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Lost_Girl Insomnia caused by SNRI and sleep cycle - help
  • replies: 3

Hi all, The SNRI that I take for depression caused by chronic pain has given me some side effects. The worst of which is insomnia. I was without pain relief for sometime and barely slept at all night or day. Now I have painkillers that make me drowsy... View more

Hi all, The SNRI that I take for depression caused by chronic pain has given me some side effects. The worst of which is insomnia. I was without pain relief for sometime and barely slept at all night or day. Now I have painkillers that make me drowsy and this is assisting with sleep but I can't seem to fall asleep until about 2 hours before I am due the antidepressant. My sleep cycle is dozing from 4am to 6am when I have to take my meds then sleep from 6ish to 1 or 2pm. I desperately want to change my sleep pattern back to something more reasonable but am struggling. I have tried: - body scans to help relax which do help me feel relaxed but I still can't sleep. - stretching exercises from my psychologist to aid sleep, again I feel relaxed but can't sleep. - Relaxing music. - Lying in bed waiting to fall adleep. - Ensuring all devices are off and early, ensuring hydration. - Tv and reading (how I would normally feel tired when well) -Sex -Melatonin Tablets Exercise like walking is not a good option for me at the moment as I have dizzyness and pressure in my head as well as the painkillers making me very drowsy. I have been advised by the neurologist not to take sleeping tablets. I would love to hear thoughts on; - methods on getting to sleep - how to change sleep cycle times - anyone else who has had insomnia caused by antidepressants and your story and anything you did that helped. Thanks so much, any help would be appreciated. Kind regards, Carol

Fluttershy2 Initial reaction to medication - please help!
  • replies: 1

Hi, I started a new medication for the 3rd time. Took half a tab yesterday and half a tab today. Yesterday I felt very nauseous and light headed, today it is so much worse, I feel like my whole body is floating and I can't even keep water down, have ... View more

Hi, I started a new medication for the 3rd time. Took half a tab yesterday and half a tab today. Yesterday I felt very nauseous and light headed, today it is so much worse, I feel like my whole body is floating and I can't even keep water down, have thrown up 8 times. I know things get worse before they get better, but has anyone else had these types of reactions and continued with the medication and improved on it? I've got friends who have had minimal side effects and great success on meds..but I am struggling..

Jaxon Medication, quitting and side effects
  • replies: 2

Hi all,I have been taking medication for approximately 10 years now. I didn't realise how powerful it was until my doctor told me that it was now a restricted drug and he would no longer give me a script for it. I though it would be a good time for m... View more

Hi all,I have been taking medication for approximately 10 years now. I didn't realise how powerful it was until my doctor told me that it was now a restricted drug and he would no longer give me a script for it. I though it would be a good time for me to stop taking it. Even though I am taking a very minor dose of once every evening, the withdrawal symptoms were so powerful I had to visit another doctor who gave me a script. Since then I have spent a lot of time on google and have learnt that this drug has very strong side effects when trying to stop cold Turkey. I am looking for advice from anyone else who has been taking this drug and would like to stop. I now know that just stop taking it is not an option for me right now, as it would be too difficult for me, especially as I work in a stressful work environment. Look forward to any replies.Jaxon

Spiltbean Professional Malpractice - The need for greater accountability
  • replies: 3

Having been battling with a pervasive and complex personality disorders for over a decade now, I feel more like a guinea pig, rather than a patient receiving the appropriate level of health care. I feel that clinicians are guessing as to how to treat... View more

Having been battling with a pervasive and complex personality disorders for over a decade now, I feel more like a guinea pig, rather than a patient receiving the appropriate level of health care. I feel that clinicians are guessing as to how to treat my illness, to my financial detriment, and I'm sure I'm not alone. I understanding that mental health is a tricky area, but it is not existential, it is a science! As such it does not justify why patients have to continually pay for services that are ineffective, that we receive no benefit from. The financial loss should be shared equally, between therapist & patient. As a society would we tolerate surgeons who were 'guessing' as to how to perform an operation? Would we pay them if an operation was not performed successfully, and our suffering continued without explanation, other than 'this is tricky'. If a therapist claims they can assist with a complex disorder, but then several months later on, you find out that they are clearly out of their depths, they should refer their client on to someone else, and at the very least offer partial/full refund for services they did not deliver. Is this not a breach on consumer law? I would really like to gather support for this issue, any thoughts?

gracebucket Remembering to take medication
  • replies: 4

Does anyone have any tips on remembering to take their medication? I'm at a relatively stable point provided I actually take my meds, but forgetting to take them pretty much rules out two or three days. The ones I'm on are marked with the day of the ... View more

Does anyone have any tips on remembering to take their medication? I'm at a relatively stable point provided I actually take my meds, but forgetting to take them pretty much rules out two or three days. The ones I'm on are marked with the day of the week, which is useful for knowing in retrospect, but doesn't really work as a reminder. I've also considered an alarm but my sleep schedule is really out of whack and my timetable so inconsistent that I don't know how useful that would be... Thank you for any ideas.

Lauren1992 Is increasing your dosage for your medication for anxiety a bad thing?
  • replies: 3

I have been taking my medication for about 3.5-4 months now. The last 3 months have been the best 3 months since i had anxiety which started back in January 2015.Recently i have felt a little anxiety coming back. I don't know if this is because my bo... View more

I have been taking my medication for about 3.5-4 months now. The last 3 months have been the best 3 months since i had anxiety which started back in January 2015.Recently i have felt a little anxiety coming back. I don't know if this is because my body is immune to the medication OR if it's because of my personal issue which has come back into my life (my ex-boyfriend) in the last month.I am going overseas to work next month for 6 months and i finally felt as though i was in a happy place and everything has come together and i was finally better.I don't know if i am thinking about it too much. I don't know whether to increase my medication or just see how i go. I am no longer speaking to my ex-boyfriend as it just creates anxiety for me. I am scared if i increase my medication that i am not getting better and i will forever be on medication which makes me upset.If anyone can please give me advice about increasing medication and if it's a good or bad thing. My doctor is wonderful and she is really positive about it. But i feel like she is just being positive so i don't worry.Thanks guys xxx

Qualifying Red Flag Online help programs - has anyone used "ecouch" or "moodgym"?
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I had my first visit to my new psychologist yesterday, she is lovely and the appointment went well. I am not able to get back in to see her now until 6th May so I asked her whether she had any suggestions about anything I could look at o... View more

Hi everyone, I had my first visit to my new psychologist yesterday, she is lovely and the appointment went well. I am not able to get back in to see her now until 6th May so I asked her whether she had any suggestions about anything I could look at online, by way of homework. She suggested "ecouch" or "moodgym", which are free and have modules that can be worked through in a self-paced manner. She said they are both excellent but of the two, "ecouch" has "softer sides" I am just wanting to find out if anyone else here has participated in either of these online and if so, what your thoughts are? Thank you, Red

farns Help Please with Meds
  • replies: 6

I am back at the Phyciatrist tomorrow to start my 5th lot of medication for Depression, I know I cant mention Meds names but I am after some advice or comments from people that have been in a similar boat and came out the other side okay, I am aware ... View more

I am back at the Phyciatrist tomorrow to start my 5th lot of medication for Depression, I know I cant mention Meds names but I am after some advice or comments from people that have been in a similar boat and came out the other side okay, I am aware they take 6-8 weeks to start working but I am getting to that stage feeling OK but then for some reason they stop working....any help would be greatly appreciated.

Moonstruck Are my issues important enough for treatment?
  • replies: 7

I am wondering if my issues/situation/problems etc actually justify my seeking help from a psychol....or even being on this Forum (which I have found an enormous help) I have an appt in couple of weeks and concerned she'll think I'm wasting her time.... View more

I am wondering if my issues/situation/problems etc actually justify my seeking help from a psychol....or even being on this Forum (which I have found an enormous help) I have an appt in couple of weeks and concerned she'll think I'm wasting her time...or simply complaining about "life". My friends on here have seen me thru Panic Attacks and deep sadness, confusion, extreme anxiety situations and endless tears - but compared to others' problems - mine seem quite trivial. Do others in the older age group (with adult kids, grandkids etc) have trouble "letting go of the past"?....Lately memories of decades ago are SO vivid...causing me both guilt (for being a bad mother, person, wife etc) - pain, regret, suffering like I did then...as if it is happening all over again! I went to a psych a few months ago in a bad way - began telling her about guilt over my son and how his life has turned out, blaming myself, explaining the horrible years he went through as a child, teenager etc....when describing his current situation she said "Sounds like a pretty good life to me - half his luck!"........which made me feel an absolute fool. When going into my own childhood and terrible experiences with my mother...she listened politely...but just like a friend you're having a coffee with would do...nodding her head saying "Oh yes...." or something to that effect. (I had NEVER told ANYONE about these events before) I went home thinking I was being a drama queen or something........my pain is real - my guilt is real - my fear is real - if my new "friends" on Forum can understand, why doesn't a professional? Should I cancel the appointment with the new psych?........your thoughts would be welcome.....MS

Cascades Do I have to see a psychologist before I can get medication?
  • replies: 4

I have social anxiety and noticed it when I was in my mid teens. Since then, all I could do was work through it and try to ignore it - or not leave the house. It's slowly been getting worse and everytime I leave the house or know I have to leave the ... View more

I have social anxiety and noticed it when I was in my mid teens. Since then, all I could do was work through it and try to ignore it - or not leave the house. It's slowly been getting worse and everytime I leave the house or know I have to leave the house, I feel physically sick. Anyway, I'd like to get on medication. The last doctors visit he suggested I see a psychologist before quickly shooing me away. I'm kinda scared about seeing someone and don't know if I'd make it to the appointments. I've tried taking stuff I can buy from chemists but it tastes absolutely horrible and doesn't help. Is there anything else I can try or can I get my hands on proper medication without a psychologist visit?

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