Posted by Cece on July 10, 2002, at 0:28:33
In reply to Re: Reverse (summer) SAD, long, posted by Gabbi on July 9, 2002, at 21:10:28
Well, the heat certainly does get to me too. But still, it is for me the particular driving quality of the Summer sun that pushes my own anxiety button. I like Spring sun, Autumn sun, and Winter sun- but not Summer sun. Since most of my work is outside and active, I'm moving around in midday sun almost every day. And- compared to a lot of the country- Summer is not so very hot here in Northern CA.
This summer I'm doing better overall even though we are having more hot spells (global warming). We are having a really intense one right now and I'm basically fine. I think that it has to do with my meds.
Two years ago I was reworking my mood stablizer cocktail and beginning on Lamictal (in combination with 900mg Neurontin and 250mg Depakote which I had been on for awhile). I had a noticeably less difficult summer than usual. Last summer I was on 125mg of Lamictal, same others and again had substantially less misery. This year I'm at 300mg Lamictal (the rest the same) and, knock on wood, am doing pretty damn well.
The other things that are different in my meds this year are that I am now on thyroid supplement (T4, Levothroid) as an anti-depressant, and, I am getting off of benzos. Both of these changes- one addition, one subtraction- are clearing my mind remarkably and improving my overall energy. Benzos can be kind of a two edged sword- they work great for certain kinds of anxiety, but in the long run can really mess with mood. I've also learned that taking just a little extra Neurontin can help me a lot if I get 'anxiety wind-up'.
Having a lot of anxiety when on Prozac may be a sign that it's not the right med. Mood stabilizers seem to be helping a good number of people who appear to be unipolar depressives. Like me. I was diagnosed in my 20's with "acute depressive anxiety"- in the summer. My pdoc who first treated me for BP said that I looked like a regular depressive except for my "simmering quality"- and of course, a history which on careful examination revealed cycling problems with the scale tipped to depression.
Best to all,
Cece
poster:Cece
thread:109762
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020709/msgs/111900.html