Posted by Bryn B. on May 20, 2012, at 17:14:02
Hi all-
I've battled depression since my early teens (I'm 37 now) and have been on SSRIs since my early 20s. I've tried many other drugs as add-ons, from TCAs, to stims to anti-psychotics, but for the most part, using just an SSRI (which has been 20 mg of Lexapro for the past six/seven years) seems to be tried and true for me.
EXCEPT, it starts to poop-out on me, as is what's happening now. I used benzos for over 10 years on a daily basis, but I became dependent and addicted to them and finally got off of them for good last year (I tried for a long time to do this and the withdrawal was pure hell, so I'm very happy to be done with them). I've also used Neurontin off and on with Leaxpro, and it definitely helps boosts my mood, but it makes me manic (which I don't usually feel unless irritability is considered hypomania). It also makes me gain weight & look kind of puffy. (Not acceptable!) Stims help "wake me up", and reverse the lethargy I feel from Lexapro, but I raise my dose daily on them, get addicted (fast), and end up crashing and burning. Not an option...
SO, does anyone have experience w/ SSRI poop out, and possible med-induced mania? (Does med-induced mania/irritabilty suggest I may be Bipolar 2?) I've been going through a major depressive episode lately (about 2 weeks now) and I'm at a loss as to what to do...
Thoughts?
poster:Bryn B.
thread:1018309
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120508/msgs/1018309.html