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Medication resistant depression

haribo1

haribo1

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
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I've suffered from serious depression all my life. So far, I've been given:

Prozac - Sent me manic within 3 days
Effexor - Sent me manic within 3 hours
Amitriptamine - Horrible nightmares, very groggy, no improvement after 4 weeks.
Citralopram - initially helped but after a couple of weeks, back to square 1. On increasing the dose, no improvement.

Can anyone suggest an alternative? I'm in the UK so not all the US medications are available.
 
I heared from people with similar problems that tranylcypromine was the compound that gave them quality of life back. It should be better than the selective maois like moclobemide.
The dietary things mostly makes the doctors not to prescribe it, but if you are just a little rational, you could manage it.
Talk to your physician about this.

All the best!
 
Try Avanza / Remeron . A friend has tried every medication available for his depression, and This was the only one that worked for him. He stayed on it for a while, then went off it (without tapering), and has been normal ever since. He's not had depression for about 3 or 4 years now.

Initially it will make you sleep though, and you will get the munchies. Actually the first dose will knock you out... But it is not an anti-psychotic or anything.
 
Hi, tranylcypromine is officially discouraged by NICE. I don't think my GP would go for it. I don't think Remeron is available in the UK. Venlafaxine DID cure the depression, or at least screwed me up sufficiently so I didn't notice it. The stuff is like a bad E. Thanks for your imput. Life quality is low right now, very low.
 
I don't think Remeron is available in the UK.
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It is, but maybe not under that name (try generic name for avialability). If the depression is that bad, and refractory to most antidepressant medication, you'd probably need to see a psychiatrist for prescribing outside the NICE guidelines (consultants can go beyond NICE guidelines if it's thought needed); perhaps an antidepressant (obv not an SSRI) with a psychomotor stimulant in low doses to 'kick start' it. Other than that, the only other option i can think that works is ECT. Seem a bit barbaric, but most refractory cases do show some improvement with ECT although it can jumble short term memory for a week or so after treatment
 
I have epilepsy and after a grand-mal my mood is really improved. ECT doesn't frighten me. I will find out if I can get remeron. A friend in the US got prescribed diethyl bupiron which is only used to help people to stop smoking in the UK. I did try to get my old GP to prescribe it without luck. I will try again.
One thing I did notice is that tramadol improved my mood. I'm given it because of pain due to a not totally successful hip replacement (I'm 36).
Once again, thanks for the imput.
 
Lamictal is a great mood stabilizer. I was diagnosed with rapid cycling Bipolar I 5 years ago. The side effects from the lithium/zyprexa/dpekote/remeron/etc..... were never worth taking them for me. Thats's probobaly why since then I had been through multiple drug habits, dropped out of school, and now have a criminal record. I have been on Lamictal for for 6 months and am back in school, back in shape, and my mood is stable. Lamictal also has noticable anti-depressive qualities to it that are notible within the first weeks. I really can't tell you if this is available to you however. Good Luck!
 
I'm not familiar with the peculiaries in the UK, but I too would recommend mirtazapine (Remerone). I'M on it myself and it reduced the depression by maybe 70%. It also has few side effects once you overcome the initial tiredness. Amongst others, you can still have sex, unlike when you're on a SSRI. A good alternative would be trazodone, two tablets a night, makes you sleep well. I'm taking both.
 
Well, thanks. It's nice not to feel so alone. I've taken MDMA and yes, for a few hours it did cure it. I Don't think I can take MDMA 3 times daily forever. Its a pity that Amineptine isn't available any more. Apparently the results are astonishing but sadly it has some rather serious side-effects.
 
Mirtazapine is marketed under the tradenames Remeron® in the U.S., Canada and Finland, Avanza® and Axit® in Australia, Zispin® in the UK & Ireland, Norset® in France, Remergon® in Belgium, Remergil® in Germany, Mirtabene® in Austria and Rexer® in Spain.

If all others have failed it is definitely worth looking into. Just remember to exercise on it, and you will be craving food like you do on pot, but the drug doesn't make you lose weight like pot does.
 
I was going to go on Nardil and then I found out Pfiser had got their grubby hands on the manucaturing of it, changed the formula, and now it doesn't work half as well. Oh darn, you will just have to go for another one of their NON generic high priced drugs that work for 6 weeks and then fail.
Evil, pure evil is pharmacetical companies.
 
If I may, I have a few questions I like to ask when people mention they have medication resistant depression...

Are you diagnosed as bipolar type I or II, or do you think you may be exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disorder?

If you have been diagnosed, is your primary concern depression (as opposed to mania)?

Do you feel that smoking marijuana is one of the only things that helps during your depressive periods?

Do you feel that opiates/opioids are one of the few things that can make you feel happy and normal during a depressive period?

Do you dislike stimulants (methylphenidate, amphetamine salts, methamphetamine) because you find that while you may feel good for 2-3 hours, in the end you're left with a deep and miserable depression?
 
If you have been diagnosed, is your primary concern depression (as opposed to mania)?
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I would guess that would be almost all bipolar cases. For some reason, people with bipolar illness almost have an affection for the manic/hypomanic phase as it just feels so good at first (early hypomanic stages)
 
I've not been diagnosed. I do get 'highs' that are incredible but I don't go around giving away my money or anything like that. I suggested it to the doctor and he just said no, I don't have it. I don't think the depression is worth the highs. If I wanted my mood to bounce around like that, I could just smoke crack ;-) Actually, I HATE cocaine. Low dose dexadrine is nice. It gives me a calming effect. I yawn a lot an almost fall asleep...
 
fastandbulbous said:
I would guess that would be almost all bipolar cases. For some reason, people with bipolar illness almost have an affection for the manic/hypomanic phase as it just feels so good at first (early hypomanic stages)
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I suppose the question I'm asking relies on a certain degree of self-awareness, but I still feel you're at least a bit off in that assessment.

I've been diagnosed with Bipolar Type I, as has my fiance, several close friends, and many acquaintences. Bipolar disorder seems to come in two very distinct flavors, a depressive oriented flavor and a manic oriented flavor. My girlfriend has very intense depressive cycles interspersed with hypomanic/mixed episodes that she doesn't enjoy any more than the depression. Many of those I know who've been diagnosed bipolar fit this bill.

On the other hand, I'm the exact opposite. My depressive cycles are mild in comparison, as well as much rarer. My manic episodes (full blown, not hypomanic) are about twice as frequent, though shorter in duration and most of the time I enjoy them. Mixed episodes are the only aspect of my illness that I fear. Everyone not fitting the former profile of my fiance, fits this profile, at least roughly and in my experience to date.

I, and everyone matching my type of bipolar, don't care very much for pot. Opiates don't give us that warm sense of well being many love so much. Amphetamines are the only thing that will pull me out of depression without fail, and I have never felt depressed or anxious afterwards.

Every single person I've had the chance to speak to who fits my fiance's profile has been on SSRIs or SNRIs and shown no improvement in their depression whatsoever. They all tell me pot is the only thing that gets them through the day many days, and that opiates/opioids are the only things that can truely lift the depression, if only temporarily. Not a single one of these people enjoys stimulants, each and every one citing the horrible depression and misery of the come down. The responses they've given to my questions are almost disturbing in the their near word-for-word similarities.

So, I was just hoping to increase my sample size.
 
haribo1 said:
I've not been diagnosed. I do get 'highs' that are incredible but I don't go around giving away my money or anything like that. I suggested it to the doctor and he just said no, I don't have it. I don't think the depression is worth the highs. If I wanted my mood to bounce around like that, I could just smoke crack ;-) Actually, I HATE cocaine. Low dose dexadrine is nice. It gives me a calming effect. I yawn a lot an almost fall asleep...
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Sounds like a pretty spot-on description of Bipolar Type II--depressive episodes as well as 'hypomanic' episodes, think mania-lite.

You've got ADD as well don't you? Low doses of dopamine agonists (such as sudafed, methylphenidate, dexedrine and adderall), from what I can gather, compensate for biological dopamine deficiencies among those with true biological ADD (i.e. visibley different brain activity in fMRI scans), which counterintuitively seems to cause drowsiness (my theory is we're finally feeling comfortable enough to fall asleep easily). I know I get my best sleep on a low dose of amphetamines.
 
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