Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 650338

Shown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression

Posted by Donna Louise on May 30, 2006, at 6:18:38

Well, here is an update. I am just all over the place...anyway, over the weekend I took a good dip into depression although for a change I have a reason to be grief stricken as my oldest dog is dying. But this was more than really sad, it was the depression that grief has triggered many times before. I got panicky and cut one of my 6mg patches in half and made 9mg. I put these on at night after I get out of the shower. ( I know, but I am a really good sleeper). But I could tell during the night even in my sleep that I had that extra 3mg on board. I woke up more depressed than ever and by noon had gotten so easily enraged like I would on wellbutrin that I yanked the 3mg off. I took .25mg klonopin and 1/2 Soma to restore myself and within a couple of hours started feeling better. And as the day went on, I was back to feeling pretty good. And today, this morning I feel pretty good still, back on the 6mg and klonopin.
There is a question coming, here it is. I think at some point I may need more for depression. Not more patch, that may feel too much like wellbutrin, and if not more patch then what? I am thinking again and I bet the pdoc is going to say lamictal. I am ok with that as I do evidence mood swings, and that may have been one of my normal dips. And if I am going to bounce back that quick i can live with it. But maybe the extra 3mg, even though only on board briefly did help with that. Ok, here is the question more directly asked. What else can be useful for a serotonin deficit or whatever the serotonin problem is that one can take while on an MAOI? I am not ever going back to sri's. I would rather try bupenorphin (I know that is opiod, not serotonergic, wait, maybe in some backhanded kind of way it is serotonerigic..) but I don't know if the pdoc will go there. She is good at being experimental and outside the box but is reluctant with opiods. I guess that is a good thing as I am a recovering addict...21+ years.
Any thoughts?
Thank you so kindly for reading this ramble.

Donna

 

Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression » Donna Louise

Posted by crabwalk on May 30, 2006, at 9:34:56

In reply to aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression, posted by Donna Louise on May 30, 2006, at 6:18:38

Have you tried supplementing with magnesium (citrate, glycinate, or taurinate)?

 

Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression » crabwalk

Posted by Donna Louise on May 30, 2006, at 21:43:10

In reply to Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression » Donna Louise, posted by crabwalk on May 30, 2006, at 9:34:56

> Have you tried supplementing with magnesium (citrate, glycinate, or taurinate)?


No, I have not. I do have some magnesium around here somewhere though and can take that. How does that work? I think I got before for inflamation and my dumb bones.

Interestly, I put my usual 6mg patch on last night and then put on 3mg about 1:00 pm today and I have felt no side effects, rage or depression. I am going to do it again tomorrow, if it keeps going well I will do it until I see the pdoc in 2 weeks and have something to tell her.
Thanks for the advice.

Donna

 

Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression » Donna Louise

Posted by Phillipa on May 30, 2006, at 21:52:35

In reply to Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression » crabwalk, posted by Donna Louise on May 30, 2006, at 21:43:10

So are you saying that you're an opiod responder too. I think I'd like to try buproherion too. As I took a percocet for the first a pain pill and was laughing. How do you get a conservative pdoc to rx buphorperine for you. Thanks Phillipa

 

Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression » Phillipa

Posted by Donna Louise on May 30, 2006, at 22:10:45

In reply to Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression » Donna Louise, posted by Phillipa on May 30, 2006, at 21:52:35

> So are you saying that you're an opiod responder too. I think I'd like to try buproherion too. As I took a percocet for the first a pain pill and was laughing. How do you get a conservative pdoc to rx buphorperine for you. Thanks Phillipa

Yes, indeed I am. I don't know how you get a conservative pdoc to write for an opiod. Maybe present some abstracts and such regarding how well they do in the refractory patient. And for me, refusing to take any more sri's. And alot of other drugs for that matter. Also, after using the same pdoc for 4 years, she knows that I know my body and what is working for it and what isn't and she trusts my feedback. She is also aware that I am a mental patient and an addict...recovering!!!

Donna

 

Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression

Posted by jealibeanz on June 3, 2006, at 1:16:08

In reply to aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression, posted by Donna Louise on May 30, 2006, at 6:18:38

Donna, I am sorry that you had no luck with EMSAM. DIid you feel any improvement along with the side ieffects? I know you had insomnia. I suffer from insomnia as well. I know how difficult it can be. It takes over your life when at its worst. Any weight gain? That's always a concern of mine. Are you prone to weight gain from AD"s? What other meds have you tried? Did you ever consider adding something to the EMSAM for the insomnia? I like Lunesta.

 

9mg EMSAM is working!...today anyway » jealibeanz

Posted by Donna Louise on June 3, 2006, at 6:56:26

In reply to Re: aborted 9mg EMSAM attempt and depression, posted by jealibeanz on June 3, 2006, at 1:16:08

> Donna, I am sorry that you had no luck with EMSAM. DIid you feel any improvement along with the side ieffects? I know you had insomnia. I suffer from insomnia as well. I know how difficult it can be. It takes over your life when at its worst. Any weight gain? That's always a concern of mine. Are you prone to weight gain from AD"s? What other meds have you tried? Did you ever consider adding something to the EMSAM for the insomnia? I like Lunesta.

Umm, I guess it is time for an update and to correct misconceptions I have created. I am actually doing better than I have on anything with the EMSAM. I have been at 9mg for nearly a week, since I first reported my "aborted" attempt. By cutting one in half. I see the pdoc on the 15th and will just get an rx for 9mg at that time since I will run out of 6mg at this rate. Another thing, I am a great sleeper and never have had trouble with insomnia. Weird, I know. I have been taking .25 klonopin at night and that may be why I am not having trouble with the EMSAM and sleeping. I can see how it would make someone prone to insomnia definately need some kind of sleep aid. I have had no weight gain at all and although I haven't had a return of libido so much, I am sexually functional again which I was not on sri's. So that is really hopeful. Maybe the libido is coming soon. To a theatre near me.
Going to 9mg has pretty much eliminated the depression as of today and greatly reduced the anxiety too. I am not stopping the klonopin though, as this is just how I feel today. I have found I can be so up and down with these meds. And yes, some of the sri's have caused me to gain 10-15 lbs but I have not taken any AP's or tricyclics or remeron. The notorious ones.
I hope this gives others more hope and I am sorry for any impression that this patch is not working for me. At least for now...

donna

 

Re: 9mg EMSAM is working!...today anyway

Posted by jealibeanz on June 3, 2006, at 7:14:48

In reply to 9mg EMSAM is working!...today anyway » jealibeanz, posted by Donna Louise on June 3, 2006, at 6:56:26

Thanks for the update. That's great that it's working for you and that you didn't need to give up! How wonderful to find a treatment that works. Would you mind telling me your diagnosis and which SSRI's you've taken?

I have anxiety (social, general) and depression (also seasonal and dysthymic). I'm not too worried about EMSAM being too stimulating since I'm currently on Strattera and have take Provigil and Wellbutrin in the past. I can take a higher dosage of Lunesta if need be.

The Xanax helps me enough with the anxiety. My problem is when one aspect is controlled, the other worsens. Right now, my anxiety is subdue, thus, the depression emerges since I'm not focusing on anxiety. When I'm not depressed, the anxiety is normally worse.

I need a consistent treatment to stabilze my moods, also, to give me some hope for the future. It's scarey when you are going untreated feel it will always be this way.

 

Re: 9mg EMSAM is working!...today anyway » Donna Louise

Posted by pulse on June 3, 2006, at 7:17:54

In reply to 9mg EMSAM is working!...today anyway » jealibeanz, posted by Donna Louise on June 3, 2006, at 6:56:26

> Maybe the libido is coming soon. To a theatre near me.

that's the funniest thing i've heard in too long a while.

thanks, donna louise, for making my morning....and, of course, i can relate all too well.

pulse

 

Re: 9mg EMSAM is working!...today anyway » jealibeanz

Posted by Donna Louise on June 3, 2006, at 7:46:56

In reply to Re: 9mg EMSAM is working!...today anyway, posted by jealibeanz on June 3, 2006, at 7:14:48

> Thanks for the update. That's great that it's working for you and that you didn't need to give up! How wonderful to find a treatment that works. Would you mind telling me your diagnosis and which SSRI's you've taken?
>
> I have anxiety (social, general) and depression (also seasonal and dysthymic). I'm not too worried about EMSAM being too stimulating since I'm currently on Strattera and have take Provigil and Wellbutrin in the past. I can take a higher dosage of Lunesta if need be.
>
> The Xanax helps me enough with the anxiety. My problem is when one aspect is controlled, the other worsens. Right now, my anxiety is subdue, thus, the depression emerges since I'm not focusing on anxiety. When I'm not depressed, the anxiety is normally worse.
>
> I need a consistent treatment to stabilze my moods, also, to give me some hope for the future. It's scarey when you are going untreated feel it will always be this way.

I know that fear all too well. It is the worst part of the depression and anxiety. But it is not real, I try to remember that when I feel that way, what little it helps..
I have always had tons on anxiety, separation anxiety and school phobia when I was a child and then just generalized anxiety from then on. I self medicated with alchohol and drugs for 17 years and then got sober when I was nearly 31. I didn't use anything for 5 years and that is when the depression really hit or at least became noticable. I probably had it all along but was so high on something all the time to cope I wouldn't know. (I didn't realize I was self medicating until years later btw).Anyway, therapist sent me to the dr. since I couldn't stop crying for antidepressant. First one was prozac and it worked great. I was sure I was well after a couple of years and quit. All of it returned but I fought it hard for another two year before it beat me up and I took paxil. That was the best one yet. Then my gyno switched me to wellbutrin for the sexual issues and that is when the nightmare really started. Wellbutrin was an awful choice for me and when I tried to go back to prozac it didn't work and the paxil made me a zombie. I have since tried varying mixtures of effexor and cymbalta with buspar, provigil, strattera added to help. The only thing that did help was the provigil and I still take that. And finally klonopin was added and that helped too. (Somewhere in there I tried celexa, luvox, lexapro, and for mood stabilizers, lamictil, gabatril, topamax even though I don't have a bipolar diagnosis, pdoc thought that would help with anxiety. Didn't). Whew. I am sue I left something out. Anyway, I now take 9mg Emsam, .75 to 1 mg klonopin and 200 provigil in the am and maybe another 100 in the afternoon. I hope this keeps working for awhile. I am so tired of the search. And I bet this was way more than you wanted to know.

donna


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