Posted by detroitpistons on December 9, 2005, at 14:53:28
Hi!
This is my first time posting, but I've referenced this site in the past and I think it's a great resource. My thanks to Dr. Bob for creating this site and putting in extra hours to participate on it. It's awesome that I can see dialogue here between actual MD's....Seeing a psychiatrist once per month is not always enough, and we all know how busy they can be (to the extent that you almost feel pressure to get in and out as fast as possible).
Anyways, I'm on Effexor XR 225 mg for the second time around. I have major depressive episodes that seem to get worse as I get older, and between episodes I would say that I'm dysthymic. I also believe I have GAD but I've never had a formal diagnosis (of any kind). The first time I took Effexor was my first experience with any psych drug. It seemed to work wonders at the time. Then it pooped out after about a year and a half and I was prescribed Paxil, and later Lexapro, with some Xanax (accidentally became dependent on it for sleeping, but that's a different story) sprinkled in. I never really felt that Paxil and Lexapro worked as well as the Effexor.
Just recently, in August '05, I was in the midst of a pretty bad depressive episode, and I started back on the Effexor....So here I am about 4 months later, and the deep depression has lifted. However, it just doesn't seem like the results with the Effexor are as good the second time around. I still have some degree of anxiety almost every day, and although I'm not deeply depressed, I don't get elated or even really have feelings of joy like I did the first time around. I had so much more confidence the first time I took it, and I just felt like I was in much more control over my life. I just felt flat out happy, while now I just feel sort of flat. It's so hard to really gauge what's going on because my environment has changed over the years. There are no constants, really.
The main issue is the anxiety. I have a feeling that if I bring this up with my doc at my next appointment, I may be put on a benzo or maybe buspar. I'd rather not be on a benzo because, aside from the issue of addictiveness, they really just make me tired.
Any advice, questions, or comments?
Has anyone ever taken 5HTP with an AD with any success? I'd really like to try something "natural," however I'm kind of skeptical. I tried Same-e once, and it was mostly just a waste of money.
Hope to see your responses!
poster:detroitpistons
thread:587416
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051203/msgs/587416.html