A Bottomless Well of Wellness

Warning: Boring health update. Migraine-ers only need apply...

So, for the last several months, I've been taking an anti-depressant named Cymbalta which the neurologist thought might help these migraines. The headaches continue about the same, so the doc recommended going off the drug. Now I'm wondering if, even though they were not stopping the headaches, if I should continue them. I am experiencing some things now that I didnt notice all that much before, but now that I've had a break from them, it's hard to go back.

The weepys: Everything's making me cry again. On our morning walk, a nice woman complimented Eli on his excellent biking and I felt my eyes tear up when I saw how proud he felt. Sheesh.

The drama: Everything is 40 times as [fill in the blank of your favorite emotion here] as it was before. 40 times being, of course, an example calculated to be hyperbolic and therefore overly dramatic.

Irritation: EVERYONE IS SO ANNOYING! I've been picking on my family all weekend.

The Difficulty of Interacting With The Physical World: You know how I could figure out how to solve the problem of world peace if I didn't spend so damn much time looking for my keys? On the cymbalta, I never misplaced things. Or if I did, I just calmly looked for them until I found. No, I think I pretty much never lost things. Since I've been off, I cant keep track of anything. And housework seems harder to get a handle on too - dishes (hi will smama) just keep piling up for instance.

Anxiety: The good part about anxiety is that is gets me up early in the morning (six oclock! ok! better get up and get going! got so much to do! and I better get to it asap or someone will find out what big fat FRAUD I am! ). The bad part about anxiety is ditto.

Tinnitus: It's interesting that some of the herbs suggested for tinnitus (feverfew, for example) are also thought to work on migraines. Anyway, will you think I'm crazy if I tell you that I can hear a noise that no-one else can hear again now that I'm off the cymbalta? It's not constant, but every couple of minutes I hear three loud chirping noises. I used to hear them but pretty much got used to them and blocked them out, did not hear them again when I was taking cymbalta and now I hear them again and I'm noticing them alot more. See, you do think I'm crazy. Ok, I'll stop talking about the noises now.

On the other hand, I preached the pretty much kick-assing-est sermon of my whole short career today (judging by the feedback) and I've been blogging and exercising every day. Maybe I'm not getting more done, but I'm feeling really creative and I'm up early instead of lying in bed until 8:30 grogging, "ohhh, I, can, sleep, another, half, hour, who, will, care......."

Advice from others who have ridden the antidepressant roller coaster warmly welcomed.