[justcurious43]

I have treatment resistant depression / anxiety. Maybe lack of a better word, high sensitivity to SSRIs. I've dealt with depression and anxiety for years and nothing seems to really work for me. I cannot take SSRI meds at all. They throw me into a manic episode. I get so bad on those meds, I will pace the carpet for hours at a time. I am currently taking the highest doses of Remeron and Wellbuturin, along with major doses of Klonopin. These don't really help, but my Doctors throughout the years have tried all the meds out there on me, with no relief.

I've had a couple Psychiatrist try to push Electro-shock-therapy on me and there is no way in hell, I'm doing that. See, they have ran out of options and have nothing for me. I've asked for the old MAOIs, but they won't give them to me. Why not? I've tried heart meds for depression, that were prescribed. Those are dangerous too correct? I was on Depakote for a while and my tongue had swollen up so bad, I thought I was going to choke on it.


Prior meds: Prozac, Effexor, Seroquel, Lithium, Depakote, Stellazine, Buspar, Neronton, Zoloft and at least 20 others I can't think of at the moment. Why won't they let me try the MAOIs? It baffles my mind. This has been going on for years now.

[haldata]

I have also been on just about every med in the book. I am hyper sensitive to most of the meds. I don't know why they have to make they so strong! All of them seem to have major negative physical effects on me. Has your doctor done any analysis on your thyroid levels? I mean, like looking not just at the TSH, but at the T4, T3 and T3 uptake levle? My doctor recently put me on T3 to help with my depression. I don't know if it works or not yet, but I wondered if you had been given a drug like Cytomel that is T3?

[dagma1]

Hi there, definitely get your thyroid checked if you haven't already, mine was terrible so am on meds for it.

I've been on many antidepressants for years, some worked better than others but had awful side effects, felt like I couldn't win and none of them truly helped that much, I had (have) severe, severe depression, since about age 18.

Was on Zoloft for years, gained a lot of weight, ugh..that stopped working so was put on Wellbutrin, what a miracle, (had a concussion from an accident and dosage had to be doubled but that's another story)

So many have terrible side effects but Wellbutrin so far, touch wood, has none.

I know how you feel, for years and years I felt like I was fighting to get well.

Hugs...

[justcurious43]

Originally Posted by haldata

I have also been on just about every med in the book. I am hyper sensitive to most of the meds. I don't know why they have to make they so strong! All of them seem to have major negative physical effects on me. Has your doctor done any analysis on your thyroid levels? I mean, like looking not just at the TSH, but at the T4, T3 and T3 uptake levle? My doctor recently put me on T3 to help with my depression. I don't know if it works or not yet, but I wondered if you had been given a drug like Cytomel that is T3?

I had the T3 uptake checked and it is normal. I would my Doctor to try me on the old maoi's. Those are the only ones I haven't tried. There dangerous, but living like this the benefits out weigh the risks.

[justcurious43]

Originally Posted by dagma1

Hi there, definitely get your thyroid checked if you haven't already, mine was terrible so am on meds for it.

I've been on many antidepressants for years, some worked better than others but had awful side effects, felt like I couldn't win and none of them truly helped that much, I had (have) severe, severe depression, since about age 18.

Was on Zoloft for years, gained a lot of weight, ugh..that stopped working so was put on Wellbutrin, what a miracle, (had a concussion from an accident and dosage had to be doubled but that's another story)

So many have terrible side effects but Wellbutrin so far, touch wood, has none.

I know how you feel, for years and years I felt like I was fighting to get well.

Hugs...

I just started on the Wellbutrin last month, 200 mg. It makes me feel like i'm in a fog. it's 2:10am and i'm wide awake.

[eva5667faliure]

Originally Posted by justcurious43

I have treatment resistant depression / anxiety. Maybe lack of a better word, high sensitivity to SSRIs. I've dealt with depression and anxiety for years and nothing seems to really work for me. I cannot take SSRI meds at all. They throw me into a manic episode. I get so bad on those meds, I will pace the carpet for hours at a time. I am currently taking the highest doses of Remeron and Wellbuturin, along with major doses of Klonopin. These don't really help, but my Doctors throughout the years have tried all the meds out there on me, with no relief.

I've had a couple Psychiatrist try to push Electro-shock-therapy on me and there is no way in hell, I'm doing that. See, they have ran out of options and have nothing for me. I've asked for the old MAOIs, but they won't give them to me. Why not? I've tried heart meds for depression, that were prescribed. Those are dangerous too correct? I was on Depakote for a while and my tongue had swollen up so bad, I thought I was going to choke on it.


Prior meds: Prozac, Effexor, Seroquel, Lithium, Depakote, Stellazine, Buspar, Neronton, Zoloft and at least 20 others I can't think of at the moment. Why won't they let me try the MAOIs? It baffles my mind. This has been going on for years now.

dear friend
i have been with my psychotherapist for a good number of years now
as i read you seem to know your body well
you too are at an age where changes happening
as a female our menses is to also be watched as
one goes through PMS a factor women must pay attention
to
your state of mind is very important
all experience differently
but it is also important to factor many other
happenings that us women suffer with their menses
keep a log it can help

[brianblue]

[If you are already taking antidepressants and considering taking supplements containing GABBA You should check with your MD. There is a lot of uncertainty about the possible negative effects of GABBA and other "brain" supplements.

My wife had been recovering from a deep depression when her mother, brother, father, and sister died one at a time over a 4-year period 2006-2010. She was the primary caregiver for each one of them.

She was put on ARMOUR THYROID, TRAZODONE, EFFEXOR, and ABILIFY by her own doctor and her recovery from depression was progressing well when we moved to Florida for the winter.

She was slowly improving and was about 85 % of her normal self when her friend suggested that she see a well- respected doctor who specialized in GABA supplements and might be able to help her complete her recovery. She did see the doctor and he convinced her to try several GABA products (which he sells).

But after about a a month of taking the supplement products she was beginning to suffer an increase Depression symptoms again. The doctor told her to have patience and that she should continue to use the products assuring her that things would get better. But hey didn't get better….. if fact after 2 months her depression symptoms were getting much worse than any she had experienced in the past. At that point, with my urging she stopped taking the supplements. As of today she still has the following depression symptoms:

1. Constant Fatigue, 2. Whole body tremors, 3. loss appetite, 4. constant "head in a vice" aches, 5. chest pressure, 6. confusion, lack of concentration, 7. greatly decreased energy , 8. emotional numbness, 9. a loss of pleasure in everyday activities that she used to enjoy, 10. constant anxiety, 11. lack of sleep, 12. difficulty remembering, 12. excessive worrying, 13. difficulty making decisions, 14. "heavy legs" , and 15. no libido.

Most of these symptoms only happened at a high level after taking the supplements.

I'm not suggesting that the GABA products are the cause of my wife's continuing symptoms listed above. But there seems to be much uncertainty about GABA.

perhaps GABA when combined with one or more antidepressants may have triggered her "crash" She has been off of all Supplements for about 2 months but she still has the above symptoms.

She is still taking ARMOUR THYROID, TRAZODONE, EFFEXOR,and ABILIFY. In addition she is taking. , Vagifem, Prometrium, Estradiol, and DHEA-KETO.. She has been taking these medications for several years without problems. According to her own Doctor Her Sarotonin levels and Thyroid are excellent and her Brain Scan was also fine.

I'm very interested in any ideas and suggestions that may help her particularly in the area of MEDICATIONS. She has already had counseling, and talk therapy sessions with no change.

I will pass along any suggestions to her doctor and to the psychiatrists she will be seeing over the next few weeks. She has already seen one psychiatrist who adjusted some of her meds but after several weeks there had been no change in her condition.

[mrsD]

Here is an explanation of GABA...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma-Aminobutyric_acid

This neurotransmitter is not typically used in treatment of depression. It is predominately for anxiety and drugs like Valium and Klonopin which affect GABA receptors are also muscle relaxers and have some antiseizure effects. The most common GABA agonists are benzos, like Valium. They may be used WITH antidepressants for some patients with agitated depressive symptoms. But not all people taking antidepressants get that side effect or have that type of depression to begin with.

I'd visit a good drugchecker like this one and plug in all those drugs your wife is using:
http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html
You will find that vagifem and estradiol are both estrogens, and typically not used together.

I'd say just now without doing all the research in detail that her 3 psychiatric drugs that affect serotonin in the brain could easily be interacting in some negative way with behaviors.
SSRI drugs are notorious for negative effects on libido and sexual functioning. Long term use of SSRI drugs lower dopamine in the brain, which results in loss of pleasure and motivation. Effexor is a mixed serotonin and norepi drug and the norepi portion could easily raise blood pressure, increase anxiety and cause insomnia.

The use of many drugs like you list is called an RX drug cocktail and the potential interactions are complex and still being discovered even. If you can get a hold of a pharmacologist specialist who could evaluate this mixture of drugs, I think you will find that adjustments in dosing, or changes in the drugs themselves might be worthwhile.

When a person is taking so many RX drugs that affect the brain and neurotransmitters there, significant long term effects are possible. Many drugs are not tested for long term use, so post marketing data is all you have to go by.

This site has Medwatch reports to the FDA listed for most drugs.
http://www.drugcite.com/
This site is very helpful to put side effects in perspective that have been reported after the drug reaches the market. Drug inserts do not always have post marketing information.

Here is the list for Abilify:
http://www.drugcite.com/?q=Abilify

It has most of the drugs used today listed either by brand name or generic. You can click on any field and it will expand with more information.
I've given the Abilify link because listed there are many of the side effects you give that are troubling your wife.

I hope things work out for you and your wife eventually.
Your caution to not use any supplements that affect neurotransmitters when using RX drug combinations that are very potent in this regard, is valuable, so thank you for posting that.

Gaba oral supplements don't really work well (except for one called PharmaGaba which is specifically an exception. ), because gaba does not get into the brain, like drugs do. To affect the brain, an agonist drug is typically prescribed therefore... like Valium etc.
The brain has a barrier called the blood brain barrier that screens out many things. Here is an article explaining that in more detail:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood%E...3brain_barrier

Take care.

[Lara]

Hi brianblue,
I'm really sorry that there has been so much loss in the family.
I hope your wife is feeling better soon.

Please do check out those links that mrsD has left you.

I don't know much about GABA at all except for what I've read, but what does concern me most today from your post and considering that she has been off all supplements for 2 months, is below...

As of today she still has the following depression symptoms:

1. Constant Fatigue, 2. Whole body tremors, 3. loss appetite, 4. constant "head in a vice" aches, 5. chest pressure, 6. confusion, lack of concentration, 7. greatly decreased energy , 8. emotional numbness, 9. a loss of pleasure in everyday activities that she used to enjoy, 10. constant anxiety, 11. lack of sleep, 12. difficulty remembering, 12. excessive worrying, 13. difficulty making decisions, 14. "heavy legs" , and 15. no libido.

Some of those could be related to the medications.

Whole body tremors? Chest pressure? Constant "head in a vice" aches?

I don't understand how that is a symptom of depression.

I can understand that difficulty remembering, difficulty making decisions and confusion and lack of concentration may play a part in depression, but they can also be due to a medication, or in your wife's situation, a combination of medications.

Trazodone combined with Effexor comes up with a major warning for serotonin syndrome but that is usually when a medication is started or is increased.

MedlinePlus - Serotonin Syndrome

Has there been an increase in one of those medications lately?

Has there been a change in the times that the medications are taken? Different meds have different half-lives and sometimes if there's a change in the time that it's taken, that can cause side-effects.

I was reading an interesting news article in a local paper here (in Australia) by a GP who is concerned about the over prescription of antidepressants here.

I was particularly interested in his take because it's difficult to find a GP here who will entertain alternative treatments and his approach makes so much more sense to me.

Anyway, I will leave the link to the news article below in case it is of interest to you.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/...-1226946103619

_____


[NEVER stop a medication yourself without a doctor's advice]

[mrsD]

Thanks Lara... good input as usual...

I forgot to mention that there has been new discussion about the perceived efficacy of antidepressants, or lack of efficacy thereof.

This is one article from 2010:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mar..._b_550098.html

There remains some controversy today in fact.
http://www.theguardian.com/science/h...nts-depression

But the bottom line, is that if the drug(s) are not working, or if add on drugs are needed to minimize side effects, etc, then patients need to consider that a therapy change should be discussed with the doctor.