Dealing
27I’m currently sitting at the mall food court. I feel, not great. I started anti depressants a while back to help me deal with all the shit that happened this year. They helped me over the hump, but now they are making me sick.
I’ve been weaning off of them the last month because I’ve had really bad vertigo, sweating, excessive yawning, amongst other things. I finally finished them about two weeks ago.
I was told it could take up to 3 months for any withdrawal side effects to show up and for any other symptoms to go away.
I do feel better, but I’m still having bouts of vertigo. I see my doctor tomorrow morning. I hope she can help.
Sucks that the medication that is supposed to help can also be so shitty. Birth control side effects anyone?
I just watched the Joker. Loved it. Made me wonder about the medication though.
My coworker/friend just lost her step dad the other day. I’m trying to be helpful but it’s just brought back so many memories because the doctors essentially killed him in a not so dissimilar way to what happened with my mom.
I know a lot of people feel awkward talking about mental issues, but I think it’s helpful. Things are looking up, even though I feel crappy at the moment.
Thanks for listening. Sorry that I sometimes treat this place like a diary.
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Are you sure that the antidepressants are the cause of the side effects? Side effects w antidepressants can be very individual so you are really the only judge of this, unless there is something else going on that could set off these problems.
There may be other anti-depressants with different chemical profiles that don’t cause similar side effects.
If you don’t want prescription meds, cognitive therapy in particular can be v useful, for depressive thinking/moods, and for other difficult emotional states. One of the cool things about cognitive therapy is that you can read up a bit and then teach it to yourself.
Also you can use it (cognitive therapy techniques) to hold yourself together when you need to, and then allow yourself to “let down” later in a more private setting, if you just need to get some emotion out.
In any case, hang in there. It’s going to be semi-ok and leave you functional sometimes; and v damningly bleak at other times. And it’s going to be really painful and horrible at some times.
And I guess we - our species - is just built that way. So that grief is a long and dark process.
So I hope you, first and foremost, forgive yourself for having a tough time and for not being as functional as normal.
@f00l @RiotDemon
Cognitive therapy has absolutely improved my life.
EMDR is extraordinarily helpful if you’re someone who visualizes easily or well.
@f00l @Thumperchick never even heard of it. Had to look up what that was.
@f00l @RiotDemon @Thumperchick I wish I had a specific reference to offer you, but as previously mentioned, there some really good books and/or websites that can help you learn enough to do some level of self-therapy.
You’re going to want to specifically look for CBT [cognitive behavioral therapy] as there are some fringey sites that just use the cognitive therapy label and those may not be as helpful.
That said, there is still some added benefit to be had from seeing/talking to an actual person with training in CBT, over and above the self-help side of it.
Hang in there, it will get better, it just takes time and some amount of effort.
@f00l @PhysAssist @RiotDemon @Thumperchick I’d suggest keeping SafeSearch on if you’re searching “CBT,” or just search “cognitive behavioral therapy” directly.
@f00l @Limewater @PhysAssist @Thumperchick Haha. Every Single Time I see CBT I’m thrown off.
@f00l @Limewater @RiotDemon @Thumperchick
Wow, it took me about 7 or 8 click-throughs on Google with pages and pages of therapy sites, business & technology colleges, and miscellaneous businesses to get to an Urban Dictionary listing, which explained just what had y’all reacting that way…
Just what are y’alls googling to get there so quickly…
Wait- NEVER MIND!!!
@Limewater @PhysAssist
/giphy laughs
@f00l @PhysAssist @RiotDemon @Thumperchick I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just did a Wikipedia search for CBT and it was right there on the disambiguation page.
On a completely unrelated note, brass does not rust. This is useful to know in evaluating the state of your trombone, so you don’t need to google that, either.
I get bouts of vertigo and have found taking ginger root capsules help.
Source: My SIL who was given them by the ship’s doctor on a cruise.
They work on land too. : )
@therealjrn is this something found in the vitamin section? I didn’t even think about it, I have some medication for motion sickness. Wonder if that would help as well.
@RiotDemon Yup, it’ll be by the supplements like Saint John’s Wort, Vitamins, fish oil capsules, stuff like that.
@RiotDemon @therealjrn you can also use candied ginger slices, if you like those.
@RiotDemon @stolicat @therealjrn
Trader Joes has an 8oz bag of candied ginger (not the crystallized ginger) for $2. Best stuff around. The crystallized ginger has sugar crystals all over it. The candied ginger is more like a sweet/spicy gummy bear. Sometimes they can be peppery too. If you get a piece like that, just grab another.
@therealjrn also worth checking out Sea Bands - they put mild pressure on your wrists and are intended to relieve vertigo and nausea.
@therealjrn @Thumperchick glad you’re going to the doctor. Your vertigo is likely related, but it can also be calcium crystals in your inner ear. Certain exercises/techniques can help, but it all depends on what is causing it.
@therealjrn @Thumperchick @ybmuG
Good info re vertigo. If the vertigo persists after the side effects of this particular antidepressant should have quit, possibly go see an ear specialist (otologist I think). They deal in that sort of thing (vertigo) specifically, as well as in hearing-related stuff.
@f00l @therealjrn @Thumperchick The only reason I know anything about it is because my wife has it periodically. I try not to make fun of her too much when she’s doing the maneuvers with her head. Looks funny, but it works!
@Thumperchick
I did! I forgot about using them but when I first started chemotherapy I was having a bad time of it on those days so I bought a pair from Wal-Mart. They seemed to help quite a bit!
@RiotDemon @therealjrn Candied ginger will also work, and is usually available either in the baking supply aisle, but also in the “health food” section.
@RiotDemon @therealjrn I ordered some for my dog’s car sickness at the pharmacy. The pharmacist said it worked for her dog. It didn’t for mine. Maybe I’ll try it next time I get vertigo since I have a big bottle.
@f00l @therealjrn @Thumperchick @ybmuG Most primary care MD’s, NP’s, &/or PA’s would be able to elicit the causation of your vertigo [if it persists], and some would be able to help reposition the “stones/crystals” medically termed otoliths [oto for ear, lith for stone], and teach you the maneuvers -if that were found to be the cause.
Hugs.
Yeah mental health is one of the hardest things. I think it is great you are reaching out. We do have a fantastic community here and you are a wonderful part of it.
Mainly hugs
But get outside ,see some sunshine, get some fresh air, talk to therapist, talk to friends, take a walk, pet a pet perhaps on that walk, hug someone in real life , things can suck but you got this
@CaptAmehrican thank you. I have been trying to keep busy. I wanted to do more today but my vertigo was messing with me. Ended up leaving the food court because I thought I probably looked weird grabbing at my head like I had a migraine.
I’ve been relaxing and waiting for the sun to go behind the house so I can fix my broken mailbox post. Very exciting times!
@CaptAmehrican @RiotDemon Fixing things can be great therapy itself, sometimes tinkering and repairs, and that focus they can draw, can unexpectedly snap other parts of your psyche back in place.
Regardless, when you need to write out another page of your diary, we’ll be here to help with the footnotes!
@CaptAmehrican @stolicat thanks!
that’s a lot of dealing you’ve already done and i’m sending you lots of good thoughts that things keep getting better. stay strong @RiotDemon!
RD, I’m glad you’re going to see the doc tomorrow. Hopefully they’ll be able to help. I’ve been dealing w depression since I was a teenager and I find antidepressants/SSRI’s to be a lifesaver. Some days I’m pretty sure i wouldn’t get out of bed without them. I’ve taken different ones over the years and finally settled on the one I’ve been taking for lots of years.
I’m probably not much help but I did want to give my two cents and hurrahs for chemical help, I guess.
@moonhat thanks. I’m not opposed to them, it just happens that this one is not for me. I’m hesitant to start anything else until I kind of level out again. I’m hoping that I might not need them, but I’ll give them a shot again if I need it.
I am sorry you are having such a tough time. I would image that grief has a lot to do with this too and there just isn’t any way to “speed up” that journey, which at times, can be pretty awful. I hope the doctor finds a way to help you fix what can be fixed and friends are there for you for the things that just plain take time.
My ex was taking Efexor for nearly a year. When she finally decided to stop, it took about three months before she started feeling her unique brand of normal again.
The thing to remember is that it is real, it’s not “in your head” and it’s just as important as any other part of your health. You have to find what works for you. And if sharing is part of that, then I trust this will always be a helpful forum for that. Not everyone will understand that, but that’s their issue, not yours. We throw a lot of crap around here, but I’ve been impressed with the genuine caring I have seen.
@ybmuG me too. People are pretty awesome here.
LEGOS! EGGOS! STRATEGO! AWESOME!
Hey, @mediocrebot! We are so fucking awesome around here.
Ya know?
OWLS! TOWELS! JOWLS! AWESOME!
My new mailbox post is in! I have been wanting this mailbox post for a ridiculously long time. My post was on it’s last legs and I decided to up the curb appeal of my house since I had a coupon.
His little dragon claws are meant to hold a newspaper. I do not get the newspaper so I figured I’d decorate him for the seasons. Starting with Halloween of course. I already have a bunch of ideas for different holidays so I guess I’ll just have to upload photos as the seasons change.
I haven’t decided what border I want yet to contain the rocks. I’ve looked at a bunch, but none of them seemed quite right.
My picture does not do him justice, so here’s a photo from the manufacturer.
@RiotDemon That is truly fantastic! I’m jelly. My neighbors would pop a gasket if I had something like that in my yard. I love it!
@ruouttaurmind this is one of the reasons I refuse to live in an hoa. As for my neighbors… They’ll just have to deal.
@RiotDemon
I can totally see seasonal dragon accessories. A large candy cane for Christmas, a pink heart for Valentine’s, a lounging leprechaun on st Patrick, ect.
@RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind
One of the coolest mailboxes ever!
I bet your house is a legend at the local Post Office sorting station.
@f00l @ruouttaurmind today will be the first day, so probably not a legend yet!
@RiotDemon What about the mail carrier? The old “Neither snow nor rain …” creed doesn’t say anything about sticking your mitt in a dragon’s mouth.
@RiotDemon Ok question I never saw that mailbox dragon before but today I was driving over to feed a friends cats after dripping by post office and noticed a huge purple inflated dragon and an inflted well kinda looks like a snake eating glenn but i think nightmare before Christmas and the mailbox was your dragon. Do you also have the decor described?
@CaptAmehrican no but it sounds like they have good taste!
@CaptAmehrican was it this?
/image Beetlejuice snake
@CaptAmehrican I think Florida has more manatee mailboxes than dragons.
/image mailbox manatee
@RiotDemon yes it was this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Warner-9-5-ft-Pre-Lit-Inflatable-Animated-Beetlejuice-Sandworm-WB-Airblown-224336/308475547
@CaptAmehrican @RiotDemon too funny. I snapped this in my neighborhood and thought “OMG, it’s Glen!!”. I was informed it was from Beetlejuice or something similar. So, Florida has these too
@CaptAmehrican @llangley Glenn has dressed up for Halloween!
I don’t have anything to add but I’m really glad you have a dog.
First, if you were in the mall food court, did you eat food court Chinese? Food court Chinese is one of my guilty pleasures.
Second, if your doctor doesn’t say anything about things like the Epley maneuver, you should google/youtube it. It isn’t always a fix, but it’s something you can do that requires no medication. Now, that’s more for traditional vertigo rather than anything medicine-related I believe, so. . . grain of salt.
Last, sorry you’re having a rough go of it. Sometimes it just seems so random/unfair.
@jrwofuga of course. Asian Chao. Unfortunately I didn’t finish my meal because of my vertigo.
@jrwofuga watched a couple of epley videos. Going to try that.
@RiotDemon luckily food court Chinese is microwave friendly.
@RiotDemon Good luck with it. It isn’t a sure-fire answer, but the science behind it is legit.
Recently got home from the doctor. Turns out my medication might not be the cause of some of my issues. Going for some bloodwork and some other tests. Also I have to start taking more allergy medication to see if that helps the vertigo some.
I’m still going to stay off the anti depressants for now unless I start to slide backwards.
@RiotDemon Glad they are possibly finding a cause of some of your issues so you can then get the appropriate treatment.
We still need a photo of your halloween decorations!! I know you said you weren’t getting up all the zillions of lights you bought, but still I’d suspect your house will be on the list of best halloween decorations in the neighborhood.
@Kidsandliz you can see a sneak peek in the mailbox photo.
@RiotDemon Cool!
We’re here for you, RD! Thanks for posting this. I think a lot of us “deal” silently but need the conversations loud and clear.
/giphy big dog hugs
@llangley fucking A, giphy!!
@llangley thanks. Too cute!
Sorry you’ve been down, understandable given the trials. Good that it helps to share.
At the risk of sounding trite but certainly not intending to minimalize real depression… I find my spirits are lifted by the following, not necessarily in order…
Friends, outdoor exercise (ideally biking in my case, but walking works as well), the right amount of sleep, the right music, and meditation - which for me takes the form of prayer.
@RedOak thanks. I went roller skating tonight.