Posted by Squiggles on May 10, 2003, at 21:30:20
In reply to Re: Remeron rocks for treatment-resistant unipolar, posted by SLS on May 10, 2003, at 21:08:56
> Hey, Squiggles.
>
> > No, i'm sorry i did not make myself clear;
> > i meant that of the 18 or 20 drugs tried
> > by my friend - most of them new only,
> > imipramine and Remeron have worked; and in
> > my case - lithium;
>
> Well then, I guess your lack of clarity has given me a potentially good idea. I could try adding Remeron to imipramine.
* You sound well-informed about meds. Imipramine is an old tricyclic;
Remeron, just as old or older (used to be marketed by
Organon, a Dutch drug and dye co. by another name) tetracyclic;
just how they influence the brain hormones is something i would
have to look up in Stahl's little book, or search the net,
and even then, it mean little to me in terms of prediction.Why would you want to mix the two?
>
> > I am simply wondering if there has been any
> > real advance with the new drugs or if they
> > are just spin-offs.
>
> I think the answer is probably "yes and no". All of the SSRIs are chemically distinct from each other and all offer alternatives to one another, exhibiting different efficacies for any one individual. I know someone who responds to Paxil and not to Celexa. There are plenty of people for whom the reverse is true. As someone else mentioned, it may be that too many resources are being spent to develop more SSRIs at the expense of more novel compounds. What I find encouraging is that it has become increasingly apparent (and reported in the media) that the available antidepressants are less effective than they were once portrayed. For example, the number 70% is reported to be the percentage of people who respond to any one antidepressant. However, "respond" does not mean "remission". It only means that 70% experienced at least a 50% reduction of measurable symptoms. Perhaps only 40% actually attain full remission. 30% respond to placebo.
>
> > I'm glad yours work
>
> Right now, I am improved by only 15% over my unmedicated baseline. That will not get me back to work.Oh sorry. Whenever that sort of thing happens, i have
a knee-jerk reaction to ask about the initial diagnosis.
I know that lithium has good success as an adjunct with many
ADs of different types.
>
> > - are you under the care of a psychopharmacologist?
>
> The doctor I'm seeing is primarily a psychopharmacologist. I just started seeing him, so I don't know the extent to which he offers psychotherapy.I think they must be gods - i always wanted to marry one,
and if i couldn't seduce one of those, maybe settle
for an anaesthesiologist - i am a shameless hedonist,
i know :-)good luck
Squiggles
>
>
poster:Squiggles
thread:225645
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030505/msgs/225689.html