Posted by zeugma on May 31, 2004, at 4:56:53
In reply to Re: To Zeugma others: Rotting in bed. Please Advise, posted by Mila S on May 30, 2004, at 22:54:59
Z --thanks so much for responding. I have been in bed all day as usual. Do you experience isolation too? I will ask my doctor about a TCA. You said it took months before it helped. If I take it, should I wait several months in order to determine if it is effective. Seems a long time to wait. Also I am interested in the provigil+Strattera combo--what benefits have been reported regarding it?
I have until August to become functional again. If things get better, I will get half a TA and be allowed to continue school. I am done with course work and examinations. I was supposed to submit a proposal this past semester but I was not able to. Also I have 4 incomplete papers to write. I'm wondering: How does a TCA help undo a noctural tendency? I have had this problem since i was a child and nothing seems to help. I have trouble falling asleep at night, but I can easily sleep during the day. Its awful. I do not want to live my adult life this way. It has left me socially isolated. I spend most of my time in my room and have little supportive contacts. Going through this all alone has been hell. I hope I can convince my doctor to take my other symptoms seriously and prescribe a benzo.
Mila>>
Mila,It took months before it helped in a major way because it took a long time to titrate up to a therapeutic level, probably because my body was weakened from years of poor sleep and nutrition. TCA's help with sleep schedules because they are sedating and there is also evidence that norepinephrine in the brainstem helps regulate sleep/wake cycles. This is less true of Vivactil and desipramine because they are not sedating. Vivactil however (as well as desipramine) is a powerful norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Did you get any benefit from it?
Effexor at 400 mg will strongly affect norepinephrine, however at lower doses it is mostly a serotonergetic med. There's some evidence that severe vegetative depressions respond preferentially to noradrenergic medications.
The isolation is horrible. Feeling like my nervous system is always on overload makes me want to be completely alone, however this adds to depression when the isolation is excessive. I can enjoy spending time around others as long as it's balanced with time spent alone. Lately the fatigue has returned (intensified) and it aggravates the 'jangled' feeling of my nervous system, as well as the isolation. I don't know what I would do without Klonopin.
Do you find that your sleep is not restful at all? I used to work in a school on Saturday mornings, and in order to feel a little better I would deliberately stay up all night then work eight hours. I suppose it's part of narcolepsy that sleep does not restore any energy at all, hence the use of stimulants like Dexedrine and provigil.
From what I can gather, the benefit of the Strattera-Provigil combo is that they amplify the effects of one another. Strattera is not stimulating, but it can help with concentration, while Provigil increases wakefulness and energy.
z
poster:zeugma
thread:349631
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040527/msgs/352302.html