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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 Phil on November 18, 1999, at 20:11:02
FDA approved in 1964, I'm going back to a better cure for depression for me, TCA's. I'm off of Zoloft and Ritalin and hopefully will stay off. Nortriptyline, Klonopin, and Marlboro Lights is my current regimen. My new pdoc approves of the first two. I'm working on the third. No I'm not but I did quit once, for a year, while on Amitryptiline.
If Nortrip is okay, I'll stay with it but I do have a script for Reboxetine on the way. Decisions, decisions.
I took a copy of all my posts to my new doc today, so she'll have plenty of bathroom reading material. At $180 an hour, I want HER to do some homework!!!
My posts go back to Dec 98 and helped me to remember all of the drugs and responses to them over the past year. I didn't print any replies, BTW.
I hope this apathy will fade. SSRI's are great drugs for some but I wanna feel what it's like to exercise again.
And like every person on this planet, I just want to be happy. I hope to get back to a more accurate picture of myself...less the depression. For some reason, SSRI's didn't always feel REAL.Hopefully rambling (thanks for reading and being here),
Phil
Posted by JohnL on November 19, 1999, at 2:38:17
In reply to Free at last...no more SSRI's, posted by Phil on November 18, 1999, at 20:11:02
Hi Phil. Hey, I remember reading Nortrip was tested with benefit, like Wellbutrin, for smoking cessation. Actually I think all ADs have the potential to help quit smoking, since they tend to hold brain chemicals steady during the withdrawal process. I think TCAs with their multiple actions are likely much better choices than SSRIs.
I know what you mean about SSRIs. The best response I ever had was when Nortrip was in the mix as an adjunct. I was amazed at how good it felt to be 'normal'. It pooped pretty quick though and I quit out of frustration. As I look back, that was a mistake because I was at a low dose. I should have just upped the dose and given more time (had only been 3 weeks). Retrying it is always on my mind. As I try to get back to my baseline on Prozac, after losing a lot of ground on a short stint with Moclobemide, Nortrip is a strong contender for augmentation. There's something special about those old dirty TCAs that SSRIs just can't duplicate. Even though clinical studies show both to be equally effective, I think there are substantial differences that get lost in the statistics of responders vs nonresponders. The kinds of differences you have noticed.
Posted by ChrisK on November 19, 1999, at 8:46:46
In reply to Free at last...no more SSRI's, posted by Phil on November 18, 1999, at 20:11:02
Congratulations and welcome to the club. I have one of the ultimate cocktails going with Nortrip, Zyprexa, Celexa and Naltrexone. All I know is that this has been the best November I've had in 20 years. I also sit in front of my lightbox every morning. I realy think that the old TCA's can be the best thing to happen to some people. I had no luck with Paxil, Effexor XR, Neurontin, and others but the Nortrip really changed things noticeably.
Good Luck with your new regimin.
Posted by Elizabeth on November 20, 1999, at 17:29:51
In reply to Re: Free at last...no more SSRI's, posted by ChrisK on November 19, 1999, at 8:46:46
> I realy think that the old TCA's can be the best thing to happen to some people. I had no luck with Paxil, Effexor XR, Neurontin, and others but the Nortrip really changed things noticeably.
Hi Chris. I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. Can I ask a question? What dose of Effexor XR were you on, and for how long?
Posted by ChrisK on November 21, 1999, at 6:14:08
In reply to Re: Free at last...no more SSRI's, posted by Elizabeth on November 20, 1999, at 17:29:51
> Hi Chris. I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. Can I ask a question? What dose of Effexor XR were you on, and for how long?
I was on 150mg for about a month and then 225mg for about 3 more weeks. I just never was affeected by it in terms of my depression easing up. I basically hit the upper limits of some of the SSRI's without much change. Right now I still have a problem with anhedonia but I'm not dragging around and my suicidal thoughts have lifted.
Posted by Phil on November 21, 1999, at 6:53:07
In reply to Re: Free at last...no more SSRI's, posted by ChrisK on November 21, 1999, at 6:14:08
Thanks for y'alls support. I feel human again.
Elizabeth, I don't know if you remember, but you suggested TCA's for me many months back...good job! pj
Posted by Noa on November 24, 1999, at 22:33:55
In reply to Re: John, Chris, and Elizabeth, posted by Phil on November 21, 1999, at 6:53:07
I was on 225 for a long time, then after a bad bout in the summer, upped to 375, started to feel better for a while, now depressed again, so adding lithium.
Posted by Jane on November 25, 1999, at 0:36:39
In reply to Re: Effexor XR dose, posted by Noa on November 24, 1999, at 22:33:55
you mentioned adding lithium - you may want to make sure you get regular thyroid checks and blood level monitoring unless the dosage of lithium is very low (i'm not sure how its dosed for depression). in bipolar disorder at least, the dosage of therapeutic levels of lithium is close to the toxic levels which is why regular blood work is necessary to maintain best results (and health!)
jane
Posted by noa on November 25, 1999, at 7:32:17
In reply to Re: Effexor XR dose, posted by Jane on November 25, 1999, at 0:36:39
Jane, I think the dose will be lower than the therapeutic dose for bipolar, but my doc is a cautious one about titrating up slowly, checking thyroid, liver, kidney functions, getting an EKG, etc. anyway. Have done all that. Have my thyroid checked periodically anyway cuz I am on T3 and T4 for hypothyroid and AD augmentation.
This is the end of the thread.
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