Posted by fachad on March 19, 2002, at 20:31:31
In reply to FACHAD: answers, more: » fachad, posted by Janelle on March 18, 2002, at 21:11:18
Janelle,
Thanks for taking the time to read my reply. I get so long winded here on PSB, but in person I'm quiet and considered to be a "man of few words".
You asked what I am taking and how it works.
I’m on:
Prozac 10 mg/day (works, but very negative side effects and long term consequences)
Dexadrine 40 mg/day (works great, minimal side effects, minimal long term problems)
Temazepam 30 mg at bedtime (doesn’t work – will replace at next pdoc visit)
I’m taking Prozac 10 mg/day for depression. Yes, I hate SSRIs but last year I had a bad depression caused by a long period of (medically supervised and approved) narcotic pain killer usage from a back injury. The Prozac took care of the depression, but it immediately caused sleep problems and after about a month the old SSRI induced lethargy and fatigue set in.
For a long time before this current depression and Prozac course, I was taking Concerta (methylphenedate) 54 mg. All along it had cured my SSRI induced apathy, lethargy and fatigue. It had also finally relieved my depression and prevented any relapse for about 4 or 5 years, until the painkillers. During this time I did not develop “tolerance” or have to increase the dose.
Anyway, I wanted to remedy the new round of SSRI induced lethargy, it had developed while I was taking Concerta, so I reasoned that I would need something other than Concerta to reverse it.
I tried Adderall, but it was intolerable for me. It made me jittery and gave me dry mouth. So now I’m on Dexadrine 40 mg/day, and I’m slowly tapering my Prozac.
I started Ambien to remedy the Prozac induced insomnia. Again, people always assume the insomnia is from the pstims, but I had no problem before I started the Prozac. Ambien costs a fortune, and I was still waking up at 2 or 3 AM, so I asked my pdoc for something else and got temazepam. It doesn’t work, so I’ll get something else next visit.
Once I am off Prozac I think I will be able to discontinue the sleep meds and go back to stimulant monotherapy. For me, pstims have the greatest benefits and the fewest side effects of any psych meds.
So that’s what I’m on. I had really tried to keep the answer brief – I guess I was only moderately successful.
I really wanted to vent and discuss the dilema of long term effects of psych meds and how side effects get confused with illness symptoms, but to keep this from being ridiculously long I’m going to post that in another thread called “The Delima of Confusing Side Effects & Symptoms."
Take Care.
> It sure is a tricky question I've raised because as you noted, the symptoms of depression and the side effects of meds do overlap.
>
> Thank you for sharing your experience with me. Interestingly, I have heard that early morning awakening such as what you described CAN be a symptom of depression, but in your case, since it coincided with your being on Prozac then stopped while you were off Prozac, I'd say it was definitely the Prozac, not depression.
>
> Interestingly what you described while being on Zoloft is how I feel while in a depression - I do not feel like doing a thing, and I cannot even drive (reflexes are shot, not alert enough)
>
> I gather that due to the lethargy and fatigue you got from SSRI's that you don't take any -- what meds are you currently on and how are they working for you?
>
> I'm not sure what to make of what's causing my *fog* because I was a high achiever until depression set in (in other words before I ever started on meds) but I was also a high achiever for a number of years not too long ago while on Paxil and Klonopin. I was working, going to school, in a relationship, having a full and fulfilling LIFE.
>
> To answer your questions, each time I fall into a depression it's slightly different than the previous one, but I can say that yes, I have been this depressed before.
>
> And yes, I did have this fog before, even during my worst depressed time BEFORE I started meds.
>
> If you have any further thoughts after reading this, please let me know and I'm also curious about what meds you are on and for what symptoms.
>
> THANKS very much!
> -Janelle
poster:fachad
thread:98611
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020318/msgs/98893.html