I told him the Prozac my OB-GYN had put me on for PMS was making me sleepy in the afternoons, and asked if he could sling me a little Wellbutrin to take in the morning so I can be perky/motivated. In return, I promised to go off sleeping pills soon. Real soon.

His counter-proposal: if I go off the sleeping pills first, then he'll give me the Wellbutrin. He's obviously a granola-crunching hippie Mother Nature's son kind of guy. Though he did give me some Fiorinal with codeine to have on hand against future migraine attacks.

So, you know: the quality of mercy is not strained.

Posted by: Attila at 04:07 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Post contains 118 words, total size 1 kb.

1 If you take Prozac for PMS, why does it sound like you're doing them 30 days/mo.? Afternoon naps sound like a better way to go anyway... I worry about you!

Posted by: Darrell at October 12, 2005 09:29 PM (uXxzD)

2 I have the impression that you can't just take SSRIs part of the month--it has to be a steady thing.

Posted by: Attila Girl at October 12, 2005 11:23 PM (EmfL0)

3 Also, the naps appear to be a side-effect of the Prozac, since without drugs I can't sleep at all. I feel like my afternoon sleepiness is at least teaching me what to do mentally to induce sleep (what are the best visualizations, relaxation exercises, etc.) So maybe I can use those same techniques at night.

Posted by: Attila Girl at October 13, 2005 04:25 AM (EmfL0)

4 I see med schools use these mnemonics for remembering the side effects of SSRI's S- Sickness(nausea)/Sore heads(headache) S - Staggering (unsteadiness/Postural hypotension) R - Restlessness/Rashes I- Insomnia S- Slimming (fluoxetine reduces appetite)/Serotonin syndrome That about sums it up, don't you think? I see where the results are similar for intermittent(luteal phase) vs. continuous dosing for PMS. But, of course, you would have to consult with your doctor before making that change... Withdrawal symptoms could be a problem depending on your length of use. Still worrying!

Posted by: Darrell at October 13, 2005 09:21 AM (UrXGy)

5 My insomnia goes back to infancy--it's actually a broken body clock (delayed sleep phase syndrome: I'm designed to sleep 6 am to 2 pm). And I'm actually pretty pudgy, due to a small case of middle-age. The headaches would have shown up months ago if they were a side effect of the Prozac. In my case they probably reflect the movement of the Santa Ana winds around SoCal lately, which dehydrates me and increases my allergic reactions. And my normal treatment for headaches is lots of water, since I always think of dehydration first. It takes a lot for me to even pop an aspirin.

Posted by: Attila Girl at October 13, 2005 10:59 AM (EmfL0)

6 How, pray tell, did anyone diagnose you with delayed sleep phase syndrome? Were you sent to a sleep lab at a university hospital? Even if this is so, you should be able to shift your body clock to match your environment. Melatonin or HTTP. Or you can find a time zone that accomodates you. Just think how big you can be in Hawaii, Alaska, or New Zealand? If you weren't so bright, witty, and charming, you'd be a handful!

Posted by: Darrell at October 13, 2005 12:13 PM (e09BU)

7 This might help

Posted by: beautifulatrocities at October 13, 2005 02:38 PM (KhHTV)

8 Thanks, Darrell; I suspect my husband thinks I'm a handful as it is. I've never been to a lab, but a sleep doctor finally told me what this phenomenon was called a few years ago. My father has it as well. Right now I'm dosing myself with sunlight, cutting back on caffeine, and making sure I don't sleep too late. It just freaks people out when one's schedule flips day-to-night, so I'm trying not to do so. Jeff--Figured it would be something like that! Excellent.

Posted by: Attila Girl at October 13, 2005 08:27 PM (EmfL0)

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