Posted by SLS on February 10, 2007, at 15:41:31
In reply to Re: Patience... » SLS, posted by lcat10 on February 10, 2007, at 13:10:59
> > I've noticed that many people here observe themselves on an hourly or daily basis and evaluate a treatment's worth based upon such short trial periods. I think it is often advantageous to think in terms of weeks and even months. The first two to four weeks are throw-aways, anyway. They involve titration to a therapeutic dosage and include also the 2 weeks that seem to be necessary for the biological response to antidepressant drug treatment.
> >
> > Patience is most difficult when one is in constant pain, but the road to remission lies in knowing how to use the tools available.
> >
> >
> > - Scott
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>
> I could not agree with you more. Right now I am on Emsam patch, 12 mg. and have been for around two and one-half weeks (on the dosage). I am still feeling profoundly depressed most days, but I am now having some half-way decent days as well. We don't know yet (pdoc and me) if this is the med's starting to work or not. Time will tell, and if not, then I will go ahead with the ECT on March 5th. I go from profound to severe depression and at best a moderate-severe depression. Don't know yet if the meds will help to alleviate depression to at least a more mild state.
>
I am not terribly impressed with Emsam. If you are even mildly improved on it, I would say that this indicates that trials of Nardil or Parnate might be warranted before continuing on to ECT.It is difficult to determine how long is too long to spend on a single treatment.
The wisdom of patience comes in knowing that one must give Time time to work. (Said the pot to the kettle). :-)
Personally, I find that I am still too impatient to be as methodical as I would like to be. There is a tendency to want to do anything to bring about immediate relief without regard for the long term strategy and the biological characteristics of the delayed antidepressant process.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:731565
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070207/msgs/731628.html