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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 PhilipCarey on July 31, 2003, at 21:24:22
I'm in a tough spot myself these days. I have an appt with GP tomorrow. Remeron and Zoloft were the only two ADs that I ever took at therapeutic levels, and then only the minimum.
I have to ask the doc for *something* tomorrow. I tried completely going without after stopping Remeron, some three weeks ago. For two and a half weeks I felt good; improved, like the Remeron fog had lifted. Then I fell into a deep pit for a couple of days. I had some ancient Paxil from a long time ago, and took a crumb of that, and that helped that afternoon.
See, ADs don't affect me in a normal way. I cycle through them within a six or so hour period. For instance, I'd take zoloft, and have a slightly foggy, benzo like feeling for an hour to hour and a half, then it'd kick in really well, and I'd feel great; really energized for around 2 or so hours, then I'd come back down and be dog tired by the afternoon. And that happened every day! Believe me, I liked the highs, but ultimately it's no way to live. Remeron I took at night, and I guess I slept through most of it, but all the next day I'd be sort of sedated. Given a choice between anxiety ridden and sedated, I'll take sedated, but ultimately, that too is unsatisfying.
I'm just in a quandary. I don't know what to try. A couple of meds that I gave one day trials were Effexor: absolutely hated it and could not leave the couch. Prozac had me very agitated and paranoid. Wellbutrin gave me a full blown panic attack. Serzone I kind of liked in a Zoloft sort of way. Hell, it almost felt like acid (which I foolishly tried when I was a kid... gotta admit it was fun though); but the excellent feeling on Serzone only worked if it was not taken daily, as one should an AD. It too would make me go up, experience a high, and then crash, all within 7 hours. I don't know what that rapid cycling is indicative of. I don't think I'm bipolar. I'm pretty much unipolar depressive. Almost anhedonic.
I don't know what to try. I'm thinking of asking the doc for some Provigil. I tried Strattera (along with the Remeron), and the combination made me dumb as a rock; I mean slurring of speach dumb. Yikes!
Whatever the label is that I am, its characteristics are low mood, I'd call it anhedonia, low energy, and when I'm not on Remeron, a pretty anxious sort of depression. That and crappy concentration, and inability to remember names (just a horrible memory in general).
I used to try to self medicate as a kid, and felt that I felt best, most focused, and had a capacity for joy, when I took some sort of street stimulant. All I know is that yesterday I was in a deep pit, and broke down and took 15mgs of Remeron. And sure enough, no pit today, but Remeron just dulls you so (both a good and bad thing simultaneously).
Does anybody have any ideas about what to ask for. Maybe another AD? Never tried a mood stabilizer or Lamictal either.
Right now I'm leaning toward asking for Provigil. I suspect I'd like the harder stims, but somehow doubt my GP would go for it.
It just seems I've been down for so long, it's hard to see up.
Posted by cyclistguy on July 31, 2003, at 22:23:38
In reply to Have Dr Appt - Need med suggestions, posted by PhilipCarey on July 31, 2003, at 21:24:22
All I can really say is watch out before going on effexor.... it's terrible. do lots of research before going on it and only do it as a last resort.
Posted by galkeepinon on July 31, 2003, at 22:38:54
In reply to Have Dr Appt - Need med suggestions, posted by PhilipCarey on July 31, 2003, at 21:24:22
Hi Phillip, I'm sorry to hear you're going through a bad time-boy can I relate. Have you tried Celexa??? That med worked well for me with no anxiety or horrible side effects. What about Wellbutrin?
Let me know
Gal
> I'm in a tough spot myself these days. I have an appt with GP tomorrow. Remeron and Zoloft were the only two ADs that I ever took at therapeutic levels, and then only the minimum.
>
> I have to ask the doc for *something* tomorrow. I tried completely going without after stopping Remeron, some three weeks ago. For two and a half weeks I felt good; improved, like the Remeron fog had lifted. Then I fell into a deep pit for a couple of days. I had some ancient Paxil from a long time ago, and took a crumb of that, and that helped that afternoon.
>
> See, ADs don't affect me in a normal way. I cycle through them within a six or so hour period. For instance, I'd take zoloft, and have a slightly foggy, benzo like feeling for an hour to hour and a half, then it'd kick in really well, and I'd feel great; really energized for around 2 or so hours, then I'd come back down and be dog tired by the afternoon. And that happened every day! Believe me, I liked the highs, but ultimately it's no way to live. Remeron I took at night, and I guess I slept through most of it, but all the next day I'd be sort of sedated. Given a choice between anxiety ridden and sedated, I'll take sedated, but ultimately, that too is unsatisfying.
>
> I'm just in a quandary. I don't know what to try. A couple of meds that I gave one day trials were Effexor: absolutely hated it and could not leave the couch. Prozac had me very agitated and paranoid. Wellbutrin gave me a full blown panic attack. Serzone I kind of liked in a Zoloft sort of way. Hell, it almost felt like acid (which I foolishly tried when I was a kid... gotta admit it was fun though); but the excellent feeling on Serzone only worked if it was not taken daily, as one should an AD. It too would make me go up, experience a high, and then crash, all within 7 hours. I don't know what that rapid cycling is indicative of. I don't think I'm bipolar. I'm pretty much unipolar depressive. Almost anhedonic.
>
> I don't know what to try. I'm thinking of asking the doc for some Provigil. I tried Strattera (along with the Remeron), and the combination made me dumb as a rock; I mean slurring of speach dumb. Yikes!
>
> Whatever the label is that I am, its characteristics are low mood, I'd call it anhedonia, low energy, and when I'm not on Remeron, a pretty anxious sort of depression. That and crappy concentration, and inability to remember names (just a horrible memory in general).
>
> I used to try to self medicate as a kid, and felt that I felt best, most focused, and had a capacity for joy, when I took some sort of street stimulant. All I know is that yesterday I was in a deep pit, and broke down and took 15mgs of Remeron. And sure enough, no pit today, but Remeron just dulls you so (both a good and bad thing simultaneously).
>
> Does anybody have any ideas about what to ask for. Maybe another AD? Never tried a mood stabilizer or Lamictal either.
>
> Right now I'm leaning toward asking for Provigil. I suspect I'd like the harder stims, but somehow doubt my GP would go for it.
>
> It just seems I've been down for so long, it's hard to see up.
Posted by jlo820 on July 31, 2003, at 23:44:28
In reply to Re: Have Dr Appt - Need med suggestions » PhilipCarey, posted by galkeepinon on July 31, 2003, at 22:38:54
>>> A couple of meds that I gave one day trials were Effexor: absolutely hated it and could not leave the couch. Prozac had me very agitated and paranoid. Wellbutrin gave me a full blown panic attack. Serzone I kind of liked in a Zoloft sort of way. <<<
How can you possibly decide if a medicine will help you if you have given it a ONE DAY trial? You need to give these meds 4-8 weeks before you decide if they are helping you or not.
Good luck with your doctor, but if you are going to judge something after one day, I can say with a good deal of certainty that you will never find a medicine that works.
I think you need to see a psychiatrist (not your GP) and have them give you a diagnosis, then go from there. If you continue what you are doing now, I am sure that you will not find any happiness.
Posted by PhilipCarey on August 1, 2003, at 7:00:35
In reply to Re: Have Dr Appt - Need med suggestions, posted by jlo820 on July 31, 2003, at 23:44:28
>>How can you possibly decide if a medicine will help you if you have given it a ONE DAY trial? You need to give these meds 4-8 weeks before you decide if they are helping you or not. <<
Possibly because they hit me so strongly in the first day. Some feel like hell, and leave me anxious and couchridden; others feel like they'll be tolerable. It's certainly not an ideall way to try things, but in lieu of having 3 weeks to take off from work, it seems that a weekend trial is all I can afford to be non-functional. Am I limiting some things that may in the long run be beneficial? Most probably, however there are/have been some things that were tolerated enough to give a fair shot.
>>Good luck with your doctor, but if you are going to judge something after one day, I can say with a good deal of certainty that you will never find a medicine that works.<<
As I said above, not all things are judged in that one day, only those that leave me incapable of going to work. I don't think it's fair or accurate to say with any certainty that I'll 'never find a medicine that works'.
>>I think you need to see a psychiatrist (not your GP) and have them give you a diagnosis, then go from there.<<
I think you're right about this. I've been talking to an Psychologist for the last couple of months, and am ready to move on to a Psychiatrist.
>>If you continue what you are doing now, I am sure that you will not find any happiness.<<
I appreciate you responding to my post, but I
can only hope that you are wrong in this assessment, as I have only eliminated around half of the things I've tried. I think a was able to give a valid trial to the others.I think you're certainly right about needing to see a Pdoc.
Posted by jlo820 on August 1, 2003, at 9:58:26
In reply to Re: Have Dr Appt - Need med suggestions » jlo820, posted by PhilipCarey on August 1, 2003, at 7:00:35
My point is, and as I have said ad nauseum on this board, these medicines we are taking have powerful chemical and electrical effects on millions of nerves in the brain. Of course they are going to floor you for a couple of days or even a week or more when you start them, what do you expect?. When I started Effexor a few years ago (I am off it now, praise be to Allah), it took my body and brain several weeks to get used to it. All that a "weekend trial" will do for you is throw you into shock...you will never have any idea if the medicine is beneficial or not. No medicine will make you feel like your old self after a weekend, that is why I said I am certain you will not find one that works using your current methodology. I do not mean to make you feel bad, I am just saying that you need to see a good psychiatriast, have him/her recommend a medicine (it may be something you have already tried mind you), and give it a good trial.
Best of luck and let us know how things turn out.
>>How can you possibly decide if a medicine will help you if you have given it a ONE DAY trial? You need to give these meds 4-8 weeks before you decide if they are helping you or not. <<>>>>> Possibly because they hit me so strongly in the first day. Some feel like hell, and leave me anxious and couchridden; others feel like they'll be tolerable. It's certainly not an ideall way to try things, but in lieu of having 3 weeks to take off from work, it seems that a weekend trial is all I can afford to be non-functional. Am I limiting some things that may in the long run be beneficial? Most probably, however there are/have been some things that were tolerated enough to give a fair shot. <<<<<
This is the end of the thread.
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