Depression: What treatment can I try after so many years?

@miray67

I think that nearly all of us have dealt with or are dealing with the medication mystery. Before finding the antidepressant that was helpful to me I tried half a dozen others. Trying them means taking them for 6 weeks each, which is a really long, drawn out process. During the months of trial and error I was becoming increasingly depressed and suicidal. I'm just thankful to have found a medication that reduces my depression.

After ten years or so I was feeling like the antidepressant (Wellbutrin) was becoming less effective, so I met with the psychiatrist who manages my brain meds, and he got me started on a second medication that increases the effectiveness of the Wellbutrin. There are several medications that are used to enhance the effect of antidepressants. The one I'm taking is Mirtazapine.

The other piece of my treatment is weekly therapy. Parus mentioned CBT, cognitive behavior therapy, which is a very effective treatment for major depression.

I don't look to my primary care physician for help with my mental health meds, and I don't think he'd want that responsibility. I see a psychiatric nurse practitioner who's very good at his job and is a caring person.

We here at Mayo Connect only share the things that we've found helpful. We aren't medical professionals, so we don't tell each other what we should do or take. Are you being treated by a psychiatrist? If not, that's the person who could give you the answers you need. I'm 69, and on Medicare, so I don't have to get a referral from my doctor to see a specialist, such as a psychiatrist or neurologist or whoever is best trained to treat me. I just call and make an appointment on my own.

I hope that you'll find the conversations here useful. We know what long term depression and anxiety are like. We understand what you're going through and we're here to offer our support.

Jim

@rosa66
I wouldn't worry about the side effects.
It's not going to do any good to expect the worst. Be positive. If I worried about all the potential negative side effects of anticonvulsant drugs which I was on five different ones at a time which probably had a combined total of 1,000 side would probably have a placebo effect. if you start a new medication just think you’re not going to have any side effects. I took five different seizure medications at a time on several different occasions and the only side effects I ever had were speech and balance problems and neuropathy at least that I can think of now but hardly any side effects from all the hundreds of thousands of medication should I have taken. it’s not worth the effort it takes to worry about stuff like that. Besides the medication do you have a counselor, that would probably be a big help. you can control moral depression and anxiety than you probably think.
Take good care of yourself,
Jake

@rosa66
it sounds to me as though your concentrating on the negative. What about thinking about the positive? Isn't that possible? It sounds as though your fears are irrational. Regardless of our fears we have to face live and deal with whatever problems come along. I guess that may not be as easy as it sounds but even so it's not impossible. We have to be the one who actively tries to solve our problems. There are various techniques that your counselor should be helping with to do that. I don’t like or believe that we should become dependent on medicationdons although I am and have been for the last 55 years. but my Neurologist say they decrease my chances of having status seizures which are extremely serious and possibly life-threatening so here I am stuck on these stinking medicines for something that probably won’t even happen. I don’t really know how antidepressants work or exactly what their function is. Do they improve your depression and improve your anxiety?
Take care,
Jake

You are correct. Ruminating, researching, reading fb groups…..
I am trying not to be obssessed but my fear is strong….🤞

I am on 60mg of Cymbalta and 150mg Wellbutrin. After being on many different antidepressants in past 20 years, this is working for me now. Wellbutrin alone was too anxiety provoking for me but with Cymbalta it works.

Your words encourage me.
After 8 months of mental anguish off a bad Paxil taper, I have FINALLY decided to try cymbalta. Read too many horror stories :/ and am going to put in my mind that this is going to help. I’m weaning off Wellbutrin. Wondered if I could start cymbalta while I’m still in Wellbutrin….