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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Meltingpot on July 21, 2009, at 12:21:45
Hi,
I'm still taking clomipramine but we have reduced the dose to 150mg because the 200mg wasn't doing anything accept make me feel more tired.
I'm not as bad as I was at the beginning of the year, in that I feel more in control of my behaviour and can function and plan things ok but I still feel like I did when the Seroxat stopped working back in 2005.
I still feel as though life really isn't that great and that maybe death wouldn't be such a bad thing and I know that this is not really a normal way to feel. Well at least I never felt like that when I was undepressed.
My pscyhiatrist who is a private psychiatrist and is very good in that I really feel as though she is listening to me and she does think logically has added Reboxetine to the Clomipramine.
However, I started the Reboxetine last Friday (4 days ago) and I don't really feel any different so now I'm thinking I've got to carry on taking this dose (4mg) for another five weeks and I know it isn't going to work. I know I should be patient and should just give it time but I just feel like my trying any more meds is pointless because I'm never really going to feel anything better than dysthymic.
Has anyone had a good response to reboxetine and if so how long did it take and at what dose?
Denise
Posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2009, at 12:54:14
In reply to Feel bored all of the time, posted by Meltingpot on July 21, 2009, at 12:21:45
Hi sweetie but just to me dysthymia is and would be better than high anxiety. Or severe depression. So sounds like little by little your're improving? Love Phillipa
Posted by SLS on July 21, 2009, at 14:14:38
In reply to Feel bored all of the time, posted by Meltingpot on July 21, 2009, at 12:21:45
I'm wondering if Remeron 45-60mg would help.
Yeah, you know the routine. If you are feeling absolutely no improvement after 4 weeks, your chances of responding begin to drop off rapidly. However, you may have no better choice but to continue with it given your history.
A few weeks ago, I felt as though I had completely run out of ideas. Then it occurred to me that I had not yet tried low-dosage lithium along with the other drugs I am currently taking. Therefore, logic dictated that I indeed had one last thing to try. For a number of different reasons, I chose 300mg as the dosage of lithium that I would use. Within 36 hours, I began to feel significantly better. I am still improving day by day. It's pretty cool. Just know that lithium augmentation has been most studied with tricyclics, and that this might be a great opportunity for you to add it and stay with it. Taking lithium chronically can help prevent the deterioration of brain cells and promote the growth of new ones. You don't have to be bipolar to profit from lithium. You might feel kind of yucky for the first few days, but that should dissipate.
Just a thought.
- Scott
Posted by Meltingpot on July 22, 2009, at 15:22:25
In reply to Re: Feel bored all of the time » Meltingpot, posted by SLS on July 21, 2009, at 14:14:38
Hi Scott,
It's great that lithium is helping you, I hope that it continues to. You always manage to sound fairly optimistic about the next drug you are about to try, whereas, I give up on a drug if I don't feel it doing anything after a week.
To be honest I'd rather feel it doing something even if the side affects are bad because then I least I KNOW that it's doing something.
I just know that I now have to stick with this Reboxetine at 4mg for another 4 or 5 weeks and I know that at the end of that time she might up it to 8mg for another 5 weeks. I'd rather go straight on a high dose, from past experience I know lose doses don't work and the depression and anxiety is bad enough no matter what dose I take so it really makes no difference.
I have tried Remeron twice before, on each occasion I gave it about a month, however, I never tried 60mg.
I have some left over Effexor in my drawer and I'm really tempted to start taking 600mg for a couple of days just to see if it has any positive benefit.
When I went to see my psychiatrist she was toying with a number of options to add to the clomipramine, she mentioned lithium, an MAOI, an antipsychotic and Reboxetine so at least she is not afraid to try lots of different things. I tried lithium about 8 years ago and don't remember it doing much but I would try it again, I'll try anything but tend to give up on them early on.
Anyway, thanks again for your suggestion, I always value your input.
Denise
Posted by Meltingpot on July 22, 2009, at 15:25:50
In reply to Re: Feel bored all of the time » Meltingpot, posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2009, at 12:54:14
Hi Pippa,
Yes dysthymic is definately better than the awful anxiety I was experiencing at the end of last year/beginning of this year but it's still not really good enough.
I hate to sound greedy but I want to feel more than just flat all of the time.
How are you doing?
Denise
Posted by SLS on July 22, 2009, at 16:15:06
In reply to Re: Feel bored all of the time - To Scott, posted by Meltingpot on July 22, 2009, at 15:22:25
Unfortunately, you can't add an MAOI to clomipramine. Serotonin syndrome is bound to result.
I would not want to remain on 4mg of reboxetine for more than three weeks if nothing was happening.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2009, at 22:18:31
In reply to Re: Feel bored all of the time - to Phillipa, posted by Meltingpot on July 22, 2009, at 15:25:50
Denise did you lose my address? Love Jan
Posted by Meltingpot on July 26, 2009, at 12:08:54
In reply to Re: Feel bored all of the time - to Phillipa » Meltingpot, posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2009, at 22:18:31
Hi Jan,
No, I've still got it thanks.
Denise
This is the end of the thread.
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