Posted by Penny on March 6, 2002, at 8:49:41
In reply to What's the point of drugs that make yr life worse?, posted by Automated Lady on March 6, 2002, at 7:18:44
Your description of your depression sounds much like mine.
I sooooo agree with Alan. I, too, have been through three pdocs in order to find one who knows what he's doing. My first would write me a script and send me out the door for another three months to self-medicate (if you don't feel better in a week, up the dose...). My second did try some polypharmacy, but his theory was simply "More is better," regardless of the side effects I was having from being on too high a dose of Paxil.
My current pdoc is fabulous, really listens, and told me there are MANY roads we haven't tried yet medication wise (I've been on Effexor, Celexa, Paxil & Wellbutrin, plus Seroquel & Trazodone for sleep) and that he is very optimistic about my treatment. Thank goodness, b/c I have a hard time being optimistic about anything! But, I trust him.
I found him by looking for a pdoc who was somewhat involved in clinical research. I think that those who are might have more insight into possible "treatment resistent" or severe chronic depression. So, you may need to find a new pdoc who is willing to work with you on this.
And another option to consider (and it's certainly not for everyone) is ECT. I can't speak from personal experience, but I believe the board here has a good amount of information from folks who can.
Good luck.
Penny> I have to put this in, because I am getting to a point of despair about ever recovering from my depression.
>
> I have been seriously depressed since I was 18 (although I have had symptoms of depression from a very young age) and have tried Prozac, Efexor and Celexa. Each one of these has affected my life in such a way as to make it worse rather than better. Although ADs have lifted me out of the darkest moods, they have also made me so tired I have had to sleep 15 hours a day, changed my appetite so that I have been scared and incapacitated by my compulsive eating, made me lethargic and numb, made me not care about my life enough to try and change it.
>
> I am sick of being in this mess, which is that I can't cope without ADs and can't cope with them. I am trying to do a university course and am failing miserably because I can't get myself together enough to do any work, talk to anyone or go to any classes.
>
> I have an NHS doctor who is not interested in combining drugs or trying anything unusual (eg. MAOIs) - he isn't even interested in the fact that my depression is different from the "classic" type (it's atypical). I feel like in order to get any real help I will have to do something desperate, and I have no wish to do that. I just want my life back.
>
> I apologise for being very negative, but I would really appreciate some advice.
>
> AL
poster:Penny
thread:96683
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020301/msgs/96700.html