Posted by blueberry on October 30, 2005, at 17:17:32
In reply to Treatment resistant depression, posted by Girlnterrupted on October 30, 2005, at 9:57:54
I realize you don't have schizophrenia or psychosis, but take a look at the atypical antipsychotics. Low dose zyprexa or seroquel in addition to your favorite antidepressant.
The reason is because in combination with ssri's, the APs significantly raise dopamine levels in the parts of your brain affecting depression, while at the same time decreasing dopamine in other parts of the brain affecting anxiety. They are also being used as mood stabilizers.
The good thing about the APs is that they don't require long trials like the ADs do...you'll know as soon as two days to two weeks if they're helping you or not. But if you want to tweek the dopamine system without developing tolerance any time soon, the APs in combination with ADs can do that.
There is tons of research to support this. I am sharing my own experience as well. Low dose zyprexa and low dose prozac gave me the best five years of my life before they began to poop out. That's a long time for any med to work so well. Like you, I believe I have dopamine hypofunction, and am again on the hunt...which will probably end up being another ssri and another AP and hopefully another five years of goodness.
poster:blueberry
thread:573337
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051024/msgs/573510.html