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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by underthewave on November 16, 2004, at 8:17:49
Hello!! I am a 39 year old woman (soon to be 40). I was diagnosed in 1987 as a major depressive with panic disorder and GAD. I have been hospitalized twice - once in 1987 and again March 2004. It has been very difficult living with depression but believe it or not, sometimes it has been a blessing because I believe I am more perceptive and introspective than those who do not suffer. I was recently diagnosed with adult ADHD which is no surprise to me since I have had all of the symptoms since childhood but I've managed it on my own quite well.
I have been married for 15 years and have 2 children. One a teenager and my other child is 6. I met my husband at a Grateful Dead show in 1986!! I have a B.A. in English Literature and work full-time at a large D.C. law firm.
I am currently on an entire pharmacy of meds. Co-pays are killing me. Wellbutrin XR, Cymbalta, Klonopin, Adderall, Trazedone, Seroquel and Lamictal. Call me medicine head :)
Anyway, it's good to be among kindred spirits.
Posted by saw on November 16, 2004, at 8:35:31
In reply to An introduction from a medicine head, posted by underthewave on November 16, 2004, at 8:17:49
Hi underthewave
Welcome and thank you for telling us a bit about yourself. It is always good to get to know others and have an opportunity to share and learn from each other.
I am fascinated by your comment about being more introspective and perceptive. I also feel, that were it not for my illness, I might not have been as intuitive as I am. Isn't it great to finding something good about an otherwise crippling condition.
I am soon to be 33 and suffered a major breakdown after a traumatic marriage and divorce 6 years ago. I was diagnosed with depression and then bipolar II. I'm quite stubborn by nature so after a couple of months and 3 hospitilizations, I declared myself well and tossed all my medication and said "I will never be that way again". Until this year, a short while before my second wedding, I crashed again. Inexplicably, except for a very stressful year. Again, I tried so very hard to cope and use self help techniques because my husband is a "snap out of it" kind of person. Eventually, there was no hiding from the pain I was in and I was about to lose my brand new husband. I sought help again and was given GAD to add to my mix. This was a relief actually, to know that an illness can cause excessive and what is to others, silly anxiety. My little boy of 6 was also diagnosed with ADHD this year. My doc also said that I am quite treatment resistant. I'm still wondering if I should be proud of that!!
My current medication after a flop on Effexor is Lamictal. This is the only med I am on at present. I do not envy you at all!! How do you cope with side effects on all your different meds. Effexor alone produced over 20 side effects in me. Weight gain being the absolute worst. I have not yet felt any side effects from Lamictal. I keep looking at my skin waiting for the dreaded rash to appear. I agree about the expense of these meds. Quite exorbitant.
Anyway, I was really just welcoming you and saying hello, but you got quite a mouthful. Please continue to visit with us and on the other boards too. This place is my best friend during some really dark times.
Look forward to getting to know you better.
Sabrina
Posted by Justherself54 on November 16, 2004, at 16:20:28
In reply to Re: An introduction from a medicine head » underthewave, posted by saw on November 16, 2004, at 8:35:31
I used to come on this site but had a major meltdown last year so had to register again. I know what you mean by being a medicine head. Over the last few years I have been on Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Mannerix, amitriptaline, nortripaline, Effexor and Celexa, all without much success. Turns out I was misdiagnosed for many years and was just treated with AD's only. I am bipolar so now my pdoc and I are trying to find the right drug cocktail to get me feeling better.
Right now I am taking valproic acid, 100 mg Zoloft, 20 mg. Paxil, Ritalin, clonazapam and Zoplcone for sleep. I'm trying to get back to work after being off for over a year but it's really hard. I'm so drug resistant and even ECT treatments didn't work.
I have however, learned to accept that it's not my fault and I can't "snap out of it". It's my brain chemicals and genes and it's part of who I am. I feel that dealing with this has made me a more tolerant and caring person when I see other people going through difficult times. When someone is calling someone down I'll be the first one to say "you never know what could be going on in that person's life".
Well, enough babbling for one go, but after all this is psycho-babble isn't it!! :)
Posted by underthewave on November 17, 2004, at 7:55:56
In reply to Re: An introduction from a medicine head, posted by Justherself54 on November 16, 2004, at 16:20:28
Thanks for answering everyone. Last night my PDOC bumped up my Cymbalta to 90mg and will keep my on the Lamictal and WellbutrinXR. She promised that if I am doing okay on the Cymbalta she will considering taking me off the Lamictal....and maybe even the WellbutrinXR. As for the Trazedone and Seroquel I only take the Trazedone occasionally for sleep and the Seroquel for sleep as well but they are not taken daily. I told it's hard to distinguish one med from another when my body is a walking pharmacy. The ADD drugs do nothing and I've lived without meds for this all of my life so I might as well not take them. I told her that I am back into my workout routine and eating healthy and I that has always helped my focus and concentration. So my goal is this: Cymbalta and Klonopin ONLY. I'll get there. I just need to work really hard on taking care of myself - staying away from any recreational drugs and/or alcohol and continue to run and eat well.....easier said than done.
Posted by krem on November 24, 2004, at 8:34:26
In reply to An introduction from a medicine head, posted by underthewave on November 16, 2004, at 8:17:49
Hi underthewave!
I also live in the dc area, age 35. No kids yet!
I'm not quite as much of a medhead. (or a former deadhead for that matter;->). I'm on Lamictal, Provigil, which I hate and hardly ever take, celexa, and about to start topomax.
After a miscarriage and postpartum with some psychosis I was upgraded from depression to bipolar II.
Did you ever have postpartum issues?
You sound like you're doing really well. Do you feel like you've regained your footing for the most part?
I'm about to turn to alternative approaches such as biofeedback, accupuncture, etc. Tell you the truth, I've tried accupuncture at a highly regarded clinic (the Kaplan Clinic) in our area, and as far as I can tell it did nothing. Accupressure might be the thing. As you know, it's easy to pour money down the drain chasing these things.
Anyway, I'm glad to hear from another DC person!
This is the end of the thread.
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