i too am so sorry you are going through another difficult period. I hope you can get a break soon (and i don't mean leg)...I hope something good happens and your shoulder feels better. I think it is hard enough being bipolar and the extra stress and pain are too much.
love
bobby

Thanks Bobby,

Lol about the leg. :D I do desperately need a break though. Not happening, so far.

Last night I got a wicked, as in downright evil, nasty, pestiferous bloody headache of the cervical kind. I could not kill it. Trying to stretch it out produced nausea. Since I could not do food right then, I dared not take anything stronger than paracetamol, which did almost nothing. I was so nauseous I really thought I was going to toss.

Massaged my neck, much to the dismay of hurting shoulder, as I found this helped a small bit. Put a wet cloth on my head. Eventually fell asleep.

I was better this morning (around 1pm for me), but an hour later it was building up again. By 2:30 it was really getting up there.

I took tramadol. I took a small dose only -- 50mg, hoping it won't make me nauseous... or itchy, which the liquid form did. I am trying the pills hoping it was some inert ingredient.

I ate lunch right after the tramadol, got nauseous as the pain was going up, but as the med hit, everything got somewhat better. That dose wasn't enough for the pain, but it put a decent dent in it, anyway.

Seriously, the depression really was enough. Really. I do not need all this other ****.

I laughed, Bobby, when you said about not the leg. At this point, nothing would surprise me. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, and then another after that, and another.... you know?

I guess when it rains it pours. Let's hope the sun comes out soon.

love

waves

Waves

Question about migraines, not for you. Just wanting to know if you have
heard or tried this.

Ginger looks like small pieces, eaten raw.

Anyone else too. I am asking for a friend.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I use ginger for migraine-related nausea
 

Hi, Donna,

I do take ginger with migraines, but not for the headache itself. I find it very useful for nausea. Fresh is supposed to be the best form, for nausea, but I mostly use it in other forms that I have available, and they all help me:

Fresh, raw ginger (if available)
A small slice is sufficient. She doesn't even need to eat it (it can be quite fibrous). She can just suck on it like a candy. Occasionally, tap it between the teeth to get more juices out.

Dried, powdered ginger
This is what I mostly use because I always have it. I put a pinch of it under my tongue and let the flavor seep out until it takes over my mouth, then I swallow. I repeat that two or three times at first, and then as needed.

Candied ginger
A couple of pieces of this often helps. It seems not quite as strong as the other two forms (but it is yummier :p).

Oh, you might also consider posting your question in the headache forum. Here is the link: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum32.html

Hope that helps.

Just thought I would mention Morton's is one of Mrs. D's favorite remedies. It really is good "stuff". Because of her recommendation I purchased the 8 oz. Morton Epsom Lotion (with Natural Epsom Salt) at Walgreens for $8 or $9.00.
It's worth a try.


Gerry

Hello, Gerry! :)

Thank you for thinking of me. I hope you are well. :hug:

Reporting back on the Morton's and general epsom salt situation:

We don't have Morton's or any epsom lotion where I live. (I am in Europe, but not in England. There are different customs and trends here, even as medications go.)

It looks like epsom salt is available as a laxative, and maybe for baths. If either of those are plain mag sulfate without other junk added, I could mix up a lotion myself, but, as you might imagine, that prospect does not enthrall me.

One thing we do have here, which I could not for the life of me find for a friend in the US, is a wide variety of NSAID-medicated bandages. I am using one with ketoprofen, 20mg. I've used it before for other things and it's very effective. It makes the shoulder pain milder/bearable. It's hard for me to believe that epsom salts would do better than that.

For milder or chronic afflictions, like my mother's arthritis in her fingers, I will look into finding plain epsom salt (it's called "English Salt" here) to use as a bath.

waves

Waves,

Feel better. We are pulling for you. :circlelove:

M

Wow waves, I just finished reading your thread.
You have been dealing with a lot of stressors.
I am curious when you see your pdoc again soon I think.
I am sorry for you and remain hopeful for you that you will feel better.
love
bizi:hug:

To Mari and Bizi
 

Thank you, Mari. :):hug:


And thank you, Bizi,

.... for the well wishes, but also also for taking time to read the thread -- you must be tired it is rather voluminous, lol.

I see my therapist this week, I forget if Wednesday or Thursday.

waves

Some interesting/hopeful developments:

I was feeling physically icky this morning, probly from the tramadol. I had a craving for something salty, and had a sliver of sharp provolone. It somehow felt really good. Then I went back had a bigger piece of it, maybe an ounce. It gave me no trouble, and I had not even had my morning dose of stomach med yet!

I think the saltiness might help, somehow?

I've noticed a few times now that prosciutto goes down remarkably well -- better than roast turkey or chicken and things you might think should be "lighter". Prosciutto is extremely salty. (It works out because it makes me thirsty and I drink lots and lots of water, lol.)

Besides, I eat a banana every day, yesterday 2, so I am getting a bit of potassium and magnesium to balance out the salt.

Whatever. At this point, it's like, if something goes down well, it is my friend, and I will eat it!

(Don't worry. Even though you guys are my friends, I promise not to eat you. Oh dear. Perhaps not much of a promise, coming from one who has the tendency to bite people's heads off every now and then, and without much reason. :o:rolleyes::crazy)

Also, I don't know but I think the tramadol lifted my mood a bit. It might be temporary, but it was a palpable reminder that feeling better is possible, and even within reach. It also made me a bit racy-headed so I don't know if I'll want an antidepressant. But as a quick parenthesis, that part was nice.

waves

these are hopeful developments!:)
bizi

Waves,

Re the reminder: . . .that can include some hope that things can get better.
I am hoping a lot for you and sending you lots of good vibes.


. . . prosciutto, provolone, banana >>>> those are your new friends and I hope that they continue to be friends with you.

Mari

I'm doing a little better, all around.

I've found that the muscle relaxer I took for that cervical headache helps the shoulder a lot. My back may be involved.

I'm eating a bit more, so I could hazard taking Mobic, but want to see what sort of mileage I get from the muscle relaxer alone. I wonder it it could even resolve things with a few days' use.

I am glad to hear that you are a bit better.
glad to hear that.
I forget, did you say that you injured your shoulder?When?going to see anyone about it?
bizi

Hi, Bizi,

Yes, I did at first think I injured my sholder, but it wasn't at all clear how. I didn't do anything strange. It just suddenly started acting up, and got quite bad. Then, it got better over the span of a week, with NO meds! Then, suddenly, it got really bad again!

The shoulder problems may all be due to the state of my neck/back, and it seems like it might be a case of muscular over-contraction -- otherwise the muscle relaxer would not have helped as much as it did.

I started taking Mobic (NSAID) tonight, and added a half-dose of tizanidine (muscle relaxer) in the afternoon. I'll see how that goes for a few days.

I need to start moving around more, too. Staying sitting and hunched at the computer all the time is probably at the root of all this. :o

waves who really likes staying hunched at the computer all the time. :Sigh::Doh:

I so understand all the pains. I have been having problems with one of
my shoulders when I try to lay down too. So its for me something
to do with sleeping. Heehee

I haven't been sleeping to well, thanks to aches and pains.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Waves,

How are you feeling today?

Mari

Irritable, impatient, and restless. Wading in druggèd sluggishness.


I'm going back to sleep now.

THanks, Donna. Yeah various of my moving parts are picky about how they get placed when I sleep. Some days when things act up it is hard to find a comfortable pose... and then not move.

I hope you sleep/slept well.
bizi

Waves,


Sending you hugs and well wishes and stamina and some optimism (or something close to it).

I hope you feel better.

Mari

Here is my update, fwiw:

-- 6th day of Lexapro at starting dose of 3mg.

-- Eating normal quantities but at my own times, and own foods.

-- Still having digestion issues.

-- Nausea lately, which has seemed food-related, but could be SSRI-related. If it's the med, I'll know as the level goes up.

-- Still down overall. I am in a spell of having brighter moments, then afterwards feeling drained.

-- Very tired. I slept over 9 hours, 7 to start with, then after an hour tucked back in and slept another 2.5.

I am just not well all around and feeling very sullen about all my friends.

waves

what to say...i am so sorry you are going through this....sleep is a refuge right?
tiredness is related to depression right? i really hope you feel a lot better soon.
life can be so difficult
love
bobby the simpleton...

Thing I can do is send hugs.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Dreams -- anything but crystal visions
 

Yes, I think the tiredness could be from the depression. I haven't been sleeping this much though until now. It could be the antidepressant. Or maybe I am catching up.

Last night was the first night I felt I slept well. When I woke up, I thought it was the middle of the night, and was incredulous that 7 hours had passed. I was out like a log the whole time.

That was a relief after the the previous several nights. I'd waking up in a panicky sort of state, or at best anxious, residually from dreaming about stuff that caused those things. The first of these was before I started the antidepressant, so this dreaming is not from that. I think it was just anxiety and worry.

Night before last was the worst of these. I dreamt that I was recently employed. My boss seemed to be a boss I had in real life, with whom there had been a weird thing. I had a lot of anxiety in the real-life job and left after only a month. Anyway, in the dream, I was supposed to go to a client's for the first time, due to show up at 10 am. Unclear if it was my first day at the job, or just at he client's. There was a whole bunch of mixed up stuff, with me having breakfast with a sick friend who needed me and my having to plead out, to go to this client's. It was 7.30 am, plenty of time. I went home to change clothes. Home was my last apartment in Florida. Suddenly it was 9.30 and I couldn't make it in time and was upset that I'd be late my first day at the client's, and how much trouble I'd be in, making my boss look bad. Then, I must have got distracted again. There was something to do with having to take the car in. Then it was 6.00 pm, and I was realizing I had not gone to work. My living quarters were now some sort of dorm room -- one cramped room, and very messy. My father was visiting and I was in a panic, telling him how I had no-showed with my job, and with a brand new client. Nobody had tried to call me, and I figured I was burned. I could not think of even a remotely useful outright lie that would cover a no-show without a call-in. Dad said just call and lay it on the line, as is. I could not fathom how the truth could possibly prevail: how could I present being "distracted" for a whole day, in a way that would seem like I cared about the job. I picked up the phone to call, but was still trying to figure out what to say. That is when I woke up.

Upon waking, I realized it was a dream, and yet, went on for about 5 minutes, stuck, thinking about what I could have said. It was an absurd situation and one that could not happen. I finally shook out of it. Anyway it was awful. Other mornings were similar but without the extended rumination... just the initial panic over somewhat less absurd, but very stressful situations.

waves

Increasing anti-depressant.
 

I recently started treatment with LEXAPRO.
I am trying to decide whether to increase it tomorrow.

I will not yet be at steady-state for the current dosage, but I started ultra-low, due to potential for side effects, and also interaction with my PPI.

I dont' think the nausea was from the med... but one way to find out is to increase it.

waves

Hi
i just thought after i had my rabbi's class and he was talking about conformity to be a Jew that basically i do things because of me and God....I answer to God and to really nothing else. don't know if that can help you
love
bobby

Thank you for thinking of me, Bobby. :)

love,

waves

3
 

Waves,

I am going to throw out a suggestion in case you see something useful.

I know that what we post on the board is sometimes exactly like our actual days and sometimes not.
Either way, you could cut down what is going on.

You only need three to five things on your mind. Of those five pick three to think about per day and rotate the other two back in somedays.

Put the other ones in a metaphorical or literal filing cabinet. You can pull them out whenever you want.

Take a few vacation days away from the other 22 things that are in the cabinet.
Right now pay attention to three things that reward you for the attention you give them. :heartthrob: :heartthrob: :heartthrob:

M

*edit*

What I have been talking about here, for the past two posts

and in big writing the last time

is, in bigger writing,

my NEW medication!

====================

What possible relevance could an antidepressant have, to a bipolar board. I mean........ not like I'm depressed or anything. Tshhh!

My chemical experiment on myself with new treatments couldn't possibly be important, or warrant an answer from ANYONE now, could it? Or questions. Or maybe anybody wondering how I'm doing??? Nope! Lovely. Thank you, ALL, for your support on this. Really.

I'll just retreat to Candy Crush now, where I can safely exchange lives to squander with anonymous faceless strangers.

Waves,

I apologize.

I do not understand.

Mari

I expect that most of the time I do not make sense.

You make sense. Your words make sense.

What I didn't understand is what you were replying to. (Maybe you weren't replying, you were just posting. Fine)

What I further don't understand, is why NOBODY seems the slightest bit concerned or interested in my starting a new med.

I am being absurd. This is absurdly needy.

But it really really hurts.

:hug: waves. It's OK.

I've known you a very long time now and yet I'm not sure how to answer because I know very little about Lexapro.

Are you wanting to increase because you feel the dose is not high enough to help you at the moment or has your doctor told you to increase and you're not sure that you want to do that because it might make your nausea worse?

How is your nausea after being on it a week now at the 3mg dose?



We all care about you.

Thanks Lara.

Lexapro is an SSRI and I do not react well to all SSRIs -- Zoloft is fine; Paxil makes me manic. I've taken Celexa before, which is the "unrefined" version of Lexapro, but it was 20 years ago and I react differently to some drugs now.

Celexa gave me nausea. Lexapro is the same drug as Celexa, chemically, minus the the nasty non-therapeutic side-effect causing molecules. Statistically, Lexapro causes nausea in fewer patients than does Celexa, so the hope is that it might be fine.

The usual starting dosage is 10 mg. Therapeutic range is usually between 10 and 20 mg. We agreed on starting low, at 5 mg (below therapeutic range), to be cautious in case of side effects (mania, nausea). Then we found an itneraction with my stomach med and so tweaked it down to 3mg.

I am having intermittent nausea. It was quite bad on the first few days but it could have been food related. I had nausea at times before starting the med, so it is hard to say. It doesn't seem to fall at the peaks after taking the medication, but still hard to say.

I'm leaning on increasing to 5 mg... either the nausea will get worse or stay about the same. Usually one doesn't increase until reaching steady state, which won't be for another 3 days, but I am in a hurry, and it seems reasonable if nothing horrible has happened.

I should not hurry but I'm very interested in the anti-OCD effects besides the anti-depressant ones -- and they take longer to kick in.

=========
All of my fingertips are raw and nailbeds are starting to get ruined from my biting them. I cannot get it under control. I cannot stop ripping them apart (and they hurt! :(). This is a type of hypergrooming behavior and it is a compulsion. I even interrupt typing to bite and pick. Only time I do not is when I cook -- and then it usually hurts like mad, esp when I have to cut lemons, onions, garlic.... but even just wetting them hurts. :(

waves

5mg is not that much more than 3mg especially if you were prescribed 10mg as starting dose.

I was on Zoloft for a while many years ago and I know that gave me nausea at the dose I was told to start on, but I remember taking it down and going up very slowly.

Have you ever thought about CBT for some of these issues? 3 of us here have various degrees of obsessive compulsive behaviours. I'm good these days. Daughter struggles and she does the same thing to the nails as you're doing right now. Actually when my son was little he used to bite his nails so badly they'd bleed. I tried all sorts of things to stop it including putting that liquid they sell for nail biting that is bitter. In the end he just had to put bandaids on all of them to stop them bleeding more.

Just curious but have you always had this problem or is it relatively new? I was wondering if maybe some other med you might be taking needs tweeking.

I understand the concerns you have about the SSRIs and mania.

You're in a bit of a pickle really aren't you.

I was prescribed 5mg to start, not 10, which is the usual. Then the 5 was changed, because my taking 3 is really like taking 5, due to a med interaction.

I think I will go up to 5mg, and then see. I really should go up to 6 which would be about the 10mg dose, but I have 5 halves of 10mg pills (I cut them and took one before reading about the interaction, and getting the drops that are 1mg per drop).

My doctor intends for me to titrate upwards. I am to manage the timing based on side effects. I am only meant to report back what I am doing, and if there is any problem.

Yeah, that's partly why I was started low, because the Celexa is known to cause me nausea in the past. Zoloft only gives me nausea at high doses but if I take it with food it helped somehow, even if that actually increases the levels. Zoloft has given me headaches when starting the past few times, even at 25mg, hence the decision to try the Lexapro.

Lexapro isn't affected by food, absorption-wise, but my eating is erratic so I haven't bothered trying to synchronize it with a meal.


waves

My therapist supposedly does a CBT-based thing, but when I asked him about the skin eating/picking, he said he had never been presented with this sort of problem! :o:rolleyes: We did talk about it a bit. I can't see him regularly now anyway I can't afford it.

All of my fingers are bleeding. I don't bite the nails -- I bite the skin.

The bitter stuff didn't help me. 1) it hurts on bleeding skin. 2) It's only a deterrent until I put it in my mouth the first time. After the first horrible bite, the bitter taste lingers in my mouth, so sticking my fingers in there again doesn't make it much worse... nothing to lose.

I've bitten as long as I can remember. As a child, I went through phases with my knuckles as well. I would bite/pick the feet too. For about a year when I was 8 I also plucked out my eyebrows and eyelashes but that stopped completely. The fingertips have always been a target though. From my teens on, I was able to get control of it. I'd have spells where it would get bad, and then I could focus and get it under control.

I am doing the things I usually do that help, but still can't get it under control this time. It is worse than it has ever been in my adult life. It has now been going on/escalating for a year. While I was in the US, I was using a strong anxiolytic. Even that didn't stop me. I've deformed several more nailbeds over this past year.

Sounds awful waves.
Try the bandaid trick.
Another distraction is rubber bands around the wrist.
This will probably sound strange, but if you catch yourself biting you can ping the rubber band. It will change the pattern of the biting after you've done it over time. You don't need to hurt yourself with the rubber band pinging, just fairly gently. It's like side tracking a circuit.

p.s. long past my bed time here.
I wish you all the best with putting up your dose of the Lexapro.
I hope you have a much better day and that things will improve for you.

night.