Posted by Zana on May 26, 2009, at 8:56:40
In reply to Advice on next steps, posted by glenni on May 25, 2009, at 22:00:37
Everyone is different. I was in the process of getting ready to start ECT when I had been though Geodon, Seroquel and Lithium along with a bunch of other stuff including Neutrontin. Lithium turned me into a zombie. The minute I got off it I was better. Still depressed but better. Seroquel helped a little bit with my depression but made me feel weird, downed out not myself.
I agree that Geodon and Seroquel and Zyprexa are all redundant. I would try to get off the atypicals. I am now weaning off Seroquel at 50mgs every 3 weeks. All this med stuff takes so long.
I have been taking Remeron for a long time. Didn't seem to do anything but make me sleep which is wonderful. But after bombing out on every AD I tried Pristiq and bang! I suddenly, within days, felt a thousand percent better. I have since learned that Remeron and Pristiq are called "California Rocket Fuel."
I also started taking Provigil again. I had used it for years off and on but had been avoiding it because I was so agitated. Taking it again has helped my mood and energy a lot. I didn't do well on Adderall or any of the other amphetamines. Provigil is a horse of a different color and worth a look.
I too take klonopin. Klonopin and Xanax are also redundant. Take one or the other and I would recommend sticking with the Klonopin since it has a long half life and is less likely to provoke rebound anxiety- as long as you keep taking it. Neurontin can also down you out. Except for the
adderall, everything you are taking, including the oxycodone, is a downer.
I agree with others that you need to weed out some of the redundant meds and I think you need to get on something that is potentially stimulating.
What is your history with AD's and what other med regimes have you tried? And how would you characterize your depression? What symptoms are you trying to target?
How long have you been on this regime? Sounds like regimes I have been on: things don't get better, your doc just keeps adding things and next thing you know you are on a laundry list of meds and still not better.I avoided ECT for one reason. The doc I consulted at Mass General, who is considered a top shock doc, told me all about potential memory problems. When I asked him about problems stemming from the right hemisphere he responded, "If you are a dancer, you might remember your choreography but be unable to make your dance beautiful; if you were a musician, you might remember all of your score but be unable to make your instrument sing."
That did it for me.Therapy has been extremely helpful for me.
I would definitely get a psychopharm consult before proceeding to ECT. I think there is room for a lot of improvement with your meds.Zana
poster:Zana
thread:897683
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090524/msgs/897753.html