Posted by sid on December 31, 2001, at 8:48:30
In reply to Re: venlafaxine PLEASE READ Sid,old school,jimmy gold, posted by jimmygold70 on December 31, 2001, at 2:44:36
I agree; I believe in psychotherapy too. I used cognitive and behavioral therapy to get out of major depression and I still use what I learned there every day. It is also useful to avoid relapses once you're out of the major episode. If I had to do it over again, I would also use meds at the same time, but at the time, I didn't want to. Now I take meds for chronic depression, which I've had for about 20 years. Recently I realized I had gone as far as I could with psychotherapy, and I decided it was time for meds because I still had the baseline depression.
Anyway, I think everyone should consider psychotherapy as an option to complement meds. I find it too bad that doctors or therapists push for their specialty rather than for a more complete combinaiton of approaches. Yes, depression is in the brain, but it does affect your emotions. And whatever is mapped wrong in the brain can sometimes be corrected by "catching yourself" thining or doing things, changing it, and over time, helping the depression. It also takes time, medication as well (titration, trying combos, etc...), and patience is the key (I am not patient, boy, did I suffer !).
That was my 2 cents.
> > I am particuarly interested in this SPECT scan and the PET scan.I have often wondered, what exactly is going on in this head of mine?
>
> Ah... well I think it's a waste of your time and money. Even if we can locate some metabological abnormalities in your brain... so what ? Can it suggest any specific treatment ?
>
> > I have suffered with depression for 10 years.I am 32 now and still suffering.Surely there has to be an answer.I have had so many different anti-depressents over the years, none of which have ever worked.I am convinced that the doctor really doesn't know what is the matter with me.
>
> Please state what ADs exactly did you try and at what doses. 10 years to get to a solution for your depression is a lot of time. Did you consider changing a psychiatrist ?
>
> > When I was prescribed the Effexor XR I think he stumbled upon it by accident and it just happened to work for me.I was not told about any of the side effects or with-drawel symptoms I may encounter.I was so frightened when I began experiencing some of them.
>
> "No Pain - No Gain"
>
> > I know I am going to have to come off the Effexor XR 'cos of the headaches I am getting;they are incredibly painful.I have developed a muscle spasm in my neck now too.I look like I have a nervous twitch, this is very embarrassing and uncontrolable.I am also sleeping really badly, I am going to buy some of this valerian tomorrow.Hope it works for me.
>
> But who said the you have to take Effexor XR ? Did you find ANY of the ADs you took tolerable ? Please state which exactly. I believe you should try lithium augmentation and stop messing around with tomographies and switching ADs. You're wasting your time.
>
> > Doctors here in England are reluctant to spend money on scans etc.So I think when I mention this to him he will have a heart attack and try his hardest to slide away from it.
>
> They don't only save money - they save your time and your brain from radiation.... (-:
>
> > When you are suffering with mental illness in England,and are mentally weak it is all to easy for the doctor to ease you out of the treatment room with a prescription for some more pills to pop.I always get the impression that they don't really care.
>
> I wonder if you ever tried a good psychologist. Sure I can't recommend on any since I don't live in England. But one thing I can say for sure is that CBT+AD works better than any alone. You're young, your brain is still 'plastic', CBT can change a lot for you.
>
> See, I was messing around psychiatrists for 4 years (since I was 18), when I decided to change a psychiatrist (wise decision 1) and start psychotherapy (wise decision 2). Now I'm 24 and in a far better state. I have tried probably every drug found in the canon of psychiatry. I have my cocktail right now. What made the difference was sticking to a good drug, augmenting it the right way, and combining it with a good psychitherapist !!!
>
> > I am hoping to get to the docs tomorrow.I am armed to the hilt with info now which is great for me,but he won't like it one little bit.I am determined to be strong tomorrow and get to the bottom of this.Thank-you for your help.I'll update here tomorrow to let you all know how I get on.Thanks again.Catherine1812
>
> Be well ! Please let me know the information I asked in this posting. I really want to help.
>
> Jimmy
poster:sid
thread:88146
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/88332.html