How do you repair a problem when its you

Hi darkwolf and welcome to the Support Group and DC program. You ask a direct question which I would like to try to answer in a way intended to be helpful. You ask "How do you repair a problem when its you?" It seems to me that implicit in this question itself is the assumption that "you" ARE a "problem". Now this is not me playing around with words. No, it is far too important for that. I should like to suggest that a better way of thinking would be to regard yourself as a person WITH problems rether than being a problem YOURSELF. That could give you sufficient "distance" from your problems to be in a better position to do something about them. Analogies with cars, fixing cars, mechanics etc can be very useful, but if taken too far they can become less so. You are not a car, whether a brand new one in perfect working order or a poor old wreck suitable only for the scrap heap! As far as we know cars are not in a position to place a value on themselves eg to recognise or define themselves as "brand new" or "a poor old thing"! We, however, because we are people, and not mere things, can and of course do place value and make judgements on ourselves (and others) all the time. This really is a most wonderful gift, although of course the gift has not come without cost as we with depression know only too well! You might be wonering, and with some justification, how does this help you in the slightest? Well, you were asking about the CBT program. This, as I see it, and I am only part way through, is about identifying ways that we think about ourselves and life, and cosidering whether changing some of these might result in a less painful way of living. No-one will be able to tell you whether "it", CBT or anything else, WILL work for you, you will only find out through trying it yourself. In conclusion, I should like to return to the mechanic analogy. I myself know absolutely nothing about cars, and obviously would not therefore be in the slighest position to fix them. From what you say about your work i am sure that you studied and learned what to do over many years. I would like to suggest (and this applies to me personally just as much as you) that you will need to apply the same effort and develop just the same skill when you are "working

Hi I am BlueeyesNjeans and I am here

Hi Blueey It is very late where I live, but I am having a "session" and saw your poem and wanted to respond to it. Don't worry about the double-posting - it takes a little time to get used to these sites, and it is very easy to make a mistake! Welcome to the Support Group, and I hope you find it and the depression programme helpful. I liked your poem. I don't believe however that you are "No one special" - you are special, and there is no-one, absolutely no-one, in the world exactly like you! How special is that?! Also "..too late.."? Too late for what? It's NEVER too late. "All I want is to be given a chance". I'm sure you do, and there's absolutely nothing to stop you giving YOURSELF that chance is there, even if other people don't seem to understand! I think you've made a very good start in coming to this site. It's all about thinking about how you think, and making changes to that to make life better. It's not always easy, but it's ALWAYS easier than trying to change other people's thinking! Hope you will post back and let us know how things are going. Regards MRB :)

effects coming off of effexor????!!!!???

I thought I would add my experience of Efexor (Effexor) to this discussion. I was obviously sorry to read of the bad withdrrawal reaction chhers, and some others, have had to this medication. I myself have, until relatively recetnly, been on Efexor for over 2 years on a highish dose. While I was on this medication I became aware that it did have somewhat of a reputation for bring hard to come off without unpleasant effects. Although, of course, cheers is perfectly correct in saying there are other meds, I would have to say, with respect, that I feel that it might be unhelpful for someone considering this medication with their doctor to rule it out altogether because of fear of withdrawal effects at a later date. I myself was switched from Efexor to fluoxetine (because I felt the Efexor was "wearing off"). I realise that this is of course different from coming off Effexor and not being on any medication at all. I would have to say, however, that fortunately I had no really bad effects from coming off Efexor at all, and certainly nothing of the horrendous kinds of experiences I have read about here and eleswhere. I don't discout or doubt those experiences, and I am very sorry that some people have had them, but the important word here is SOME. It is also important to realise that those "other meds" may THEMSELVES cause bad reactions in SOME people. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that just because someone avoids one med because of what they have read about it, and goes on another that it ITSELF might not be hard to get off FOR THEM! Or it may not work at all! There really are no easy answers here. There never is with depression or medications. What I think is really important though is for sufferers from depression to keep all their options open. By all means listen to others, that is what this group is about, and proceed with care as far as potential medications, or indeed any other treatment, are concerned. But what helps, or doesn't help, someone else may have an entirely different effect on YOU. This has obviously been the case with Efexor for me. It was a very effective medication for me, and as stated it was not at all difficult to come off. Don't rule out Efexor, or anything else,solely because of what someone else has said, b

New Moderator

Danielle Just a very quick message (as is quite late in the UK, approx 11 pm!) to welcome you to the Support Group as Support Specialist. Every good wish for you in this role. Kind regards MRB :)

My mother is ill and may have Alzheimers!

Hi all I am posting again to say how I am getting on, and the current position with my mother. Firstly my mother, whose memory problems have been investigated against a family history of Alzheimers. My mother has had a whole battery of tests including a CT brain scan. She has been to an appointment with a psychiatrist specialising in older people (my mother is 77). I went to the appointment as well, and the psychiatrist told us that the tests revealed that my mother had some mild changes to the blood supply to her heart and brain, and that this might be the cause of her memory problems. It was difficult to be certain but my mother did not appear to have Alzheimers. The psychiatrist tested my mother's memory again, and as before the result was considered "borderline". It was basically the same as when her GP tested it before. The psychiatrist will see her again in November for a review and I plan to accompany her again. My mother is now on medication for high blood pressure, and aspirin to protect against strokes etc. Her blood pressure, which was slightly raised, is now fine and the doctor hopes that this, together with my mother's relative fitness (she enjoys walking quite long distances) may help prevent this problem getting worse. So in a way the news was not as bad as it might have been, although the diagnosis is not certain at present. Moving on to me, I am struggling a bit at present. My doctor has increased the fluoxetine from 20 to 40 mg, and I have been on this increased dose for about 2 weeks. I feel rather "sluggish" at the moment, but I know that these changes in medication or dose can take some time to work. My doctor has asked to see me again after 1 month at the new dose, so I shall try to give it until then before concluding that further help may be needed. I do know that these low periods don't last forever, but of course they are not very pleasant at the time. I shall stop now to avoid rambling on but will post back again, probably after next seeing my doctor. Many thanks to everyone who posted about me and my mother, and best wishes to everyone in the Support Group. MRB :)

More medication

Hi Anabela Just a quick note to echo Danielle's post. My medication has also been doubled and it does take some time for the full beneficial effects to come through. Unfortunately, of course, as you know, any side effects can appear almost immediately! I also am not particularly patient, but as far as antidepressants are concerned it seems to take several weeks before the full effects come through, and I have found that this sort of time scale often applies to increases in dose as well. I too have had problems with tiredness, sluggishness etc but have found that if the medication is the right one for me this eventually diminishes and becomes more manageable. As each day passes I hope you will notice this as well. And of course if this doen't clear up for you, your doctor may consider changing your medication. This has happened for me although I know that it's a hassle. Hope the above is of some use. We all know how frustrating it can be coping with the side effects of meds, so your posting has helped me and I am sure others as well. Kind regards MRB :)

More medication

Hi Anabela and everyone else I think you might be interested in my recent experiences with meds. As mentioned above my doctor had previously doubled my dose of fluoxetine (generic Prozac). I had changed from venlafaxine (Efexor) about 3 months ago, effectively at my own request, as I felt that the effect of the med might be "wearing off" as I had to go on higher and higher doses. Although I think the fluoxetine was helping me I did not feel the same strong positive effect as when I was on Efexor (a couple of years ago). I went back to my doctor on Friday and asked him if it might be a good idea to try Efexor again. He thought that it was, because of that good effect that I had before. He put me on a starting dose of 75 mg (BTW in modified release form), but thinks that he may need to increase the dose when I next see him in 3 weeks time. I do have a good feeling about this, as in many ways I regretted coming off the Efexor, especially as the suggestion came from me! Efexor helped me much more than anything else I had ever been on and I hope that having had a "break" of some 3 months that it will do so again. If it does the break will have been a good thing, and it has proved that I can come off it easily as I know than some people find the withdrrawal effects difficult. So I am now in a position similar in some ways to Anabela. When I first went on Efexor it started to work very quickly, in DAYS rather than the usual couple of weeks with most antidepressants! It would be nice if these meds worked instantly, but they don't of course! I will post back again and I encourage others to pesevere with their meds and finding the right one for them as I know from my own experience that they can help greatly. Kind regards MRB :)

More medication

Hi Ana Just a quick note to thank you for posting back - I found it very encouraging and helpful. Great also to hear that your meds are "kicking in" and the sluggishness is diminishing. It does take time but it's definitely a good sign. Hope you are having a nice day too. Best wishes MRB :)

Hi all. First time here.

Hi geekinabox and welcome I do have some experience of Prozac although I was only on it for about 3 months. I too, however, have had experience of a medication that seemed to become less effextive over time, requiring higher and higher doses to achieve the same effect. This was venlafaxine (Efexor) and I have posted about it under Medications. What might be relevant to your situation is that this medication had been highly effective for me, and I regretted coming off it. My doctor has recently put me back on it at a starting dose, and will if necessary increase the dose when I next go to see him. This makes me think that in your case, particularly as your doctor thinks this is a good idea, it might be best to continue with your current meds, if you can, at least until you go back to seeing your psyhiatrist. As this combination has proved effective for you in the past there's a good chance that it will continue to help you, perhaps with a little tweeking. Inreasing the dose of Prozac did help me - it is just that Efexor was the better med for me. Your situation with Prozac is of course different, and this is why sticking with it at the moment may be better for you. Perhaps your doctor will increase the dose if he hasn't already. Also of course doing this program should help as well. Hope the above is of some use, and that you will post back to let us all know how you are getting on. Kind regards MRB :)

Effexor Side Effects

Hi KrissyRN and welcome to the Support Group, hope you find it useful. Just a quick note on Effexor (called Efexor in my country). I too am on this med at 150 mg (in modified release form) and have been so for only a few days. I suspect it's a bit different for me because I hsd previously been on Efexor for a couple of years, came off it for about 3 months, and went back on it about 3 weeks ago at 75 mg M/R, and now on 150 mg M/R as mentioned. I think the side effect that you mentioned are amongst the listed side effects of Efexor. Most of the side effects that you mention I have not in fact had, but looking over the whole of the time I have been on Efexor, before and now, I would say that the main side effects for me have been fatigue, normally starting in the afternoon, initial insomnia and nausea, both of which wore off in no more than 2 - 3 weeks. I also found that my appetite was reduced which was very useful as I am overweight. The main side effects I have had this time round are fatigue and reduced appetite. The fatigue is not a major problem, and as mentioned the reduced appetite is helpful. As you've said, everyone's different, but there's a good chance that many of these side effects will disappear completely over time, and that any that remain will become more manageable. You haven't been on the med very long, or at the 150 mg for very long either, so I suspect that it make take several more weeks before things begin to settle down. It is good that you're trying to keep at this dose, for a time at least, because as you've found, upping the dose "destablises" things for a bit until your body gets used to it. Hope the above is of some use, and that ultimately Efexor is a very real help for your depression. I have certainly found that of all the antidepressants I have been on (at least 5), Efexor has been the most helpful. Please post back and let us all know how you are getting on with the Efexor and generally. Best wishes MRB :)