Do antidepressants work?

[sKePTiKal]

Hey Ales - can you endure one more question?

I wonder, what do you think the results would've been like, if you'd had a more active - not just passive - role to play in the study?

If, for instance, you were also coached & supported on the motivation issue... and totally involved in finding out what helped you be more like you, in that area? Doing "homework" or research and reporting on it? On say, a weekly basis... until you could sustain the desired level of activity for two weeks... then a month... between de-briefing & troubleshooting sessions?

In a situation like that, do you think perhaps the drugs might've been complimentary and help support the active engagement in activity? (with the proper one on one support, that is).

I'm curious about what your opinion on that is... (I'll be awol for a few days... catch up next week!)

[Hopalong]

...and me, I'm wondering if an experiment with the altered dose + Wellbutrin could be worth a try before you empty your system.

Since you've gotten SOME measurable effect (notable anxiety reduction) that means they do affect you. But maybe your own tweaked dosage hasn't been found yet.

It's different, I know, but all the BP material I'm reading talks about patience with finding the right Rx and dosage tweaking being very important. And that it does pay off.

I'm an optimist. But it's your body.

xo
Hops

[Ales2]

Hi Phoenix and Hops - Thanks for your posts.

Phoenix - Thats a great suggestion. Not entirely sure what you mean by passive though, each week I came in and filled questionnaires that measure my feelings about things and sat through a 15 minute interview with my monitor. I think thats fairly active in terms of measuring my progress and it was helpful for me to see how I felt when answering the same questions consistently from week to week.  As for coaching or support, I'm an adult and don't know how besides my own personal accountability and responsibility I could be helped with the low motivation or productivity. . When I am at home by myself, its entirely up to me to pursue my job search and dating search, work out and manage other aspects of my life. I'm not sure how coaching would help me - and I am weary to get involved in discussing "fears" of getting or finding employment becuase so many are quite rational (accepting less pay than you deserve, not getting health benefits, working for an abusive boss etc.) right now that I actaully think it would be counterproductive.  I know I cant improve m situation much without a job and relationship, but it really has to be up to me to be dissatisfied enough with my life to pursue that consistently.  That said, I apprecaite your suggestion and I'm not dismissing it, just not sure how I could be motivated beyond my current state.  My anxiety is gone now, and that was something that motiavted me in the past, so it was not all bad.

Hops - I think you are right on with your dosage suggestion. I guess its the uncertainty of trying to find the right cocktail of dosgae and compatible drugs that I find frustrating. Its also hard to measure, things could go well and then suddenly crash, but I will consider your suggestion.

I did end up deciding to just finish the medication I have and fill the prescription I was given, just in case I decide to contonue when the current supply runs out. I am also awaiting a referral to the local counseling center where I would for monitoring and futher presctiptions. Will collect resources and stay current with the meds and consult with the center before discontinuing.

[Hopalong]

I'm glad, Ales...I think you're giving yourself a chance this way.

No crystal ball, but somewhere in your body-brain system, the life
force WANTS to recover from depression, and perhaps this support
is going to make a real difference.

I'm glad you're hanging in.

(If my experience helps, with time I was able to not need ADs
at all. But the years when I was battling hardest, it did help me
get started out of the fog.)

xo
Hops

[nolongeraslave]

They work at first, but don't for me in the long run. I feel flat. I don't feel like myself.  I also had a hard time losing unwanted weight on them.  When I stopped taking them, my weight dropped easily.

I don't like it when therapists push medication.  It doesn't help you cope with the problem. It's okay to feel sad and anxious from time to time.  I would rather feel than be a zombie.  When you try to wean off the meds, you're left in a much worse state than you started.

[BonesMS]

What I don't like is the pharmaceutical merry-go-round.  Take the anti-depressant, gain weight, feel less-depressed for a short time, drug tolerance kicks in, meds STOP working, depression returns, therapist changes you to a different anti-depressant, gain more weight, feel less-depressed for a short time, drug tolerance kicks in AGAIN, meds STOP working, depression returns, therapist recommends a THIRD anti-depressant, and the stupid dance goes on and on.   

And in the meantime, the situation that is exacerbating the depression is STILL there and, NO, the pills don't make it go away!  Like I told one psychiatrist, you can't medicate life away and taking AD's forever is UNREALISTIC, ESPECIALLY when drug tolerance occurs repeatedly.

Bones

[nolongeraslave]

What I don't like is the pharmaceutical merry-go-round.  Take the anti-depressant, gain weight, feel less-depressed for a short time, drug tolerance kicks in, meds STOP working, depression returns, therapist changes you to a different anti-depressant, gain more weight, feel less-depressed for a short time, drug tolerance kicks in AGAIN, meds STOP working, depression returns, therapist recommends a THIRD anti-depressant, and the stupid dance goes on and on.   

And in the meantime, the situation that is exacerbating the depression is STILL there and, NO, the pills don't make it go away!  Like I told one psychiatrist, you can't medicate life away and taking AD's forever is UNREALISTIC, ESPECIALLY when drug tolerance occurs repeatedly.

Bones

Exactly!  There's a good book "Your drug may be your problem" that goes into how a lot of therapists themselves aren't as educated about anti-depressants.  Some of them also think that medication makes the therapeutic work easier. 

When I broke up with my boyfriend, I was told to get on medication to cope with all of the feelings. Yeah right!   Feeling angry, sad and confused are normal feelings when you break up. They will subside.

[BonesMS]

What I don't like is the pharmaceutical merry-go-round.  Take the anti-depressant, gain weight, feel less-depressed for a short time, drug tolerance kicks in, meds STOP working, depression returns, therapist changes you to a different anti-depressant, gain more weight, feel less-depressed for a short time, drug tolerance kicks in AGAIN, meds STOP working, depression returns, therapist recommends a THIRD anti-depressant, and the stupid dance goes on and on.   

And in the meantime, the situation that is exacerbating the depression is STILL there and, NO, the pills don't make it go away!  Like I told one psychiatrist, you can't medicate life away and taking AD's forever is UNREALISTIC, ESPECIALLY when drug tolerance occurs repeatedly.

Bones

Exactly!  There's a good book "Your drug may be your problem" that goes into how a lot of therapists themselves aren't as educated about anti-depressants.  Some of them also think that medication makes the therapeutic work easier. 

When I broke up with my boyfriend, I was told to get on medication to cope with all of the feelings. Yeah right!   Feeling angry, sad and confused are normal feelings when you break up. They will subside.

Thanks, NLAS and you are absolutely right!!!!

Bones

[nolongeraslave]

I would much rather work on using CBT, DBT or learning how to cope before resorting to medication.

When I have my good days, I really have my good days.  Just because I'm not on medication doesn't mean I will be miserable everyday.   Medication deprived me of feeling those "good days." My therapist didn't seem happy with me not taking medication, but it's my right not to take it.

[BonesMS]

I would much rather work on using CBT, DBT or learning how to cope before resorting to medication.

When I have my good days, I really have my good days.  Just because I'm not on medication doesn't mean I will be miserable everyday.   Medication deprived me of feeling those "good days." My therapist didn't seem happy with me not taking medication, but it's my right not to take it.

You have the right to say "No".

Bones

[Hopalong]

I just don't want anyone who really could be helped by ADs, even as a kick-start to learning how to cope differently and make different choices to alleviate their depression...to feel "weak" or "ashamed" for taking them.

My experience is that they were a true, real help during some periods of my life, for clinical depression (not passing blues).

Likewise, I am glad that I can now manage it myself with other methods. But it took me years to learn and begin to enact those. When I was flattened, in my bed and dysfunctional, I couldn't just yank myself out of it.

I believe in the "cafeteria" approach. Absolutism in either direction (ADs are good, ADs are bad) limits the choices and options. I think a personal, how-is-it-for-me-in-this-chapter of my own life, not somebody else's...evaluation is very important.

And then having confidence that you can make one decision, and later another if that's right for you.

Hops

[nolongeraslave]

Hopalong-When I was in graduate school and living at home, medicine definitely helped me a lot too. I was able to focus on my grades and perform at my potential.

But, there comes a time when I don't want to be on them forever.   I feel as if every time I relapse (which is a normal part of emotional recovery), I'm suggested to go back on medication.   

Bones-Even if I say no, my therapist will keep chiming in"It would be a good idea to be back on your meds. Your meds were regulating the activity in your brain."     She doesn't do it all of the time, but she will bring it up if I'm having a bad moment.  Those bad moments I have usually go away. They aren't permanent.

[BonesMS]

Hopalong-When I was in graduate school and living at home, medicine definitely helped me a lot too. I was able to focus on my grades and perform at my potential.

But, there comes a time when I don't want to be on them forever.   I feel as if every time I relapse (which is a normal part of emotional recovery), I'm suggested to go back on medication.   

Bones-Even if I say no, my therapist will keep chiming in"It would be a good idea to be back on your meds. Your meds were regulating the activity in your brain."     She doesn't do it all of the time, but she will bring it up if I'm having a bad moment.  Those bad moments I have usually go away. They aren't permanent.

Sounds like the therapist isn't getting it when you set a boundary.  If she had responded to me that way after I had already said "No", I probably would have gotten real snarky and asked:  "What part of the word "No" do you not understand?" 

Bones

[nolongeraslave]

I like her, because she understands what it's like to have a narc mom.  She can be helpful, but I would be lying if I have thought of switching from time to time.

[Hopalong]

I understand, NLAS...
I wanted off them eventually too.

Hops