Posted by Mitch on August 15, 2001, at 10:34:40
In reply to Oops low dose paxil, not zoloft (N/P), posted by MM on August 15, 2001, at 9:16:56
> > I just want to know WHY Serzone is different if it's basically another SSRI (the other SSRI's didn't help me)? If you explained why, I'm sorry I didn't quite understand. Are there meds in other categories that are similar, but not necessarily serotonergic? The good thing about it was that I felt calmer, but there were bad things about it too.
You are just touchy with SSri's like a lot of people. I can't explain in detail (others here could) why the 5-HT2a antagonism which is characteristic of Serzone settles down your agitation. I just know that it did. I had some trouble with being a "zombie" like you said, and it did make me a little too foggy at work, but maybe that could subside with time?
> > I feel kind of like I have to find my own "right" meds because my pdoc's strategy is not making sense to me (strong anti-manic/mood stabilizer (Depakote) + small amount of paxil for predominant depression with no real hypomania. I think it could be making me depressed and therefore still/more anxious) and I'm the one who knows how *I* feel, but I don't really know what meds I'm looking for.
I know others will argue about this, but I *can't* take Depakote by itself as a mood stabilizer (I am too depressed), and I can't take Neurontin by itself (it doesn't control the highs well enough). So, I am taking a low dose of *both* and it works fairly well.
> > I'm interested in Neurontin (he said no last time), Adderal (sp?), possibly Serzone again in low doses, and would consider Lamictal after trying Neurontin. I don't know a whole lot about meds though. I want to deal with my anxiety/depression etc., but I don't want to be a lazy blob who's too tired/fatigued/nauseous to do much, can't think straight and is self unaware/numb.
IMHO, think that if he would *swap* a little Depakote for a little Neurontin and switch you from Paxil to Serzone (at a low dose) you *might* find yourself a little less fatigued without being agitated.
> > I'm either BPII (at the milder/depressed end of the spectrum) or Borderline (at least I think I resemble it) depending on how you look at it. Are there any specific meds recommended for BPD (besides neurontin)?
Neurontin is the one that I have heard the positive news about.
> >
> > It's *possible* that I'm coming down from hypomania, and that's why I feel bad, so now I'm just normal, but *my* normalcy is what we sought a psychiatrist etc. for in the first place (SSRI's are thought to have induced BP in me after they were given to me for depression and anxiety. I guess that means I was susceptible to BP though), so now what do I do? I'm back to square one. I really feel like a lost cause and I'm desperate. I'm just BARELY an adult. My life should be *SO* different right now.
Start mood-charting your cycling. Write down on your chart the meds and their dosages and any changes you make, and bring it in to your pdoc. That will help you figure out better what is helping and what is hindering. When you are feeling a little high or low it is tough to *remember* what it felt like when you felt the opposite because your mood is different (state-dependent memory influence). So, you get unnecessarily despondent, because it feels like you always felt like this!
poster:Mitch
thread:75032
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75131.html