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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 24 of 24. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
Hi, everyone,
Calling attention to "success stories" that have been posted (and of course posting them in the first place) might reassure other posters and give them hope. Have you seen any recently? Do you have any bookmarked?
Let's try using this thread to link to them. Actual success stories (as opposed to links to them) posted here may be moved to their own threads, so they can be discussed. I'm thinking of this as a thread just of links.
Discussion about this idea should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20130109/msgs/1043449.html
I can start with a couple...
Bob
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:08:02
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I don't [have doubts about whether medication saves lives]. I was hospitalized five times in ten years with manic or suicidal episodes until I commited to taking lithium. I was hospitalized once in the subsequent thirty years and that when I watched my mother die. Lithium saved my life.
>
> Tophhttp://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20130109/msgs/1043341.html
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:10:55
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> For the past 15 months I have struggled with a severe depressive episode that included 8 different fao;ed antidepressant and antipsychotic trials, which culminated in my hitting rock bottom in a way that I'd rather not discuss, but most of you can probably guess what I'm referring to. Following this, I entered inpatient treatment for one week, during which time the psychiatrist on weekend duty started me on the first TCA I'd ever been prescribed in nearly a year and a half-Amitriptyline. The next day, after a half hour consultation with my assigned psychiatrist, he removed the Amitriptyline and put me on Depakote, Neurontin, as well as Remeron and Ambien for sleep issues. Within four days, I found myself in a better place than I've been in a year and a half and, so far, the recovery has remained. I am not exaggerating when I say for the past six months I firmly believed I would never live to see my next birthday because I didn't believe I could deal with the pain that much longer. That man is gone, and I am back. I understand anything can happen at any moment, but this moment is all I have and in this moment I have never felt so relieved or blessed to have had the grit to hold out until I found my solution. I don't write this to brag, but to encourage. As low as I sank, if I can recover, I believe anyone can, and recovery is my deepest wish for you all.
>
> Meatwood_Flack
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 25, 2013, at 2:11:32
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I've been promoted to a full time HR position.
>
> now I'm a really confident person.
>
> Oh and I'm also not taking any medication.
>
> I think the things that really helped me the most was:
> 1. Getting a job
>
> 2. Realizing that my worth as a person is not dependent on getting good grades or becoming a doctor or lawyer (being "successful")
>
> 3. Facing my fears and just doing whatever it is I'm afraid of.
>
> 4. Realizing that other people don't really care all that much about what you do. So what if you do something horribly embarrassing? YOU might think it's the end of the world, but honestly, most people don't care, they are too busy worrying about themselves.
>
> The main thing is that I'm happy.
>
> Deneb
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 25, 2013, at 2:15:40
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I was severely depressed for four years, was hospitalized several times and could not control suicidal thoughts, could not get out of bed, could barely function, didn't shower or eat. Dragged myself to work when I had to
>
> Since starting ... parnate, lamictal and DBT ... my depression is under control. Not completely gone. I still have to watch it and work with my p-doc and DBT therapist to deal with it. When I start to get depressed and agitated now, I take 15mg haldol and 2-3mg xanax and sleep for 14 hours or more.
>
> I also take 1mg xanax and 200 mg trazadone at bedtime to counter the parnate insomnia.
>
> I consider myself to be cured of the worst of the depression -- the extreme pain and suicidality that lasts for weeks or months. I haven't had an episode longer that a few days in over a year.
>
> baseball55
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 29, 2013, at 17:17:39
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I have just found relief from the following each day: 90mg isocarboxazid, 4mg clonazepam, 300mg bupropion, 50mg quetiapine and the last added was Amitryptyline 100mg. And I think its the amitryptyline thats finally kicked in (after several months). Social anxiety is almost gone, I even talk to strangers, when appropriate lol.
>
> tecknohed
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 29, 2013, at 17:40:04
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> It seems like tempting fate. However, I'm comfortable enough saying "doing much better" story.
>
> Medications play a large role in that. Lamictal on a daily basis doubles as migraine prophylaxis and mood stabilizer.
>
> Keeping my blood sugars stable, as much as possible, also helps with excess daytime sleepiness. But Provigil is another tool that helps with that, and can also help with my "forgetting sleep" response to stress.
>
> I have Klonopin on hand, and I like having it on hand because I have the security of knowing it's there if I need it. But I can't recall the last time I used it.
>
> For periods of agitation, and working equally well with obsessive thinking, I take low dose Risperdal (.5 mg) as needed. I am down to using it a few times a month, although in periods of stress that will likely increase.
>
> I give a lot of credit to therapy. Therapy works well for getting out of my head, with my strong tendency to obsessiveness. It keeps it in check, although it will probably always be an issue. And I'm stable enough now to not let the ups and downs of therapy throw me as much. I'm even doing phobia work now, which I was never able to do before. Therapy also helps me with acceptance. I am able to know myself and acknowledge my ups and downs (and treat them) without overreacting or believing they will last forever.
>
> I also have to give a lot of credit to menopause. If you'd have asked, I'd have said that my moods were [not] at all hormonally related, other than major hormonal shifts like puberty and childbirth. And that would have been true in that my mood swings were not in any way predicted by my cycle. But overall the hormones must have destabilized my mood. A year or two into true menopause, and my mood is definitely less reactive. Go figure.
>
> Dinah
Posted by Dr. Bob on June 4, 2013, at 5:27:43
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I'm posting today because I realized that my depression has finally been healed. It's not something that occurred all of the sudden, but something that kind of sneaked up on me over the past year and I just realized today that it's been months and months...maybe a year or so since I felt depressed and wanted to share my story to encourage others.
>
> MissThanghttp://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20120530/msgs/1038126.html
Posted by Dr. Bob on June 11, 2013, at 20:43:32
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> Metformin..losing weight.
>
> Benztropine..no more back pain.
>
> These two drugs have exceeded expectations.
>
> Phil
Posted by Dr. Bob on June 13, 2013, at 21:28:05
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> often i am afraid to even re-read my old posts because they were written in such states of illness that it boggles me. ... this board has been a big resource for me in years past but thankfully now I am doing much better. but it took a long time, and i went through it all, and i am still on a host of medication. but today i am significantly more functional and mentally and physically more stable than i was at the time of this post, which was the lowest point of my life -- after failed ECT.
>
> it is possible for things to get better. ... i made it through, didn't off myself, and don't intend to...
>
> uncouth
Posted by Dr. Bob on June 19, 2013, at 22:56:15
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I still have cancer, but I'm in a nice long remission and am currently enjoying excellent health (soccer and all). Funny thing, haven't had any issues with depression or used any medication for many years. I'm still gaining perspective on why I am happy and so stress free now. Needless to say, I feel blessed. But what I want to say here is that cancer (or any serious health condition) does not mean the end to happiness. I base this not only on my ongoing cancer experience but also my father's and mother's. Prepare to be amazed.
>
> andrewb
Posted by Dr. Bob on July 2, 2013, at 0:59:05
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> After years of atypical depression depression manifested mostly as anxiety with unsuccessful attempts at everything from imipromine, the first days of Prozac mixed with Klonopin, then Paxil, Zoloft, Buspar, Wellbutrin, EVERY SSRI, SNRIs, ad infinitum, nauseum... Other than the tranks which let me function, nothing really worked... well, if you're here, you get the picture.
>
> Finally, in 2008, I tanked. I had a depressive crash of the likes of never know. I woke up one morning unable to talk, drive, communicate, shower, work. The last I had to. Though my Pdoc couldn't get me out, he laid some Adderal on me that at least made it possible for me to sit upright at a desk while doing my best to avoid conversation and eye contact. It was a life saver, temporarily, since I was unaware of MAOIs and my Psych at the time, as most I learned, would not even entertain such an option.
>
> Anyway, I got laid off 3 months into the 2 year episode of near catatonia. Adderol was the only way I could get myself to brush my teeth or drop my 3 year old (did I mention that) off at day care now that my wife was working to feed us.
>
> For a job (interviewed under double dose of adderol) we had to move 1500 miles. A great thing, as I first met a shrink who wanted Electro Shock (I thought long and hard as I wondered if I'd remember my toddler's name). But then went to the head of a very well known local small college and the head of the psych dept. Finally, he said: MAOI.
>
> I'm rambling cuz these drugs make you crazy talkative (besides overweight, flatulent and an insomniac: all well worth it.)
>
> First, because Nardil wasn't generic yet, Parnate. No help and anxious to boot. Next the patch. No help.
>
> Then, the heavens opened: Nardil.
>
> It couldn't be that easy. Every time I stood up, I passed out. My blood pressure would fall to 53 over 23. I was screwed.
>
> I drove to Columbia Presbyterian in NYC to meet with the head of research. Slept on his office door as he is the lead researcher on cocktails but does not see patients. I WAS NOT GIVING UP ON NARDIL. He actually helped. And saved me.
>
> So, I'm actually a truly happy guy with a 6 year old healthy kid who says he's allergic to cheese to avoid the long discussions.
>
> I'm on:
> 2x15mg Nardil 2x day (generic now!)
> .1 mg fludrocortison (raises blood pressure now 105/72!)
> 100 mg florinate. Though heavy, helps with, err, less heavy.
> Intermezzo (I fall asleep fine. but wake up at 3:30 every morning)
>
> It all works. I just want a Pizza!
>
> nutbug
Posted by Dr. Bob on July 9, 2013, at 0:57:58
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I'm posting because I have been feeling remarkably good for several years (!!) and I wanted to alert folks to what I think MIGHT be the cause. (Of course, it could also be circumstantial.)
>
> I am 66 and on SSI for Major Depressive Disorder, a lifelong condition. I've been on all the usual drugs at some time or other and some of them worked, specifically Paxil and, later, Lexapro. albeit imperfectly. However, I date my recent condition of emotional equanimity to my beginning to take injections of testosterone at a dosage of 200 ml./2 weeks. I have been stable so long since that initiative that I have actually begun to believe that THIS must be the way that normal people feel and have begun to examine past behavior from a point of view that I believe might actually be that of someone not-mentally-impaired. That's a first.
>
> highhatsize
Posted by Dr. Bob on July 11, 2013, at 7:48:20
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> My life's been the best it's ever been ,and I am on Nardil monotherapy :D Took me moving to Seattle from California.... wish i'd done it sooner.
>
> zonked
Posted by Dr. Bob on July 12, 2013, at 10:29:35
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I have been reading this board for more then 10 years. This is my first post. I have had anxiety and depression from i gues my 14 (now35). I took lexapro for 10 years and it the first 2 years it worked very good. Then it stopped working but i kept teaking it because didn't want to go through withdrawal and i didn't want to lose my job. 2 years ago i took a scoop of magnesium citrate and 2 hours later i felt another person(previous pils magnesium+ calcium did'nt work) : almost no more depressed, no anxiety, no extreme tiredness, no light sensitivity, no more extreme diziness.(i also became better previous with B12) I thought i was cured. After a few months i reduced my dose of lexapro and a half year ago i stopped taking lexapro. I was fine for another 3months and then i became depressed again. I then thought the magnesium didn't cure me. After 3 month's of depression i started to take back low dose of lexapro. And after 5 days of 2.5mg (very low dose) de depression started to lift.
>
> magmanhttp://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20130319/msgs/1046980.html
Posted by Dr. Bob on July 16, 2013, at 13:18:35
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I just realized that I don't really need security blanket Dr. Bob anymore. I'm confident and bold enough to go exploring on my own now.
>
> Same thing happened with pdoc and with Babble too. I don't even see her anymore. I might say "hi" in a few months.
>
> You're all still dear to my heart and I will never really leave, but I'm not totally lost without you all now.
>
> :-)
>
> Denebhttp://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20130702/msgs/1047136.html
Posted by Dr. Bob on July 24, 2013, at 8:12:26
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> As some of you might know, i have had severe depression for 10 years with exception of 4 years, when i was on Nardil.
>
> After Nardil, for 6 months the depression was so bad that most nights i hoped i had a 9mm at hand.
>
> I tried various meds and combinations one being worse than another.
>
> I felt hopeless and so terrible that only few days passed without thinking about the 9mm ...well to be honest, i felt so depressed that i think i would have chickened out anyway. I knew, if I had to feel like this every day for the rest of my life, I would have happily chosen death as an alternative. It was extremely horrible.
>
> Now comes the good part:
>
> I didn't write this before because i didn't know if it will last, but now i will share:
>
> It finally happened- the depression gave in and happiness took over - i'm not depressed anymore, I feel absolutely like my old self again. I'v been free of symptoms for 1 month now, i know it's not long, but as Nardil was the only drug that ever worked and it never pooped-out, i'm pretty sure my new combination will maintain it's effect as well. It's so good to be back in the real world feeling feel fresh, energized and motivated.
>
> The key to my success was combining Remeron with Lamictal. Neither of them worked on it's own, i tried both separately with no success. After almost quitting Lamictal i decided i will take the two meds together, i now take 200mg of Lamictal and 30mg of Remeron.
>
> It all started very slowly.
> Firs went the zombiness (feeling like i'm living in a fog), i slept like 16 hours a day.
> After that, day by day i started thinking less about how to take an emergency exit from this life.
> Then, few days came that i felt like..well i don't feel that depressed anymore.
> Then every other day, there was a moment when i felt like the depression was giving in.
> After that, some days there were few hours that i actually felt happy.
> Then one day I started to noticed that music sounds live again, listening to a new song that i liked, i suddenly felt rush of euphoria coming over me- i had almost lost this feeling, it was so long ago.
>
> I was pretty much the most treatment-resistant person possible, but the depression gave in after all and now all the neurons are firing happily.
>
> I hope you all find something that WORKS and keep in mind that the circumstances are not like as they feel when you are depressed,this is not reality, yes, the depression is very real, but it's distortion of reality and it's not how one is created to feel like.
>
> Topdog
Posted by Dr. Bob on August 1, 2013, at 0:08:36
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I'm going great on 90mg of Nardil along with 75mg of nortriptyline,2mg of Xanax and 1mg of risperidone
>
> The nardil has made a huge difference to my life, I feel normal for the first time in years, and have been able to reduce the Xanax from 4mg a day to 2mg a day with no withdrawl symptoms.
>
> Feeling realy good and confident about the future
>
> jono_in_adelaide
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 8, 2013, at 23:52:19
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I am now going to tell a success story about a cocktail with high dose tianeptine (Stablon) treatment.
>
> In 2009, I told my medication history 1994 2009, 54 medications here:
> http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090826/msgs/914853.html
>
> My medication is now:
>
> tianeptine: 4 tablets 6 times a day, first dose in the morning 300 mg daily (1 tablet is 12,5 mg)
> escitalopram: 40 mg in the morning
> liothyronine: 20 micrograms in the morning
> trimipramine: 100 mg in the evening, a few hours before I go to bed
> agomelatine 50 mg in the evening, a few hours before I go to bed
> quetiapine: 600 mg at bedtime
>
> Before I started high dose treatment with tianeptine, my medication always stopped working after some time the longest good period was with citalopram (Cipramil) from 1996 to 1998.
>
> Now have I been using the same daily doses of tianeptine, quetiapine, escitalopram and trimipramine successfully for nearly four years, agomelatine 50 mg since April 2010, and liothyronine 20 micrograms since July 2011 all those six meds with no tolerance build up.
>
> And the strangest thing: I experience few side effects. Could it be that one medication work against the side effects of another in this cocktail?
>
> I think it is important to start with an SSRI first and then add tianeptine later.
>
> I hope my cocktail will continue to work for me for many years to come, preferably for the rest of my life. To not making this post too long, I havent brought all the details, but feel free to ask questions. :)
>
> - doxogenic
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 21, 2013, at 22:39:22
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I'm going great guys, feeling the best I have in years
>
> Current med regimen
>
> Nardil 30mg twice a day
>
> Xanax 1mg twice a day
>
> Nortriptyline 75mg at night
>
> Seroquel (generic grey market indian) 50mg at night when needed for sleep
>
> The Nardil has realy turned my life around, I have managed to drop the Xanax from 4mg a day to 2mg a day with no withdrawl symptoms, the panic attacks are gone, and the generalised anxiety is totaly under control
>
> jono_in_adelaide
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 24, 2013, at 21:31:12
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I had the Ultimate Psychotic Break. Psychosomatic regression. Complete psychotic break, plus my personality disintegrated (hence the "psychosomatic regression")
>
> Fast forward 6 years...
>
> ..I'm with vocational rehab. I'm lucid. My cognitive skills are back up. My hair's grown back. I'm on 4 meds (Prozac, abilify, trileptal, Neurontin) and doing quite well. I do Orthomolecular. I get along with people.
>
> I've made peace with madness. Meds aren't terrible. They don't really "cure" anything, but they're often quite useful, even lifesaving. Even State Mental Hospital-material people like me can recover, given time, a place to live, resources, and rehabilitation.
>
> Christ_empowered
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 26, 2013, at 1:30:57
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> My Lexapro/Klonopin combo started many years ago is still working, so I really don't have much to say.
>
> Fred23
Posted by Dr. Bob on December 14, 2013, at 0:43:01
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> I've had major depressions with psychosis, dysthymia lasting months and hypomanias. There are several periods in my adult life that I don't like to think about. Lots of lost time. But I have found a combo of a mood stabilizer and an antipsychotic that works very well for me. It is actually low doses of lamictal and risperdal. I feel better than I have in years and I'm out of therapy and only see the pdoc four times a year. Thus is a pretty substantial improvement from even two years ago. I feel like the biggest difference was having some goals in my life like returning to school and looking for a better job.
>
> I also started eating a completely whole food no processed diet and it has made an incredible impact on my mood. Far more than any med or therapy I would say.
>
> So that's the long answer. The short answer is that mood stabilizers are what saved me. I rapid cycled for years on every AD both SRI and NRI. I finally said to hell with it and we took another approach. Sorry for the ramble but my point is that recovery is possible and mood stabilizers provide a great benefit with less side effects in my case.
>
> mellow
Posted by Dr. Bob on January 7, 2014, at 16:19:48
In reply to success stories, posted by Dr. Bob on May 23, 2013, at 5:05:42
> after all this time I'm back, went to the depths of hell and lost everything I ever owned.. Marriage , house and belongings
> My addiction turned me into an animal and ravished away at my soul, I nearly died several times, I ended up doing things I would never even dream of committing in sobriety...I found myself in holding cells in psychiatric hospitals on 24hr watch...
> Today I am clean 2 years and it's my 45th birthday... I spent 1.5 years in total in residential care.. I found the answer to all my problems... yes you guessed it AA's 12 steps of recovery... No more anxiety, no more meds, no more anger or frustration, no more sleepless nights...
>
> The not so confused one anymore
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
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