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#1
Jun 14, 2017, 08:41 PM
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I started latuda a week ago. I'm going slower on the taper than my pnurse recommended because I was worried about side effects. She had told me to take 20mg the first day, then 40mg for four days, then 60mg from there on out. Instead I took 20mg for a week and started 40mg on Sunday. I will take 40mg for a week and then start 60mg this Sunday. So far, no side effects except insomnia, which was rectified by taking it in the morning instead of evening. I got sick with strep throats last Friday so today was the first day I've been able to eat normally, so for the past four days I have not taken it with 350 calories, but it is what it is.
My mood is good, maybe even slightly elevated. I have not put on my emsam patch in about two weeks, unbeknownst to pnurse. I wanted to see how I did on latuda alone as it has antidepressant properties, and I was worried two antidepressants (even though latuda is not technically an AD) would push me into mania. So far, so good. No depression. As I said, maybe even a slight elevation. I've been showering a lot more frequently and enjoying doing so (even when not depressed I hate showering, such a pain in my ***). Today I stayed home from work with my son who also has strep, and I cleaned four rooms of the house. My son's room hasn't been thoroughly cleaned in over a month and it was a disaster. I made him help me with that. He actually went through all of his toy drawers and organized them, getting rid of puzzles with missing pieces, broken toys, etc. he did a great job. I even washed clothes AND put them all away on the same day! That's a miracle right there. Usually they sit in the basket for a week. However, I don't feel my thoughts are racing and I don't feel irritable or anxious. I also don't feel impulsive, which is important for this next part. I have almost 100% decided to change careers. After losing my teaching job, I have been rethinking my place in education. I have come to the conclusion that it's not for me. I love working with teens, but I do not have the right personality for classroom teaching, specifically classroom management. I've tried for five years and though I've gotten better, it's still not where it needs to be. I also don't enjoy all the standards I am held up to in terms of curriculum. I hate "teaching to the test", which is what I'm forced to do. If I were continue in education I would like to work with multiply disabled kids in a special needs school or behavioral kids (not as extreme as my old school though). But those offers just aren't there. I haven't gotten any calls for any interviews. Being nonrenewed is going to hurt any chances I have of staying in education. And my heart is just not in it. So I've decided to go for my master's in social work and work in the mental health field. It's what I originally wanted to do when I started college. I only did teaching because I thought I'd be able to make more money without getting my master's right away. At the time my priority was getting married and having a baby. I just needed the money to make that happen. Well, I did all that and it didn't work out the way it should have with my husband dying suddenly. Now I'm in a position where finance is not such a concern, because I live with my mom. Obviously I still need to work full time because I have to pay bills, but I can make less for a few years while I finish my master's and still be ok. I was afraid my therapist would laugh at me and tell me I can't work in mental health because of my own issues, but she said I would be great in mental health and that my experiences would be a benefit. I felt so much better after talking to her. She made me feel like I can really do this. Do something I'll be happy in. I'm confident this is not an impulsive decision. I think it will be best for me in the long run, as long as I can stay stable. I'm hoping I will. Last time I had a six year remission so hopefully it will be just as long this time. Wish me luck everyone! Big changes are afoot! EDIT: apologies for the length. I am quite verbose. Also, title was supposed to read "changes". That's going to drive me crazy lol.
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Of course it is happening inside your head. But why on earth should that mean that it is not real? -Albus Dumbledore That’s life. If nothing else, that is life. It’s real. Sometimes it f—-ing hurts. But it’s sort of all we have. -Garden State |
 Anonymous45023, apfei, BipolaRNurse, HALLIEBETH87, kindachaotic, Leia78, Nammu, still_crazy, Sunflower123, Wild Coyote, xRavenx
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 BipolaRNurse, Nammu, scatterbrained04, still_crazy, Wild Coyote, ~Christina
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#2
Jun 14, 2017, 09:08 PM
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Wow!! I wish you the best of luck! I've been going back and forth about pursuing my MSW for years. So I'm a little jealous, but I know you will be awesome at it. Good luck!!
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#3
Jun 14, 2017, 10:29 PM
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Glad the med change is going so well and that you've made plans that make you happy.
__________________
Bipolar 1, PTSD, GAD, OCD. Clozapine 250 mg, Emsam 12 mg/day patch, topamax 25 mg, ,Gabapentin 1600 mg & 100-2 PRN,. 2.5 mg clonazepam., 75 mg Seroquel and 12.5 mg PRNx2 daily |
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#4
Jun 15, 2017, 09:59 AM
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Good luck!! I really hope you remain stable and can achieve your goals. It is unlikely, but watch out for hypomania with the insomnia and goal oriented activities etc. Otherwise, rock on.
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Bipolar 1 with psychotic features PTSD  "Phew! For a minute there I lost myself." 'Karma Police' by Radiohead |
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#5
Jun 15, 2017, 10:05 AM
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That sounds like a fantastic plan....I think you you be great at that. You come across as very careing and wise on here. Yeah even when things are going badly for you.
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Nammu …Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. …... Desiderata Max Ehrmann |
| Sunflower123
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#6
Jun 15, 2017, 10:06 AM
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I'm glad your new medication seems to be working. That alone is great. It's wonderful that you are going after your masters in social work. You'll be great in the mental health field. I hope you stay stable and everything works out. Good luck and best wishes.
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#7
Jun 15, 2017, 12:13 PM
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Glad Latuda seems to be helpful , I know it is for me !
I do think getting your Masters is a fantastic idea and working in mental health would be a great fit ! Keep it up
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Helping others gets me out of my own head ~ |
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#8
Jun 15, 2017, 12:33 PM
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Happy to hear Latuda is working out for you. It was the turn around medication for me. Your post has a calm, well thought out tone to it. You sound great. I think you'll do wonderfully in the mental health field. I hope things continue to be well
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Bipolar 1 ADHD Carbamazepine (Tegretol) Vraylar Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) Mirtazapine Adderall XR My Journal https://jenniferforreal.wordpress.com/ “Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.”  ~ Alan Cohen
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#9
Jun 15, 2017, 02:29 PM
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I'm so glad you feel things are looking up! I am also excited for you! I think your plans seem wonderful, they seem like a healthy challenge and like they will be very rewarding for you. Good luck! All my love!
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***** Every finger in the room is pointing at me I want to spit in their faces then I get afraid of what that could bring I got a bowling ball in my stomach I got a desert in my mouth Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now Tori Amos ~ Crucify Dx: Schizoaffective Disorder |
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#10
Jun 15, 2017, 03:26 PM
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FANTASTIC!!!
  Wishing you much success! WC |
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#11
Jun 15, 2017, 04:32 PM
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Glad to hear the Latuda is working out for you. Hope the Master's degree plan works out. Education is a rough score nowadays.
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#12
Jun 15, 2017, 08:53 PM
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I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with the application process. I need three letters of recommendation and I only have two. I'm thinking of asking my coworker from my previous job but I'm afraid she will laugh at me when I tell her my intentions. She was there with me through all my severe episodes at work and very supportive but I'm afraid she will think I can't do this because of my own mental health. But that's what I though about my therapist too and she just encouraged me. So I don't know. I'm hoping to get it all together by July 1st for the fall deadline but I'm not sure I can. I don't mind waiting until spring if I have to but I'd like to get a jump on things. I'd like to be in classes in the fall. I don't know what I'll do with myself if I'm unemployed AND not in school. I'll go crazy.
I left work 15 minutes early today lol. I just couldn't sit there any longer. I knew I could sneak out and if anyone caught me I could lie and say I had an appointment. I just don't care because I'm already fired and there are only five more days left of school. So **** it. I hope this works out for me. I don't want to spend $60000 and then end up not being able to handle the job. I'm nervous.
__________________
Of course it is happening inside your head. But why on earth should that mean that it is not real? -Albus Dumbledore That’s life. If nothing else, that is life. It’s real. Sometimes it f—-ing hurts. But it’s sort of all we have. -Garden State |
| Anonymous45023, gina_re, Nammu, Unrigged64072835, Wild Coyote
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#13
Jun 15, 2017, 09:21 PM
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Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised how good her memories of you are?
__________________
Nammu …Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. …... Desiderata Max Ehrmann |
| Wild Coyote
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#14
Jun 19, 2017, 07:54 PM
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My old coworker agreed to be a reference for me. I printed out the transcript requests for both colleges I've attended. I'm a little worried about admission because I have one C+ on my transcript for my post baccalaureate degree that I started. The rest are As and my undergrad gpa was 3.85. So I hope they forgive the one C+. I took that class when I was in a horrible depression and had to miss discussion questions due to being hospitalized and then only got a 22 out of 40 on the final assessment. I missed the B by 7/10 of a point.
I'm nervous if this is the right move. I'm going to miss teaching but I'm only mediocre at it and it doesn't make me 100% happy. I just don't know if working in mental health would make me happy either. I hope so. I know getting my master's will make me happy. I will be so proud of myself if I can pull it off! I'm just doubting my whole existence at this point lol. Getting fired really did a number on me! I just can't wait for the school year to be over so I can put it all behind me. Only three more days!
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Of course it is happening inside your head. But why on earth should that mean that it is not real? -Albus Dumbledore That’s life. If nothing else, that is life. It’s real. Sometimes it f—-ing hurts. But it’s sort of all we have. -Garden State |
| Anonymous45023, Wild Coyote
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#15
Jun 19, 2017, 08:20 PM
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The good thing about social work is that it is versatile. If you don't like mental health there are other areas. There were always social workers in the nursing homes I worked in. A friend of mine is an ER social worker. We had social workers in the home health agency where I worked. There are non-profits and lots of other areas.
You'll be great!
__________________
Bipolar 1, PTSD, GAD, OCD. Clozapine 250 mg, Emsam 12 mg/day patch, topamax 25 mg, ,Gabapentin 1600 mg & 100-2 PRN,. 2.5 mg clonazepam., 75 mg Seroquel and 12.5 mg PRNx2 daily |
| Wild Coyote
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| gina_re
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#16
Jun 19, 2017, 08:26 PM
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Sounds like a plan!
 I think you can do it. You've got all kinds of awesomeness going on, you really do!
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| Wild Coyote
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#17
Jun 20, 2017, 10:02 AM
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Quote:
I had good recs and experience, and spent a lot of time on my SOP. Ugrad was biomedical eng and grad was computer science/eng. So even with a terrible track record in biomedical eng and me applying to a totally different program, I still got in. I made no mention of MH or health conditions during the admission process, either. (I wasn't even diagnose at the time tho.) Trust me, grad programs like people with practical experience more than you'd think. I think my terrible GPA in ugrad was offset by research lab experience despite the research experience being in a totally different field, and I had applied for a terminal master's degree (i.e., no research requirement; therefore, no defense or dissertation, or thesis). Went from 2009-2013 ugrad, then 2013-2015 grad. Did you write your SOP yet? Deadlines are weird for some colleges, and some don't really have any. If you want help writing an SOP about your reason for switching to a different field, sendme a PM and I can help. I think lost my SOP though. Otherwise, I would offer it. Unless I have it on google drive somewhere Edit: found it if you want it Last edited by Anonymous35014; Jun 20, 2017 at 10:18 AM. |
| Wild Coyote
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| Wild Coyote
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#18
Jun 20, 2017, 03:27 PM
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Quote:
I was in education for15 yrs-- yes, behavior is so tough. Your idea for a career change sounds great. Hugs! |
| Wild Coyote
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#19
Jun 22, 2017, 03:05 AM
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I have my bachelors in sociology and minored in social work. I worked five years in a welfare to work program. Afterwards I changed to working as a mental health social worker. My caseload were individuals that just discharged from a mental hospital. I loved the work. I wish you the best
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#SpoonieStrong Spoons are a visual representation used as a unit of measure to quantify how much energy individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses have throughout a given day. 1). Depression 2). PTSD 3). Anxiety 4). Hashimoto 5). Fibromyalgia 6). Asthma 7). Atopic dermatitis 8). Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria 9). Hereditary Angioedema (HAE-normal C-1) 10). Gluten sensitivity 11). EpiPen carrier 12). Food allergies, medication allergies and food intolerances. . 13). Alopecia Areata |
| apfei, Wild Coyote
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