Posted by zeugma on May 30, 2004, at 10:00:14
In reply to To Zeugma others: Rotting in bed. Please Advise, posted by Mila S on May 30, 2004, at 4:21:20
Mila,
I'm not sure which meds would work for you. Other than maybe trying a TCA at night (not Vivactil or desipramine), which will SLOWLY regularize your sleep schedule, and Provigil. My own academic career has been on hold, because I became extremely anxious around peers and professors (I am also in philosophy), and I also missed a lot of classes (not that they cared) from oversleeping. Writing papers was hellish also, and one paper was literally written by writing about one paragraph a week, over a year, because I didn't have the energy to concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time.
Right I have a great advisor and an approved topic, but I have not worked on my thesis since I stayed up all night in January, then became non-functional at work. My energy is low, low, low. Writing papers, especially philosophy, is about the most exhausting thing I can imagine....
The repetitive movements are suggestive of autism. I have them too, except not when I am in bed, but when I read or when I am pacing around my room (I rhythmically tap when I read and snap my fingers when I pace). I think they are signs of a disrupted central nervous system. I wouldn't worry about the dx BUT when talking to the pdoc mention that you have narcolepsy and can't stay awake during the day. Maybe adding provigil to Effexor, and you DEFINITELY need something to relieve anxiety. According to chemist Xanax is in a class of its own, otherwise I would recommend Klonopin. Tell him/her that Effexor helped at high dosages; I wouldn't think a pdoc would be wary of upping the dose from 75 mg. You could add Strattera to Effexor- that might help with concentration, but probably not with fatigue. There are currently a lot of anecdotal reports of Strattera plus Provigil being highly beneficial, but unfortunately there have been no studies yet that I know of.
I think the goal of trying to work 2-3 days is a good one. You might want to get some kind of medical leave from your school so you don't lose funding and health insurance. You DEFINITELY need a pdoc who will prescribe a benzo, so you don't go through withdrawal, and to acutely help. TCA's did work for me for the vegetative, nocturnally aroused depression, but it took months. For energy, I am currently relying on about 800 mg caffeine per day (about eight or nine cups of coffee). I told my pdoc about this but as I am in the process of adjusting my other meds (hopefully to make room for a stimulant) he has not prescribed anything else yet.
Please write back with any comments.
Best of luck,
z
poster:zeugma
thread:349631
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040527/msgs/352115.html