drug-resistant depression (DRD)

Posted by godsgirl1969 @godsgirl1969, Jan 16, 2018

I apparently have drug resistant depression : I have been on antidepressants for 20+ years some helped for awhile and now it seems like nothing helps. I also talk to a therapist once a week talking helps a little at least for that day. I am really wanting some insight from others that have struggled with this. I have been looking into ketamine injections or transcranial magnetic stimulation? Has anyone out there tried either of these and if so I would love to hear the effects it had? I'm tired of crying and tired of trying to get through every day!

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Hi DRD,
I can understand your situation as I've done a lot of research on medicines, etc, and how the meds treat different types of mental illnesses. Since I have no idea what your diagnosis might be, it is difficult to discuss treatment options. I have bi-polar 1, and I've tried to play doctor and treat myself. I would research different drugs and then discuss the drugs with my Doctor and most of the time he would change my meds. and then I would find myself in a worse situation. My Doctor had recommended a mood stabilizer sometime ago, and I nixed that idea due to the stigma of taking that type of drug. I finally found myself in a psych hospital and feeling suicidal. I decided to quit playing Doctor and listen to my Doctor. My Doctor prescribed a lesser dose of antidepressants and added the mood stabilizer. I have responded to this medicine and haven't experienced the highs and/or lows that had filled my life for so many years. I hope you can find a solution that works for you.
charlie75

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@charlie75

Hi DRD,
I can understand your situation as I've done a lot of research on medicines, etc, and how the meds treat different types of mental illnesses. Since I have no idea what your diagnosis might be, it is difficult to discuss treatment options. I have bi-polar 1, and I've tried to play doctor and treat myself. I would research different drugs and then discuss the drugs with my Doctor and most of the time he would change my meds. and then I would find myself in a worse situation. My Doctor had recommended a mood stabilizer sometime ago, and I nixed that idea due to the stigma of taking that type of drug. I finally found myself in a psych hospital and feeling suicidal. I decided to quit playing Doctor and listen to my Doctor. My Doctor prescribed a lesser dose of antidepressants and added the mood stabilizer. I have responded to this medicine and haven't experienced the highs and/or lows that had filled my life for so many years. I hope you can find a solution that works for you.
charlie75

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Hi Charlie75, thank you for sharing, I too have done a lot of research on different meds. I have been to a hand full of Dr.s and none of them have even mentioned taking more then one med. they really seem to be baffled and say basically they don't know what else to do.
I finally got a counselor and it helps somewhat. I always think I'm the only one and I have days where I feel like dying I don't want to feel this way anymore or put it on my family, it's not fair to them 🙁 I feel like my only purpose here is to just breath....

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@godsgirl1969

Thank you for sharing with me. Prozac was the best for me I was on it for 8 years then it just stopped working. I have been on celexa, Prozac, Wellbutrin, remeron (made me sleep too much) Lexapro, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Effexor, pristique, buspirone. Haven't tried marijuana, i'm already tired with no energy. ECT probably isn't the most handy thing for me, I would have to travel a ways however I wouldn't have to go to far for the ketamine. Just wondering about long
term effects? It seems the older I get the worse my depression is and now I have anxiety on top of it. Doesn't help that my last child just graduated and moved out :/ proud mom that my kids are living on their own and doing good just hard for me to have a empty house and no identity anymore 🙁

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Hi Jim, no the dr.s have not tried more then one med except Effexor and remeron I took 2.5 mil of remeron and it knocked me out so I will not take that one. I do go to the gym and try to be outside when the weather is nice, I also spend a lot of time with my grandkids but I get tired and my anxiety takes over. I have a counselor and that helps but living in this fast paced world I guess I'm just wanting a quick fix. I feel like everyone around me is having fun and enjoying life and i'm on the outside looking in wishing I could either be like that or just die already nobody wants to be here and feel helpless, lonely, and depressed 🙁

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@godsgirl1969 Truly a rough road to travel. Seeing others that are helped with medications leaves one, at times, insidiously discouraged. We keep working hard at quality of life even when there are times the emptiness engulfs us and we seek out others that "get it". Safer that saying anything to those that are near.

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@georgette12

Tomorrow, Thursday, I see both my psychiatrist and therapist. I really don't think they can help anyway.

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@georgette12 Understand how you feel. Mayhap it helps to talk.

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@georgette12

I have the same issue. Meds rarely help. ECT did not help. ENLYTE has helped. (I've posted about ENLYTE.) but my life situation took a turn for the worse last week and I guess that sent me over the top.

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So you've been on Enlyte? Could you tell me about it? My dr just put me on Wellbutrin 3 days ago. So far so good. Has anyone had a bad experience with it? I feel the same way you do most every day. It's so hard to do anything. I do volunteer some and that helps. Please hand in there, your grandkids and family love and need you.

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@georgette12

Thank you to each of you who respond so kindly. It does help. I truly thought I was getting better and I was. But the events of just my husband sick and son having died just put me over the edge I guess.

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You're going thru a lot. I've gone through the same financial crisis. We ended up selling our home which I loved and downsized to a condo. It ended up being very liberating. Less stuff, less stress. Praying for better days!

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Has anyone tried Abilify? My Dr. wants me to start on this along with Effexor xr

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@georgette12

I have the same issue. Meds rarely help. ECT did not help. ENLYTE has helped. (I've posted about ENLYTE.) but my life situation took a turn for the worse last week and I guess that sent me over the top.

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I have not tried Enlyte. I am having blood work done next week to see if my vitamin D levels are low

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@georgette12

Thank you to each of you who respond so kindly. It does help. I truly thought I was getting better and I was. But the events of just my husband sick and son having died just put me over the edge I guess.

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I'm so sorry georgette12, just when you think your life sucks you hear someone elses story. 🙁 I couldn't even imagine loosing a child no matter the age, that would put me over the edge for sure! I will be praying for you, your husband, and your finances and will be checking back often to see how your doing and if you ever need to talk. Talking definitely helps me, I have had severe depression and separation anxiety for 20+ years and tried to just deal with it myself, it wasn't until this Aug. that I decided to talk about it and man what a relief. Counselors have a way of finding things berried deep in side of you and to find that and release it is amazing! Stay strong and reach out, someone is always willing to listen 🙂

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