Posted by Elizabeth on August 8, 2001, at 5:21:49
In reply to Re: Update » Elizabeth, posted by shelliR on August 7, 2001, at 20:26:45
> > So Valium works for you for panic attacks? That's weird. How much do you take?
>
> I generally don't have panic attacks; they are more heavy duty dissociative attacks combined with anxiety. I don't know if I ever had a panic attack without concurrent dissociation.Ahh that might explain it.
> Valium has the effect of grounding me, and doing it within a short period of time. Between 5 and 10mg generally does the trick.
Valium is like that: it works fast because of the way it is distributed. (5-10 mg is nothing. < g >)
> Well, I've already become tolerant to oxy in that it's taking 3 a day rather than two to eradicate the depression.
Does that mean that they aren't lasting as long? That can be an early sign of tolerance.
> I saw my gyn today and she agreed that habituation is not the worst thing in the world. I LOVE her. She is very open, and very informed. Sees shades of gray. The best type of physician.
She sounds great, yeah.
> Well, they're doing pilot programs where psychologists are doing an extra two or three years post doc and can prescribe meds.
I know, and I think that's a big mistake. There are all sorts of problems that come up: can they prescribe multiple drugs at a time? can they prescribe to medical patients who are already taking lots of other stuff? can they prescribe drugs that aren't considered to be "psychiatric drugs" for off-label uses or for side effects? can they order lab tests? etc. And of course: does a post-doctoral fellowship really prepare them to be able to do these things?
> My therapist will be first in line if it comes to that. And guess what! I would not let her be my medicating psychologist. (surprise, surprise.)
I think I could have guessed that. < g > I wouldn't see a psychologist to prescribe medications at all. (My best psychotherapy experiences have been with psychiatrists, not psychologists, social workers, or "counselors.")
> > > Have you felt anything different yet, since halving your dose? (i.e., not as well?)
> > Yes; it doesn't seem to be helping as much. I hope that I can find a level that isn't toxic but still works.
> When is your pdoc coming back? Are you presently doing therapy also?He's getting back in about a week, I think. Presently I'm seeing him for an hour every week. No separate therapist. Right now we're mostly dealing with meds; after we get that straightened out I'll think about whether I want to find a therapist, continue seeing my pdoc regularly, or just see him once a month for "medication management." Probably it will be the latter, as I haven't found talk therapy to be of much use for me.
> It's actually not much of a hassle getting drugs outside the country.
It is if you want to be completely legitimate about it! I'm really uninterested in buying drugs on the internet "grey market."
> Less hassle than giving yourself a shot, I would think.
I don't think IM injections are that hard to give, actually. Much easier than IV, for sure.
> Would you do this if you were out? I mean lying down is pretty easy when you're home, right!
Yeah, exactly; that limits where I can go and how much time I can spend there. I could give myself a shot anywhere private (bathroom, car, etc.). Really I'm hoping that the desipramine will turn out to be magic and I won't need buprenorphine anymore, but what are the chances of that? :-/
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:67742
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010804/msgs/74099.html