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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 22 of 22. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 16:37:49
tensor's post just a bit above mine has really made me think. it's made me wish that they could truly, truly come out with a new class of drugs to treat depression that worked well even in trd cases. right now i've got my Ritalin and that keeps me going, but of course it doesn't make me feel ok all the time. I still wake up feeling scared, sad, alone; just plain devastated. the only thing that gets me out of bed is the thought that i can go take my Ritalin. Makes me feel like i'm an experimental mouse heading for the cheese reward. Then there are the between times - long release products give me too much anxiety. and lastly, there are the end of day times, like now. i want to take another Ritalin soooo bad, but i know if i do, i won't sleep tonight, and i'll feel even worse tomorrow.
i just wish so much that there was an antidepressant i could take that would work for me continually, so i could have some real, complete relief.
how i miss the days when Prozac worked like a miracle for me.
Kat
Posted by gadchik on January 18, 2013, at 17:08:06
In reply to Just some sad thoughts, posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 16:37:49
I hope you can find the thing that will work for you Kat. Youve been thru alot lately, and deserve to get well:)
Posted by Phillipa on January 18, 2013, at 17:58:15
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts, posted by gadchik on January 18, 2013, at 17:08:06
Prozac worked well? What dose as once I took it when only came in 20mg and three days off the wall with anxiety and wasn't anxious at the time. The first day I did more than did in three years as wallpapered a foyer. Had the paper for all that time. Humm maybe it would have worked if took it every three days like the pdoc who was really good asked me to? Some of us here used to refer to this miracle new med as the magic pill one to be yet invented. Phillipa
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 19:02:04
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts, posted by gadchik on January 18, 2013, at 17:08:06
> I hope you can find the thing that will work for you Kat. Youve been thru alot lately, and deserve to get well:)
Thanks so much gadchik. You always say the nicest things, exactly when I need to hear them. You must have a sixth sense or something :)
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 19:13:49
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts, posted by Phillipa on January 18, 2013, at 17:58:15
> Prozac worked well? What dose as once I took it when only came in 20mg and three days off the wall with anxiety and wasn't anxious at the time. The first day I did more than did in three years as wallpapered a foyer. Had the paper for all that time. Humm maybe it would have worked if took it every three days like the pdoc who was really good asked me to? Some of us here used to refer to this miracle new med as the magic pill one to be yet invented. Phillipa
Yep, Prozac -20mg - was a miracle pill to me wayyyy back in 1990. It made me a much improved me. I lost weight, got in shape, bought great clothes, was confident, full of self-esteem (but not arrogant), found myself lots of fun friends to hang with. Life was just damn good. How I miss it!!! The miracle starts slipping away when you realize you're not feeling so great anymore. Go to pdoc, dose increased, problem solved! For a while...then back for another dose increase. Until you're at the max, and then even that doesn't work for you. I ended up with a bunch of yellow and green capsules that may as well have had aspartame in them (I don't do sugar lol) Then, as someone eloquently put it, the circus begins, and continues to this day. These days I am a puppet: give me my Ritalin and I come to life and act fairly normally. Have the Ritalin wear off and the puppet falls to the floor, lifeless. That's how Ritalin makes me feel. Sigh. But no complaints! Ritalin is farrrrr superior to having nothing, that's for sure. And Phillipa, I'd like to know, why do I *always* type so much to you, no matter if I am on Ritalin or not? Oh, and if that mystical magic pill does ever get invented, sign me right up!
Posted by Phillipa on January 18, 2013, at 20:53:28
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » Phillipa, posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 19:13:49
Kat no idea. Must be my open ended questions. Some day the Magic Pill will arrive. Have no doubt of this!!! Phillipa
Posted by Phil on January 18, 2013, at 21:22:53
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » Phillipa, posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 19:13:49
Kat have you tried Prozac with Ritalin? SSRI's didn't do much for me till I added Ritalin. I was also on Clonazepam. Could it work again with a little speed attached?
Posted by SLS on January 18, 2013, at 23:05:29
In reply to Just some sad thoughts, posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 16:37:49
I'm sorry that you are not yet on a drug that works better for you upstream from where methylphenidate acts. For depression, I think it might be that methylphenidate acts as a band-aid closer to the surface symptoms, and downstream from the core etiology. It is like taking a pain-killer for a toothache. For now, you use what works.
Which tricyclics have you tried? I don't recall your trying desipramine.
You might be a candidate to try Savella (milnacipran). Was Effexor or Cymbalta of any help? Any pain stuff like fibromyalgia going on?
- Scott
Posted by tensor on January 19, 2013, at 3:55:07
In reply to Just some sad thoughts, posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 16:37:49
> tensor's post just a bit above mine has really made me think. it's made me wish that they could truly, truly come out with a new class of drugs to treat depression that worked well even in trd cases. right now i've got my Ritalin and that keeps me going, but of course it doesn't make me feel ok all the time. I still wake up feeling scared, sad, alone; just plain devastated. the only thing that gets me out of bed is the thought that i can go take my Ritalin. Makes me feel like i'm an experimental mouse heading for the cheese reward. Then there are the between times - long release products give me too much anxiety. and lastly, there are the end of day times, like now. i want to take another Ritalin soooo bad, but i know if i do, i won't sleep tonight, and i'll feel even worse tomorrow.
>
> i just wish so much that there was an antidepressant i could take that would work for me continually, so i could have some real, complete relief.
>
> how i miss the days when Prozac worked like a miracle for me.
> KatKat, I assume you have tried most of the meds. The list of available meds is not that long, but the combinations that can be done are many. Ever tried Lamictal + AAP?
For me it was Remeron that was that miracle pill, it completed me. All good things must come to an end, it seems./tensor
Posted by gadchik on January 19, 2013, at 7:57:25
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » gadchik, posted by ChicagoKat on January 18, 2013, at 19:02:04
Thanks Kat! Its a terrible thing to know depression and anxiety the way we all do.At least we can get support on babble,hopefully. I do wish there was a more precise way for our pdocs to know what pill will work specifically for each of us. I worry alot about my use of klonopin,such as if and when it will poop out on me,etc. I depend on my hiking to keep me going,and my dog and cat help me tremendously.
Posted by Phillipa on January 19, 2013, at 18:38:02
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » ChicagoKat, posted by gadchik on January 19, 2013, at 7:57:25
Gadchik you beat the dragon P!!!
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 20, 2013, at 12:35:56
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » ChicagoKat, posted by Phil on January 18, 2013, at 21:22:53
> Kat have you tried Prozac with Ritalin? SSRI's didn't do much for me till I added Ritalin. I was also on Clonazepam. Could it work again with a little speed attached?
Phil, I took Prozac, and most of the SSRIs way back in the 90s. They are sugar pills to me now. But I am currently on Ritalin; only thing left that helps at all. And I've found Tegretol really helps with the anxiety.
Kat
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 20, 2013, at 12:39:42
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » ChicagoKat, posted by SLS on January 18, 2013, at 23:05:29
> I'm sorry that you are not yet on a drug that works better for you upstream from where methylphenidate acts. For depression, I think it might be that methylphenidate acts as a band-aid closer to the surface symptoms, and downstream from the core etiology. It is like taking a pain-killer for a toothache. For now, you use what works.
>
> Which tricyclics have you tried? I don't recall your trying desipramine.
>
> You might be a candidate to try Savella (milnacipran). Was Effexor or Cymbalta of any help? Any pain stuff like fibromyalgia going on?
>
>
> - ScottDear Scott, the brilliant (and compassionate) diagnostician,
I actually was once on desipramine. No luck. And I've tried Effexor and Cymbalta. Effexor I tolerated for a few months until I just could not take the agitation anymore; Cymbalta I called my pdoc on day 2 asking to get off this stuff cos it was making me *crazy*. I have never tried Milnacipran. What class is it in?
Kat
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 20, 2013, at 12:41:22
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » ChicagoKat, posted by SLS on January 18, 2013, at 23:05:29
> I'm sorry that you are not yet on a drug that works better for you upstream from where methylphenidate acts. For depression, I think it might be that methylphenidate acts as a band-aid closer to the surface symptoms, and downstream from the core etiology. It is like taking a pain-killer for a toothache. For now, you use what works.
>
> Which tricyclics have you tried? I don't recall your trying desipramine.
>
> You might be a candidate to try Savella (milnacipran). Was Effexor or Cymbalta of any help? Any pain stuff like fibromyalgia going on?
>
>
> - ScottAddendum: LOTS of pain stuff going on, all of it arthritic. Never been diagnosed with fibromyalgia; it's all bone on bone pain. :(
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 20, 2013, at 12:44:28
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » ChicagoKat, posted by tensor on January 19, 2013, at 3:55:07
> > tensor's post just a bit above mine has really made me think. it's made me wish that they could truly, truly come out with a new class of drugs to treat depression that worked well even in trd cases. right now i've got my Ritalin and that keeps me going, but of course it doesn't make me feel ok all the time. I still wake up feeling scared, sad, alone; just plain devastated. the only thing that gets me out of bed is the thought that i can go take my Ritalin. Makes me feel like i'm an experimental mouse heading for the cheese reward. Then there are the between times - long release products give me too much anxiety. and lastly, there are the end of day times, like now. i want to take another Ritalin soooo bad, but i know if i do, i won't sleep tonight, and i'll feel even worse tomorrow.
> >
> > i just wish so much that there was an antidepressant i could take that would work for me continually, so i could have some real, complete relief.
> >
> > how i miss the days when Prozac worked like a miracle for me.
> > Kat
>
> Kat, I assume you have tried most of the meds. The list of available meds is not that long, but the combinations that can be done are many. Ever tried Lamictal + AAP?
> For me it was Remeron that was that miracle pill, it completed me. All good things must come to an end, it seems.
>
> /tensor
>OHHHHH how I loved Remeron. Took care of the depression and the anxiety in one hit. Got used to the sedation. But my friends kept saying I looked high lol. But, like them all, Remeron too turned on me. Now I get paradoxical agitation from it. And I get agitation from all the AAPs, and had frank akathisia with Zyprexa. Right now, the only combo that is keeping me alive is Ritalin plus Tegretol
Kat
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 20, 2013, at 12:47:45
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » ChicagoKat, posted by gadchik on January 19, 2013, at 7:57:25
> Thanks Kat! Its a terrible thing to know depression and anxiety the way we all do.At least we can get support on babble,hopefully. I do wish there was a more precise way for our pdocs to know what pill will work specifically for each of us. I worry alot about my use of klonopin,such as if and when it will poop out on me,etc. I depend on my hiking to keep me going,and my dog and cat help me tremendously.
Well said, gadchik. They are starting to make very, very minor headway into developing tests that will predict what class might be best for what person. I just wish they'd figure out how to fix it.
Has your use of klonopin gone up? Or has it stayed effective at the same dose for some time? If the latter, you are one of the lucky ones, and need not worry overmuch. Give your puppy and your kitty a hug from me :)
Kat
Posted by SLS on January 20, 2013, at 13:37:48
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » SLS, posted by ChicagoKat on January 20, 2013, at 12:39:42
> Dear Scott, the brilliant
Not nearly. I'm just good with words.
> I actually was once on desipramine. No luck. And I've tried Effexor and Cymbalta. Effexor I tolerated for a few months until I just could not take the agitation anymore; Cymbalta I called my pdoc on day 2 asking to get off this stuff cos it was making me *crazy*. I have never tried Milnacipran. What class is it in?
Milnacipran is an SNRI. You might be overly sensitive to serotonin reuptake inhibitors. How did Paxil affect you?
I have seen Saphris (asenapine) do some rather nice things for anxiety and depression. Saphris is a AP, but has antidepressant effects and is not generally activating. It is currently working well for a friend of mine who has schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. It helped with both depression and sleep.
- Scott
Posted by gadchik on January 20, 2013, at 16:09:56
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » gadchik, posted by Phillipa on January 19, 2013, at 18:38:02
P, ive only beat the dragon for now,as my life has hit a great point,and no issues or problems. If anything happens to unsettle me,well, then I will meet that dragon again.Only now, I have some fire in me to fight back with!
Posted by gadchik on January 20, 2013, at 16:19:36
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » tensor, posted by ChicagoKat on January 20, 2013, at 12:44:28
Kat, I loved remeron too, but I got agitation from it too,and restless legs,and weight gain. I now only take a sliver of a pill occasionally with my klonopin for extra deep sleep. If I tried to take it too often,it would backfire on me.I havent had to raise my klonopin dose in 4 1/2yrs. .5mg pill at night only. I have had a day or two when Ive taken .75mg,but Im so strict with it that I just stay at .5mg. I was trying a little prozac around my period,but I havent needed it for awhile, havent felt more anxious.
Posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2013, at 21:08:08
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » Phillipa, posted by gadchik on January 20, 2013, at 16:09:56
Gadchick says who? I know many who have had a episode of depression and not had another. See don't even need the prozac at that time. Only time to be careful is the M time. P
Posted by gadchik on January 21, 2013, at 9:05:59
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » gadchik, posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2013, at 21:08:08
Thanks,P, for the encouragement! Yes,the big M,is on the horizon. But my hiking buddy has been thru it,and she reports that once Im thru,I will feel better.Lets hope thats the way it ends:) My son leaving for college was tough,and if I can handle that,I feel I can surely slay menopause!
Posted by ChicagoKat on January 21, 2013, at 9:29:40
In reply to Re: Just some sad thoughts » Phillipa, posted by gadchik on January 21, 2013, at 9:05:59
> Thanks,P, for the encouragement! Yes,the big M,is on the horizon. But my hiking buddy has been thru it,and she reports that once Im thru,I will feel better.Lets hope thats the way it ends:) My son leaving for college was tough,and if I can handle that,I feel I can surely slay menopause!
The big M is around the corner for me. I can't wait, I'm tired of this 'friend' who only comes around once a month! :)
This is the end of the thread.
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