Posted by barbaracat on January 23, 2005, at 16:37:18
In reply to Re: Meds for misery?, posted by smith562 on January 23, 2005, at 8:45:53
Hi Smith,
Yes, I had Lamictal poopout too which was dissapointing because it did help at first. Increasing it eventually gave me The Rash and since then I've been trying to do with as few meds as possible. I've had good luck with a research grade brand of St. John's Wort. That and lithium are my two mainstays for bipolar depression but I'll pop a benzo when I need it. You don't want to add on SJW if you're doing other meds, however.It sounds like what you're on is the typical pharmaceutical brew and I can't come up with anything else. I believe that AD's can only do so much and need the necessary precursors to help do their job. You can help things with certain nutrients, like B vitamins, L-Taurine, magnesium, amino acids. They help, but sometimes aren't enough and you don't always know which ones you need and which to avoid. However, I can say that L-Taurine, a good vitamin, extra magnesium and fish oil would help. Especially fish oil.
Yes, I do know about residual depression. Even on my best days I'm always aware of a lurking depression. I don't know that one ever 'gets rid' of it. We're so attuned to the feeling of it and let's admit it, this world is a very harsh place. If you're not depressed, you're not paying attention. There's so much pain everywhere. If we're at all compassionate decent folk we can't help feel it. For those of us who know how to do depression so well, it's always going to be there. But it doesn't have to paralyze us day after day if there are good days in the mix. The key is making use of that momentum to create conditions that are ultimately the real healers.
How I deal with it is by doing lifestyle things on top of medication. In fact, I look at my meds as the means to get me doing other things that are the truly effective antidepressants. Lately I've been getting my butt outside and walking for an hour every day, rain or shine. Can't praise it highly enough, it gives me good energy, helps me sleep better, works out the anxiety, all that stuff we hope for from the perfect med. Plus I'm getting my pudgy porky-meds body back into shape and that has a definite antidepressant effect.
I also see an alternative type doctor who's done alot of testing on my hormones, my intestinal health, which were in need of help. I'm getting some other testing too, like blood sugar and other metabolic systems. Things were really out of balance and I don't know how I could expect to feel good emotionally when I was hurting physically. Of course, not everyone with mood disorders have physical issues, and that's not the whole story even if you do, but if one system is out of balance, the rest will follow.
I try not to drink too much alcohol which is difficult for me, being a good little bipolar and all. I've been trying to do situps when the urge strikes to distract. So far, it's not fooling anyone, but the days I do abstain I notice a big difference and my belly is contracting.
I don't always feel like doing 'interesting things' when nothing feels interesting, but I know that if I can grab the good days and start to build momentum and some discipline I'll have a structure that supports me when I'm not feeling so good. At least I can play a dirge on the piano to express my mood 'cause I'm back to playing again.
I very much mind what's going on in the world, the environment, the lousy politics. If I don't have some kind of philosophy to put it into I can feel pretty hopeless. So I read alot - books by people of great wisdom and understanding. This greatly helps with fear caused by an existential angst that's always there, either in the background or flaring.
I guess what I'm saying is that meds can take you only so far. The brain is only one organ and they don't know enough about what it needs. No one who's feeling crummy wants to hear about exercise and lifestyle health. No one thinks they have the energy, motivation or discipline - and you don't, not at first. It comes down to gritting your teeth and whining but doing it anyway until it becomes a way of life. Not as easy as popping something, but I think that's where it's at ultimately. If you're at 75% with your meds then maybe you can slowly work up to 25% more exercise. Of course, you may be a triathlete for all I know, and this is all so already done that. I wonder if there are many athletes among us on this board or if they drop off as they get healthy and buff? Of course, my husband's niece is an athlete and as depressed as one could image. But she's a hormonally poisoned teenager who eats nothing but pasta and peas - and could use some fish oil. Hope this helps somewhat. - Barbara
> Hey B-Cat,
>
> I have found 450mg of lithium evens me out. Mild/Moderate depression still lingers and I haven't had luck finding something to rid me of that. Lithium gets me 50 to 60% better, then an SSRI/TCA/Wellbutrin brings it up to 75%. Any suggestions?
>
> Smith
>
> PS Right now I am on the "lamictal" merry go round like many people .... good for a few days, then poop out
>
> > Dear Matt,
> > It's my opinion that the majority of people on serotonin uptake inhibitor drugs need a mood stabilizer med as well. This is especially true if there's a possibility of bipolar disorder or a tendency to destabilize in that direction (your symptoms of irritability and anxiety make me suspect this). If this is so for you, it's fortunate you're on Klonopin because without a mood stabilizer, the SNRI and Adderall are a potent antianxiety rocket fuel.
> >
> > I speak from experience. After screwing around with one SSRI, SNRI after another for years and years, I finally hit the wall, had a meldown, cracked up. I responded so well to lithium that it made me realize those bleak awful despairing depressions weren't Major Depression at all but something else entirely. I still don't know if I'm a card-carrying bipolar for sure but whatever it is, the SSRI family of meds were making it worse.
> >
> > If you want to see if you get some response to a mild anticonvulsant, give the amino acid L-Taurine 1,000mg twice a day a try. It acts on the neuron's electrical potential and has gotten good press for bipolar and depression. It may not be enough but better than nothing to offset the SNRI. Also, if you're not taking fish oil, run don't walk and get some. Carlson's liquid is the best and you need at least 1 tablespoon a day.
> >
> > I know how hard it is to navigate your way through all this when that black horrible cloud defeats you, but have faith. If I can recover after 30 years of utter misery, anyone can. But don't stop with meds, Matt. The meds enabled me to start exercising good and hard to work out that jangled anxiety. I whine and resist and need a cattle prod every single day, but it's made all the difference. I hope you feel better soon.
> >
> >
> > > Adderall 40mg
> > >
> > > Cymbalta 30mg
> > >
> > > Klonopin .5mg 3x daily, 1mg for sleep
> > >
> > > Not really getting me anywhere.
> > >
> > > I just feel this popped up feeling of helplessness, no medicaiton, no matter the potency, hell i was on 60mg! of adderall, it turned horrible!
> > >
> > > I feel even god cannot help me sometimes.
> > >
> > > I have i belive dissociative lurks, i just feel disconnected, very alienated, something is wrong with my, im screwed up, thats why im like this, ugffff i dont know how to describe it.
> > >
> > > Well just thanks for reading the post
> > >
> > >
> > > Matt
> >
> >
>
>
poster:barbaracat
thread:445520
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050119/msgs/446338.html