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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JaneB on June 12, 2002, at 12:17:19
Over the last ten years I have taken xanax, elavil, Zoloft & sinequan, effexor & sinequan & xanax, brief lamictal, effexor & klonopin, now celexa & klonopin. Recently tried Wellbutrin to augment the celexa/klonopin to give energy. The first day on Wellbutrin I felt GREAT! Second day GOOD! Third day—terrible and nightmares, constipation, swelling, etc. This same phenomenon happened last year when I tried WB! Why can’t I feel as good ALWAYS as I did the first two days on Wellbutrin? Pdoc said stop WB because it is too activating for me. Now I am so discouraged. I feel like I hate myself. Has 3 days of WB changed me? I just want to stay in bed and cry (or sleep)but I can't sleep unless I take med to make me sleep. Meds make me tired but control pounding heart, nightmares, etc. Lexapro is supposed to work as well as celexa without the tiredness and I just can’t wait to try it. What is it about WB that made me feel so GREAT for 2 days? Why won't it last? Pdoc isn't good at answering questions. I'm amazed at the wealth of info at this board. HELP please. I'm supposed to be helping others but how can I when I feel this way.
Frustrated,
JaneB
Posted by judy1 on June 12, 2002, at 13:38:40
In reply to Hate meds or hate myself?, posted by JaneB on June 12, 2002, at 12:17:19
Wellbutrin is a pretty stimulating AD and perhaps that 'side effect' only lasted a brief time for you- most people do adapt to it sooner or later. I would blame the meds (versus you), all psychotropics come with various side-effects and it is a discouraging journey to find something that will help as many on this board will attest to. I've found that concentrating on alternative ways of coping with my disorders (I still take klonopin) have really helped me to feel better. Take care, Judy
Posted by Roo on June 13, 2002, at 8:21:58
In reply to Re: Hate meds or hate myself? » JaneB, posted by judy1 on June 12, 2002, at 13:38:40
Judy--
I'm curious about what alternative forms you use? Tell
me more...
Posted by judy1 on June 13, 2002, at 11:58:34
In reply to Re: Hate meds or hate myself? Judy, posted by Roo on June 13, 2002, at 8:21:58
Hi Roo,
Alternatives that I take are Omega-3s, B complex and a good multivitamin, and Ovcon-35, a birth control pill with estrogen. With klonopin, weekly therapy, exercise and good sleep hygeine I've managed to keep my mood pretty stable. Which doesn't mean it will last forever, my shrink keeps a pretty good eye on me and it I get manic he'll give me depakote and zyprexa which will settle me in a few days (and keep me out of the hospital). This has all come about because of the trust I've developed with my therapist and shrink and my inability to take psychotropic meds on a daily basis (with the exception of klonopin). Hope this answered your question. Take care, Judy
Posted by Roo on June 13, 2002, at 12:06:46
In reply to Re: Hate meds or hate myself? Judy » Roo, posted by judy1 on June 13, 2002, at 11:58:34
Thanks Judy! Can you tell me the name or type
or brand of each of these supplements you take?
Exercise and meditation and seeing a cognitive
type therapist weekly help me alot too. I'm thinking
of trying acupuncture for depression too. So far
I have not been able to go off meds and not feel suicidal..
I'm not sure if this is just withdrawal b/c I haven't
been able to wait it out....one thing that makes me
suspect it is is that my depression wasn't as severe pre-meds (I
didn't really feel suicidal just low grade depression)...now
when I go off meds it's an INTENSE depression with lots of
suicidal thoughts....anyway...didn't mean to ramble...
Just haven't been able to shake the hope that I can one
day be med free.
Posted by Schuyler on June 13, 2002, at 12:10:09
In reply to Hate meds or hate myself?, posted by JaneB on June 12, 2002, at 12:17:19
Maybe this is a stupid question, but have you ever tried a stimulant like Ritalin, Dexedrine, Amphetamine, or Provigil? Wellbutrin worked pretty well for me the first day I took it and still works OK after 12 years, and now I am trying to augment it with Ritalin with some success.
Posted by judy1 on June 13, 2002, at 21:02:32
In reply to Re: Hate meds or hate myself? Judy, posted by Roo on June 13, 2002, at 12:06:46
I buy the omega 3 form online omegabrite.com I think. The others b complex, etc is generic- but I do go to health stores. My shrink is very anti-ssri, he sees rebound depression all the time when people try to get off. Are you tapering really slowly? What are you taking- if it's something long-acting like prozac, you can skip a day between doses- but the best thing to do is find a sympathetic dr. to help you taper (yes I know they are difficult to find). Can you decribe your symptoms- e.g. anxiety?- a benzo could help short-term, but I understand completely the desire to be med-free. I'm glad the cognitive therapy is helping and yes I've heard very good things about acupuncture. I just want to make sure you've had a really good physical work-up (thyroid, hormones, etc) since a lot of medical problems masquerade as depression. One last thought, there's a paxil board for people having trouble withdrawing- maybe do a search on the AD you're taking and see if you can find a support group. Best of luck-judy
P.S.- check the PPB next week, I'm going to a conference on alternative mental health therapies this week-end.(alternativementalhealth.com)
Posted by Roo on June 14, 2002, at 8:45:42
In reply to Re: Hate meds or hate myself? Judy » Roo, posted by judy1 on June 13, 2002, at 21:02:32
Are you tapering
really slowly? What are you taking- if it's
something long-acting like prozac, you can skip
a day between doses-Yeah, that's the weird thing. It's always been
prozac that I've been trying to taper off...they always
say prozac doesn't have withdrawal, but it seems to me it
does, it just takes a month to show up. Even so, I tapered
from 20 to 15 mg's and still felt really depressed, anxious
and had suicidal thoughts after 3 weeks or so...no physical
stuff, just mental, maybe a little foggy headed.but the best thing to do
is find a sympathetic dr. to help you taper (yes
I know they are difficult to find). Can you
decribe your symptoms- e.g. anxiety?- a benzo
could help short-term, but I understand
completely the desire to be med-free.My doctor was the one trying to help me taper from 20 to 15 of prozac
but she feels that since my symptoms came back after such a minor
dose change that it was depression and not withdrawal, but still, I
don't somehow believe it since my depression wasn't that bad pre-meds.
Could it be just b/c it's a progressive illness? I just don't know.
She's also against prescribing benzo's, unfortunately, b/c sometimes I
think I could make it past the withdrawal with something like xanax. But
I guess that would be one more thing to withdraw from. I heard some interview
with Steve Nicks saying that trying to withdraw from antidepressants was 100
times harder than withdrawing from cocaine...I just want to make sure you've
had a really good physical work-up (thyroid,
hormones, etc) since a lot of medical problems
masquerade as depression.Yeah, I went to an endocrinologist and had everything
tested...nothing turned up abnormal....I was a little low
in testosterone, but that's it (and that's probably b/c of
being on ssri's longterm).> P.S.- check the PPB next week, I'm going to
a conference on alternative mental health
therapies this week-end.
(alternativementalhealth.com)I'll look forward to hear about what sorts of things you learned!
Have fun!ps. do you think the tricyclics are as hard to withdraw
from as the ssri's?
Posted by judy1 on June 14, 2002, at 17:09:30
In reply to Re: Hate meds or hate myself? Judy, posted by Roo on June 14, 2002, at 8:45:42
ps. do you think the tricyclics are as hard to withdraw
from as the ssri's?I think all AD's are difficult to withdraw from (although prozac and paxil have the worst rap from everything I've read). I bet a little xanax would help you too, and sorry about your unsupportive doc. Are you in a position to change drs- is this a shrink? Personally I think the public is better educated about AD withdrawal then drs. (except for mine :-) Take care of yourself, maybe add interpersonal therapy in with the cognitive, it's what I do- Judy
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