Oh To Be Able...

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Jbo57

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To eat and sleep again! The smell of food is absolutely sickening for some reason and last night's sleep ended at 3:00 a.m. (This was with the aid of an Ambien.) Will this NEVER end? Oh, and the kicker is...I was going to go and barracade myself in my doctors lobby until she saw me...only to find out she's still on vacation until Monday. My appointment holds for Wednesday at 2:15.

So, I've gone the neurologist route...and filled my new prescription for the generic version of Lamictal...supposed to take one at bedtime for the first seven days...then one in the morning and one at night for seven days...then one in the morning and two at night for seven days...then two and two. I've also gone the hospital route and everything is fine from a physical perspective...but I just can't convince my brain that everything is OK.

I promise that I'll come back when things are brighter...I hate being a downer all the time...but my wife is tired of it and I'm scaring the kids...so YOU'RE IT. ;)
 
Don't worry about being a downer. This is the place to bring those issues, after all.... this is an epilepsy support site.

A side-effect of most anti-epileptic drugs is depression. That might go away after you've been on them for a while (or they might not). As for the not eating... I'm sure there are people here who are jealous lol. When I was on keppra I never felt hungry, I could eat but lost my appreciation for food.

In the meantime, see what the generic does. I do hope things get better.

Also, hope you don't mind I moved your post to the "kitchen" from the "foyer".
 
Be a downer -- we can take it. There's enough collective wit and wisdom on this site to absorb any crap ;)
 
epileric said:
Don't worry about being a downer. This is the place to bring those issues, after all.... this is an epilepsy support site.

A side-effect of most anti-epileptic drugs is depression. That might go away after you've been on them for a while (or they might not). As for the not eating... I'm sure there are people here who are jealous lol. When I was on keppra I never felt hungry, I could eat but lost my appreciation for food.

In the meantime, see what the generic does. I do hope things get better.

Also, hope you don't mind I moved your post to the "kitchen" from the "foyer".
Click to expand...

Not a problem moving my post and I appreciate the good words. I have yet to start taking the new meds...I'm supposed to start tonight at bedtime. They were very specific about how and when to take them. I've been on Dilantin since 1982 and never been depressed. However, I can handle the depression...it's the anxiety that's killing me. It's like I'm constantly in the middle of an adrenaline rush for no reason. I stopped by my pharmacy and talked to our pharmacist who is a close personal friend. I've got some outdated xanax that I'm trying...but you have to be careful. My fear is I'm going to end up on so many pills that even when the original problem is taken care of, I won't be able to sleep without the aid of these stupid pills.
 
occb said:
Be a downer -- we can take it. There's enough collective wit and wisdom on this site to absorb any crap ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks dude...and if you are Colonel Potter, I guess that would make me Father McCahey...or Hawkeye. I'm a HUGE MASH fan and used to watch it about 5 times a day.
 
Jbo57 said:
However, I can handle the depression...it's the anxiety that's killing me.
Click to expand...

I get excessively anxious on Tegretol. One of the things I try to remember to do when I do get anxious is to slowly inhale through my nose as deep as possible, hold it for a few seconds (whatever is comfortable) then slowly & fully exhale. Repeat that a while.

It's not a cure but it helps a lot more than I'd expected it to. My main problem is remembering to do it when I'm anxious.
 
the last thing you need is to be concerned about coming to the site to let out your stress and anxiety! Remember, we are all here for you. Try the new med, maybe it will help. I had a terrible two weeks when I fist started on Carbatrol, and then bingo! Keep a smile plastered on.
 
epileric said:
I get excessively anxious on Tegretol. One of the things I try to remember to do when I do get anxious is to slowly inhale through my nose as deep as possible, hold it for a few seconds (whatever is comfortable) then slowly & fully exhale. Repeat that a while.

It's not a cure but it helps a lot more than I'd expected it to. My main problem is remembering to do it when I'm anxious.
Click to expand...

...And then pop a handful of Xanax...works every time. Just kidding dude...really. Thank you very much for the encouragement.
 
Jbo57 said:
Thanks dude...and if you are Colonel Potter, I guess that would make me Father McCahey...or Hawkeye. I'm a HUGE MASH fan and used to watch it about 5 times a day.
Click to expand...

I'm more of a Major Houlihan sort... I forget sometimes my handle is a little gender neutral :lol:
 
Hey, Jbo,

I agree about not wanting to be on a thousand pills to control the side effects. I've told my epi "no" every time he tries to put me on something. I had that anxious problem, too, but it was when I was on Topamax. I'm not on that any more because it also made me extremely depressed.

I'm afraid if I'm just doped up all the time, I'll be just that - a dope. It'll be drugs living my life, not me. I know for lots of people meds to handle the side effects and a really good idea and I may be on them too, before this is all over. I'm just trying to hold out as long as possible.

Don't worry about raging or being a downer in here. We have all been through tough times together. We're here to hold each other up and help each other walk on to the next day. The next day is always better than the down ones.

I'm really happy you are here.

:)
 
I think maybe I have given you all the wrong impression about a couple of things. First, my family is very supportive. It's just that my daughters are scared because they are not used to seeing me this way. My wife is as frustrated as I am because I want to get better. I feel constantly on edge and constantly feel like I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown and want it fixed. She knows that I can't get anything started until Wednesday. It's my nerves that are really affecting me. I'm sure that's the reason I can't sleep and I can't eat. However, we don't know why.

Secondly, my change in meds don't start until tonight so they cannot be the source of the problem. Thanks for your support.
 
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