Treatment resistant Depression

[neuroangel]

Hi everyone,

I've been on EDKM (every drug known to man) and have had mild to no results. Lexapro, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, Effexor, Zoloft, Lithium, Depakote, Topomax, Zyprexa and on and on....

I recently got bumped up to 450 mg of Wellbutrin and started on 12.5 mg of Lamictal. Has anyone here been on lamictal? The side effects really scare me. 10% of people who take lamictal end up getting a potentially life threatening rash which can permantly injure and/or disfigure. Some have had multiorgan failure, sudden unexplained death, seizures, etc. There is a box warning on this drug.

This med is for mood swings, but more so for depressive moods. It's my last hope. I hope it's worth it. I don't know what will become of me if this one fails too.

Cyndi

[Andrew]

I'm on 250mgs of Lamictal, with no side effects. You SHOULD keep an eye out for the rash, but I've had nothing but good experiences with it.

[exeter]

This is not a joke... have you tried ECT (electro convulsive therapy aka electroshock)? It's been shown to work in 90% or so of cases of treatment-resistant depression. You might also consider TCMT (transcranial magnetic therapy). Basically, they use magnets to induce a small seizure in your brain similar to the way ECT works. I believe it's also very effective.

I'd at least mention it to your doc. ECT requires anasthesia, so it's probably not an in-office procedure, but you could have it done on an outpatient basis at the local hospital. It is extremely safe, with the only known side effect being transient short-term memory loss.

[neuroangel]

I had actually considered ECT at one point; then I met a few people who had gone through that treatment...it's not as safe as you might think, even now. I also considered the magnetic one. They are doing a study about an hour from me, I called for info. The only thing is, it's 5 days a week. Between school and work, it would be really difficult to fit in and with gas prices....omg.

Well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed with the lamictal. Thanks for sharing Andrew and exeter.

Cyndi

[Gregster]

Have you tried any of the older style, tricyclic anti-depressants? They sometimes work - as well as MAOI's - but you have to be so careful when you take those - other drugs or even foods can react with MAOI's - but if one will help with otherwise resistant depression - I would try them. There's still other drugs you could try - there has got to be at least ONE drug that will give you some help! I'm a big fan of Remeron myself - ever tried it?

[neuroangel]

Remeron put about 40 lbs on me and didn't do a whole lot for the depression. Tried Elavil. Never had any MAOI's. I've been on all of the following meds (I am listing all of them, not just anti-depressants):

lexapro
celexa
wellbutrin
wellbutrin xl
zoloft
cymbalta
effexor
remeron
trazadone
elavil
lithium
lithobid
depakote
neurontin
topomax
zyprexa
geodone
risperdal
thorazine
loxapine (which I had an allergic reaction to and almost died)
ativan
buspar
klonopin
clonodine
visteril
ritalin
ritalin LA
focalin
focalin XR
adderall XR
concerta
strattera
lamictal (just started)

I know I am missing a few...I counted more than that last time I wrote down all of the meds I've been on. I've been mismedicated, overmedicated, medicated to the point where I wet myself at night, medicated into a stupor, medicated into having convulsions and syncope....sometimes I want to give up. I've gone through h*** and back on these pills...horrible side effects on top of depression.

I think it's my personality. I just have a melancholic personality. That would explain the depression since I was about 5 (as far back as I can remember) and why meds don't seem to work. I'm also in talk therapy.

Cyndi

[neuroangel]

My therapist suggested looking into vagus nerve stimulation. It's a little like ECT, except it's an implant that sends pulse to the vagus nerve for 30 seconds every five minutes. It doesn't have the memory loss side effect that's associated with ECT. Any thoughts?

Cyndi

[AbbyNormal]

Cyndi,

I participated in that TMS study. I had to drop out after phase two because it had zero positive effect for me, and I had become dangerously depressed from having gone off my meds (a study requirement). I was so disappointed because I'd had high hopes for a good result.

IMHO, TMS and VNS might be a little too new for the average guy to plunk down a big chunk of change in hope of getting relief (unless someone is really desperate, in which case I'd say, what the heck. . ).

I think in time that they will get these new treatments dialed in and they very well could become the gold standard in depression treatment. Right now,though, I get the impression that they are still tweaking with the technology to get it right.

-- Abby

[neuroangel]

I agree...they have a long way to go with the technology. They have a long way to go with medication too. I wonder if it isn't so much the misfiring of neurotransmitters in certain parts of the brain (i.e. amygdala, thalamas etc.) but maybe the fornix. The bundle of nerves which is last thing that interprets inner thoughts/process and integrates them with outer process. You know? I haven't seen studies on that yet. I'm off-topic. Sorry.

I'm on my third week of lamictal as of tomorrow. So far, no noticable change. Mild side effects, mostly cognitive. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Cyndi