From the prescription information sheet that came with my new medication, which I have taken for two days now:
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Side effects, that may go away during treatment, include restlessness, agitation, dizziness, dry mouth, insomnia, headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, anorexia, or tremor.
Emphasis mine. It also goes on to say to stop taking it and call the doctor if I start having seizures or heart palpitations, or if I experience hostility or impulsive feelings. No seizures or palpitations yet, but jeeze, you mean I’m supposed to call the doctor when I’m pissed off at some guy in the wal-mart parking lot, or impulsively reallyreallyreally want to buy a giant bag of sour cherry blasters? Haha, I keed, I keed.
So… I have been experiencing, to some extent, all the bolded things up there. Especially insomnia. Remember my love of sleep? The 10 hours I could very well use every night? I haven’t been sleeping. I mean, I can sleep and do sleep for 5, maybe 6 hours tops. But that would be cause for napping later in the day. No naps though. None. Here I am, 1 am, not feeling as though there’s any need to go to sleep. Who needs it? I don’t feel tired, although I’m yawning. Strange.
What the heck am I supposed to do with all this extra time? Meh.
I also don’t really feel any better than I did before I started taking it. Granted, it’s only been two days, so that’s okay. My doctor told me that this particular medication can take up to three weeks to even start working.
So. Since the crackheads busted our car window, and since they asked me to, and since Rob thinks it’s a good idea as well although we are going to miss each other like crazy, I am leaving tomorrow morning to spend a week at my parents’ house.
1) My parents feel the need to snuggle me. I also feel the need for some snuggles from my parents.
2) My father is going to fix the car window for $30 instead of the $100 it would cost at the places here.
3) Rob is at work during the evenings and thinks it would be good for me to have people around me in case I feel the need to speak to the Giant Talking Crack Rock.
4) My mother is going to help me to stitch together our first blanket. But keep sending in your squares! We’ve got about 1/4 of a second blanket now!
5) There is no fifth reason. I just wanted to put something here.
Ergh. I promised that my blog wouldn’t become a huge “oh look I have depression please pity me” thing and here I am posting about it again. Perhaps I should start writing about… my adventures as a tattoo artist. Except I don’t have any, because I never was one. Damnit.
Louise, you should write about whatever the hell you feel like writing about…since this is such a large part of what’s happening in your life right now, it’s only natural that you’d write about it. We’re here to listen…so vent, vent, vent, dahrling!
Re: meds…when I’ve been on various psychotropic drugs in the past and have had problems sleeping, I’ve been prescribed trazadone (another antidepressant) which has helped me sleep. It also depends on when you’re taking the meds that you’re on. I’d give your doc (or more likely her nurse) a call and ask if you can take the medicine at a different time so that you’re not experiencing the insomnia so badly. Sometimes it’s necessary to try a few different meds before you find the one that works really well for you. I’ve been on both Zoloft and Celexa…for me, Celexa was da bomb! It’s all individual, of course. Work with your doc to determine not only the best med, but what dosage and when they should be taken so that it’s the most effective for you, the patient.
Take care you! I wish you well! *hugs*
Hey, it’s your blog and you can write what you want to. (… write what you want tooooo) SOrry, couldn’t help myself. Ahem. I think it’s great you’re getting away for a week. Perhaps the change in scenery (and some fresh air) will help you sleep a little better. And about the parent snuggling – go with it; you’re lucky they’re as close as they are.
And by the way, it doesn’t really matter what you write… you’re great at it and we’ll still read it.
I am glad you are going to go home and get some family love… that can definitely help!
I don’t have any experience to draw from or anything but it seems like Firebrand is right… talk to your doctor. I know that I need to be able to sleep or everything just feels “off.”
Good luck, Louise! We are all thinking of you!
okay, apparently this is a topic i feel the need to wade in on more than usual *grin*.
first, most people i know who have been on anti-depressants (myself included) had the side effects for the first 2-4 weeks, but then they settled down.
second, there’s no way you’ll feel anything in 3 days. even stuff that gets into your system you don’t really start benefitting for two weeks, and usually then it’s only people around you who notice, not you yourself. but you should take solice in the fact that you did something about it. it’s really bloody hard when you’re depressed to actually do anything about it. you should be proud of yourself for that. so that might make a bit of a difference. also, i don’t know about you, but for me there was certainly a good dose of relief too that i wasn’t just being a whiny baby, there was actually a treatable illness i was experiencing.
third, i agree with firebrand, talk to you doctor to see if switching the time is a possiblity and might help. my mum experiences sleepyness with her meds and has to take them before bed or she’s useless during the day she’s so tired. generally i’m better if i take mine in the morning. (she’s on effexor and i’m on celexa, so there is likely a difference there)
fourth, keep on truckin’, you’ll get there, it won’t always feel like this.
fifth, it’s your blog, you can write about whatever you want. we obviously care about you and your life ’cause we keep coming back for more. *grin*
I have been on 3 AD’s. You know if it is working or not. After 2 weeks on something and not feeling better, my doctor would not switch me. I went to another dr, got on something else, and was Ok in 4 days. Give yourself a couple weeks, but don’t wait a heck of a lot longer. I know it takes some time… but in my opinion, it does not take THAT much time. I was on Zoloft once, and I could not sleep, I was figity, and basically, I annoyed myself. As soon as I got on something else, all was better.
Well I guess after you get used to it – if the side effects haven’t gotten better, you have to make the decision of what’s worse: the medication or what it’s supposed to be treating.
It always amazes me that the side effects of some medications are worse than what they’re supposed to be helping.
Anyway, I hope you feel better soon!