Posted by Enigma on August 13, 2007, at 13:37:13
In reply to Re: Still no cure for my depression - tried everything » Enigma, posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on August 11, 2007, at 19:02:01
> What antipsychotics (specifically..please list all names and doses) and mood stabilizers (again, please be specific) have you tried? There are some very novel medications and combinations (even many you nor I haven't heard of on here) available.
>
> Jay
>Heh, that's not going to be an easy one. I have a big list, and hopefully it's electronic form is on my PC. I just found and updated it with all the info I have - taken from pill bottles I still have, my horrible memory, wife's memory, etc. It's a LOT of text. There's still stuff missing from it that's probably lost forever.
Here:
Last Updated 8/13/07 (even listing old meds not previously listed)
Blanket Statement about my drug/meds treatment:
In general, most drugs I took apply for the following blanket statement:
Most drugs were started at manufacturers recommended doses, and via following directions/dosages on "sample/starter packs", and/or doctors recommendations. Sample packs, etc were almost always used first, if they existed. If no serious side effects occurred, the dosage was moved up slowly over time to manufacturers recommended maintenance dosage. Many drugs were taken for about 3-9 weeks, or much longer for some and discontinued if side effects became intolerable, or no noticable AD/anti-mania effect was felt, or the drug "pooped out" over many months of use.
Note: Almost all drugs had some mild to heavy (usually intolerable) side effects (usually 2-4 different side effects). Many were similar, and many I cannot recall in detail for each particular drug. Usually, side effects consisted of dizzyness, light headedness, headaches, out of touch with reality/other worldly feeling, zombie like feeling, nausea, increased sweating, anorgasmia, other sexual dysfunction, fatigue (usually severe and most common of all drugs), insomnia, too much sleep, lack of feeling refreshed from sleep, nightmares, inability to stay asleep, or to wake up, constant and frequest urination, night terrors - waking up kicking, punching, yelling, ending as soon as I woke, increased irritability/lack of patience, manic type feelings, etc.There were a few other side effects I can't recall at the moment - in general, if the drug information from the pharmacy listed possible side effects, I almost always suffered from many of them. I've been, in my opinion, very sensitive to the side effects of these meds, while many other people who take these drugs, feels little to no side effects (data derived from message boards of people posting about their experience with these drugs and people I knew who are on some of these meds or have taken them)
Note: not in any meaningful order, dates listed are prescription fill dates from the bottles I still have. Entire range of dosage(s) not listed/cannot recall.
Procardia - 06/2005 - 10mg - as needed for hypertensive crisis
Restoril 06/2005 - 15mg x 1-2 day for insomnia - don't remember it working
Topamax - 12/2006, 01/2007, 03/2007 - 25mg x 2 a day, later 100mg x 1 per day - no positive effect noted, except for weight loss, and had to discon. due to have no appetite at all.
Serzone - 04/2007 - taken for 1.5 months, max dose 700 mg. Each 100 mg increase seemed to provide AD effects, but they only lasted 1-3 days. Quit at 700 as it didn't seem to provide any sustained AD effect. No notable side-effects to speak of.
Vivactyl - 12/2006 - 5mg x 3x day - horrible side effects, severe irritability, rage, anger, discon. after 2-3 days
Nardil - 11/2005, 07/2006, 9/2006, 11/2006 - Currently taking for the past 5+? months at 45mg per day, also tried 60mg from time to time, but found side effects intolerable - had the best antidepressant effect as any drug I've tried, but side effects are severe. Usually constant fatigue, frequent sweating, expecially in summer or after small exersion, frequest urination, completely broken sleep cycle - insomnia, where I can't sleep some nights untill 4-6 AM, as well as random boughts of bringing me almost unconcious with fatigue, requiring immediate nap, usually occuring when I am sitting down. Frequent urination, several times a night, inorgasmia, dizzyness, expescially if getting up from a sitting down position. Night terrors, waking up yelling, kicking, punching, etc. Sometimes can't stop dreaming about the same dream. Sleeping not restful, nor consistent no matter how hard I try. Sleeping pills prescribed to help, but have had very little positive effect. 45mg seems too low as depression starts to return, but 60mg usually makes the above side effect worse, and intolerable. I'll even mention the obvious, it's an MAOI, I can't eat certain foods, have alcohol, over the counter drugs, etc. I did have a few bad reactions to drug interactions already. No food reactions yet, just alcohol and OTC med reactions. Update - tried to continue Nardil 2 more times stopping due to side-effects, again.
Emsam - highest dose (ending at 12mg/24hrs) - couldn't tolerate application site reactions - red, swollen, itchy rash - took lowest dose for 1 month - no AD effect, switched to highest dose for 2 months. Pretty good AD effect (best I've had on a med?)
Both Emsam and Nardil cause sweating with almost no exersion (drinking coffee, being outside in sun, vacuuming a room), night sweats every night, severe insomnia - can barely sleep 3-4 hours in a row and still toss and turn, restless when I wake up - no sleep schedule - Eventually got used to Nardil enough? so that the insomnia mostly went away. Lunesta helped for a time, as well as Melatonin - Impromtu naps - can't stay awake, 1-2 a day - No energy all day, fatigue - Mood was better with Emsam, Nardil it is moderate
Still take Klonpin 1-3 mg as needed. Take 2mg at night to sleep - only lasts 3-4 hours. Toss and turn all night (while still on Nardil). (Updated 8/2007) 2mg of K-pin isn't cutting it anymore, need 3-4mgAmbien CR - 06/2006 - 12.5 mg x 1 per day - made me have wild dreams/mania and *caused* insomnia, dicontinued after 2 days
Lunesta - 5/2006 - 3mg x 1 per day - was working for sleep, pooped out quickly
Lexapro - Used starter pack - Discontinued with 1-2 weeks? or less. Side effects intolerable. Became too tired, zombie-like, etc, unable to function at all. Couldn't think or concentrate.
Effexor - Used starter pack - Discontinued after < 1-2 weeks, side effects worst of any drug, turned me into a zombie, dizzy, light headed, nausea, took 6 MONTHS to rid the dizzyness from my system - most likely withdrawal, even with tapering off slowly. Drug should be banned in my opinion.
Zoloft - Used starter pack, ended with 2x50mg/day? Unable to recall. Dosage raised slowly, discontinued after 1-2 months, no anti-depressant effect was felt.
Paxil - Used starter pack, Same experience with Zoloft
Prozac - 02/2005 - Used starter pack, then moved gradually to 40mg/2x day over a few months? Caused severe anxiety that other meds could not counteract, at highest dose taken (lower doses has no AD effect) - Some antidepressant effect felt, but ended up causing severe anxeity that other meds were prescribed to prevent such as Ativan and Klonpin. Anti anxiety drugs could not keep up with severe anxiety, had to discontinue Prozac.
Symbyax - Used starter pack, then had been taking 6/25, 6/50, 12/50 (x1/day), do not recall how many pills per day on other dosages - Similar to Prozac experience, but not as much anxiety. Has some antidepressent effect, then pooped out after some months, so discontinued - possibly other side effects I don't recall.
Wellbutrin - Took for years(2-3?, first AD prescribed, around 2000?), ended with XL 450mg/day - Started with early versions and ended to extended release, 1-2 day type pills. No anti-depressant ever felt, only felt increased daily energy, which is what I took it for. Side effects consisted of heavy abnormal sweating, lack of appetite, and manic-type symptoms. Finaly dicontinued as "pooped out", no longer gave me energy.
Depakote - Took in Combination with Wellbutrin for years to level me out - found out years later it was causing all my unexplained *severe* fatigue, so discontinued. Drug did help with irritability, road rage, etc.
Risperdal - 05/2005 - 2mg/day, Helped with depression for a while, possibly 4-6 months, then pooped out, discontinued. Took in combination with WB usually.
Cymbalta - Took for less than a week, caused a severe suicidal reaction I needed to be hospitalized for. Discontinued immediately, suicidal "drive" and uncontrolable crying stopped after discontinued use.
Parnate - 06/2005 - Ended at 40mg to day, tried right before Nardil, continued for 1-2 months. Almost exact same effects and symptoms as Nardil, but on a worse scale, making it intolerable to take. Forced to discontinue. Felt no AD effect.
Trileptal - 12/2003, 03/2004 - Last bottle I have shows 600mg/2x day - do not recall anything about this drug - maybe anti-mania, or to level me out. Found another bottle - 300mg 4x a day
Lamictal - 09/2004, 11/2006 - Last bottle I have shows 100mg/2x day - do not recall anything about this drug
Celexa/Citalopram - 03/2006, 04/2006 - 20mg x 1 per day - recall nothing about effectiveness - most likely, 0 AD effect, discontinued
Adderall - do not recall anything about this drug
Ativan - took this before switching to Klonopin as it pooped out - only took as needed, for anxiety
Lithium/Eskalith - 08/2005 - 450/x2 day - only took for a few days to augment Nardil - found side effects like dizzyness and nauses unbearable. Discontinued quickly.Klonopin - 2mg, taken as needed (currently 1-5-06), to deal with random boughts of anxiety, stress, etc. Also helps me get to sleep while on Nardil. Has helped a great deal with anxiety in general. Been taking as needed for many months. No real side effects besides fatigue.
Zyprexa - 08/2006, 12/2006, 01/2007 - 2.5mg x 1-2 day - taken for mania symtoms, caused fairly severe weight gain and severe increase in appetite, had to discontinue. Do not recall any positive effect. Last dose 5mg x 3x day.
Strattera - 40mg bottle still exists/not sure how many pills a day, do not recall why I took this, possibly anti-mania, and to level me out?Xanax - 03/2005 - .5mg x 3x day - Took for anti-anxiety - remember some side effects or no med effect - K-pin works better
Geodon - do not recall anything about this drug - last? sample bottle I have shows 60mg, may have been taking more than 1 per day
Seroquel - 01/2006 - 25mg x 1 every 4 hours as needed - remember being too tired the next day, that's all that I can remember about it - do not really it having any positive effect.
There ya have it. Hope someone gets something outta that. It's been edited for years.
poster:Enigma
thread:775476
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070808/msgs/776016.html