Monday 31 March 2008

Meds adjustment

I went to the doctor today for a check-up. My doctor is really nice, and understand what I'm going through. He said today that I looked a lot better since he first met me, and that I was even smiling!
And I do feel better. After many months of feeling completely stagnant, I feel as in the last handful of months I have started to get better. Slowly, and with its ups and downs, but the general trend seems to be up.
He thinks I'm ready to decrease my meds further. In a month's time I will decrease my sertraline (zoloft) from 50mg-25mg on alternate days, to 50-25-25. It has to be done very slowly or I get brain zaps and very sleepy.
I am also geting my propanolol in 2x40mg pills, rather than one 80mg pill, so if I feel well I can try reducing it a bit. He thinks that a reduction might help with feeling tired all the time, as a side effect of propanolol is vivid dreams, which I am having. I have always had vivid dreams, but now they last all night. I feel as if I've been working all night, and they are not letting me rest properly.
Hopefully the spring will make me feel a bit better as well. Sunshine always helps.

meds

Meds, counterclockwise from top: 1000mg flaxseed oil (veggie equivalent to fish oil, which made me feel nasty), 25mg sertraline, 80mg propanolol.

As Edward Monkton says, We must take our tablets or else we'll go mad. I love this card. I found it after I starting taking meds, and it is one of my favourites ever!
See it here in handy little animated icon, made by me:
tablets

OK, I think I'm done editing now. *whistles away*

2 comments:

  1. good for you! go, girl!

    and indeed: spring and sunshine can do lots! I'm looking forward to both too...

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  2. Cristina, just a thought...

    I always had SAD, and always kind of was aware of it...

    I bought myself a light box a few years ago. Didn't use it, though. Every winter of course I thought about going on meds, but then the spring came and I was fine.

    This winter I knew it would be tough. (My blog has the story on why: www.knittedspirit.blogspot.com), so I actually dusted off that darn light box, sat in front of it for at least 30 min. each day, knitting. This past winter, although I was sad at times, missing my hubby, I never got those hopeless, depressive feelings. NOT at all. Wow!

    I cannot believe how much the light box helped. If I had known, I would have started using it years ago, when I first purchased it. (I bought it online somewhere,, can't remember where)

    Since you said that when the spring comes, it helps, I thought my story might interrest you.

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