Managing Lifelong Mental Health as a Senior

Posted by georgette12 @georgette12, Jan 13, 2017

I have just started using this site so this is my first message.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Mental Health Support Group.

Colleen Young said she'd let us know as soon as she learned anything.

Jim

REPLY
@gailb

Have we heard anything about Georgette12 yet?

Jump to this post

We haven't heard anything yet from @georgette12. We took measures to reach out to her in several ways. Thank you for your ongoing concern. I will let you know as soon as I hear from her.

REPLY

Wow. I hope she's ok. Thanks Colleen.

REPLY
@gailb

Have we heard anything about Georgette12 yet?

Jump to this post

Yes, she definitely seemed like she was thinking about doing it. It was like she was reaching out for a last chance.

REPLY
@colleenyoung

@hopeful33250 @jimhd @gailb @johnjames @lesbatts Thank you for reaching out to Georgette. I'm on this and will report back as soon as I can.

Jump to this post

Another book that's helped me- I wanted to share, !. "Day After Day The Price You Pay" - " Managing Your Second- Hand Shock" which deals allot with depression. BY: Dr Ellie Izzo. 2008. 2 " Surviving Depression " BY: Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP 2004 JJAMES

REPLY

Hello,Kmhd and rspalding..... I too have peripheral neuropothy,for many years now.. I am told it is thought to be because of spine problems. With so many of us with this, it does seem that there has to be something that can bring us relief. I never know from one day to the next how my feet and hands are going to be at night. That seems to be the worst time. Although, If I forget to take a dose of meds, during the day it can be miserable. There are times I cannot feel my feet on the floor. I have a rolling walker for my spine problems and it helps when I cannot feel my feet. Sometimes, just driving to the store, I am not sure I will be able to walk. SURLEY there is something that can help. I take 800mg of Gabapentin 4 times a day, sometimes 5 times. I have been trying so hard to get the amount between doses longer, and less in mg. I also take Tramadol, I cannot lie down in my bed, and I have to sleep in my recliner. God I wish I could lay down. My feet usually wake me up with feet burning and stabbing bee sting like pains in my leg. I do crafts, paint, jewelry making, play the keyboard. And I have learned that staying busy is crucial. I send you my wish for ..........PEACE AND LOVE....JJ

REPLY

Jjwest I have the same medications, I'm only taking 400mg of Gabapentin, Tramadol 4 times a day and Baclofen 3 times a day. It sounds as if some of your problems may be due to complications from diabetes. Do you have diabetes? I do, but thankfully i don't have complications from it. I hope you find some relief. Gail

REPLY
@jjwest

Hello,Kmhd and rspalding..... I too have peripheral neuropothy,for many years now.. I am told it is thought to be because of spine problems. With so many of us with this, it does seem that there has to be something that can bring us relief. I never know from one day to the next how my feet and hands are going to be at night. That seems to be the worst time. Although, If I forget to take a dose of meds, during the day it can be miserable. There are times I cannot feel my feet on the floor. I have a rolling walker for my spine problems and it helps when I cannot feel my feet. Sometimes, just driving to the store, I am not sure I will be able to walk. SURLEY there is something that can help. I take 800mg of Gabapentin 4 times a day, sometimes 5 times. I have been trying so hard to get the amount between doses longer, and less in mg. I also take Tramadol, I cannot lie down in my bed, and I have to sleep in my recliner. God I wish I could lay down. My feet usually wake me up with feet burning and stabbing bee sting like pains in my leg. I do crafts, paint, jewelry making, play the keyboard. And I have learned that staying busy is crucial. I send you my wish for ..........PEACE AND LOVE....JJ

Jump to this post

Have you ever thought of getting an adjustable bed? I have one and I like it very much. It's more important to me than an expensive mattress.

REPLY

Jjwest, my apologies, i didn't notice that you already said you have peripheral neuropathy in your post. I reread it this morning and said to myself, "Duh." I hope you find some relief. I know my nerve pain is the worst at night. Some nights I wanted to cry or worse yet I wanted to scream, out of pain and frustration that I could do nothing about it. The Gabapentin is helping the night pain, but I am beginning to suffer side effects that may mean I have to stop taking it. I don't know where the doctor will go next. I know I need major surgery to correct my L4, which has slipped out of alignment 7.3 mm. However, they want to put off the surgery until my other simpler surgery on my L5-S1 has completely healed. I am starting physical therapy next week and that should help. Then they will use steroid shots, which I'm not looking forward to, but are much less painful than major surgery will be. My brother had the surgery and he said the pain he had is gone, although his surgeon said he would still have pain, he was just helping him be able to walk. I'm not at that point yet, thankfully. I feel for you and hope you get some relief. Is surgery an option for you?

REPLY

To everyone. I am dreadfully sorry to have set off an alarm!!!!!!! I am okay and only now checked the forum. To the moderators and everyone, please let me know how i should connect if something is scary for me. I took 4 valium. 5 mg. Each. So that would be 20 mg. At one time. The last time i became so distressed was when i was at my son's funeral in August. I took 4 valium to numb the pain. His suicide, and walking in his blood, was too much for me. His birthday and the anniversary of his 5 month death was on the same day, january 13th. I have not been quite right since then. I left all my support and therapist in north carolina when i moved 6 weeks after eddie died. I live in pagosa springs, colorado and the closest town is durango, 60 miles away. There is no support for survivors of suicide loss , made more complex by my clinical depression and PTSD flashbacks to the scene of his death. At least in this town. Suicide is a hush hush word to those who have not experienced it. And the people around me, even my friends, have criticized me and called me self serving and uncaring about others who have lost loved ones.
That is because when i first got here in october, in hopes of trying to recover, i had seen a grief counselor who told me that the stress of a suicide loss survivor, or murder events or military PTSD, etc. ...... This process is called traumatic, complex grief and is treated differently in terms of therapy. All grief is traumatic and horrible....but under certain extremely traumatic events, it's kind of like peeliing an onion..... So many layers.
When i tried to talk about this to my friends, they turned away from me. They told me that what i was really saying was that "my loss is greater than theirs."

The only way to deal with all this is to just repress everything and put on a happy face and say i feel great. But then when his birthday and death anniversary happened the same day......there really isn't anywhere to turn. More on next reply.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.