Posted by JohnL on August 24, 2001, at 18:54:12
In reply to martin jensen book - Elizabeth, Lorraine, others?, posted by may_b on August 24, 2001, at 11:03:53
I like his book a lot. The strategies in it were what saved me from a 10 year stay in a depression dungeon.
Both my GP and my psychiatrist found many valid points in Jensen's methods, and some debateable ones too. But like most anything else, it is not a bible. Instead I think it is better used to help one lay out their own unique roadmap. It provides strategy and organization, where otherwise there is not enough of that. Too much hit and miss and not making any sense out of it all. The book teaches how to read clues. Reading those clues leads to a quicker find of the right medicine.
His methods led me through quick trials of the SSRIs I had not yet tried. Then his method had me run through the stimulants. For the first time in my life, I found a hint of something that could work. But the usual poopout tolerance thing set in quick. Still though, at least I knew I was on to something.
Then the antipsychotics were next. The only things is, that's where my search stopped. Bingo, I hit a jackpot. It was Zyprexa.
Big improvement with Zyprexa, but not total. Still though, at least now I knew which drugs worked best. My favorite of the SSRIs was Prozac. It helped. So I voted it in. My favorite stimulant was Adrafinil. It was great, especially with Prozac, so I voted it in. My favorite AP was Zyprexa. It was in. And thus my three way cocktail of minimum doses and I feel better than I ever have in my entire life.
It was Jensen's book that made it all happen. I would probably still be stuck back in SSRI land with no hope in sight and a bunch of doctors shrugging their shoulders, if not for the book to give some direction and strategy to the whole thing.
I do not agree with his 5 day trial thing though. Personally I think it should be 2 weeks, maybe 3 max. That's what I did. One new drug every two weeks, and then I could go back and choose my favorites. It worked like a charm.
John
poster:JohnL
thread:76220
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010822/msgs/76278.html