Posted by Racer on June 2, 2008, at 20:42:34
In reply to Borderline so no AD will help so pdoc/T give up!?, posted by Fivefires on June 2, 2008, at 17:19:43
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> I was told I'm not being given an AD because it won't work because I'm borderline.
>Hm... That's quite interesting, since many of the articles I've read say that ADs are helpful for BPD... Other medications are, too, of course, but various SSRIs are usually mentioned when discussing medications appropriate and helpful in treating some of the symptoms of BPD.
> They've pinned me down to borderline and I'm suffering more than ever before, and they're just chocking(can't find proper spelling in dictionary) it up to borderline!
First of all, the word is "chalking," just in case you ever need it again. ;-)
And yes -- there's a problem, because there's a huge difference between saying, "Oh, well -- this is nothing more than BPD," and "the suffering you're experiencing is caused by BPD, so you'll work on that -- and this medication will help with your pain while you do so." Guess which one I think is more appropriate?
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> I hate this and believe diagnoses like this are often way, way incorrect.They can be helpful, as a roadmap to your treatment. And they can be used punitively, as well.
I realize this isn't what you want to hear, but can you open yourself to the possibility that this dx is correct, and that the problem isn't with the dx, but with your current treatment team's response to it? I'm not saying that it fits you, only asking if you can separate the two -- if it does fit, being open to it may help you find more appropriate treatment options.
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> To me, it doesn't explain why I can switch from a low mood to a 'good/higher mood' when something good occurs, small or large, or when someone shows me an act of kindness or love. I told this to my T and T said still symptom of borderline.Actually, she's right -- that sort of emotional reactivity is often a symptom of BPD. It can be associated with Atypical Depression, but it can also be associated very strongly with BPD.
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> It's clear now why I've been left to wither away w/o an AD. They won't consider anything because they are 100% sure I'm borderline!Which is part of the problem -- the bottom line of this is, you are suffering. It is not humane to allow you to continue suffering in this manner. There are options out there for you -- and even if you are borderline, this sort of attitude doesn't seem as though it would be particularly helpful for your treatment. I can't imagine that the therapeutic alliance you've got going with either pdoc or T would be all that effective.
> I read your weight should be taken into account when beginning Nardil? T said this is not true.
According to RxList, weight isn't taken into account in starting Nardil.
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> Anyway, also read somewhere an MAOI, whether effective or not, can be an indicator of whether or not one has TRD.
I'm not sure what you mean by this?Do you mean that response or lack of response to an MAOI would indicate whether or not your depression is treatment resistant? If so, I don't know that I'd believe that. I do respond to various ADs to one degree or another -- but I responded badly to the one MAOI I tried. If you mean that MAOIs indicate whether or not your depression is the Atypical variety, that might be backwards -- Atypical Depression often responds well to MAOIs, according to the various studies, but Atypical depression also responds to other ADs. Mileage varies.
I tend to agree that combination therapy would probably be helpful for you. From what you're writing, I'm guessing that your current state is as much about anxiety as depression -- and probably also about the anxiety surrounding the treatment you're currently receiving. I don't know your situation -- can you change doctors? If so, I think that would be my first recommendation. If you can't, that's harder. If you're receiving treatment at an agency, perhaps appealing to the administration would help? Or, if it's a county agency, contacting the department responsible for them might help.
If you do have to contact an administrator or county department, please let me help you. I had to do that, and learned some things about it...
poster:Racer
thread:832552
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080528/msgs/832594.html