Posted by jojo on July 19, 2000, at 16:29:17
In reply to Re: Stimulants as monotherapy for Depression?, posted by noa on July 18, 2000, at 18:03:41
> Another problem with stims for depression is that they are short acting and can cause rebound depression when they wear off. Antidepresssants, I think, can produce a smoother, more even effect.
I tried Dexadrine for several years before I could get antidepressants. This was in the middle of the 70', when my then psychoanalyst told me that antidepressants were like aspirin, they helped with the pain, but didn't
get to the "real" cause. (Expletive Deleted).
About 5% of the time it helped me get something accomplished
but generally just made me a stimulated depressive.
Antidepressants made me much less depressed, but
lacking both energy and "directed attention". Adderall and Ritalin
provided help in that area, and increassed the effectivness of the antidepressants.
I presently take 20 mg Celexa, 15 mg Remeron, 150mg
Wellbutrin, and 20-40 mg of Adderall or Ritalin.
The Adderall seems to be more effective, but it lasts too
long, and may be the cause of my difficulty in
falling asleep. I would like to try Desoxyn or get
Dexadrine legally, but so far haven't been able to.
I just switched psychiatrists (my fourth), so maybe
I can try them now. I don't want to frighten
him by asking for them though. I have stopped the Adderall
for a week or two and experienced no craving whatsoever.
I even wondered if amphetamine "addiction" actually
occured, but from what I've read here, it does in some people.
Interestingly, when I first tried AD, I tried imipramine
and I think Triavil, neither of which helped. Several
years later, I read a research article that said
that people who experience euphoria from amphetamine
respond to imipramine, but not Elavil, while those
who do not experience euphoria respond to Elavil
but not imipramine. I tried Elavil, and it helped.
Also effective were Prozac, and Celexa. Neither Wellbutrin
or Remeron taken alone (but with stimulents)
provided antidepression. I currently add them
to the Celexa because I cut down or stop the Celexa
for a few days
every week or so, and increase the Remeron to 30 mg, so that I can have an orgasm.
then I take 20 mg of Celexa for a few days before
returning to 20 mg
taken alone
poster:jojo
thread:40752
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000717/msgs/40961.html