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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rousseau on February 11, 2007, at 10:00:25
Hello. This is my first post to these forums. I'm in need of some support and feedback, and I'm not sure where to begin, but I'll begin from where I am, which is not in a good place. I am taking 2.5 mg. of Zyprexa along with 1 mg. of clonazepam at bedtime and waking up feeling MORE depressed after having felt like my sleep was peppered with a vague, uneasy dreaming. The clonazepam I've taken for quite a long time, so I don't attribute this new form of sleep (smile) to that. I should mention that I've only been on the low-dose Zyprexa for ONE week.
I recently had a partial response to Seroquel, feeling somewhat less depressed (I noticed the sun "felt" a little more welcome) and a little "calmer", but developed problems with the electrical control of my heart. It may or may not have been the Seroquel, since I had these same symptoms before in the distant past, and now I'm thinking it may have been exercise-induced arrhythmia. They have all but disappeared now, and this may actually be more related to problems with my heart than medications, since I was told to discontinue exercising until testing is done.
Here's my thought: What if I NEED an antidepressant? My psychiatrist is NOT very keen on using antidepressants with me, but I'm feeling I need more help than just a mood stabilizer, or maybe I need a different mood stabilizer. My libido is not great, and I experience many depressive symptoms. Oddly enough, six days after the PA and primary doctor took me off Seroquel, I started to feel like myself again in the sense that I could respond to people with more spontanaeity and didn't feel as though a part of my real self was imprisoned somenow. That is one reason why I fear these medications.
I would be so grateful if I could get some feedback from other people who have struggled to find their way through this molasses-like prescription highway. When I mention that various drugs have improved my libido, the psychiatrist makes remarks about mania, hypersexuality, aging (I'm 53. So what, I say?), and that most psychotropic meds induce some sexual dysfunction (Effexor did not do that, nor did Prozac)and that I'm getting used to a "normal" sexual response. I reject this theory. I was never hypersexual in the true, clinical sense of the word, and now I'm dragging my way through things thinking, "Where is my spark?". I want to get angry with this guy and tell him to stop projecting a clinical picture onto me that isn't real. But I am the patient, and it's not possible to have a neat, crisp sheet of paper to hand him that shows him where my real pain lies.
I'm sorry about the length of this post. I hope this is not inappropriate. My first time here and I've already written my first chapter in frustration. I just don't feel well, and my faith in these docs is waning with each new attempt to medicate me.
I'm wondering what would be wrong with adding prozac to this olanzapine? How would I know that olanzapine is right? Should I keep taking it for weeks and then make a decision? I'm already looking at entire cakes as ONE serving, not several. Know what I mean?
Thank you for bearing with me here.
Rousseau
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on February 11, 2007, at 11:25:09
In reply to Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressant, posted by rousseau on February 11, 2007, at 10:00:25
Welcome! :o)
You've come to the right place. I like your name, by the way. I sense you and Declan will get along very well!
Um, well I'm not much help I'm afraid with regard to meds. I lost faith in docs to treat my depression etc a long time ago. I think everyone here gets frustrated with their docs at times. Its a difficult situation.
Some tips:
Take aload of material to docs appointments. If you wanna try prozac, then take along a bunch of scientific articles to your appointment which 'proves' that prozac is approprite in your condidion. Read up on the drugs themselves and how they react in the brain. It takes convincing a doc to get them to prescribe you something you wanna try. Search for stuff on pubmed:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?DB=pubmed
and another one called 'biopyschiatry'. (google it and I've spelt it wrong too!).
Well, zyprexa is know for its weight gain. It doesn't sound like much fun.
I'm sure some other, more appropriate, people will comment -- if you could say what your condition is and what you've tried?
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on February 11, 2007, at 11:26:18
In reply to Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressant, posted by rousseau on February 11, 2007, at 10:00:25
opps I thought you were new! Well anyway. No harm intended!!
M
Posted by Phillipa on February 11, 2007, at 11:36:17
In reply to Re: Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressan, posted by Meri-Tuuli on February 11, 2007, at 11:26:18
You mentioned your heart are you on any heart meds as they can cause depression. And if your doc said no excercise for now there must be a reason. Love Phillipa
Posted by med_empowered on February 11, 2007, at 13:27:22
In reply to Re: Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressan, posted by Phillipa on February 11, 2007, at 11:36:17
yeah, I've had shrinks be the same way--anticonvulsants, yes, benzos, yes, antidepressants...not so much. Fear of "agitation," I suppose. That said..ADs really aren't all that great. Maybe you just need a different mood-stabilizer, like lamictal or trileptal. Upping the Klonopin can help depression, too. Adding Provigil or another stimulant might help, too.
Good luck!
Posted by blueberry1 on February 11, 2007, at 13:29:00
In reply to Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressant, posted by rousseau on February 11, 2007, at 10:00:25
I don't know your symptoms so it's hard to say. It does sound like your doc thinks there is some bipolar stuff? And that's why he doesn't want an antidepressant?
There are schools of thought that say antidepressants worsen bipolar. I am not aware of any proof of that. There are schools of thought that say antidepressants are actually good mood stabilizers for bipolar. So go figure.
I believe I have soft bipolar tendencies and honestly the best mood stabizers I have ever taken were pure ssri antidepressants. Stable stable stable.
The crazy dreaming? I was on zyprexa for years and had that crazy dreaming a lot. They were often evil bizarre dreams and made for difficulty waking up from such encounters. If you are also feeling more depressed and the only thing that has changed is adding zyprexa, well, you can't get any more obvious hints than that.
Prozac and zyprexa? Hey, does your doc know that this combination is FDA approved to treat bipolar depression? If he is worried about bipolar, I don't understand ignoring an FDA approved treatment for it that includes prozac.
Your past history is proof that antidepressants are ok with you. Why does the doc ignore such evidence?
Bottom line. YOU are the paying customer. You don't work for him. He works for you. You are paying for a service. Don't let somebody rule your life and decisions in a way that you don't agree with and then compound it by paying them to do it. A heart to heart talk with the doc might be something to consider. If his style of treatment doesn't agree with you, you might have to start making some calls and get another doc.
> Hello. This is my first post to these forums. I'm in need of some support and feedback, and I'm not sure where to begin, but I'll begin from where I am, which is not in a good place. I am taking 2.5 mg. of Zyprexa along with 1 mg. of clonazepam at bedtime and waking up feeling MORE depressed after having felt like my sleep was peppered with a vague, uneasy dreaming. The clonazepam I've taken for quite a long time, so I don't attribute this new form of sleep (smile) to that. I should mention that I've only been on the low-dose Zyprexa for ONE week.
>
> I recently had a partial response to Seroquel, feeling somewhat less depressed (I noticed the sun "felt" a little more welcome) and a little "calmer", but developed problems with the electrical control of my heart. It may or may not have been the Seroquel, since I had these same symptoms before in the distant past, and now I'm thinking it may have been exercise-induced arrhythmia. They have all but disappeared now, and this may actually be more related to problems with my heart than medications, since I was told to discontinue exercising until testing is done.
>
> Here's my thought: What if I NEED an antidepressant? My psychiatrist is NOT very keen on using antidepressants with me, but I'm feeling I need more help than just a mood stabilizer, or maybe I need a different mood stabilizer. My libido is not great, and I experience many depressive symptoms. Oddly enough, six days after the PA and primary doctor took me off Seroquel, I started to feel like myself again in the sense that I could respond to people with more spontanaeity and didn't feel as though a part of my real self was imprisoned somenow. That is one reason why I fear these medications.
>
> I would be so grateful if I could get some feedback from other people who have struggled to find their way through this molasses-like prescription highway. When I mention that various drugs have improved my libido, the psychiatrist makes remarks about mania, hypersexuality, aging (I'm 53. So what, I say?), and that most psychotropic meds induce some sexual dysfunction (Effexor did not do that, nor did Prozac)and that I'm getting used to a "normal" sexual response. I reject this theory. I was never hypersexual in the true, clinical sense of the word, and now I'm dragging my way through things thinking, "Where is my spark?". I want to get angry with this guy and tell him to stop projecting a clinical picture onto me that isn't real. But I am the patient, and it's not possible to have a neat, crisp sheet of paper to hand him that shows him where my real pain lies.
>
> I'm sorry about the length of this post. I hope this is not inappropriate. My first time here and I've already written my first chapter in frustration. I just don't feel well, and my faith in these docs is waning with each new attempt to medicate me.
>
> I'm wondering what would be wrong with adding prozac to this olanzapine? How would I know that olanzapine is right? Should I keep taking it for weeks and then make a decision? I'm already looking at entire cakes as ONE serving, not several. Know what I mean?
>
> Thank you for bearing with me here.
>
> Rousseau
>
>
Posted by med_empowered on February 11, 2007, at 14:59:56
In reply to Re: Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressant, posted by blueberry1 on February 11, 2007, at 13:29:00
if your doc's really reluctant, you may want something with a short half-life, that way you can pop it, see if it works, and dx it fast if it doesn't. Prozac has a crazy-long half-life of 5 weeks, so I don't think its that great a deal for bipolar--I mean, Symbyax works, yes, but I feel like they could've used a different AD and gotten even better effects w/o dealing with the crazy long half-life. Celexa and lexapro have short half lives; paxil does as well.
Good luck!
Posted by Sebastian on February 11, 2007, at 15:12:31
In reply to Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressant, posted by rousseau on February 11, 2007, at 10:00:25
Here's my suggestion. I take 5-10mg zyprexa, with Abilify and wellbutrin sr. Those last 2 wake me up, give energy and appear to slow appatite.
Posted by Declan on February 11, 2007, at 15:47:23
In reply to Doctor's reluctance to prescribe antidepressant, posted by rousseau on February 11, 2007, at 10:00:25
So, you feel you need an AD but you want one that allows a normal (or improved) sex life?
What drugs have improved your libido?
(There are ADs that don't wreck it.)And you feel that Zyprexa may be implicated in your unrestful sleep?
Is Zyprexa bad for your libido?
It is supposed to increase prolactin levels, isn't it?
This is the end of the thread.
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