Mental Health My antidepressant medication is not working anymore! Please help immediately

[musclecarsforever]

Hey everybody, i am new to this website... im a full-time college student in Sunny beautiful Southern California. I like Bluelight it's pretty cool so far i totally dig it, just enjoying my freshly made Tea.... so far so good %). I'll cut right to the chase, i'm actually a relatively healthy 21 year old 5 ft. 10' Caucasian/White young adult male, i honestly dont smoke (no tobacco products). Not much of a drinker either (Booze just isn't my thing). I exercise a bit. A psychiatrist diagnosed me at a young age with Persistent depressive disorder (basically Major Depression), Generalized Anxiety Disorder & Aspergers syndrome. These "challenges" have a huge affect on me. I know i am different. I do believe these to be hereditary. I have pretty chronic Attention Deficit Disorder too but i feel like that's a irrelevant/off topic. So Here's whats been going on in my life....Over the last two years my doctor has had me on the prescription medication Remeron (Mirtazapine). I am on max daily dose of 45mg. I'm quite satisfied because this drug works wonders :D. After awhile i began to build up a tolerance to it and i explained to my doctor about 5 months ago that its effect has faded away and no longer works. She understood me, knew exactly what to do and she additionally added in Gabapentin 1200mg pills 3 times a day along with cognitive behavior therapy. I am on the max dose of that also and once again this combo stopped working completely What are my options here!? Tell me what you think about this. I was was thinking i should ask for Seroquel or Effexor on top of what i already take. I hear good things about Seroquel & Effexor. I wan't to make myself clear that i am not suicidal and i have had any intentions of hurting myself or others. I just want to be safe, I literally don't know what i should do. I need your expert opinion. With all due respect, I ultimately need the safest treatment possible. Look, I cant possibly be the only one this has happened to! But here's the deal From my experience. I cant take SSRI's, because when i was in my teen years they tried me on Abilify, Prozac, Zoloft & Trazodone (all unfortunately gave me the typical common sexual side effects). Also, for some reason Wellbutrin makes it super agitated/mad lol but it works incredible for my Dad (I don't get it). Maybe our brain chemistry is different i guess. Anyways, From the ages of 16-20 i was dependent and super hooked on the XANAX & Valium, i say that reluctantly however ive been clean and sober 200+ days. In my opinion, Benzodiazepines are too addictive. Yeah they worked initially but i hate being reliant upon something every day just to function so just so you know thats out the window as well. So what do you recommend i do? All suggestions from you are much appreciated. I am so beyond grateful for this website and the opportunity to speak my mind. Please get back to me asap and let me know what YOU think is best for me. I dont want to ignore this.

 

[llama112]

Have you / your doctors looked into pregabalin instead of gabapentin? Pregabalin is more potent, less side effects, etc. but very similar. You do build up a tolerance to that as well and it'll only help likely help anxiety. I'm not sure about aspergers as I've never looked into that but it doesn't help ME with depression, only anxiety, but they are pretty similar meds... just pregabalin is "better" in many ways although I'm sure there are a few people out there who have preferred gabapentin but I have never seen that. Pregabalin (for me) did not have negative sexual side effects. It has made me a bit forgetful and tired but both of those things outweigh daily panic attacks. I mean, I was tired every day due to panic attacks... now I'm just tired every day.

Benzos are pretty addictive and then you become tolerant to them unfortunately. Clonazepam is often used as the "go to" if someone needs to be on a benzo daily (from the doctors/psychiatrists I've talked to) but cross tolerance for them all.

I've heard positive things about Seroquel but more for mood issues and I'm not sure if it'd be as effective for someone with anxiety/depression/Aspergers/ADD (although keep in mind everything I'm saying, I have zero knowledge of Aspergers and am primarily speaking about the other three).
SNRIs are somewhat similar to SSRIs, I have had awful experiences with both and refuse to try them again, I would rather be on no meds than any SSRI or SNRI.

Just from what I've read (I'm not a doctor, I just know through experiences and talking to doctors and psychiatrists but only for my own info, not for every possible issue), I'd say ask your doctor about pregabalin rather than gabapentin and maybe seroquel will work.

How is your sleep? My latest (and I'll admit, I didn't feel it was successful) visit with a psychiatrist resulted in them telling me that I needed better sleep and to change birth control pills (as you're male, the latter wouldn't apply to you). And does weed help at all?

 

[Jabberwocky]

It is my understanding that gabapentin is the more established medication compared to pregabalin for treating mood disorders.

Have you ever looked into ketamine therapy OP?

 

[Anyx]

Hey,

i would not take seroquel.... its just a super potent antihistiminic... Venlafaxine is also overrated. Its more of an SSRI than a true SNRI with the most serious withdrawal effects of all antidepressants.

I would think about a true antidepressant like Parnate,Marplan,Nardil,Clomipramine. They would punch you out of depression fast.

 

[musclecarsforever]

Hey! I appreciate your reply. Thats Cool, Very direct and straight forward answer. To answer your question i have great sleep, no insomnia whatsoever. Sometimes i will wake up in the night to get some water because im thirsty i think that is normal human behavior. Thanks

 

[musclecarsforever]

Hey Toothpastedog! Yes i have heard about the Ketamine intravenous (IV) treatment. I saw a promotional for it on a tv at the Hospital. I actually am very interested in it, i hear its a horse tranquilizer/sedative though so im quite skeptical about it. The lady i talked to who worked says its $750 per session twice a month initially so $1500 and if i respond well to it they will continue it. No health insurance will cover it at the moment. Good suggestion!

 

[HumanCrossed]

Try seeing a psychiatrist they are trained medical doctors and they can prescribe the right medication for you. Try to engage on exercising and healthy activities. Do some hobbies that could make you happy. That will be a great help.