Posted by Dawn Glo on August 31, 2006, at 21:17:25
YES - I can! I was first diagnosed depression when I was in my mid 20's (I am now 47). Back then, there weren't too many medications around so the psych I went to put me on Imipramine. I wasn't able to sleep on it, got severe panic attacks with heavy sweating too which I'd NEVER experenced before being on this med. I soon stopped taking it because the side effects were worse than what I was going thru at that time with the depression and anxiety. Then I found alcohol stopped the anxiety attacks and 'helped' me get thru the day. It also stopped the terrible nightmares I was beginning to have too - BUT - I was soon drinking FAR too much and became dependent on the alcohol. After 10 yrs of living like that I finally decided to try another psych. He put me on Buspar. It did nothing. And by this time I was having such severe panic attacks I was going to the emergency room 2-3 times a week. I couldn't sleep or eat and anything upsetting would start me vomiting and I couldn't stop. I was getting severe gastritis attacks too (could have been from the alcohol too). I ended up in the psych ward for a few days. That doc was a quack so I went to another one. He tried me on Wellbutrin. Nothing. I tried Zoloft - thought the top of my head was going to come off the second day I was on it. Found another psych and was diagnosed with clinical depression and severe anxiety. My life was a living hell by this time too. I drank everyday almost all day! The new doc put me on Paxil and Klonopin (with the understanding I would NOT drink on these meds). After about a month I was actually getting some relief from the depression and the Klonopin helped right away to stop the anxiety. As time went on, my life got MUCH better - I could actually experience a sunset or a bright sunny day and feel CONTENT. Something I hadn't experienced in over 10 yrs! As time went on, I wanted to try some of the newer meds cuz they were supposed to have less side affects (sexual probs) so I was put on Celexa. They discontinued Celexa and replaced it w/Lexapro. The Lexapro worked pretty good for a few years along w/Klonopin. At this point I had been taking 1mg of Klonopin at bedtime to help me sleep and as needed during the day which wasn't very often but I had been taking it for about 10 yrs now. Then for some reason, the Klonopin stopped working. I tried taking more and my doc upped the dosage. I was up to 3mg a day and still no relief. I took as much as 6mg in one day and it made no difference! I felt so hyped up my doc thought I may be becoming manic so he changed my meds to Risperdal. It seemed to help some but after a few weeks the dark depression returned - with a vengence! I called the doc and begged him to put me back on the Lexapro but he said no and I also told him the anxiety was really getting bad. I couldn't sleep and if I did, would wake up after 3 or 4 hours and be racked with anxiety for the rest of the night and into the morning hours. He told me to go to an emergency room - which I did - several times. The Klonopin wasn't working so I stopped taking it, then had terrible withdrawal symptoms so I had to go into a detox place to wean me off of it. When I came out I wasn't doing too bad but I still had whatever they gave me to wean me off the the Klonopin in my system. I got a new psych who put me back on the Lexapro. After a few weeks, severe anxiety hit me again. The Lexapro didn't seem to help either anymore. So my doc put me on Effexor (75mg to start). It took a good month and my dosage was adjusted up to 225mg until I started to get some relief. My new doc also gave me Seroquil to help me sleep because I couldn't sleep much at all. (Seroquil is an anti-psychotic but it has also been known to help with insomnia and I think it has helped with the panic attacks too.) I was unemployed for a year and a half when the Klonopin stopped working and I went off the Lexapro the first time because I just wasn't able to concentrate and felt there was no way I'd be able to hold a job! But my new doc got me regulated on the right dosages and meds now and I'm back to a full-time job again! I rarely experience any anxiety at all anymore, sleep well and really don't have any side effects from the Effexor other than constipation (well and sexual side effects again which has been the case for me with ANY antidepressant meds I have taken) - but I'll live with that! I eat prunes, raisin bran and have Smooth Move tea when I feel too bloated but I'd MUCH rather have the constipation than live with CONSTANT anxiety and depression! So, for now, I am a success story! Everyone's body chemistry is different and what works for one may not work for others. I do have 2 friends who take Effexor and they are doing well on it too. My boyfriend takes Lexapro and it has made a world of difference for him (and his mom takes Effexor also - you don't want to be around her if she tries to stop taking it either!) So if you don't get relief from one psych or type of med, there are plenty more out there to try - just DON'T give up! It may be difficult for a while and you may feel like a guinea pig, but science has not become so advanced yet to know much about the human brain and what will work for each individual. Just be glad we DO have meds now to be able to try! Think of what it must have been like 100 yrs ago! You'd be locked up in a state institution, given ice baths, shock treatments and all sorts of other not-so-nice forms of 'treatment'! I thank my lucky stars I was born now and not 100 or even 50 yrs ago! It may have been a long journey, but I've made it and if these meds stop working, by then there will be more options so I never give up staying positive that I can continue to live a happy and productive life! I also take a deep interest in the medication I am given, do a lot of research on my own and have even taken college courses on Abnormal Psychology to help me to better understand what may be happening with my brain chemistry. Knowledge is power and just knowing that you are NOT alone and you DO have options for treatment has kept me going. I hope it does for you too! I also belong to a group called Recovery Inc which is a non-12 step, self-help program for people who have anxiety, depression, anger issues or other 'abnormal' issues. It has been very influential in my treatment and self-esteem! As the doctor who started Recovery Inc., Dr. Abraham Lowe, says, "There are NO hopeless cases!"
poster:Dawn Glo
thread:681883
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060825/msgs/681883.html