Depression is one of the top five conditions for which people turn to complementary and alternative therapies, such as herbal treatments, exercise, relaxation or meditation exercises, and acupuncture. All of these approaches have been tested in scientific trials for depression, some with better results than others.

Studies have shown that most people don’t tell their doctors what alternative therapies they’re using, but it is important to do so. Sometimes a complementary treatment has a problematic interaction with a medication your doctor is prescribing for you. Also, your doctor may be able to offer advice about that particular alternative therapy.

Herbs and Supplements

It wasn’t long ago that no one had heard of St. John’s wort, let alone SAMe. But now, many people are trying supplements for their depression. But before you try any treatment, be sure to ask: Does it work, and is it safe?

St. John’s wort
St. John’s wort is the most popular herbal treatment for depression. However, it may be useful only when a person’s depression is not too severe. An analysis of several trials on St. John’s wort and depression published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2002 concluded that the herb seems effective for mild to moderate depression, working as well as the older tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine. A three-year trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002 found that St. John’s wort was not helpful for more serious depression. And results from studies that compare it with newer medications such as SSRIs vary widely.
 
The exact mechanism by which St. John’s wort works isn’t known yet, but the herb appears to raise serotonin levels, much like Prozac does. It also seems to boost two other key neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. Whether this neurotransmitter triple-header suffices to explain the herb’s mood-lifting abilities or whether another mechanism is at work remains less clear.
 
One appeal of St. John’s wort is its apparently mild side effects. While some people report problems such as dry mouth, dizziness, confusion, sensitivity to sunlight, or constipation or other gastrointestinal discomforts, very few find them onerous enough to stop taking it. The proportion of those who do stop using it (roughly 2%) compares favorably with the far larger percentages of people who switch or stop taking conventional antidepressants because of side effects.
 
It would be a mistake, however, to regard St. John’s wort as entirely benign because it’s an herbal remedy. St. John’s wort can affect the action of quite a few drugs, including the anti-clotting drug warfarin (Coumadin), the AIDS drug indinavir (Crixivan), and birth control pills. There is a possibility, too, of bad interactions with drugs such as MAOIs and SSRIs that boost serotonin. Before taking St. John’s wort or any other natural remedy, check with your doctor or a pharmacist about potentially dangerous interactions.
 
A number of questions about St. John’s wort still remain. For example, it’s unclear how long its effects last or how high the depression recurrence rate is. Some of these questions may be answered by a four-year, NIH-sponsored study testing St. John’s wort against citalopram (Celexa) and a placebo in the treatment of minor depression. But until research provides more data, it may make more sense to turn to one of the many better-tested treatments for depression (see Medications Used for Depression).

SAMe
Another supplement for depression that has been in the news is S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe), which is made from an amino acid found in the body. A few small studies have found that it’s as effective as the older classes of medications for depression, such as tricyclics. Preliminary studies have also found that for people who do not respond fully to an SSRI, the addition of SAMe can improve response. More study is needed, and before taking SAMe in addition to an SSRI, it is safest to talk to your doctor first.
 
Thus far, reported side effects from SAMe have been few. One important exception is that some individuals with bipolar disorder have become manic after taking SAMe. SAMe’s most common side effects are headaches, insomnia, jitteriness, and loose stools.
 
Another problem with SAMe, as with many supplements, is determining the right dose. Doses used in studies have varied from 400 mg to 1,600 mg per day. It’s also expensive — about $1 for a 200-mg tablet — and not covered by health insurance.
 
SAMe has not been studied nearly as well as standard antidepressants, and more information is needed before doctors can be sure about its effectiveness and proper dose levels. Until more research is done, it’s best to opt for an antidepressant that’s been better tested.

A word of caution on herbs and supplements
Because products like St. John’s wort and SAMe are classified as dietary supplements rather than drugs, they can be sold without a prescription and without FDA approval. As a result, their effects have not been scrutinized as rigorously as those of medications approved by the FDA.

Also keep in mind that herbs and plants — which may be steeped as tea, made into a tincture, used as extracts, or formulated into brand-name supplements — can deliver widely different dosages. This variability makes herbs harder to study and renders their effects harder to predict. And even though they are marketed as “natural,” they do have side effects and they may interact with other drugs you are taking.

Exercise

Can a few laps around the block actually solve your emotional problems? Probably not, but a regular exercise program might help. A review of studies stretching back to 1981 concluded that regular exercise can improve mood in people with mild to moderate depression. It also may play a supporting role in treating severe depression.
 
Another study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999, divided 156 men and women with depression into three groups. One group took part in an aerobic exercise program, another took the SSRI sertraline (Zoloft), and a third did both. At the 16-week mark, depression had eased in all three groups. About 60%–70% of the people in all three groups could no longer be classed as having major depression. In fact, group scores on two rating scales of depression were essentially the same. This suggests that for those who need or wish to avoid drugs, exercise might be an acceptable substitute for antidepressants. Keep in mind, though, that the swiftest response occurred in the group taking antidepressants, and that it can be difficult to stay motivated to exercise when you’re depressed.
 
A follow-up to that study found that exercise’s effects lasted longer than those of antidepressants. Researchers checked in with 133 of the original patients six months after the first study ended. They found that the people who exercised regularly after completing the study, regardless of which treatment they were on originally, were less likely to relapse into depression.
 
A study published in 2005 found that walking fast for about 35 minutes a day five times a week or 60 minutes a day three times a week had a significant influence on mild to moderate depression symptoms. Walking fast for only 15 minutes a day five times a week or doing stretching exercises three times a week did not help as much. (These exercise lengths were calculated for someone who weighs about 150 pounds. If you weigh more, longer exercise times apply, while the opposite is true if you weigh less than 150 pounds.)
 
How does exercise relieve depression? For many years, experts have known that exercise enhances the action of endorphins, chemicals that circulate throughout the body. Endorphins improve natural immunity and reduce the perception of pain. They may also serve to improve mood. Another theory is that exercise stimulates the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which may directly improve mood.
 
Besides lifting your mood, regular exercise offers other health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, protecting against heart disease and cancer, and boosting self-esteem. How often or intensely you need to exercise to alleviate depression is not clear, but for general health, experts advise getting half an hour to an hour of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, on all or most days of the week.

Meditation

Meditation is a systematic method of regulating your attention, often through focusing on your breathing, a phrase, or an image. It may include calmly dismissing distracting thoughts and feelings while sitting in a relaxed position with your eyes closed.
 
Meditation is used to relieve stress and elicit the relaxation response, a state of profound rest and release. Some experts believe that by regularly practicing techniques that evoke the relaxation response, such as meditation, you can help your body erase the cumulative effects of stress, which has been linked to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, a weakened immune system, and asthma. As noted earlier, there appears to be a link between stress and depression (see Hormones and the HPA Axis).
 
Studies have found that meditation can help prevent relapse in people who have had three or more episodes of depression. For example, in one study, while 78% of depressed people given normal treatment for depression relapsed in the following year, only 36% of those people who got meditation training in addition to regular treatment did. For people with fewer than three episodes of depression, meditation has not been found to be as effective.
 
There is evidence that meditation has distinct effects on the brain. In one study, researchers measured brain electrical activity before, immediately after, and four months after a two-month course in mindfulness meditation. They found persistent increased activity on the left side of the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with joyful and serene emotions.
 
Another goal of meditation is to facilitate personal change — much the same goal as psychotherapy. Some therapists, particularly those in the cognitive behavioral field, have incorporated meditation techniques into therapy, either as part of the session or as homework for patients to do on their own. If meditation appeals to you, ask your therapist about how best to use it. Going to a class or listening to a meditation tape may be a good first step. In addition, try the meditation exercises listed below.

Meditation Exercises

Here is a meditation exercise that you can try on your own.  

• Choose a mental device to help you focus. Silently repeat a word, sound, prayer, or phrase (such as “one,” “peace,” “Om,” or “breathing in calm”). You may close your eyes if you like, or focus your gaze on an object.
• Adopt a passive attitude. Disregard distracting thoughts or concerns about how well you’re doing. Any time your attention drifts, simply say, “Oh, well” to yourself and return to silently repeating your focus word or phrase.
• Now slowly relax your muscles, moving your attention gradually from your face to your feet. Breathe easily and naturally while using your focal device for 10 to 20 minutes. After you finish, sit quietly for a minute or so with your eyes closed. After you open your eyes, wait another minute before standing up.
• Try to practice this meditation daily for 10 to 20 minutes or longer, preferably at a specific time each day.

Have just a minute or two? Try the following quick meditation exercise to help relieve stress.

• Place your hand just beneath your navel so you can feel the gentle rise and fall of your belly as you breathe. Breathe in. Pause for a count of three. Breathe out. Pause for a count of three. Continue to breathe deeply for one minute, pausing for a count of three after each inhalation and exhalation.

Identifying your symptoms can be a useful first step toward gaining a deeper understanding of how depression, dysthymia, or bipolar disorder affects you. It may help you open a discussion with a doctor or therapist, too.
 
Be aware, however, that self-tests like this one cannot diagnose depression or any other mental illness. Even if they could, it’s easy to dismiss or overlook symptoms in yourself. It may help to have a friend or relative go over this checklist with you. Also, remember that your feelings count far more than the number of check marks you make. If you think you are depressed or if you have other concerns or questions after taking this test, talk with your doctor or therapist.

Depression Checklist

Start by checking off any symptoms of depression that you have had for two weeks or longer, or that you’ve noticed in the family member or friend you’re concerned about. Focus on symptoms that have been present almost every day for most of the day. Then look at the key below. (The exception is the item regarding thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts. A check mark warrants an immediate call to a doctor.)  

• I feel sad or irritable.
• I have lost interest in activities I used to enjoy.
• I’m eating much less than I usually do and have lost weight, or I’m eating much more than I usually do and have gained weight.
• I am sleeping much less or more than I usually do.
• I have no energy or feel tired much of the time.
• I feel anxious and can’t seem to sit still.
• I feel guilty or worthless.
• I have trouble concentrating or find it hard to make decisions.
• I have recurring thoughts about death or suicide, I have a suicide plan, or I have tried to commit suicide.

Scoring Key
 
Depression and dysthymia. If you checked a total of five or more statements on the depression checklist, including at least one of the first two statements, you (or your loved one) may be suffering from an episode of major depression. If you checked fewer statements, including at least one of the first two statements, you may be suffering from a milder form of depression or dysthymia.

Manic Episode Checklist

Check off any symptoms you’ve noticed for a week or longer in yourself or the person you’re concerned about. Focus on symptoms that are present almost every day during most of the day.  

• I feel extremely elated, uninhibited, or irritable.
• I have ideas or plans that will have a big impact on myself or on others.
• I have a continuous stream of thoughts racing through my brain.
• I am sleeping far less than I normally do.
• I am talking far more than I normally do.
• I feel quite distracted and find it hard to focus.
• I am energetically pursuing my goals, or I feel agitated and unable to sit still.
• I am actively pursuing pleasures that may have negative consequences, such as buying whatever I want or entering into sexual liaisons or business schemes.

Scoring Key
 
Manic episode. Checking off four statements on the manic episode checklist, including the first statement, suggests possible bipolar disorder. Note that hypomanic symptoms (milder manic symptoms) may last for as little as four days, not a full week or longer.

Mild, Moderate, or Severe Depression?

Experts judge the severity of depression by assessing the number of symptoms and the degree to which they impair your life.

Mild: You have some symptoms and find it takes more effort than usual to accomplish what you need to do.

Moderate: You have many symptoms and find they often keep you from accomplishing what you need to do.

Severe: You have nearly all the symptoms and find they almost always keep you from accomplishing daily tasks.

Is It Dementia or Depression?

In older adults who experience an intellectual decline, it’s sometimes difficult to tell whether the cause is dementia or depression. Both disorders are common in later years, and each can lead to the other. It’s not rare for a person with dementia to become depressed, and a depressed person may lose mental sharpness. The latter case is sometimes called the dementia syndrome of depression. People with this form of depression are often forgetful, move slowly, and have low motivation as well as mental slowing. They may or may not appear depressed.
 
This syndrome responds well to treatments for depression. As mood improves, the person’s energy, ability to concentrate, and intellectual functioning usually return to their previous levels.
 
Although depression and dementia share certain traits, there are some differences that help distinguish one from the other:  

• Decline in mental functioning tends to be more rapid with depression than with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia.
• Unlike Alzheimer’s patients, people who are depressed are usually not disoriented.
• People with depression have difficulty concentrating, whereas those affected by Alzheimer’s have problems with short-term memory.
• Writing, speaking, and motor skills aren’t usually impaired in depression.
• Depressed people are more likely to notice and comment on their memory problems, while Alzheimer’s patients may seem indifferent to such changes.

Because there’s no test that can reveal whether someone has depression or dementia, if you and your doctor aren’t certain, it’s worth trying a depression treatment. If depression is at the root, treatment can produce dramatic improvement.

Is Pain a Symptom of Depression or a Cause?

Pain is depressing, and depression causes and intensifies pain. People with chronic pain have three times the average risk of developing psychiatric symptoms — usually mood or anxiety disorders — and depressed patients have three times the average risk of developing chronic pain. When low energy, insomnia, and hopelessness resulting from depression or anxiety perpetuate and aggravate physical pain, it can be impossible to tell which came first or where one leaves off and the other begins.
 
Pain slows recovery from depression, and depression makes pain more difficult to treat. For example, depression may cause patients to drop out of pain rehabilitation programs. So it often makes sense to treat both pain and depression; that way they are more likely to recede together.

Brain pathways
Normally, the brain diverts signals of physical discomfort so that we can concentrate on the external world. When this shutoff mechanism is impaired, physical sensations like pain are more likely to become the center of attention. Brain pathways that handle pain signals use some of the same chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) that are involved in the regulation of mood. (See Nerve Cell Communication for more information.)
 
When these pathways start to malfunction, pain is intensified, along with sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety. And as chronic pain, like chronic depression, takes root in the nervous system, the problem perpetuates itself. The mysterious disorder known as fibromyalgia may be an example of this kind of biological process linking pain and depression. Its symptoms include widespread muscle pain and tenderness at certain pressure points, with no evidence of tissue damage. Brain scans of people with fibromyalgia show highly active pain centers, and the disorder is more closely associated with depression than most other medical conditions. This leads some experts to speculate that the pain sensitivity and emotional storminess of fibromyalgia result from faulty brain pathways.

Treating pain and depression in combination
In pain rehabilitation centers, specialists treat both problems together, often with the same techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation, hypnosis, and meditation. Physicians prescribe standard pain medications — acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and in severe cases, opiates — along with a variety of psychiatric drugs. Almost every drug used in psychiatry can serve as a pain medication (see Medications Used for Depression). By relieving anxiety, fatigue, or insomnia, these medications also ease any related pain. In addition, antidepressants — sometimes given in low doses — may relieve pain in ways unrelated to their antidepressant effects.
 
Exercise and psychotherapy are commonly used at pain centers, too. Physical therapists help patients perform exercises not only to break the vicious cycle of pain and immobility, but also to help relieve depression. Cognitive and behavioral therapies teach pain patients how to avoid fearful anticipation, banish discouraging thoughts, and adjust everyday routines to ward off physical and emotional suffering. Psychotherapy helps demoralized patients and their families tell their stories and describe the experience of pain in its relation to other problems in their lives.

More article like this can be found at http://www.everydayhealth.com/

Overcome Agoraphobia And Anxiety And Panic Attacks – By: Steve Knorr

Agoraphobia

If you hear about someone being agoraphobic, you get the immediate mental image of a recluse who hides from people. You would also figure that a person with agoraphobia would avoid social situations. But if you did, you would be wrong.

You have heard of mental disorders. You might think only mentally unbalanced people become afflicted with these conditions. However this is simply not the case. Mental disorders include panic attacks, anxiety disorders and social anxieties as well. These attacks can range from mild discomfort to debilitating agoraphobia and this is a condition that can strike anyone.

Panic and Anxiety Attacks

Your life is going along the normal path that you’ve set out when suddenly without any warning terror has you in its grip. You feel weak and helpless. Your heart’s pounding and you have trouble breathing. You may even wonder if you’re having a heart attack or if you’re about to die. When you finally go to see a doctor, you might even be told there’s nothing physically wrong with you.

So when you next suffer from an attack you wonder what’s wrong with you. You find that certain situations will bring on these frightening attacks and this will be your first clue that you’re experiencing a panic attack. Panic attacks are not physical conditions, and that is why your doctor might have had trouble diagnosing your complaint.
Panic and Anxiety Attacks what’s the difference?

Anxiety attacks are like a feeling of dread. You don’t want to do something or go somewhere. You feel uneasy and my have light physical symptoms like an irritable stomach but for the most part anxiety attacks have little physical symptoms. Panic attacks on the other hand manifest physical symptoms such as painful feelings in the chest, heart racing, unable to catch ones breath or a feeling of drowning or choking. Often people use the terms anxiety and panic attacks interchangeably. This is incorrect, but since there is a gray area where they overlap people have become accustomed to using them interchangeably.

Misconceptions

So, what is agoraphobia you might ask then? This is a condition where an individual doesn’t wish to go places or face situations where they could become exposed to panic attacks. The very word agoraphobia itself lets us know the nature of this debilitating condition. ‘Agora’ comes from the Greek language and it means places where people meet, or a marketplace. ‘Phobia’ is a fear of something. Thus many believe that agoraphobia is the fear of crowded places when in fact it’s a misconception that agoraphobia is a fear of “crowded spaces.

Agoraphobia Is Related To The Pain of Panic Attacks

Agoraphobia is a condition that develops gradually. In general it occurs after a panic attack. After the first attack you may subconsciously be preparing for another attack and fearing the symptoms that will leave you feeling helpless. This cycle of panic attack and impending panic attack can cause you to change your entire lifestyle just to avoid those feelings of terror. As panic attacks can occur anywhere at anytime, we generally associate the first place that we feel helpless as perhaps the reason for our terror.

An agoraphobia sufferer will go out of their way to avoid those places and situations where a panic attack may occur. They may even end up being housebound as they avoid being in crowded places. This unhealthy lifestyle can in itself trigger agoraphobic attacks to occur in everyday normal situations. The increased heart rate may also cause a panic attack because you may think that you’re having a heart attack.

As you can see this is a vicious and extremely debilitating mental condition. For sufferers of panic attacks they should seek the medical aid of doctors who specialize in these mental disorders and receive treatment before their panic attacks spiral into agoraphobia where they may end up being restricted in their lifestyle due to their ever-increasing fear of being helpless in the face of a panic attack.

Occurrence and Diagnosis

Most people develop agoraphobia after the onset of Panic Disorder. Panic disorder is simply recurring Panic Attacks. About 5 percent of the population will at one time or another face Agoraphobia or Panic Attacks. Usually women are twice as likely to be overcome with Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia. It is important for you to understand that Agoraphobia is the adverse reaction to repeated Panic Attacks and not a physical condition.

Treatments

The most common treatment for Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia are the use of anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications. Also a gradual process of exposure therapy will help one overcome the cycle of Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia. A qualified physician or therapist must oversee this process.

Some other things to try are Meditation, Yoga or some other sort of exercise. This will allow you to begin to control the Panic Attacks. It is also important for you to change the wording of your inner voice. You must eliminate all negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.

A great resource for you to eliminate Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia is the Book “Overcoming Anxiety And Panic Attacks A Step-By-Step Guide”

It is also has an audio-book version that will make it much easier for you to take in all the information it gives you. Delivered as a downloadable MP3 you can listen to it on your computer, mp3 player or you can make an audio CD that you can listen to in your car or anywhere you have a CD Player.

You don’t have to hide from your fears anymore! You can be free to live your life the way you want to without the fear of sudden Anxiety or Panic Attacks. Live your life free from the stifling pressure of agoraphobia and go where you want to whenever you want to
If you hear about someone being agoraphobic, you get the immediate mental image of a recluse who hides from people. You would also figure that a person with agoraphobia would avoid socia

Steve Knorr is the publisher of many websites on how to succeed in personal and business life. If you want more information on how you can deal with anxiety and panic attacks you get his book here: http://overcomeanxietyandpanicattacks.com/cure_anxiety_in_8_weeks.htm

Currently steve is working on a new blog called http://www.MySelfHelpBlog.com

Things are starting to pick up work wise, which is good because as my energy levels pick up I was finding myself bored to tears. *lol*

My kids are doing pretty well too ……. my son had been running a fever but not a high one just enough to make him feel bad.

We got a ton of snow and we have another storm moving down from Canada but I am not sure how much snow they are expecting with this next one . We have about 6 1/2 Inches now.

I am up to 400 mg of Seroquel now, I am experience some “Pounding Heart” symptoms. not sure if it’s a panic attack or elevated blood pressure.  I will know more when I talk to my doctor.

Well that’s it for now …….. look for new pages and articles to be posted in the comming weeks.

Thanks for reading and as always – Welcome to My Madness!

Wow! Haven’t been here in a while. I have been pretty busy with kids and stuff, had this weekend to myself. (Kids went to their dads) So I slept alot and went out for a nice Chinese Dinner with my man and just relazed.

Wow! I haven’t posted in a few days, I am so sorry!

I am very into my kids, more so than I have been ….. ever I think. In alot of ways I am ashamed to admit that because I love my kids more than life it’s self. But I have been in a fog for so long and dealing with them is something that I just wasn’t able to do.

But now it’s like my whole world is changing, I am right there, aware of everything going on around me – And, needless to say, they do not like it because they are not getting away with the stuff that they used too *LOL*

Oh my, what a day yesterday turned out to be.  I didn’t sleep well the night before so I was tired and slept most of yesterday away. I think it’s is going to take more than a few days to regulate on 200 mgs of Seroquel before moving up to 300 mgs. (Our goal is to get to 600 mgs a day) 

I have spent most of today reloading my PC after a hard drive mishape that forced me to reformat it. I have stayed pretty busy and even though I am starting to wind down a bit now I have felt pretty good all day.

I had my 10 year old son home with a bad cold today…. An Autistic child who is feeling bad can be a real handful. He has not gotten more than 2 feet away from me all day.  It’s realy cold here (Ohio) right now so the kids haven’t been able to get out and play which added to the drama ’cause they are bouncing off the walls. I am finding that the adjustments that I am going through myself are lot easier than I anticipated so it’s not so hard to deal with the drama these days.

Well I think I am gonna end this for now.

Thanks for reading and as always-Welcome to My Madness!

First let me take a moment to Welcome kuntrygurl as my first subscriber! I am glad to have you on-board.

OK, now for the events of the day:

I slept until 8:30 this morning, was up for an hour checking email and such, laid back down around 9:30 and slept until 1:30 this afternoon. (By the way I am on EST)

When I got up I was in shock when I looked at the clock! I have not slept like this in years. It’s amazing to wake up and actually feel like you have slept. It also leave me a little un-nerved because I am a Structure kind of girl and this is breaking up my normal routines!

I went and looked at a Dodge Ram Conversion Van today, it’s beautiful and in about 4 weeks it will be mine! Not brand new mind you but new to me and I love it. It’s in great shape and I will finally have something big enough to haul my kids around in so I am happy non the less.

In the process of prospecting this van I met a Great Older Couple that where just the friendliest people I think I have ever met. We ended up spending an hour and a half at their kitchen table looking at pictures of their horses, ducks and grand kids (Yes they live on and operate a horse boarding ranch.) Just last week I would not have been able to do this, I would have been ready to leave within 10 minutes because people make me nervous.

My children came home from their dad this evening. They are, to say the least, less than thrilled with the changes that mom is going through. They are so used to me missing half of what is going on or giving in to them because that is easier than trying to deal with 4 kids with 4 distinct disorder,personalities, and levels of manipulation. Now mom’s head is not in a constant fog and I have heard things; i.e: stuff said under their breath, certain condentations in their voices that are meant to get their way, that I wasn’t hearing before.

But, with that being said, We had a much more pleasent evening with much less Drama and Chaos. I am pleased as punch They are now tucked in to bed, quiet as little church mouses and I am finding myself supprised that I am able to sit here, typing away and acctualy reflecting on my day. This is nice!

I am gonna go for now, I am increasing my meds from 100mgs to 200 mgs tonight so We will see what happens tomorrow.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Christie

        Well this is the second full day on Seroquel. I slept very well last night and I feel awake today. Normaly by this time of day (12:25 pm) I am desperatlly in need of a nap. I am still at 100 mgs which will increase to around 600 mgs in the comming weeks, Still not apparent side affects.

        Luckely my children are at their ads this weekend so that gives me time to adjust to all this. I am going to start working on next weeks Daily Schedual for the kids and myself and maybe, finally, I will acctually be able to stay on top of it this time (Let’s Hope! )

That’s all for today

Thanks for Reading and Welcome to My Madness!