Posted by shelliR on September 10, 2001, at 23:11:56
In reply to Re: Update Lorainne, Elizabeth, et. al. » shelliR, posted by Lorraine on September 9, 2001, at 12:46:15
Hi Lorraine,
Back from my vacation, and *not* relieved. All in all it was really nice. I was able to fight my insecurity enough to really enjoy the peace, beauty and art. It definitely is insecurity, not lonliness. I absolutely love dry heat and feel so much healthier in the SW, always. Of course, it was also wonderful to take a complete break from work. I saw such awesome photographs; it greatly greatly humbled me.
I think I might check out places in Arizona as a second base. (Still spending the majority of my time on the east coast.) If I can get some work there, and computer generate all my work, (the direction I am headed anyway), I might be able to break even on renting a little house/studio. (first rent; maybe later buy). I love the Santa Fe area, but it just gets too darn cold. Plus not the right population for my work, I don't think, although one of my clients moved out there and he manages Winton Marcelis. So I might have a in with the rich and famous. :-) You know, Ophrah, Jane Fonda, Julia Roberts, etc. HA. Near scottsdale is what I am thinking about in AZ.
> > > > When you went to the depression groups, did the people seem interesting and depressed, or just depressed? (excluding the other babbler)
> Great question. I would say--it is a group of 25+ people--that of that group there are maybe 3 or 4 people that I might want to know. I've only gone 3 times so those 3 people may shift. If it turns out that there is only 1 person worth knowing, then I am a very lucky person anyway. What I need is to be in the "advanced" group, but there isn't one. My husband thinks I join these groups so that I can be a care-giver for those more needy, but what I would love is a group where people have already done a lot of intensive work and are stuggling with the day to day issues. Even the people that I don't want to befriend have some interesting points. Like a woman brought up the need for structure in our lives and talked about that. That is an important issue for me.Lucky, if you are getting something out of the group, and it sounds like you are-- minimally, at least.
> I'd be curious what elizabeth thinks of a Nardil and Desipramine combo.
Is that what you're looking toward with the nardil, if it's only partially effective?
> > > >Have you tried a muscle relaxer for the stiffness? (not a benzo, a real one :-)
> Aspirin work for the pain and Valium is a muscle relaxant.
Valium doesn't work for me (or most people) as a muscle relaxer. Or if it did, you have to take enough to pretty much knock you out. I've never heard of a doc giving valium anymore for muscle pulls, etc.; it's generally only used as a sedative now.
>
>
> In closing, Shelli, a little tennis gift for you, --a poem about Venus Williams by Al Letson Jr., who read it aloud at a Slam Poetry contest in Los Angeles and was kind enough to send me a copy of it.Thanks. I liked reading it, though I imagine that hearing it and seeing who's reading it, has a fuller impact. I think the Williams sisters are pretty cool, especially considering their father. Mom must have had some influence re sensitivity.
>So you have started nardil. So far, okay?
I will start nardil tomorrow with wellbutrin. Saw my pdoc today. He wanted to go to remeron next (with wellbutrin), and I burst out crying and said I want to go on nardil, again. He was a bit nervous about the combo. I have read on this site about two people who have done that combination. Someone said in a post last year that it is mentioned on Dr. Bob's psychobabble tips, but I couldn't find it. I'm going to look again, if I can't find it, I may e-mail Dr, Bob. Anyway, I realized after my appointment that I never asked him about taking an antidote. . He did check that I had a BP cuff, but that's about all. There is a more than minute chance for me to have a hypertensive reaction
So I went back in again, caught him in the hall, and he told me that I should watch for my diabolic BP going above 110. I have never even paid attention to that number, and I didn't get the opportunity to ask him why. Also, he said he didn't want me to take a nifedipine-type antidote and I should call him and go to the hospital.
I'm going fax him tomorrow and ask him what the deal is; why can't I have one--isn't that what they would give me at the hospital, anyway? He told me he responds to faxes because he checks them every fifteen minutes. I guess he doesn't check his messages. (?) Anyway, at least someone on this staff can tell me what he says. I really want to do this combo and am going to be totally bummed if I have a reaction. He said to start with 15mg tomorrow; I think I'll start with 7.5 or less.
When he left he said, "don't worry, I will make sure you get better." And I replied that he will blame me for not trying remeron. And then he said, "Please don't feel guilty, you are feeling bad enough. It's okay that you don't want to try remeron now." That was about the nicest thing he's ever said to me.
So now we are doing nardil together. BTW, I read your post to Elizabeth about taking the antidote earlier, but I think I might actually wait a bit longer. I think it may well be the nifedipine that made you sick and maybe you could have waited a little longer to see if it was still going up. I don't know, but that's a possiblity. I did some research before on nifedipine with MAOIs and there are really contrary views about giving it to patients. If I remember correctly (and I may not, really), I think some pdocs think their MAOI patients might take it too early and then the nifedipine might make them very sick.
I don't remember how bad your headache was, though. My reaction was shoulder tightness, so there was no real pain involved. But you might ask your pdoc about exactly when he thinks you should take it. I don't know how fast it works ; I guess that would determine how high to go up before taking the antidote.
What dose did you start with nardil?
later, keep me posted,
Shelli
poster:shelliR
thread:67742
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010907/msgs/78552.html