Posted by bleauberry on August 1, 2010, at 13:19:00
In reply to Re: Anyone use Ritalin for depression???, posted by linkadge on July 31, 2010, at 18:59:56
I find Link's story fascinating, because it highlights something that I have sometimes wondered. That is, maybe sometimes it is wrong to take a med every day, but more advantageous to take it as needed.
Me for example. I was in the worst shape of the year yesterday. Awful horrible gut wrenching anxiety and deep dark depression at the same time, along with heavy fatigue. Wow, what a horrible thing. I knew from experience that a mere 5 beads of cymbalta would supply just the right amount of serotonin and norepinephrine to target those symptoms with overloading the receptors with too much, and a mere 25mg amisulpride would synergistically help on the dopamine and serotonin side of things.
Sure enough. 8 hours later, better than I was in quite a while. But also from experinece I know that if I keep taking these things every day, forget it, all the good goes away and it just goes downhill. The good will last several days, and then it's time for another move....depending on what symptoms present themselves at the time. In other words, I am not assuming that I am chronically deficient in serotonin or any other neurotransmitter all the time, but rather things change in waves. I adjust to those waves. I do so in what might be called a homeopathic methodology...micro doses.
Now, I don't have low serotonin all the time. If I did, an ssri would feel good immediately every time. If it doesn't, it means there is not low serotonin. The med might later do something else downstream, but why mess with serotonin if it aint the problem? Might just create new problems.
Not a cure, but no longterm daily med was either.
For sure, a good management tool.
Ritalin is also one of my standby as-needed meds. I know when to use it and what it will do and what symptoms it is specific for.
I have unfortunately not found any chronic use of any med to be of value to me in over 15 years, so instead I adjust on a daily basis. I guess it might be more accurately called disease management than disease elimination. But then, lots of diseases are like that. It's not just depression.
> Ritalin is about the only med that has been helping my depression.
>
> I don't take it everyday because I am not depressed everyday (I either have recurrent brief depression, or some bipolar vairent).
>
> Anyhow, SSRI's leave me way to impaired. The TCA's are a little better for me, but still a lot of side effects.
>
> I don't take the medication everyday and I havn't grown tollerant (that I can tell). 5-10mg a day for me is sufficient.
>
> Linkadge
poster:bleauberry
thread:956349
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100731/msgs/956731.html