![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by babak on December 16, 2004, at 5:34:45
It is now fifteen years that I have been on medication. I have tried many different ones. The last has been OLanzapine & Paroxetine since summer.
They both help but my circumstances are very difficult, I have been unemployed for almost four years now, I am living with and caring for my mother who has advance cancer as I had to sell my house because of debts.I have very little confidence left and find it very difficult to get up in the mornings as I have no hope.
My only escape is once a week going to a friend's house where in order to lift myself up I take some coke and have few drinks to block out the hell in my life. I know this is no solution but once a week I need a break from myself, my mother and all the worries and my depression.
My situation is getting worse now and most morning I don't leave the bed unless my mother needs something.
I have no sex derive and I feel I have lost all my passion, imagination and inventiveness.
I have stopped enjoying music, films and arts in general.
I have very little powers of concentration and can't focus on much.
I feel I need something which can boost me even for a short while to get me out of this dog house like getting a job and a home so that its momentum will carry me through the rest.
But doctors' only suggestion is ECT which I have had before and it only resulted in massive loss of memory and a change in my heart rhythm.
Does any one know what I can add to this combination to give me boost so that I may continue fighting because thoughts of suicide becoming far more common place than any other time in the last 15 years.
I even took once a fistful of lorazepam but I made myself through up immediately but I could have just as easily gone to bed.
Does any one has any suggestions, I wish cocaine was safe because when I do cocaine I stop being depressed can concentrate and have enthusiasm.
I really need help and my doctors seem to have given up on me
Posted by ed_uk on December 16, 2004, at 7:13:57
In reply to Sonething extra, posted by babak on December 16, 2004, at 5:34:45
Hi babak,
Things sound extremely hard for you at the moment. I hope that the people at psycho-babble can help.
It would be really helpful if you could list all the treatments and combinations that you have tried for your depression and tell us how each one affected you. That way, we can suggest some good treatments that you haven't tried.
Have you had 'medical' causes of depression ruled out? eg. hypothyroidism.
All the best,
Ed.
Posted by babak on December 16, 2004, at 8:54:29
In reply to To babak, posted by ed_uk on December 16, 2004, at 7:13:57
Thanks for your response. My depression and it response to medication seems to get worse with age.
I was first on Prozac for five years which kept me functioning but towards the end it caused head-aches and temper tantrums. Then I switched to Venelafaxine which helped with depression and my temper but caused a lot of body tension, insomnia, and partial loss of libido as well as head aches. But for some reason I stayed on it for six years.
I tried to change to Roboxetine but that gave me terrible kidney pains and I had to discontinue after three days.
Then I tried adding Mirtazapine which for six glorious weeks lifted the depression completely and all its symptoms for the first time in my life. But it faded away after six weeks.
That was when I had ETC and that was the worst experience in my life. After the treatment I didn’t even remember my way back home. Apparently after four sessions they (British NHS) couldn’t induce a seizure. So without telling be they injected me with caffeine before the treatment. That gave me such a palpitation that for eight hours after the treatment I couldn’t stand up and they wouldn’t even give me something to calm me down. I thought I was having a heart attack. The next ECG showed that my heart rhythm had changed.
After that the doctors in the local NHS hospital basically, gave up on me and kept passing me around and cancelling my appointments. This was until I demanded to see a specialist in Lodon. The sent me Moudsley hospital in London who prescribed Paroxetine. It really helped with the anxiety part but left me empty and without any enthusiasm. My sex derive fell down even further until I became completely impotent around 18 months ago.
Then I went to a private psychiatrist in London who prescribed several drugs like Wellbutrin until he hit on Olanzapine on top of Paroxetine. Again, this time for almost three months the depression was lifted but then I returned to the same old feeling of none-responsiveness. I can’t feel anything with any passion; it seems as if my soul has been taken away. I tried to replace Olanzapine with Seroquel but then the depression came back and I kept having crying spells and became over sensitive. I felt suicidal, that was when I took a fistful of pills.
So, now I am back on Olazapine which is better but I still have crying spells, have no concentration and just can’t put my heart into anything. Even my affection towards my daughter is governed by my conscience rather than feelings and as far a sex goes; nothing.
Posted by ed_uk on December 16, 2004, at 9:57:34
In reply to Re: To babak » ed_uk, posted by babak on December 16, 2004, at 8:54:29
Hello!
It sounds like there are quite a few treatments that you haven't yet tried. I was sorry to hear that you've had so many disapointments with medication.
Have you ever tried lofepramine? (Gamanil) It's rarely discussed on psycho-babble because it isn't available in the US. I find it helps my depression better than anything else that I've tried... paroxetine, fluoxetine, venlafaxine, dothiepin, moclobemide etc. Lofepramine doesn't blunt emotions like paroxetine, sexual side effects are uncommon with lofepramine.
Also, have you ever tried Nardil or Parnate. They are rarely prescribed in the UK but they can really help some people who haven't improved with other medication.
Have you ever seen a psychologist? I know you have to wait ages to see one on the NHS.
I won't make anymore suggestions yet because you might have already tried the treatments which I've suggested.
All the best,
Ed.
Posted by babak on December 16, 2004, at 16:41:35
In reply to Re: To babak » babak, posted by ed_uk on December 16, 2004, at 9:57:34
Thanks again for your response. I have tried Lofopromine but again it causes kidney problems for me.
I have also had seven years of therapy.
I am having a bad night again tonight, sorry I can't go on.
Posted by ed_uk on December 17, 2004, at 4:29:34
In reply to Re: To babak » ed_uk, posted by babak on December 16, 2004, at 8:54:29
Hello,
Please keep logging on to psycho-babble :-) It's a good source of support.
Have you ever tried phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate) ? Some people on babble have has really good results with these medications even after everything else has failed them.
Best Wishes,
Ed.Ed.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.