Psycho-Babble Medication | about biological treatments | Framed
This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | List of forums | Search | FAQ

Re: AD's make me feel worse before better?

Posted by JohnL on August 31, 2001, at 18:04:46

In reply to AD's make me feel worse before better?, posted by adamie on August 31, 2001, at 16:54:31

Can antidepressants actually make you feel worse? Yes, definitely they can. It has happened here at this board more times than I can count over the last three years, including with me.

Sometimes the underlying root cause of the depression has nothing at all to do with low serotonin or whatever. Based on what you have said, I feel encouraged that your order of Adrafinil could be a more pleasant experience for you than the antidepressants were. Adrafinil does not raise or lower the common neurotransmitters. Instead it acts like a turbocharger for existing neurotransmitters, so to speak.

Some people will claim that you do indeed have to feel worse before you start feeling better. I don't know, that just indicates to me that the particular med is way off target. Sure, it might end up working somewhat if given enough time to go through chain reaction domino kind of stuff, but I personally don't like that route. Suicide and losing hope is too much of a risk when someone starts feeling worse. It's not worth it. Better to switch course immediately. That's what my pdoc always did with me. He did not hesitate to take me off of a dud drug and try me on something else. He knew that in the meantime my baseline depression was more acceptable than feeling suicidal after starting a new drug. Too much risk. Too much pain. There is always a better drug.

For you the best drug could easily end up being something that is not an antidepressant. Something like Adrafinil, Ritalin, Adderall, Zyprexa, Risperdal. If your body tells you it doesn't like antidepressants, I personally think it is wise to listen to your body's intuition. It is trying to tell you something. There are important clues to be had, clues that can help point you in a better direction.

No doubt there will be reports of people who felt worse, weathered the storm, and then later felt better. That's fine for them. But not for me or my pdoc.
John


Share
Tweet  

Thread

 

Post a new follow-up

Your message only Include above post


Notify the administrators

They will then review this post with the posting guidelines in mind.

To contact them about something other than this post, please use this form instead.

 

Start a new thread

 
Google
dr-bob.org www
Search options and examples
[amazon] for
in

This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | FAQ
Psycho-Babble Medication | Framed

poster:JohnL thread:77124
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010828/msgs/77140.html