Depression, anxiety, stress and other related issues

[SaintRam]

1 hour ago, David said:

Super quick update for you all. 

Having received my first appointment which I wouldn't work as the missus needs to be off to drop and collect me with the sedation, the rearranged Colonoscopy was scheduled for this Sunday, 8.30am. Received the letter to go and collect my bowel prep I went in on Tuesday, they had no idea who I was or what was going on, few calls later they found out it had been sent out in the post and nobody knew why.

Was also told they have major concerns over doing the Colonoscopy whilst I'm so anxious about it (naturally so I'd say), advised me to see the doc and get some valium for the day. 

Get on the phone to the doc, told the next day they can get me in was September 17th or I could keep trying each morning to get in. Took the appointment anyway and this morning was able to get in. Ended up with a months worth of diazepam and some other low dosage meds for the longer term keeping anxiety under control.

I'm supposed to stop eating tomorrow at 9am, start downing the first litre of laxative followed by another litre at 5pm, just not ready for all this, so waiting on a callback to postpone the Colonoscopy for 6 weeks where the low dosage meds should have kicked in and will have the diazepam ready if needed for the run up.

I hate tablets, battle to get me to down a paracetamol down my neck, going to get some getting my head around this first without the thought of someone sticking a film crew up my backside in 48hrs.

If they gave me the camera I would give it a go myself, send them the recording but doubt they would be down for that. Be better when we're all robots I say ?

I'm the same with tablets. 

When I was 17, before I really took a turn for the worse; I went to have surgery on my ear. Cartilage reshaping, nothing too major. Local anaesthetic injected into my head was quite painful though.

Anyway, they gave me a pot of pills to take about an 30min-1hr before the surgery to prepare for it; threw them all in my mouth, made a show of swallowing them. Excused myself to the bathroom, spat them all out. 

Soon after that I started a 2-3 year period of regular, heavy medication for my depression, anxiety and some other things; and that was really like waging a mini war. Somewhat better now, but I'll still attempt to avoid taking pills unless there's no alternative. I'll often just ride a lot of illnesses out.

 

I hope everything turns out OK, once it happens.
Best case scenario for me with things like that is that the whole thing sneaks up on me and I'm beyond the point of no return before I'm conscious enough of it to try and talk myself out of it.

Edited August 9, 2019 by SaintRam

[David]

That's worse than me, don't think I've ever pretended to take anything and then spat it out. I just be honest with them and say look, I'm not taking that so you can think again. That way they know what I have and haven't taken, end of the day I know they are there to help so deceiving them and throwing them off track can be worse for the situation.

My advice I'm sure throughout this topic has been just talk, be honest, it's the first step in any kind of recovery.

Needles don't bother me that much, had several at the hospital the other week, again if I can ride it out with out I will, had a filling once at the dentist without anything which was alright.

I have a quite high pain threshold which helps, even though it takes a good 15 minutes reassuring the dentist that I'm hardcore. Think the line which swung it was pass me the drill and I'll do it myself.

[SaintRam]

5 minutes ago, David said:

That's worse than me, don't think I've ever pretended to take anything and then spat it out. I just be honest with them and say look, I'm not taking that so you can think again. That way they know what I have and haven't taken, end of the day I know they are there to help so deceiving them and throwing them off track can be worse for the situation.

My advice I'm sure throughout this topic has been just talk, be honest, it's the first step in any kind of recovery.

Needles don't bother me that much, had several at the hospital the other week, again if I can ride it out with out I will, had a filling once at the dentist without anything which was alright.

I have a quite high pain threshold which helps, even though it takes a good 15 minutes reassuring the dentist that I'm hardcore. Think the line which swung it was pass me the drill and I'll do it myself.

Aye, t'was stupid as hell. But hey don't think it did any harm in the end haha - I think that particular situation was cos there were other young folk and their parents around, public waiting room essentially. Not the environment where I felt comfortable saying I couldn't/didn't want to. I'd just watched an 11 year old take a cup of pills no problem ?

[David]

Just now, SaintRam said:

Aye, t'was stupid as hell. But hey don't think it did any harm in the end haha - I think that particular situation was cos there were other young folk and their parents around, public waiting room essentially. Not the environment where I felt comfortable saying I couldn't/didn't want to. I'd just watched an 11 year old take a cup of pills no problem ?

I'd be alright with that, you don't get the leaflet with all the side effects they tell you to read. Read mine earlier and it says one possible side effect is a painful trouser tent that won't go down after 4 hours. Missus has her fingers crossed for that one, doesn't seem interested by the painful bit.

[SaintRam]

14 minutes ago, David said:

I'd be alright with that, you don't get the leaflet with all the side effects they tell you to read. Read mine earlier and it says one possible side effect is a painful trouser tent that won't go down after 4 hours. Missus has her fingers crossed for that one, doesn't seem interested by the painful bit.

Aye - Side effect lists can be pretty intimidating. 

One that really sticks with me is "a loss of sense of reality" (of course only worded that way for us consumers as to not panic, for the folk in the medical field it simply says, "psychosis"), that was on the list for one of my spells of anti-depressants. I think that was the stuff that gave me night sweats and hallucinations, on top of the constant fatigue that the medication always caused in everyone who took it.

I appreciate that they've taken to trying to separate them by likelihood, but that doesn't help a lot of people!

Edited August 9, 2019 by SaintRam
added a clarification

[Coneheadjohn]

3 hours ago, David said:

Was also told they have major concerns over doing the Colonoscopy whilst I'm so anxious about it (naturally so I'd say), advised me to see the doc and get some valium for the day. 

It’s really difficult,we’ll take you if need be.

We’re experienced at it.

All the best.

That is a genuine offer by the way.

[David]

3 minutes ago, Van Cone De Head said:

It’s really difficult,we’ll take you if need be.

We’re experienced at it.

All the best.

That is a genuine offer by the way.

Thanks, but don't be daft, will get it rebooked whilst the missus is off as you have to have someone with you for 24 hours after they have zonked you out anyway.

[Coneheadjohn]

7 minutes ago, David said:

Thanks, but don't be daft, will get it rebooked whilst the missus is off as you have to have someone with you for 24 hours after they have zonked you out anyway.

Well,we’re happy to help even if you just need knocking out?

 

[David]

2 minutes ago, Van Cone De Head said:

Well,we’re happy to help even if you just need knocking out?

 

They don't do that anymore apparently, whilst you're kinda outta it, you're there to signal pain if they tear your bowel with the camera

[Mucker1884]

And don't forget to answer "Yes, please", when they ask if you want to watch the live showing on the telly.   :-)

[Mostyn6]

I couldn’t swallow pills so practiced on baked beans. True story. 

[i-Ram]

1 hour ago, Mostyn6 said:

I couldn’t swallow pills so practiced on baked beans. True story. 

I had a similar approach adapting to the use of suppositories. Possibly not a true story.

[RamNut]

20 hours ago, David said:

I'd be alright with that, you don't get the leaflet with all the side effects they tell you to read. Read mine earlier and it says one possible side effect is a painful trouser tent that won't go down after 4 hours. Missus has her fingers crossed for that one, doesn't seem interested by the painful bit.

Dear me. Imagine turning up for a colonoscopy with a massive rod on.

if it wasn't already funny enough.

you can ask for a copy of the video btw. Could be a nice little earner.

[David]

Just now, RamNut said:

Dear me. Imagine turning up for a colonoscopy with a massive rod on.

if it wasn't already funny enough.

you can ask for a copy of the video btw. Could be a nice little earner.

Thought about, was going to take my headphones and say I have a portable headphone stand 

[Malagaram]

On 15/06/2019 at 12:31, Boycie said:

Well, this weathers not helping much is it?

when will it end? This time last year is was red hot.

Its not helping lift moods is it? Constantly drizzling, chucking it down or steady showers.

As soon as there a break and the sun comes out and I venture down the garden it clouds over and pee’s down again.

?

Send some over Boycie,today is our 106th day without rain,temp forecast 39

[ketteringram]

@David a question! When you talk about downing Laxative, I assume you're suppose to drink it? May sound stupid, but when I was supposed to have a similar process done, I was supposed to use laxative or whatever it was, but it was meant to go in from the... Errr... Other end.

That was supposed to be done at home. I couldn't figure out how I was supposed to do it, whether or not I'd be doing it properly. Also couldn't figure out how I was then meant to leave the house, drive to the hospital, and get to reception, wait in chairs etc etc. 

So in the end, I did none of it. I didn't just not show up, I did cancel the appointment. 

[Mucker1884]

The laxatives that "go in the other end" only clear out the lower bowel.

The 2 x 1L drinks they give you (That @David referred to) clear out the whole bowel.

I was quite taken as to just how clean I was in there, as I watched the live showing!

 

#enjoyyourlunch

[David]

Yeah @Mucker1884 is right, I did ask for the enema instead but they want to take the tour which needs you fully cleaned out. 

Since openly talking about it, amazing how many people have been for one, more common that I thought.

[Mucker1884]

9 minutes ago, David said:

Yeah @Mucker1884 is right, I did ask for the enema instead but they want to take the tour which needs you fully cleaned out. 

Since openly talking about it, amazing how many people have been for one, more common that I thought.

I believe I'm right in saying that "they like to take a quick look down there" in 55 year old males, as a matter of course, which is where my experience comes from.  I had a couple of polyps(?), hence their desire for a more thorough check... and a more thorough clean out!

Worked a treat... uncomfortable at times, yes, but certainly not painful... found nothing of concern... come back in 5 years (or was it 6?)... sleep easy!  Fantastic!

 

 

Now, if you ever want to hear about the time they sent a camera and a laser launcher through little billy's one eye, while I watched 'em blast away at my kidney stones, give us a shout!   Made Star Wars look like complete amateurs!  :-)

 

 

 

[David]

6 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

I believe I'm right in saying that "they like to take a quick look down there" in 55 year old males, as a matter of course, which is where my experience comes from.  I had a couple of polyps(?), hence their desire for a more thorough check... and a more thorough clean out!

Worked a treat... uncomfortable at times, yes, but certainly not painful... found nothing of concern... come back in 5 years (or was it 6?)... sleep easy!  Fantastic!

 

 

Now, if you ever want to hear about the time they sent a camera and a laser launcher through little billy's one eye, while I watched 'em blast away at my kidney stones, give us a shout!   Made Star Wars look like complete amateurs!  ?

 

 

 

Pass on that thanks.