Posted by River1924 on January 17, 2003, at 18:37:00
In reply to Re: Atypical Depression and Effexor, posted by Theresa Rae on January 17, 2003, at 12:12:34
> Thanks for the two above replies. My husband seems to be pretty consistent all year (I don't notice that his depression is connected to the seasons at all). And I worry about his self-medicating...lots of coffee, lots of soda, and when he drinks, it's way too much (he has some compulsive behaviors, like hanging on to EVERY little receipt, scrap of paper, movie stub, etc., and has piles all over the house of his things.)
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> He is definitely doing a little better than previously (he's taking out the garbage, now, and initiates some other chores himself, like reading to our kids, starting dinner, or shoveling...I definitely did not help his situation by doing everything the past dozen years...(all the bill paying, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, child care, etc.) But now that he shows a little improvement, I just want him to get better faster; the more he does, the more hope I feel.
>
> Can anyone give advice to me on how to accomplish a med check for him -- do I talk directly to his doctor, do I schedule an appointment and go with him, or what?
I thought this subject line would help you fish in more help. I don't have a signifigant other so I can't help you with spouse stuff.Questions: Is effexor the only med he has been on? Is it the most effective?
Does he have sleep apnea? (I have it. Treatment was the best "psychiatric" therapy I ever had. A CPAP mask isn't very sexy but life is full of trade-offs.)
If he has the energy to cancel an appointment, doesn't he have the energy to keep one?
Part of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is spotting a mental behavior called fortune telling: How does he know what the psychiatrist will do?
What is his sleepy, "lazy" compulsive depression doing to your kids' life views/ their coping skills?
Is it possible he may be schizophrenic? His behaviors seem a bit loopy.
Wish you well. River.
poster:River1924
thread:136132
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030113/msgs/136330.html