Posted by BarbaraCat on January 8, 2002, at 17:13:19
Please excuse this long post, but if I give detailed info, perhaps some of you out there can provide clues/sleuthing to help me with what is becoming a descent into despair. I have a long history of treatment resistant depression with bouts of panic disorder. I also have fibromyalgia. I have been on every SSRI and it's permutations out there as well as Wellbutrin augmenting. I'm currently on Remeron 45 mg. with 100 mg lithium (lithium was added a week ago for augmenting). For 2 months, 30 mg. of Remeron was doing it. I have not felt so good for so long, just plain old normal and enjoying life in a healthy, productive manner. I felt good, motivated, and very validated in my theory that depression is ultimately biochemical - just provide my brain with what it needs and I can take care of the rest of life just splendidly.
Then, at the beginning of Dec, it began pooping out. I could feel the mucle pains returning, then the emotional pain and I've been descending into a horrible depression, pain and fatigue spiral. So my pdoc upped Remeron to 45 mg. with the 100 mg lithium. Just the teensiest response. My depression is always accompanied by aching muscular pain (fibromyalgia), feeling of intense fear, crying, brain won't make connections. In the past I tried disipramine, but don't recall that it helped and hated the side effects. I'm also taking thyroid T4 and T3 for hypothyroidism, good estrogen/progesterone hormones, and leading a very healthy lifestyle complete with meditation and good nutrition. I hate to keep upping my meds because NOTHING has continued to work. Something is missing in the chemical equation.
Severe melancholy depression, pain, fatigue with forays into panic. Any ideas out there? Another trial with TCA's? Dopamine augmentation? Thank you for any and all suggestions. I feel like the Thermian's plea in Galaxy Quest "You're my laaast hope!".
poster:BarbaraCat
thread:89346
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020103/msgs/89346.html