Roll Call 36

That's progress though isn't it... hopefully that'll help you feel a bit better in yourself too.

I've just been to get my flu + pneumococcal vaccines. Never had them before but since I got diagnosed with asthma earlier this year, I can get 'em. Maybe I'll manage to avoid getting ill this winter altogether if I'm lucky.

Hi Lawscot how are you today?

Not too bad... I seemed to have a bit of anxiety this morning. I think perhaps a combination of going to bed a bit paranoid, so voices winding me up in the middle of the night & having to go for my jabs. Sucks because it's probably the worst it's been since I went on SSRIs, but nowhere near as bad as before still.

Glad I've got my appointment coming up tomorrow. how are you?

Im good cheers. I still have some anxiety which occurred from taking Sertraline and Abilify. I've been off Sertraline for about a week now and its almost gone. I seem to be taking out my excess energy on Pc haha.

Glad for your appointment. So many people dread them but its good you're looking forward to it. Did you say you're wanting an AP?

Lawscot - yeah it is - I'm glad it's finally getting changed.

Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow

Everyone's complaining to my psychiatrist about my drinking. Last night my mom poured my booze down the drain again what a waste of money. I don't think I have a problem but everyone is taking it way more seriously and making it seem like I have a problem.

Yeah, despite the horrible experience I had on my last AP, I want to go one... that says it all really. I need it really... I can function at home but going out the house & the fact my voices sometimes keep me awake, not to mention the delusions even if they aren't long lasting on the whole.

Interested that the Sertraline increased your anxiety alongside Abilify... I know that SSRIs can increase the amount of it in the blood, so your dose would be higher in many ways... or was it some reaction specific to that SSRI...

I'm currently on Citalopram & I was thinking about asking about that AP tomorrow...

i should have gone a mood stabilizer like citalopram rather than an anti depressant. im schizoaffective bipolar and AD can increase mania in us which is what i was getting into with anxiety as well. Still it was a fun week or two and it got me out of a funk! Im not averse to taking it again if i get depressed so it cant have been too bad i just should have stopped a few days sooner.

Abilify is sorting me out, very few voices, hallucinations and delusions and none seem to really register with me psychologically theyre more like minor annoyances. But i read its different for everyone, good luck finding the right one for you

Cheers, already crossed olanzapine & Amisulpride off the list from last time. Amisulpride was working but I think my testosterone levels must have dropped on it & gave me no energy eventually.

were you taking those with citalopram. citalopram did a number on my ... virility haha

No I wasn't on citalopram then. I've not had any of the 'virility' related side effects from it either

and thnk goodness. just when you have enough problems, that was one side effect i couldnt tolerate!

Hello Neil and lawscot. How are u today?

I just spilt more coffee all over. I can't live like this until the sleep study...

Yeah I'm not too bad... one of my arms is a little sore from my flu jab but other than that I'm good now. My anxiety seems to have gone away... was probably just over the jab.



Are you drinking decaf? Caffeine can be a reall ****** in terms of sleep... even decaf still has a very small amount of caffeine in it, so if you are having quiet a few cups it might not be helping on top of everything else... just a thought, might not make a difference but I guess you got to try all the small things whilst you are waiting.

Thanks for the suggestion. See I feel so drugged up in the morning I need the coffee to wake up. I have cut way back though.

I don't know what to do at this point.

How is your concentration? I find that if I read for like 2-3 hours or longer before bed, I'll sleep like a baby.

The thing that keeps me awake worse than anything bar caffeine is if I keep posting on forums right up until bed though... makes my mind waaay too active.

That's a thought. I need to get a good nighttime routine going. I keep telling myself I will when I can think clearer. But that's not working obviously. I need to start settling down by about 8 or so...

Knowing how bad your sleep problems are... I'm sure that when you get on top of them, you'll start thinking clearer. I mean it's not as simple as just 'winding down' for you but it might help.

That's about the same for me... if I start winding down from 8 & go to bed at 10:00-10:30, then I'm much likely to sleep better.

I used to have terrible trouble getting to sleep when I was a teenager... could take anywhere from 1-3 hours to fall asleep.

Well now my sister Kim is mad at me. I stupidly told her I'm falling asleep when I smoke in the middle of the night. She's mad that I left the hospital. THEY COULDN'T HELP ME ANYMORE. She's

She's only supportive if I do what she wants. That's not fair or right...

Lawscot--I have sleep apnea and the problem is waking up and not getting restful sleep. That's why I'm falling asleep in the day. Sleep hygiene can help, but it's not gonna fix it. I need the machine to helP.

Hi Sunshine. Nicotine affects your ability to stay asleep as well as the urges can cause you to wake up. if you're waking up in teh middle of the night to smoke, youre almost guaranteed that smoking is contributing to your sleep problems. I used to have this problem with pot.

Just my 2 cents, someone at the hospital must have mentioned this to you?

i smoke in the middle of the night. my whole family wants me to quit smoking. idk if i can. i plan to eventually. but idk...

We weren't allowed to smoke in the hospital. But yes I've thought about that. I just now slept a little sitting up. I think I need to do all I can to not smoke at night. Like starting at 8pm. In the hospital I just used the gum but they would say no gum after a certain time at night. I think I'm also just gonna sleep sitting up. It seems to be the only time I can get restful sleep. This sucks...

I didn't put the 2 together. I've been smoking in the middle of the night for yrs. But I was never nodding off. Thank u for your insight.

My sister came up with some of a solution. An electric cigarette. I've been so worried about falling asleep while smoking...

I tried an e-cig but I didn't like it & it aggravates my asthma. Strange that after a few days of smoking more than 3-4 cigarettes my asthma stopped playing up... you'd think it should be the opposite way around. It sounds like a good idea if you like them though...

So, I was outside having a cigarette & I saw someone in a house over the road watching me in the window, then they turned the light off. I'm sure they did that so I couldn't see them watching me. It's not the first time it's happened either... how do they know I will be outside smoking a cigarette...

Same with another flat... often seems to be someone watching me, maybe it's just something in the room but I'm sure it's a person.

I feel agitated now... just paced around the kitchen table for the past 5 minutes...