SPRINGTIME in the VILLAGE (Support for all Mental Health Issues)

[NanaNina]

Thought I'd start a new thread what with it being the Spring Equinox and all that..........and there's another reason. I'm hoping to re-connect with people who used to be frequent village visitors, but like me, seem to have fallen by the wayside. Of course everyone is welcome in the Village, so I hope more recent visitors understand my post and will not feel de-valued in any way. The stigma of mental illness is alive and well I reckon so we all need all the support we can get.

SO - CALLING

Vicar (she started the Village thread some years ago and occasionally pops in) Edwinia'sRevenge SnowyMouse (where ARE you?) SilveryPussyCat CIQ (I know you were having a tough time) Lem (once a very regular visitor) Hoochymama Pyrrghena collardove Victrix Pulled Creamhearts (previously FDG) MentalPsychiatrist KeemaNaanAndCurryOn (miss you and your wit)
FaithLoveandGrace MySpideySenseTickles

Would love to hear how you're all doing. I'm much the same, up and down, mostly down this month.

I've probably forgotten lots of people, but that's all I can bring to mind just now.

My dd came back not long after I sent that last message. Did she get there in the end, mythical?

That's good. She turned up at quarter to three. So ive got a couple of hours before the kids are back and about half an hour til the in-laws turn up. (I get on with them, their really nice.)

That's good, getting on with in laws. I'm single so I've no such worries . Think I'm having a bad day today, finding motivation quite a challenge and feeling quite down. Does anyone else find they have a time that sets them off or when they are worst? Mine is 3-5pm so I try to be out of the house, particularly at 3pm as I know I'll find it hard if I'm in. It sets off an unbearable and lonely ache that I can't control- I know that might sound a bit weird, but I have to negate my day around it sometimes.

It's two weeks since I tried to end my life today. Think I'm making good progress since then, but struggling a bit today.

Loveis you are doing brilliantly if it is only 2 weeks ago, well done Don't worry about feeling down, there will always be ups and downs so just be kind to yourself.

I should take my advise have been snappy with people all day and finally had to get out of the house.
8 weeks since my last failure and still coughing so badly I cannot breathe sometimes which really gets me down. Keep telling myself it's my own fault (suspect it relates to the intubation) but doesn't help! Just messed up atm - been online and ordered some more stuff (the police took it all off me last time). Why does this always happen when the docs are off for 4 days

How is everyone this morning? I woke up late and generally feeling a bit low compared to the last few days. Had a panic attack last night at dinner time which is unusual so thats probably why. Was hoping not to get them so they but I guess it is still not long since starting the citalopram.

Sorry I wasn't around guys I've come down with a horrible chesty infection. Lost my voice and throat hurts so much I can't swallow

Sorry to read of so many still struggling! We're all doing so well dealing with the crap life throws at us. We should be patting ourselves not doubting ourselves. There is so much inner strength in all of us we just got to believe we can do it (just thought this needed saying)

Medications take a while to settle down good hope the panic attacks calm down

loveis u are doing absolutely amazing like carbonel said. It's only easy when u feel alone. So dig into whatever inner strength u have and u stay on track for ur daughter

carbonel u went through a very traumatic experience and should be proud of yourselves for just being the way you are ATM. Being messed up is not a bad thing but making plans and actions is. So please ca ur crisis team if you feel ur getting to that stage again. Is there anyone u can talk to & share ur feelings? If not were always here

Hope everyone has a good day and enjoys whatever u are up to. Love to all x

Sorry about the typos

Hello everyone, can I join? I'm a long time lurker and sometimes poster on the MH boards. Long history of depression and anxiety, take tons of drugs and therapy etc. I'm ok just really struggling with the whole "Easter weekend" thing. I feel guilty for not doing Easter crafts etc with the kids, should be cooking for family and just want to stay under covers with diazepam. So, happy Easter!

I've met you before QofK - hello and to everyone else on the thread. Feeling pretty crap here - my worst times are in the morning and if I'm lucky I pick up through the day. I stay up late as if it's a bad day I stay under the duvet all morning. I feel for you young mums who have to cope with MH stuff and small children.

Sorry can't remember everyone's posts.........but wishing us all well.

Edwinia nice to see you but sorry you have relapsed. I am just starting Venlafaxine (in place of Mirtazapine) which I've been reducing. Also on Sertraline but when I saw the psych on Thursday she said I needed to either go back on Mirtz or try Venlafaxine, so I've opted for that and she gave me the script, but for a very low dose to start 37.5mgs. How have you found it?

You had just got a job last time I heard - wouldn't be surprised if that has caused your relapse as I reckon teaching is an incredibly stressful job these days.

Hi Nana, I remember you and your kind and wise words at dark times. I'm sorry you're feeling crap. I felt awful on mirtazapine and bit better after switching to agomelatine - fingers crossed for you.

This is Carbonel's dh. She wanted to tell you that she has been banned which is why she cannot post anymore. Didn't want people to worry about why she had disappeared ...

Thanks for the update. Hope Carbonel is ok.

Nana and Queen of knickers how did you find mirtazipine?
i have it here to try,but im too scared to take it.
my last trial of "seroxat "ended very badly -i went psychotic after 3 days and had to be knocked out completely.
they are being very cautious (as i tried to jump out of a window)so starting dose is 7.5mg .
im too scared to even try that.

Hello all,

Thanks for the supportive posts... was struggling a bit but am back on track a lot more now. Having a day of catching up on housework a bit and eating chocolate. Have been to the park this morning, shopping and other bits and pieces today. Have been very productive so think I'm getting a bit better again. Can't recall everyone's posts just now...so hi to everyone and hope things are ok as can be.

Thank you for your kind words QofK - MN has passed away many a dark hour for me. Today is quite dark as it happens........I sometimes wonder why I never get used to this feeling.
wfrances Mirtazapine was added to my regular AD by a psychiatrist. Started on 15, then up to 30, then up to 45mg. To be honest the only side effect was weight gain........very common side effect. I'm off it now, been reducing slowly, only because of the weight gain but it didn't make much of a difference to the depression - nothing does really - it just fluctuates all the time.

I think seroxat had a bad press didn't it - I seem to remember reading things about people getting very bad suicidal thoughts and other nasty side effects - is it just for anxiety?

SO 7.5mg mirtazapine - it probably won't do anything to be honest as it's such a low dose (my CPN always talks of very low doses not being a therapeutic dose and is just a test to see if you get side effects) Is this an addition to another AD ? Sorry I can't remember your diagnosis.

I'm starting 37.5mg Fluoxetine tomorrow (never been on it before) and it's a very low dose so not expecting much to happen..........go on - take the mirtazapine and let us know how you get on........I think you'll be ok - though not sure it will do much good at that dose. God why can't ADs work the same way on everyone, instead of all this hit and miss affair...............grrrrrrrh.

Hello to everyone else pulled you are sounding a bit better - yes?

Hello everyone.

Glad to see you pulled hope you are feeling better, also glad you are improving loveis

I am on fluoxetine Nana and it is fine - no side effects or anything.

Welcome QoK - just do what you have to to get through the day, if it means staying in bed then stay in bed. Take care of yourself.

wfrances I have been on mirtazipine, it really helped my anxiety :)

I am same as usual, very depressed and suicidal. At my PILs today and staying overnight(!!) and then off to a wedding in the morning. How can I be so normal and so fucked up at the same time? Have a CPA on Wednesday. I just want to destroy myself, I want to be done with this pain, I see no future for myself.

(Cream) are you on leave from the hospital? How are things going with your treatment so far?

Yes I am on leave. Had my second depot on Friday, less psychotic. Been referred for a specialist assessment. Treatment is so/so, nights are bad for me. I desperately want to do some SI. Not sure when I will be discharged, hopefully soon because I am tired of being alive.

I think Nana is starting venlafaxine. That is what she said yesterday and 37.5mg is the starting dose.

I was on it last year and got on gine with it. A lot of people suffer really bad side effects coming off it - but I didn't find it too bad. It wasn't pleasant but it wasn't as bad as many find it.

I started venlafaxine fresh on Tues last week and I'm struggling with side effects tbh. The nausea is crippling and as of today I have 'blocked' ears. I'm also exhausted but can't sleep - I'm not sleeping well at night and can't drop off during the day. I'm not enjoying it. I didn't have this last time I took it but last time I transitioned from fluoxetine which is a similar drug so maybe thats why.

I'm hoping the side effects start to improve soon...I've only got another week before work....and I'm only on half the therapeutic dose....I'm supposed to increase to 75mg on Tues although have been told to delay if I'm struggling with the side effects...I hope doubling the dose doesn't start the side effects fresh...

Dh is upset with me as we were supposed to be going to the pub but I couldn't. Apparently I've given up. He says im not trying and that I was strong but not any more. I have to force myself out. He says he's not doing soft approach waiting for me to be ready.

wfrances I was on mirtazapine (am now being weaned off it), it was a bit of a strange one for me. It stopped me crying all the time but my moods still remained quite volatile. I had terrible insomnia when I started it (which is the opposite of what it's meant to do - it made me very drowsy but I couldn't actually get to sleep for a few hours. Was very frustrating) but that may be because I was withdrawing off sertraline at the same time. It did increase my appetite so be prepared for that. I didn't put on masses of weight though - about 10lbs. I had nightmares when I first started as well but they went after a few weeks.

As I've still been feeling low my GP has finally decided to take me off mirtazapine. He was going to put me on venlafaxine but he thought it might not be a good idea with anxiety so I'm starting fluoxetine instead. I was on it several years ago and it did nothing but I was only on 20mg so I'm willing to give it a go at a higher dose. Am on 20mg at the moment and will be going up to 40mg soon. Have had no side effects so far, which makes a nice change having had them with both sertraline and mirtazapine. Am really hoping this will work for me - I found sertraline great, really helped with my anxiety in particular but I had to stop due to side effects.

Hope everyone else is getting on okay.

Nana - yes the low starting dose is to see how i react to it.
i have ptsd with hallucinations / paranoia and dissociation.
thanks for all the replies.
i guess with the meds its about finding the right one that suit you.
another question about mirtazipine - does it only increase your appetite ? or does it just add weight on whether you eat or not?

i think i might just see my gp on tuesday , ive just been dx with arthritis and fibromyalgia and rheumy has a long list of meds for me including tramadol ,amitriptyline, garberpentin and lyrica.

i cant take them all !!

That's strange because venlafaxine is supposed to be good for anxiety...and I found it better than fluoxetine. Fluoxetine I found better for depression.

Oh gosh frances u have identical health issues to me. I'm Sorry to hear there is someone else out there with the same crap as me. I've stopped tramodol now though as I'm on too many pills that increase serotonin in the brain. Like you I said to my GP I can't take em all but he was lyk u have no choice! So don't be surprised if only thing they consider to stop are just pain killers.

Hey nana mentally Im doing better but physically doing bad. I'm
Sorry to read ur struggling I hope ur evening is going ok

I've now got a sore throat so can't swallow much, tonight dinner was beans on toast which I just about managed I feel really sick ATM.

I just wanna go away on holiday now fed up of things and being sick!!!

Is mirtazipine linked to increased self harm and suicidal thoughts?