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186606 tn?1263510190

a little help on med/psych

I truly hate to out myself on this, esp. with all that's going on with the board right now (lots of anxiety and bad situations for folks) but I've always valued my mind and i need to know if this has happened to others as well.

Last week I had a sharp turn downward in my state of mind and some depressive symptoms, i.e., paranoia, self recrimination and etc.  I spoke with my doc and we went from 10 to 20 of Prozac on last Friday.  It's a late presentation, usually depressive symptoms start in first 12 weeks and i'm almost at week 24. I'm also hyperthyroid as of recent testing and I wonder if this adds to it.

This week it's going in the opposite direction, racing thoughts, too many for my taste, not necessarily negative, just kind of weird thinking.  

I'm also a psychotherapist so I quickly recognize the thoughts as not my usual pattern but can't seem to control them with the usual cognitive behavioral stuff I do when I need to.

I've read a lot about the effect of interferons/combo treatment on the psyche but i thought i could do better at handling this.  I don't have a history of psychiatric disorder, substance use, etc.

I don't know whether i should call my doc again regarding this.  Please tell me if anyone else has had these types of symptoms; it is so atypical for me that I don't know what to make of it. but it is somewhat scary.

Deb
48 Responses
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220090 tn?1379167187
I am glad to hear that you are feeling better.

We are having dinner with nygirl next Wednesday.  Very excited about that.
Helpful - 0
157966 tn?1218225340
If the Procrit kicks in I might do the Long Beach because it is completely flat. But other than that I think I will retire while on this stuff. I do remember you told me about the Shoreline. I might do that next year because it is pretty flat (I've heard) as well. Right now my Marathon is walking upstairs once a day. But other than being tired I'm doing okay and it sounds like you are doing much better. Thats great! I will keep you posted on my adventure and you do the same. I'll let you know how the 12 week test goes. Thanks again.
Helpful - 0
186606 tn?1263510190
i sure do remember you, because i still am amazed on your doing marathons during tx and also with your medical history.  I asked you about the Pacific Shoreline which i ran last year, remember? (BEFORE all this **** started).

The mood swings seemed to have evened out a little but i am still followng up on it.  Like you I have tricks I use to negate bad thoughts but they were not working either. and what's weird is that i didn't have those feelings in the toughest first 12.

but i have to agree. if i were not so aware of blips in my radar because of my background, i'd just attribute this differently.  The old adage is true!!  :-)

I really appreciate you ringing in and I'll keep you posted...when is your next marathon?

Deb
Helpful - 0
157966 tn?1218225340
Hi debnevada. I don't know if you remember me or not but I post every other month or so to let everyone know how I'm doing. I guess I'm the Marathon Man (I have done 5 this year while on this ****). Anyway, when I was on  my first treatment of interferon in 2005, I became SUDDENLY very depressed and angry. It was kind of scary because it overcame all the methods I used in life to regulate bad thoughts (yoga-karate-the gym). At one point I nearly threw my computor out of my upstairs office window because it wouldn't cooperate with something I was doing. Luckily, I was prepared when I started tx and had a therapist and a psychiatrist available to help me work through it. The second time I was on the Interferon ('06-'07), I didn't have any of those types of problems. I have been on Infergen now for the last 8 weeks and so far so good. I think I might be too tired now for bad thoughts. You have potentially the best world by being able to evaluate yourself because of your training. However, the old adage from Law school was "...the lawyer that represents himself has a fool for a client..." Get a lot of opinions and I wish you the very best.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HA! huh? she dose? sweet potato queens... humm... be right back.

jasper
Helpful - 0
186606 tn?1263510190
would it be wrong, under the hep c circumstances, to say that I have not always been a one man woman?

i guess you've never read the sweet potato queens book of love.

a girl needs at least five men in her life.

longingly,
deb
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Deeebbb, No!... not kicked from the row boat, ya mean I can’t sit next to ya anymore cuz ya got another fella. I even walked down the hall with slumped shoulders.

Blame it all on my roots
as I showed up in boots
And ruined your black tie affair
The last one to know
The last one to show
I was the last one

You thought you’d see there
And I saw the surprise
And the fear in her eyes
When I took the riba with a glass of champagne
And I toasted you as I usually do and
Said, memory, we may be through
But you’ll never hear me complaaain

‘Cause I’ve got friends in low lit places
Where the interferon drowns
And the Riba Light chases my blues away
And I’ll be okay, sniff, sniff :-((
I’m not big on social graces
Think I’ll slip on down to the ole oasis
Oh I’ve got friends… in low lit places

Well, I guess I was wrong
I just don’t belong
But then, I’ve been there before
Everything’s all right
I’ll just say goodnight
And show myself to the door
Hey, I didn’t mean
To cause a big scene
Just give me another riba and then
cuz” I got friends in low lit places
Down at the ole oasis and I’ll be ok

I know, I know, I'm trying to keep a lid on it

jasper

ROTFLMAO

Helpful - 0
186606 tn?1263510190
of COURSE!

FORSEEGOOD:
are you just not too jealous of andiamo and NYG? i am!
(seriously I'm happy that one of us can hang with her right now)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Would you mind if I emailed you occassionaly??

Geri
Helpful - 0
86075 tn?1238115091
"One thing I can guarantee, I will never waste another minute of my life on any drug that diminishes my awareness of life."

To use a hackneyed old phrase that many of us used in the old days, "right on to that!" Hey, when I'm anxiety and depression free, and enjoying life as it comes, the last thing I want to do is cloud up my mind with a lot of stuff to alter my mood. Having a great day is all the altering I need!

Happy Anniversary to you, that's really great, soul mates for sure, so nice that youre getting together with NYgirl!
Helpful - 0
186606 tn?1263510190
It seems definitely better today. All last week was weird. So this is an improvement. I have appt. with doc to discuss ADs again.
Helpful - 0
220090 tn?1379167187
Just checking in to see if you are feeling any better today.  

I find that my mood cycles over the week.  I take my shot on Monday and feel my worst by Tuesday. By Thursday, I am starting to feel better and by Monday morning I am ok.

I hope you get some good days every week.  I know we all will be talking about this when our treatments are over and our good health has returned.
Helpful - 0
186606 tn?1263510190
just email you from the merlino post.
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186606 tn?1263510190
yes i would like it. I'm going to give you mine here so look fast because it either won't come through or they will delete the message.

it is debfromca

and the place that it goes to is hotmail dot com
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
I've read a lot about the effect of interferons/combo treatment on the psyche but i thought i could do better at handling this.


oh Deb PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You have NOTHING to do with this - there is nothing you could handle better this is a physiological problem that is coming from the interferon...we were ALL warned it could happen to us easily enough (which is why I went on Paxill a month BEFORE I started treatment at my doctors recomendation).

There is nothing for you to handle!!!  This is not just some weakness that you can't control please oh please get that out of your head.

Take the meds, be honest with your doctor and do everything he says.  Call him and talk to him.  Don't mess around with your life - you are too special and important to take any chances.

This IS a common problem and it has nothing to do with YOU yourself.  It's the damn meds, please try and remember that.  You can't control it anymore than I could control my rash or anemia. It's the exact SAME THING AS THAT.

Deb

PS If you need someone to talk to i can get you my contact info - I won't post it unless I know you are looking for it (just cause I'm a chicken enough) but plenty of people in here have my email address anyway and I can send you my phone number that way.
Helpful - 0
220090 tn?1379167187
You are a sweetie!!!
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
Oh yes they would... You need to start looking in the mirror and seeing your own value, you goof.

Seriously - you have a lot to offer the world. It is time you believe in your own self worth.

We all have bad days, weeks, months... It is the cumulative that makes us all that we are.

It is the way our inner core truly is...

And your wife knows that you have a beautiful inner core -- and that is the radiance that she thrives on... For 42 years ... That means you gots a lot of inner radiance...

Ahem.... or elephantitis.... (Just kidding - LOL!)

Meki
Helpful - 0
220090 tn?1379167187
I can easily see how difficult commercial shipping must be.  Sailing for pleasure is very different.  You can chose when to go to sea and while you are out there you are doing what you want to do.

Thank you for your description of it.
Helpful - 0
220090 tn?1379167187
Thank you all for your anniversary wishes.  I will pass that on to Mafalda.

Meki, yeah she is nuts.  Most people wouldn't put up with me for a week.
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
Dang I-Horn - rock the heck on!
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148987 tn?1287805926
I started getting a little bummed around week 30 or so and was given Lexapro and it worked like a champ for me but it did take a week or two to kick in. After that, smooth sailing. In fact, I'm still on it a month post tx. I'll probably start weening off here ...

Jeez did I say 30 day's post tx ? It seems like it's been YEARS.
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
Sex drive diminished?

Sheesh - maybe I need to take some prozac.

ROFLMAO!

Meki
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I did the treatment in 2004 and was put on prozac (lovan) at that time, just before tx and during, then 6 months after tx finished, I went off them again.
The treatment was a nightmare, and I thought that prozac was adding to this.
Now, in the last 2 months, I am on Prozac again, and my experience with it is totally different from when I took it on treatment.
I blamed the excess brain fog partly on the prozac, the scalp issues,  the excessive depressive issues, and cognitive.  I know that interferon does all this but I though the prozac added to it.
I was wrong, I am alright in every sense taking prozac at this time, the only side effect is my sex drive which has diminished.
Anyway this is just my take on this issue and my experience with prozac during treatment and many years later.
We all react different to anti depressants, you may just not have found the right one for you yet, also remember that you dont have to take a full dose of them, people with liver disease should only take half a dose, I am actually down to a quarter of a dose, just to take the edge off the depression and anxiety.  You can experiment yourself how much you need, sometimes we follow doctors instructions but from my experience not all of those instructions apply to everyone as we are all different.

The best to you.
Linda
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
42 years?  What --- is she nuts?

ROFLMAO --- just kidding... Happy Anniversary kiddos!

Make sure you celebrate in some special private way.

Meki
Helpful - 0
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