Steph, you look amazing. Can't wait to see the billboard

Barb, the mind boggles.

It is a mark of how long I've been living in hot places that now I am so comparatively placid about a medium-sized spider just hanging out doing its thing on a wall in a hotel bathroom. I'm all "...shorter than my thumb? Disinclined towards scuttling as a lifestyle choice? Well okay then! Live and let live!"

And, you have vampire moths in your part of the world.

Thank you everyone for the good advice and for letting me vent. I know I've gone on about this subject too much lately. So, I really appreciate it.

I'm going to sleep now. It's very strange to be in my childhood twin bed tonight.

Barb, the mind boggles.

You say you were raised by wolves, but I was raised by the clearly certifiable. We may have manners, but damn, there's a lotta craxy there.

Whoa, Barb. At least my family puts the fun in dysfunctional. Your family sounds like it is less...fun.

meara, I had side effects on Prozac. However, I've been on Lexapro for over a year now and have been INCREDIBLY happy with the lack of side effects. I've read that is has a very clean profile.

Sadly, the chemistry can be different for everyone (as Teppy says) so it's sort of a trial-and-error process for some.

I also went into my GP in tears and got a script. I've never been one for talky-meat therapy but it can be extremely helpful. Good luck. Sorry the universe is taking a dump on you. I hope the job sitch works out.

Billboard Teppy=HAWT

Barb, the craxy that is your family - well, I don't envy you.

meara, I've been on citalapram (Celexa -- I didn't know it was also called Lexapro, huh) for...um ,5 years, on and off.

I did not notice any weight gain, but I was putting on weight from being depressed, so I can't say for sure. It didn't make me sleepy when I started it; in fact, when I first started it in 2002, for the first three or four days, I was so speedy I felt like I needed to go out and run a few dozen easy miles.

I don't run. Muggers chase me? I stand there and argue. No running.

It helps me to even out generally -- however, I have to say that having been super stressed out the last year and some odd, the occasional Lorezpam or Xanax can be a wonderful thing when you are on the verge or stabbing someone, or yourself, or hyperventilating into a panic coma.

Citalopram is longer-term feel better-ness; a Xanax is I-might-die-RIGHTTHEFUCKNOWARGGGGHness.

(Now that I have prescribed for you, hit up one of Barb's West Coast Cuban vines...there's gotta be one! Oh, also, even without insurance, generic citalopram is about $12 at Target.And you can always get 40mg and chop 'em in hlf if your doc prescribes 20mg.)

Skipped a zillion messages. ~ma to all who need it.

I'm getting to the point where I really just hate working on my dissertation. I'm finding a million ways to distract myself, and I'm getting stressed out, and I just can't take it any more. And I don't know what to do about that.

Meara, I'm on Citalopram, and it has made a WORLD of difference for me. I haven't noticed any side effects in the slightly-over-a-year I've been taking it.