Posted by saint james on October 6, 1999, at 0:23:09
In reply to Re: SAMe -- James there, that would be saint..., posted by dj on October 5, 1999, at 23:46:37
> So are you saying then that you have been on ADs since 1985 and will continue, or do you anticipate discontinuing them at sometime or...???
>
james here....My depression is here for life, and given what I
know about depression (cronic, gets worse if not treated) it seems foolish to stop. I do have breakthru depressions every 5 yrs or so, which are fixed with dose or med changes. And since I take non-formalary meds, my HMO, from time to time, takes its time approving them so I go a month w/o AD's. The depression always returns w/i a week, I can hold it together for a month, then I stop leaving the house, washing, changing clothes, ect. next time the HMO does this medication dance with me I am just going the check myself into the nut house, so instead of paying for my meds they can pay several thousand dollars for the admit to the nut house instead of a few 100 $ for the meds I have taken for many years and work so well.I degress and bitch, sorry ! Generally when one first starts an AD the idea is find a med that works, then max the dose (limited by side effects)to see how well they do, ie get them really well. Then lower the dose to whatever keeps them well. Keep then well for 6-12 months with no breakthru depression, and then see if you can taper the dose down and take them off. Many will have depression return w/i 6 months. These people need to stay on AD's, either for life or a long period with rechecks.
j
poster:saint james
thread:12407
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991001/msgs/12623.html