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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tommy Boy on June 3, 2008, at 0:40:16
Hi Everyone,
First time poster, long time viewer, love your show...
I've been on Emsam 6 for past 6 months for atypical depression. Lazy, unmotivated, sleep in forever, not starting things, not finishing anything, at times overwhelmed by life.I have enjoyed positive results, but the orthostatic hypotension and head rushes are too much and I need to find something that will allow me to exercise as I am rapidly deteriorating physically. Did basic yardwork yesterday and had to drop to my knees several times because I thought I was going to faint. I'm totally sore today.Any suggestions? Something that will not make me sleepy would help. Have tried lexapro, wellbutrin, and adderall. lexapro knocked me out. wellbutrin made me sweat and stink. adderall did nothing but make me feel a bit wired.
Thanks,
Tommy Boy
Posted by blueboy on June 10, 2008, at 7:50:30
In reply to Emsam and MAOI Alternatives, posted by Tommy Boy on June 3, 2008, at 0:40:16
One thought -- have you had your thyroid tested? It's fairly inexpensive and could be your problem.
Also, make sure you aren't bipolar. I'm acutely aware of this, LOL, since I was given unsuccessful AD therapy for decades. Once I saw the right guy, it was obvious I was bipolar. It's hard to diagnose sometimes, since the patient seems to think manic episodes are "normal" and only tells his doctor about the depressive times.
(Bipolar I is easier to diagnose, since you go "insane" during manic phase, like wandering around the street naked.)
I'd say try Nardil, but it has the same problem, i.e. hypotensive problems. However, it is more "activating" than seligeline and might solve your low energy problem.
My sympathy, I had the same problem with Nardil. I couldn't even bend over to pull a weed without getting out of breath. But I found once I got started with an aerobic exercise, at least, the exercise would raise my blood pressure and I could walk/run all right.
Posted by Tommy Boy on June 12, 2008, at 0:04:27
In reply to Re: Emsam and MAOI Alternatives, posted by blueboy on June 10, 2008, at 7:50:30
Thanks. I was thinking that I may have a bit of the bi-polar II. Was thinking it was atypical, but looking at my life at 45, it has finally dawned on me that I am perfectly happy when my wife and kids leave for the weekend and I don't talk to a soul. I also am beginning to think that I have an over-inflated opinion of myself and my capabilities that might be in the way of me getting the appreciation I believe is due to me at work, thus leading to feelings of neglect and lack of fulfillment at work. I'm just a big baby I guess!
Thanks for the advice. What about Effexor? Will that get my *ss off the couch without the roller coaster ride with my BP?
Posted by blueboy on June 12, 2008, at 8:25:48
In reply to Re: Emsam and MAOI Alternatives » blueboy, posted by Tommy Boy on June 12, 2008, at 0:04:27
> Thanks. I was thinking that I may have a bit of the bi-polar II. Was thinking it was atypical, but looking at my life at 45, it has finally dawned on me that I am perfectly happy when my wife and kids leave for the weekend and I don't talk to a soul. I also am beginning to think that I have an over-inflated opinion of myself and my capabilities that might be in the way of me getting the appreciation I believe is due to me at work, thus leading to feelings of neglect and lack of fulfillment at work. I'm just a big baby I guess!
>
> Thanks for the advice. What about Effexor? Will that get my *ss off the couch without the roller coaster ride with my BP?If you are Bipolar, you might really need to get off the antidepressants until you get on a mood stabilizer. That's what I have read, and I had bad to very bad experiences with all AD's except Nardil, the only one that "helped" me. This was over the course of several decades.
Regarding Nardil: It actually, in retrospect, put me in a permanent hypomanic state. While this seems to be a good thing subjectively, and lets you work, it really is not a satisfactory treatment because hypomania disturbs your grasp of reality. I lost a lot of money while I was taking Nardil. I would think it could aggravate unrealistic self-appraisal about one's place at work.
About your work, I have to say that neither I nor anybody else can sit and tell you whether your attitudes about your place at work are realistic and healthy or not. You might have a problem with low self-esteem and be completely justified in your opinion, you might be hypomanic and be completely unjustified and unrealistic, or something else. I will say this: In the real world, you have to toot your own horn to a degree in order to get ahead. On the other hand, it is important to know when and how to accept constructive criticism, especially from your boss.
(Here's an old joke.
Question: What's your job?
Correct Answer: To keep your boss happy.)Effexor was the worst drug I ever took, personally. It gave me seizures. Really, you want to find a great diagnostician BEFORE you start running through antidepressants.
I'm sure your condition is quite complex. I, like you, feel more relaxed when my wife leaves for a trip. I am crippled by fairly mild agoraphobia and/or social anxiety. I actually like to go places and I like being with people, but it is such a relief to be by myself.
I post about my diagnostic history with some trepidation, because I now have a tendency to see everyone as bipolar, LOL. But my history seems to jibe with the consensus among experts -- i.e., that taking antidepressants to treat bipolar depression, at least without getting your moods stabilized first, is likely to be an unpleasant and fairly expensive failure.
I just don't want to mislead you if your condition is better characterized as unipolar depression (or something else). I assume that some people get a lot of relief from Effexor.
This is the end of the thread.
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