My resilience has faded over the last 5 years of caregiving. So, in 2016 I put mother into assisted living, & now am decreasing visits. Lately, I cry almost every morning😢, & have had angry outbursts. The Dr is pushing lexapro, but I'm afraid of chemicals that alter the brain. I wish I had the motivation to just get a simple job. (The coffee shop I worked at last year closed down). Is 61 too old to work in fast food? Please help me get unstuck. I love you all for caring enough to answer.💞
You say you loved being a mom and it gave you purpose.
Have you thought about becoming a foster mom, you could even take siblings to keep them together.
You would be able to relate to their situation and help them find the path to becoming a productive, responsible, loving adult. There is nothing like been there, done that to understand the trauma these kids are trying to overcome.
You do get paid for caring for foster kids and they get insurance, clothes allowance etc.
Just a thought about something that has tremendous purpose and helps some very needy youngsters.
Do you feel better cutting the dose in half? If not it is time for a change.
Hugs 2 u my sister in Christ!
Personally I'm staring at my future after all this is done and I'm envisioning working at Walmart. I hope I can at least get stationed in electronics. My profession is enough years in the past that I would basically have to start anew. Considering that it was always a profession for the young, when I was in my 20's the "old guys" were in their 30's, I don't see me being picked over a 20 something. So Walmart it is. Fingers crossed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkb1YWEPCxw
Something tells me you would be good at it.
Remember we think we are stuck or lost, but God knows right were we are and He always has a plan for us.
Just a thought!
God bless you
I'm 61 also and had tried Cymbalta (duloxetine) for depression and anxiety about 2 years ago. (I want to mention that Lexapro and Cymbalta belong to 2 different drug classes: Lexipro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and Cymbalta is a selective serotonin AND norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), so I can't compare them to each other. However, they have similar side effects.
The thing that made me nervous was that I would have to take it for about a year then be WEANED off of it over 6 months! People have reported very severe side effects (called brain zaps-electrical shocks in the brain) when stopping taking antidepressants.
I didn't like the way it made me feel-or should I say "not" feel-I felt devoid of any emotion. I became a zombie. I wasn't anxious or depressed but I felt nothing. That scared me and I only took it for 3 days. Fortunately, I slowly got better with no meds.
Here's some info on Lexipro from Drugs.com;
Lexapro (escitalopram) is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Escitalopram affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with depression or anxiety.
Lexapro is used to treat anxiety in adults.
Common Lexapro side effects may include:
dizziness, drowsiness, weakness; sweating, feeling shaky or anxious, sleep problems (insomnia), dry mouth, loss of appetite, nausea, constipation, yawning,
weight changes, or decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm.
To make sure Lexapro is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
liver or kidney disease, seizures, low levels of sodium in your blood, heart disease, high blood pressure, a stroke, a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, bipolar disorder (manic depression), drug addiction or suicidal thoughts.
You should not use Lexapro if you are allergic to escitalopram or citalopram (Celexa), or if you also take pimozide.
Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of "serotonin syndrome", such as agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Do not stop using Lexapro suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.
Please look up this medication thoroughly before you start taking it. There are lots of good websites for checking meds.
Are you thinking that the Lexapro is causing your anxiety and panic? It seems much more likely that as your depression lifts, you've got the energy to be panicked! Do you think perhaps you need a short term anti anxiety med while you're getting to the full therapeutic effect of the Lexapro? Do you think you could call the doctor up and discuss that? And discuss the idea of cutting the dose in half?
Are you also getting talk therapy? Antidepressants work best when used in conjunction with talk therapy.
You do what you need to do to get back into your life.
Medication taken with an entree and exit plan, even if it is years is okay.
Sometimes we need a boost to even get dressed everyday, let alone go find a job, do classes or other things.
You know what you need and you are putting your trust in The Lord, so don't worry. You got this lady!
Let us know how you are feeling on the meds, are they working?
Hugs🤗
I use the knitting and T'ai Chi classes to help deal with, being, both patient & self directed caregiver.
Call: (913) 574-0900
I recommend the T'ai Chi classes.
Good luck!
If working is for the feeling it gives you and not so much the money then if you can not find a job VOLUNTEER! There are plenty of opportunities for volunteering.
Animal shelters that need dogs walked, play with the cats and yes clean a few litter boxes and pick up poop ..but we have been doing that for a while right!?
This time of year many places will be hiring for the holidays so now is the prefect time to apply.
And there is nothing wrong taking a medication that will help you get over this "hump". It is wrong when you decide to do nothing to change, nothing to make your life better. It is wrong to expect the drugs to do all the work. You have to get inside your head and sort things out.
If you need to talk to someone along with the medication then that is what you have to do. And talking to someone may be a 1 time deal or it might be 1 time a week for a while or 1 time a month. They talk about space and the sea being unexplored what about the human mind and all the stuff, both good and bad, we have going on up there.
Be well, take care of you now.
I felt the same way. Find myself pouring a glass of wine or two at nights and considering medication. something. anything
I am now getting away just to swim laps 3 or 4 days a week-it was very difficult to be able to do this but felt like somethings gotta give!!! It helps me to clear my head and think plus feels good to actually do something for myself
I think it is not really a chemical problem as it is more a situational problem. Who wouldnt be overwhelmed or depressed after cargiving in a very depressing and oppressive atmosphere? Maybe meds would help some. Everyone is different.
God help us all.
Exercise not only can relieve depression and fatigue, but also has the additional benefits of making one feel physically better too. All of that combined can do wonders to lift spirits, relieve anxiety and helps manage anger too.
We all differ in opinions and thoughts, that doesn't make yours wrong.
Firstly:
I don't think your comments were misunderstood. That is placing the blame for your self-proclaimed mistakes onto the people reading them.
Secondly:
If you were actually sincere in correcting your misstatements, you could start with a strong apology. Then you could move to quote the improper statements and provide corrections. It is possible and relatively easy to perform those tasks. You might make them as responses to what you say were mistaken, new answers to the original post, or better yet, both.
Good luck and God bless.
I would recommend antidepressants to anyone who can be helped by them. It's not a panacea but it keeps me from spiraling downward. You deserve to be well, whether it takes chemicals or not. Good luck!