Generics

So, I've been on a combination of Zol.oft and Well.butrin for a couple of months now. Things were going really well up until 3 months ago, when everything started going to the scheisshaus in a big way. Faster and deeper mood swings, increased depression, very much increased anxiety.

This is not fun.

I did, however, figure out why this is happening. It's because the pharmacy gave me the generic for Zol.oft and not the brand name. See, to get the brand name, your doctor has to specifically note that only the brand will do. Otherwise, you get the insurance company's first pick, the much cheaper (for them) generic (I'm paying the same co-pay no matter which they give me).

Generics are supposed to be the exact same as the brand with the same active ingredients and everything. But the generic form of Zol.oft appears to affect (or not affect, as the case may be) many people in ways different from how they respond to the name brand.

Why? Who knows? I suspect that this is the Splenda effect (a doctrine invented by yours truly). John Dear, who knows just enough about certain things to be dangerous, explained to me that in order to make sucralose (aka Splenda), the chemists just manufactured a mirror image of a real sugar molecule. So, it's basically sugar, only your body doesn't recognize it as such.

I think that the generic Zol.oft works in me the same way. It's backwards, so my brain doesn't recognize that it should effing stop absorbing the serotonin and pass it on to the next neuron. You hear that, Brain!! I'm on to you!

I made an appointment to see Dr. Chai and hopefully can convince her to get me back on the real stuff. Unfortunately, I'll have to deal with an all-intensive in-laws weekend sans good drugs. John Dear and I will be staying at a nearby hotel, so I'm hoping that I can at least minimize some of the graduate level crazy that goes on with those people.