I realized that my body might never fully recover, so I decided to focus on accepting these changes. To help with this process, I felt it was necessary to see a psychiatrist. My mental health was suffering, and I felt betrayed by a doctor. I was uncomfortable in my own body.

I wasn’t sure what the psychiatrist could do for me, but I was willing to try anything to reclaim my life.

I arrived early for my appointment. As I entered the office, the nurse recognized me and asked if I had been there before, which confused me since I had never seen a psychiatrist. She clarified that I had previously visited Dr. Yang, the surgeon responsible for my current situation.

I began to share my struggles with the psychiatrist, detailing the pain and the overwhelming changes in my life.

He acknowledged that he couldn’t address my physical pain, which I already knew, but he could prescribe medication for my depression.

At that moment, the director knocked and popped in just to say hello and let us know he was waiting outside.

The psychiatrist wrote me a prescription and instructed me to pick up the medication and return so he could explain how to use it.

The director escorted me to get the medication and kindly covered the costs before we returned to the doctor’s office.

I explained that my current thoughts were consumed by everything that had happened. I had written letters to express my feelings, mainly for my own understanding. I asked if keeping a diary would be beneficial, and he encouraged me to try it. He also explained that the depression medication could help shift my focus away from the surgery.

I asked if the new medication would interact with my current prescription for tramadol, as I had researched the potential dangers of mixing it with antidepressants. The doctor confirmed that it should not be mixed with tramadol. I was already reducing my tramadol use, concerned about its addictive properties and whether I was relying on it more as an antidepressant than for pain relief.

The medication prescribed was: VENLAFAXINE (antidepressant)