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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 Theresa Rae on January 16, 2003, at 11:46:02
My husband has been depressed for the better part of 15 years. Just recently I read about atypical depression, and his doctor switched him to Effexor (doctor wanted to avoid side-effects and possible complications of MAOI's, which are normally recommended for those with atypical depression). So, he's been taking Effexor since this fall, and is now sleeping 12 hours a day again (and crawling back into his cave.)
My husband cancelled his third appointment to see his psychologist, and complains that if he goes in for the "fatigue," he'll just get the run-around as to whether or not he has sleep apnea (sp?)
Help! Is it normal for him to be experiencing a relapse? Is it possible he's not taking the right meds? How can I avoid getting dragged down, too?
Posted by mikhail99 on January 16, 2003, at 13:50:21
In reply to Atypical Depression: How can I help my husband?, posted by Theresa Rae on January 16, 2003, at 11:46:02
> My husband has been depressed for the better part of 15 years. Just recently I read about atypical depression, and his doctor switched him to Effexor (doctor wanted to avoid side-effects and possible complications of MAOI's, which are normally recommended for those with atypical depression). So, he's been taking Effexor since this fall, and is now sleeping 12 hours a day again (and crawling back into his cave.)
>
> My husband cancelled his third appointment to see his psychologist, and complains that if he goes in for the "fatigue," he'll just get the run-around as to whether or not he has sleep apnea (sp?)
>
> Help! Is it normal for him to be experiencing a relapse? Is it possible he's not taking the right meds? How can I avoid getting dragged down, too?Hi Theresa,
I'm sure it is possible he could be relapsing or the meds aren't right. I'm not sure you can make him go to the psychologist but perhaps you could go and get some ideas about how to deal with this, for your husband and yourself as well. What did he take before Effexor? Have you visited the med boards here? There's a lot of information from folks that have taken that medication.
Posting here a lot helps too, you'll find (if you haven't been around before) that this is a wonderful bunch of supportive people.
I hope you find the help you need. Hang in there!
Mik
Posted by Theresa Rae on January 16, 2003, at 14:02:36
In reply to Re: Atypical Depression: How can I help my husband? » Theresa Rae, posted by mikhail99 on January 16, 2003, at 13:50:21
> I'm sure it is possible he could be relapsing or the meds aren't right. I'm not sure you can make him go to the psychologist but perhaps you could go and get some ideas about how to deal with this, for your husband and yourself as well. What did he take before Effexor? Have you visited the med boards here? There's a lot of information from folks that have taken that medication.
>
> Posting here a lot helps too, you'll find (if you haven't been around before) that this is a wonderful bunch of supportive people.
>
> I hope you find the help you need. Hang in there!
>
> MikThanks -- nice to get friendly support. My husband took Prozac and Celexa. I think he was taking an awful lot of Prozac, if memory serves, two years ago. Celexa took the edge off, but didn't help like we thought it should.
I actually did set up an appointment to go see my psychologist I've seen off and on for a few years. (You see, *I* was the one with the problem, as I'm sure happens often. Turns out when your spouse is living in deep and serious depression, it has its effects on you as well.)
Any thoughts on how "normal" life can ever be when a person has been depressed since his teens. My psych. says long-term depression ends up changing your brain chemistry/workings. It's very hard on me and the kids. The unfortunate thing (besides the obvious) is that to everyone else, we appear a very "normal" family. Atypical depression allows the depressed to enjoy fun events (family gatherings, movies, time out with friends). But when it's back home, it's back in the tar pit. We're the only ones who really see him like that, so others have trouble understanding the validity of his depression.
Posted by medlib on January 16, 2003, at 16:19:06
In reply to Atypical Depression: How can I help my husband?, posted by Theresa Rae on January 16, 2003, at 11:46:02
Hi Theresa Rae--
Please ignore my screw-up above, if it's still there. Dr. Bob will remove it when he gets to it. A delivery interrupted what I was doing and, when I returned, I failed to notice that I was still on PLB, not PB. There are so many boards with similar names, it's easy to do.
What I was *trying* to do was post your message to the medication board, PsychoBabble, as well as here. It may attract some replies there specific to the meds involved from posters who don't read this board. I managed it this time, and here's a link.
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030113/msgs/136132.html
Most of us on Babble are depressives, and, probably, a majority of those are atypical depressives. I am, and have been for 3 times as long as your husband. Where we differ from one another (and often within ourselves) is in our ability (or lack of) to pretend to be normal part of the time w. any consistency. I cycle from "down" to "deep down" and back on a regularly irregular basis. If I am able to function at all, it is always on someone elses's behalf, not my own; I borrow their expectations for motivation to climb our of the pit, temporarily. It takes a great deal of energy, as long as I'm out, to keep from falling back in. This is in addition to whatever energy is required for what I'm trying to do. The *minute* I stop, the gravity of the pit grabs me back into it. It's not really a matter of if, but when. Sleep is a way of escaping the grim reality that I am not what I was/am supposed to be.
Effexor is activating for me, but not enough. I have augmented it with an unending variety of meds over the last 3 years; currently I'm on E. and Wellbutrin. For some, Effexor *is* sedating, and, therefore, not the right med. It's possible that, if your husband has sleep apnea, it is contributing to his depression. What is *not* likely is that sleep apnea alone could be enough to cause the kind and severity of depression that your husband suffers from; so dealing with possible sleep apnea should not be the first step in treatment (IMO). If that is what his pdoc wants to do, it indicates to me that he is not sufficiently experienced w. atypical depression to be of help to your husband.
I'll let others weigh in w. recommendations for more stimulating meds. I wil say that, if your husband has tried Effexor and Celexa without relief, I would not be willing to try another SSRI without auditioning other classes of meds first.
Hope this helps some---medlib
Posted by Theresa Rae on January 16, 2003, at 16:45:08
In reply to Re: Reposted on Med Bd Atypical Depression....... » Theresa Rae, posted by medlib on January 16, 2003, at 16:19:06
Thanks so much for your thoughts -- it's good to hear from someone who is affected by atypical depression, because verbalizing how he feels is not something my husband does well, in regard to his condition. What is frustrating for me is the cycle of family practitioners he has seen. Who knows what my husband is telling them. As well meaning as they might be, I think what he really needs to do is see a psychiatrist/specialist, in combination with talk therapy. My husband doesn't believe talk therapy does any good at all (shouldn't he be able to solve his depression with a pill)? I have the feeling that getting better, eventually, will be a painful (or at least difficult) process. But he isn't willing to set up an appointment with anyone but his familiar family doctor.
We who love you care about you depressed people (since there are a lot of you on this forum). Tell us what we can do to HELP you (not just what we can do to make you more comfortable.) We really want you to get better.
This is the end of the thread.
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