Posted by JohnL on August 30, 2000, at 4:20:43
In reply to Re: Is the cure worse than the problem » JohnL, posted by BrianD on August 29, 2000, at 11:11:47
Brain,
Yeah, I think Prozac could make sense as your next move. But like I said, if that too is disappointing, then I would ditch that whole class of meds and move onto other categories. It makes sense to try Prozac first though, especially viewed from a doctor's point of view. Many of them aren't comfortable or knowledgeable when they leave the SSRI arena and start trying other types of meds. Even a lot of psychiatrists are stuck in the mud with these garden variety SSRIs.
I know how you feel not having a reference point. Unless some drug has made you feel good, it's impossible to guess what feeling good feels like. But I guarantee you, when it happens, you'll know it without a doubt. You'll rejoice and celebrate.
What you might do is search around the net for an online depression screening test. It's a multiple choice question-and-answer test that yields a numerical total score indicating the overall severity of your depression. Take the test as a reference point for where you are now. Then when under medication, take the test again, perhaps at one or two week intervals, to see if there is any progress or worsening. The cool thing is you'll see not only whether you are better or worse than you were, but how much better or worse. And you'll also be able to pinpoint which symptoms are the strongest, and which aren't really much of a problem. You'll learn a lot about the nature of your depression by taking the test. It will be a good objective reference point. Doctors, counselors, and pdocs often use these tests for the very purposes I've described.
To find one of these tests, go to Dr Bobs Links and navigate to Depression Central. I don't remember where exactly at Depression Central the test can be found, but it's there. You could also do a search to find other variations of similar tests.
In the meantime, I'm wishing you a smooth day.
John
poster:JohnL
thread:43754
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000822/msgs/44047.html