Balancing The Need For Benzos and Antidepressants To Cover Anxiety

I noticed another fellow talked about being on 3 mg on klonopin for 15 years. For me, it’s been about .5 to .75 mg per day for 14 months but I have still been unsuccessful coming off of it. Do you recommend using acupucture and meditation during a slow taper? I also take 60 mg. . . . → Read More: Balancing The Need For Benzos and Antidepressants To Cover Anxiety

Treatment Resistant Depression–Under Recognized and Under Treated

As a psychiatrist . . . as an empathic person . . . it is very difficult to hear stories like the one listed below:

My heart is broke and i Feel I will never leave this deep black dark hole that I cant escape… Im tearing up heavily as I write this message… Ive . . . → Read More: Treatment Resistant Depression–Under Recognized and Under Treated

Why Don't I Get Better When All I Do Is Medicine?

I am not bipolar but am on 200 mg of Lamictal and 50 mg of Zoloft. I have tried many meds and I never feel good. I have read alot and done alot of research. I have found that there is no proof of chemical imbalances or that these meds work better than a placebo. . . . → Read More: Why Don't I Get Better When All I Do Is Medicine?

Driving Miss Daisy . . . aka watch what your doin' with them meds!

So . . . I got in my car the other day and, much like every other day, put on my blindfold and sped off to work . . .

“WHAT?????” you might be rightfully saying . . . “put on your blindfold and started driving?????” . . . “you CRAZY!!!”

Well, of COURSE . . . → Read More: Driving Miss Daisy . . . aka watch what your doin' with them meds!

Hard on the Liver??? . . . Good for the mood???

My mother has cirrhosis of the liver and also severe depression. She is 70 yrs. old What would be the safest med for her to take??? She seems to be unable to live and manage her issues due to depression.

In general, depression in the elderly can be very difficult to treat. As with . . . → Read More: Hard on the Liver??? . . . Good for the mood???

Approaching the (possibly) Unapproachable Doctor

I am a 33 year old female diagnosed with major depression 7 years ago and ADD about 5 years ago. I’ve been on several Tricyclics, SSRIs, Cymbalta, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Tegretol, Abilify, Provigil, Klonapin, Synthoid(for slight underactive thyroid possibly contributing to depression),Yaz (for possible PMDD contributing to depression), and Concerta, plus more (many of these I’ve . . . → Read More: Approaching the (possibly) Unapproachable Doctor

Depression Not Getting Better, But Not Out Of Options

Over the past 2.5 years I have been on and off 7 different antidepressants (5 SSRIs, one SNRI) but my doctor has not been satisfied that the benefits outweigh the risks/side effects. He says he is out of drug options and is looking to my psychologist to help me. For about the past year and . . . → Read More: Depression Not Getting Better, But Not Out Of Options

Stop Whining About Your Wife and Start Getting Your Life Back

I’m depressed and I’ve had to work really hard at even getting my wife to acknowledge my condition. It has got better but yesterday we went to visit my aunty and uncle in the country. he has had long-term depression like me and it just amazed me how open they were in their house about . . . → Read More: Stop Whining About Your Wife and Start Getting Your Life Back

Measuring Success . . . "I think I'm a 5"

“So, Mrs. Kapsmanjacketter, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most depressed you have ever been, how have you been feeling since our last visit . . . ”

And so, yet another rapid fire med check begins in the land of managed care. How many times have you, my devoted . . . → Read More: Measuring Success . . . "I think I'm a 5"

Worked The First Time . . . Why Not The Second?

“Confused” writes in with a question . . .

In the past I have been prescribed Klonopin 1mg 3x a day. This worked well for me until I built a tolerance. Several years have passed, I never experienced addiction or withdralls. I have been prescibed this medicine again for panic attacks, anxiety & being social . . . → Read More: Worked The First Time . . . Why Not The Second?