I've got a laundry list of medication related updates for you all tonight. We're going to briefly talk about myself, Lizze and Gavin because we've all had very recent changes to medication. Me It makes sense to begin with me, as I'm pretty straightforward.
As I mentioned just prior to my oral surgery a little over a week ago, I've decided that I need more help with my depression than I'm currently getting. This help comes in the form of additional medication. I'm not super excited about starting a new medication but I refuse to allow depression to control my life and influence my ability to be a good husband/father.
Just so we're clear, I'm not saying that if you're depressed, you can't be a good parent, spouse or partner because that's not true. What I'm talking about is the way depression is impacting me.
It doesn't make me a bad husband or father, but it does chew up valuable resources that I need to be spending on my wife and kids.
Does that make sense?
About a week ago, I started a low dose of Prozac. It's only 20mg/day but we're starting low and if it needs to be bumped up in a couple of months, so be it. Truthfully, I'm already feeling better and while I know antidepressants typically take about 8 weeks to really do their job, I usually respond a good bit quicker.
Between finally conquering my fear of all thing dental, getting the surgery over with and starting the Prozac, I'm in a much better place right now.
With any luck, the Prozac will be just what I need to help tip the scales in my direction..
Gavin Mr. Gavin is currently on the ass-end of a significant medication change and will finish up in exactly 7 days.
Gavin is being completely taken off of Clozapine, the antipsychotic medication he's been on for many, many years in order to manage his Schizophrenia. This is a huge change and it's not without risks.
We're hoping that this will help to clear up some of his constant confusion and improve his overall quality of life. We are aware that this means we could and probably will see an uptick in hallucinations but it's a *risk reward *kinda thing.
He's currently 2 weeks into a 3 week withdrawl process and so far so good.
Gavin's no longer sleeping through the morning and he does seem to be processing things a little easier now.
For some reason, his body began metabolizing the Clozapine differently and he began having side effects that he'd not experienced in all the years he'd been on the medication. The major areas of concern were increasing confusion and significant sedation. Both of those symptoms seem to be subsiding at this point.
We need to watch him closely and he will likely need to go on a different antipsychoic at some point but for right now, he's doing okay. Lizze My super awesome wife Lizze, was recently approved for her medical marijuana card. She's written a detailed account of the process and her experience on her blog. Read that here.
I don't want to steal too much of her thunder but I will say that in all the years she's suffered in constant pain, medical marijuana is the first thing that has actually made a significant and positive impact on her life.
On most days, it actually completely eliminates her migraine. She's had the same migraine for over 7 years and nothing outside of 16 hours of headache infusions, have had any impact.
This is amazing progress and over the last month or so, she's been feeling much better, at least most of the time.
There are downsides but the benefits far outweigh them, at least in my opinion. That said, the downsides are still problematic and need to be managed.
Cost is a major problem. Medical marijuana is insanely expensive in Ohio and it's 100% out of pocket. It's an added expense and because it works, it's incredibly important that I ensure she has access to it.
This is one of the reasons I'm really needing to focus on more effectively monitizing this blog, as well as the podcast. You can help support what I'm doing by simply visiting each day. I wrote about all the ways my readers/listeners can help support my efforts and in turn, help me support my family. Read that <strong><a href="https://www.theautismdad.com/2019/03/29/i-really-need-your-help/" class="text-zinc-900 font-semibold underline underline-offset-2 hover:text-zinc-600 transition-colors">here</a></strong>.
The other, perhaps less obvious issue is that she can't use it when she's home alone with the kids. That doesn't happen too often but it does happen.
This hits one of two ways. Either I can't leave to do whatever I may need to do (without hauling all the kids with me) because I need to watch the kids or she can't use what she needs to use, in order to stop her agonizing pain because I'm not home.
It's a balance but one worth finding because this is giving Lizze her life back.
Again, I encourage you to read her story. She's written a detailed account of the process and her experience on her blog. Read that here.
That pretty much bring you up to speed and just in time because I'm ready to crash for the night. ☺
