Need help coping between Psychiatrist sessions

[Guest_4643]

Hi everyone, my name's Tayla and I'm 20. Relatively new to these forums. I would really appreciate if someone can please help me and give me some suggestions/advice.

I have a Psychiatrist that I'm very thankful for, he's wonderful and everything I want in a therapist. He helps me and it makes me feel a bit better and sometimes a little happier and reassured while I see him. I do this through Telehealth because I'm in Regional Victoria and he's a 6 hour drive away in Sydney, so I've never met him face to face although it's pretty much the same thing. I would like to try and meet him in person some day though, but we'll see.

However, sometimes it can be a while in between sessions because I understand his busy schedule, he also has other commitments other than his Psychiatry work. But in saying that he does his job well and does what he says. So I find it really hard to cope until I see him again.

I see my GP also but I don't find her that helpful, personally. She's nice yes but not like my Psychiatrist.

I do come on websites like this, Lifeline, etc. to do web chats, and that's why I joined these forums.

I walk daily. I colour in and play a free colour by numbers app on my iPad called Happy Colour. Sometimes I'll read or write, or watch TV or movies, depending on if I'm in the mood. Other than that I don't have much to do.

Yes I have supportive parents and it's just them, my dog and I, I have no siblings, friends or other family members. I've tried so hard to join groups, get jobs, study, anything, and I'm always discriminated against (I don't know why), even by the local triage and local Headspace Centre. So I'm out of options and quite hurt. So basically I can't get any of those.

Please help and please reply. I really wish I could contact my Psychiatrist in between sessions but I'm not sure if that's allowed and how I can.

Thanks,

Tayla.

[Guest_4643]

Thanks for the kind words Paws, means a lot. I hope you're well, take care.

Tayla

[Guest_4643]

Thanks as always for the kind words Mark, I hope you're feeling better. It means a lot to me. You're an amazing caring person too and I care about you and everyone on the forums too.

Thanks, I hope I don't have any side effects either, well not bad ones. He said I may feel like I've been hit by a sledgehammer but not everyone feels that way and take them 1 hour before I sleep (I sleep at all different times though) since they will make me drowsy and may help with sleep but don't get up too quick because they can reduce my blood pressure, make me feel dizzy, etc. I might make a thread about it asking for advice, etc.

I'm anxious about how I'm going to get them, how I'll be on them, side effects, etc. But he's there to help me work through it and I'm thankful, I'm thankful for the forums too, you included.

Take care, thinking of you. Thanks again.

Tayla

[Matchy69]

Hi Tayla medication is one of those things that is trial an error and i hope yours does work.I have been on that many different medication over the years changed because of side effects or not working just keep trying and something will work.I know the feeling of being hit with a sledge hammer.I hope all goes well and the side effects arnt that bad.

Take care,

Your friend,

Mark.

[Guest_4643]

Sorry to hear that Mark, but thanks. I wonder what he means by feeling like I've been hit by a sledgehammer exactly? He said some people feel that way but I might not, just be weary of it.

Tayla

[alasdayr]

Tayla,

The medication before the one I am on now made me so tired I was unable to work or think properly. I could not even get out and walk daily. Consequently, my mood got substantially worse. This, for me, is being "hit by a sledgehammer".

Fortunately the side effects of my current medication are no where near as disruptive. If it works as desired, the small side effects I have noticed in me are tolerable. Unfortunately it's too early to tell if it is working (no noticeable change in mood yet).


Alasdayr.

[Guest_4643]

Thanks for explaining that to me Alasdayr, he did say that I may not feel that way but just be weary of it. I'm anxious but hopefully I'll be fine, I'm taking my current meds just low dosage for a week before starting new ones. My old meds on the higher dosage made me feel like crap, so tired, sick and like a bloated feeling and whatnot, my concentration and sleep is poor anyway but they didn't help and made me have flashbacks (yes like a video being played) of traumatic events for me years ago and weird dreams (the weird dreams I could tolerate because they were funny). He said I could feel quite groggy and lethargic like some people do.

I'm sorry your meds haven't worked, I hope these ones do or you can find ones with tolerable or better still, no side effects, that help you. I guess as you said it's early stages to tell about the side effects and if they're working. Either way, best of luck with them and everything else. I hope they help you.

Take care, always thinking of you and always here for you. Thanks for your explanations, replies, kind words and support, it all means so much to me even if you just say hello.

Tayla

[Matchy69]

Hi Tayla its a bit hard to explain that sledge hammer feeling but you will know if it happpens.One of the medications I am on knocks me out after half an hour and i just fall asleep so it is a good idea to take that one just before bed and when i first started taking it i would feel really groggy the next day and hard to wake up and was like that to i got use to it.

Take care,

Your friend,

Mark.

[alasdayr]

Tayla,

Tiredness, lethargy, somnolence are common side effects for most anti-depressants. Because they commonly work on altering neurotransmitter function, anti-depressants often triggers the body's automatic recovery mechanism which is sleep. Usually an AD is a before bed medication for exactly this reason.

The other problem is that a common symptom of depression is also tiredness. So in effect you can get a "double whammy" type effect.

Most side effects are more severe during the adjustment period of starting to take medication (or adjusting dose). Commonly, these side effects become less severe, or abate completely, once the body has adjusted.

Because everyone's biology is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when working with anti-depressants. It is much more trial and error than exacting science.

Having been through chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in my 20s, I have a sensitivity to lethargy. For me excessive lethargy can trigger strong feelings of hopelessness. This has the real potential for dire consequences. This is part of why the first AD I was prescribed I could not continue with. I cope MUCH better with insomnia than somnolence.

Tayla, best of luck with the change. Hopefully the new AD works for you.


Alasdayr.

[Guest_4643]

Hi Mark, Alasdayr and others. Thanks for letting me know.

I was thinking about one time when I saw the new GP, she said that if I did do something like harm myself or worse, that my Psychiatrist would feel bad, and like he failed me, and that he cares and is concerned and worried about me, so he doesn't want anything to happen, that spoke to me and has been on my mind lately. I think him (my psych) and I have a good patient-doctor relationship. What do you two think?

Tayla

[Matchy69]

Hi Tayla I wouldnt want you ever hurting yourself i think your the most caring person i have come across.I dont know if you know if know how amazing you are.