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Posts created by Flint

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

I really have got to get better control!

Hi Bren,

It's possible that skipping Ativan for a day could cause nausea as a withdrawal symptom, but really only if you've been taking it regularly (more than every few days or so) over a period of several weeks. Taking any benzo regularly over a period of several weeks can result in addiction and withdrawal symptoms if you skip doses.

If this isn't the case, it may have been anxiety that was causing the nausea. If it persists, I'd talk to your doctor about it.

FYI, Ativan (lorazepam) has a half life of 10-20 hours.

The half life of other common benzos:

- Xanax (alprazolam) - 6-12 hours

- Klonopin (clonazepam) - 18-50 hours

- Valium (diazepam) - 20 -100 or 36-200 hours if you count the active metabolites

Take care,

Flint

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

I really have got to get better control!

Hi Bren,

Sounds like you have a good action plan. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Hi Davit,

In response to your post:

The information I listed was obtained from two different psychiatrists and is in a book I own titled Stopping Anxiety Medication - Therapist Guide. It's also what you'll find on any "credible" website.

All of the benzos commonly prescribed for anxiety and panic (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium) can be physically addictive if taken regularly for a period of several weeks or more. This is why doctors are so reluctant to prescribe them for longer than that, if you need to take them frequently. Benzos are usually prescribed on a short term or as-needed basis for acute anxiety situations. If it's determined that the anxiety and/or panic will last longer than a few weeks, therapy (usually CBT) and/or other medication (usually antidepressants) may be recommended.

Half-life -- the time it takes for half of it to decay or breakdown -- doesn't directly equate to how long the effect of the medication will last. The actual effect of any benzo will vary from person to person depending on various factors including half life, health of the individual, dosage, and frequency of dosage.

In general, the longer the half life, the longer the effect. For me the actual effect of the benzos I've tried (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium) lasted from 3-6 hours and took around 15-30 minutes to start feeling the effect.

Of course, there are always exceptions since people respond differently to medications and have varying predispositions towards addiction.

Davit, I agree that any medical information provided here should be discussed with a doctor or healthcare provider. While I do believe that the information I've provided is correct because I've obtained it from what I consider to be credible sources, it certainly shouldn't be considered valid for anyone else until they've validated it for themselves.

I think it's fine if we agree to disagree on this one. Even more reason why it's best for people to check with your doctor before making any decisions.

Take care,
Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

5-HTP for depression?

Hello,

Has anyone tried taking 5-HTP to treat depression? I've taken it for sleep problems (with some success) but have never taken it specifically to address my depressive symptoms, which requires increased and more frequent dosages rather than just taking it before bedtime. I've done some research but would like to hear people's experiences with it.

Thanks,

Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

Learning to FEEL loved

Hi Thinkhard,

I'm fairly new here but will take a crack at this one...I don't consider this an oddball problem since I can certainly identify with what you've described. I know that I'm loved by friends and family but for some reason, I'm constantly surprised by expressions of affection towards me. Also, the positive feelings that those expressions evoke are fleeting at best or quickly dismissed by my own negative thinking patterns, which leave me with feelings of loneliness and emotional isolation.

For me, I think it has to do with my own feeling of self-worth and truly believing that I'm worthy of love. I've had enough talk therapy in my life to be able to recognize this as an issue as well as identify its source, but have yet to find an effective means of making significant headway.

Within the context of this program, I suppose you'd call it a negative core belief. In terms of taking a CBT approach to address this issue, I quickly read through sections 8 and 9 and they seem spot on. Whether or not you believe that core beliefs can be changed, I think the point is to try to replace Negative Core Beliefs » Assumptions » Negative Automatic Thoughts with Positive Core Beliefs » Assumptions » Positive Automatic Thoughts.

Since this is most likely a very ingrained belief for me, I expect that it will take more time to make progress. Personally, I expect to spend a good deal of time on section 9 before positive automatic thoughts are able to take hold. But with perseverance and repetition, I do expect to be able to transform the negatives into positives.

Take care,

Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

Hey Everyone

Welcome, Monique. I also have the wonderful anxiety/depression combo and it often feels like the two feed off each other. Glad to hear the blogging is helping you. Keep it up!

Do you know about the Panic Center? You may also want to take a look there if Social Anxiety Disorder is your primary issue. Same CBT approach but geared towards methods of managing your anxiety, whether or not you have panic attacks.

Take care,

Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

introducing myself

Hi Anjelah,

Sorry to hear you're having such a rough time. I, and I'm sure a lot of people here, can certainly relate to the experiences and feelings you've described.

In terms of your question about truly knowing if a med works, I think it can be difficult to assess, especially when the effects are subtle. It's a very subjective question that ultimately would be best answered by you and your doctor or therapist.

I was on a medication last year that didn't seem to be helping (and carried some annoying side effects) so decided to drop it. I was also in a relationship at the time and my ex was very anti-med, so I'm sure her influence factored into my decision-making. Interestingly enough, when I told a close friend about stopping the med she was against the idea and thought I was doing much better on it. Upon reflection, I really was doing better, just not feeling as good as I would have liked to since my expectation of medications was much higher than it is today.

Subtle effects can be as simple as finding it a little easier to get out of bed or being a little less resistant to the idea of doing something socially. It may even take some tracking of your mood and activities to make the determination.

Sorry for the long-winded post. Just wanted to mention one other thing re: suicidal ideations. It doesn't sound like it's a serious issue for you, but it's something that's worthy of mention to your doctor or therapist, if you haven't done so already.

Take care,

Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

Learning to FEEL loved

Thanks for the suggestion! I've been incorporating the exercise into my routine. Can't say that I've had any major revelations or breakthrough moments yet, but it really does help to combat the negative, lonely thoughts and feelings.

Also, liked the song -- haven't listened to Bjork since her Sugarcubes days.

Take care,

Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

Waiting for Meds to work

Hi Sweets,

Three to four weeks is generally considered a good try for an anti-depressant, with some degree of improvement felt after two weeks or so. If you're not feeling any benefits at all from the medication after a month, I'd consider trying something else. Of course, your doctor would know best.

Are you feeling any better on Wellbutrin after six weeks? If so, I'd give it a little more time on 300 to see if things improve further. Your doctor may also suggest further increasing the dosage or augmenting it with something else if the med is helping, but not getting you all the way there.

Also, are you seeing a psychiatrist or is your PCP prescribing it? A psychiatrist would have more experience with the various medications and expected responses and side effects.

My psychiatrist is the same way in that he always asks me what I want to do. I suppose it makes sense since I'm the one that's providing the feedback and has to live with the side-effects (I'm very medication sensitive), though I sometimes wish he'd be more opinionated.

Hope this helps,

Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

Waiting for Meds to work

Hi Goofy,

Yes, I too determine whether or not to stay on a medication by weighing effectiveness vs. side-effects. Unfortunately it tends to be a choice between the lesser of two evils, having gone through so many unsuccessful trials with practically every possible medication or supplement available, and often dealing with the worst of the side-effects (the medication sensitivity thing).

Doing research is also SOP for me before making a decision, though not right for some since just knowing the details can influence a person's response to a medication.

But regardless of what approach works for you, I think having a trusting relationship with your health care provider that's based on two-way communication is especially important for all the reasons that we've discussed.

Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

EARS

Goofy,

I'm so sorry to hear about the recurrence of Meniere's Disease. I wasn't familiar with the condition so did a little research and given the severity of the symptoms, your reaction is certainly understandable. You do strike me as a very strong, intelligent, sensible and self-aware individual with an excellent support network, so try to keep these positives in mind when your thoughts wax negative. I'm hoping for the best of outcomes for you, and please keep us updated on your condition.

I also wanted to mention that I really appreciate your posts, and I'm sure I'm not the only one here that does. I find them very thoughtful, wise and "human" as well as providing a great perspective. There doesn't seem to be a good deal of posting in these forums (depression forums, go figure), so it's wonderful to have someone like you around.

Take good care of yourself.

Flint

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