Posted by CaptainAmerica1967 on December 12, 2008, at 1:42:34
I would like to hear from others and what they've found to be effective in dealing with tough to treat refractory depression. Has anyone had the investagationl Deep Brain Stimulation device implanted by St Jude Medical? How about Meds or combination meds they've used with success? How about TMS?
I'm relatively new to Psycho-Babble and hope I can learn tips from the experiences of others as well as give them from personal experience.
I started suffering from depression at the age of 15-16 in 1983-1984. My depression is definitely biological although I haven't found major depression in my family history although alcoholism is present in my family tree on both sides. I really don't know much about my father's side of the family and never knew them.
Stress and early childhood losses of loved ones do lead to a biologically based depression in my opinion (PET/MRI/CAT scans show difference). I lost my Dad (29y/o) in 1972 from a accidental drug overdose as well as my Mom in 1986 when I was 19y/o as a result of a car accident in which I was driving and had a seizure while on 600mgs-900mgs of Desyrel which had just come on the market. Never sued the psychiatrist (doesn't bring your loved one back and I'm not the bitter type of person to do that), but I don't think he ever RX'ed that high of a dose of trazodone again with his patients. I was also receiving outpatient ECT at the time.
I had over 70 electroconvulsive therapy treatments at the age of 18-19 (didn't help) and although ECT is considered the "Gold Standard" by many experts, I would disagree at least for treatment/refractory depression in my case...MAOI's (Type A) should be considered Gold Standard. Newer MAOI's, reversables, don't work well and are an attempt by drug companies to make money as physicians might be more likely to RX them as the hypertensive reaction is far less potential. Tyrima is currently being studied as the newest altough there are others. For a list visit neurotransmitter.net or www.neurotransmitter.net/newdrugs.html
Other ways I've dealt with depression:
(Complimentary Biological Treatments)-Vigorous Physical exercise (many physiological mechanisms by which it helps such as endorphins/enkephalins-various, serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine and multipal other neurotransmitters and receptors and hormones...also I am a body builder and a lactovegetarian because of inhuman way of raising and or slaughtering of animals)
-Total/Partial Sleep Deprivation (very under utilized, but very powerful...many mechanisms or reasons why it works and probably not fully understood, but the downfall is that the depression returns upon just a few hours of sleep/REM)
-Cold Water (Shower/Baths) Therapy (stimulate both endorphins and norepinephrine-Locus coeruleus or Locus ceruleus or the blue nucleus, blue place or blue spot, and helps with hot flashes and also stimualtes thyroid, maybe other mechanism...recent study in Medical Hypothesis 2007)
-I've tried over 50 plus psychotherapeutics alone and in combinations in my life and just feel MAOI's (Type A) are the best for me.
-Have tried every known supplement, nutraceutical, and herb ever tried or studied for depression throughout human history and have found them to be minimal or moderately effective for severe depression. There are to many to list here. Passion Flower is mildly effective as it has MAOI properties and I personally believe it may be better than Saint John's Wort(Hypericum) and isn't photosensitive as Saint John's Wort is..note cattle/sheep that graze on St. John's Worts sometimes suffer serious sunburns. Siberian Ginseng and Rodiola can offer serotonin and adrenal-cortisol support. 5HT supplements can be helpful (Griffonia seed plant source).
-psychotherapy equals a waste of money unless the depression isn't biolgical in nature although some learned behaviors associated or learned from the biological depression might benefit It may also be helpful initially to understand your condition.
-spiritual (John of God The Miracle Healer from Brazil)...really alternative, but individuals who have nothing else to lose or try will try anything...spirits(pasted on physicians mostly) enter John of God's body and then into the body of those seeking healing and advanced medical procedures are performed inside the body...things modern medicine don't even know yet. I went to Brazil and tried it myself.
-all light that enters and leaves gems/crystals (reflective or refracted light) hits or enters the body and in various or specific parts of the body and have have effects on those organs. Sapphire (hits the pituitary), Lapis Lazuli(hits the brain) Blue Topaz(hits the thyroid), Topaz (pituitary), Aquamarine (pineal gland). Remember, medicine at one time, didn't recognize, realize or know that sunlight and or other invisible rays like radiation could offer potential medical treatments or that what we cannot see by the naked eye (microbial) could cause disease. What I've learned from the "Scientific Method" is to be open to new ideas. IE...People used to think the Earth was flat and one would fall off the Earth by going to far and beyond in a boat in the ocean or where on couldn't see land. IE...People used to think the Sun revolved around the Earth and that the Earth was the center of the universe. IE...That diseases resulted because "the Gods" were angry. IE...That drilling a whole in the head of mentally ill or disturbed patients would allow the evil spirits to be released. Many, many more examples could be stated.
I have a medical background(PA/MPH and a potential PhD candidate...schooling is extra hard to concentrate when dealing with treatment resistant depression) and am writing an inspirational autobiography (who knows maybe a movie one day) about my life with depression in the hopes that I can save individuals from giving up in life and or committing suicide. Unfortunately, those with severe treatment resistant or refractory depression often don't live any normal type of life, but live life without any hope.
Regards,
Jeff
myspace CaptainAmerica1967"From the brain, and from the brain only, arise our pleasures, joys, laughter, and jests, as well as our sorrows, pains, griefs, and tears." -Hippocrates-
"The ultimate possession of all in life(physical life)is your health and without it, you have nothing"...I might argue and say love is the ultimate possession because I believe our purpose in our Earthly life is learning to love and help others, but without brain health or if one wasn't able to think, the Love isn't even in the equation.
poster:CaptainAmerica1967
thread:868231
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081204/msgs/868231.html