bubbles

[bubbles]

Feeling worse again.

 

Made an appointment with the psychologist, though this is the one who pushed me onto meds in the first place. I can't face starting over with someone new.

 

Planning the best way to updose. In the past (faster tapers), small updoses have led to me chasing more small updoses all the way back to the top, which I obviously don't want to do. I'm wondering if an updose from 7.3 to 15 might be smarter. Yes, it's double, but if it works and I don't have to keep chasing up and up and up that might pay off. It's taken 6 weeks to get a response from SSRIs in the past, and I just can't make tiny updoses and wait 6 weeks and do it again - it could take a year or more to do that. A huge guessing game.

 

 

[bubbles]

Part of the external part of the crisis seems to be passing, so I'm feeling a little better. No thoughts of updosing today.

[bubbles]

That was a bit vague. I’ve reduced my workload for the next few months. I can feel the stress reducing which is helping me to feel better.

[apace41]

Bubbles,

 

12 hours ago, bubbles said:

Planning the best way to updose. In the past (faster tapers), small updoses have led to me chasing more small updoses all the way back to the top, which I obviously don't want to do. I'm wondering if an updose from 7.3 to 15 might be smarter. Yes, it's double, but if it works and I don't have to keep chasing up and up and up that might pay off. It's taken 6 weeks to get a response from SSRIs in the past, and I just can't make tiny updoses and wait 6 weeks and do it again - it could take a year or more to do that. A huge guessing game.

 

Two words for you -- SLOW DOWN!  Not in your taper necessarily but in your thought process.  You've been doing great as far as I can tell and then you hit a small bump and you are considering DOUBLING YOUR DOSE??!!  That seems to me to be a panic reaction that you managed your way through since it went away in a day from the time you started talking updose, but do you really think that would be the best approach if it took 2 or 3 days for the discomfort to pass?  I get the desire to avoid feeling like crap -- heck, I have that desire constantly -- but you are doing so well on your taper that it makes much more sense to hold for a longer term and stabilize than to do a massive updose like that and set your schedule back dramatically.

 

3 hours ago, bubbles said:

Part of the external part of the crisis seems to be passing, so I'm feeling a little better. No thoughts of updosing today.

 

This is good but, again, I would only be thinking about updosing if I were you if things were much worse for an extended period.  So many things can impact a couple of days of feeling lousy that running to updose becomes a very rash solution.

 

I would encourage you to go back through the past several pages of your thread.  You are starting to bounce around mentally in terms of what you are doing and that is leading you to react to your feelings on a daily basis.  July 9 -- was going to drop but decided to hold for a bit; July 10 dropped.  That seems to be an example of "I'm feeling okay today so no matter what my plan I'm going to drop."  Don't fall into that.  You have a plan -- stick to it.  If you are not feeling well and decide to hold longer, so be it.  Don't get into a situation where you drop because you feel okay even though you mentally decided on a short hold.  Don't underestimate the mental side of all of this.  You just saw for yourself that you took off some of the "external pressure" and started to feel better.  Telling yourself you are going to hold is taking off pressure as well.  When you then drop anyway you confuse both the conscious and subconscious.

 

You are doing great.  My advice is to take some deep breaths, hold for a month or so, then reevaluate where you are.

 

Best,

 

Andy

[bubbles]

Hi Andy

 

Thanks for calling by.

 

I'm still not feeling good, but not as bad. I'm still on 7.3mg. I have halved my workload until the end of the year (it is done in blocks, unfortunately - I might feel better in a month or two but it will be too late until the next round). I'm behind with some stuff but I can hopefully get caught up a bit this week and feel a bit less overwhelmed.

B

 

 

[bubbles]

Sorry, Andy, I didn't link you into the previous post. @apace41

 

I'm not feeling as bad today.

 

I have been becoming gradually more and more unwell over time. Long story short - doctor appointment yesterday. My thyroid meds need to be changed.

 

I'm not blaming this episode entirely on thyroid, but I think I'd be better able to cope with it if I were less cold, less tired, and had a little bit of energy. Doc anticipates several months before I am well again, but I'm hoping I'll get a bit of a boost from the new meds sooner than that, and a gradual improvement will at least be movement in the right direction.

 

With something tangible to hang onto - a physical illness that is measurable and has a physical treatment which I have reason to think will help - I can hang on at this dose of sertraline a bit longer.

 

B

[apace41]

9 minutes ago, bubbles said:

Sorry, Andy, I didn't link you into the previous post.

 

I follow you, Bubbles, so you don't need to link me for me to know you posted.  I didn't see anything in your post that required  response and thought that coming on simply to cheer that you did not jump back up would seem condescending.  

 

I'm glad you held where you are and will ride this out for a bit.  We really have no way of knowing if your thyroid is at issue here, but what it should point out to you is that how we feel at any given time is multifactorial, and, therefore, assuming it is all caused by, or can be fixed by, the meds is frequently a wrong assumption.  

 

Let's see how you are doing after you adjust the thyroid meds and wait a couple of weeks to stabilize.  Don't make a move before that time, i.e., no cuts or updoses.  Then we can see how things shake out and how to proceed.

 

Best,

 

Andy

[bubbles]

I wouldn't have thought you were being condescending, but good to know you see it too. I never quite know how these things work. I do follow people but don't get notifications - I wonder if I've set something up wrong.

 

Yes, multifactorial. I'm just hoping that fewer thyroid symptoms might mean my ability to cope is less "diluted", if that makes sense - I have a limited supply of "cope" and if it has to be spread over a lot of things, then it isn't going to go well. I've been exhausted for weeks now, which consumes a bunch of that "cope" just on its own. And low thyroid can make one really unwell, not to mention depressed and anxious, so treating it is definitely a solid plan.

 

Thanks Andy.

[bubbles]

The pharmacy were quick so I've already started my change of meds. Just noting the change for later when I can't remember how many weeks it has been.

 

[bubbles]

Well, no miracle recovery so far but I'm feeling more optimistic, so I'll run with that. Actually, I'm too tired to run, I'll sit quietly with that.  

[bubbles]

Still exhausted, still holding at 7.3mg.

[Rabe]

Hugs and thoughts, bubbles!!  Hold as you need to!  Take care!💜

[bubbles]

Thanks Rabe. Nice to know someone is thinking of me.

 

Doc doesn't think this will be super quick to fix, sadly. I'm hanging in there, but it's a rough patch.

 

Hope you're doing well, Rabe.

[bubbles]

It also occurs to me that I have always thought that my thyroid has always been a major issue in my depression and anxiety. This shows me that it is a definite factor.

[bubbles]

I feel a little better today. Still very tired, but my mind is a bit sharper. The change in my meds has essentially given me a little bit more T3, which is pretty quick acting, so it isn't entirely surprising that I might feel a little better after not quite a week, even if it takes a few months to really improve. It's promising, anyway. I'll take what I can get, at this stage.

 

Still holding on 7.3mg. I'm going to run out of the 0.1mg capsules soon at this rate. That's a problem for tomorrow. Tonight I have a little bit more I need to do and then I'm going to have a cup of something warm and go to bed.

 

B

 

[bubbles]

Still tired, but otherwise still feeling a little better. Going to do a few hours work and then have a short nap. Not ideal to be napping during the day, but also having low thyroid isn't ideal so I just have to get through this rough patch.

[wantrelief]

Good to hear you are feeling better, bubbles!  

 

[bubbles]

Thanks @wantrelief. It will be a long process, I think, but I'm moving in the right direction.

 

[wantrelief]

34 minutes ago, bubbles said:

It will be a long process, I think, but I'm moving in the right direction.

You are doing great, bubbles!

[bubbles]

Still holding at 7.3mg of sertraline.

 

Feeling somewhat better. I'm not quite as tired all the time as I was, though I'm still too tired to do any exercise, even a gentle walk. It's too soon to tell if this thyroid dose is "optimal" or if I need to go further up, but I've certainly had an improvement since the change.

 

I'm going to have to drop to 7mg of sertraline soon as I'm going to run out of those 0.1mg capsules. I might do it over the first week of September (ie, 7.2 for a few days, 7.1 for a few days...) and then hold at 7mg for the rest of the month. It's about a four percent drop.

[bubbles]

I continue to have improvements with my thyroid updose. I am much more able to focus, I'm not nearly as tired and not nearly as cold. I think I'm starting to feel an improvement in the aches, too. This tells me how much impact our physical health has on our mental health. It's likely that I will continue to improve over the next few weeks.

 

I am going to drop the sertraline by 4% from 7.3mg to 7mg in stages over the next week or so as I'm running out of the 0.1mg capsules. I'm feeling well enough to do that now. This will leave a few 0.1mg capsules over in case I have to do an emergency updose and that will hold me over until I can get a new prescription and capsules (if needed). Now that I'm feeling better, I think an updose isn't likely to be necessary, but I don't like to back myself into a corner.

[bubbles]

So today is three weeks on my increased thyroid dose and I'm feeling much better. My mind is clear, my mood is good, I'm only normally cold and the aches have virtually gone. I'm still a little tired, but less so. Overall, I've had a huge improvement.

 

I've started my 4% sertraline drop. A few days ago I started taking 7.2mg and today I'll switch to 7.1mg until Saturday, when I go to 7mg, which I'll hold for three weeks.

 

until, and including 1 September 7.3mg

2 September 7.2mg

6 September 7.1mg

9 September 7mg

[peng]

" feeling much better"...."a huge improvement"

Wow! this is great to hear bubbles.  I don't read these phrases too often.

Best wishes

[bubbles]

Thanks @peng. I am feeling much better.

[bubbles]

The updose of my thyroid meds is almost at the four week mark. I have had a big improvement over the last month.

 

I dropped the sertraline to 7mg in several stages over a week. I started at  7.3mg, then a few days on 7.2mg, a few days on 7.1mg and then on Sunday I dropped to 7mg. So far it is imperceptible, but as I did the drop in stages all of the half lives will still be working their way out - I'm not at a steady state yet.

[bubbles]

Friday, and I remain stable. I feel that I've reached stability with the thyroid change - I still feel better, but I'm no longer noticing further improvements, if that makes sense. I've not felt anything noticeable with the 4% drop in the sertraline, so fingers crossed I've got away with that. It's perhaps too soon to know for sure, on the other hand it is only a 4% drop and I did in stages to make it as smooth as possible.

If I continue to feel well, the next 10% drop will start on 30 September. I say "start", doing it in stages works better for me at this stage of my taper.

[wantrelief]

I am so glad things are going well with your taper, bubbles!

[bubbles]

1 hour ago, wantrelief said:

I am so glad things are going well with your taper, bubbles!

 

Thanks! It was quite a hiccup there, but it is passing.

[Carmie]

4 hours ago, bubbles said:

Friday, and I remain stable. I feel that I've reached stability with the thyroid change - I still feel better, but I'm no longer noticing further improvements, if that makes sense. I've not felt anything noticeable with the 4% drop in the sertraline, so fingers crossed I've got away with that. It's perhaps too soon to know for sure, on the other hand it is only a 4% drop and I did in stages to make it as smooth as possible.

If I continue to feel well, the next 10% drop will start on 30 September. I say "start", doing it in stages works better for me at this stage of my taper.

 

Hi Bubbles, 

 

This is great news, I’m so happy for you💚

[peng]

Ditto!

[Carmie]

Hi Bubbles, 

 

Just dropping by to see if you’ve still remained stabled. I hope all is going well and you’re able to taper again at the end of the month. 

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Carmie]

P.s. I’m laughing now, either autocorrect changed stable to stabled or I accidentally hit the d but I’m sure you’re not a horse 😂🐴

[bubbles]

I'm sorry @Carmie , I didn't see your message on Wednesday. (On the internet nobody knows if you're a dog, err, horse...)  Yes, I did stay stable. So stable that I'd actually forgotten how long it was since I dropped! I'm at about 5 and a bit weeks since my thyroid med increase, and 3 weeks since the sertraline drop. No noticeable side effects at this low dose of sertraline, the drop was entirely imperceptible, and my thyroid symptoms have diminished significantly. I'm feeling well.

[bubbles]

Hello again

I dropped yesterday to 6.5mg sertraline.

 

B

[Carmie]

On 9/22/2018 at 11:13 AM, bubbles said:

I'm sorry @Carmie , I didn't see your message on Wednesday. (On the internet nobody knows if you're a dog, err, horse...)  Yes, I did stay stable. So stable that I'd actually forgotten how long it was since I dropped! I'm at about 5 and a bit weeks since my thyroid med increase, and 3 weeks since the sertraline drop. No noticeable side effects at this low dose of sertraline, the drop was entirely imperceptible, and my thyroid symptoms have diminished significantly. I'm feeling well.

 

 

Hi Bubbles, that’s fabulous that you are so stable. A great inspiration to all. Soooo glad you’re feeling well

 

On 10/1/2018 at 11:45 AM, bubbles said:

Hello again

I dropped yesterday to 6.5mg sertraline.

 

B

 

All the best with this next drop. 

 

Sending hugs🤗

[bubbles]

Thanks @Carmie