Posted by ed_uk2010 on July 17, 2010, at 13:16:08
In reply to venlafaxine 600mg + methylphenidate?, posted by europerep on July 17, 2010, at 11:49:16
I think you have some difficult decisions ahead. Since your depression has been very long lasting, you obviously need a medication which will not 'poop out' after a few weeks. Before antidepressants even existed, stimulants were often prescribed for depression. The main problem was that the benefits were often transient and some patients got addicted. Many patients note that stimulants reduce their fatigue and apathy without actually elevating mood. This suggests that stimulants are not 'true' antidepressants.
If you do decide to try methylphenidate, the benefits should appear quickly. If there is no response after a couple of weeks at a low/moderate dose, you should probably discontinue treatment. Also, if tolerance starts to develop after several weeks or months, I think it would be best to taper off rather than increasing the dose. Increasing the dose could cause you to become dependent on a medication which will not provide a long term improvement.
If venlafaxine is not providing adequate relief, perhaps it would be better to switch to a different antidepressant instead. What do you think? Clomipramine (Anafranil) is regarded by some as the most potent antidepressant ever made. Have you tried it?
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:954764
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100709/msgs/954773.html