Posted by King Vultan on September 22, 2004, at 19:54:41
In reply to How do you know if SSRI have helped(trigger), posted by rubenstein on September 22, 2004, at 17:10:46
It's understandable why you might have concerns about SSRIs and your suicidal ideations, as much as this topic has been in the news lately. There is no way for me to know if there is a link in your particular case, but I think that someone you talk to in person may be able to get a better idea. I certainly hope you will be honest and open with the caregivers you deal with, as I believe that will give you by far the best chance of extricating yourself from the state of limbo you appear to be in stuck on two different meds, neither apparently doing you much good.
I think SSRIs are ok antidepressants, but there seems little doubt that they are overused, and they lack the multiple mechanisms of action of the MAOIs and most of the tricyclics. As an example, when I tried the tricyclic nortriptyline, in one respect, I experienced a dive in mood on each dosage increase, but there was also a counteracting rise in mood from one of its other mechanisms that did wind up providing a net antidepressant effect. My (partly) negative reaction was unusual, but in the end, it just meant that nortripytyline was a mediocre antidepressant for me, not a potentially suicidal one. Your experience with the SSRIs also points out the need for regular patient contact with one's doctor so that he/she can monitor your progress. I have been guilty of not following this guideline in the past myself, but I am now much older, and perhaps slightly wiser.
Todd
poster:King Vultan
thread:393791
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040921/msgs/393875.html