Magic, the Divine, and the medicated...

[CuAnnan]

VisasMarr

Eee gads, that stinks sad So, what do you take when you get a headache or have to get surgery?

Oh, I suffer from debilitating migraines.
I use Midol, the mix without ibuprofen.
Other than the migraines, I grin and bare it.

VisasMarr

When you were on prozac (if you don't mind me asking) did you find your spiritual/religious work more difficult to accomplish?

I lacked the drive to bother.

VisasMarr

I don't know much about SJW, but I will certainly investigate it. I know though that one cannot take it while on an anti-depressant, some sort of weird/maybe dangerous interaction occurs. That is weird that they would illegalize it. I would figure the USA would do it before Ireland, but then again... I don't know much about Ireland.

The Irish Medical Board put forward a complaint that, rather than going to the Doctor with depression or insomnia, they'd just take SJW.
This lead to some gritty cases.

VisasMarr

How did the SJW help?

It, as far as I recall, is a mood stabiliser. It kept the downs from being too bad and it helped me sleep.

VisasMarr

Do you find working with your Gods and your spiritual/religious undertakings are impeded much by your bi-polar depression?

Not since I got of the protheiden.
When I'm down, they either comfort me or b***h slap me out of it.
When I'm up, they remind me to enjoy it and that, like life itself, it's fleeting.  

[VisasMarr]

Wood Sorrel

Well that's for sure! sweatdrop I started changing my diet before I went on antidepressants, and exercising too, but it's been very hard to keep up with the exercise... I didn't find diet made all that much difference in my mood, though it certainly made my body healthier. The exercise makes me feel better afterwards, it's just hard to start...

Hahahaah, you got that right....I'm so bad for that. When I was regularily taking Taekwondo it wasn't much of a problem (everything was pretty stable then) but I lack the funds for such an endevour.

Wood Sorrel

It's interesting. I think that my depression may have in fact spurred some spiritual searching. I was reluctant to start pills, and I started going to a UU church to try to find some meaning and community. I have not been back since I started the pills. Not that I went that much anyway. I feel happier on the pills, but I think my spiritual development has actually been dulled because since I am more content, what do I need to search for? I wouldn't say that spiritual pursuits are easier or more difficult, just that I don't think about it as much.

Hmm, that is a rather interesting perspective. I tend to have a problem similar to that with my artwork. When I was not taking anti-depressants it was easy to be creative, but I still didn't do it very often. Now, it is more complicated, I just am too critical with it, so it never gets done...  

[VisasMarr]

midara the happy banshee

VisasMarr

I don't know much about SJW, but I will certainly investigate it. I know though that one cannot take it while on an anti-depressant, some sort of weird/maybe dangerous interaction occurs. That is weird that they would illegalize it. I would figure the USA would do it before Ireland, but then again... I don't know much about Ireland.

How did the SJW help?

SJW works a lot like an SSRI, in that it boosts the level of serotonin being used in your brain. I've been using SJW for about two years now, and it has worked fabulously. I have a serotonin definciency that worsens in winter months. I was on fluoxetine for a few years, and while that helped quite a bit, the side effects were horrible. I began using SJW to help with the withdrawal symptoms when I was quitting fluoxetine, and I continue to use it as a replacement medication.

Hmm, that sounds like a plan... Ahh, when I was switching from Paxil to wellbutrin, I had terrible Seritonin withdrawl, so I started prozac..

midara the happy banshee

To answer your original questions, my spiritual experiences did change when I began taking medication. For a while they seemed to taper off, though that was, I suspect, because I was taking medication that was not well suited to my condition. When I finally settled on fluoxetine, I regained my interest in spiritual matters. The experiences were different, but not better or worse. Meditation was easier, but things weren't as intense. It was harder to muster lots of passion and energy at will, and it still is. It's hard to enter any sort of ecstatic state. But I can still communicate with the Gods just as well, and my magic still works, even if it's harder to do. And even though things are more difficult, I'm really grateful that I'm on medication. I find more beauty in the world, and, because I'm happier, I'm more fulfilled by my spirituality. I'm able to live my life better. And that, for me, makes medication absolutely worth it.

*nods* That reads like it certainly does. Thank-you for sharing.  

[VisasMarr]

reagun ban

Oh, I suffer from debilitating migraines.
I use Midol, the mix without ibuprofen.
Other than the migraines, I grin and bare it.

Midol and migraines... ack, that never works for me. Have you tried any of the triptans for a migraine attack? They work really well, most of the time, they have some wacky side effects, and they are rather expensive... but they work very well. Some of these are Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, Amerge.
Do you get 'aura' with your migraines? Do you find that your migraines and your bipolar depression constantly feed into eachother?

With my migraines, I do get aura, which is a visual disturbance prior to the beginning of pain. I also get cognitive difficulties (like not being able to think straight, not being able to think clearly, feeling "mentally blocked"), difficulty processing information, irritablility, light sound and smell sensitivity. Smell hallucinations (I smell something that just isn't there), vertigo, nausea....well, I could be writing the list all night (or morning in my case). This link has lost of info on that.

reagun ban

The Irish Medical Board put forward a complaint that, rather than going to the Doctor with depression or insomnia, they'd just take SJW.
This lead to some gritty cases.

Ah, I see. That couldn't have been good.

reagun ban

It, as far as I recall, is a mood stabiliser. It kept the downs from being too bad and it helped me sleep.

Did you take it before sleeping?

reagun ban

Not since I got of the protheiden.
When I'm down, they either comfort me or b***h slap me out of it.
When I'm up, they remind me to enjoy it and that, like life itself, it's fleeting.

^^  

[CuAnnan]

VisasMarr

Midol and migraines... ack, that never works for me. Have you tried any of the triptans for a migraine attack? They work really well, most of the time, they have some wacky side effects, and they are rather expensive... but they work very well. Some of these are Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, Amerge.

Don't see the need.
Midol works.

VisasMarr

Do you get 'aura' with your migraines? Do you find that your migraines and your bipolar depression constantly feed into eachother?

Yes, and no.
I get the "aura" but the bipolar depression and migraines are separate entities thus far.

VisasMarr

I also get cognitive difficulties (like not being able to think straight, not being able to think clearly, feeling "mentally blocked"), difficulty processing information, irritablility, light sound and smell sensitivity, vertigo, nausea....well, I could be writing the list all night (or morning in my case).

I get all of these.

VisasMarr

Did you take it before sleeping?

No. I took it during the day.