mg of methadone was as high as it could be.  That is why morphine er was added.  The oxycodone is for breakthrough pain and my pain is so grea that I take it every 4hrs. around the clock. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE

Response:

William: I know you were joking, but no…..the key is to use drugs that have generic formularies with under- or noninsured patients. Methadone comes to mind for a "long-term" delivery drug. Another option is to use a suspension form of hydrocodone in syrup form.  This tends to stay in the body for an extended period of time. Bunch of these on the market for people with severe coughing. Still nothing wrong with Percocet/dan.  Keep in mind that the drug companies have now come out with 2.5/5/10 mg formulations.  Drs need to specify which strength they are writing for. Vicoden ES or its generics are cheaper (by comparison).  Norco is not all that expensive either. OR…..if you have a compounding pharmacy near your practice and you want to avoid APAP toxicity……have the pharmacist compound pure hydrocodone.  IT CAN BE DONE. With poorer folks, you just need to be a little bit more creative. They will thank you for it 1000% over tho  (:o) – Jon  (:o)}< – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I agree…so I guess I need to only treat patients with good insurance????? No, you made some good points. — Bill Work You have learned a very important thing about there being no upward bound.  The key is to make sure the patient is titrated upward properly.  Many doctors mistakenly believe that at a certain dosage, resp failure will ensue.  That is BS just as long as the patient has been *gradually* taken up to their dosages. As for cost, Oxy and MS-Con are VERY expensive.  Oramorph is about the same price also. 90 Oxycontin of 40 mg strength can run anywhere from $400 to $500. (I’ve heard that the methadone equivalent of these is about $15-$25. You can see why some patients might need to use methadone). That is ALOT of dough for either Oxy or MS-Contin.  It is important for pain physicians to discuss what insurance their patients have and to work with them to make sure they can afford the meds.  Before the doc even pulls out the prescription pad, a discussion should take place about what insurance the patient has (if any).  Most people can simply not afford paying over $1000 per month out of pocket (assuming prescriptions for Oxycontin and a breakthru med like Oxyfast). – Jon  (:o)}< First, this is my own personal preferences.  Doctors are allowed to be fickle too (most are MORE so).  I guess if I start using it more and get more comfortable with it, then I’ll start to use it more.  The hospice I direct has contracts for MS Contin/Oxy Contin so they get it cheaper. The residency program I came from had a pharmacy that had both Oxy/MS and methadone.  I just preferred the first two. Now allow me to clear up one misconception you stated: there are no upper limits for ANY opiate that is not mixed with something else.  So there is no upper limit for morphine, oxycodone or methadone.  You keep taking more until you get the dose that benefits you.  That is one simple rule that many docs don’t like.  Some incorrectly believe that there is some "magic" number that if they pass that dose, the patient (still in horrible pain) will stop breathing.  That is simply NOT true.  No one will be dying from respiratory failure from too much narcotic while they still have significant pain. Pain is the PERFECT antagonist for opiates…better than naloxone. Cost can be a significant factor, but I have not encountered that yet.  I know I will, just not yet. It does sound like you have a great pain doc.  Stick with her and tell your friends about her too. — Bill Work Personally, it is my last choice for long-acting, oral narcotics. Notice I said "personally".  It has a half-life of 24 hours but you must take it three times a day for pain relief. Is the 3x/day dosing the reason you don’t like the methadone, or is there another reason for not liking it? It surely is a life saver cost wise for those who cannot afford the high prices of OxyContin and other meds which have no generics. My pain-management physician also says that there is no upper limit on methadone. She prescribes whatever it takes to reach the goal that one is seeking for pain relief and gives breakthrough medication also. Now a few questions…who in the world put you on OxyContin four times a day?  What if you took 80 mg every 12 hours (not twice a day but every 12 hours)?  Does it make you too sleepy?  Do you get too much breakthrough pain? I was on OxyContin a while back and found it to be practically useless for me. My first pain-management physician started me out on 3x/day because he said that it didn’t last longer than 8 hours for most people. I can’t see any difference between taking OxyContin 3x/day and methadone 3x/day except for the fact that methadone works much better for me than OxyContin, and I have saved a bundle of money. Annie B.

Response:

What this demonstrates is that everyone is different and everything about the person must be taken into account…..snippage I am never concerned about a chronic pain patient over-medicating.  They would have to prove to me that they are incompetant with their meds before I begin to get worried.  I know a pain doc here in town who on the first visit, gives the patient a large amount of MS IR to use and asks them to write down each day how much and how often they use it.  He then re-evaluates them in one month and starts them on a chronic dose.  I personally don’t do that but instead make an educated guess as to how much to start and give breakthrough MS IR/Oxy IR then make the adjustment.

When I began methadone I was prescribed 100 5 mg tablets. I was instructed to start at 5 mg every 6 hours for three days and then titrate the doseage by 5 mg increments every three days till I felt comfortable. I then settled at 10mg every 6 hours, a relatively small dose. I am now at 20 mg every 6 hours but I have only needed two small adjustments in 18 months. It took me two years of agony to get into that doctor’s care, I certainly don’t recommend that you take that long to find the right MD! I never take stuff for granted after having gone through so much. I know how fortunate I am because I don’t live in this NG anymore! I actually have days now, where I forget about this stuff entirely. Jim S Jim S

Response:

Many many patients find that Oxycontin does not last 12 hours.  It is more like 8 hours.  Many Oxy prescriptions are now for dosing one TID. I’ve read reports of patients on 4x daily dosing.  Since the drug comes in so many different strengths, it is very useful for the clinician since they can easily titrate the dose. Since different patients metabolize oxycodone at different rates, I can imagine patients who might need QID dosing.  We’ve had patients on this newsgroup that were/are taking "heroic" amounts of Oxycontin on a daily basis and their pain was barely in check. Pain management requires an "exploratory" mindset.  Just because the manufacturer promises a certain delivery, does not mean a given patient will achieve that. If I had lost my insurance, I would give methadone major consideration.  It is dirt cheap and works very well. – Jon  (:o)}< – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Personally, it is my last choice for long-acting, oral narcotics.  Notice I said "personally".  It has a half-life of 24 hours but you must take it three times a day for pain relief. Now a few questions…who in the world put you on OxyContin four times a day?  What if you took 80 mg every 12 hours (not twice a day but every 12 hours)?  Does it make you too sleepy?  Do you get too much breakthrough pain? — Bill Work I have been lurking for several months and have gotten alot of help from this group. I am looking for information on methodone…how well does it work for pain control and where could I find web sites to learn more about it? I am on oxycontine 40 mg 4 x a day right now for neck and arm pain (cervical injury)…..however my insurance company, workers comp, has stopped paying for my meds and I am having a very difficult time paying for all the meds my dr. prescribes. I have heard that methodone is cheaper, but want to know if it is some thing I should , or would want to start on in place of oxycontine. I have a very compassionate dr who is willing to help me in any way he can, however admits he does not know enough about the methadone, being used for chronic pain, to tell me if it would be the right drug for me, or how well it really works. I would appreciate any help that you could give me on this. Thank you…..Joan

Response:

First, this is my own personal preferences.  Doctors are allowed to be fickle too (most are MORE so).  I guess if I start using it more and get more comfortable with it, then I’ll start to use it more.  The hospice I direct has contracts for MS Contin/Oxy Contin so they get it cheaper.  The residency program I came from had a pharmacy that had both Oxy/MS and methadone.  I just preferred the first two. Now allow me to clear up one misconception you stated: there are no upper limits for ANY opiate that is not mixed with something else.  So there is no upper limit for morphine, oxycodone or methadone.  You keep taking more until you get the dose that benefits you.  That is one simple rule that many docs don’t like.  Some incorrectly believe that there is some "magic" number that if they pass that dose, the patient (still in horrible pain) will stop breathing.  That is simply NOT true.  No one will be dying from respiratory failure from too much narcotic while they still have significant pain.  Pain is the PERFECT antagonist for opiates…better than naloxone. Cost can be a significant factor, but I have not encountered that yet.  I know I will, just not yet. It does sound like you have a great pain doc.  Stick with her and tell your friends about her too. — Bill Work

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Personally, it is my last choice for long-acting, oral narcotics. Notice I said "personally".  It has a half-life of 24 hours but you must take it three times a day for pain relief. Is the 3x/day dosing the reason you don’t like the methadone, or is there another reason for not liking it? It surely is a life saver cost wise for those who cannot afford the high prices of OxyContin and other meds which have no generics. My pain-management physician also says that there is no upper limit on methadone. She prescribes whatever it takes to reach the goal that one is seeking for pain relief and gives breakthrough medication also. Now a few questions…who in the world put you on OxyContin four times a day?  What if you took 80 mg every 12 hours (not twice a day but every 12 hours)?  Does it make you too sleepy?  Do you get too much breakthrough pain? I was on OxyContin a while back and found it to be practically useless for me. My first pain-management physician started me out on 3x/day because he said that it didn’t last longer than 8 hours for most people. I can’t see any difference between taking OxyContin 3x/day and methadone 3x/day except for the fact that methadone works much better for me than OxyContin, and I have saved a bundle of money. Annie B.

Response:

I was wondering if you or anyone else would know where I can find information on methodone for pain management that I can print out for my Dr to read.

Joan–.–    I’ll find you something and either post it or send it to you directly, your choice.  Methadone is `wonderful` stuff!  It, at the very LEAST, doubled the quality and intensity of my life! –

Question:

I don’t know if it is because of Advair or not, but my father went into V-Fib 1 month after taking advair. He was very happy with the way he felt being on Advair, but never mentioned anything about the warnings. I just noticed that the warnings say that Advair can change heart rhythm.  That is exactly what happened to my father.  He never had heart problems before, in fact, his Dr has commented before that he has a very strong heart. I’m not sure where to go with this.  I just want to make sure that everyone takes these warnings seriously. Please be careful.  Having this happen to my father has been very difficult. Dave

Response:

It may have been a cumulative effect was he taking something else before Advair. Many asthma sufferers take a form of steroids and albuterol and heart problems are frequent. My best wishes to you and your family and thanks for a difficult reminder. Lane

Response:

Your comments can be true.  However, since being on Advair, he hasn’t used his inhaler, and he hasn’t taken prednisone for quite some time. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It may have been a cumulative effect was he taking something else before Advair. Many asthma sufferers take a form of steroids and albuterol and heart problems are frequent. My best wishes to you and your family and thanks for a difficult reminder. Lane

Response:

It is always difficult to know if a drug side effect is responsible or not. The PDR lists the same 101 side effects for every drug. While I was takng "anyoldmycin" my stocks plunged, my car wouldn’t start and I cut myself shaving. Was all this caused by "anyoldmycin"? Unfortunately it takes a very long time to decide which – if any – ofthe 101 side effects are "real" and requires withdrawal of a medication. The ingredients in Advair are quite common ones and seem to help many persons. Murray Grossan, M.D. http://www.ent-consult.com http://www.TinnitusRelief.net http://www.emedicine.com/ent/topic516.htm

Response:

Many people find Advair and Flovent disagreeable immedeiately.  So they switch to Pulmicort, which, conversely, is not for everyone.  These two are both powerful and effective steroids. Address:http://www.consumerlawpage.com/article/asthma.shtml Changed:9:56 PM on Friday, November 8, 2002

Response:

Question:

I have found that taking chlorpheniramine (an antihistamine found in OTC medications such as Chlor-Trimeton) can stop my migraines within 15 minutes in many cases.  However, both pharmacists and doctors tell me that this isn’t supposed to happen.  But it sill works.  Can anyone tell me why?  I try aspirin, acetaminophen, codeine, and ibuprofen, but ultimately if all else fails I take chlorpheniramine, and very often that works (the reason I don’t take it to begin with is that it puts me to sleep). Any suggestions on why this particular medication works for my migraines, even though it’s "not supposed to work"?  Aren’t antihistamines usually effective treatments for migraines, or is it the other way around? — Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Response:

I’m not really sure, but many people here have taken Singulair and reported that works for them.  So many drugs, so many different people.  You know whenever doctors tell me it isn’t supposed to happen, it just means they don’t know about it Michelle

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have found that taking chlorpheniramine (an antihistamine found in OTC medications such as Chlor-Trimeton) can stop my migraines within 15 minutes in many cases.  However, both pharmacists and doctors tell me that this isn’t supposed to happen.  But it sill works.  Can anyone tell me why?  I try aspirin, acetaminophen, codeine, and ibuprofen, but ultimately if all else fails I take chlorpheniramine, and very often that works (the reason I don’t take it to begin with is that it puts me to sleep). Any suggestions on why this particular medication works for my migraines, even though it’s "not supposed to work"?  Aren’t antihistamines usually effective treatments for migraines, or is it the other way around? — Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Response:

Rick writes: The only explanation I can think of is that your headaches aren’t migraines, but are tension headaches instead.  Antihistimines are effective (especially in conjunction with analgesics) to treat this type of headache.

I thought they were tension or sinus, too, but a doctor pointed out to me that virtually all my symptoms are consistent with migraines: pain on one side of the head (usually the same side), a feeling that something is drilling or splitting into that part of the head, a change when I move around, nausea, watering eye on the headache side, sensitivity to smells, light, and some sounds, triggers that include barometric pressure changes and certain types of pollution or smells, etc. Anyway, it does seem like a migraine, but antihistamine still works. BTW, why would antihistamine be effective against tension headaches? — Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Response:

I have found that taking chlorpheniramine (an antihistamine found in OTC medications such as Chlor-Trimeton) can stop my migraines within 15 minutes in many cases.  However, both pharmacists and doctors tell me that this isn’t supposed to happen.  But it sill works.  Can anyone tell me why?  I try aspirin, acetaminophen, codeine, and ibuprofen, but ultimately if all else fails I take chlorpheniramine, and very often that works (the reason I don’t take it to begin with is that it puts me to sleep). Any suggestions on why this particular medication works for my migraines, even though it’s "not supposed to work"?  Aren’t antihistamines usually effective treatments for migraines, or is it the other way around?

The only explanation I can think of is that your headaches aren’t migraines, but are tension headaches instead.  Antihistimines are effective (especially in conjunction with analgesics) to treat this type of headache. Rick

Response:

Question:

Bill has probably posted relevant, pertinent cites, but I’m wondering if someone might be able to either a) point me in the direction of info. on these meds, particularly the new one, singulair, and how they work, versus how steriods work, what’s the downside etc., or b)  summarize the info. in relatively easy to understand, non-jargonese.  Thanks a lot. Merril, writing from  where it’s -25 still, but warm enough that my cold induced attacks have stopped — and which I won’t seek advice on again since starting the last match.

Response:

Bill has probably posted relevant, pertinent cites, but I’m wondering if someone might be able to either a) point me in the direction of info. on these meds, particularly the new one, singulair, and how they work, versus how steriods work, what’s the downside etc., or b)  summarize the info. in relatively easy to understand, non-jargonese.  Thanks a lot.

You can try:http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/treatmnt/guide/guidelin/comp3/… A promotional site for Accolate (which is similar to Singular) is at: http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/zeneca/about/default.htm This has information on Leukotrines and Leukotrine receptor agonists (Singulair is a Lueknotine receptor agonist).

Response:

Question:

Finally saw a certfied sleep doctor last Monday.  After dealing with my family doc and an ENT that wants to do surgery, it was refreshing to meet with a real sleep specialist.  He went over my history with me, reviewed my 2 1/2 year old sleep study and gave me a thorough exam.  He told me under no circumstance would he recommend any kind of surgery for me.  He feels that the CPAP will do the job for me, but to be absolutely sure, he has scheduled another sleep study.  This will be at a different sleep center than my previous study, one that he normally works with.  One of the reasons for another study is that besides the obstructive events due to the upper airway resistance syndrome, he also noticed abnormalities with my REM and non-REM sleep.  Apparently I never get into the restful sleep, obviously making daytime exhaustion worse.  Since I’ve been on Effexor for depression for the last few years, he wants to make sure that it’s not the cause of the REM sleep problems.  Therefore I’m gradually weaning off the Effexor.  I need to be completely off of it for 2 full weeks or more prior to the test. I like the fact that he picked up on this from reading my previous study and wants to eliminate it as a possibility.  If first impressions mean anything, I got a real feeling of confidence with this guy.  The sleep study is scheduled for Dec. 12th.  Didn’t want to wait this long, but it’s necessary so that I can get off Effexor first.  Who knows, I might really get somewhere this time instead of being told there’s nothing really wrong.  I’ll keep you updated with what happens. Denny

Response:

In article <528dc7b4.0311131829.3ef62…@posting.google.com

,

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text - impala4sp…@hotmail.com (Denny) wrote:

Finally saw a certfied sleep doctor last Monday.  After dealing with my family doc and an ENT that wants to do surgery, it was refreshing to meet with a real sleep specialist.  He went over my history with me, reviewed my 2 1/2 year old sleep study and gave me a thorough exam.  He told me under no circumstance would he recommend any kind of surgery for me.  He feels that the CPAP will do the job for me, but to be absolutely sure, he has scheduled another sleep study.  This will be at a different sleep center than my previous study, one that he normally works with.  One of the reasons for another study is that besides the obstructive events due to the upper airway resistance syndrome, he also noticed abnormalities with my REM and non-REM sleep.  Apparently I never get into the restful sleep, obviously making daytime exhaustion worse.  Since I’ve been on Effexor for depression for the last few years, he wants to make sure that it’s not the cause of the REM sleep problems.  Therefore I’m gradually weaning off the Effexor.  I need to be completely off of it for 2 full weeks or more prior to the test. I like the fact that he picked up on this from reading my previous study and wants to eliminate it as a possibility.  If first impressions mean anything, I got a real feeling of confidence with this guy.  The sleep study is scheduled for Dec. 12th.  Didn’t want to wait this long, but it’s necessary so that I can get off Effexor first.  Who knows, I might really get somewhere this time instead of being told there’s nothing really wrong.  I’ll keep you updated with what happens. Denny

The problem, Denny, is that they convince you it’s just a couple more months every couple more months, until you’ve realized you’ve had 4 tests, 8 docs, 3 psychiatrists to top it off, and a pulmonary specialist who’s never read a single bit of research on Xyrem telling your psychiatrist (who knows better and tells you he just doesn’t want to conflict with his hospital collegue) not to treat you with something that is very likely to turn your life around. People who are tired have a life long condition, low patient outcomes by docs and patients alike, this leads patients being convinced they’re being helped by simply repeating the same tests, or getting a new diagnosis that meant the same thing as the one that replaced it 15   years ago. Treating you and validating your need for treatment are separate parts, and while I understand you need to wean off Effexor, your doc hasn’t told you you’ll need to wait a few weeks after that to have a PSG, wait 3 weeks for that to be analyzed, another appt. with your doc to follow-up on it (where all he does is order a titration study he could’ve done over the phone) and another few weeks to book that and then 7 weeks for you to E-Mail the doc to ask why you haven’t received your report or prescription yet, a lie that an E-Mail went out much earlier, and a week for the CPAP to be installed, then a few weeks for the correct mask to come replace the nasal mask, then several weeks to notice if the CPAP alone will do a darn thing. I’m at this last point, and crossing my fingers after a year of this nonsense.

Response:

Hi Denny- I’m sorry the other poster is having such a terrible time- but it certainly isn’t the usual. (Unfortunately it’s not rare either.) But to give you another experience, I went from my first call for an appointment to having my CPAP in about 2 months. (I know that’s exceptional in the opposite way.) Actually, since you need two weeks to get off the Effexor, you’re moving along in the process pretty quickly. It does seem that this guy is more knowledgeable and taking into account a much wider range of issues. Sleep docs have very specialized knowledge that others just don’t. Especially ENTs who SEEM like they would because they know about that part of the body and therefore people take their advice when they really don’t know SLEEP issues that stem from that part of the body. A perfect example of "A little knowledge can be dangerous". So anyway- enough preaching. Hope the rest goes as quickly as the beginning. Susan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Ganishe wrote:

In article <528dc7b4.0311131829.3ef62…@posting.google.com,  impala4sp…@hotmail.com (Denny) wrote: Finally saw a certfied sleep doctor last Monday.  After dealing with my family doc and an ENT that wants to do surgery, it was refreshing to meet with a real sleep specialist.  He went over my history with me, reviewed my 2 1/2 year old sleep study and gave me a thorough exam.  He told me under no circumstance would he recommend any kind of surgery for me.  He feels that the CPAP will do the job for me, but to be absolutely sure, he has scheduled another sleep study.  This will be at a different sleep center than my previous study, one that he normally works with.  One of the reasons for another study is that besides the obstructive events due to the upper airway resistance syndrome, he also noticed abnormalities with my REM and non-REM sleep. Apparently I never get into the restful sleep, obviously making daytime exhaustion worse.  Since I’ve been on Effexor for depression for the last few years, he wants to make sure that it’s not the cause of the REM sleep problems.  Therefore I’m gradually weaning off the Effexor.  I need to be completely off of it for 2 full weeks or more prior to the test. I like the fact that he picked up on this from reading my previous study and wants to eliminate it as a possibility.  If first impressions mean anything, I got a real feeling of confidence with this guy.  The sleep study is scheduled for Dec. 12th.  Didn’t want to wait this long, but it’s necessary so that I can get off Effexor first.  Who knows, I might really get somewhere this time instead of being told there’s nothing really wrong.  I’ll keep you updated with what happens. Denny The problem, Denny, is that they convince you it’s just a couple more months every couple more months, until you’ve realized you’ve had 4 tests, 8 docs, 3 psychiatrists to top it off, and a pulmonary specialist who’s never read a single bit of research on Xyrem telling your psychiatrist (who knows better and tells you he just doesn’t want to conflict with his hospital collegue) not to treat you with something that is very likely to turn your life around. People who are tired have a life long condition, low patient outcomes by docs and patients alike, this leads patients being convinced they’re being helped by simply repeating the same tests, or getting a new diagnosis that meant the same thing as the one that replaced it 15   years ago. Treating you and validating your need for treatment are separate parts, and while I understand you need to wean off Effexor, your doc hasn’t told you you’ll need to wait a few weeks after that to have a PSG, wait 3 weeks for that to be analyzed, another appt. with your doc to follow-up on it (where all he does is order a titration study he could’ve done over the phone) and another few weeks to book that and then 7 weeks for you to E-Mail the doc to ask why you haven’t received your report or prescription yet, a lie that an E-Mail went out much earlier, and a week for the CPAP to be installed, then a few weeks for the correct mask to come replace the nasal mask, then several weeks to notice if the CPAP alone will do a darn thing. I’m at this last point, and crossing my fingers after a year of this nonsense.

Response:

normally works with.  One of the reasons for another study is that besides the obstructive events due to the upper airway resistance syndrome, he also noticed abnormalities with my REM and non-REM sleep.  Apparently I never get into the restful sleep, obviously making daytime exhaustion worse.  Since I’ve been on Effexor for depression for the last few years, he wants to make sure that it’s not the cause of the REM sleep problems.  Therefore I’m gradually weaning off the Effexor.  I need to be completely off of it for 2 full weeks or more prior to the test.

it’s great that your doc is concerned about REM/deep sleep issues…….so many times here we hear of people’s results saying "no stage 3+4 sleep" yet the doctors completely ignore it.  Problem is our bodies really need the restorative stages of sleep…..that’s when the majority of our body’s healing is done Be sure to let us know how it goes — Beth in Australia (I am not a medical professional and anything stated in my posts is my opinion only unless specified otherwise) =================== FAQ for alt.support.sleep-disorder can be found here http://talhost.net/sleep Newsgroup Archives http://talhost.net/sleep/archives.htm this site is a work in progress – feel free to submit info/articles Remove my name to reply

Response:

On 13 Nov 2003 18:29:25 -0800, impala4sp…@hotmail.com (Denny) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

Finally saw a certfied sleep doctor last Monday.  After dealing with my family doc and an ENT that wants to do surgery, it was refreshing to meet with a real sleep specialist.  He went over my history with me, reviewed my 2 1/2 year old sleep study and gave me a thorough exam.  He told me under no circumstance would he recommend any kind of surgery for me.  He feels that the CPAP will do the job for me, but to be absolutely sure, he has scheduled another sleep study.  This will be at a different sleep center than my previous study, one that he normally works with.  One of the reasons for another study is that besides the obstructive events due to the upper airway resistance syndrome, he also noticed abnormalities with my REM and non-REM sleep. Apparently I never get into the restful sleep, obviously making daytime exhaustion worse.  Since I’ve been on Effexor for depression for the last few years, he wants to make sure that it’s not the cause of the REM sleep problems.  Therefore I’m gradually weaning off the Effexor.  I need to be completely off of it for 2 full weeks or more prior to the test.

If you read the clinical information on venlafaxine (Effexor), the two week period has to do also with trying to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

I like the fact that he picked up on this from reading my previous study and wants to eliminate it as a possibility.  If first impressions mean anything, I got a real feeling of confidence with this guy.  The sleep study is scheduled for Dec. 12th.  Didn’t want to wait this long, but it’s necessary so that I can get off Effexor first.  Who knows, I might really get somewhere this time instead of being told there’s nothing really wrong.  I’ll keep you updated with what happens. Denny

It’s also worth noting that poor sleep as a result of OSA can have a significant negative impact in general on metabolism, can result in irritability and general outlook on things.   So, if your sleep problems can be improved or resolved, it could be a benefit all round for you.    Definitely this exercise is worth doing…… .andy To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -"Tal" <sleepbethdisord…@softhome.net

wrote in message <news:bp2u6d$1k9pg9$1@ID-148111.news.uni-berlin.de… normally works with.  One of the reasons for another study is that besides the obstructive events due to the upper airway resistance syndrome, he also noticed abnormalities with my REM and non-REM sleep.  Apparently I never get into the restful sleep, obviously making daytime exhaustion worse.  Since I’ve been on Effexor for depression for the last few years, he wants to make sure that it’s not the cause of the REM sleep problems.  Therefore I’m gradually weaning off the Effexor.  I need to be completely off of it for 2 full weeks or more prior to the test. it’s great that your doc is concerned about REM/deep sleep issues…….so many times here we hear of people’s results saying "no stage 3+4 sleep" yet the doctors completely ignore it.  Problem is our bodies really need the restorative stages of sleep…..that’s when the majority of our body’s healing is done Be sure to let us know how it goes — Beth in Australia (I am not a medical professional and anything stated in my posts is my opinion only unless specified otherwise) =================== FAQ for alt.support.sleep-disorder can be found here http://talhost.net/sleep Newsgroup Archives http://talhost.net/sleep/archives.htm this site is a work in progress – feel free to submit info/articles Remove my name to reply

Thanks everyone.  I appreciate the responses and concerns. Denny

Response:

Question:

I take 5 300mg capsules in the mourning and follow up 4 hours later with 3 more. That’s all for the day. I take 2 or 3 capsules of Kava along with this. After lots of experimenting with dosage, this works fine for me. The only problem with side effects is that St Johns tends to irritate the stomach. Comments on the dosage? How do I eliminate the stomach irritation?

Response:

I take 5 300mg capsules in the mourning and follow up 4 hours later with 3 more. That’s all for the day. I take 2 or 3 capsules of Kava along with this. After lots of experimenting with dosage, this works fine for me. The only problem with side effects is that St Johns tends to irritate the stomach.

I would say that is a lot of St. John’s Wort, and is probably excessive. One side effect that you should look out for is sensitive hands and fingers. Cuts, and scratches can take for ever to heal. Also, beware of the sun.  Be sure to wear sun glasses. John Gohde,  Health Nag http://www.hcrc.org/faqs/claims.html http://www.quackwatch.com/ Anyone genuinely interested in diet, nutrition, and nutritional supplements should take a strong stand against Nutrition Quackery, Food Faddism, and Nutritional Supplements Quackery anywhere they see it.  If you don’t, no one will take your interests seriously.

Response:

Why are you taking it? http://members.spree.com/angeleye St. John’s Wort (also known by its botanical name, Hypericum perforatum) is derived from a yellow flowering plant. It has been used as an herbal remedy for mild to moderate depression (not recommended for the treatment of severe or manic depression), anxiety, and sleep disturbances/disorders for many years, especially in Germany. Research suggests that St. John’s Wort raises levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine — neurotransmitters which help boost mental morale and mood. Unlike prescription anti-depressants (i.e., Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, etc.), which can cause negative side effects ranging from nausea to impaired sex drive and ejaculation, St. John’s Wort has no documented cases of sexual dysfunction. It also appears to increase sleep activity by acting as a mild sedative, and may reduce chronic tension headaches. Several adverse effects have been reported in association with usage of St. John’s Wort, including: gastrointestinal discomfort, such as upset stomach allergic reactions fatigue restlessness increased sensitivity to sunlight (so, use a sunscreen or sunblock while on St. John’s Wort) dry mouth confusion dizziness Components of St. John’s Wort may also cause an increase in blood pressure, which could result in a stroke. Since St. John’s Wort is a nutritional supplement, which is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no guarantee of the quality of the supplement from product to product. Carefully read product labels — look for an extract standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin, the purported active ingredient in St. John’s Wort, and make sure this extract is derived from the whole St. John’s Wort plant (i.e., flowers, leaves, and stem). The dosage of St. John’s Wort that has been used in most studies is a 900 milligram daily dose taken in 300 mg increments three times a day. Results may not be seen for at least four to six weeks, if at all. Discontinue use after six weeks if you’ve noticed no results because it’s probably not effective for you.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I take 5 300mg capsules in the mourning and follow up 4 hours later with 3 more. That’s all for the day. I take 2 or 3 capsules of Kava along with this. After lots of experimenting with dosage, this works fine for me. The only problem with side effects is that St Johns tends to irritate the stomach. Comments on the dosage? How do I eliminate the stomach irritation?

Response:

Why are you taking it?

Do you need to ask?

Response:

Why are you taking it? Do you need to ask?

That’s right, I’m crazy, but I am cured by lots of medications. I normally take voodoo juice, but lots of St Johns keeps me cordial without the need for alchihol. One burbon… one scotch…. one beer… Hope this helps piddy

Response:

Question:

<Posted and Mailed One thing that my therp threw at me that was hard to accept (okay…still is), but I know is true, is that we cannot control the way we feel, only how we act because of our feelings. Yeah, it’s kind of warped sounding in a way, but it is true. For instance, I can’t stop myself from feeling I’m a completely useless turd, BUT, hopefully I can stop acting like a completely useless turd until I finally (maybe) feel differently.

This is similar to what I call "acting you way into a feeling". It is far easier said than done — particularly when you’re very depressed. But for example lets say that you are mildly depressed and don’t want to go to a party that otherwise you would want to go to. But you are going to make the effort to go anyway in spite of how you feel. You decide that you are going to act like you are having a great time. So you put on your best party grin and start mingling and talking. Pretty soon you find that you are no longer acting a role — but you are really enjoying yourself. This technique works better with situational depression than with bipolar depression. It’s much harder to fool neurotransmitters!

Response:

permanently in the ether: I wasn’t aware that Buspar was so short acting. I take 30 mg at bedtime, it used to be 15mg am and pm, but the am dose was definitely making me sluggish. Of course, it could have been the paxil that was knocking me out. I have no idea how effective the Buspar is; because I take so damned many drugs, I never know what is what.

The drowsiness you describe does sound like what happened to my MIL her first few weeks on buspar–then she adjusted–but she does take a nap after lunch and sometimes tries to take on after breakfast. Buspar has made a world of difference for her.  Before buspar, she refused to go to any activities–and kept asking ppl to take her home. After a couple weeks on buspar–she turned around. These drugs have so many different effects on different ppl.  When I was in college I took a pharmacology class that was a survey of all drugs, from caffeine to heroin to thorazine.  One of the first things covered was the LD 50 and the ED 50. LD 50 is the lethal dose for 50 ppl out of 100.  That means the lethal dose stated on your insert will kill 50 out of 100 ppl, of the  50 ppl left, some will die at a lower dose and some will not die at the LD 50 level.  I dont like those odds. ED 50 is the effective dose for 50 out of 100 ppl.  So if a dr prescribes a med based on the medical information provided, you only have a 50/50 chance of the drug even being an effective dose for what you are trying to change.  You also have a chance (if you are one of the 50 ppl that the LD 50 doesnt work for) of the drug being either too strong or too weak for the benefit you are after. I find this whole medical crapola to really be one big game of Russian Roulette.  JMAO.    Yes, I have been having a bad time, but it is getting better. Of course, I have taken a fatalist attitude toward my problems. There is nothing I can do about it, so if they shut off my cable, internet, and telephone; oh well. I don’t think they can shut off my electric because it is my heat and a/c, and with my asthma I must have a/c. Of course, many times in the past, I have discovered the hard way that they can do things to me that I thought they couldn’t.

Please contact the power company if you are not already on lifeline service.  If you are not on lifeline service–they can cut you off. Even my kid got lifeline and he is fairly normal.   Also, I thought cable companies were  required to provide a basic economy package for ppl with low incomes?  Maybe it is a california thing–but here it is the law. Nancy in CA All thoughts posted here, unless otherwise cited, are my opinion based on my research and my experience.  Everyone should do their own research and make their own choices based on their situation. Please visit the new fms-guaifenisin support group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.guaifenisin Please visit the new moderated recovery group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.recovery.info Please visit the new grandparents ng, alt.talk.grandparents. To respond via email, delete "Z" from my addy.

Response:

hi…me again! for what it is worth, i find it interesting that you get sluggish from buspar…when they had me on that stuff i felt like i had water flowing through my ears constantly, and i was always wired…i never slept. i went on xanax and zoloft after that and even though the zoloft made me that way for around a week, i got over it. but buspar never agreed with my system.(made me want to call the phone company to thank them for billing me…ugh.)…bruce

Response:

Buspar 30mg at night (it knocks me on my butt) sounds like you made some progress today. I’m curious about the buspar.  I’ve been watching sci.med.pharmacy for a while because someone asked about whether or not buspar could be prepared in a long acting form.  My MIL in a nursing home from a stroke takes buspar for stroke related anxiety.

That is a good g, eh? Hospitals and nursing homes do not like buspar because it has a short half life and therefore requires more frequent dosing.

Yes…3 times a day. I also understand that is is much less addicting, or tolerance building, I should say, than ativan or valium.

Yes it is. So, I am wondering why you would take a short acting anti-anxiety medication at bedtime?  For sleep alone?  I am still new here and am just getting ppl straight–did I recall you are having a bad time right now? And now I’m wondering–if you take buspar at bedtime–it wears off in the middle of the night–sending you into the depression during the day that you have?  I may be totally off base–but this is a thought that occured to me. And I have been given Lorazepam (ativan) for anxiety and maybe buspar might be a more controllable choice for me.  I have never used up a script–they go out of date on me when the bottle has been half used.

Peace,

Response:

Hey Ralph you think the Buspar actually works? I was kin a thinking of blowing off refilling mine this month. The freaking prescription is $80 to refill…….anyway. Maybe the therapist will help? Hey its possible. Your not useless you provide a lot of help to us, and personally I like reading your posts. Hopefully your depression will lift soon. ((((((((((((Ralph)))))))))))

Dear Robert,         I don’t know about the buspar, myself. It seems to help me sleep when I have a lot of anxiety. I also seem to forget to take it, a lot. I never forget to take my Prozac. Boy, am I grateful that my Medicare HMO has a RX plan. Without it, my meds would be over $700.00 per month. I think what I am trying to say is that Buspar helps when I am really agitated/anxious and can’t sleep; but I question the usefulness of it day in and day out.         Thank you for your kind words. Yes, you are right, I am not totally useless. But lets just say that my usefulness is severely impaired by this damned condition. When I realize that I haven’t had the ability to so much as keep my apartment clean for over 3 years now; to do the simple things that most people take for granted…. but hey, I am sure that I am not alone in this.         Hope you are having a great day.  Hugs back to you Robert, Ralph

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Buspar 30mg at night (it knocks me on my butt)

Hi Ralph– sounds like you made some progress today. I’m curious about the buspar.  I’ve been watching sci.med.pharmacy for a while because someone asked about whether or not buspar could be prepared in a long acting form.  My MIL in a nursing home from a stroke takes buspar for stroke related anxiety. Hospitals and nursing homes do not like buspar because it has a short half life and therefore requires more frequent dosing. I also understand that is is much less addicting, or tolerance building, I should say, than ativan or valium. So, I am wondering why you would take a short acting anti-anxiety medication at bedtime?  For sleep alone?  I am still new here and am just getting ppl straight–did I recall you are having a bad time right now?  And now I’m wondering–if you take buspar at bedtime–it wears off in the middle of the night–sending you into the depression during the day that you have?  I may be totally off base–but this is a thought that occured to me. And I have been given Lorazepam (ativan) for anxiety and maybe buspar might be a more controllable choice for me.  I have never used up a script–they go out of date on me when the bottle has been half used. May your good days be many and your bad days fade away, Nancy To respond via email, delete "nospam" from my addy. Please visit the new moderated recovery group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.recovery.info Also, check out the guafenisin group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.guaifenesin Please visit the new grandparents group, alt.talk.grandparents.

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I wasn’t aware that Buspar was so short acting. I take 30 mg at bedtime, it used to be 15mg am and pm, but the am dose was definitely making me sluggish. Of course, it could have been the paxil that was knocking me out. I have no idea how effective the Buspar is; because I take so damned many drugs, I never know what is what.         Yes, I have been having a bad time, but it is getting better. Of course, I have taken a fatalist attitude toward my problems. There is nothing I can do about it, so if they shut off my cable, internet, and telephone; oh well. I don’t think they can shut off my electric because it is my heat and a/c, and with my asthma I must have a/c. Of course, many times in the past, I have discovered the hard way that they can do things to me that I thought they couldn’t.         I have "faith" that somehow I will get bailed out of this mess; but if not, there is nothing I can do. Oh well, no sense me working myself up. Hope you are having a good day,  Ralph – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Buspar 30mg at night (it knocks me on my butt) Hi Ralph– sounds like you made some progress today. I’m curious about the buspar.  I’ve been watching sci.med.pharmacy for a while because someone asked about whether or not buspar could be prepared in a long acting form.  My MIL in a nursing home from a stroke takes buspar for stroke related anxiety. Hospitals and nursing homes do not like buspar because it has a short half life and therefore requires more frequent dosing. I also understand that is is much less addicting, or tolerance building, I should say, than ativan or valium. So, I am wondering why you would take a short acting anti-anxiety medication at bedtime?  For sleep alone?  I am still new here and am just getting ppl straight–did I recall you are having a bad time right now?  And now I’m wondering–if you take buspar at bedtime–it wears off in the middle of the night–sending you into the depression during the day that you have?  I may be totally off base–but this is a thought that occured to me. And I have been given Lorazepam (ativan) for anxiety and maybe buspar might be a more controllable choice for me.  I have never used up a script–they go out of date on me when the bottle has been half used. May your good days be many and your bad days fade away, Nancy To respond via email, delete "nospam" from my addy. Please visit the new moderated recovery group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.recovery.info Also, check out the guafenisin group at alt.med.fibromyalgia.guaifenesin Please visit the new grandparents group, alt.talk.grandparents.

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Saw my PDoc today. He isn’t happy about my depressions. He uped my Prozac to 30mg for 7 days then 40mg Still 400 neurontin 4X a day Welbutrin 300mg AM 150mg PM Buspar 30mg at night (it knocks me on my butt) I am also going to get a therapist for the purpose of learning how to deal with my life. Hopefully I will learn some tricks to doing simple things like the laundry, cleaning the house, remembering to take my meds, and surviving being dirt poor and useless. <grin I don’t want to do any of this visualization crap, or how do you feel about how you feel about how you feel about. I want this is what you do, this is how you do it, and maybe you will actually have clean clothes, clean dishes, and dinner on the table. Hugs, Ralph

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So how do you FEEL about this? hahahaha love, Amy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Saw my PDoc today. He isn’t happy about my depressions. He uped my Prozac to 30mg for 7 days then 40mg Still 400 neurontin 4X a day Welbutrin 300mg AM 150mg PM Buspar 30mg at night (it knocks me on my butt) I am also going to get a therapist for the purpose of learning how to deal with my life. Hopefully I will learn some tricks to doing simple things like the laundry, cleaning the house, remembering to take my meds, and surviving being dirt poor and useless. <grin I don’t want to do any of this visualization crap, or how do you feel about how you feel about how you feel about. I want this is what you do, this is how you do it, and maybe you will actually have clean clothes, clean dishes, and dinner on the table. Hugs, Ralph

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How do I feel? With my hands! How do you feel? <tease Hugs from the serial hugger,  ralph – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So how do you FEEL about this? hahahaha love, Amy Saw my PDoc today. He isn’t happy about my depressions. He uped my Prozac to 30mg for 7 days then 40mg Still 400 neurontin 4X a day Welbutrin 300mg AM 150mg PM Buspar 30mg at night (it knocks me on my butt) I am also going to get a therapist for the purpose of learning how to deal with my life. Hopefully I will learn some tricks to doing simple things like the laundry, cleaning the house, remembering to take my meds, and surviving being dirt poor and useless. <grin I don’t want to do any of this visualization crap, or how do you feel about how you feel about how you feel about. I want this is what you do, this is how you do it, and maybe you will actually have clean clothes, clean dishes, and dinner on the table. Hugs, Ralph

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You got a deal. Now, just how do we get you here? Tie me down? Hmmmm, whatever do you have in mind? <tease Hugs from the serial hugger, ralph – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Wish I lived close by, Ralph.  I’d drop by, do your laundry, clean your house, organize your meds.  Then I’d tie you down and relay 3 or so decades of my life, viola!!–you have thus served a function–eliminate useless.  Dirt poor?  Sorry, sport, miracles belong to the manic and she ain’t here today. Houston Saw my PDoc today. He isn’t happy about my depressions. He uped my Prozac to 30mg for 7 days then 40mg Still 400 neurontin 4X a day Welbutrin 300mg AM 150mg PM Buspar 30mg at night (it knocks me on my butt) I am also going to get a therapist for the purpose of learning how to deal with my life. Hopefully I will learn some tricks to doing simple things like the laundry, cleaning the house, remembering to take my meds, and surviving being dirt poor and useless. <grin I don’t want to do any of this visualization crap, or how do you feel about how you feel about how you feel about. I want this is what you do, this is how you do it, and maybe you will actually have clean clothes, clean dishes, and dinner on the table. Hugs, Ralph

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Question:

Any anxious/depressed nurses out there? I recently graduated nursing school and started my first ever LPN job. Although I’ve been on various SSRIs (currently Zoloft) the old anxiety and depression which I thought had subsided several years ago are coming back with a vengeance!  I’m afraid I’m going to screw up, get a bad review, or even get fired or lose my license! Diana B.

Hi Diana, welcome to ASAP, If every nurse with a anxiety disorder was fired, then most hospitals would need to close. For some reason(s) the medical profession generally, and nurses in particular, seem to have more than their fair share of anxiety and depression sufferers. Probably, all  due to those difficult to please patients, although I am of course an exception!    :-^) Take care Ian

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If every nurse with a anxiety disorder was fired, then most hospitals would need to close. For some reason(s) the medical profession generally, and nurses in particular, seem to have more than their fair share of anxiety and depression sufferers. Probably, all  due to those difficult to please patients, although I am of course an exception!    :-^) Take care Ian

In my experience the worst patients, are male patients. Especially in the 45 to 50 age bracket. <G They are demanding, obnoxious and can not handle any pain. I would give up peroxide just to see what kind of patient you are, Ian. ~~ When I was in the hospital having surgery, this one night there was this person screaming all night, it was the most blood-curdling screams I had ever heard. I couldn`t take it any more, and asked one of the nurses what was wrong. With a "giggle", she said it was the man down the hall passing a tiny ole kidney baby…….You guys are such babies<VBG. *Her*

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Any anxious/depressed nurses out there? I recently graduated nursing school and started my first ever LPN job. Although I’ve been on various SSRIs (currently Zoloft) the old anxiety and depression which I thought had subsided several years ago are coming back with a vengeance!  I’m afraid I’m going to screw up, get a bad review, or even get fired or lose my license! Diana B. The JerZ Fox Money doesn’t buy happiness. Poverty doesn’t buy anything.

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Any anxious/depressed nurses out there? I recently graduated nursing school and started my first ever LPN job. Although I’ve been on various SSRIs (currently Zoloft) the old anxiety and depression which I thought had subsided several years ago are coming back with a vengeance!  I’m afraid I’m going to screw up, get a bad review, or even get fired or lose my license! Diana B.

Hi Diana, Welcome to ASAP! I am a LPN also, but I am not working due to PD.  I do understand how difficult it is to do your job while being very anxious and panicky. When I was working in a nursing home, I was the medication and treatment nurse. Medications were quite difficult to dispense while in a anxiety state. My worse fear was I would make a medication error and hurt someone. I had no idea what was wrong with me, but you do know what you are dealing with. Seek help immediately, before this gets out of control. I would first go to your MD and get a good checkup just to make sure nothing physical is causing it. If everything checks out, get to a psych doctor ASAP. It is time to either up the Zoloft dose, or think about a med change. A script for a benzo would also help. I would also suggest Cognitive Behavioral therapy, if you haven`t done this before. You need to be taught some coping tools for those anxious moments at work. And CBT can do that. You can`t get fired or lose your license because you suffer from a anxiety disorder. Making errors while really anxious is always a possibility, that is why you need to deal with this now, and aggressively, this will not go away on its own. I really do sympathize with you, I do know what you are going through. Hope things work out, and keep in touch<g Jackie ~~Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence~~

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Question:

Hi this is Ray  from  Mississippi I too just found out about depression and really ned to vent a little.  as well as I have some questions….

Edward from Florida says …. A real good place to start is Dr Ivan Goldberg’s Depression Central:   http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html Edward Reid

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Hi Ray I saw your post and wanted to let you know you are reaching me hey it does not matter how old you are to get your life in order hope that you get yourself together and do what is right for you no matter what anyone else thinks take care and good luck

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PLEASE don’t give up on all mood stabilizers! If your diagnosis is correct, an anti-depressant alone could trigger a manic episode.  I too was left dazed and confused by lithium and others. My work as an engineer requires alot of mental concentration and use of math and sciences…stuff I had taken for granted had become increasingly difficult, even the simplest tasks!  I now take Lamictal (300mg) and Effexor(75mg) with Klonepin(.5mg) for sleep.  Welbutrin made me near-anorexic (the very smell of food made me gag) and the closest to suicidal that I have ever been!  I literally had to beg my pdoc to switch me back to Effexor…he kept increasing Welbutrin despite my insistance that it was not working for me…because, he said, it is a "very good" drug.  Well, there are no good drugs/ bad drugs, just ones that work better or worse for an individual!  Too often pdocs loose site of the patient sitting before them. Good luck with whatever you decide, but I’d consider Lamictal if you haven’t already tried it. Desiree’

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Welcome…..feel free to talk away. CJ<telescope down

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Amy, Thanks!  Wonder if that means I’m addicted to the ole B/F  . . .   I’m going to look up that book.   (o: — Kath From here on my branch I can choose to plunge or soar. I think I shall sit a while longer. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There’s a book called "the Craving Brain" (I think, I have a Poor Memory Brain) that explores different activities and how they affect chemicals in the brain.  <snip

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Hey there! Today I decided I wasn’t going to be a victim anymore and feel bad anymore from meds so I could keep a job and have no excuses for excessive absences.  I think I have been misdiagnosed as BPII.  I think I suffer from chronic depression and anxiety just like everyone else in my immediate and extended family. Right now I am depressed, but anyone would be after losing their job AGAIN and this time out of the blue after buying a 2 unit house.  That kind of depression there are no pills for you just get through it and move on. I have stopped taking my tegretol, but keeping my klonopin and periactin so I can sleep at night for now. Seeing my pdoc tomorrow, telling her about my decision and asking for her support to manage my anxiety and sleeping.  I also want her to think about what anit-depressant I may need to use in the future.  Wellbutrin sounds good especially since I have had such a lack of energy and brain power since I’ve been on mood stabilizers.  I hate them because they slowed my brain down and I couldn’t think or do complex tasks or remember anything.  I couldn’t do math or find words or spell.  I used to be so with it.   I hope now I can get better, think better, work better, love better and live better.  I am going to enjoy life!!!!!!  I am going to feel happy for the first time in 8 years. Wish me luck! Lisa – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Kathy, Sounds encouraging! I started on Wellbutrin about a week ago (oops, that reminds me:  I forgot to take my pill this am . . . brb . . . ah, that’s better) at a dose of 2×100mg/day and I’m already feeling somewhat better.  My understanding is that it increases Dopamine levels in the brain. Which leads me to a question for our resident experts: I felt much less depressed this past weekend when I was spending time with my boyfriend.  I find spending time with him enjoyable.  Does enjoyment also increase dopamine levels? I have been meaning to look this up on the net, but haven’t managed to do so yet.  Thanks for your assistance in the meantime. — Kath From here on my branch I can choose to plunge or soar. I think I shall sit a while longer. Well I went to my new pdoc appt. yesterday.  She seems pretty cool. Uses humor alot.  I like that.  Also a little cautious.  She really didn’t want to change anything until she received records from my previous pdoc and my primary care provider.  She did mention about putting me on Wellbutrin.  She said Wellbutrin provides "energy" in her patients and lifts that depression right up".  Well something like that.  Right now since the Zoloft isn’t working she is weening me off of it.  I see her in another two weeks. Well that’s it for now.  Wish I had more to write to all of you.  Love to you all! Kathy

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Hi Ray,       welcome,there’s some good advice here. I’m 51 still don’t have my shit together.                                           Take Care                                                     Caddy

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Welcome Ray from mississippi    I was off of work for 8 weeks late last year,  I dont know what your suspended means?  Is it a leave of absence?  I need more info to answer this better.    Welcome again you will find this group helpful maybe you just posted before on a bad day ..always, Treacha ..as the twig bends…so the tree grows…

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You go girl. Lisa, mom of FF. "Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free." The Shawshank Redemption

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Ray Wilson wrote : Hi this is Ray  from  Mississippi well  dont think i got a responce from my last post  and I would like verry much to join this newsgroup….  I just dont know if you’all see what Im posting  today is the 27th at 5:00  pm   exactly

I see ya, loud and clear, welcome. I too just found out about depression and really ned to vent a little.

YOu are in the right place. < as well as I have some questions….  My job suspended me from work… I’m in my 3rd week..  I cant help but think this is a setp takeing by them to get rid of me ???  Do I have any rights ???  what about the pills I’m on.. anyone have enough experance to tell me about them a little???

Well, I’ll leave all that to the others who are knowledgeable. <  God I feel so lost and alone  almost too embarrased to tell anyone..  I havent even year I guess I feel I should have my shit togeather by now and dont

Well, you know what my mama used to tell me? " Honey, it’s not a sin to get lice, it’s a sin to keep it."  You are headed in the right direction. <…. I reall would like to hear from anyone  just seeing this note  so that i know its going out….   well Im not a big talker  just dont want to spill my guts and find out latter that nobody heard me (again).  this is really new to me….  thanks in advance  - Ray

That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.  Lisa, mom of FF. — "Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free." The Shawshank Redemption snipped all underneath.

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Hi this is Ray  from  Mississippi well  dont think i got a responce from my last post  and I would like verry much to join this newsgroup….  I just dont know if you’all see what Im posting  today is the 27th at 5:00  pm   exactly I too just found out about depression and really ned to vent a little.  as well as I have some questions….  My job suspended me from work… I’m in my 3rd week..  I cant help but think this is a setp takeing by them to get rid of me ???  Do I have any rights ???  what about the pills I’m on.. anyone have enough experance to tell me about them a little???  God I feel so lost and alone  almost too embarrased to tell anyone..  I havent even year I guess I feel I should have my shit togeather by now and dont…. I reall would like to hear from anyone  just seeing this note  so that i know its going out….   well Im not a big talker  just dont want to spill my guts and find out latter that nobody heard me (again).  this is really new to me….  thanks in advance  - Ray – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well I went to my new pdoc appt. yesterday.  She seems pretty cool. Uses humor alot.  I like that.  Also a little cautious.  She really didn’t want to change anything until she received records from my previous pdoc and my primary care provider.  She did mention about putting me on Wellbutrin.  She said Wellbutrin provides "energy" in her patients and lifts that depression right up".  Well something like that.  Right now since the Zoloft isn’t working she is weening me off of it.  I see her in another two weeks. Well that’s it for now.  Wish I had more to write to all of you.  Love to you all! Kathy

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Hello Ray, welcome to the group. (so obviously I see your post ) A lot of people here know a great deal about your rights and about meds, but I think you’ll have to be a bit more specific. What kind of pills are you taking? Sounds like you were recently diagnosed.  This really is the right place to come for information and for support.  Sometimes it just takes a while-there’s SO many posts…… Hang in there and take care, Amy Hi this is Ray  from  Mississippi well  dont think i got a responce from my last post  and I would like verry much to join this newsgroup….  I just dont know if you’all see what Im posting  today is the 27th at 5:00  pm   exactly

snip ….   well Im not a big talker  just dont want to spill my – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -guts and find out latter that nobody heard me (again).  this is really new to me….  thanks in advance  - Ray

Response:

 Yes, you do have job rights. As a first step, check (or better yet, have a friend at work check if you can) what the standard company policy is for sick leave for any illness. For example, you may have 3 months to get back to your existing job, 6 months to get back to an "equivalent" job. It doesn’t matter what the illness is, so your friend doesn’t have to specify he/she is asking on your behalf or about your illness. If your company doesn’t have a written policy (but I bet they do), then you may have to do some further searching for an answer. But, start with the simple question first.  Also, you said "suspended," but I am assuming extended sick leave. Is that what you mean? Hope this helps – I’ve been through this, too, as have a lot of people in this group. Sally – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi this is Ray  from  Mississippi ….  My job suspended me from work… I’m in my 3rd week..  I cant help but think this is a setp takeing by them to get rid of me ???  Do I have any rights ?

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Ray,     1) Be sure to tell your doctor you think they are setting you up at work.     2) Be sure to read the NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) homepage (www.NAMI.org ) Read the part about the Americans with Disabilities Act and "reasonable accomodations", in case this applies to your situation.     Good luck and welcome to the newsgroup. — walleye – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi this is Ray  from  Mississippi well  dont think i got a responce from my last post  and I would like verry much to join this newsgroup….  I just dont know if you’all see what Im posting  today is the 27th at 5:00  pm   exactly I too just found out about depression and really ned to vent a little.  as well as I have some questions….  My job suspended me from work… I’m in my 3rd week..  I cant help but think this is a setp takeing by them to get rid of me ???  Do I have any rights ???  what about the pills I’m on.. anyone have enough experance to tell me about them a little???  God I feel so lost and alone  almost too embarrased to tell anyone..  I havent even year I guess I feel I should have my shit togeather by now and dont…. I reall would like to hear from anyone  just seeing this note  so that i know its going out….   well Im not a big talker  just dont want to spill my guts and find out latter that nobody heard me (again).  this is really new to me….  thanks in advance  - Ray Well I went to my new pdoc appt. yesterday.  She seems pretty cool. Uses humor alot.  I like that.  Also a little cautious.  She really didn’t want to change anything until she received records from my previous pdoc and my primary care provider.  She did mention about putting me on Wellbutrin.  She said Wellbutrin provides "energy" in her patients and lifts that depression right up".  Well something like that.  Right now since the Zoloft isn’t working she is weening me off of it.  I see her in another two weeks. Well that’s it for now.  Wish I had more to write to all of you.  Love to you all! Kathy

Response:

Got your post.  Welcome.  This is a great group. Kathy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi this is Ray  from  Mississippi well  dont think i got a responce from my last post  and I would like verry much to join this newsgroup….  I just dont know if you’all see what Im posting  today is the 27th at 5:00  pm   exactly I too just found out about depression and really ned to vent a little.  as well as I have some questions….  My job suspended me from work… I’m in my 3rd week..  I cant help but think this is a setp takeing by them to get rid of me ???  Do I have any rights ???  what about the pills I’m on.. anyone have enough experance to tell me about them a little???  God I feel so lost and alone  almost too embarrased to tell anyone..  I havent even year I guess I feel I should have my shit togeather by now and dont…. I reall would like to hear from anyone  just seeing this note  so that i know its going out….   well Im not a big talker  just dont want to spill my guts and find out latter that nobody heard me (again).  this is really new to me….  thanks in advance  - Ray Well I went to my new pdoc appt. yesterday.  She seems pretty cool. Uses humor alot.  I like that.  Also a little cautious.  She really didn’t want to change anything until she received records from my previous pdoc and my primary care provider.  She did mention about putting me on Wellbutrin.  She said Wellbutrin provides "energy" in her patients and lifts that depression right up".  Well something like that.  Right now since the Zoloft isn’t working she is weening me off of it.  I see her in another two weeks. Well that’s it for now.  Wish I had more to write to all of you.  Love to you all! Kathy

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Well I went to my new pdoc appt. yesterday.  She seems pretty cool. Uses humor alot.  I like that.  Also a little cautious.  She really didn’t want to change anything until she received records from my previous pdoc and my primary care provider.  She did mention about putting me on Wellbutrin.  She said Wellbutrin provides "energy" in her patients and lifts that depression right up".  Well something like that.  Right now since the Zoloft isn’t working she is weening me off of it.  I see her in another two weeks. Well that’s it for now.  Wish I had more to write to all of you.  Love to you all! Kathy

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Kathy,  I hope it works out for you.    Lisa, mom of FF. — "Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free." The Shawshank Redemption – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well I went to my new pdoc appt. yesterday.  She seems pretty cool. Uses humor alot.  I like that.  Also a little cautious.  She really didn’t want to change anything until she received records from my previous pdoc and my primary care provider.  She did mention about putting me on Wellbutrin.  She said Wellbutrin provides "energy" in her patients and lifts that depression right up".  Well something like that.  Right now since the Zoloft isn’t working she is weening me off of it.  I see her in another two weeks. Well that’s it for now.  Wish I had more to write to all of you.  Love to you all! Kathy

Response:

Kathy, Sounds encouraging! I started on Wellbutrin about a week ago (oops, that reminds me:  I forgot to take my pill this am . . . brb . . . ah, that’s better) at a dose of 2×100mg/day and I’m already feeling somewhat better.  My understanding is that it increases Dopamine levels in the brain.   Which leads me to a question for our resident experts: I felt much less depressed this past weekend when I was spending time with my boyfriend.  I find spending time with him enjoyable.  Does enjoyment also increase dopamine levels? I have been meaning to look this up on the net, but haven’t managed to do so yet.  Thanks for your assistance in the meantime. — Kath From here on my branch I can choose to plunge or soar. I think I shall sit a while longer. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well I went to my new pdoc appt. yesterday.  She seems pretty cool. Uses humor alot.  I like that.  Also a little cautious.  She really didn’t want to change anything until she received records from my previous pdoc and my primary care provider.  She did mention about putting me on Wellbutrin.  She said Wellbutrin provides "energy" in her patients and lifts that depression right up".  Well something like that.  Right now since the Zoloft isn’t working she is weening me off of it.  I see her in another two weeks. Well that’s it for now.  Wish I had more to write to all of you.  Love to you all! Kathy

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There’s a book called "the Craving Brain" (I think, I have a Poor Memory Brain) that explores different activities and how they affect chemicals in the brain.  Most of it is about addictions, but there were parts on how being with people helps (and why-chemically) and how even altruistic behavior can have an effect on ….o heck, I WAS doing good there.  It is either dopamine or seratonin.  But both are "feel good" ones, right? Take care, Amy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Kathy, Sounds encouraging! I started on Wellbutrin about a week ago (oops, that reminds me:  I forgot to take my pill this am . . . brb . . . ah, that’s better) at a dose of 2×100mg/day and I’m already feeling somewhat better.  My understanding is that it increases Dopamine levels in the brain. Which leads me to a question for our resident experts: I felt much less depressed this past weekend when I was spending time with my boyfriend.  I find spending time with him enjoyable.  Does enjoyment also increase dopamine levels? I have been meaning to look this up on the net, but haven’t managed to do so yet.  Thanks for your assistance in the meantime. — Kath From here on my branch I can choose to plunge or soar. I think I shall sit a while longer.

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