Long Term Depression Worsening

What is masking?

@shmerdloff Oh, masking is pretending everything is fine and not letting anyone know just how bad things are. You put on a mask of being happy and healthy. I know the old phrase fake it till you make it but that hasn't worked for me. I am not masking with my wife and I have a promise to both my daughters that we don't even use white lies. If they ask, they get an answer. That arose from a meal my eldest cooked several years ago and I tried to be polite about the vampire-killing level of garlic in my bloodstream after the meal. As a side note, she is a wonderful chef and tried something different with garlic scapes.
So, talked about the Genesight test yesterday with my doctor. Fun thing, pretty much everything I have tried has been either in the red or yellow categories. Red meaning won't work/makes you sick or worse. Yellow meaning might help/might not but also might have issues. Prozac falls in the yellow for me and was the only med I have tried in 40 years that did much of anything. The med that is in the green is Cymbalta. Since that was created in 2004, I have no idea why I have never had a doctor put me on it before. Doctor also wants me to try Vyvanse for the fatigue, brain fog, and mental struggles I have been having. I had tried Adderal a few years ago and had no improvement with the brain fog or fatigue. Honestly, didn't feel much of anything with it. Getting off of the Vilazodone did help with simple math skills returning but I tried to wire a new electrical outlet completely wrong over the weekend so hoping the Vyvanse will help some. At the very least, I did remember to flip the circuit breaker so not completely an idiot. And, yes, if people want a funny story, I will share just what I tried to do. 😮
Today I started the Vyvanse at 7:00 am and will be starting a journal about the meds again. Thursday I start the Cymbalta. Doctor wanted two days between starting because of how poorly I react to some meds and she wanted to know which one messed me up. I had hoped to have a few weeks on the new meds before the trip to see if that would help me enjoy the time more.

Will keep people posted on how the Genesight test really works for finding a med that helps. If that helps with finding a needle in the haystack for all of us, it could be a game changer in avoiding the absolute crap shoot we have been doing.

I find that lithium works for me to help augment the effects of IV ketamine. However i have bipolar so take that with a grain of salt.

Have you tried Auvelity? Personally it was a terrible drug for me, but it’s supposed to have “ketamine-like” mechanism of action, and I know it really helps some people. I thought I’d love it because I also take bupropion, but like most everything in psychiatry, you throw things at the beast and see what sticks.

Good luck to you and sorry you are suffering, I wish you the best.

Thanks @ashleyharris728. I did try Wellbutrin years ago with no memorable effects. Mixing it with dextromethorphan is interesting and I do love how some of the medications come about. Sounds like someone got a cold while taking Wellbutrin and felt substantially better while taking the cough medicine.
Lithium only messed up my kidneys and didn't help much probably because I was misdiagnosed as bipolar by that doctor.
I have to say I have been on Vyvanse for 3 hours now and the brain fog is better. I may owe my doctor an apology on that one. Will see how the day progresses.
I am really wondering about Genesight and if I get two meds that work based on that test, maybe the decades of "throwing things at the beast" and hoping for the best are over.

@ashleyharris728
Throw things at the beast and see what sticks. And they call it science.

I am going to have the GeneSight (or a similar test) swab done in August.

My Psych NP was reluctant to do it. Not sure why. Maybe there are lots of hoops or red tape a prescriber needs to go through with the company...

Anyway, I found another practice about 45 minutes away from me that does the test, so I made a couple of appointments. Hopefully I will find out what meds I best metabolize soon.

I am feeling so stuck in my depression right now and my current Psych NP is trying to get my insomnia taken care of first. Which I get, it is not a good idea to change many meds at the same time, but I am so tired of feeling flat/nothing, having no motivation, and insomnia issues.

How long did it take to get your GeneSight results?

@mglayton72 I got my results back within a week and the doctor put me on Vyvanse and Cymbalta, two drugs that I never tried. All of the ones I have been on were at best yellow and generally red. Vyvanse and Cymbalta are green. I started Vyvanse two days before Cymbalta and the brain fog and fatigue were gone the first day. Wore off that evening and the next morning was rough. Was better again after taking it. Two days later, started the Cymbalta. Took a few more days but mornings aren't bad at all. I am feeling so much better and no side affects so far. It has been over a week now, my energy levels are great, my brain fog is pretty much gone, and the depression is much, much better. I have also been sleeping better since I started the Vyvanse.
The only issue so far is my poor wife is now dealing with the return of my sense of humor.
As it stands now, I cannot recommend Genesight any higher. The first two meds we tried from the green list have really helped. Considering the number of meds I have tried over the decades, I don't feel this is just luck but I guess it could be. Still, worth a shot.

I am new to this chat, my question is, you have been depressed since 16, what was the cause for the depression?

I take medications for diabetes type 2 and breast cancer treatment. My cancer med causes loss of libido, menopause daily. I have experienced depression, anxiety and adhd my entire life however never took medication for the former two and 3 yrs for adhd before I stopped.
I work, live alone without any support, no spouse, no kids. I lean on myself. Next week I turn 51. 🙂

With the help of a therapist, I started doing 2 alt things - first, bought an Alpha Stim that helps with anxiety, insomnia and even depression. And recently started Neurofeedback sessions. Between the two, with no meds, my sub conscious is finally present. Like someone gave me a new rubber band that keep my mind from swinging between past or future thoughts.

I don’t know your situation, everything you have done, failed and trying again but I fight every day not to take any new medications, and live my life to the fullest. I also listen to my body a lot more now.

@malebreastcancer47 Well, the cause depends on who I ask. I did lose my grandfather, my coach, and a good friend in the same year. I also took a bad fall during a wrestling match and had a severe concussion. The answer that seems to fit best and why it has never improved is that my brain just doesn't produce the right about of neuro transmitters. I wasn't on meds until my late twenties - I was able to handle things with therapy and will power. Have tried quite a bit of things over the years, ECT, a lot of medications, CBT, and a few other things. The most recent was TMS. What had been working well until this last year was IV ketamine every three months. No other meds while that was working. That stopped working as well and I developed some other issues.
I'm glad to hear the Alpha Stim is working for you along with the neurofeedback!

I hear you' my husband & I took our 7yr old son to see a psychologist. We thought he had a mental problem which was holding him back. Example-finishing simple tasks etc...we all took a test. Husband Fine, Son Alex Fine, Myself not Fine. I was a ginny pig 15 hrs. I now have the right Doctor & meds, & feel good!Happy!. Wishing u the best.
[KEEP ON TRUCKING👍