Posted by SLS on March 13, 2016, at 6:44:32
In reply to Re: depression time periods (afternoon)))SLS » porkpiehat, posted by J Kelly on March 12, 2016, at 17:37:35
> Sounds a little bi-polarish to me but I'm NO expert.
Hopefully, your doctor can tease out bipolarity if it exists.
Your unmedicated diurnal pattern approximates that of melancholic depression rather than atypical depression. Melancholic depression responds well to tricyclics. My guess is that SNRIs would be of some help. However, bipolarity sometimes allows a TCA to produce a switch into mania. I think your idea of exploring Lamictal makes sense at this point. If you maintain a partial response to it, I would then look into adding Abilify. You can then think about adding antidepressants. Lamictal is not a very good antimanic drug, but Abilify should be. Since Abilify also confers antidepressant effects, you might not need a standard antidepressant. If you do, Abilify will hopefully protect you from a manic reaction.
You might consider adding N-acetylcysteine (NAC) now if you anticipate using Lamictal. NAC can take several months to work, but some researchers believe that it complements Lamictal for treating depression.
Do you have anxiety? Impulsive? Easily angered?
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1087059
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20160306/msgs/1087090.html