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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Simcha on August 23, 2001, at 8:27:31
OK, this might be a long rant....
I've been on this new combo of Celexa 40mg and WellbutrinSR 150mg for a few weeks now. I've had a sinus infection for which I'm taking 500mg of amoxicillin 3x/day. So many chemicals floating around in my body.
Today is the first day since last Friday that I'm starting to feel better. Yesterday afternoon I was feeling blue, sad and not very hopeful. I've read somewhere that antibiotics can bring on depression. Also when I'm sick I'm not a happy camper, naturally.
My boyfriend has a hyper interest in sex. At the moment, being sick and on a new mix of meds, I'm not in the mood. He tried to stimulate me last night and it felt good but I lost interest...... OK so I'm sick and I'm not exactly up for that sort of activity now..... I just wish that he would leave me alone sometimes.
This is kicking up old tapes. I'm feeling like I can't say no to him. I'm feeling trapped. (I'm a sexual abuse survivor.) I'm feeling like I don't want to be sexual but since I'm in a relationship I have no choice.
Of course to complicate matters I'm a sexual compulsive. I want to have good sex... It's been so long. The best sex I've had is outside of this relationship... Part of it is he is a really bad lover for me. We just don't mesh well between the sheets. I love him but the sex is just lousy... ;-(
My inner voice says, "Do nothing. Stay the course. Stay on the meds. Get used to them. Concentrate on getting through this sinus infection. All will be well. You will know more when you get through this crap."
I have to admit that the medication has helped my depression. This morning I actually have some happiness at feeling better. I also have almost no compulsion to have lots of sex with lots of people.
Looking at things objectively I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to be single and to not have to worry about the sex right now. Also there is a healthy side of me that would like to experiment with being single and dating lightly. I would like to be able to have casual sexual encounters in a healthy way. I'm not sure that a heavy relationship is the right thing for me right now in this stage of my recovery.
Well, all I can do is coast for now. I see my hypnotherapist today. We will discuss these issues. Perhaps she could help me discern what it is that I am learning from all of this. What does it mean to be me today as a recovering sexual compulsive and recovering depressed person? What are my boundaries? What is it that I need right now to help myself heal? These questions are difficult. I think that the medication has calmed things down enough so that I can start looking at these things objectively.
Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Please be supportive. I'm in a vulnerable place right now. ;-)
Thanks for Listening,
Simcha.
Posted by KB on August 23, 2001, at 8:48:45
In reply to Being Sick and on a New Mix of Meds -- Long Rant, posted by Simcha on August 23, 2001, at 8:27:31
I know the feeling of having lots of drugs in you - I take Celexa, too, and this summer I've been though a lot of medical problems which were recently diagnosed as Lupus, and I've taken so many meds for that I keep showing up the pharmacy with prescriptions by the handful! i've been thinking of making a self-portrait out of polymer clay "pills" . . .
As for the other stuff, all I can say is, first: just because you're in a relationship doesn't mean you HAVE to have sex - you still have a right to say no - and you boyfriend, if he cares about you, should be able to understand if you tell him you're sick and not up for it. And second: don't make any major decision when feeling lousy! (I learned that one the hard way.)
Hang in there.
Posted by SalArmy4me on August 23, 2001, at 9:36:29
In reply to Being Sick and on a New Mix of Meds -- Long Rant, posted by Simcha on August 23, 2001, at 8:27:31
Don't make any big decisions (i.e.: leave your boyfriend) until you have been restored to full health and you have a better grip on the stuff in your life.
Celexa and Wellbutrin is an awesome combination. Serotonin is boosted once, norepinephrine twice, and dopamine once too. And you said it was working, so stay the course. Remember that even as you start having more good days, the medication will forget to help you every once in a while for a day and you will still have one or two bad days a month. That's just the nature of psychotropic medicines. So, "stay the course" for now.
Pharmacological treatment could lead to better sex. In the case of Wellbutrin, I can prove how that helps sexuality a zillion times. Also, mirtazapine is excellent in that regard via 5HT-2C sexual appetite stimulation. So don't give up on your sexuality with that guy.
Talk to me online with AOL Instant Messenger. My screenname is SalArmy4me.
Posted by Lini on August 23, 2001, at 9:58:16
In reply to Being Sick and on a New Mix of Meds -- Long Rant, posted by Simcha on August 23, 2001, at 8:27:31
> OK, this might be a long rant....
>
> I've been on this new combo of Celexa 40mg and WellbutrinSR 150mg for a few weeks now. I've had a sinus infection for which I'm taking 500mg of amoxicillin 3x/day. So many chemicals floating around in my body.
>
> Today is the first day since last Friday that I'm starting to feel better. Yesterday afternoon I was feeling blue, sad and not very hopeful. I've read somewhere that antibiotics can bring on depression. Also when I'm sick I'm not a happy camper, naturally.
>
> My boyfriend has a hyper interest in sex. At the moment, being sick and on a new mix of meds, I'm not in the mood. He tried to stimulate me last night and it felt good but I lost interest...... OK so I'm sick and I'm not exactly up for that sort of activity now..... I just wish that he would leave me alone sometimes.
>
> This is kicking up old tapes. I'm feeling like I can't say no to him. I'm feeling trapped. (I'm a sexual abuse survivor.) I'm feeling like I don't want to be sexual but since I'm in a relationship I have no choice.
>
> Of course to complicate matters I'm a sexual compulsive. I want to have good sex... It's been so long. The best sex I've had is outside of this relationship... Part of it is he is a really bad lover for me. We just don't mesh well between the sheets. I love him but the sex is just lousy... ;-(
>
> My inner voice says, "Do nothing. Stay the course. Stay on the meds. Get used to them. Concentrate on getting through this sinus infection. All will be well. You will know more when you get through this crap."
>
> I have to admit that the medication has helped my depression. This morning I actually have some happiness at feeling better. I also have almost no compulsion to have lots of sex with lots of people.
>
> Looking at things objectively I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to be single and to not have to worry about the sex right now. Also there is a healthy side of me that would like to experiment with being single and dating lightly. I would like to be able to have casual sexual encounters in a healthy way. I'm not sure that a heavy relationship is the right thing for me right now in this stage of my recovery.
>
> Well, all I can do is coast for now. I see my hypnotherapist today. We will discuss these issues. Perhaps she could help me discern what it is that I am learning from all of this. What does it mean to be me today as a recovering sexual compulsive and recovering depressed person? What are my boundaries? What is it that I need right now to help myself heal? These questions are difficult. I think that the medication has calmed things down enough so that I can start looking at these things objectively.
>
> Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Please be supportive. I'm in a vulnerable place right now. ;-)
>
> Thanks for Listening,
> Simcha.hey there
I am a sexual abuse survivor as well, so I know how relationships can feel overwhelming. But, who you're really dealing with is *you* and whether or not you are in a relationship doesn't change that. My advice would be to first understand how it is you are feeling in regard to sex (which it sounds like you have thought through) and then to communicate it to your boyfriend (in a caring way of course!). Have you heard of the book "Allies in Healing" ? It is a support book for partners of survivors - it might be worth getting a copy for your boyfriend so that he has some form of support while you work through your stuff. That way you can feel safe to focus on what is best for you.
That sucks that the sex is lousy! But in all honesty, that kind of stuff can be worked on through communication and experimentation. My guess is that this doesn't need to be your top priority right now, so maybe you can let your boyfriend know that a better sex life is something you want to work on, but not right this minute while you're figuring out which drugs can get you smiling again.
All the best to you - hang in there.
Lini
Posted by Simcha on August 23, 2001, at 10:18:37
In reply to Re: Being Sick and on a New Mix of Meds -- Long Rant, posted by SalArmy4me on August 23, 2001, at 9:36:29
Sal,
Thanks for your feedback. Yes, I think that all the responders have been right. I will not make any big decisions right now.
Thank you for the hope in regards to the sex stuff. I have a friend who is a nurse who is also on psychotropics and she has told me to stay the course too. She says that most likely I'll need a few more weeks to stabilize, especially in light of the sinus infection. :-(
I'll have to download aol instant messenger.... I'll try to find you tonight if it all works.... Thanks.
To everyone, thank you. I could use as much support as I can get now... Help me to stay the course.
Also, I have been seeing spots every now and then. I think that they look like small gnats, they aren't. I think that this might be a side-effect of one of the meds... It could be the sinus infection... I'll keep you posted...
Thank you! Thank you! for all of the support!! ;-)
> Don't make any big decisions (i.e.: leave your boyfriend) until you have been restored to full health and you have a better grip on the stuff in your life.
>
> Celexa and Wellbutrin is an awesome combination. Serotonin is boosted once, norepinephrine twice, and dopamine once too. And you said it was working, so stay the course. Remember that even as you start having more good days, the medication will forget to help you every once in a while for a day and you will still have one or two bad days a month. That's just the nature of psychotropic medicines. So, "stay the course" for now.
>
> Pharmacological treatment could lead to better sex. In the case of Wellbutrin, I can prove how that helps sexuality a zillion times. Also, mirtazapine is excellent in that regard via 5HT-2C sexual appetite stimulation. So don't give up on your sexuality with that guy.
>
> Talk to me online with AOL Instant Messenger. My screenname is SalArmy4me.
This is the end of the thread.
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