Posted by maryhelen on May 21, 2003, at 2:46:40
In reply to When to quit, posted by djmmm on May 20, 2003, at 8:37:56
djmmm:
I know you wanted answers from those who have successfully given up meds and what their experience has been, but I hope your don't mind me commenting.
I have been trying different meds and combinations, along with 2 rounds of ECT 5 years apart, for so long now I can't imagine what it has done to my brain chemistry. I have been on Parnate for over a year now. It did work well at the beginning but lost it's effect after about 6 months. My pdoc augmented it with Lithium but I could not take the side effect. So, again another change from Lithium to Lamitcal which I have now been taking for 2 weeks. I am so sick and tired of it all. It has been so long, 16 years without medication, recently I have been thinking, if they are not really helping why not try and see what it would be like med free. What scares me about that is I know 2 people specifically who had a great response to their med and in that state of feeling 'normal' thought that they had finally beaten the depression and came off their meds. Both of them crashed so badly, one attempted suicide, that I cannot take the chance of finding out for myself right now. They both slowly recuperated but are still on meds today. I have just been able to return to work after a 2 year sick leave and I am afraid to take the chance.
I guess what I am trying to say is to be careful. How sure are you that it is not the Parnate that has helped you to feel so much better, yet it now feels like a 'normal' state to you? I do not have an answer but I certainly have been giving it a lot of thought lately.
Good luck in your decision and I would sure like to know how things turn out for you.maryhelen
poster:maryhelen
thread:227852
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030520/msgs/228033.html