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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Amu on July 27, 2011, at 15:01:44
I'm looking for a medication with a robust anti-depressant effect, so far I've tried Lamotrigine, Depakote, Abilify, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, and Remeron. I have Mood Disorder NOS, I basically have cyclic depression that comes and goes abruptly several times a day, every day. I don't really meet the diagnostic criteria for MDD/Bipolar/Borderline. Is it normal to not respond to that many medications? That kind of makes me feel there is no real hope of remission for me.
Lexapro and Lamotrigine had no effect
Depakote killed my "excitement" that I usually experience from time to time, but my cyclic depression was still there, I was quite sure it would stop the cycling but it did not. It might have even made my depression more pronounced. Is it worth trying Carbamazepine? What about Seroquel? I am not bipolar but I do have abrupt mood changes. I'm also saddened that lamotrigine did nothing for my depression or my cycling.
Posted by Christ_empowered on July 27, 2011, at 15:12:41
In reply to Lamotrigine/Misc not working for depression, posted by Amu on July 27, 2011, at 15:01:44
I'd personally look into self-help, talk therapy, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle modification. When you say you have fits of depression, what does your depression involve? Apathy? Anxiety? Agitation?
The drugs really aren't that great. They're crude instruments at best. They work OK for severe illness, but if you have milder problems you might run into a situation in which you're spending $$$ and running into side effects w/o enough benefits to justify the problems.
How much Lamictal do you take? Have you tried tianeptine? I can't say that the Stablon would work for you, but its side effect profile is more benign than many other antidepressant drugs, so at least trying it out would suck less than, say, Seroquel.
Posted by bleauberry on July 27, 2011, at 15:59:57
In reply to Lamotrigine/Misc not working for depression, posted by Amu on July 27, 2011, at 15:01:44
Rhodiola Rosea. I don't think you'll find what you are looking for in meds because they don't really address the biochemical issues causing the rapid fluctuations. They can indeed....with a lot of trial and failure...block it so you don't feel it, but not fix what's doing it.
Rhodiola spans a wide spectrum of things under the surface that are likely involved in causing your symptoms.
A friend of mine, fresh out of the psych ward, was doing horrible on meds and described her symptoms almost exactly as you did, except her lows sounded a lot deeper and lower than yours. She is doing fantastic. I mentioned the other day how well she is doing and I was curious what happened. She said it was the Rhodiola.
Obviously no one can base anything on one single success story like that. It's just that when it comes to Rhodiola, there are thousands.
Unfortunately for me it has a paradoxical reaction of making me feel worse. That is very rare and almost surely related to either Lyme or my long history of psych meds messing up the brain. But for sure, in no way does it downgrade what a fantastic plant medicine it is for a wide variety of psych disorders including what you described.
Posted by linkadge on July 27, 2011, at 16:57:45
In reply to Re: Lamotrigine/Misc not working for depression, posted by bleauberry on July 27, 2011, at 15:59:57
I have a similar problem and it can be hell. Its like your body and brain just stall whenever they feel like it.
The one thing that seems to help me is ritalin. I usually take, like 1mg as needed.
By the time the medication wears off, I'm usually out of the funk, so I don't really crash.
I've been on mood stabilizers (lithium, tegrtol, depakote, lamictal, zyprexa, seroquel, risperdal), but most just bring me down overall.
Coffee can also work wonders as needed for cycling depression. Omega-3 I think has helped curb some of the cycling.
I wish I (personally) had a more ideal answer than popping stimulants ad lib, but it really has worked better than other alternatives.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on July 28, 2011, at 0:21:08
In reply to Re: Lamotrigine/Misc not working for depression, posted by linkadge on July 27, 2011, at 16:57:45
It does sound like some type of bipolar. What does your doc diagnose as? Phillipa
Posted by Amu on July 28, 2011, at 4:11:29
In reply to Lamotrigine/Misc not working for depression, posted by Amu on July 27, 2011, at 15:01:44
My doctor is not sure. Depression is definitely more common than elation for me.
From my own research, I know my symptoms not really a strict label for the disorder:
Mood reactivity
interpersonal sensitivity
cyclothymic temperament
mood lability
affective temperamental dysregulationThis is all mentioned in this great article:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3048510/Most sources mention lamotrigine/depakote as the most likely to help, and I've tried both of those.
Posted by floatingbridge on July 28, 2011, at 22:30:50
In reply to Re: Lamotrigine/Misc not working for depression » Amu, posted by Amu on July 28, 2011, at 4:11:29
Amu, I found that link valuable.
You say you are not bipolar, but have a cyclothmic temperament. I don't fully understand cyclothymic. Isn't that considered a bipolar spectrum disorder?
My very first dx was cyclothymic. I have no idea what bipolar really is even after spending three years readingbthis board.
Mood stabilizers haven't worked, though my trials with them are limited. Maybe lithium at low dose helped.
Getting off ssri's/snri's might help me. I hope to pieces that pans out. I swear after 12 years of them I have not gained stability.
I have read your posts but admit to be lurking because I have not had anything productive to contribute.
Do you or anyone know the short answer on cyclothymia? Why does it just allude treatment?
Posted by desolationrower on July 30, 2011, at 21:26:56
In reply to Re: Lamotrigine/Misc not working for depression » Amu, posted by Amu on July 28, 2011, at 4:11:29
> My doctor is not sure. Depression is definitely more common than elation for me.
>
> From my own research, I know my symptoms not really a strict label for the disorder:
> Mood reactivity
> interpersonal sensitivity
> cyclothymic temperament
> mood lability
> affective temperamental dysregulation
>
> This is all mentioned in this great article:
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3048510/
>
> Most sources mention lamotrigine/depakote as the most likely to help, and I've tried both of those.erm i would try a TCA. it might be somewhat ADHD related lacked of pfc control of emotions
-d/r
This is the end of the thread.
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