I started back on those pills and within 3-4 days, I felt good again. So I decided to play around with it and find out which one made the difference or if they all did. It turned out the Omega 3 was the one that always made the difference.

I think that is quite convincing to me that your brain chemistry is signficantly affected by the Omega-3's.

Mel:

Why don't you just pipe down and lend me 40 HDL points...you can spare em. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

L

**snort** <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yep.....got to also admit to this one.

Getting a page at 3 am for 650 mg's of Tylenol is maddening. You want to yell at the RN, but yet she is just doing her job (and no doubt dreads making the call).....When this happens to me (usually a new RN who doesn't know "protocol", I try and sympathize, because I know she is agonizing making that call (pretty sickk culure isn't it?).

I know plenty of docs who "get off" yelling on the phone to people who page them. You'd be suprised though....some of the more "experienced" nurses don't give a F*** who you are...they'll get the word out that a certain doc is an A-hole...and there will be alot of "accidental pages" suddenly beseiged on you. I have seen it to many a new surgical resident... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Humbling.

Lem

Wow she can spare 40 HDL's?
Although here's an interesting anecdote about HDL and LDL. I share an office with an int cardiologist (BIL). One day at hospital lunch we sat with an OB/Gyn. ~58y/o had a CABG ~5yrs ago, told us prior to his CABG, his HDL was ~80 and LDL was ~100 and ran 5 miles a day. My BIL and I both look at each other with our mouths wide open...

I take Eskimo 3 Fish Oil...it is an excellent quality which doesn't 'repeat'. I store it in the freezer.

I take Green Pastures (flavored) Cod Liver Oil along with a butter oil as recommended by the Weston A Price Foundation.

I also believe that taking omega 3's helps depression, it is good for general health as well as dental health. I have read that it is good for kids with autism, adhd, and for people with bi-polor disorder.

Yeah, her HDL is over 100 (did I break HIPPA?)....When I hear stories about people in phenemonal shape and with great lipid panels with advanced coronary artery disease....I just "hope" there is STRONG Family History or that they secretly smoked...otherwise...it is quite frightening to think of how powerless we can be about preventing CAD.

Now where did I put that baby Aspirin again...? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Lem

Oh yeah, this guy swears he had no bad habits and no family hx. Both parents lived to old age with no known signficant cardiac events, I don't know if I really believe him... my BIL and I have talked about this case often and still believe that keeping the lipid profile optimal and exercise is still the best way to keep CV fitness. Not much else we can do...

Trix, is this better than the stuff off the hot shelf? Where do you buy it?

Online for the Eskimo 3. You want to make sure that it is a very good quality with no mercury in it. Enzymatic Therapy is one brand for it.

(I get the CLO through a local co-op to save money. Otherwise, it is available from their website. There are only a few good quality CLO's. Many others add synthetic Vit. A which isn't a good thing.)

I have been to mercola's site and one of his books...lots of good info there. Lots of other interesting info is available on the weston a price foundation website.

Thanks Trix, I have been an avid fan of Dr. Weston Price for years. Some very interesting stuff on his website.

I have been getting into trying some of their suggestions. I joined a local yahoo WAPF group. I started making my own kefir, sourdough bread, grinding flours, brewing kombucha tea. I guess I have too much time on my hands since my DH is working out of town temporarily. I have been buying grass fed beef, meats, and getting raw dairy products. I am not fanatical about it. I go out to eat with my H on the weekends.

Wow! I forget how fast this board moves after being over in the Divorce boards for the last year.

Interesting stuff on here. First, I'm jealous of ML's HDL. I though mine was decent hovering around 70. My LDL isn't as good though. I just blame it on heredity. But sounds like I should definitely get back on the Omega 3, for a number of reasons.

As for the SSRI's, if I switch to night from morning, I assume I just need to skip tomorrow morning's dose and take it in the evening instead and see if it has less of an effect on my stomach and my appetite that way.

As for the shakes and the anxiety, I guess that must just be the depression thing going on. Doesn't sound like many others have experienced the same thing. I really wish it'd go away soon. I'm tired of feeling dumpy and miserable for the last 6 weeks.

And commenting on the Buspar someone mentioned way back on this thread: I forgot I took that once, for a couple months, to prevent the anxiety. Talk about something that made me feel totally weird every morning after I took it for about an hour. I couldn't function! I felt like I was in the twilight zone. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> That is just BAD STUFF!

LL

PS...it's interesting to see that several of you who were here on GQII when I was posting are still here.

As for the SSRI's, if I switch to night from morning, I assume I just need to skip tomorrow morning's dose and take it in the evening instead and see if it has less of an effect on my stomach and my appetite that way.

That would be the easiest way.
As far as the anxiety feelings go, it is just the excess serotonin in the system. If you tolerated that dose before I'm sure you'll get used to it again, eventually. Although it may be that you might need to stay at the 10mg longer before going up to the 20mg. Talk to your doctor to discuss the best way...

Stu wrote:

"Stomach upset and loss of appetite is a very common SE with lexapro. in fact it is so common that the company recommends pts take it at night so that the GI se occur while asleep."

"Key thing is that once you start try to commit yourself to taking for @ least 9-12 mo before considering tapering off because stopping too early can increase chance of relapse."

Stu, you are right that everyone reacts differently on these ADs. I was spacy for a couple of days on lexapro but then felt great. Well as great as one can be when their H is having an A. I'd be on it right now if it weren't for the sexual side effects. It never blunted my affect in any way. When I called my doctor about my sleep problems she told me I should have been taking it in the morning, which really made a difference. So who knows?

When my doctor changed me to Wellbutrin I had a really bad reaction. Electrical currents were running through my body. That's when my internist switched me over to a psychiatrist who fine-tuned the meds. She had me on Lexapro and a different type of Wellbutrin. Now I'm just on Wellbutrin, which you don't want to be on if you have anxiety generally.

I wanted to quit the Wellbutrin several months back and my psychiatrist told me this is the new thinking. She said it is suggested to stay on the AD for a year after you begin feeling better. What do the doctors here think about that advice? CV

Okay, I'm trying to follow your shop talk but WTH is CABG??

Mel, I have just now been reading this thread with great interest. I have been taking Zoloft for a few years now. Yes, years!!!! It seems that every time I'm ready to come off life deals me another blow. Anywho, no sexual side effects except maybe lower sex drive, and some nausea every now and then after taking it.

These past few days I have been wondering what is wrong with me [don't go there!!]. I believe the AD's have helped stabilize emotions and has helped with severe PMS symptoms.

My problem is that I never have any energy. I can wake up refreshed and feel my eyes closing about 2 hours later. I sleep 10 hours a night and by 2 in the afternoon I am crashing BIG TIME. I just don't understand this and looking back this been an issue for me my whole life, it is nothing new. In high school I tried to give blood and was told I was anemic. Yes, a long time ago but I wonder if it a chronic condition. I too have been thinking a better diet, exercise, etc. might help. But there have been times in my life where I have done these things and while they do help, they don't seem to be the solution. I have spent the past several days typing symptoms, fatigue into search boxes to no avail. Chronic fatigue doesn't seem to fit me, I don't have the muscle/joint pain.

I am going to run to the health food store today and purchase some of the supplements you have been discussing. They certainly can't hurt and I am most intrigued by your comments on the Omega 3 fish oils.

Thank you all for your willingness to share your experiences with others.

Shattered, I think the main contributor to my improved energy level was cutting out high carb junk food. Whenever you eat high carb, refined foods it causes a spike in your blood sugar. After it spikes, it crashes, which causes an energy drop.

A good example of this is how people feel an hour or two after lunch. They are sleepy, irritable and groggy. However, when I stick to low glycemic carbs, fat and protein for lunch, my energy stays level all day long. In fact, my energy stays the same all day long until around 9:30 -10:00pm. Like you, I used to want a nap 2 hours after I woke up [cereal for breakfast] and was practically comotose at 3-4pm.

When my coworkers have hamburgers and french fries, I have a pork chop, green beans and a salad with blue cheese. That is enough fat to keep me full all afternoon and the carbs are low glycemic enough to not interfere with my blood sugar.

For me, cutting out sugar had the greatest impact. That sapped my energy more than anything. And I had to see it for myself to believe how bad sugar is. I have more energy at age 48 than I had a 30 just because of that one change.

Mel, I think you have described me (comatose at 4PM). It's very frustrating because it mimics depression. I haven't lost the interest in doing things, I just need another nap first!! After D-Day I lost a lot of weight and pretty much just didn't eat for a month. Believe it or not, I think that balanced my blood sugar. When I did eat, I would force protein, like a piece of chicken, just to get something in me.

Now that I'm feeling better, the carbs are back. The past month with the holidays, there has been way too much refined sugar and carbs in my diet, and a lot of sluggishness.

Any thoughts on caffeine? Sometimes I use a supersized diet coke to get me through those "comatose" moments.

Shopping list for today:
Atkins diet book
Omega 3
Any other suggestions?

How about some good healthy snacks to have on hand when you get hungry? That has always kept me honest. My favorite snacks are string cheese sticks, regular cheese, Blue Bunny Lite sugar free yogurt, olives, macademia nuts, peanuts. Deviled eggs are also a great snack if you like those.

Another thing that I do is keep a salad or salad fixings around to make meals easy. [plain lettuce is nutritionally void, though, so I like spinach or kale if you can find it] One that I want to make this week is a broccoli/cauliflower salad with green onions, small blocks of cheddar cheese and Ranch dressing. Those are all low glycemic veggies that won't sap your energy when eaten with protein.

The best salad dressings I have found are Marie's Blue Cheese or Ranch. They have no sugar or transfats and are very good.

Did you know that coke is terrible for you?? They clean battery acid with that crap!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> [okok, so maybe I work for their competitor - sorry we are kicking your [censored], COke!] Seriously, I have never had a problem with caffeine, but if you get your blood sugar levelled out, you might not need it for that reason.