^^Given the myriad of questions which weren't really related to this topic.. I slightly over-glossed/over-simplified that part of my statement. I simply meant that the monoamine hypothesis is the most commonly accepted view towards treating depression. & to combine Pharmosis & nopos posts for the sake of length on this side topic: I'm aware of all the other studies going on w/ depression alternatives, the most fascinating one in my book is using several-days-a-week NMDA antagonist dosages. Ketamine in paritucular to treat AD-resistant people (i.e.,
ME!!)
Here's the WebMD article
and major/minor/psychotic depressions make no difference here in the US w/ most doctors. They'll just up your dose, change from a serotonergic to norepinephrinergic or to the new dopaminergics or create their own cocktail of such.. etc. Then... perhaps throw in some powerful (but useless) antipsychotic that'll zap your energy, turn you into a couch potato, & make you gain 40lbs. So, to the alternative, so what if it's fucking addictive (i.e., amphetamines)- SSRIs are "dependent" inducing, no difference between the two except "addictive" means (OH FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE NO!!) it may cause some acute euphoria?
If the depression patient is among those 30-40% who doesn't respond to that traditional
CRAP (me!!) w/ major depression, suicide attempt histories, etc.. why not try these methods more broadly is my view? I was put on depakote
(& yes sodium valproate is the same as depakote ONGOS) along w/ abilify- when i finally got rid of that a bitch of a doctor- my new PCP looked at me like i was crazy that i was depakote for depression (had did a self taper some 6mo prior & felt no different, no worse no better- just lost 30lbs lol). Depakote he went on to is not approved for this use, nor even Rx'd off label for for depression (yet my old doc said "we're at the end of the line of meds here, next step is lithium" ...dumb bitch). Depakote is more for manic episodes, which i never even said i'd ever had (haven't talked to him about depression yet, just saw once for my referral to my pain doc for my debilitating neuropathic & traditional back pain- GREAT pain doc btw! listened.. answered questions.. gave me time.. didn't rush.. not intimidated about my knowledge of pharmaceuticals & pharmacology relative to the avg layman- plus very cute too
)
& glanced over your link about phenytoin.. and as i mentioned earlier, its of no surprise to me that a lot of different antiepileptics could have different functions as they all operate through so many different pathways to help manage epilepsy & seizures. But use caution w/ certain sorts of "experimentations" as phenytoin made my uncle go blind over period of decades of use- despite this not even being listed as a
rare side effect.
ongos said:
how is gabapentin prescribed, for what condition so that way my insurance covers it? Is it for pain? For epilepsy? I doubt it would be prescribed to me for OCD
Started out as an antiepileptic, which was how/why it was originally approved by the FDA. But i've seen neurologists in the past for seizures i got from an accidental overdose of 3-meo-pcp & asked about GBP.. & he said "its potency is so low that newer drugs are now used"- i'd say now its mostly used off label for anxiety quite often.. that & neuropathic pain- which it is quite helpful for (in both areas). I've heard of it as a "mood stabilizer"- but i don't feel qualified enough to label it as such myself, but i'm inclined to say it has potential there.
Its certainly helping stabilize my mood, but so too is daily clonazolam and/or flubromazolam. However, i take these benzos on regime- only 2-3x at night. no morning doses; & still get same anti-anxiety effects: i.e., no dysphoria around people, no physical illness/dissociation/"brain freeze" when directly interacting w/ a person. No more hiding in my basement till 4pm afraid to job search b/c of anxiety/depression issues. And furthermore, i'm
SO much more active on here & other forums I had basically just dropped as of the last year or so.