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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by UGottaHaveHope on December 28, 2006, at 14:02:18
I'll be the first to tell you that when I am feeling better, I stay away from this board because it reminds me of the tough times. Unfortunately, that seems to be the trend.
I am looking for some hope. If you have had a success story with your med, please share it. Thanks Michael
Posted by Declan on December 28, 2006, at 14:11:34
In reply to Let's hear some success stories?, posted by UGottaHaveHope on December 28, 2006, at 14:02:18
Well, for me most of these drugs are worse than useless, but tianeptine has been good and seems to have been just made for me.
Posted by UgottaHaveHope on December 28, 2006, at 17:25:01
In reply to Re: Let's hear some success stories? » UGottaHaveHope, posted by Declan on December 28, 2006, at 14:11:34
What is tianeptine? Ive never heard of it. Does it help for anxiety? Please tell your story, Michael
Posted by Phillipa on December 28, 2006, at 17:39:26
In reply to Re: Let's hear some success stories? » Declan, posted by UgottaHaveHope on December 28, 2006, at 17:25:01
Declan yes please do. I need to hear positives too like Michael. Love Phillipa ps Michael I know of three and all three went off their ad. Which was effexor that was when they felt better
Posted by Declan on December 28, 2006, at 18:09:52
In reply to Re: Let's hear some success stories? » Declan, posted by UgottaHaveHope on December 28, 2006, at 17:25:01
Hi Michael
There are a couple of threads going on this board about tianeptine.
Some people say it's good for anxiety and some don't. Since you have terrible anxiety (I think?) it may not be for you.
For me it's mainly good for mood, which means I don't feel too bleak to talk to people.
Others have found it to be mildly prosocial.
Perhaps it helps me negotiate difficult emotions?
Declan
Posted by myblusky on December 29, 2006, at 12:28:50
In reply to Re: Let's hear some success stories?, posted by Declan on December 28, 2006, at 18:09:52
I'm in my third week of Prozac and feeling so much better. I tried three other medications before this and was so burnt out on trying to find something that would work. The Prozac isn't perfect and I've had to figure out the best time of day to take it and the dosage. I'm still working on that, but overall, I feel better. The excessive guilt has gone away, the crying spells and anxiety have almost disappeared. It is still early and I'm still having some side effects - headaches and issues with insomnia one minute and sleeping too much the next, but I'm hoping some of those issues will subside once I've been on the medication a while.
I was actually tempted to to try tianeptine if the Prozac didn't work. I've read a lot of good things about it on the board, but I've also read that some people require a high dose and it is pretty expensive. It is all trial and error and it is really difficult to find the right medication for a lot of people.
Posted by joslynn on December 29, 2006, at 16:16:04
In reply to Let's hear some success stories?, posted by UGottaHaveHope on December 28, 2006, at 14:02:18
I am doing well on a combination of lexapro (10 mg in morning) and Remeron (7.5 at night...I used to be 15 but went down to 7.5 about 6 wks ago because I was feeling too tired on these winter mornings; so far I don't feel different emotionally).
For certain periods I have been just on lex alone, 10 mg, and had good periods for a couple years. But then a mini-relapse. Then I took Remeron again to get me out of that and not sure if I need it as maintenance, or on an emergency basis.
The thing is...all around the same time, I started meds, went to wkly therapy, made MAJOR life changes (building up new social network, voluntarily stepping away from a promotion opportunity at work, getting rid of toxic relationships, setting better boundaries with verbally abusive parent, going to AlAnon to deal with family-of-origin alcoholism issues, etc.)
So I cannot say for sure which of these things are helping, or if it is the synergy of all of them?
The times I have had small setbacks, it was always because of some romantic relationship not working out. Well I am now engaged to a great person.
So I wonder...do I still need the meds???
But I know I am blessed by God to have healing from depression, and I know I am lucky to have this internal debate of, did the meds help me or the life changes? The fact that I was helped at all is a miracle and I am very grateful.
The first time I was severely depressed, I was very anti-meds, and I did tough it out on my own, but then it came back about nine years later even worse, so I decided to try meds.
Posted by Phillipa on December 29, 2006, at 19:48:11
In reply to Re: Let's hear some success stories?, posted by joslynn on December 29, 2006, at 16:16:04
Wow Joslyn you are definitely a success story. I admire you too. Love Phillipa babble any time okay?
Posted by Kath on December 31, 2006, at 17:20:24
In reply to Let's hear some success stories?, posted by UGottaHaveHope on December 28, 2006, at 14:02:18
Hi Michael & all,
I went on Celexa in 2000.
Had one sorta brief period off it (I think maybe a few; can't remember) then had to go back on.
My problem was severe anxiety...my doctor thought it was anxiety due to depression...I thought it was anxiety due to having a teenage son who had quit school/wouldn't get a job/was abusing chemical drugs!!!!!!! On the other hand, who wouldn't get depressed due to that?!
I tend to think the stress affected my brain chemicals.
So in 2000 with much kicking & shouting I started the SSRI Celexa. I did NOT want to take pharmacetuicals! I'm a wholistic-type dudess (female of dude) :-)
Anyway, I was desparate; felt my life was falling apart; felt I could NOT cope much longer. At the same time, I started going to CODA - Codependents Anonymous. THAT was the best thing I have ever done. I would STRONGLY recommend it for probably just about anyone who's having emotional problems. Don't hesitate to look it up on the internet - there might even be an internet group.
ANYWAY - numerous ups & downs & ups & downs but a year ago November I stopped Celexa. So I've been off it for a year & 2 months.
And, as anyone who's read my posts on the Social Board knows, I've had BIG challenges since July this year....BIG ones - including my son moving across the country, living on the streets, & most recently becoming psychotic & trying to check himself into the hospital, being refused, being psychotic, afraid of hurting himself, & under no care...finally hospitalized this Friday nite.
ALL THAT & I'm not even thinking of needing to go on meds!!!!!! So how's that for a success story?Mind you, I am taking homeopathic medicine and some herbal tablets when I am feeling REALLY upset, but the good thing is that I'm feeling quite a range of feelings - lots of uncomfortable ones included, and I am OOOOOKAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY.
Not happy; not very emotionally comfortable, but OK!!Sometimes I think, "I canNOT take any more" or "Hey - I'm sick of this life; I just don't want to do this any more" but lots of times I am OK & depending on what crisis is happening, I can enjoy doing things, feel good etc.
So for me - I think this is a success story.
I hate uncomfortable feelings...sadness, fear, worry, anxiety, anger, grief. I hate feeling those feelings. And often, when I have one of those feelings I feel a bit panicky - like, "I can't take this - oh nooooo" but I think it's because over the past 8 years I've had SO much to go through with my son...it's just been ongoing; one thing after another - sometimes with a few months of smoothness in between. So I think I'm sort of oversensitive to problems. When something really stressful happens, I think parts of the old sh*t feelings from past experiences surface & I can feel as if I won't be able to cope with yet another problem. But I call a Distress Line, or arrange to go to a therapist for a bit (I'm lucky 'cuz my husband's work provides free short-term crisis counsellors). And I talk with friends. I write how I'm feeling in a journal. If I have disturbing dreams, I write VERY briefly what the dream was about then put:
[Feelings: (for example) fear; helplessness; overwhelmed] or whatever feelings there were in the dream.
I often notice that totally different dreams will have the same feelings!I also use EFT (www.emofree.com) meridian tapping method which you can learn free on the internet & which can help "dissolve" various yucky feelings & has helped me immensely.
So it's still an ongoing challenge, but as I said, to me it feels like a success story in a way.
love to all.......
I wish everyone all the best.
luv, Kath
This is the end of the thread.
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