Brenda, Another resource I came across. Again, you may have already found this one.

www.racsb.state.va.us/

They say they have a medication management program based on sliding scale.

600 Jackson St
Fredericksburg VA 22401
(540) 373-3223

Thanks..I'll check it out.

Brenda, Zoloft was the first anti d that actually helped. It was about 1994 (I was 40) when an endocrinologist described my PMS as PMDD. The mood swings associated with my hormone fluctuations were debilitating. I had been warned by more than one boss that the mood swings were about to cost me my job. The Zoloft was a miracle drug for me in that I had few, if any, side effects, and my moods were managed so that I could be more stable. Had I not been on Zoloft I doubt that I could have coped with the memories that surfaced from my childhood 3 years later. Of course, therapy and anti d in combination is the best model. I found a therapist, and did not get warm fuzzies in two visits. But I kept going, and she turned out to be my life line. As for your new therapist, you have to give it time. Social workers provide more of the mental health care in this country than other disciplines, such as psychiatrists and/or psychologist. After the 9/11 disaster, 65 percent of the professionals providing crisis care were social workers. I hope someone is able to get your meds right!

Called racsb this morning, they have a social worker on my list of providers, the psychiatrist who heads the group, is not on my list. Does that make any sense at all??? Waiting list is 2-3 months long.

I'm calling my GP and having him prescribe the Zoloft...I need to move past this fear, of what if's. I need to take my power back and move forward.

Strange, you brought the childhood memories up...
my therapist said; "don't you wish you could go back in time and be the child again"?
No, never, ever.
Lets hope nothing new surfaces from there.
She was referring to the sense of responsibility I feel/have for my 4 adult children, who live at home.
I'm thinking, she wants to move in ??? ...the inn is full.
Knowing me....I would let her. Probably even help her pack.

Really enjoy reading, "Hope and Help for Your Nerves", by Clair Weekes.
Many helpful suggestions, thoughts...
Normally, I breeze through my readings, this time I'm taking it slow, so I miss nothing!

Many thanks

Good that you tried, Brenda. I think private therapists pick which panels they want to be on which may explain the social worker and not the psychiatrist being on their panel. That wait sounds unacceptable. And, gee, maybe you need to clear out the inn. One of the main issues women bring to my Women's Midlife Support Group, and one we just discussed at group this morning, is how to say "no" (as in "no is a complete sentence) to adult children. Everyone agreed that it is difficult and that they need the support group to go through the emotional pain of having those adult children pout, go ballistic, disappear, etc. when that "no" is finally uttered. Glad you are enjoying Clair's book.

Great site, if anyone doesn't know: is
www.webmd.com, can put in any script and it gives the full blown side effects. I was on Effexor which was teriffic for a time, then it lost its effect. Weaning off was a nightmare.
I'm on paxil now, when I start getting weepy for no apparent reason, guess I'll try the next one. When I decide (I've been on a lot of that medication!) I don't need it anymore, I go off, am so miserable, I finally decided I can't go off...but have to go after another one. As for Prozak, there is a book called "listening to Prozac" definitely a good read if you are about to go on it, or even if you are currently taking it.Sandi

Sandi,

I have accepted the fact that I will be one antidepressants for some kind for the rest of my life. I'm not thrilled about it, but I know that's the way it happens to be.

My meds are constantly monitored and have been changed several times. One thing I've learned, even with changing your meds, you MUST wean yourself off the old one over a couple of months. I've learned the hard way that taking them "as needed" just doesn't work.

Jackie & Sandi, I may be repeating myself, but if I lived on a desert island, my drug of choice to get me through would be Celexa or her cousin. I take Xanax for night time anxiety. I don't even care to wean myself off meds anymore. It sure beats self medication with alcohol and drugs. If it weren't for the anti-ds, I wouldn't have been able to cope well enough for the talk therapy and behavior therapy and cognitive therapys to get through to me! LL, L

Same here, Lynnie! We've come a long way. Isn't it wonderful?

I took Effexor for almost a year. They raised the dosage to 300 mg a day and I began having lucid dreams that lasted after I awoke. It was like being on a bad acid trip. I had violent nightmares, even punched my husband in the face during one. I started having hallucinations, hearing growls coming from under the bed, totally freaked me out. I also had the electric pulsing in my face, eyes and inside my head for over 2 months after stopping this med. It was prescribed by a psychiatrist at a local teaching hospital affliated with Brown University Medical School. She has since decided we're not trying any more antidepressants, I take a low dose of Valium twice and day and althought it doesn't prevent the anxiety attacks, it does help more than any other drug I've tried. I think Effexor is a dangerous drug.

Susan