Posted by bulldog2 on December 6, 2009, at 10:18:06
In reply to New year new drugs - Advice needed., posted by Meltingpot on December 6, 2009, at 8:43:25
> Hi,
>
> Well at the end of this month I will have finished my third month of being medication free (apart from Zyprexa now and again. During being medication free I have had less energy, have felt very flat and empty, no interest in anything, awful anxiety which doesn't seem to go away for days and then I am back to feeling just empty again.
>
> At the beginning of January I plan on going back on medication but I'm not sure what to do given that I've tried pretty much everything.
>
> I was thinking of going back on high dose Seroxat given that this is the only drug that has really working for me (when it did work) over the past eight years. However, when it did work it only took about a week so I think that if I don't feel better on it after two weeks then I'll ditch it.
>
> I'm also not sure about what do psychiatrist wise. This new psychiatrist who I am paying to see privately (£150 a time) is very good, she listens and seems to know her stuff but there seems to be no point in going to see her just to tell her that I want to go back on Seroxat when I can get it off my Doctor. Also, she tends to leave me on a start up dose for too long but then again I do need professional advice and support.
>
> I've been thinking about possible medication options if the Seroxat doesn't work. I was thinking of high dose Effexor (although I don't think Norepinephrine activation does much for me, neither Reboxetine or Wellbutrin seemed to do anything. I was also thinking of Parnate plus Nortryptaline but then the Nardil didn't seem to help so I'm not sure if Parnate would. I was thinking of Sertraline/Zooloft (high dose) but that only worked a little bit for me last time I took it (for about three months). Then there is Seroxat and moclobemide but that seems to be quite risky (but who cares really). Zyprexa has always seemed to help with the anxiety but I don't particularly like the way I feel on that, I still feel depressed on it just less anxious.
>
> All of this is just making me feel worse as I can see another wasted year of failed drug trials. I wish they would just give me ECT.
>
> I've listed all of the drugs I have tried over the past eight years, can anyone give me some encouragement and advice.
>
> 2001 to 2003. Tried the following medications:-
>
> Started 20mg of Seroxat which seemed to exacerbate anxiety and suicidal thoughts
> Olanzapine now and again which helps with the anxiety but if I take just a small amount every day I feel too numb.
> Mirtazapine No improvement and increased anxiety.
> Prothiaden 300mg exacerbated anxiety
> Prothiaden and Sertraline Slight lift of depression but not significantly. Passed out.
> Prozac and lithium Slight lift of depression but not significant.
> Venlafaxine 150mg Slight improvement in depression but still experiencing anxiety.
> Lamictal 200mg No improvement.
> Sertraline 100mg Slight improvement in depression.
> Phenelzine very spaced out on it, in some ways experienced a worsening of depression.
> Seroxat 40mg Experienced a significant lifting of depression and anxiety went away.
> 2004 Went to Vancouver to try out rTMS. Curious to see if it would have any effect. If it was beneficial I wanted to use it another tool if needed in the future. Didnt seem to do anything.
> 2005 Seroxat seemed to stop working, tried increasing the dose to no avail
>
> 2005 2009
>
> Seroxat plus Buspirone (for a month) Just increased fatigue.
> Seroxat plus Lamictal (for a month) No improvement.
> Seroxat plus thyroxine (for a month) No improvement.
> Seroxat plus Mirtazapine (for a month) Increased fatigue.
> Cymbalta (for a month) Really bad anxiety.
> Escitalopram (over a year) Helped with depression but not as effective as the seroxat was when it worked.
> Clomipramine (for almost a year) Helped with depression but still not as effective as the Seroxat was when it worked.
> Clomipramine with Reboxetine No improvement than on Clomipramine alone.
> Also tried adding adding Wellbutrin now and again to the Seroxat but Wellbutrin didnt seem to do anything at all. It didnt even increase the anxiety (which I thought was a common side affect with it).
>
>
> Denise
>Also try to be patient and go slow. You mentioned starting seroxat at 20 mg. Maybe that was to high and caused anxiety.I know that's hard when you're suffering. Starting to high can cause med failures because of sides.
poster:bulldog2
thread:928302
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091206/msgs/928313.html