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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 jay2112 on August 21, 2022, at 14:21:48
Hi Linkadge:
I just wanted to apologize for arguing and not seeing your viewpoint. You are stuck, hurt, and it's easy for me to shout "do this...do that..", but I have not walked in your footsteps. You are failed by a system that is not supposed to fail people.
I hope you can find ways to provide some happiness, and that the damn system "gets up gettin up". For now, you know, and do, what you have to, to survive.
Sincerely,
Jay
Posted by linkadge on August 22, 2022, at 18:21:46
In reply to To Linkadge.., posted by jay2112 on August 21, 2022, at 14:21:48
Hey no problem.
Things were better for me 5 years or so ago. I had better stability in my career and I saw a psychiatrist on a semi regular basis. He was good (very open minded and treated things aggressively).
Covid has really f*ck*d everything up right now (as everybody has long covid and associated mental health issues) and the strain on the system is apparent.
Linkadge
Posted by SLS on August 22, 2022, at 18:33:42
In reply to Re: To Linkadge.., posted by linkadge on August 22, 2022, at 18:21:46
> Covid has really f*ck*d everything up right now (as everybody has long covid and associated mental health issues) and the strain on the system is apparent.
I'm sorry.
Earlier in the pandemic, it was reported that people who were experiencing residual psychiatric symptoms - long haulers - had their psychiatric symptoms resolve very quickly after being vaccinated. Since I don't see this being reported anymore, I suppose it didn't work out.
- Scott
Posted by linkadge on August 23, 2022, at 12:54:06
In reply to Re: To Linkadge.., posted by SLS on August 22, 2022, at 18:33:42
I know some people who did experience symptom improvement after vaccination. I would imagine there are different forms of long COVID. The first may be due to residual virus that the body has not cleared (potentially causing inflammation). This could respond to vaccination helping the body recognize / clear residual virus. The second may be due to actual damage or biological derangements due to the virus itself (even after it has been fully cleared). This may take longer to improve, or may be permanent. I understand that with people who had to be hospitalized, there were significant measurable changes in a variety of neurotransmitter / biological systems. There was some research, for instance, suggesting that COVID could upregulate MAO-B, and this could contribute to brain pathology and inflammation.
Linkadge
Posted by SLS on August 23, 2022, at 17:16:41
In reply to Re: To Linkadge.. » SLS, posted by linkadge on August 23, 2022, at 12:54:06
Posted by SLS on August 23, 2022, at 21:38:39
In reply to Re: To Linkadge.. » SLS, posted by linkadge on August 23, 2022, at 12:54:06
One more thing, Linkadge.
As you demonstrated in your previous posted explanations regarding COVID, your intellect and kindness are extraordinary. I really hope you actualize your potential. I know this is unlikely while you are in the altered state of consciousness that we call depression. Given your challenges, you demonstrate great resilience. I don't think I have ever sensed you giving up or considering auto-euthenasia in your words here. Of course, no one can know your private thoughts. I hope they aren't tortuous.
Linkadge, 39 is very young. You probably won't believe this until you turn 62. Take my word for it. You have plenty of years left to build a fun, rewarding, and financially-stable life for yourself. Take advantage of the youth that you still possess. People need your help, even if they be students. You make an enormous, positive difference on Psycho-Babble. However, I doubt that this is sufficiently rewarding for you. It wasn't for me, as wonderful an outlet as it is. You and I It iythe first step towards attaining this But we both know that the first step towards is the resolution of depression and and only first step
There are going to be days when you consider what I wrote here to be Pollyanna b*llsh*t. You might even resent me. That's okay, though. I know it will pass.
I was hit with a severe depression one day at age 17. I had to drop out of college and take menial jobs. At age 30, my depression increased in severity, and I remained unemployable for 3 decades. At age 39, I was to be homeless. Easter Seals is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping people with mental illness. In my case, they put a roof over my head. However, they required that I work, go to school, or go to a partial hospitalization day program. Being unemployable, I was forced to spend 5 years there. I spent most of my time there sitting alone, looking down and staring at the tabletop, supporting my head with my right hand. I would sometimes force myself to drive the 35 minutes, only to turn around and go back home. It was not a positive experience, but it kept me from homelessness. The depression was torturous, although I was not plagued by melancholy thoughts. It was oppressive, though. It was agonizing at times.
This picture was me...
https://www.kalw.org/show/your-call/2022-03-01/how-to-find-help-for-depression
I didn't begin to respond to treatment until I was 61. Doctors had me swallow my first antidepressant pill when I was 22.
I will always be on your side, Linkadge, even if I sometimes poke at you. You know much more than I do about neuropharmacology. But I know much more than you do regarding how the best and brightest research *clinicians* think. They are not neuroscientists. They are practitioners. They gain insight into therapeutics by witnessing hundreds of people respond and not respond to an array of different treatments - both available and experimental. I was asked by two different doctors to write papers for them - despite my depression. I don't think they gave my illness enough weight when asking me. The first doctor to ask me to research and write a paper was Baron Shopsin. He was one of the first true psychopharmacologists, and directly under Nathan Klein at NYU. Shopsin was one of the first American physicians to work with lithium, and helped describe a novel diagnosis at the time called schizoaffective disorder. Flattering. Anyway, I had quite a few brains to pick, and I asked questions endlessly. So...
Please give your brain time to establish a homeostatic equilibrium. It really doesn't matter where it ends up. The point it reaches will undoubtedly leave you depressed, but that's the cost of doing business. Going 2-3 months without making any changes at all in your treatment will be frustrating. After giving things some thought, I think you should continue to do whatever is now affording you a 40% improvement. Believe me, that's a hell of a good deal. If you elect not to follow these details, I urge you to follow the concept.
- Scott
* I didn't proofread this. It's getting late.- Scott
Posted by linkadge on August 24, 2022, at 6:59:12
In reply to Thank you for your explanations. Both make sense. (nm) » linkadge, posted by SLS on August 23, 2022, at 17:16:41
Just a hypothesis. I have no idea really.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on August 24, 2022, at 7:05:40
In reply to Re: To Linkadge.., posted by SLS on August 23, 2022, at 21:38:39
Thanks for sharing. A lot to reflect on there.
Linkadge
Posted by SLS on August 24, 2022, at 10:08:41
In reply to Re: To Linkadge.. » SLS, posted by linkadge on August 24, 2022, at 7:05:40
Hi, again.
I wanted to mention one of the disadvantages of Nardil compared to Parnate (and probably Marplan). More People seem to relapse on Nardil than on Parnate. People have been maintained in remission with Nardil for years or decades, and then suddenly relapse.
The reason I bring this up is because psychiatrists discovered a strategy in the 1980s to remediate this situation. The strategy is to discontinue Nardil for 3 months, and then restart it. I don't know how they arrived at the 3 months waiting period. However, the strategy worked. Of course, this treatment decision made sense only if nothing else had worked.
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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