Posted by Willful on November 25, 2012, at 23:19:47
In reply to Re: Lou's response-lytbrgayd, posted by hansi555 on November 25, 2012, at 16:33:51
Hansi, if your pdoc is okay with your taking benzos for anxiety, I certainly would do that.
I wondered if he had suggested any reason why your depression might be worse. Are there any external events in life that are bothering you?
Any pressures or stresses that you might not be noticing, but that have been building up at home or at work?
Often it seems like a drug may have caused something because of a correlation in time-- but as you know, correlation does not mean causation.
I would try to think about other possible reasons for your change in emotional state. I tend to doubt that a small dose of abilify over a relatively short period of time would have so strong an impact, particularly so quickly after a change in dose. The main thing that causes some middle term problems when you discontinue a drug you've used for a long time is that your neurotransmitters take time to return to normal. But I don't think 6 weeks is anywhere near long enough for that sort of reaction. I've used abilify as an adjunct to my main anti-depressant, and while initially had some issues with it, it's been working well for me for a long time.
My pdoc also suggested that I try lithium at one time, but for some reason, I never did. I have a great deal of confidence in him; he is a well-respected clinician in my area. I'm sure he would never suggest anything that would "screw [me] up"-- he also is very particular about use drugs that he feels full command of with patients. He has been cautious in using things he hasn't worked with extensively.
I would use the resources you have to hold on for the moment. Benzos are a good idea; and maybe meditating, or using calming techniques that you've learned could help-- I depends more on that stuff when I"m in a crisis. If you don't have any at hand, I would recommend a DBT group-- dialectal behavior therapy-- which focuses on ability to self-sooth, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance-- with practical and very helpful exercises and techniqes. Of course, that's a long-term approach, that you might consider for the future.
It's hard to predict that one will never have another depressive episode, even with ADs. Of course the chances are greatly improved, that you'll be stable, or recover much more quickly. But I would take advantage of whatever you can, to try to lengthen the times when you feel more okay. I'm hoping your pdoc can come up with some short-term solution-- maybe a tiny dose of another atypical antipsychotic like seroquel, or something else. (I'm not suggesting that-- only suggesting that he may have some ideas for a crisis situation.)
Whatever you do, don't give up. This will resolve itself. So you have to hang in there.
Emsam.
Abilify
Provigil
Rilutek
poster:Willful
thread:1031808
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20121113/msgs/1031908.html