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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by aminated on February 7, 2007, at 17:10:54
I live in California, in a city where i can choose from many pdocs, psychopharmacologists etc. No antidepressant, mood-stabilizer,(yes, even neuroleptics) or anything else had lifted my mood (with the exception of Ritalin/amphetamines, sometimes; I have been on Adderall 60 mg/day for 8 years, still gets me up and going most days) but i still feel AWFUL most of the time (have lost nearly all my friends, never go out/socialize except when pressured to by others, rarely enjoy anything, no interest, etc.) I have found that morphine (or Percodan, or even heroin in a pinch) really DOES work to lift my mood (I prefer morphine, about 5-10 mg or so orally; usually i buy MS-Contin on the street and chop 'em up) -- totally corrects the problem! I would much prefer to be under the care/direction of a doc though, with a Rx. Would anyone be so kind as to tell me how to go about finding a doc to help me?
My current pdoc says he has no experience Rx'ing opioids for psychiatric reasons, and continues telling me he is feeling frustrated that "we can't find anything that will really make a difference" (I don't doubt him, but....I'm still left getting MS-Contin on the street. Often I can't even find any, which is the worst thing. Oh, and i believe it's illegal, but laws be damned, this is my life; i've spent 15+ years watching it slip through my fingers like sand....I have 3+ yrs. of undergrad under my belt, and would really like to finish a degree or two and find a real job before i die (I'm 35)).
Any help/directions/resources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Aminated.
Posted by dbc on February 7, 2007, at 17:55:46
In reply to opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by aminated on February 7, 2007, at 17:10:54
Im in the whole treatment resistant boat with you and the only things that seems to make a difference are amphetamines and benzos to me. But i dont think you're going to find a shrink willing to script opiates for a psychiatric disorder anywhere within the US. Infact im pretty damn sure that sort of thing might lose someone their liscense to practice.
Im sorry man.
Posted by med_empowered on February 7, 2007, at 17:59:31
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by dbc on February 7, 2007, at 17:55:46
Opiates are making a comeback; check www.turntohope.com (I think that's the right address). Its a listing of docs licensed to RX bupernorphine. Usually, bupe is for detox/maintenance of former addicts, but some docs use it for depression in the treatment-resistant. My guess would be that if you look for a psychiatrist in your area in the directory, they'd be more likely to do it than a non-psychiatrist doc.
As for other opiates...probably not going to happen anytime soon. Ultram, maybe, but...the appeal of bupe is that its more or less non-addictive, so most docs are using that.
Posted by dbc on February 7, 2007, at 18:08:32
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by med_empowered on February 7, 2007, at 17:59:31
turntohope.com is non-existant are you sure thats it?
Posted by blueberry1 on February 7, 2007, at 19:42:34
In reply to opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by aminated on February 7, 2007, at 17:10:54
Tried tramadol? Easy to get on internet. Legal. See remedyfind.com for comments from users like you who have tried everything else under the sun. In short, they like it.
Many drawbacks in psychiatry. I think one is that the whole focus is on serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, gaba, glutamate, ion channels. Well, what about the opioid system? Like it doesn't exist, or what? What, stuff goes wrong with everything else in the brain but not the opioid system?
Posted by med_empowered on February 7, 2007, at 20:30:23
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by blueberry1 on February 7, 2007, at 19:42:34
could've sworn that was it...try www.suboxone.com
Posted by med_empowered on February 7, 2007, at 20:32:39
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by blueberry1 on February 7, 2007, at 19:42:34
I second blueberry on tramadol--it hits up opiate receptors, GABA and is an SNRI, effexor-style. Odds are, it'll do SOMETHING for just about everyone. Plus its pretty cheap.
There are sites out there that will point you towards legit sites where you could get tramadol pretty cheap and pretty fast.
Posted by Phillipa on February 7, 2007, at 21:29:56
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by med_empowered on February 7, 2007, at 17:59:31
Bupe is being used here in Charlotte by Eastover psch. Love Phillipa think you have to be the the detox center
Posted by UgottaHaveHope on February 7, 2007, at 23:16:13
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by med_empowered on February 7, 2007, at 20:32:39
Is this a gimmick or does it work?
Posted by med_empowered on February 7, 2007, at 23:32:56
In reply to Has anyone tried Tramadol for anxiety, depression?, posted by UgottaHaveHope on February 7, 2007, at 23:16:13
tramadol helped me out. The problem is that you can develop something of a tolerance, and it doesn't last long. On the plus side, it works for me as-needed, so that's a good thing..its kind of like xanax in that regard, only its alot more effective.
Posted by JerryPharmStudent on February 9, 2007, at 12:59:16
In reply to opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc, posted by aminated on February 7, 2007, at 17:10:54
Hello-
My case is somewhat similar to yours. I'v been through every treatment from meds to ECT to VNS and nothing has hlped except opiates - mostly hydrocodone. Finally doctoras at the research center at teh University of Minnesota allwoed me to try hydrocodone 5mg - 4x daily and it has been a life saver. I've been on the SAME dosage for 3 years now with NO tolerance - NO abuse and consistant efficacy.
I believe there certainly is a place for opiates in psychiatirc medicine. It's going to be difficult to find a doc to prescribe them - however I would suggest to seek out a psych at a major university meadical school/research school like the Univerisyt of Minnesota. Private practice docs aren;t going to Rx opiates not just beeucase they are against them - but mainly because their malpractice insirance goes up dramatically (I was told this by my current psychdoc).
Be honest with your psych and tell him/her how opiates help you more than anything. There is a relation between opaite centers in the brain and emotion, etc.
GOod luck
Jerry
Posted by zenhussy on February 9, 2007, at 14:21:10
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc » aminated, posted by JerryPharmStudent on February 9, 2007, at 12:59:16
Posted by liliths on February 12, 2007, at 11:35:04
In reply to Re: opioids for BP depr. -- need to find doc » aminated, posted by JerryPharmStudent on February 9, 2007, at 12:59:16
hi Jerry
like you, I found hydrocodone to be a life saver. My poc was willing to prescribe it and I never needed to escalate my therapeutic dose in the 5 years I used it. I was on 7.5mg 2x daily
The only problem I ran into was that I couldn't get prescriptons for pain meds filled for dental work or whatever, because of the existing one for hydrocodone but I managed around that by simply tapering my dose - even went off it for a little while and acumulated enough to take as needed 'for pain'
now the REAL downside of this treatment is that, because of it, the dept of health has denied me a license as a Massage Therapist, despite being deemed 'safe and stable' by an independent psychiatrist. Admitting to being treated for depression on my application kicked me into this program called PRN and they took my being on hydrocodone to scare the board into believing I needed to be monitored like a drug addict when 'they' decided I wasn't to be allowed to take it if I wanted a license. These contracts line their pockets with a lot of money.
I went off the damn drug and NOT being an addict, refuse to submit to being monitored like one
so say hello to my world...no more relief from the hydro and no license
the public is terrified of the bug-a-boo of 'abuse'. People refuse to believe that someone can take a drug therapeutically and not become an addict.
PRN wants me to have to continually 'prove' I'm not taking it anymore and even though I'm told I have a civil case against PRN for discrimination, mention to a lawyer that you were taking hydrocodone and THEY treat you like a drug addict as well and won't even consider the case on its merits
now I'm appealing again and if I don't win, I'm simply walking away. I sold my house to go back to school, got great grades, aced my boards, only to run into a brick wall - all because I was treated for depression with opiates
I mention this NOT to scare anyone but simply to point out that the prejudice of our society prevails over individual rights. IF you can find a pdoc to write off-label use of opiates for you (and my pdoc told me there was no additional liabilty in doing do), you should make sure there's nothing in your life that's going to be taken from you as a result
good luck to you all
namaste,
lilith> Hello-
>
> My case is somewhat similar to yours. I'v been through every treatment from meds to ECT to VNS and nothing has hlped except opiates - mostly hydrocodone. Finally doctoras at the research center at teh University of Minnesota allwoed me to try hydrocodone 5mg - 4x daily and it has been a life saver. I've been on the SAME dosage for 3 years now with NO tolerance - NO abuse and consistant efficacy.
>
> I believe there certainly is a place for opiates in psychiatirc medicine. It's going to be difficult to find a doc to prescribe them - however I would suggest to seek out a psych at a major university meadical school/research school like the Univerisyt of Minnesota. Private practice docs aren;t going to Rx opiates not just beeucase they are against them - but mainly because their malpractice insirance goes up dramatically (I was told this by my current psychdoc).
>
> Be honest with your psych and tell him/her how opiates help you more than anything. There is a relation between opaite centers in the brain and emotion, etc.
>
> GOod luck
>
> Jerry
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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