Posted by Racer on September 23, 2000, at 12:52:56
In reply to Re: Depressing ADs, posted by Hattree on September 23, 2000, at 10:48:30
I've tried a bunch, too. Usually, for me, there's a placebo effect: 'I've started the drug, it'll get better soon...' Sometimes the depression is worse for a bit, but if the drug is going to help, it'll start helping.
The thing to remember is that it takes a while to build up to a theraputic dose. In the olden days, when we had to walk 12 miles through the snow barefoot to get to our appointments, the tricyclics could be monitored by blood tests, to see when the drug was in the theraputic window. With the newer drugs, that's not possible. That's a problem, since it makes it difficult to tell when the drug isn't at the right dosage, and when it's just not the right drug. Dosage is difficult, too, since everyone is so different. Based on body weight, I'd usually be given a low dose of anything, but even the tricyclics had to be given in very large doses before anything happened. (With depression, comes anorexia,, for me. 5'9", usually around 110# when I start drugs.)
So, if you're literally going off them after less than a week, give them more time. What's the longest you've stayed on a drug, what was it, and what did it do, if anything, for your mood?
(And regardless of drugs: hang in there. We've most of us been through it, and everyone on this board is ready to offer whatever we can to you.)
poster:Racer
thread:45058
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000905/msgs/45122.html