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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Snuffy on March 21, 2001, at 12:58:48
I had lived my whole life dealing with severe paranoia, depression, low self esteem and other feelings to numerous to list here. I thought all of this was normal ... that everyone had to deal with the same feelings. About seven years ago my family MD started me on Zoloft. Thru trial and error I ended up at a shrink who changed me to 60 mg of Prozac per day and a large dose of trazodone (spelling?) nightly. After six weeks it worked wonders. It was like a light was turned on. However, over time my depression and anxiety started to build and build and so did the Prozac. When it got to 100 mg/day of Prozac I started to feel like I was in a daze (not to mention no sex drive) and wanted to get off Prozac. I suffered a severe relapse into depression and paranoia after changing from Prozac to Wellbutrin so my meds were changed again. To make a very long story short, I am now taking 60 mg of Prozac, 450 mg of Wellbutrin for depression and 150 mg of Seroquel for my paranoia and audible voices and jumbled radio noises. My paranoia has improved some and my mood is somewhat elevated. My question is "Is this all there is?". I don't have any emotional feelings toward anything including my wife, children, work, people on the street or myself. Don't get me wrong, I love my family very much and I have a dream job that pays very well, it's just I have no passion for anything. I just go thru the motions every day. Although I can't do it, the only thing I want to do is be by myself and sleep. I have built this facade around me that everything is okay and I struggle daily to keep the facade in tact. I am terrified that one day everything is going to crumble and I will be found out for what I really am. This is my first time on this website and I know this is a rambling question but does anyone share these feelings, is there anything to do, Is this all there is?
Posted by Bradley on March 21, 2001, at 14:10:13
In reply to Looking for answers, posted by Snuffy on March 21, 2001, at 12:58:48
I believe many of us have these feelings, or lack of feelings that we can't find adequate treatment for. That is the state of treatment now, inadequate. I keep trying different things, with little improvement. I am certain my underlying problem is a deficiency in my endocrine system. Beyond hypothyroid disorders, the understanding of how problems in the endocrine system cause mood disorders is poorly understood. One can only keep trying treatments that might help. Maybe soon breakthroughs in understanding the endocrine system will occur. Best wishes. Bradley
> I had lived my whole life dealing with severe paranoia, depression, low self esteem and other feelings to numerous to list here. I thought all of this was normal ... that everyone had to deal with the same feelings. About seven years ago my family MD started me on Zoloft. Thru trial and error I ended up at a shrink who changed me to 60 mg of Prozac per day and a large dose of trazodone (spelling?) nightly. After six weeks it worked wonders. It was like a light was turned on. However, over time my depression and anxiety started to build and build and so did the Prozac. When it got to 100 mg/day of Prozac I started to feel like I was in a daze (not to mention no sex drive) and wanted to get off Prozac. I suffered a severe relapse into depression and paranoia after changing from Prozac to Wellbutrin so my meds were changed again. To make a very long story short, I am now taking 60 mg of Prozac, 450 mg of Wellbutrin for depression and 150 mg of Seroquel for my paranoia and audible voices and jumbled radio noises. My paranoia has improved some and my mood is somewhat elevated. My question is "Is this all there is?". I don't have any emotional feelings toward anything including my wife, children, work, people on the street or myself. Don't get me wrong, I love my family very much and I have a dream job that pays very well, it's just I have no passion for anything. I just go thru the motions every day. Although I can't do it, the only thing I want to do is be by myself and sleep. I have built this facade around me that everything is okay and I struggle daily to keep the facade in tact. I am terrified that one day everything is going to crumble and I will be found out for what I really am. This is my first time on this website and I know this is a rambling question but does anyone share these feelings, is there anything to do, Is this all there is?
Posted by Sulpicia on March 21, 2001, at 16:59:32
In reply to Looking for answers, posted by Snuffy on March 21, 2001, at 12:58:48
> Hi--
Yes, I think there is more. But it has to be defined and pursued with a vengeance.
What you seem to be describing at the end of your post is depression that's only partially
in remission. Unless your leaving out decades of your life, you've not really had a chance
to explore the other options available.There are literally a ton of meds, and combinations thereof. If you are really unhappy with
the way you feel, as you seem to be, you might want to think about finding a pdoc who really
knows the meds. Against this you need to weigh the possible down side-- it's almost certain to
take time and cost $$$. Only you know if you could function while waiting for meds to work.
Other things to consider are a *really* good talking therapist, regular aerobic exercise [don't
snicker, it's a better high that you can buy and lasts for hours], nutrition, meditiation etc.Things can get better, but it's hard work. And of course the depression doesn't want you to do
anything. Ugh.One place to start is to ask you pdoc to do a depression inventory on you right now. It's helpful
to have solid data to work with. It's also really difficult for the pdoc to say everything is hunky-dory too.Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.
S.
Posted by laural on March 21, 2001, at 17:00:12
In reply to Looking for answers, posted by Snuffy on March 21, 2001, at 12:58:48
you wrote:
I am now taking 60 mg of Prozac, 450 mg of Wellbutrin for depression and 150 mg of Seroquel for my paranoia and audible voices and jumbled radio noises. My paranoia has improved
I don't have any emotional feelings toward anything including my wife, children, work, people on the street or myself. Don't get me wrong, I love my family very much and I have a dream job that pays very well, it's just I have no passion for anything. I just go thru the motions every day. Although I can't do it, the only thing I want to do is be by myself and sleep.
----------------
I have a similar problem. Reading about my diagnosis intensively has helped me understand it a little more. A lot of times, at least in my case, when you get rid of the positive symptoms, ie, paranoia, voices then sometimes the negative symptoms rear up, ie, lethargy, non-emotion, etc. apparantly meds like seroquel and zyprexa only controle the positive symptoms. I havn't found out what to do with the negative ones yet. maybe you can take it from here and give me a heads up--laural
Posted by Scarlette on March 21, 2001, at 20:49:12
In reply to Looking for answers, posted by Snuffy on March 21, 2001, at 12:58:48
I understand 100% where you are coming from! Thanx for letting me know I am not the only one who feels this way! I am also on many meds for depression, anxiety, paranoia...ect...Sometimes I feel like they have changed the person I once was. I have no interest in the things i loved to do before. Life is just a function i go through each day with little feeling. My favorite time is when i can retreat into my room, shut out the world, and sleep. My life has become such a slow and lazy thing. Thanx for letting me know I am not alone in this daze!!!
Posted by Snuffy on March 23, 2001, at 10:35:10
In reply to Looking for answers, posted by Snuffy on March 21, 2001, at 12:58:48
> I really did not know what kind of response I should expect. Of course, I thought I would get responses that would make me feel stupid for even asking the question. I really appreciate your supporting comments. This is a great website.
This is the end of the thread.
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