Posted by Vincent_QC on March 11, 2009, at 8:43:42
It seem that everytime I switch for another AD, especially from a category into another one, I experience not stable mood and a decrease level of energy +motivation, got into a more deep depression mood, my social anxiety is worse than ever and I experiences more panic attack, especially concerning my heart who make me a lot anxious since a while...too much hypertension or high pulse rate...it's seem that i'm hypervigileant about these symptoms now and I can't focus on other things...
I take a couple of hours reading old threads about TCA's, since my PDoc begin to explore that category of AD's and try them on me...and I discover that they are not very helpfull with the social anxiety, especially when a depression and others comorbidities are presents...Thanks to Elizabeth, someone who seem to not be anymore a member of the babble forum...
I knonw that Scott point out the fact that the side-effects of TCA's decrease with time, but I can't handle them like I can't handle the SSRI's or the SRNI's or the Wellbutrin or the Remeron or anything else...I just feel worse each time I try a newer med from the 90's and more... I just don't seem to answer or improve on any meds using on-label or off-label for social anxiety with comobordities...that's make me a treatment resistant for SAD.
So I don't see why I will try to stick on the TCA's, if they make my heart and my head completly f*ck up...having to wait more than 12 or 16 weeks before I see an improve, and I assume a MINIMAL improvement, is not the kind of things I call to be a succeesfull story.
Since I was introduce into the world of TCA's, with the most potent SRI one (Clomipramine), I have to deal with newer sources of high stress, that stress is caused by the weight gain, who continue to affect me even if I totally stop any TCA's since more than 5 days, extra daytime sedation, regain of insomnia and vivids dreams, and the incredible decrease in my interests and motivation, I just feel like i'm surviving, not living...I don't have a life for now...nothing interest me, I just want to eat, sleep and I don't care about anything. I don't even call back my Psychologist since I miss my last appointment with her last week, so I will be probably push out of my CTB therapy because I miss more than 2 appointments since I begin it and my lovely PDoc is on vacation for I don't know how many times and no other PDoc seem to take his place during that period of time. Such a big deal...
Reading old post about TCA's, especially Elizabeth posts back from 2001 make me realise that no TCA'S alone will help me to improve my social anxiety and my general anxiety level...I suppose the sedative effect as well as the weight gain and the heart effect (high pulse rate on me) will be just another major issue and even with time, those side-effects will never disepear or decrease...like the side-effects of the newer drugs never decrease on me with time...
So, i'm leave alone with my little Valiums pills who don't work on me anymore...20mg/day or 30mg/day seem to be the same, so forget the Gaba-ergic effect on me of others off-label products like Vigabatrin, they only one I never try on that category (Neurontin, Lyrica...) or the return on the Nardil...
So what will be my next move??? First, I think avoiding TCA's will be a more great solution for me, at least I will be able to move my *ss a little bit more at daytime, maybe start dieting and loose my winter weight gain (50 pounds), stop smooking (help my heart) and do some exercices (help my heart also...).
I will never be able to be on a rocket fuel combo like Scott, I mean something like Parnate with a TCA on the top of it, or Ritalin with Parnate for more energy and more motivation and increase interest and focus in my life. The PDoc I have his strict on this rules...never blend dangerous meds together...and avoid all possible interraction...
The more I think about my situation and the more I think that the Marplan will be the good solution, I just have to be patient and wait for the answer from Health Canada.
I also think that I will do my 14 days washout period ( I already have 4 days done) and ask to be put back on the Parnate at a very low dosage and stay at this small amount for a while, since not everyone need to be on a super high dose of the Parnate to feel more great, I assume for me the 20mg dose is the acceptable limits between improvements and side-effects... At this dose, I don't have a lot of daytime sedation, no BP problems, no high pulse rate and no weight gain or orthostatic hypotension... I just feel physically tired, that's what I was experienced last december, if I can recall...
In the meantime, if the Marplan is approved for me, I will jump into that boat... I think the MAOI will be my only way to escape that never ending circle, since I only partially answer to that kind of meds, especially the Parnate...and a partial answer is better than any No answer on newer meds who seem to be not very good anyway on the SAD, since it's my main problem and all the others problems are linked to it...
That's my thoughts of the day... I don't think the Surmontil or Doxepin solution will be a lot helpfull, I already feel exhausted, I don't need more weight gain or sedation to get more well...I already having some Seroquel who take care of my insomnia at night and that's enought histaminic effects on my body...I still not sure if fast weight gain I experienced since 2 months is cause by the Seroquel or the TCA's...who know...
It's seem that I lost another 2 years of my life trying differents meds and combo who never works anyway... and changing 1$ for 4 quarters is the same no???
So for now, a lot of coffee at daytime and Valium seem to be my only solution, until the lovely PDoc be back from his vacation...I will make it clear with him, no more TCA's...why stick on something who is just more dirty than newer meds? TCA's are just not helpfull in SAD, that's it, like the SSRI's or the SRNI's seem to be also not effective as well for SAD...even if they can help on others comorbidities like depression ...but since that's not my main problem, I don't think working around those problems will resolve the BIG one...
Negative maybe but true...
poster:Vincent_QC
thread:884848
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090304/msgs/884848.html