paranoid and sunburnt

[baratron]

We're back from northern parts. Actually, we got in at about 12.40am yesterday, but I was far too knackered to log on to livejournal then. I went to bed as soon as I'd unpacked enough to be able to, and got up today at 4.30pm. Er, ye-es. Was supposed to be going to work today but was far too bloody ill. Not sure at the moment whether it's just exhaustion, hayfever and sunburn (combined with raving paranoid depression) or if I'm going down with a cold.

Alton Towers was good - I disagree immensely with lovingboth's assessment of Air but can't be bothered to write a detailed review tonight. The weather was variable - it was sunny for most of Monday but cloudy and quite cold on Tuesday morning. By lunchtime I was cold enough that Alexa went back to the car to get jumpers for us, thus making the sun come out in force. I'm annoyed about getting sunburnt. When my face started prickling on Monday I thought it was because I'd forgotten to wash off the chlorinated water after going on the log flume. It's been years since the last time I got sunburnt.

Someone mentioned recently that one of the side effects of Efexor is increased sensitivity to sunlight, which is something I'd never noticed before - I always read the lists of potential side effects when I start a new drug, and tick off anything I get against the list, but normally 2 years into taking something I know exactly how it affects me. Missed that one, though. What fun.

Comments

photosensitivity

[kixie.livejournal.com]

Anything that works on serotonin like Effexor, Prozac, etc., will cause photosensitivity.

Basically it causes your pupils to be dilated further than they normally 'should' be and they don't shrink enough when hit with a splash of sun, like most people's do. Hence the photosensitivity.

I noticed this very much, but then I've been on meds that have serotonergic actions since I was 15, so my light sensitivity is just second nature to me anyways. I'm always in sunglasses.

Not highly bothered, mind you, as I prefer the dark anyways and spent most of my teen years in a darkroom - the only lighting I actually *like*. Went as far as to buy blue light bulbs for my bedroom to dull it down.

Bit of advice - never read the side effects list too carefully. You'll just end up with all of them or something...I know I go through great pains *not* to read it on new meds, I just ask the doctor which ones I should watch out for in a 'if this happens it's dangerous' way and in the 'oh right that'll be the meds' way, and chuck the sheet. I know if I don't I'll end up with side effects popping up all over the place. But that's me.

Re: photosensitivity

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Oh, it means sensitivity of eyes? Guess I don't have that, then.

Re: photosensitivity

[kixie.livejournal.com]

..where do you have it!? that's worrying...

Re: photosensitivity

[baratron.livejournal.com]

I'd been thinking that "increased sensitivity to sunlight" from the drugs was the reason I'd got sunburnt! While I don't go out in the sun that much, I'm pretty sure I can usually stand a lot more than an hour outdoors in June without needing sunscreen. I'll have to blame the hole in the ozone layer instead...

Re: photosensitivity

[kixie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that ozone thang is annoying...

Also it depends on what time of day, etc., with getting sunburnt.

My friend managed to get sunburn when it was cloudy this weekend.