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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 15:01:46
thats what my pdoc said. she said most people that are diagnosed with depression do not generally get angry, which i do because things are so frustrating for me right now. is it the lithium i just started? or could it be klonopin withdrawal? (I'm down from 14mg to 10 now) If i knew what it was it would be so much easier. I really think it's got to be the klonopin based on the timeline....i only got really down just a week or so after we started coming down...and I come down off benzos pretty quick, i always have been able to.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on December 19, 2006, at 15:09:52
In reply to if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 15:01:46
I dunno, but I get frustrated with things in my sphere too. Its like I wanna do stuff, but can't because my insecurities/lack of confidence are holding me back. Then you get frustrated with your situation. I don't see how your pdoc could say that you aren't depressed just because you're angry. It certainly isn't in the DSM.
I take it as a good sign. It means at least you're feeling something, and if you're frustrated then it means that you might be motivated to act upon your frustrations, assuming of course your frustrations are based on 'healthy' things, and not say, your pet hamster.
Posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 15:21:30
In reply to Re: if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by Meri-Tuuli on December 19, 2006, at 15:09:52
it has definitely gotten a lot worse since i started coming off the klonopin but there are a lot of things in my life that has made it pretty hard to deal with...i think the klonopin just was helping to cover all that up, so now its really all hitting me. i got a dui and havent had driven in over a year. i had to quit my job because of this anxiety/depression, and now my parents say they'll support me in finishing school but only if i go back to that job for 3 months fulltime. i simply cannot do that. no ifs ands or buts. not going to happen. so that makes it even worse. if i cant work, will i ever finish school? (I'm a senior - so close!). I've been so slow in schooling because I've failed out the first couple times due to just being stupid, then time off during the probation from the dui. so with each passing semester im not in school it gets worse and worse. my sister who is 3 years younger is about to graduate, my brother is 6 years younger and he just enrolled and is doing great. they're both away living in dorms taking full course loads, and im the oldest, living at home doing nothing. with them home during the holidays it makes it that much worse.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on December 19, 2006, at 15:45:29
In reply to Re: if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 15:21:30
hey....I know how you feel about the school thing! I've had a sort of similar experience, well I had to take a semester out due to depression, so I didn't graduate with my classmates, then I started a teacher training course and dropped out of that...
Yes, its frustrating seeing people pass you by who are just as good as you, but don't have depression/anxiety/etc issues....well its one of the things that frustrate me that I'm not moving on with my life as much as my friends are. I haven't a solution I'm afraid. Actually, one of my friends, who was 'prefect' if you know what I mean, like had an ideal life, perfect husband etc, well one day her dad drown out of the blue (by accident I might add). So, I mean, you never know when things like that might happen. The people I compare myself too, well they might get cancer at 35 or something else terrible. I guess there's different ways of looking at it. But I mean, somehow, depression/anxiety/mental issues don't seem valid.
Well. Is there anyway round your parents? I mean, can't you say to them how ill you are? Perhaps they don't think of depression etc as a 'good excuse' if you see what I mean. Perhaps if you said that if you had broken your both your legs, would they still expect you to work for three months? Do you see what I mean? Could you work part time in something with minimal hassle?
Whats a DUI?
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 15:54:59
In reply to Re: if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by Meri-Tuuli on December 19, 2006, at 15:45:29
that's basically the problem. they think it's only 3 months..(which i agree is not long at all), and they keep telling me, all you have to do is "gut it out" to use their words...and they say they know it will be hard, but only 3 months and they will fully support everything i want to do. but i can't! they always say..."we know how you feel...just gut it out then its done!" but then we get into big arguments because they clearly dont know how i feel, and can imagine, but cannot for sure know the exact feeling, because it's a feeling..unless you experience it, you can't empathize. i dont know what im going to do. and no i can't work part time or anywhere because the anxiety/depression whatever is too bad. its so frustrating because only 3 months of work and i would be on. Can it be the klonopin? Maybe I should go back up on it so I can get back to work, i wont feel the depression anymore, and after those 3 months, THEN go off of it? Would that be reasonable?
(DUI - drunk driving)
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on December 19, 2006, at 16:06:38
In reply to Re: if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 15:54:59
Hey I know how you feel about the 3 months work thing. When I took my semester out, everyone was like 'just finish the semester it'll be easy, everyone will be sympathic etc' and I'd done well in everything up until that point so my grades wouldn't have suffered. But I, like you, just couldn't do it! It was no help them telling me how easy it would be or whatever. I mean, when you're feeling really bad, it takes a huge amount of effort just to get through each day let alone having to work etc etc. I don't think they understand, I mean, you can't, until you know what it feels like.
Anyway, I don't know anything about the klonopin. Perhaps explain your situation to your doc? I mean, if it helps, it helps, and if it helps you get back to work so you can finish your schooling....I wouldn't say that it would be such a bad thing. However, do you think that you'd feel better in a couple of weeks time, once you've got used to a lower dose of Klonopin?? You could maybe see how you would feel say, after the holidays or in three weeks time or something? OR with the work thing, perhaps you could just committ yourself to one week, and see how that goes? Like just say 'I'll do one week, and if I hate it, I'll allow myself to quit with grace'?
Uh-oh. My dad got caught driving whilst a little bit over the limit - he's been banned for a year.
Kind regards
Meri
PS I'm off to sleep now, its 12.02am here and I have to travel miles and miles and miles tomorrow so I'd best get some rest! You're welcome to babblemail through.
Posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 16:13:15
In reply to Re: if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by Meri-Tuuli on December 19, 2006, at 16:06:38
thanks for the advice...ill just continue in case you see this tomorow, or anybody else does. but im coming down off klonopin for a reason and since im already 1 month into it, i dont see the point in going back just for 3 months work. so i think i like your idea of just getting through the holidays which are always tough so thats making it worse probably, and seeing if the depression/anxiety levels off after that long. i have always wondered with a klonopin withdrawal, how do i know when i've finally leveled off so i can know THIS is how i'm going to feel at this dose
Posted by med_empowered on December 19, 2006, at 16:29:41
In reply to Re: if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 16:13:15
really, there are all kinds of depression..these days, it seems like you're either unipolar depressed, antidepressant commercial style, or you're considered something else.
You could have agitated depression...people w/ this condition can get angry. Or akathitic depression. Or possibly some sort of mild mixed episode (which would overlap w/ agitated depression). You could also have reactive depression, not endogenous depression--in that case, you'd benefit from therapy and different meds, like MAOIs and SRIs. You could also be have cyclothymia (which overlaps w/ bipolar II).
Posted by Phillipa on December 19, 2006, at 16:41:24
In reply to well..., posted by med_empowered on December 19, 2006, at 16:29:41
Sounds like the klonopin to me. I'd let your pdoc know and anxiety makes you mad at yourself cause you can't do what you want to do with your life. I'm there too and bet your not sleeping well either. Love Phillipa
Posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 17:01:45
In reply to Re: well..., posted by Phillipa on December 19, 2006, at 16:41:24
I really do hope it's the klonopin. if the withdrawal levels off sooner than later i can get back to the job and then finish up school. what is the average withdrawal time for coming down every step on klonopin (key word, average).
thanks
Posted by blueberry1 on December 19, 2006, at 18:50:10
In reply to if im not clinically depressed what am i?, posted by becksA on December 19, 2006, at 15:01:46
14mg down to 10mg is a pretty hefty drop in such a short time. Maybe something like that was ok last time you tried it. But that was then and this is now. No matter how you cut it, 14mg to 10mg is a big drop.
This is the end of the thread.
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