Hello Hope
Sorry I have not written in lately. Had one of those weeks.
So, dry mouth. Yes it has got a little better over time. I tried a a toothpaste the chemist suggested but found it did not help much. Also cost three times that of ordinary toothpaste. I tried a gel which you can at the chemist. Works instantly. A small amount in the mouth and spread round with tongue. Not something to do in public. The effects last for a while. I believe you can also get a spray but I have not tried that. My GP suggested having small drinks of water fairly often. I drink a lot of coffee so my mouth is not too bad. I really notice it if I do not drink for several hours, so carry a bottle of water around. Lots of people do this so you won't look out of place.
If you have stopped crying and reduced the negativity I would say the AD is working. I found it took a month or so, partly because I started on such a low dose. I found my AD made me sleepy quite quickly so I took it as I was getting into bed, as it were. However, I find I am not getting so sleepy these days and no nanna naps. I agree with you about the side effects of any medication. Minor things you can get used to but I have experienced some quite bad effects and as far as I am concerned there were never enough good outcomes to justify the dreadful side effects.
I studied communication at uni. It has always been an interest of mine and my jobs required good communication skills. I also studied for a masters in ethics. One of my lecturers used to say he enjoyed having mature age students in class as they brought a great deal of experience with them. They were also more motivated than students straight from school. My course entailed working in groups to complete an assignment at times. I did wonder how I would go with these youngsters. Some were great to work with, while others had no idea of the constraints of working full time and studying, not to mention family commitments, and expected I could drop everything to do some group work. The only subject I found boring was economics and I am guessing it was because I had no idea what I was doing. Still I passed despite my worries.
It took me five years to complete the degree. At the end of each year I found I could not read any books because the voice in my head told me I was wasting time and should be studying. I got over this in time to start the next year's study. Congratulations on your trip to the U.S. I'm sure you will have a fabulous time.
Mary
