Posted by Ponder on August 24, 2003, at 11:56:13
In reply to Naturopath visit results, please read, posted by BarbaraCat on August 22, 2003, at 22:11:59
B-Cat, you are so right about the difficulty in getting coordinated care on the hormonal piece of the puzzle. My psych-doc doesn't know what to do with estrogen/progestin, my family practice doc doesn't know beans about psychiatric issues, my gyn doesn't want to deal with anything but the HRT. I've never seen an endocrinologist, but understand they have a beef with anything but the most conservative thyroid supplementation (partly because of the osteoporosis risk).
The HRT thing is confusing. I've heard that these hormones play a huge role in mood disorders, but the effects are unpredictable. So, I guess it's another one of those try-it-and-see kinds of things. I've been reluctant to discontinue for fear of destabilizing.
Truth is, I'm pretty much afraid of everything these days. I've lost hope for feeling any better than marginal. I have a few days of euthymia a month and they are wonderful, but the rest of the time I'm just grateful that I'm able to get out of bed in the morning. So I keep taking my usual meds and call it good. It's so hard to evaluate treatment efficacy with rapid-cycling BP that the try-it-and-see method is stressful. I can't always tell what is helping vs. just cycling out of the depression for a while. I fear I may be spending my money and subjecting my body to drugs/supplements that are not really helping at all.
Well, there, I've talked about several issues, I guess, and in not too organized a way. But there it is.
Thanks, B. for your lucid and helpful posts.
poster:Ponder
thread:9730
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030823/msgs/253580.html