[Mari]

I have requested that the other Journey Thread be closed because it is too long to be searchable.


I called the Employee Assistance Program and spoke to a nice person named Camilla (just got off the phone.)

I feel better after talking to her. We spoke for a while wrt how I feel right now, some history about my various pdocs and todcs, how I cope, how I am doing at work, what changes are happening to me now. . . . .

I talked a lot about my med hassles with current pdoc.
She asked about what I do to help myself: yoga, self talk, breathing techniques, mantras --
--- although I suspected that was not what she was looking for. I think she want to know if I have friends.
She asked if hubby was supportive.
She asked if I have support "in the community"

She asked me stupid questions with numbers but I tried to cooperate with her.
A second set was words instead of numbers . .. Something like this:

SCALE:
-all the time
-most of the time
-some of the time
-rarely
-not at all

Roughly questions like these --
How often are you able to be at work and in good shape able to do the job
How often are you prepared
How often can you deal with colleagues (for that one I said, "rarely").
How often do you have enough sleep
================

. . . . and she gave me names of four or five female counselors very close to where I live.
Work will give me 6 free visits (no co-pay or deductibles) with the EAP
She thought that the counselor could keep me on if those visits were working for me and/or
could be in a position to refer me to a new pdoc and tdoc.


Mari

[bizi]

This is great mari!
How do you feel about this?
bizi

[Mari]

Originally Posted by bizi

This is great mari!
How do you feel about this?
bizi

I am not sure.
I think I feel "relief." Maybe because her plan might help me.

M

[Dmom3005]

Its also so nice to have someone just listen. Then help with some
ideas. Hope you get good results.

Donna

[bizi]

This sounds promising.
bizi

[Mari]

I changed my mind. I am too old and not not in the mood to see a counselor -- they annoy me- all of them and always have.
All four of the counselors she gave me are not appropriate:

1. one has an entire center for life coaching (nothing about bipolar depression that is for sure)

2. another only deals with children

3. one is part of the group with a pdoc I saw once.
It was next to impossible to get her office on the phone.
THe service would have me on hold for 45 mins before I could leave a message or talk to someone.

4. The fourth is young and has other things that make her not a good match.


======
I am going to make an appointment with current pdoc to ask her to lower my Verapamil.
Perhaps the verapamil is causing the depression.

Mari

[bizi]

rats, am sorry that the offices/ don't seem workable...for me I would not mind a younger tdoc...she may have some new ideas....just me.
bizi
sorry for your depression...could be sad?
Have you been to the beach lately?

[Mari]

Originally Posted by bizi

rats, am sorry that the offices/ don't seem workable...for me I would not mind a younger tdoc...she may have some new ideas....just me.
bizi
sorry for your depression...could be sad?
Have you been to the beach lately?

I feel old. If I saw a younger person, I would feel even older.
Today I have the depression and a headache. No therapist could help with either of those.

===
I asked the pharmacy whether I could pick up my Verapamil early.
They said that I could pick it up today at 3:00 when I pick up the Lamictal.

M

[Mari]

When I see the pharmacist, I will ask if it is o.k. to cut my Verapamil in half.


Made an appt with pdoc in order to discuss lowering the Verapamil. I see her next week.

[bizi]

after all of this time you think the verapimil is the culprit?
bizi