Posted by kreedi on February 7, 2002, at 1:11:54
I've been on and off Prozac (three or four times) since 1995. First time I took it for eight months or so; the next couple of times, only for a few months, discontinued after I felt better (largely because of the sexual side-effects). Haven't really tried any other drug -- though my psychopharmacologist in the States had me on, briefly, at different times, lithium, valproic acid, lamictal (the idea being, I guess, to prevent a manic episode, smooth out mood "irregularities"). Never more than a few weeks on any. I even tried Ritalin for a while. I guess I'm one of those people who has trouble sticking to any one thing, even medication.
I started taking Prozac again recently -- third week now, first week 10mg, 20mg after that. But I still feel terrible; losing weight also (which makes me feel worse). No motivation to do the things I need to do. Self-esteem low. Hopelessness, bleakness.
Not sure what to do. Sertraline (Zoloft) made me virtually impotent last year -- I took it for only ten days. Luckily, last January's (2001) episode lifted
pretty quickly.Around July last year, felt the awfulness of depression returning. Wellbutrin for a couple of weeks, 150 mg SR, but lots of weight loss, insomnia. Then Remeron -- at 7.5 mg it made be unbearably groggy for a full 24 hours. I knew that a higher dose might not cause oversedation, but I was too scared to try -- what if 30mg meant I wouldn't wake up for three days?
Now, I've been feeling depressed again for the last couple of months. And Prozac doesn't seem to be working yet.
Also in long-term psychoanalysis -- over three years now. It helps me gain a lot of insight, and I've ceased a lot of self-destructine behavior because of it, but doesn't help through a depressive episode. I sometimes wonder, in fact, if the analysis is indirectly contributing to the greater frequency of depressive episodes, by making me confront a lot of my own crazy assumptions about life.
My questions are: (1) Should I stick with the Prozac? Lower the dose to 10mg (lowering the dose seems to help some people, right?) or increase to 30mg?
(2) Should I/Can I combine Wellbutrin and Remeron? Do they work well together for depression? And, as for the side-effects, will the weight-loss and insomnia that bupropion causes "cancel out" the sedation and weight gain that mirtazapine causes?
(3) Try the tricyclics or even MAOIs? Mood stabilizers? (Some of the newer drugs aren't available where I live yet.)
(4) ANY feedback welcome.
Thanks, K.
poster:kreedi
thread:93157
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020131/msgs/93157.html