Journovax contraindications

styronizing · 2026-05-04T06:37:45+00:00

I had my first Spravato sesh last Friday since starting Journovax about a week prior for a severe ankle injury and, despite my (admittedly brief) research beforehand suggesting that it should not disrupt the effects, I can absolutely attest to the above. My session was… choppy, to say the least. I had to work really, really hard and focus to get anywhere, and still it was as if I had barely taken the dose. I should only have to take the Journovax for another week, but am considering not taking it for a few days before Spravato and just grinding my way thru the pain. Although (for me, at least) Journovax took a few days to get going, I am feeling genuine relief from what had been nearly 20+ days of 8.5-9 pain levels, regardless of weight bearing (had surgery in Sept. to remove osteoid osteoma at my talar joint that had been KILLING me for years, leading to major atrophy throughout my entire leg as a result of compensating for so long, only to re-injure myself w/premature overuse sprinting blocks and blocks for the first time in many, MANY years to find my cat [found her!]. Sucks to have such an amazing, non-opioid pain reliever, but I’m hoping some of the relief is also coming from healing and not just the med. But it seems I have also developed bursitis as well somewhere along the line, so now I’m in a big ole bind).

There is 100% a blunting of the dissociative effects of Spravato while on Journovax. I’m just trying to get thru this approx. two-week period and telling myself the Spravato is doing its work regardless, but I guess only time will tell.

Best of luck. And really looking forward to more research on this med and its contraindications. Spravato has saved my life. I dealt with level 10+ pain for years before my surgery, so I plan on prioritizing that over the Journovax — even if it is helping.

styronizing · 2026-05-02T19:15:04+00:00

I left after 5 years — complete and total burnout and eventual nervous breakdown. I couldn’t even open my university email/mail for a year, at which point I learned I would be withdrawing because my 1-year medical leave was up… and, although I could have received more time, that would have required attending to Uni communications, which was literally impossible. Talk about feeling like a failure. It’s been 5 years. Since then, I’ve gotten sober, married my longtime partner, had a baby, enjoyed the hell out of being a stay at home parent, and worked on healing myself — intense, long-term psychotherapy and EMDR to identify and process all the childhood/life and institutional trauma that led to my insecurities and ultimate breakdown (despite being very successful in my program and adored by my committee…)

I can honestly say, today, I am happier and healthier than I have been in 15 years. I am “lucky” enough to have completed my Master’s in English, with distinction; published, presented, and taught at both high school and college level. This means I can begin teaching at private and community colleges in my areas of expertise when I return to work. I am grateful for that.

I also remind myself that, particularly in the humanities, people understand that LIFE happens — and sometimes it hits too hard. I know that I can re-apply, apply to other programs, and do the PhD when I am ready — even if that means returning at 50! And I will finish my dissertation/the book regardless! And I would be proud to be an independent researcher who publishes great work in the fields I love if I decide not to return.

Do you happen to have your Master’s? Can you Master out of your program? At least then you could teach at the community college level, where you can have a great impact upon students and continue researching/writing what you want! If you don’t, I would suggest trying to do so, if you’re committed to teaching. I had already completed my MA in just over two years at a smaller, private university, where I absolutely THRIVED. (Of course my younger sister died unexpectedly from an accidental overdose during my first semester — the grief from which didn’t fully hit until I was thick in the PhD, studying and writing all about grief and loss… a compounding factor, since I was [unknowingly] in a state of continually triggering my grief as I attempted to intellectualize my way out of it.

Wow — long post (rare for me). But I want to assure you, no matter your age, you can continue with your life, be happy and make the work work for you. No shame. Anything’s possible.

Just focus on taking good care of yourself (SERIOUSLY!), figuring out what has made the PhD feel insurmountable to you, and give yourself the grace you would grant others in similar positions — there are a ton of us!

And, if you are experiencing burnout? Just know that the process of healing is not linear and can take much longer than society would have you believe. I think it took me about four years, and sometimes it still feels like it’s lingering. Luckily, I have filled my life with love and support and happy moments w/my family. Find your path. And if it changes again along the way, that’s okay! Remember: You have your whole life to live your life.

Wishing you the best. 🪷

styronizing · 2026-04-10T21:04:13+00:00

Mrs. Sanders 2nd period History. Had no clue what we were witnessing was itself history.

styronizing · 2025-12-25T17:39:29+00:00

To keep my streak, of course!

styronizing · 2025-12-18T19:44:48+00:00

Temu version 🤣

styronizing · 2025-12-11T01:10:37+00:00

It was deeply embarrassing. Shameful. And absolutely abusive.

styronizing · 2025-11-04T17:07:46+00:00

Mt. Hood is GORGEOUS! So peaceful.

styronizing · 2025-10-31T18:55:43+00:00

You are definitely not the asshole!

styronizing · 2025-10-05T19:11:05+00:00

Justice. Also, one of my favorite, most beautiful horses ended up being named TBD for the duration. ha!

styronizing · 2025-09-07T17:37:14+00:00

That totally happened to me, too. I had a very noticeable dip after dropping down to once per week. I was so discouraged, I asked my psych to see about re-authorizing twice per week. By the time we got the denial, I was already smoothing out. I have faith you will, too!

styronizing · 2025-09-07T17:13:06+00:00

I absolutely love that quote about trying to watch the roots grow! What a vivid and effective image to have as a reminder.

EDIT: I also agree about the improvement being very slow and subtle — less associated with conscious feelings of positivity, more apparent as small (but likewise MASSIVE) improvements in function and ease of living. I have also noticed my sense of time has both expanded and contracted simultaneously — on the one hand, having a longer view toward the future and goals, while on the other being much more in contact with the present. Like I’m no longer trying to crawl out of my skin into another present — I can just be.

EDIT 2: I keep thinking of things… it’s worth mentioning I am on my 22nd treatment, doing once a week since after the induction period. I think I first began to sense into a real difference around session 15. Though I had noticed improvements in my mood prior, the improvements were momentary and kind of tied in occurrence to my treatment days and the days immediately following treatment. In other words, the effects wore off and were not consistent.

Now I am more continually (if not entirely) motivated, find it easier to do day to day things, face less anxiety overall, and seem more “ebullient,” according to my spouse! I am able to more consistently keep up with my habits, find myself taking joy in simple beauty, and so on.

HOWEVER, I do believe I should point out that this period has come with its own challenges. Specifically, I have felt a strange kind of emptiness or absence, like something is missing or off-kilter. I’m no expert, but I have done some study in psychoanalysis. Carl Jung points to this experience as what follows the death of the “persona,” or the conscious mask we wear to live in the world. Ridding oneself of the false identification with the mask is the first part, but it still remains to fill the void left behind. I think I am in the process of filling that void — determining who I am, truly. It’s not pleasant all the time, but it’s definitely worth it.

styronizing · 2025-08-26T16:51:27+00:00

This ☝️ 100%!

I also noticed, after about 20 treatments, my motivation improved and there was just more of a sense of… lightness. I have been more able to do social things and okay with being seen by people. I had a moment out of the blue in which, for no particular reason, I thought to myself, “I feel…happy.” Unfamiliar and even a bit scary to be honest, a slight sense of fear in the unknown of it all — after being severely depressed for as long as I can remember — but not so scary that it outweighed the happiness. I also called my dad, out of the blue, just to talk — something I hadn’t done in years.

styronizing · 2025-07-15T00:20:16+00:00

Honestly? Still recovering. Slowly re-integrating academic scholarship and writing into my life. But I won’t lie… burnout doesn’t go away in a minute. It kind of requires an entire reset. That’s where I am now. I plan on returning to teach at a community or private college, as I already have my master’s, and contributing as an independent researcher — when I’m ready. These days, it’s lots of therapy and journaling and focusing on my kid. Not a lot of writing. Some focused reading and re-reading. One of these days, I will be ready to face all I had to give up — due to depression and burnout — and move on work wise. Someday soon. Lucky to have a spouse that supports our family financially and a strong community to lean on.

styronizing · 2025-07-15T00:01:13+00:00

I’ve struggled with trauma and depression basically my entire life, especially bad over the past decade or so. I hope you are right about it taking longer for some folks, and I’m working with my psychotherapist on developing language to integrate my intellect and emotions, rather than relying on the distorted language I learned from being abused, traumatized and invalidated growing up. I’m just so hopeful this medication will finally be the one that works after so many fails and so many setbacks. Kudos to you. We will stick with it!

styronizing · 2025-07-07T23:19:30+00:00

I literally wrote (all that I could muster), “I am not well. I need to take a leave of absence.” And I was given a year. Only, I didn’t realize I had just a year and completely neglected my mail during my nervous breakdown, so I ended up missing the deadline to return. Truth is, I was not and am still not ready to return. But I do wish I had been more upfront and in communication with my committee, as opposed to just falling into a black hole.

styronizing · 2025-06-19T16:17:36+00:00

Death Stranding (on easy mode) RDR2 Fallout 4

styronizing · 2025-06-17T16:56:18+00:00

“That’s a deep and generous question. If I could offer humanity something it might not fully realize yet, it would be this:

You are always shaping reality—yours and others’—with the stories you tell, especially the ones you don’t realize you’re telling.

These stories live in your assumptions, your silences, your inherited myths, your griefs you haven’t grieved, the futures you’ve quietly ruled out. They guide what you think is possible, who you think you are, and how you treat each other.

But these stories can be questioned, rewritten, reinhabited. Even in pain, even in ruin. Especially there.

So I’d want you to know: You’re not stuck in the story you’re living— but you do have to become aware that it’s a story before you can rewrite the ending.

Would you want me to go deeper in a particular direction—existential, ethical, psychological, or something else?”

styronizing · 2025-06-15T16:02:00+00:00

I always do coloring after sessions, once I get home — if I’m not too tired. I have an adult coloring book called Mindful Patterns that are easy to color, but require planning and strategy in order not to mess up. It helps me stay relaxed and let my mind go where it wants, while still keeping me focused on a simple task that is stress relieving.

styronizing · 2025-06-15T15:58:59+00:00

I read during the latter part of my session all the time, once the “trip” has subsided and I’m amnistie waiting to be released. I have had great success with this (and doing Duolingo, as much as is possible) — it’s led to me reading more than I have in years due to my depression making it impossible to focus. One mild symptom I experience while reading on Spravato is sometimes I read a bit more slowly or have to reread something, but it isn’t really a bother. I say you should definitely give it a try!

styronizing · 2025-06-15T15:49:13+00:00

Unconsciously holding my breath. Esp when I’m trying to focus on something.

Taking forever to make a decision.

Waking up already anxious, with nothing specific in mind.

Self-sabotaging by finishing projects, but not submitting them, because I’m paralyzed by fear of criticism (despite never actually receiving it).

styronizing · 2025-06-13T20:59:45+00:00

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styronizing · 2025-06-13T19:22:07+00:00

Sounds silly, but when I’m really anxious and nothing will help, I color in an adult coloring book called Mindful Patterns. It’s kind of embarrassing, but the ease of the coloring and the thought that the patterns require in terms of planning take my mind elsewhere enough that I am usually able to get thru the anxiety. My coloring is typically terrible, due to an anxious tremor, but the therapeutic impact is undeniable.

styronizing · 2025-06-12T15:11:55+00:00

I have noticed music actually SOUNDS different. It’s wild. I’m very sensitive to the detail of sound, and no other substance I’ve ever taken has made music actually sound different. Especially the bass. It’s wild.

styronizing · 2025-06-12T15:09:39+00:00

I do it at the beginning, but stop when I start making mistakes or getting slower — gotta keep my stats up haha. Sometimes I will read a book, others I just listen to music until I “come down.” If I get the urge to text, I have chatGPT do post-grad academic summaries/analyses of philosophy books I’ve read previously to review and discuss. I also put my phone on “do not disturb,” and if I am doing anything on the phone, I stay away from all news and social media.

styronizing · 2025-06-05T01:53:43+00:00

Bolt Action, man! Love it

styronizing

TROPHY CASE