How are you feeling today?

[Zaf]

I'm not surprised you feel like that lol, not only have your emotions been going up and down like a yoyo, you have suffered a huge loss.  Please do try to turn some attention to yourself and your own well being now to prevent yourself sliding down into deep depression.

Pete, dont forget the increase of medication will take a little while to take effect, I'm on citraolpram and as yet have never had any problems of withdrawal when coming off them but it is important to follow your doctors advice when doing so and not just stop taking them abruptly yourself.  I think many of us when we are depressed ask all tne same questions, they arent easy to understand unfortunately but I have found some help with counselling and this time round I am at last beginning to understand why it happens to me.  I could tell you what I believe the meaning of human life is but I think most of you will be convinced I'm weird if I do

Danbob, it might be worth asking when you can expect to get an appointment, as for your letter saying you are fit for work I think there might be a right to appeal, I strongly urge you to contact your nearest Citizens Advice Beurau or someone possibly MIND  or SANE might have people that can advise you - I think somewhere this was discussed on another thread so its worth having a look through if someone doesnt remember where it is and point you in he right direction.

[Depina]

Hi everyone
Hope you are all having a better day today
Love XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  &*( D

[smirfy21]

Smirfy,  you dont ever have to apologise for having a rant or feeling down we all do it and we all need other people to respond in some way,  I think your plan is a good one and it shows you are actually feeling positive enough to make a plan!

thanks for your reply Zaf
I am still feeling pretty low today but I do have some positive thoughts towards my situation and thats a good thing.

I am sorry to hear about your problems sleeping, have you been to your GP to ask for some sleeping tablets. I know they are not a cure all but they might be a start. also I have a friend who tried hypnosis to help her insomnia and she swears by it maybe you could give that a go.
smirfy :)

[Zaf]

Its great you have positive thoughts smirfy, hold on to them with both hands, they're very valuable :)

I've never thought of hypnosis, its definitely worth a try, I take a natural remedy when things get bad if I remember so think I'll give that a try tonight.  Have you ever had hypnosis?  Somehow it scares me a little  but if it helps me sleep I'll try to get over my fears

[Munchroom]

Lol - you have every right to be on this forum! Please don't ever feel you are intruding!!! You have been through so much (and are still going through it) - you have offered invaluable advice to all of us and are a very very valued member of this forum, so, please stay  :)

Danbob - I received a phonecall and then a subsequent letter in February stating that I was fit for work   Seeing as my agrophobia was so bad I wasn't leaving the house, was under the care of the mental health team and was still being signed off by my doctor... they got that very wrong!!! I did (with the support of my OH, my doctor, mental health team etc) dispute it. IF you choose to dispute it, they have to continue to pay you until your appeal is heard and then if it is taken to tribunal then they have to pay you up until that date - my tribunal was in July and thankfully I won it. Although it was a nerveracking and very worrying time that I could really really have done without!!!!! If you want any 'advice' or want to chat about it with someone that has recently been through it, give me a shout  :) But please don't panic.... they have no idea what they are talking about!

Smirfy - I don't really know what advice to offer you. I too have this completely irrational fear of putting on weight (although mine is stemmed from anorexia and not bulimia) It's so cruel what our own minds do to us.... I know I'm tiny, I know if I put on a bit of weight its not going to be the end of the world, but I am so scared that if I allow myself to eat because I enjoy it and not because I need to that I'm not going to be able to stop eating! When I saw a lady on Monday about my medication she was the first person I've seen all throughout this that seemed concerned and also showed the realisation that it would do more harm than good to put me on an AD that had weight-gain as a side effect! You aren't alone in this Smirfy and you have made so much progress over the past few months  :)

Pete -  I cannot emphasise this enough please take what is prescribed for you! I have taken so many different AD's over the last 18 months or so - Citalopram was the first one I tried and I think it is very much the tablet that they start most people off on because it is proven to work and also it has very few side effects and withdrawal effects compared to some of them (please correct me if I'm wrong someone) If you are brought off of it at its higher dose, it will be a gradual process and under the instruction of your GP. But don't think about that - that could be months/ years away!! What is important is now!

Zaf - I am intrigued as to what you think the meaning of life is! Hope you are ok today?

Depina, Cornish and Alstare - how are you doing??

I've just woken up from a long (slightly broken) sleep after a busy few days and a night shift last night. I'm pretty irritable   I've already p!ssed Chris off because i asked him not to crunch his crisps... he's only been home 15 minutes...

xx

[smirfy21]

I had a couple of hypnosis sessions after I started having minor panic attacks and they did help although I do still have the occasional panic attack and they can be really random.

I will be the first to say try the natural remedies before trying the perscription drugs, try try and try again, try everything you can find wheather you think it will work or not, exhaust all options. and if you have exhausted all options and still having problems then go to your GP but hey thats just me.

smirfy :)

[smirfy21]

hey munchroom
thank you for your comment it is very much appreciated, I would love to find someone that would say actually this drug is going to do more harm than good don't take it, I cannot believe how much weight I have gained on this medication but I am not going to let it reverse the progress I have made which is why I am going to be marching into the GP office on monday and asking to come off the medication and to be perscribed something different.

I too know how it feels to get to that point of irritableness and to blow up and someone for chomping on food or rattling a crisp packed, it can drive me mad. I have even snapped at a total stranger on a train for rattling a crisp packet, however that was after about twenty minuits of watching them shove total crap in their mouth and still not be full. I just wanted to shake them and tell them to stop.

anyway I hope that you are less irritable tomorrow or later on this evening, maybe try some relaxation methods or go and have a long hot bubble bath.
smirfy :)

[Depina]

Thanks Munch
I have been ok, I work at a charity shop Thurs morn, that was busy and some friends called in so nice.

I am intrigued by Zafs meaning of life too !!
 
Sorry I am not keeping up with all the posts, but hope you are ok
Love Di
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[Zaf]

I'm not sure how I coud even begin to explain!  Apart from being pretty sure you'll all think I am totally weird :)

Everyone's last few posts seem really positive which is great, hope the irritible feelings go soon Munchroom and Chris can eat his crisps without being told off

[Alstare1974]

I slept all day today as feeling really down.

[Zaf]

You must have needed the sleep Alstare, you've ad a lot to deal with recently and it always makes us very tired, I hope things improve soon xx

[Alstare1974]

Just feel like crying all the time.

[Zaf]

Its horrible feeling like that Alstare, but very normal when depressed, I'd guess all the recent events have made you feel like that, please rest as much as you can, it will help even though you may not think it will.

I wish I could do more, the best I can do is give you a big virtual hug and stay on line in case you need to talk xx

[Alstare1974]

Thanks Zaf

Don't worry about staying online just for me, I'm sure you have much better things to do.

[Munchroom]

Alstare, as Zaf says, you have been through so much recently, your poor mind is probably exhausted and can see crying and sleeping as the only ways of releasing and escaping this torment.

When it comes to things like sleep and crying it is very important to go with what feels natural. If that is sleeping all day then don't feel guilty - you are in the midst of a horrible illness and like with any illness, rest will help you get better. And as for the crying - let it out!! Don't feel like you have to keep it all in, you will do more harm than good.

I think its often misunderstood how our constant battling thoughts, questions and contradictions can make us so exhausted when we have depression. A lot of people seem to be of the opinion that tiredness is something that comes from doing manual work - which of course it does, but when you feel you cannot escape the endless barrage of conflicting thoughts in  your own mind, that can cause a whole completely different type of exhaustion!