Posted by KaraS on August 3, 2004, at 2:56:27
In reply to Re: Hey Lar, you forgot to tell us ... » KaraS, posted by simus on August 3, 2004, at 0:40:44
> > I still think I can fool people into thinking I'm healthy and happy.
>
> Mental illness is tough. I don't really want most people to know I have it due to the stigma attached. But then with the battles with memory and concentration, not to mention lack of motivation and antisocial behavior (the list goes on), I seem to want to at least let people know that this isn't the real me. Oh, what to do...
>
> Since you have so much in common with me (and before the good Dr. Bob boots us over to PB Social), would you be willing to tell me what you are taking both in meds and in vitamins/minerals/herbs/etc, and how well they have worked for you?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Simus
>
> P.S. I don't think Larry's female companion would mind in the least if his adoring "fan club" showed up on their special weekend.
Simus,I don't mind at all telling you or a few hundred of our close friends on-line (LOL) what I'm taking or what I have tried in the past. First, though, let me clarify something I mentioned earlier.
I should have said that I still think I can fool people into thinking that I'm happy and healthy IN THE SHORT-RUN. It's too hard to keep up the facade long-term. I recently went on vacation with my sister and her family. I was quite worried before I left about not having the energy to make conversation the whole time and I was afraid that I'd be a total drag and ruin everyone's time. Fortunately that didn't happen - I think because I'm anergic but not totally anhedonic. I was able to enjoy some things and to laugh quite a bit. Your sense of humor is wonderful so I'm thinking you might be the same way.
Still, it was hard for me to be with my family in the sense that they don't fully get it. Their attitude is "just do it and don't think about it so much." Arrrggg!! You just want to scream. I try to tell them that what they're saying to me is like trying to tell a blind person to see or telling someone with broken legs to walk. The lack of motivation is the nature of the beast! All to no avail of course. But I digress...
Back to what I'm taking. Right now I'm taking about 18 mg. of Effexor as I slowly decrease it in hopes of going off of it entirely. It helped me a little bit but not a lot. I have tried several other meds (doxepin, Prozac, nortriptyline, desipramine, Zoloft and Paxil). Only the Prozac was I able to tolerate and get a successful antidepressant response from but it only lasted a short while. The doxepin totally got rid of the anxiety and panic attacks however. I have tried l-tyrosine and DLPA. The tyrosine did nothing at all and I increased up to 3,200 mg. per day. DLPA made me a little jittery but I didn't notice anything else. I'm still going to try taking that at a higher dosage and possibly combining it with selegiline.
One thing that sounds different for the two of us is that your situation sounds fairly recent. I have been battling depression my entire adult life. Stress may have thrown your system out of kilter but I know that I have a strong genetic component to my depression. I have also had different kinds of depression over the years. Most of the time it has been anxious depression but now it is lethargic in nature or atypical so what might have worked for me a few years ago might not work for me at all now. The different manifestation of the depression might have something to do with adrenal fatigue however.
I hope I haven't scared you by telling you that I've been battling this demon for such a long time. For one thing they haven't had much of a selection of medications until fairly recently. For another thing, I've been exceptionally cautious in trying things. (The reason for that is another story for another day about my first couple of experiences with inept doctors.) I am pretty hopeful right now that I will find things that work for me because I know so much more about my condition at this point and about what's out there to help (that's in large part because of this site). I'm also determined to force myself to try more things.
In terms of vitamins and supplements, I'm taking a good multi, B-complex, Ester C, E, small amount of fish oil, Evening Primrose Oil, MSN, Calcium/Magnesium and sometimes extra folic acid and B12. Nothing too exciting there but I find that when I take them religiously I get sick less often and I'm less likely to get a CFS attack. I've tried a few things for immune support: Echinnacea, Beta-Glucan, Olive Leaf, reishi mushrooms. I don't know if they help or not but I take them when I feel sick anyway.
I've tried taking alpha lipoic acid (maybe not enough of it though), DMAE, acetyl-l-carnitine, NAC and phosphatydlserine (maybe not enough of that either but who can afford it). They probably worked as antioxidants and such but these aren't the kinds of things that have a huge immediate impact on your state of mind.
I have a long list of meds and supplements that I am going to try. These are much more interesting and promising than most of what I've mentioned so far. I've started with Rhodiola Rosea. The first brand was a bit of a disappointment. I will probably try two other brands before giving up on it. Then I'm going to try Perika - the one St. John's Wort formulation that is quite activating/stimulating. I have high hopes for that one.
Are you still awake? I'll save all the rest of the meds and herbs I plan to take for another post. I'll just put them into a list. I don't want to bore you to death by listing all of them now.
You mentioned in an earlier post what you are taking now at least in terms of the adrenal fatigue. I don't remember if you listed any meds. What have you taken in the past? What are you planning to add or change from what you're taking now?
KaraP.S. I agree about Larry's girlfriend. Surely she's as interested in meeting us as we are in meeting her (and as they say, there's no time like the present)!!
P.P.S. We could go on and on with this silliness, couldn't we?
poster:KaraS
thread:359642
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040718/msgs/373484.html