posted on September 27, 2009 06:10:49 PM new(a number of kind,kewl,konsiderate EO friends have inquired after me&Ralphie, so, here the hot skinny)
Ai! Carrumba!
Just came home from the nut-house after another MONTH-LONG stay...
As featured on "INTERVENTION," Wekiva Springs caters to ALCHOLICS; DRUG ADDICTS; and DEPRESSION / BI-POLARS (http://www.wekivacenter.com/), although NOW I have a NEW diagnosis!
Are ya ready fur this one?
MELANCHOLIA
I kid you not! Although it makes me feel like a 19th century Victorian damsel suffering from the "vapors,"MELANCHOLIA is a real diagnosis straight out of the DSM, and, according to my shrink, my symptoms (the WORST of which is EXTREME black terrible depression in the am, which subsides somewhat in the pm) are CLASSIC...
...and having my meds shuffled. Nurse Ratched and Dr. Spivey finally settled on PRISTIQ which I'm very happy with! Unlike Cymbalta, which caused me to suffer extreme GI upset and Peccatophobia, I have absolutely 100% NO side effects with the Pristiq, so, if I can ignore the crushing cost, I should be able to stay on it easily...
While I was "away," my 3 housemates kindly cared for my best bud, who has taken a real shine to one of them...Even still, he lost significant weight again, but we had a real rowdy reunion yesterday -- I really missed my little guy...
Anyhoo, THANKS ALL for all the kind thoughts & emails from all youse out there in VD land!
posted on September 27, 2009 06:46:13 PM new
Wow, Tom, you guys have had a really rough go of it. I do understand what you're going through, though. My daughter suffers from depression/bi-polar disorder and has had a terrible time with meds. Hopefully, what they have her on now won't make her want to jump off a cliff! It was rough with her for a couple of weeks.
Hi, Ralphie! My dog, Buddy, sends his best and hopes you get better real soon!
posted on September 27, 2009 10:14:15 PM new
Hello, Tom,
I'm sort of a quiet Vendioite but have followed your amusing posts for years... and they've brought many smiles to my face.
I'm glad to read that things are on a good track and props to you for all your courage!! I've heard that if you have no or few side effects, it means you've found the right med. In other words, a silver bullet -- the right stuff targeting the right prob.
Anyway, I just wanted to pop my head up here and welcome you back!
And all the best to Ralphie...soon to be Roly-Poly Ralphie.
posted on September 28, 2009 08:26:15 AM new
Welcome back Tom. All good wishes to you and your little buddy!!
[ edited by pmelcher on Sep 29, 2009 03:55 PM ]
There's also an online support group for users and a 50% off copay offer on the website that may help you:
www.prestiq.com
Stick with it - it sounds like it's a winner! My best to you and Ralphie...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Caroline
[ edited by carolinetyler on Sep 29, 2009 03:48 PM ]
posted on September 29, 2009 07:45:00 PM newTHANKS ALL! for the very kind responses...
In da nut-house, we had group "therapy" 2X/day, but I'm convinced I get more benefit visiting this board here than from my so-called "therapist" there...
Did learn some life lessons, including the concept that alcholism and drug addiction are real beaches to treat and truly wreak havoc with patients' bodies...There were a fair number of lost souls in their late 40's~early 50's who looked 10-15 years older than me, ntm the terrible "shakes" they all seem to suffer through...Yikes! In comparison, being a plain ole garden variety cuckoo like me seems to be a minor pimple on life's emotional butt... Butt, I digress...
CarolineT:
THANKS for the link, but, since I'm on MEDICARE, it appears I don't qualify...
pmelcher:
Actually, they DO do it the SAME way now-a-days! Not bad if yer victim #1... Kinda YUCKY if #3, as ya get to listen to the battery CHARGING and then... EGAD: discharging!
Or, as Randall McRalphie likes to remind me: "One flew east; one flew west; one flew..."
NancyParsnip:
So far (5 weeks), the PRISTIQis seemingly the proverbial "magic bullet!" Amazingly effective with virtually NO side effects! Daresent get my hopes up too high, but I haven't felt this GRAND in at least THREE years... Ralphie & I are going on LONG walks every day, plus endulging in mucho male-bonding rituals such as watching NFL on TV, not-to-mention slobbering over his favorite programming: those darling UFC matches on SPIKE TV??
kozersky:
THANKS, Bill! Yer stamp of approval is ALWAYS appreciated, although there must be easier ways to add to yer inventory? Does though explain the COFFEE GROUNDS mixed in with the 1936 BOYS'TOWN SEALS Ralphie ordered, finally completing his MICKEY ROONEY / THE HOLLIES COLLAGE ("He Ain't Heavy, He's My Litter-Mate") he designed for his den / rumpus-room??
Cheryl:
WOW! Buddy has certainly grown into a HANDSOME young fellow, hasn't he! Of course, he lacks Ralphie's vertigo-inducing WALL-EYES and paint-peeling DRAGON-FAHTS, but, HEY! Nobody's PURFECT, right?
Caroline 
