Back on the 5th of August my psychiatrist (because my depression had got worst) changed me from Paxil 20mg x2 per day to Zoloft 100mg two in the morning. The Zoloft is only slightly better than the Paxil. I still have feelings of dread, sorrow and just sadness inside. The same kind of feelings one has after we loose a loved one. At night I am taking Seroquel 50 to 100mg depending on how I am feeling. My psychiatrist prescribed the Seroquel to help me sleep and to help with the racing thoughts. It does help with both. But it also helps some with the depression. Has anyone else found that this medication helps with this?

I am also seeing a new psychiatrist. I saw him once week before last and will see him again this coming Monday. I stopped seeing the other one because he wouldn’t listen to me anymore. When I saw him last I told him that the Zoloft wasn’t helping and all he did was to write me another prescription for more Zoloft. Plus I went to a sleep clinic and got the results from that doctor and he recommend that my psychiatrist work with me on what he referred to as “conditional insomnia”. Because it always takes me anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes to fall asleep. My old psychiatrist didn’t even want to read the letter from the sleep doctor. When I see the new guy again I was thinking about asking him if I could try Wellbutrin since it works with dopamine and norepinephrine instead of serotonin like the Zoloft, Paxil and along time ago Prozac. Before that I took a antidepressant and I cant remember the name but it was orange and shaped like a triangle.

I also take 1mg of Clonazepam 3 times daily as needed. When I can I cut them in half. Usually I take a half around 11:00am and the other half between 5:00 and 6:00pm. Then I will take a whole one between 8:00 and 9:00pm also to help with sleep. There are times though that I can take 100mg of Seroquel and 1mg of Clonazepam and still have to take a 3mg Lunesta to fall asleep and stay asleep. Otherwise I often wake many times during the night. This was proved at the sleep clinic where I only reached stage 1 and stage 2 sleep and had no REM sleep at all. That night I woke 11 or 13 times I can’t remember which it was.

I have been off from work for about 6 weeks now and only a little better than when I went on leave. For 3 weeks I spent in a partial program at a mental illness hospital. They helped some but I don’t remember allot of what they told me while I was in there. The best thing to come of it was I met some good friends that are like me and understand what depression and panic attacks are like. My girlfriend tries to understand but she really doesn’t. I did take her to one support group meeting one night but I still don’t think that she understands.

Lone Wolf

Hi Lone Wolf,

I could've written your post a few months ago....wait a sec...I DID!!! Your depressive symptoms sound exactly like mine, in fact I described it to my pshrink as feeling like everyone I loved had just died and would die again tomorrow. Bad insomnia, too. It's bad enough to feel so horrid; why do we have to spend all these extra hours awake? To enjoy it more?

I started with Effexor in February along w/ xanax for anxiety. Xanax was a dream, but effexor never kicked in. Tried Lexapro....only slightly better. In August we added Wellbutrin, and it took several weeks, but WOW what a difference. I didn't have any added anxiety problems either, so I'm not taking xanax anymore.

DEFINITELY try the Wellbutrin! I'm now tickling all three neurotransmitters, which is what effexor was supposed to do. The thing is, all these neurotransmitters are so interrelated that by raising one, you raise the others. In other words, my problem may be serotonin, but the best way to tweak it in MY head might be indirectly with Wellbutrin, instead of with Zoloft or lexapro. Who knows. As they say, YMMV (your mileage may vary) so literally anything might be your magic cocktail. And that's the BiotchBarsteward of it all, suffering for months while you try to find the right combo. Keep posting and let us know what you do.

Dan

You are so right, Dan, about the worst thing being suffering for months trying to find the right combo.

The only SSRI that I have been able to tolerate is Celexa (or possibly Lexapro, I never did switch). I also take Wellbutrin which I think is wonderful - my only warning to you, Lone wolf, is that it works as a stimulant for a lot of people. As it happens, it made me sleepy, but I always have minority side effects. Maybe it isn't so bad now with the XL and being able to take it all in the morning.

Thankfully Clonazepam (along with the fact that Wellbutrin and Celexa make me sleepy) has been the only extra sleep aid I have needed. On Monday my doctor added Lamictal, and I guess maybe we are both hoping I can wean of the Clonazepam if the Lamictal helps me sleep. I am only on day 2 and you start really slowly, so I have a long way to go.

Wish you all the best with you new pdoc, Lone wolf.

dan & SharonEG


Thank you both for the replies. I will ask my new psychiatrist if I can try the Wellbutrin. Hopefully I can get it and try it soon before I must return to work. At this point I am willing to try anything. I'm tired of being depressed all the time. I feel as I am wasting my life.

Lone Wolf

It can take some time and effort and a great deal of patience to find the right combo of meds. I hope you find the one that works for you soon, and that you get some relief. Good for you for taking up the fight and not giving up!

lizard

Thanks sometimes (I’m sure you well know) it’s hard to go on. Many times I wish that I had never even been born.

Lone Wolf

(((((Lone Wolf)))))
I DO understand - I've been there. Take it a breath at a time, but hang in there...