Goodbye Prozac...

Well, I've been off of the Prozac for about a week now. The heart palpitations are still here, just not as often. I've been on the low dose of Effexor for a week. Haven't noticed much difference in my mood yet but it will take time for the Prozac to get out of my system and the Effexor to take hold. I have noticed a few side effects from the Effexor. I've been really super tired lately, however I don't know if it's from the meds or just from my LIFE. I'm feeling burned out.. just too many things to do and not enough hours in the day. Between work, kids, school, housework, meals... etc. I'm just drained every day and I know it's not going to get any easier any time soon. My husband doesn't help me with much of anything anymore.. He used to, but not anymore.

When I was prescribed Effexor I did some research on it. The biggest complaint that I read was weight gain! *crap!* and now I'm starting to understand it! For the past few days I just feel starving all the time.. even if I have just eaten! Now I'm freaking out that I'm going to gain more weight, which I obviously DON'T need! I just feel hungry all the time!! I have to do something before it gets out of control! When I go grocery shopping next I'm going to get some healthy snacks to have for when I get this starving feeling. I also think I'm going to start working out again at home while the kids are in school. I'm hoping that soon I will have the money to join the local gym that a friend of mine goes to. I would have someone to work out with and I really think that working out would give me more energy and would motivate me to eat healthier again. BUT, that is just one more thing to squeeze into my daily schedule!

Things on the marriage front are not much better. I'm about to give up on marriage counseling. At our last session the counselor actually got onto HIM for not making any sort of effort to show me any kind of affection. He said he wanted us both to make some sort of effort before our next session (which was supposed to be yesterday but my husband ended up having to work so we couldn't make it). So far, no effort. I really feel like there is no point going to marriage counseling if he is not going to put any effort into it.

BUT, screw it. I'm not going to worry about it anymore. I'm just going to do my own thing and work on myself.. not let him bring me down ANY more. Still have a lot of things to think about before making any rash decisions. Just see where life takes me..

Oh yeah.. and SCREW SNOW!! Argh.. this winter has been absolutely horrible!!!

Ooh and if anyone is on Twitter follow me! tatteredsoul77

Well.. there goes that!

Soo, about a week ago I started noticing something odd happening. Whenever I did any sort of activity, even as little as taking a shower or washing dishes I noticed my heart would start racing and I would get short of breath and have mild heart palpitations! I also had noticed that whenever I was stressed or rushing to get something done my hands would start to shake. I assumed it was a side effect of the Prozac. Hoping that the doctor would give me something for the side effects I went back to the doctor a few days ago. He said we COULD wait it out a few weeks to see if they go away but they most likely wont. He is weening me off of the Prozac and then I'm going on Effexor. *sigh* I'm very disappointed. The Prozac was really helping me mentally! My mood swings were almost completely gone and I didn't cry all of the time! I felt content! Now I'm scared that the Effexor wont work as well. Although I do know someone who was on Effexor and it helped him tremendously. I'm just worried about having other side effects like I had with the Cymbalta before like the exhaustion and migraines. Grrr.. I'm getting frustrated, I just want something that will help me but now hurt the rest of my body!!

I also want to say thank you to everyone who left a comment on my last post about affection. Seems so far that everyone is in agreeance with me.. except for my husband. He just doesn't get it. I told him last night that if he is not able to show his own wife any kind of affection then there is something wrong with him. It's not ME over reacting about it! It's him! .. I've asked him WHY he doesn't want to show me affection and he has no answer. Just that "it's not important" to him.. but it always has been before! I told him that if things don't change and SOON that I can't stay here like this... and this time it will be for GOOD. I deserve happiness. I know I haven't been perfect in our marriage but I'm fixing what I believe needs to be fixed.. I deserve to be treated like a wife, not a room mate. I guess I have a big decision ahead of me.. It's just hard with the kids because I know it will cause so much stress on them if we get a divorce but I also know that I can't be the best mother I can be being so unhappy like this.

Is affection important in a relationship??

I'm hoping that I can get some reader input here... from both males AND females.

Let me give you a little background.. as I've mentioned before, my husband and I are currently in marriage counseling. We have been separated two times now and got back together at the end of the summer. Although most things are going well, my biggest complaint right now is no affection. When we first got back together there was a little bit of affection but really not much. When I asked my husband about it he said at first it was because we had just gotten back together and things were a little awkward.. and to just give him time. Well, I gave him time, lots of it.. but the affection became less instead of more! When we started to go to counseling I talked to the therapist about it. At first he told me that I should just ASK for affection. If i want a hug or a kiss.. just ask. I told him that it was a bit uncomfortable for me to ask after getting NO affection from him but he told me that sometimes we have to do things that make us uncomfortable.. or else the problem wont change! Soo, I did that. Even though it was a bit uncomfortable after everything, I started to ask him for a hug or a kiss. He obliged.. but only when I asked. I finally realized that I only got any kind of affection when I asked. If I didnt ask, I got nothing.. I finally gave up. Why should I put all of the effort into it and he put nothing into it?? I mean I get NO affection. I get no, "i love you", i get no goodbye kiss, no hugs, no cuddles, no flirts, NADA! I feel like I have a room mate, not a husband!... At our last counseling sesson, the counselor was more or less taking HIS side.. saying that back in the 1950's men didn't show their wives affection. Going to work and supporting the family was enough showing of "love".. and that him going to work every day should be enough for me.. Well, I work, too.. and he would still work even if I wasn't here!!.. and it's 2009 not 1950!

Now, I realize that some people are just not affectionate people. My husband has always been very affectionate with me. I never had to ASK.. he just was! He always wanted to cuddle with me.. always held my hand when we were out somewhere, wouldn't leave without telling me he loves me and giving me a kiss goodbye. I just don't understand the sudden change. Now he tries to say that he is just "not an affectionate person".. but he always has been! He says he loves me and he wants me to stay but he doesn't even act like he is the slightest bit attracted to me! I feel invisible here.. feel like I'm just here to be the maid and take care of the kids while he is at work! I asked him, how am I supposed to feel secure in our marriage after everything that has happened when he doesn't even act like he is attracted to me? He knows how much this is hurting me but he is not making any kind of effort. He says he doesn't know WHY he doesn't feel that affection is important any more. I know he has his own issues as I've mentioned before. I think he has some attachment issues. So far, none of HIS problems have been addressed.. it's all been about ME.. and I've been made to feel like I am over reacting to the no affection thing. However, everyone I have talked to feels the same as me. I even did some online research on how important affection is and everything I've read states that affection is important. Hell, I've watched 65 yr old married couples be more affection than my husband is! It hurts.. a lot. I'm not happy here. I don't feel loved here... but yet he still begs me to say? I just don't understand it...

So anyway, my question to all of you is: "Do you think affection is important in a relationship?". Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think!!