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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by deniseuk190466 on January 31, 2024, at 4:59:34
Hi,
I'm just wondering how people define complete remission.
When I was 24 (back in the early 90s) I thought I was physically ill, didn't think I was depressed. Didn't even know there was such a thing as antidepressants. My GP put me on Dothiepin (Tricyclic) and it worked overnight (not placebo). The first red tablet I took sent me into the deepest sleep I had had for years. I woke up feeling refreshed, my bedroom seemed visibly brighter, infact everything seemed brigher and had more depth. It was profound.
However, when I was 35 and had been off any medication for about 3 years and had been ok, all the symptoms came back, only much worse. The first time ever I had strong suicidal thoughts.
After 2 years of trying so many medications, I finally felt a sense of peace on 40mg of Seroxat. I've been pretty much on this for 15 years, with an occasional change and have tried adding all sorts of adjunctive agents but I always feel tense, I get tired very easily and I have muscle spasms.
Should I accept that this is as good as it is ever going to get and just be grateful that the medication gets me back in the land of the living again and I am able to enjoy things.
Denise
Posted by Hugh on February 1, 2024, at 10:27:55
In reply to How do you define complete remission?, posted by deniseuk190466 on January 31, 2024, at 4:59:34
I've only experienced very brief periods of complete remission. During my remissions, my anxiety disappeared. So did my anger, my massive self doubt, my feelings of being overwhelmed, my feelings of dread, my feelings of inadequacy, my self loathing. During my complete remissions, I found it astonishing that I could ever hate myself. For several months before one of my remissions, I'd been considering trying to get back together with a former girlfriend. Whenever I would think of contacting her, I would come up with several reasons why I shouldn't. During my remission, when I thought of getting back together with my former girlfriend, I would only think, "Yeah, I could do that." My remission ended before I acted on this.
During my remissions, it felt good to be alive. I still have hope that I will one day be able to achieve a long-term, and perhaps even a permanent, remission.
Posted by SLS on February 1, 2024, at 22:50:21
In reply to Re: How do you define complete remission?, posted by Hugh on February 1, 2024, at 10:27:55
> I've only experienced very brief periods of complete remission. During my remissions, my anxiety disappeared. So did my anger, my massive self doubt, my feelings of being overwhelmed, my feelings of dread, my feelings of inadequacy, my self loathing. During my complete remissions, I found it astonishing that I could ever hate myself. For several months before one of my remissions, I'd been considering trying to get back together with a former girlfriend. Whenever I would think of contacting her, I would come up with several reasons why I shouldn't. During my remission, when I thought of getting back together with my former girlfriend, I would only think, "Yeah, I could do that." My remission ended before I acted on this.
>
> During my remissions, it felt good to be alive. I still have hope that I will one day be able to achieve a long-term, and perhaps even a permanent, remission.Perhaps the most pursuasive reason for continuing to live is that I knew the excitement of living within a properly function brain and a mind free of a psychic pain, free of cognitive slowing and memory impairments. To experience remission several times for no more than three days was enough of a carrot on a stick to pursue indefinitely. *Uncertainty* is the key to avoiding suicide.Therein lies hope.
Grasp your memories of remission, and they will prove that when you respond to treatment, life is worth living and waiting for. It must be understood than memories are state-specific. I suggest finding a short essay that explains this.
- Scott
Posted by Hugh on February 2, 2024, at 9:22:01
In reply to Re: How do you define complete remission? » Hugh, posted by SLS on February 1, 2024, at 22:50:21
Hi Scott,
I couldn't agree more. While it's demoralizing to experience the end of a remission, it's thrilling to know that my brain is capable of remission. It's what inspires me to keep trying.
>
> Perhaps the most pursuasive reason for continuing to live is that I knew the excitement of living within a properly function brain and a mind free of a psychic pain, free of cognitive slowing and memory impairments. To experience remission several times for no more than three days was enough of a carrot on a stick to pursue indefinitely. *Uncertainty* is the key to avoiding suicide.Therein lies hope.
>
> Grasp your memories of remission, and they will prove that when you respond to treatment, life is worth living and waiting for. It must be understood than memories are state-specific. I suggest finding a short essay that explains this.
>
>
> - Scott
>
>
Posted by undopaminergic on July 8, 2024, at 3:17:48
In reply to Re: How do you define complete remission? » SLS, posted by Hugh on February 2, 2024, at 9:22:01
> Hi Scott,
>
> I couldn't agree more. While it's demoralizing to experience the end of a remission, it's thrilling to know that my brain is capable of remission. It's what inspires me to keep trying.
>Me too. My (hypo)manias reassure me that my brain is not permanently damaged and stuck in disorder for the rest of my life.
Another thing is that, for a period, I was afraid I was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease, and that it would only get worse with time. Then I tried L-dopa, and it didn't help. This strongly suggested to me that it wasn't Parkinson's, because L-dopa is the gold standard for treating it.
Actually, I feel a lot better already than I did at worst. My anxiety is gone, for one thing. My suicidal ideation as well.
-undopaminergic
This is the end of the thread.
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