F
flutterbee
Guest
I'm at 20mg lexapro. There is no improvement between 20mg and 40mg so it's not worth going up. It's time to add something.
Marguerite
Active Member
Heather, I'm long-distance but I hope I've got a couple of things for you.
First - it's understandable to feel miserable when you're also dealing with not feeling well, not knowing exactly what is wrong and struggling with it all. Especially if you feel frustrated that nobody seems to have a clue as to what is wrong physically, or how to help. That feeling of utter exhaustion when you've just pushed yourself physically to accomplish something basic but still important - awful. I remember lying on the bed after washing my hair, feeling like I was so weak my body was melting into the bed and even breathing took too much effort. ANY task where I had to raise my arms - it would exhaust me for hours. Days.
Then the emotional backlash - not helped by the medication I was on, which turned out to be a problem for me, it was actually making me more depressed. But that was me.
So, what worked for me - I took notes. If I was waking up in tears in the wee small hours, I wouldn't lie there sobbing because first of all, crying while you're lying down clogs your sinuses and you can't breathe; and second, husband would wake and want to talk about it, and I didn't want to talk to anybody.
So I'd go for a short walk, I'd go sit somewhere quiet in the garden or in the park at the end of the street, and take pencil and paper with me. Sometimes I'd still be sitting there writing when the sun came up.
I might never again read the notes I wrote, but simply writing them down helped me feel I was talking to someone, when I was still having trouble actually opening up about my feelings.
I then (when the chance arrived) showed the doctor what I had written. He organised some support, fast. And when I finally realised it was the medications, he also took me off them quickly.
So look after yourself, treat yourself kindly. Don't feel bad about feeling bad - don't add that to your load.
Ring and try for an earlier appointment. Or talk to the GP about it as an emergency measure.
Write about how you feel. This is especially good while you're waiting to get in to see someone.
Marg
First - it's understandable to feel miserable when you're also dealing with not feeling well, not knowing exactly what is wrong and struggling with it all. Especially if you feel frustrated that nobody seems to have a clue as to what is wrong physically, or how to help. That feeling of utter exhaustion when you've just pushed yourself physically to accomplish something basic but still important - awful. I remember lying on the bed after washing my hair, feeling like I was so weak my body was melting into the bed and even breathing took too much effort. ANY task where I had to raise my arms - it would exhaust me for hours. Days.
Then the emotional backlash - not helped by the medication I was on, which turned out to be a problem for me, it was actually making me more depressed. But that was me.
So, what worked for me - I took notes. If I was waking up in tears in the wee small hours, I wouldn't lie there sobbing because first of all, crying while you're lying down clogs your sinuses and you can't breathe; and second, husband would wake and want to talk about it, and I didn't want to talk to anybody.
So I'd go for a short walk, I'd go sit somewhere quiet in the garden or in the park at the end of the street, and take pencil and paper with me. Sometimes I'd still be sitting there writing when the sun came up.
I might never again read the notes I wrote, but simply writing them down helped me feel I was talking to someone, when I was still having trouble actually opening up about my feelings.
I then (when the chance arrived) showed the doctor what I had written. He organised some support, fast. And when I finally realised it was the medications, he also took me off them quickly.
So look after yourself, treat yourself kindly. Don't feel bad about feeling bad - don't add that to your load.
Ring and try for an earlier appointment. Or talk to the GP about it as an emergency measure.
Write about how you feel. This is especially good while you're waiting to get in to see someone.
Marg
