Posted by cache-monkey on March 15, 2005, at 15:24:12
In reply to as I sit here thinking more and more..., posted by jessers11581 on March 13, 2005, at 14:17:58
Hey there,
As far as dropping off meds... Well, I tried that route and ended up getting more and more depressed/anxious (my main issues; well I'm actually probably soft BP+anxious and Celexa first put me into a hypomania and then left me in a mixed state; but that's a whole 'nother story).
In any case, I think that if your pre-existing state was very mild depression/anxiety/whatever, then the herbals might be a way to go. But for more serious stuff, I really think you should consider sticking with medication in some form.
In terms of medication, the apathy you're experiencing is not uncommon among long-term SSRI users. The issue is that chronic SSRI use can damp down the dopamine system. Someone else mentioned that you could add a stimulant (e.g. ritalin). These tend to increase dopaminergic function. Another alternative might be Wellbutrin, which works on norepinephrine and dopamine, which are responsible for drive and and reward.
There's also other routes (e.g. TCAs and MAOIs) to consider... It could even be that switching SSRIs might prove beneficial.
Are you seeing an experienced psychologist for your condition, or a general practitioner? GPs and inexperienced pdocs tend to be less knowledgable about long-term med responses, non-SSRI approaches, and possible polypharmacology (multiple-meds).
I hope that you can find something the help with your ails.
Best,
cache-monkey
> I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps the medication is more of a problem than a remedy at this point. I keep telling myself I need to get more serotonin in my system--that serotonin deficiency MUST be causing all this frustration. However, one of the biggest issues I'm battling right now is APATHY. I'm depressed and anxious because I feel like I can't control anything, and yet I have no desire or initiative to try and make things better. I practically have to FORCE myself to take a shower and get ready for work in the morning. I have to force myself to exercise, to drink a glass of water, to do anything that I know is good and beneficial for me. It's like my body has just stopped caring about itself. I also hate the fact that I feel so dulled while using the Celexa, and my sex drive is absolutely non-existant (even though I take 240 mg. of ginkgo daily). What might happen if I were to actually start reducing the medication and supplementing it with SAM-e and other natural products for depression/anxiety. Is this a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad idea? I'd really LOVE to be able to feel better without the side-effects of an SSRI. But at the same time, I'm a little scared to try it. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!
poster:cache-monkey
thread:470483
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050312/msgs/471381.html