My story

[Vinton]

I'm trying to understand So here is my story..

I can remember when I was young I had tics and I was told many times that I was nervous.. also remember that I could not do things like others as I was easily scared and was often laughted at.

I could not even walk down the isle at church and would pass out at the dentist.

At 17 I had to quit school as my grades were horrible due to learning difficulty. To make a story short I made a career in police work which was not good for me but permitted me to provide my family. So those fears followed me all my life and learned to wear a mask. During those years I went through therapies but it always came back. I was put on 1.5 mg of clonazepam in 88 and helped for awhile so in 2000 I decided to come off and went too fast and paid the price. I've been off a few months but I wonder how long it will take the receptors to return to normal.

After I got really depressed comparing myself to others which probably was coming from my childhood. I went for advice: Now At 60, they tell me that I have tourette, cyclothemia and possible ADHD.

I was on effexor and the Doc. added epival for moods swings and after a while Straterra.

I tried ritalin and for the first time I could read a whole newspaper article but the tics go so bad.

I would like to travel, go out in groups etc but I cant as the anxiety still controls me. I just can't relax planning a trip and a fear sets in taking all the fun out. I just cant handle stress.

So I have two choices:

Accept it and stay back

or

Fight again.

 

[Retired]

Vinton,

I can remember when I was young I had tics and I was told many times that I was nervous.. also remember that I could not do things like others as I was easily scared and was often laughed at

In the 1940's 50's and early 60's when we were kids, there was virtually no awareness of learning or behavioral disorders in children. Kids with Tourette were ridiculed and often punished for being disruptive.

would pass out at the dentist

Was this because of your intense fear of dental procedures at the time, Vinton? It must be remembered that dentistry has come a long way since the time when were were kids as well.

My first visit to a dentist in the early 50's was so traumatic, I was unable to visit a dentist until my late teens! Dentistry today is (almost) a joyful experience:doctor:

Are you still taking Effexor and if so how long has it been? Have you discussed your high level of anxiety with your doctor? Has there been talk about perhaps increasing the dose of EFX? What dosage are you taking now?

I do not have an understanding of cyclothymia, but found this info at the Mayo Clinic. I would defer to others who have knowledge on this subject for further comment.

For your information I have found the following two resources:

Mayo Clinic on Valproic Acid (Epival)

RxMed on Epival

In particular I would point you to the RxMed page where information is provided on drug interactions.

They suggest that SSRI's (to which Effexor is closely related, although it is not technically an SSRI) may delay clearance of Epival.

Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI's): Some evidence suggests that SSRI's inhibit the metabolism of valproate, resulting in higher than expected levels of valproate

You may wish to discuss this with your doctor, who may already have taken the doseing into consideration to consideration. Nevertheless, it is always worthwhile verifying possible drug interactions and discussing it with your doctor of pharmacist.

There are other important interactions listed, which would warrant your reading about in the linked articles.

I would like to travel, go out in groups etc but I cant as the anxiety still controls me. I just can relax planning a trip and a fear sets in taking all the fun out. I just cant handle stress.

Is it the planning itself that eventually causes the stress to build up or is it the concern about possible eventualities during the trip that causes the stress?

 

[Vinton]

I can remember when I was young I had tics and I was told many times that I was nervous.. also remember that I could not do things like others as I was easily scared and was often laughed at

In the 1940's 50's and early 60's when we were kids, there was virtually no awareness of learning or behavioral disorders in children. Kids with Tourette were ridiculed and often punished for being disruptive.

would pass out at the dentist

Was this because of your intense fear of dental procedures at the time, Vinton? It must be remembered that dentistry has come a long way since the time when were were kids as well.

My first visit to a dentist in the early 50's was so traumatic, I was unable to visit a dentist until my late teens! Dentistry today is (almost) a joyful experience

It was fear as I was scared of everything.At 5 I entered the doctors office, he put me to sleep, took my tonsils out and within 2 hours I walk to the taxi and went home.

Are you still taking Effexor and if so how long has it been? Have you discussed your high level of anxiety with your doctor? Has there been talk about perhaps increasing the dose of EFX? What dosage are you taking now?

I've started 2 years ago and I'M at 150 mgs

I do not have an understanding of cyclothymia, but found this info at the Mayo Clinic. I would defer to others who have knowledge on this subject for further comment.

EX: In 79 I decided to start leaning music and I ended buying all the equipment, runnung a band( local guys for fun) It lasted about a year and I was a nerve wreck in public. After that I ended 3 months on my back with a depression.
I also feel great one day and the next depressed which acording to the Doc is more related to ADHD.[/B]Abut For your information I have found the following two resources:

Mayo Clinic on Valproic Acid (Epival)

RxMed on Epival

In particular I would point you to the RxMed page where information is provided on drug interactions.

They suggest that SSRI's (to which Effexor is closely related, although it is not technically an SSRI) may delay clearance of Epival.

Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI's): Some evidence suggests that SSRI's inhibit the metabolism of valproate, resulting in higher than expected levels of valproate

You may wish to discuss this with your doctor, who may already have taken the doseing into consideration to consideration. Nevertheless, it is always worthwhile verifying possible drug interactions and discussing it with your doctor of pharmacist.

There are other important interactions listed, which would warrant your reading about in the linked articles.

Thats why he said that I neede much less than others after blood tests

I would like to travel, go out in groups etc but I cant as the anxiety still controls me. I just can relax planning a trip and a fear sets in taking all the fun out. I just cant handle stress.

Is it the planning itself that eventually causes the stress to build up or is it the concern about possible eventualities during the trip that causes the stress?

I now realize that maybe part of the problem would be related to ajusting to changes. Even changes in weather hits me like a rock (spring, fall) although a specialist said that it was not SAD but the psy said that it is often seen with ADHD

Thanks Steve
It feels good to be able to share.

 

[Retired]

Vinton,

Here's information on how to use the quote tool in your Forum toolbar. The quote tool is in the lower row above the message composition window, 15 from the left or 8 from the right. When you hover your mouse over it, it says, "Wrap

tags around your selected text

The easy way to explain it is, when you want to quote something from a previous posting, copy the text from the previous post, then paste it in your reply.

Next select the entire text you just pasted and click on the Quote Tool.

Give it a try testing it in a reply to this message. We can remove your test message later if you want.

Steve