Posted by Horse on September 17, 2016, at 20:01:15
In reply to Dysthymia, posted by KarenRB53 on September 13, 2016, at 16:31:31
Karen, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling bad. To me it sounds like a major depressive episode on top of dysthymia. Sometimes this is referred to as double depression, although I don't hear that term used often. I was diagnosed with disthymia, (and I think that still hold true), and have had major episodes off and on. I haven't found a drug that treats disthymia, but that doesn't mean there isn't one for you.
Wellbutrin was good and worked for a few years (yay!). It needs to be given some time to work, like weeks, a month or too. If you are in a crisis, like not getting out of bed, maybe your doctor knows something to give you immediate relief?
Lamictal (lamotrigine) has been verrrry helpful, although full effects did not kick in until four-six months (sorry), but maybe your doctor can titrate up while other medications help immediately. I suppose lamictal creates a base to buoy my mood, so that's provided relief from my baseline disthymia.
A stimulant might help, and for me it's Nuvigil. There may be some start up anxiety-- at least there was for me.
Hang in there! Things will get better.
Good therapy helps too :D
poster:Horse
thread:1092095
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20160819/msgs/1092222.html