Posted by JohnL on June 26, 2000, at 4:37:51
In reply to nothing helps, posted by thomas on June 25, 2000, at 15:38:04
> hi! i have tried zoloft,remeron,paxil,effexor xr and nothing helps,just fatigue and more depressed!i have tried them all over 6 weeks each one.what to do,hoping for some help!currently take nothing besides xanax when it gets too hard.
Thomas,
You might consider Adrafinil.
I suggest this because it doesn't appear the serotonin approach is the right one for you. If it was, I would think there would have at least been a hint of something good in one of the meds you've tried. And of course the most obvious reason I suggest it is because it has worked wonders with me, after failing a huge laundry list of other more common medications.
Your complaint of fatigue I think is an important clue. That's the tippoff. That also tends to point me in the direction of norepinephrine instead of serotonin. Anything's possible, but I get the feeling you'll do a lot better with a non-serotonin med. Of them all, my personal favorite is Adrafinil. Because it is cheap, easy to get, generally very safe, and generally very few if any side effects, and it will work on brain chemistries that you thus far haven't looked at, its as good a place as any to try next.
But whatever you do, don't let the doctor prescribe you yet one more medication in the serotonin class. That's kind of like beating a dead horse. I mean, I could be wrong. You might for example have a miraculous response to Prozac. I just don't think the odds are in your favor for that to happen though.
Think about trying Adrafinil.
JohnL
ADRAFINIL (Olmifon)
Rapidly restores vigilance and alertness in older people and the physically and mentally tired. Has a powerful
antidepressant action far superior to that of fluoxetine (Prozac) and clomipramine (Anafranil) and is without any serious
side effects. Adrafinil restores your powers of concentration, memory and intellectual function. When administered to
older people who have lost interest in life, adrafinil makes them want to take part in life again and they find that they
have renewed energy and vigor. Adrafinil may be correctly described as an anti-aging drug because it directly combats
degeneration in the part of the brain that allows you to take pleasure in life. Elderly people very often have disturbed
sleep patterns and take many naps during the day. Adrafinil restores a youthful sleep/wake cycle of full alertness in the
daytime and deep restorative sleep at night. After several weeks of treatment with Adrafinil daytime sleepiness
disappears, interest in intellectual activity is restored and depression lifts. It is very important to note that this improved
quality of alertness is NOT accompanied with mental excitation and insomnia as occurs with amphetamine or caffeine.
The correct dosage is 300 to 600 mg per day. The dosage can be adjusted according to response. Remember it takes
three weeks for all the effects of Adrafinil to become apparent. Do not use Adrafinil if you have any type of kidney or liver
problem or if you suffer from epilepsy.
ADRAFINIL: What is; (a.k.a. Olmifon) (Description & information below)
NOTE:not to be confused with "Anafranil (a.k.a. clomipramine)" the Antidepressant.Adrafinil provides alertness in most without the feeling often felt with stimulants that usually are prescribed for a person with
narcolepsy. Such as amphetamines etc. Also the possibility of tolerance is low with its continued use. There is however a
need for certain Liver function tests
on a regular basis with its continued use. Normally the same types of required testing as with the medication " cylert " which is
commonly prescribed in the USA. It is also used in certain parts europe as a "antidepressant". It is the combination of
Adrafinil's releasing stimulantive arousal effect(s), and its antidepressant effects that some doctors in europe recommend
Adrafinil over its newer form of Modafinil. There have been studies done in the United States "measuring depression in
individuals with sleep disorders",. In one study it was suggested that the
"rate of narcolepsy and depression is estimated to be between 30-52%".ADRAFINIL
Adrafinil: Alertness Without StimulationAdrafinil is the prototype of a new class of smart drug - the eugeroics (ie, "good arousal") - designed to promote vigilance
and alertness. Developed by the French pharmaceutical company Lafon Laboratories, adrafinil (brand name, Olmifon) has
been approved in many European countries for treating narcolepsy, a condition characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness
and other unusual symptoms.Non-narcoleptic users generally find that adrafinil gives them increased energy and reduces fatigue, while improving cognitive
function, mental focus, concentration, and memory. It has been reported that quiet people who take adrafinil become more
talkative, reserved people become more open, and passive people become more active.Of course, many stimulant drugs, ranging from caffeine to methamphetamine, are known to produce similar alerting/energizing
effects. Adrafinil has been described by some users as a "kinder, gentler" stimulant, because it provides these benefits but
usually with much less of the anxiety, agitation, insomnia, associated with conventional stimulants.Adrafinil's effects are more subtle than those of the stimulants you may be used to, building over a period of days to months.
They appear to be based on its ability to selectively stimulate 1-adrenergic receptors in the brain.2 These receptors normally
respond to norepinephrine (noradrenaline), a neurotransmitter linked to alertness, learning, and memory. This is in contrast to
conventional stimulants, which stimulate a broader spectrum of brain receptors, including those involving dopamine. Its more
focused activity profile may account for adrafinil's relative lack of adverse side effects.Dosing
The standard dose is 2 to 4 300-mg tablets per day for improving cognitive function, although some people may find lower
doses produce a desirable degree of improvement. Higher doses have been used to treat narcolepsy.ADRAFINIL (OLMIFON)
A unique substance which improves daytime alertness and vigilance
without altering the phases of sleep. Take 2 to 4 tablets per day. After
8 to 10 days of treatment feelings of fatigue disappear, after 15 days
there is a powerful effect on activity and after 1 to 3 months cognitive
effects are experienced. Intellectual function is improved particularly,
the ability to formulate new ideas and recall information. Avoid if you
suffer from epilepsy, kidney or liver impairment.
poster:JohnL
thread:38333
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000619/msgs/38349.html