Oh gosh, by all means, don't wean off your meds, but I know you know better than that. Where you more "Exciting, risk-taking" before meds? If so, does the other person think that getting this element back could bring more excitement into the relationship? If I'm right about the above, I went through something similar with my dh who wanted me to basically regress back to teen yrs and party with him again. No, nada, not going to happen. I grew up for a reason. I think it was part of a mid life crisis. On the other hand, living with someone with depression is hard. I say this as having been the one depressed at times and from being married to an untreated depressed person. Once depression is properly treated, relationships can grow and move forward, but I know you know that too, and it sounds like you are doing all you can do to treat yours.

How exciting!! Shoes: Saucony tennis shoes: no foot problems after 12 hrs on my feet. I switched to Dansko clogs though because I have a bad back. Love these even more. Very expensive though. I wear contacts, but glasses will always give you better vision. Had to have my contacts adjusted 4 times since I'm over 40 and needed to be able to see small things up close very well, such as sutures for removal and small lines on insulin syringes. Finally found a contact that gives me clear vision for both far and near vision. Hair: cut mine shoulder length. Putting it in a ponytail gave me a headache. Any water proof watch will do.

Thanks for your prayers, they mean a lot to me!

My therapist was excellent. Graduated with a doctorate from Vandy, was a Christian, not sure if that was integrated into her counseling. I went to therapy beacuse my dh wanted a divorce after 17 yrs. I was in total shock. I thought I was the best wife I could be, and didn't know how this had happened. I went to get over my shock and to get help deciding where to go from there. Probably my therapist would say divorce was best, i had no good choices, but I chose to stay because what I saw as abuse was gone, the relationship improved with all of us, and my children are old enough to understand my reasons for trying to stay vs leave. I was very resentful at 1st. I went to Alanon and that seemed to make ti worse. I still occasionally get resentful. Maybe I'm too busy with work, school and spending time with the family to get resentful. My kids are older teens and all but 2 of their classes are outsourced. Otherwise, I would've had to put them in school and it would've broke my heart. The EMD therapy is pretty close to hypnosis. Not everyone is trained in it. You undergo some relaxation techniques, then visualize your earliest trauma, then you use some more relaxation techniques along with some short hypnosis type hand movements from the therapist and you visualize the scene again. Each time the scene gets less and less painful, until you eventually look at with no emotion. The session for each event took anbout 1.5 hrs. I went through a session for each traumatic event in my childhood. This is how it helped the anxiety: For example, I had serious abandonment issues (both parents had literally dumped us on someone at one point in our life). This caused even more severe anxiety when I felt like my husband was abandoning me. It was like feeling twice as much anxiety as I should have. After doing the EMD, the anxiety from the previous event was mostly erased, so I was able to feel only as anxious as someone "normal" would feel. That along with taking steps to my own financial freedom helped me not to feel anxious. I hope this helps someone, I'm not saying my method was right, or that it's even healthy, but it's worked for me. I also am very sure to spend an hour per day doing something I enjoy. I also take a yoga class 2-3x/week. Those things are my maintenance program.

Hives can take 2-3 weeks to resolve even on benadryl. Call your md if there's any signs of trouble breathing: wheezing, coughing, trouble swallowing, drooling, or snoring. OF course call if you're concerned about anything else too, but it's normal for hives to take quite a while to resolve.

I can speak from my own personal situation which involved addiction and emotional distance for several yrs. In my opinion your friend can get through this in a different manner, IF there is NO physcial abuse. What helped me was a good therapist. The therapist worked me through all the abuse I had been through as a child and helped me to see how I had gotten into my current situation. This takes time of course. As you work through it, you see how you can change your choices to become more healthy. There was a lot of pain in the months I worked through this. As I became healthier through therapy, my dh did too. Things aren't perfect, there's still some emotional distance, because that's just the way he is, but he deals with anger better, the blaming me for the ills of the world has stopped. The addiction is unfortunately still there, but for now I live with it well. Here's what helped: Intense therapy along with much research into the causes of my situation. After our near divorce occurred, I immediately got a job. This was probably the #1 most effective factor for changing my husband and me. It shifted the power, I now made my own money and could partially support myself and the kids. 2nd it helped me. I felt stronger for having this resource. I was out with adults for the 1st time in yrs, and it felt good. I would do this even if it meant putting kids in school if she homeschools. She needs the time to change her life around and make herself a priority. If this happens, others will see her as a priority too. I'm lucky in that I work 12 hr shifts so I'm home a lot too. Even if she has no experience, she can apply for retail, service jobs etc. I also went back to school full time so I can actually make a living that will support myself and the kids if we should ever divorce. I wouldn't want this to happen, but addiction is still in my picture, so no guarantees here. I work and go to school. I Think Joanne and I have taken much the same path in this respect. I can support myself and the kids barely now, but could put them through college etc, if I get my advanced degree. The 3rd thing that helped was treatment for PTSD. I think the treatment was called EMD. It literally gave me the ability to be able to NOT get anxious about things in my life now. I would get overly anxious about addiction related things due to events from the past. EMD neutralizes past events, so they no longer affect current reactions. It literally saved my mind. It is amazing. It has given me the ability to stay in the relationship while I get my degree. And, like I said, once I did all these things, my husband changed. He is kind, caring, helps when asked, has made an extensive outreach to the kids and myself to form a relationship that had been lacking with all of us. He worked at it at 1st, and now it is more natural for him. These changes have been there for a yr now, so I assume they could be permanent. He doesn't have angry outbursts anymore either. So I guess my answer is, there is a possibility to have peace and love without divorce, but it takes a HUGE amount of work. I turned my life upside down, but I grew a lot from it too.

One year I awarded both lit and english credits, but according to several colleges that dd talked to, they don't want to see this. They expect one "english credit" per yr, and more would just count as an elective.

I don't think you can get too much of algebra. Most kids have difficulty with the mulitple calculus courses that some majors require due to a shaky algebra foundation. Even if your student is a strong math student, the more algebra the better IMO, especially since math skills are partially based on repetition. For this reason, I would do both Algebra 2 and precal: more repetition, more practice, more exposure.

I'm 45. Part of the reason I use BCP is to curb perimenopause/PMS symptoms. I can see changes within 4 weeks usually when I've had to change doses. For bleeding I usually see changes in the same time period too. My doc always tells me it can take 2-3 mos as your body adjusts to new hormone levels. In the changing over period symptoms can get worse and then will resolve completely within 2-3 mos.

Not sure in regards to HRT, but when switching birth control pills to treat for things such as PMS, you can't expect full changes for 2-3 months. I would think it would be the same for HRT.

Thank-you, It doesn't bounce or ride badly. I would say that it just feels "gritty." We traded her 2011 Hyundai Sonata which was a total lemon, for this. In our family, the only cars that last are toyotas and Lexus. I have a Lexus with >122,000 miles and DH has a 4Runner with >150,000. Neither has ever required repairs. I'm hoping this RAV4 will do the same. She's fine with the ride, I was just cocerned something was wrong. Anyone else have this gritty feeling under your feet driving experience?

We just got dd a 2010 RAV4, base model. Dh went with her to buy it, but didn't drive it during the test drive :glare: I drove it when they got home. I sit with my left foot about 6 inches in front of the rt foot which is on the gas pedal. It feels like you can feel every pebble on the road (it was a rougher type road). Is this normal for this car? Thanks, Michelle

You'll find lots of helpful, scientific studies if you do a googlescholar search. The findings there from scientific studies show that sunscreen is still effective at preventing melanoma, and that the increase in cases is due to better screening methods, public awareness, increased incidence of sunburn, and tanning beds.

My dd did calculus through Derek Owen's online class. We needed more than textbook for more thorough explanations. We're very happy with it.

:grouphug: to you. We've had a hard year too. What works best for me, like the other poster said, is to put on my own O2 mask too. For me that means doing something for myself everyday that is either relaxing or that I enjoy. I must do yoga or some exercise at least 3x/week. I schedule an hour into each day for myself. In that hour I either knit, shop, read, watch mindless TV, do some sort of art or meditate. This keeps me more steady and sane. After you feel better, than maybe you can schedule in some fun, low cost family ideas.

Save, save, save! My dd started flying lessons when she just turned 17. I got her the 1st lesson as a birthday present. She loves it! She's done her solo and is flying cross country now (which is about 150 miles round trip). She took aviation science through the Potters School first, and that gave her an excellent background for flying. Lessons cost anout $140/hr. I could've bought a package deal at the start for $5000 for all the lessons that lead to the private pilot's license, but didn't have the money to spend. I do pay in chunks that gives me 10% off. For us, the cost is worth it. It is her passion. She is going into aeronautical engineering, and I figured it would give her the motivation to get through all the calculus classes she will have to take.

Please be cautious when reading studies. Some studies may show that more poeple on statins developed diabetes, but it's a case of the chicken before the egg. Most people who are prediabetic or predisposed to diabetes or who have metabollic syndrome will develop high lipid levels before plasma glucose elevates. Hence, they go on a statin, and become diabetic later and the statin gets blamed. Solid, scientific studies (the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes study) which looked at 2838 patients, showed a 36% decrease in stroke, acute coronary events, and coronary revascularization over the placebo group. Several studies show that they are effective in slowing the progression of coronary heart disease, while decreasing the rate of strokes, MIs, cardiovascular disease and death. The Scandinavian Simvastin Survival Study Showed a 30% lesser death rate (after 4.9-6 yrs) in those taking Simvastin versus those on placebo. There are multiple other studies with the same results. When statins 1st came out there was little evidence to say that they actually prevented death from cardiac issues, but now we have the proof to say they do.

Well, statins are proven to prevent cardiovascular disease in diabetics, the number one cause of death in diabetics and are recommended to be taken by diabetics even when their lipid levels are normal or low (just for cardio protective purposes). I would suggest trying another statin or increasing your insulin or oral glycemic meds to compensate instead of stopping the statin. niacin (not a statin, but used in lowering cholesterol) can cause increased glucose levels.

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: to you! I've been through therapy during a really, really hard time in my life. I can't tell you how much it helps me to this day. I use the tools and techniques I learned to cope almost everyday. I have much more self realization and am able to prevent so many negative feelings now and when they do occur I know how to get myself out of the rut. The support of my therapist also made me realize I'm stronger than I thought, so I'm not so afraid of the "worst" happening. Wellbutrin may help too. It also is the very least likely to cause any sexual side effects, so please lay your mind to ease on that part. Therapy is just another tool to use to improve your well being, but with the right therapist, it can be a wonderful tool. I hope you feel better soon. Life is too short to allow ourselves to suffer for long, especially if it can be fixed.

Calcium and magnesium supplements (250-400mg) are supposed to help. SSRIs (Paxil and Zoloft) are supposed to be very effective. If one doesn't help, switching to another can. Progesterone may actually be making your symptoms worse. What you may need is more estrogen. I have bad PMS, but not PMDD yet. I'm on birth control for mine, and my doctor adjusts the estrogen dose, not the progesterone dose when symptoms creep up. I've felt much better after they've changed my dose both times that I've had to.

6 weeks of Tagamet works sometimes (I think they have no idea why).

:grouphug: prayers & :grouphug: I can't imagine how hard this is. I hope you find answers soon!

Thanks Lisa, that helps.

If it is abd migraines, which it very well could be, the vasoconstrictive action of the stimulant could bring on a migraine which is also caused by vasoconstriction. Your choices if it is abd migraine is to switch to a nonstimulant med or start migraine prevention meds in order to stay on the stimulant.

K in FL do you mind telling me what college your dd attends for nursing? My dd is interested in nursing too.