Posted by Robert Hoffman on November 19, 2007, at 9:25:05
In reply to Re: SSRI Apathy- This is the *True* SSRI response! » circusboy, posted by 49er on November 18, 2007, at 16:09:59
> Hi Circusboy,
>
> I wrote you a long response that didn't go through for some reason. I am still tapering off of two meds to answer your question. Sorry to hear about your experiences as I hear your frustration.
>
> Anyway, lack of sleep is catching up to me so when I am more clear headed, I will try to think about what I said initially.
>
> > >
> > > Anyway, as one who never thought in a million years I could get off these meds a few years ago, I am writing to give people hope if they are looking for med alternatives. I don't promise it will be easy but it is doable. My life isn't a rose garden but I will take it any day over what I was previouisly on all these meds.
> > >
> >
> > 49er,
> >
> > How long have you been off the meds? I might have written a post a lot like yours 7+ months ago. I spent a lot of time reading -- if not so much time posting in -- the Alternative board, looking for non-pharm solutions, spending hundreds of dollars at iherb.com. Also running a couple of miles nearly every day and eating pretty well.
> >
> > It went OK for a while. And I felt so much better (so much *saner*) than I did on long-term Prozac. Some herbs and supplements would work (SAM-e and Rhodiola Rosea were the most effective), but the physical and psychological side effects were no good. SAM-e flattened my personality and raised my blood pressure. Rhodiola gave me insomnia (and poor sleep even when I could fall asleep). Other supplements made me *more* depressed or were otherwise flaky and inconsistent.
> >
> > Still, I was fine for a while. Then I started getting obsessive thoughts (like I was going to hurt someone with my kitchen knife, or drive my car off the highway on purpose, screw up the company's website or delete the database). A new symptom for me! Yay! And the hallmark cognitive symptoms started creeping back: slow thinking, confusion while doing little everyday things things (shopping, driving), difficulty concentrating, slow recall, poor memory in general, very low motivation ... A sort of irrational dread started creeping over me at work. I couldn't take it anymore.
> >
> > Looking back, except for part of when I was on SAM-e and most of the Rhodiola trial, I'd been just sub-syndromal for MDD. Solidly dysthymic. And I saw the warning signs of a full MDD episode coming on.
> >
> > I don't really want to be, but now I'm back on an SSRI. I'm very afraid that the effects of long-term SSRI use will start to creep up on me again; I'm hoping (on little evidence... but there is some) that sertraline will be better than fluoxetine and the rest in the cognitive/apathy department. This study focuses on the elderly patient (and was sponsored by Pfizer, so take it with a spoonful of salt), but there's plenty of good info in it:
> > http://www.gjpsy.uni-goettingen.de/gjp-article-lane.htm
> >
> > So. Maybe some of us do better on these drugs in spite of the side-effects? Linkadge's advice is excellent and well-taken. But maybe, MAYBE these terribly flawed drugs are the best tools we have to manage the chronic condition that is depression.
>
>
Technically, you suffer from OCD as well as depression. The SSRIs have probably been as good as any meds for this condition. I don't want to get too personal, but have you considered why you might feel the anger your symptoms represent, or do you believe these feelings represent nothing other than being part of a syndrome (to be addressed by meds) Have you tried insight psychotherapy? Just a thought
poster:Robert Hoffman
thread:793535
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071115/msgs/795891.html