Posted by Racer on July 17, 2005, at 13:28:01
In reply to Re: WHAT MEDS WILL HELP ME???, posted by Enigma on July 17, 2005, at 12:49:39
Hm... Let's see, I see a list of SSRIs, two newer ADs, and a bunch of anxiolytics... You say that you have no energy or motivation... Hm...
OK, this might sound counter-intuitive, but have you tried Provigil for energy and motivation? It's not for everyone, and one of the worst start up effects is that some people get headaches -- for the first three months or so! Ugh. For me, even with the headaches, coming on the same time every blasted afternoon, it was still worth hanging in with. It hasn't caused any sleep problems for me, it isn't a stimulant in the usual sense, so no speediness, and it's augmented my ADs a lot.
My experience with benzos ain't been great -- for me, if I'm upset, I fight off their effects, and they increase my depression when they wear off. They haven't at all been worth it for me. What was very, very helpful for me was propranalol, a beta-blocker that stops the physical reactions of anxiety, but does nothing for the thoughts that might be involved. That's pretty much what I needed, but may not be helpful for you. On the other hand, it might be worth talking to your pdoc about something like that. I've read that verapamil (sp?), a calcium channel blocker, has been used for anxiety and mood stabilization with some success, especially in women. That's also worth talking to your dr about.
As for ADs, your list really only shows the newer drugs, the SSRIs and later. There are a couple of other newish drugs, like Remeron or Cymbalta, that aren't on it, and there are two big classes of older ADs that aren't listed, either. The tricyclics can be helpful for a lot of people who haven't responded adequately to SSRIs, and some have anxiolytic effects as well. Personally, I think that the SSRIs are *too* selective for some people, and the TCAs will be helpful for them since they tend to target more than one chemical pathway. MAOIs are also helpful for some people who don't respond to SSRIs or TCAs, although they are more problematic drugs in many ways. They're still out there, though, if you have trouble finding anything else that works.
Also, has your doctor tried you on a combination of meds? Some people just need a combo -- I"m one of them. Right now, I'm taking Wellbutrin and Cymbalta -- and Provigil -- and my last combo was Effexor and Prozac. With the combos on board, I'm doing OK. But with either drug alone, well, you'd think nothing was ever going to help me.
Hope that helps some, and good luck.
poster:Racer
thread:528973
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050713/msgs/529022.html