Posted by Karen44 on July 3, 2006, at 22:45:17
In reply to Re: Parnate vs. ENSAM vs. Lamictal » Karen44, posted by Donna Louise on July 3, 2006, at 6:31:20
> >
> > Thanks for the responses. I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Severe. I think Parnate helped me get past severe depression and then has not helped further. I believe the original thought was to add Lamictal to the Parnate. But apparently my psychiatrist thinks that Lamictal alone might also work for me. I have had terrible adverse and/or allergic reactions to all antidepressants I have tried other than Parnate. I have heard positive and negative things about Ensam, and I am not sure I want to take two things at once. I would really like to try no medications, but I am becoming very emotional, crying at the drop of a pin. I am really tired of it all and certainly can't risk cognitive problems as have been reported by some with Lamictal.
> >
> > Karen
> >
> >
>
>
> I have the same diagnosis, along with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) as you do, it is doubtful with that dx lamictal alone would do the whole job. I need several meds to be anywhere near effective, otherwise I only have one nostril above water. But you never know without trying, it just may work for you. I have not had cognitive difficulties with lamictal, but I have never taken more than 200mg, more than that is not helpful (according to the literature) for what we have anyway. And it seems doses higher than 200mg is when the cognitive troubles start. So that may never be an issue for you. And as for EMSAM, same thing. Could be the best thing that ever happened for you and if not, you just quit it. You never know until you try. What is for sure, if your life is becoming unmanagable as I don't see how it wouldn't be with the dx we have, no meds is probably not an option. Believe me, I have tried to go that route many times and have just been crushingly disappointed. But you may have to try that too, like I did, just so you know what exactly your options are. Just don't let it go so far that you can't think straight enough to get yourself some help.
> I wish you the best of luck with this rocky road we are all on.
>
> donna
>Donna
I am hoping I will be okay without any antidepressant medication. I went for 10 years without any antidepressant medication and was Okay,not great, but okay until I started developing all sorts of physical problems including COPD, need for cervical spine surgery (I was in excrutiating pain from what was going on with me then). I had five hosptializations in 2005 including three surgeries and one for what I thought was a heart attack (the first one). Turned out to be pulmonary problems plus GERD. Learned last year as well that I have sleep apnea, etc. etc. etc. So, I got on medication for depression. The original recommendation was ECT, and I refused due to my work. Can't afford to lose memory. Now that the physical problems are better with a slight relapse coughing up blood daily (no it's not cancer), I am doing better physically and wonder if I might be able to manage without antidepressant medication. My psychiatrist said last Friday that I looked tense. Didn't think I was feeling tense, but I have been moving my office from one building to another to see if I can escape the bleeding from lungs. It's not there when I go on vacation or when I have a long weekend. Anyway, I want to know what I might consider, if anything regarding medication, and Ensam and Lamictal have been mentioned by my psychiatrist. I see him again this Friday and am really tired of this weekly trek of two hours there and two hours back for a 45 minute appointment. Getting sick and tired of it all. Then I hear how some folks can't even get in to see a psychiatrist, and I think what am I complaining about. I have been doing this weekly thing (meds and therapy) for over a year now and hate it. I think I want to tell him I don't want to come weekly anymore--maybe bi-weekly. He said he is looking to open an office closer to where I live, one hour away, but I don't believe him because he has been saying this since last fall, and it hasn't happened. I just don't know what to do anymore.
Karen
poster:Karen44
thread:661936
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060701/msgs/663871.html