Posted by kagome on March 18, 2012, at 21:22:19
In reply to Re: getting frustrated - Parnate experts? » g_g_g_unit, posted by SLS on March 18, 2012, at 13:56:41
I've been taking Clonidine for nighttime insomnia (which is most frustrating since I seem to be able to sleep at every other moment besides night) and for occasional irritability. I agree with Scott that it's probably not a sustainable solution, but I see nothing wrong with using it until you get up to a therapeutic dose of Parnate, which I am the first to say is a difficult, difficult thing. I don't know if it's made my BP worse - Parnate has tended to make me hypertensive instead of hypo - but I'm sure it's not helping depression to be on a benzo. I just see it as a bridge to help me get to where I want to go on Parnate.
In terms of things to do in the meantime, I wish I knew! I posted almost the exact same question and received almost the exact same response (i.e. mostly from Lou about the evils of medication). It sounds like you're doing more than I am - as much as I know exercise and being with friends helps, I'm having the hardest time making myself do that right now. I guess the things that have helped is doing anything, absolutely anything, whether a silly paint-by-numbers or sudoku or practicing guitar and knowing that if I keep doing anything I'll eventually get better at doing that thing, which gives me hope of doing better in general. I'm also reading a lot of Camus and Tolstoy which probably doesn't actually help but it does remind me that a lot of amazing people experienced severe depression and while I don't have the same ability to turn it into art I can at least try to start expressing it in more creative ways.
To me it sounds like you're on your way, so keep at it. And good luck!
-kagome
This is the Hour of Lead-
Remembered, if outlived,
As freezing persons recollect the Snow-
First Chill, then Stupor - then the Letting Go.
--Emily Dickenson
poster:kagome
thread:1013373
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120316/msgs/1013422.html