![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 31. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by slabicki on August 3, 2012, at 18:51:09
Hello there,
I haven't been on this board for the past 5 years, as I'm totally treatment-resistant. The only thing that helped was ECT that I had 5 years ago.
Now I got a "chemical" depression from Ketaconazole that I took for my skin infection.
I took Ketoconazole in the past and it had the antidepressant effect until it pooped out.
This time it caused depression, and it looks like it's depression cycling with different types of depression during the day. I experience head pressure that switches to a deep depression.
There is no hypomania.
I'm really scared of ECT, I have the anxiety of going under anasthesia.
I know that nobody can help me, and I just wanted
to post it to get some support.
That board has helped me so much years ago, when my medications were still partially working. I've tried everything that is available in USA and Europe, including TMS.
Best wishes and good luck to all of you.Slabicki aka AnnaP.
Posted by Meatwood_Flack on August 3, 2012, at 21:32:52
In reply to ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support, posted by slabicki on August 3, 2012, at 18:51:09
Welcome back to the board. As trite as it sounds, stay strong and keep hope in your heart. Wishing you peace.
Posted by Phillipa on August 3, 2012, at 23:24:50
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support, posted by Meatwood_Flack on August 3, 2012, at 21:32:52
Definitely welcome back and hoping responses tomorrow. What type of skin condition? Phillipa
Posted by europerep on August 4, 2012, at 13:19:46
In reply to ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support, posted by slabicki on August 3, 2012, at 18:51:09
> Hello there,
>
> I haven't been on this board for the past 5 years, as I'm totally treatment-resistant. The only thing that helped was ECT that I had 5 years ago.
> Now I got a "chemical" depression from Ketaconazole that I took for my skin infection.
> I took Ketoconazole in the past and it had the antidepressant effect until it pooped out.
> This time it caused depression, and it looks like it's depression cycling with different types of depression during the day. I experience head pressure that switches to a deep depression.
> There is no hypomania.Hi there...
Did you take any other drugs when you experienced an antidepressant effect from ketoconazole? Ketoconazole slows down the metabolism of some drugs, including some antidepressants, so maybe it's just a higher dose of the antidepressant you took back then that made the difference.
As for ECT, how did you overcome the anxiety when you had it last time? If it worked back then, the best idea would probably to try it again, even if it seems difficult. Not sure if that helps, but that's what went through my mind when I read your post.
Posted by slabicki on August 5, 2012, at 20:38:17
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support » slabicki, posted by europerep on August 4, 2012, at 13:19:46
> > Hello there,
> >
> > I haven't been on this board for the past 5 years, as I'm totally treatment-resistant. The only thing that helped was ECT that I had 5 years ago.
> > Now I got a "chemical" depression from Ketaconazole that I took for my skin infection.
> > I took Ketoconazole in the past and it had the antidepressant effect until it pooped out.
> > This time it caused depression, and it looks like it's depression cycling with different types of depression during the day. I experience head pressure that switches to a deep depression.
> > There is no hypomania.
>
> Hi there...
>
> Did you take any other drugs when you experienced an antidepressant effect from ketoconazole? Ketoconazole slows down the metabolism of some drugs, including some antidepressants, so maybe it's just a higher dose of the antidepressant you took back then that made the difference.
>
> As for ECT, how did you overcome the anxiety when you had it last time? If it worked back then, the best idea would probably to try it again, even if it seems difficult. Not sure if that helps, but that's what went through my mind when I read your post.
>
> Hi there,Ketoconazole has the antidepressant effect by itself. There is some medical literature about it.
As far as the anxiety goes, I didn't have that much anxiety at the time I did ECT.
Right now when I think about it, I feel like a needle going to my brain.
But I know if I don't take the action, I will stay
that way - I have definitely a chemical imbalance.
I used to respond very nice to medications.
Thank You everyone for responding.Slabicki aka AnnaP.
>
>
Posted by slabicki on August 5, 2012, at 21:00:06
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support » slabicki, posted by europerep on August 4, 2012, at 13:19:46
Hello there,
I'm just so scared that if I don't do something, I
will stay like that and I will be disabled.
I was on planning returning to work before that happened. I know that my symptoms will stay without medical intervention.I was going to ask the treatment-resistant people how do they handle day to day life.
I'm past of trying different medication combinations.Is anyone in the similar situation?
Slabicki aka AnnaP.
Posted by papillon2 on August 6, 2012, at 5:47:33
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people!, posted by slabicki on August 5, 2012, at 21:00:06
Simplifying one's life is necessary. Stress avoidance. Trying to develop/retain good lifestyle factors: sleep, diet, exercise, relaxation. Keeping occupied but not too occupied - it's a delicate balance. CBT/DBT provides ways to cope/live with the illness even when it does not cause substantial symptom relief. Trying not to beat myself too much over the head when it is too hard to do these things.
There are a number of experimental treatments in the works. Things like ketamine, rTMS, the use of psychostimulants as adjuncts. Perhaps look into these?
I am treatment-resistant, but seemingly less so than you. I get a partial response to an ever dwindling number of medications, without which I am barely able to eat/drink/walk/communicate.
Posted by SLS on August 6, 2012, at 6:22:46
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people! » slabicki, posted by papillon2 on August 6, 2012, at 5:47:33
> Simplifying one's life is necessary. Stress avoidance. Trying to develop/retain good lifestyle factors: sleep, diet, exercise, relaxation. Keeping occupied but not too occupied - it's a delicate balance. CBT/DBT provides ways to cope/live with the illness even when it does not cause substantial symptom relief. Trying not to beat myself too much over the head when it is too hard to do these things.
These things work for me, too.
> I get a partial response to an ever dwindling number of medications, without which I am barely able to eat/drink/walk/communicate.
Gosh. Join the club. :-(
- Scott
Posted by papillon2 on August 6, 2012, at 12:00:24
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people! » slabicki, posted by papillon2 on August 6, 2012, at 5:47:33
> There are a number of experimental treatments in the works. Things like ketamine, rTMS, the use of psychostimulants as adjuncts. Perhaps look into these?
Sorry, I just read from your original post that you have already tried TMS.
I'm really just throwing things out there and hoping something sticks, but are there any meds you tried years ago (at least five, ten) which didn't do much at the time? Would you be willing to try them again?
I read a first-hand response from a guy who had run the gamut of different medications for depression, multiple meds in all the different classes, combinations with mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, etc. Most had worked for a time before pooping out. ECT had worked well previously and he was considering another round.
His family doctor wanted him to do a trial of one of the more common SSRIs (Prozac or Zoloft, can't recall which) before having ECT and he thought he'd humor him since he had nothing to lose. He wasn't expecting anything though, as he'd had given it two separate trials a decade or more ago and it hadn't done anything at the time. Well... surprise! His depression went into remission.
I found this story extremely bizarre (my initial response being WTF?!) given that his depression was obviously severe enough to warrant ECT yet the 'big guns' of meds weren't helping. But hey, the brain is a mysterious organ, maybe the opposite of a 'poop out' can happen?
Anyway, just thought I'd mention it. Feel free to dismiss as wacky. I'm still not quite sure what to think about it.
Posted by alchemy on August 6, 2012, at 21:03:23
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people!, posted by slabicki on August 5, 2012, at 21:00:06
> I'm just so scared that if I don't do something, I will stay like that and I will be disabled.
> I was on planning returning to work before that happened. I know that my symptoms will stay without medical intervention.
> I was going to ask the treatment-resistant people how do they handle day to day life.
> I'm past of trying different medication combinations.I'm so sorry for your situation. It is bringing tears to my eyes to know there is someone treatment resistant like me. I don't know if there has actually been any med that has really helped me, but there has been plenty that have made me worse. I am currently on medication. I guess I would say that the xanax xr actually helps me for some symptoms.
I have also had ECT rounds a few times. Two rounds were to help me from medication trials gone wrong & ECT was a miracle. After 6 treatments I had never felt so good in my life. Unfortunately it didn't last more than a couple weeks, but I was much better than before I had the treatments.
One time I was hit with anxiety from hell. It must have been because I went off meds for an Emsam trial and then went off Emsam. I went to the hospital, and the thought of ECT made my anxiety 10x worse. I only did a couple. Xanax was a better choice for me than ECT at that time.
My advice would be that you definitely need to do something medically. It's good to know that ECT has helped in the past, so that can help you decide. Can you hang in there for a while with some more drug trials or do you think the possible rapid effects of ECT are needed first? And then possibly maintenance ECT. Maintenance treatments works for a lot of people. As scary as it is, if it worked for me I would do it. But our situations, background, and reactions to drugs all differ.
I will be checking in to see how things are. Hang in there (and me too :))
Posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:09:19
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people!, posted by papillon2 on August 6, 2012, at 12:00:24
> > There are a number of experimental treatments in the works. Things like ketamine, rTMS, the use of psychostimulants as adjuncts. Perhaps look into these?
>
> Sorry, I just read from your original post that you have already tried TMS.
>
> I'm really just throwing things out there and hoping something sticks, but are there any meds you tried years ago (at least five, ten) which didn't do much at the time? Would you be willing to try them again?
>
> I read a first-hand response from a guy who had run the gamut of different medications for depression, multiple meds in all the different classes, combinations with mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, etc. Most had worked for a time before pooping out. ECT had worked well previously and he was considering another round.
>
> His family doctor wanted him to do a trial of one of the more common SSRIs (Prozac or Zoloft, can't recall which) before having ECT and he thought he'd humor him since he had nothing to lose. He wasn't expecting anything though, as he'd had given it two separate trials a decade or more ago and it hadn't done anything at the time. Well... surprise! His depression went into remission.
>
> I found this story extremely bizarre (my initial response being WTF?!) given that his depression was obviously severe enough to warrant ECT yet the 'big guns' of meds weren't helping. But hey, the brain is a mysterious organ, maybe the opposite of a 'poop out' can happen?
>
> Anyway, just thought I'd mention it. Feel free to dismiss as wacky. I'm still not quite sure what to think about it.Thank you for your ideas. I wish the pills would work, but they are just sugar pills for me.
I'm just in my desperate search now.
I've checked:
doxycyline - it causes depression
celebrex - causes depression
infliximab - too risky to try
Also - rapamycin, the studies were conducted just
on mice. I don't know what to think now - I will try anything and my wonderful Pdoc will prescribe it as a compassionate way just to try it.I haven't try Ketamine and GHB yet. My Pdoc was reluctant to prescibe GHB, and I don't think he will.
I've tried many off label meds in the past.Slabicki
Posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:26:14
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people!, posted by alchemy on August 6, 2012, at 21:03:23
> > I'm just so scared that if I don't do something, I will stay like that and I will be disabled.
> > I was on planning returning to work before that happened. I know that my symptoms will stay without medical intervention.
> > I was going to ask the treatment-resistant people how do they handle day to day life.
> > I'm past of trying different medication combinations.
>
> I'm so sorry for your situation. It is bringing tears to my eyes to know there is someone treatment resistant like me. I don't know if there has actually been any med that has really helped me, but there has been plenty that have made me worse. I am currently on medication. I guess I would say that the xanax xr actually helps me for some symptoms.
>
> I have also had ECT rounds a few times. Two rounds were to help me from medication trials gone wrong & ECT was a miracle. After 6 treatments I had never felt so good in my life. Unfortunately it didn't last more than a couple weeks, but I was much better than before I had the treatments.
>
> One time I was hit with anxiety from hell. It must have been because I went off meds for an Emsam trial and then went off Emsam. I went to the hospital, and the thought of ECT made my anxiety 10x worse. I only did a couple. Xanax was a better choice for me than ECT at that time.
>
> My advice would be that you definitely need to do something medically. It's good to know that ECT has helped in the past, so that can help you decide. Can you hang in there for a while with some more drug trials or do you think the possible rapid effects of ECT are needed first? And then possibly maintenance ECT. Maintenance treatments works for a lot of people. As scary as it is, if it worked for me I would do it. But our situations, background, and reactions to drugs all differ.
>
> I will be checking in to see how things are. Hang in there (and me too :))Hi Alchemy,
Thank you for your support. That's good that you are on medication, at least something works.
That's really strange - why do we have anxiety of ECT if it worked before?
The anesthesia doesn't hurt, you just need to breathe. But still it's a horrifying experience.I will try meds that are in the trial now, if I can find any.
Thank you again for your response.Slabicki
Posted by alchemy on August 6, 2012, at 21:29:17
In reply to Re: Desperately looking for a novel med now! » papillon2, posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:09:19
> Thank you for your ideas. I wish the pills would work, but they are just sugar pills for me.
> I'm just in my desperate search now.
> I've checked:
> doxycyline - it causes depression
> celebrex - causes depression
> infliximab - too risky to try
> Also - rapamycin, the studies were conducted just
> on mice. I don't know what to think now - I will try anything and my wonderful Pdoc will prescribe it as a compassionate way just to try it.
>
> I haven't try Ketamine and GHB yet. My Pdoc was reluctant to prescibe GHB, and I don't think he will.
> I've tried many off label meds in the past.
>
> SlabickiDid your dr let you try the off label meds? I had to push mine to try one of the parkinson drugs. I'm pretty sure I am his most treatment resistant patient. He has hinted that I only need to learn how to cope with nothing really working.
I have read where people have learned to just "accept" their illness and work around it. I cannot live this way. It is non-relenting and has been haunting me for 30 years. Sorry my post isn't helpful right now. I am looking for the other responses as well. I guess I just keep painfully in the semi-survival mode. I'm not stuck in bed all of the time, sometimes I can put on the happy mask. I'm glad I at least live in an age where there are treatments, but I do not respond to them.
Posted by alchemy on August 6, 2012, at 21:35:26
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people! » alchemy, posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:26:14
> Hi Alchemy,
>
> Thank you for your support. That's good that you are on medication, at least something works.
> That's really strange - why do we have anxiety of ECT if it worked before?
> The anesthesia doesn't hurt, you just need to breathe. But still it's a horrifying experience.
>
> I will try meds that are in the trial now, if I can find any.
> Thank you again for your response.
>
> SlabickiI don't know why we can have so much anxiety about a short dose of anesthesia when we know it is helpful. I don't care so much that they are shocking my brain - it needs to be shocked! Like you, it's the anesthesia & the oxygen.
We go to sleep every night into a different state of consciousness. I don't know why it freaks me out so much to go into a different state of consiousness with anesthesia. Even though I've done it before and had no negative effects from it. But the anxiety was extremely amplified when I was already suffering from anxiety.
Posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:36:25
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people! » papillon2, posted by SLS on August 6, 2012, at 6:22:46
> > Simplifying one's life is necessary. Stress avoidance. Trying to develop/retain good lifestyle factors: sleep, diet, exercise, relaxation. Keeping occupied but not too occupied - it's a delicate balance. CBT/DBT provides ways to cope/live with the illness even when it does not cause substantial symptom relief. Trying not to beat myself too much over the head when it is too hard to do these things.
>
> These things work for me, too.
>
> > I get a partial response to an ever dwindling number of medications, without which I am barely able to eat/drink/walk/communicate.
>
> Gosh. Join the club. :-(
>
>
> - ScottScott, how are you doing?
I just want to say Hi!
I remember you from over 5 years ago.
I think it's amazing that meds combinations still
work for you because I know you are treatment resistant. Good luck to you.Slabicki
Posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:49:50
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people!, posted by alchemy on August 6, 2012, at 21:35:26
> > Hi Alchemy,
> >
> > Thank you for your support. That's good that you are on medication, at least something works.
> > That's really strange - why do we have anxiety of ECT if it worked before?
> > The anesthesia doesn't hurt, you just need to breathe. But still it's a horrifying experience.
> >
> > I will try meds that are in the trial now, if I can find any.
> > Thank you again for your response.
> >
> > Slabicki
>
> I don't know why we can have so much anxiety about a short dose of anesthesia when we know it is helpful. I don't care so much that they are shocking my brain - it needs to be shocked! Like you, it's the anesthesia & the oxygen.
> We go to sleep every night into a different state of consciousness. I don't know why it freaks me out so much to go into a different state of consiousness with anesthesia. Even though I've done it before and had no negative effects from it. But the anxiety was extremely amplified when I was already suffering from anxiety.Yes, I understand exactly what you mean.
But just a thought of it freaks me out right now.But ECT is a life saver, so I just want to encourage everyone who wants to change his life.
It changed mine years ago.
But of course everyone is different.
I thought I will never be able to function without
medications, but I did.Slabicki
Posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:56:47
In reply to Re: Desperately looking for a novel med now! » Slabicki, posted by alchemy on August 6, 2012, at 21:29:17
> > Thank you for your ideas. I wish the pills would work, but they are just sugar pills for me.
> > I'm just in my desperate search now.
> > I've checked:
> > doxycyline - it causes depression
> > celebrex - causes depression
> > infliximab - too risky to try
> > Also - rapamycin, the studies were conducted just
> > on mice. I don't know what to think now - I will try anything and my wonderful Pdoc will prescribe it as a compassionate way just to try it.
> >
> > I haven't try Ketamine and GHB yet. My Pdoc was reluctant to prescibe GHB, and I don't think he will.
> > I've tried many off label meds in the past.
> >
> > Slabicki
>
> Did your dr let you try the off label meds? I had to push mine to try one of the parkinson drugs. I'm pretty sure I am his most treatment resistant patient. He has hinted that I only need to learn how to cope with nothing really working.
>
> I have read where people have learned to just "accept" their illness and work around it. I cannot live this way. It is non-relenting and has been haunting me for 30 years. Sorry my post isn't helpful right now. I am looking for the other responses as well. I guess I just keep painfully in the semi-survival mode. I'm not stuck in bed all of the time, sometimes I can put on the happy mask. I'm glad I at least live in an age where there are treatments, but I do not respond to them.
>
>
> Yes, I have very compassionate Pdoc.
And I don't want to accept my illness - I'm
a fighter. We got to have hope!Slabicki
>
Posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 22:06:34
In reply to Re: Desperately looking for a novel med now! » alchemy, posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:56:47
> > > Thank you for your ideas. I wish the pills would work, but they are just sugar pills for me.
> > > I'm just in my desperate search now.
> > > I've checked:
> > > doxycyline - it causes depression
> > > celebrex - causes depression
> > > infliximab - too risky to try
> > > Also - rapamycin, the studies were conducted just
> > > on mice. I don't know what to think now - I will try anything and my wonderful Pdoc will prescribe it as a compassionate way just to try it.
> > >
> > > I haven't try Ketamine and GHB yet. My Pdoc was reluctant to prescibe GHB, and I don't think he will.
> > > I've tried many off label meds in the past.
> > >
> > > Slabicki
> >
> > Did your dr let you try the off label meds? I had to push mine to try one of the parkinson drugs. I'm pretty sure I am his most treatment resistant patient. He has hinted that I only need to learn how to cope with nothing really working.
> >
> > I have read where people have learned to just "accept" their illness and work around it. I cannot live this way. It is non-relenting and has been haunting me for 30 years. Sorry my post isn't helpful right now. I am looking for the other responses as well. I guess I just keep painfully in the semi-survival mode. I'm not stuck in bed all of the time, sometimes I can put on the happy mask. I'm glad I at least live in an age where there are treatments, but I do not respond to them.
> >
> >
> > Yes, I have very compassionate Pdoc.
> And I don't want to accept my illness - I'm
> a fighter. We got to have hope!
>
> Slabicki
> >
>
> So what do you think about Rapamycin?
I just want to break the cycle of depression.
It was the only choice I was able to find
(exept Ketamine and GHB)Slabicki
Posted by SLS on August 7, 2012, at 7:23:29
In reply to Re: To all treatment-resistant people!, posted by Slabicki on August 6, 2012, at 21:36:25
> > > I get a partial response to an ever dwindling number of medications, without which I am barely able to eat/drink/walk/communicate.
> > Gosh. Join the club. :-(> Scott, how are you doing?
I am frustrated, but grateful that I am getting a partial response for having added prazosin (Minipress) to my treatment regime. My goal is to return to work. I am still more depressed than I am well. I think I could work with a 50% improvement. My energy level is still too low, and I still have cognitive impairments that get in the way of reading, learning, and remembering.
My doctor chose prazosin for me based upon his thoughts regarding "developmental PTSD". Since prazosin is of help to people with adult PTSD (acute event driven), he thought that it might help me based upon my childhood history of chronic physical and emotional traumas combined with neglect.
http://www.positivehumandevelopment.com/developmental-ptsd.html
I recently tried adding Topamax, another drug that has been shown to help with PTSD. It made my condition significantly worse. I am looking to accelerate my rate of recovery. Prazosin just isn't working fast enough for me. I began taking it in December, 2011. I am certainly better on it than off it.
Currently:
Parnate 80 mg
nortriptyline 150 mg
Lamictal 200 mg
Abilify 10 mg
lithium 300 mg
prazosin 4 mgThe one drug that I would like to jettison is Abilify. It raises my triglycerides to an unhealthy level (> 400). I might consider trying to discontinue it if I respond robustly to the addition of another drug. I might be able to do without lithium, but I keep it in place because it seems to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's Dementia. Unfortunately, depressive disorders increase this risk. I am hoping that lithium offsets this. In addition, lithium might accelerate the recovery of the hippocampus that occurs with successful treatment.
I am looking at trying rTMS or a method of reducing glutamatergic activity. Ketamine and memantine are examples of this. In addition, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), is of interest. Beyond these treatments, I have just about run out of ideas. Hopefully, I won't need any.
I may switch from prazosin to its sister drug, doxazosin. Doxazosin has a half-life of 22 hours. Prazosin is perhaps too short-acting, having a half-life of only 3 hours. I would like to see how I respond to a more consistent blood level of a NE alpha-1 antagonist. Of course, the possibility exists that prazosin does other things pharmacologically that doxazosin does not. I might not respond to doxazosin at all.
- Scott
Posted by phidippus on August 7, 2012, at 20:28:29
In reply to ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support, posted by slabicki on August 3, 2012, at 18:51:09
The effects should have a gone away from the ketoconazole. How long have you been depressed now?
Eric
Posted by Slabicki on August 7, 2012, at 21:09:53
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support » slabicki, posted by phidippus on August 7, 2012, at 20:28:29
> The effects should have a gone away from the ketoconazole. How long have you been depressed now?
>
> EricHi Eric,
Unfortunately the effects stayed with me for over a month. It looks like I developed the rapid cycling, exept there is no hypomania involved,
just switching in different levels of depression.
It's definitely a result of Ketaconazole, and I never experienced that before.
I wish I have never taken Ketaconazole,
but it's too late now.
It's a chemical imbalance and it won't go away, no matter what I do.
My methods of fighting depression like talking to people or physical activity don't work.
I need a medical intervention to beat the symptoms,
and there is no much options left.Slabicki
Posted by papillon2 on August 7, 2012, at 21:10:26
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support » slabicki, posted by phidippus on August 7, 2012, at 20:28:29
If I were in your position I'd be seriously considering ketamine.
Posted by phidippus on August 7, 2012, at 21:28:56
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support » phidippus, posted by Slabicki on August 7, 2012, at 21:09:53
ECT might be your best recourse, if you don't respond to medications.
Eric
Posted by SLS on August 8, 2012, at 1:02:20
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support » phidippus, posted by Slabicki on August 7, 2012, at 21:09:53
Out of curiosity, how did you respond to the following:
1. Lamictal
2. Abilify
3. Wellbutrin
4. Paxil
5. Parnate
6. methylphenidate
7. Mirapex or RequipI'm sorry that you had such a miserable experience with ketoconazole. I had no luck with a drug that manipulates the cortisol (HPA) axis. Mifepristone made me feel strangely "washed out" by the end of the 8 day treatment period. It did not help at all. I had thought to try ketoconazole. I don't recall why I ultimately rejected the idea. I have had several drugs make me feel worse in ways that persisted for quite awhile after their discontinuation. Hopefully, you won't have to suffer that much longer.
I had some luck with the combination of nortriptyline + Effexor. It didn't provide as robust a response as I needed, but the improvement was persistent.
- Scott
Posted by Slabicki on August 9, 2012, at 22:49:36
In reply to Re: ketoconazole, ECT and I just need a support » Slabicki, posted by SLS on August 8, 2012, at 1:02:20
> Out of curiosity, how did you respond to the following:
Hi Scott, I've tried them all in the 90ties, when I was still responding to meds.
>
> 1. Lamictal
- it didn't work
> 2. Abilify
- I was already resistant to meds when I tried it,
so I had no response at all> 3. Wellbutrin
- my best medication, I had immediate response,
unfortunately it pooped out after a while
> 4. Paxil
- it was a horrible drug, I didn't feel good,
and I gained a lot of weight in just 3 months
> 5. Parnate
- I was already resistant when I tried it, it was
too stimulating for me and it lasted only 3 days
> 6. methylphenidate
- I responded but I developed the tolerance very quicky
> 7. Mirapex or Requip
- it was my miracle response, but it lasted a short time onlyScott, you must remember me maybe, it was 12 years ago (I can't believe it it was that long)
I was posting under AnnaP. and fighting with my
anergic depression.
I had ECT around 2003 and I returned to work, and I worked for 4 years without any medications.
ECT sort off cut my dependence on medications that
stopped working totally.
I thought I will never be able to function without
meds. So that's my story.By the way, have you ever tried Sulpiride?
Great medication and had no side effects for me.>
> I'm sorry that you had such a miserable experience with ketoconazole. I had no luck with a drug that manipulates the cortisol (HPA) axis. Mifepristone made me feel strangely "washed out" by the end of the 8 day treatment period. It did not help at all. I had thought to try ketoconazole. I don't recall why I ultimately rejected the idea. I have had several drugs make me feel worse in ways that persisted for quite awhile after their discontinuation. Hopefully, you won't have to suffer that much longer.
>
> I had some luck with the combination of nortriptyline + Effexor. It didn't provide as robust a response as I needed, but the improvement was persistent.
>
>
> - ScottThank you Scott for your post. I hope you feel
better.Slabicki
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