Posted by zefdie on March 17, 2004, at 11:20:18
Hey all--I'm new here and headed to see my GP in a few hours and was hoping someone was around to give me some advice.
Psychiatrists are hard to come by where I'm at--they're all booked, and because I recently moved to a new city I can't see the doctor who prescribed Wellbutrin SR 150 for my major depression a few years ago. I've been very debilitated lately and after a week of frustrating calls, I found one pdoc who would see me right away. We had a regular preliminary appointment, I explained my problem (anxiety, severe concentration problems, despair, suicidal ideation, deteriorating vocabulary and cognitive function, that "loss of self" feeling, obsessive thoughts, self-sabotage and lack of anything resembling motivation) and she suggested that I, as someone who's already tried SSRIs, would benefit from trying Effexor XR augmented with the Wellbutrin.
I've researched Effexor and believe that for me the benefits are worth the risk--I've been depressed my whole life and am ready to try the only med that's worked for so many people I know. The problem is, this pdoc wouldn't take me on as a patient because she wanted to do psychoanalysis and I had thought, after speaking to her on the phone, that she offered more than one method. She took my check and left me in complete despair, because there are no other pdocs available right now who take my insurance.
I've found a psychologist to work with; all I need are meds. So I made an appointment with my GP to talk about my options. I need help RIGHT NOW, and I'm ready to try Effexor, especially after getting the pdoc's evaluation. I'm planning to see another pdoc for meds management as soon as a space becomes available. In the meantime, I really want to try Effexor. I've researched it thoroughly.
What are the recommended dosages for getting started? The pdoc told me that it works like a plain-old SSRI at lower dosages, and I don't want that. I want the SSNRI (or whatever it's called) effect, and I want to continue on Wellbutrin SR 150 as she recommended.
What do you suggest I ask for from my GP? I've done the research very thoroughly but could still benefit from some advice. I need something right away and my only other option is to go to the emergency room, where I'd probably see a general physician anyway.
Thanks!
poster:zefdie
thread:325263
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040313/msgs/325263.html