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Please let us know when you expect Dr. Schwartz to be back with us.
Thanks!
Warrior GalView Thread

WarriorGalView Thread

Whenever one is dealing with healthcare, there are a number of things that need to be taken into consideration. I always approach things holistically, which would incorporate anything from "the word on the street" to my intuition, to the findings of a prominent university researcher. So just take the naysayers with a grain of salt. Their views are worth considering, but may not ultimately play into the decision one makes.
But yes, there is bias, personal experience, ignorance, hearsay and what-not on the matter.
Have you delved into the possible causes of your depression (I imagine you have)? If I'm not mistaken, I believe most depressions are caused by circumstances versus organic (biological) causes...
Sincerely,
WarriorGalView Thread

Well, I haven't as yet made a full recovery from depression (and may not), so it would make sense to stay on some kind of an anti-depressant That leaves the twin "evil" of anxiety to deal with.
I haven't "workshopped" my anxiety enough to determine the cause(s) and duration, but it seems as if I could use some help in this area. So, the million dollar question is, should I just add to my current med, or start from scratch?
Since I'm already on something that is reasonably effective for my depression, it appears as if the answer is obvious: just add an anti-anxiety remedy to it.
There are those who justifiably caution against adding layers of medication, especially to treat the side effects of another. But I may be in a good position: I'm only taking 20 mg. of Citalopram, and I believe a mild anti-anxiety drug would help. Overall, I'd only be taking a little medicine to help with all of the distress I've experienced over the years, which isn't bad, all things considered! Some people need much more.
So I think, in the end, you're right. The two drugs could work as a team to help what ails me, so I may not need to start from scratch...
Thanks,
WarriorGalView Thread

What would a doctor have done differently? Unless the weaning process is more extended for those who've been on meds for a long time, I can't imagine why I experienced the reaction I did, except to say that it may represent a permanent, collateral consequence of going off of it.
Perhaps I should take this to Dr. Schwartz...View Thread


I realize our in-house expert discourages this kind of experimentation, but I felt confident the results would be good. And to some extent, they were.
Over a period of two months, I lowered my original dose (half a pill, then half of a half, etc.) until I was on nothing at all. I started experiencing some discomfort (agitation, emotionality) when consuming just 10 mg. This was somewhat tolerable until I took nothing at all.
What I noticed, at this point, was interesting. I was mostly okay, but had severe, intermittent bouts of anger and agitation. I can honestly say that I did NOT experience these episodes, even when my depression was at its worst. So while it may be best to stay on the medication for a full recovery, I'm wondering, much to my consternation, if this is one of the permanent consequences of being on a psychotropic drug long-term. After all, I've been on some kind of anti-depressant for twenty years.
Did I not wean myself properly off the medication? Or will I be forced to take something for the rest of my life because the change in my brain chemistry wrought by my med can't be reversed? What can I do about this?
I would really appreciate some feedback on this.
Sincerely,
WarriorGalView Thread

I have this issue. I am taking Citalopram (20 mg.) for depression, but neither this nor several other anti-depressants I've taken have really "touched" the co-morbid anxiety problem.
Thus, I'm wondering...should I add an anti-anxiety remedy to address this, or switch medications altogether to something that may help both? I'm reluctant to do the latter, since I don't want to ride a medication merry-go-round.
Or, as my depression has significantly improved, should I just drop the Citalopram in favor of an anti-anxiety drug?
Thanks,
WarriorGalView Thread

Part of your despair, I believe, comes from thinking you are alone in your experiences. I can assure you that you are not.
When I switched psychiatrists in search of better treatment, I became attached to my new one. He is a very handsome guy, as well as kind and "playful", too (likes to joke around), so this didn't help!
For a while, I was very jealous of his wife and angry about her good fortune. I felt despair, too, as here I was ill, and the object of my affections already committed to someone else. My life seemed like nothing more than one slap in the face after another.
In retrospect, I realized that my outlook was brought upon by my mental state at the time. I was very depressed, and saw my doctor as a kind of savior. Thus, an attachment was born. Once I was successfully treated, I regained some of my confidence and perspective, and was able to let go. Happily, I still see him for ongoing treatment, but without the burden of this kind of distraction. What's more, he never knew!
So it IS possible to continue consulting with a likable clinician, if you feel you can ride the tide until your depression improves.
Hope this helps,
WarriorGalView Thread

Although it is commonly known that anti-depressants can have many different types of side effects, both documented and undocumented, I'm wondering if you can speak to mental obsessions as one possible side effect.
Recently, I was distraught over being rejected by the opposite sex, but have worked very hard to overcome my sadness and anger. I know there are different stages of grief, and that there is no certain timetable for recovery. Nevertheless, I became concerned about myself when I noticed that I grew terribly obsessed about the man who rejected me.
It's been terribly difficult trying to keep my mind off of him. It's so automatic, where my thoughts naturally gravitate to him unless I make a herculean effort to stop myself. I don't think it's healthy for me to continue thinking about him.
As you may have guessed, I am taking an anti-depressant (Celexa; 40 mg./day). Could my medicine have something to do with this? Should I just ride out the obsession, or what? My jealousy over his new girlfriend is nothing like I've ever experienced. But I also have quite the imagination, which can go against me.
I would also welcome feedback from others in the community.
Thanks.
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