[meds log] yes good.

[kaberett]

Counsellor yesterday asked if next week's session could be a little later than usual, at 2 instead of noon, and I said sure and then belatedly realised that I was due to see my GP at 2.20, and then at 1am I was very good and logged into the online system and discovered that his only other appointment between now and when he goes on holiday was 11.20 today, so I booked that. (A moment of amusement: I went to see David at the local IAPT place yesterday, rather than at my GP surgery where he works one day a week. When he's there he's in rather more of a managerial role, and, well, that is the first time I've ever seen him wearing a three-piece suit, let us put it that way. The instant we got into the room for therapy he took off the jacket and rolled his shirtsleeves up...)

Stay at 50mg sertraline through Sunday, alternate sertraline 50mg for the next week, start mirtazapine 15mg the following Monday, stick at 15mg for two weeks then expect to go up to 30. (Phone appt 4.35pm on the ... 20th of August, yes.) Anxiolytic and associated with drowsiness, so I'll take it at nights and hope it helps with sleep yes.

Venlafaxine (Effexor generic) apparently requires bloods & an ECG so we'll punt me back up to the visiting psychiatrist to order starting it if the mirtazapine doesn't do the trick. Also apparently David wrote to Mark a little while back saying that he thinks I'm in for the long haul but is generally feeling very positive about my progress, HURRAH.

Also: brief conversation with Mark about the wheelchair -- I took the dance chair in today; he noticed the light-up casters last time but I've got the blue tyres on since then and he was all "oooh, proper bike tyres" and I was all "yeah these're Primo because I wanted the colour bu I normally use Schwalbe Marathons, these wheels are 25x1s though and finding inners is a right bugger" and he nodded sympathetically. I like my GP.

NTS: you stopped taking any vitD supplementation at all (25mg/day) on Monday. ish. or a week ago or something. Thenish.

Comments

[ghoti]

I have Opinions about venlafaxine and also thing to look out for, iffen you'd like.

[kaberett]

I'm aware of the risk of it upping anxiety, but yes, thoughts and opinions and experiences very much welcome!

[ghoti]

I wasn't actually aware of it upping anxiety, but huh, that explains a lot.

it is very sensitive to a missed (or +6 hours) dose, but its not what I think of as a typical missed dose feeling -- I get a bad headache and super cranky for no good reason (so it appears). higher doses seem more prone to this effect. and the withdrawal is awful. (other people can tell you about the brain zaps that I was thankfully spared)

a friend's husband was on and then off it, and she says his personality never quite recovered.

[kaberett]

Ha, right. Thank you for the input!

[hilarita]

I take mirtazapine. 'Drowsiness' is not necessarily a good description - the only thing that's made me sleep better is zopiclone. I find it bloody hard to get going in the morning. Also, when I started it, I slept *a lot* and had some mild hallucinations. They went away pretty quickly. I'm on 15mg as my usual dose, and I need 8.5-9hrs sleep a night now. So hopefully that will help for you.


**Content note: weight discussion**
It however made me gain weight like fuck - I am at least 15kg heavier than when I started taking it.

I'm happy to discuss this further if this would help you.

[kaberett]

Citalopram knocked me the hell out to start with but got better after a few weeks, so. Thank you lots for the input; I'll see how it goes (and maybe end up trying Yet Another Thing...)

[jesse_the_k]

A GP who'll chat wheelchair tyres!

Outstanding!!!!