Posted by jay2112 on November 25, 2022, at 23:39:34
In reply to Re: Developing bad habits on Psycho-Babble?, posted by linkadge on November 25, 2022, at 16:07:55
> In theory, I agree with what you are saying. You take an antidepressant, you slug through side effects for a few months, and then you experience this miraculous remission that makes all the side effects worth it....
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> The reality (for some of us) is completely different:
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> - 20 + years of f*rt*ng (don't know what f*rt is starred out) around with various antidepressants and antidepressant combinations.
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> - at least 10 antidepressants of various classes tried at a full therapeutic dose, with excellent compliance for over 2 months each
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> - minimal, inconsistent, or fleeting results
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> SLS, you have to realize that genetically, everybody is different. For example, a variation in the serotonin transporter gene alone could make SSRIs either tolerable or completely intolerable. You may have the LL version of the SERT gene and wonder why other people are whining so much about SSRIs. The experience of somebody with the low acting version might be hell on earth and wondering why ANYBODY can tolerate the drug. Some of these drugs are just simply not hitting the correct mood target of the patient involved. So, what are they left doing??? Clearly their experience of 'following medical advice' and 'being a good patient' has got them nowhere.
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> - listening to their body
> - trying the doses that seem to provide some benefit without overwhelming side effects
> - trying various combinations
> - suffering through side effects only to the duration they are willing to suffer.
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> For example, some cancer patients can take chemo. Others can't. It's highly individual. Some may only be able to tolerate a certain dose of chemo which may be better than nothing, but not truly effective.
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> I don't stop a med because of sexual dysfunction. I stop a med because it is making me worse day after day for weeks at a time. Or it is giving me a treatment emergent side effect (up to an including increased suicidality) that I cannot tolerate.
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> For some of us its not about being picky. It's the fact that little has actually *worked* in any meaningful sense, and so the faith is just not there to suffer once again through months of side effects, for some alleged benefit that never comes.
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> Linkadge
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>AWESOME post Linkadge. Just taking an antidepressant alone does not work for many, I say. For example, along with Effexor, I have to take large doses of a stimulant, Vyvanse, and a large dose of an atypical antipsychotic, Risperdal. Without ANY of these, I_CAN"T_FUNCTION!! I also take clonazepam, and am experimenting with another antipsychotic, Abilify. That IS likely because of my biological makeup. Having Asperger's, I already have a bit of a tipped up serotonin system/level. The Risperdal blocks some of that serotonin action.
POINT being, is having just read Better Than Well?: The Most Important Question Facing Psychiatry by Paul J. Fitzgerald, we all have psychiatric 'quirks' that can become distressing, and most of us require an INDIVIDUAL drug formula, often based on genetics, and neurodiversity. Better yet, read the book!
Neurodiversity means not all chemicals/drugs affect everyone the same. Stop stereotyping!! We must approach prescribing the same way.
Jay
Humans punish themselves endlessly
for not being what they believe they should be.
-Don Miguel Ruiz-
poster:jay2112
thread:1121118
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20220917/msgs/1121126.html