A few days ago, a good friend of mine sent me some money for medicine. Words cannot describe how much I appreciate the help or how much better I feel. I bought 20 capsules of 75 mg venlafaxine; my normal dose is 150 mg per day, but to make the medicine last as long as possible, I am only taking 75 mg per day. The serotonin withdrawal syndrome is gone and the anti-anxiety effects are already helping.
I bought 90 tablets of 10 mg diazepam. My normal dosage is 5 mg, three times per day, as needed. “As needed” is an important part of the prescription: I only take it when my anxiety symptoms are interfering with life, but because I try so hard to conserve my medicine, I often do not take the pills when I should. I am trying to break that habit and use them more frequently this time so that I can get the full benefit from them and be more productive (and more comfortable).
I bought omeprazole and anti-diarrhea because the severe stress of the last three weeks without medicine has wrecked havoc on my stomach. It is already helping to reduce my pain.
Yesterday, at breakfast, another guest here started talking to me and invited me to go to a museum. I have been here for more than three months but I have not gone to any museums even though there are many free museums that I have wanted to see. In part because the medicine had reduced my symptoms, and in part because I was so overwhelmed with my to do list to accomplish anything, I agreed to go.
I do not remember the last time I went to a museum: during the eight months I lived in Cairo, I do not think I went to any museums. Art is extremely important to me but it has been largely absent from my life for years. This museum had some Rodin, who is my favorite artist, and it felt great to see some of my favorite pieces and a few new pieces, too.
For a few hours, I felt like a healthy person with a future. Thank you to everyone that has helped me.
