Posted by sweetmarie on July 20, 2001, at 14:45:44
I seem to always turn to this board when I`m feeling desperate. So, as usual, I`m desperate.
I`ve been in hospital for 3 months (I`m currently on home leave) and for the past 10 weeks I`ve been on a combination of Mirtazapine, Venlafaxine and Lamotragine. I`ve been on the `therapeutic dose` for 5 weeks now.
One of my key nurses there has me keeping a mood diary, detailing my mood (out of 10) and what I have been able to do.
I didn`t think that things were improving, but looking at these charts I can see that there has been a gradual shift over the past 6 - 7 weeks. This was encouraging as I`ve been in a severe state for ages and ages (3 years in total, but `flatlining` at zero for the past 10 months). Anyway, there was a definite shift - not anything massive (I wouldn`t trust that anyway), but certainly an improvement.
However, the past week and a half has seen a dip. Not a return to the same situation I was in prior to admission, but a `slump` all the same. For example, I was having an average of 5 `good` periods per week (I count 3 out of 10 and above as `good`). The recent week or so I`ve only had a few good periods, and the lows have been LOW.
There is stuff going on, namely: imminent discharge (3 weeks` time), and home leave this w/end is difficult as I`ve come back to an empty house (my parents are away and I`ve said that I`d look after the house and feed their cats). Also, I feel under pressure to get things `in place` for after discharge in order that I maintain what small momentum I`ve achieved. Finally - and this may sound trivial - my financial situation is in a mess (I`m very overdrawn due to various mistakes in my state benefit), and I`m worried about this.
So, what`s my point exactly? I suppose I`m looking for reassurance. I have a big concern that I`ve `gone back to square 1`, and the past weeks improvement have been wiped out. Could it be that outside stuff can effect recovery?
My psychiatrist doesn`t seem to be alarmed and say that I am where he would `expect` me to be right now. Fo myself, I would be loath to change meds, esp when they seemed to have been working (albeit slowly).
Can anyone help?
I`d be really grateful.
Ta,
Anna.
poster:sweetmarie
thread:71079
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010720/msgs/71079.html