Carlton's Happiness Fund
Donation protected
About two years ago, a drug that has helped me live life since I was in college stopped being effective. I'm undergoing treatment this month that I hope will help, but it will force me to take a leave of absence from work, so I won't have any income. Would you consider making a donation now to help me through this time?
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I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was first diagnosed in high school. I tried every other possible family of drugs except MAOIs with no success. I turned to TMS. No effect.
I finally settled on ECT, the procedure where they run current through the front of your brain to induce a seizure that seems to "reset" the brain for a period of time. It didn't work until I went through a second round of 8+ sessions, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at a nearby hospital. Maintaining the effect required me to go back once every four weeks, then every three weeks when the effects started to wear off sooner and sooner. (I feel blessed that I had friends who were willing to pick me up from the hospital. Thank you!)
At the same time, I developed a phobia of the procedure, and doctors and hospitals in general. My last ECT session was in the spring this year, and I've been on an emotional decline ever since. But things have gotten really bad, so I need to do something.
I sought out numerous second opinions from doctors. The most promising reccomendation was to switch from the drug I am on to an MAOI, a very ancient class of drugs that were really the first anti-depressants (they also help Parkinson's). In order to switch, though, I will need to taper off the drug I'm still on and undergo ECT sessions for a month so that I can withstand being off my medication for the 14 day "washout" period required before I can start an MAOI.
I won't have any income during this month or more that the switch will take, so would you be willing to make a donation to help me pay basic expenses like rent, food, and utilities? I have a friend who has graciously agreed to take me to and from the hospital, so my main concern is paying for things.
Thank you for your support!
Carlton
More Details
I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was first diagnosed in high school. I tried every other possible family of drugs except MAOIs with no success. I turned to TMS. No effect.
I finally settled on ECT, the procedure where they run current through the front of your brain to induce a seizure that seems to "reset" the brain for a period of time. It didn't work until I went through a second round of 8+ sessions, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at a nearby hospital. Maintaining the effect required me to go back once every four weeks, then every three weeks when the effects started to wear off sooner and sooner. (I feel blessed that I had friends who were willing to pick me up from the hospital. Thank you!)
At the same time, I developed a phobia of the procedure, and doctors and hospitals in general. My last ECT session was in the spring this year, and I've been on an emotional decline ever since. But things have gotten really bad, so I need to do something.
I sought out numerous second opinions from doctors. The most promising reccomendation was to switch from the drug I am on to an MAOI, a very ancient class of drugs that were really the first anti-depressants (they also help Parkinson's). In order to switch, though, I will need to taper off the drug I'm still on and undergo ECT sessions for a month so that I can withstand being off my medication for the 14 day "washout" period required before I can start an MAOI.
I won't have any income during this month or more that the switch will take, so would you be willing to make a donation to help me pay basic expenses like rent, food, and utilities? I have a friend who has graciously agreed to take me to and from the hospital, so my main concern is paying for things.
Thank you for your support!
Carlton
Organizer
Carlton Cobb
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
