Thanks ro4eva
as you can tell by my frequently more pessimistic posts I'm starting to get real frustrated with seemingly grinding to a halt recovery wise, or at least slowing down a lot...good to hear positive things from someone who was even worse off than i was!
You're welcome, and anytime
I'm trying to help anyone I can to fully recover from their LTC, as I did back in 2007.
I made a promise to myself that if I ever recovered, that I would do what I could to help others who are dealing with the same issues.
Therefore, if you ever need to talk, feel free to PM me. I promise that I won't judge you, nor think less of you in any way for any reason, and I'll never talk behind your back. It's a harm reduction model that I've always been using to try to help others, and thankfully it appears to be effective.
Based on personal experience, I believe the accepted model of treatment which is based on "just say no to drugs" is terrible because it usually results in the patient being treated like a scumbag who doesn't deserve to live. In other words, I've been judged a lot by strangers who are supposed to be medical professionals and/or addiction experts. And whenever I did not agree with them on something/anything, they would write me up in their report that I was insubordinate, or refused to accept responsibility for my actions, and none of it was true. And it just made things worse for me (kicking me while I'm down will typically result in me using more drugs), but I digress.
Wellbrutin sounds interesting, is that an ssri? I feel like having some energy would really help my recovery as I'll be able to do more to help myself as a result, it doesn't matter how much i sleep, i still feel the same! I actually have a bad cold at the moment and the only difference is i have a sore throat and am bunged up, my energy levels are so bad i can't tell the difference!
Wellbutrin XL (drug name is Bupropion) is not an SSRI, but rather a Reuptake Inhibitor of Dopamine and Norepinephrine. In other words, it's a mild version of an amphetamine-type stimulant.
It's also known as Zyban, which is used to help smokers who are trying to quit, as it also affects nicotine receptors, thus, typically making smoking seem very nasty.
Wellbutrin XL 300mg once daily was an enormous help in my case for symptoms of fatigue, low energy, depressed mood, dizziness, trouble concentrating/focusing, and DP/DR to an extent.
That being said, not everyone reacts well to it, as it tends to increase feelings of anxiety, as well as the chances of having a seizure. Therefore, if you suffer from epilepsy, I believe Wellbutrin XL is contraindicated, but I could be wrong.
On the plus side, it is excellent for symptoms of fatigue and low energy, doesn't cause weight gain, usually doesn't take as long as SSRIs to start working, and may also increase your libido. And it's actually being studied as a treatment for obesity, ADD, and sexual dysfunction IIRC.
Also regarding work, I'll see how i feel, i think I'll take a few weeks off max if i do because the problem is I'm eating into my savings like crazy and that alone makes me stressed! I only work two days a week and the days are real hard to get through but afterwards I'm always glad i did it. Like i said though I'll see how it goes
Yeah, it was financially very difficult in my case too. In fact, I nearly went broke, however, it allowed me to focus on myself with having to worry about work responsibilities, which significantly lowered stress levels, which I believe was vital in helping me recover.
Again though, we are all different, and you may not require the time off that I did, or you may not require any time off at all. You would be the best judge of that of course.
Anyways, I hope I was able to answer your questions, and I wish you a speedy recovery, take care
