I'm in the same short-acting boat. I won't take anything that needs a month to build up in my system and a month to wean off of. I've had too many hard times on meds that the only way out is through, and hours lasting lifetimes to risk months of that.
Brief "labeling" spiel: hmmm... Quotes may be around the wrong word. Anyhow!
Don't worry what a med is labeled for. The way developing meds work is that companies spend tens (or hundreds) of millions developing a new drug. Years, even decades of R&D. And bam! They have a rockstar antidepressant! But they already have a best selling antidepressant. What do they do? Do they compete with themselves? Nope! They get it labeled for a different use. Even if it's a mediocre antianxiety or antipsychotic, or even a bad mood stabilizer... If they don't have a mood stabilizer? (Or anti anxiety, etc.). That's what they get it labeled under!! :rolleyes:
Labeling costs millions. While it might make common sense to label a med for its best function, that's just not the way it's done. Instead, as a med is put on the market (aka last phase of human trials = first 20 years of use by public) word starts to carry that this totally crappy mood stabilizer is a fantastic antidepressant! And it starts being used "off-label". While once in a blue moon a medication may be so profitable (Viagra) off-label that it's worth spending millions and years getting a different label for it, off-label is the common practice. Hundreds of meds are used off-label. Once in a blue moon really does have to be Viagra worthy. :eek: So phenomenally profitable that it's worth it.
((It's one of the reasons I prefer to have a "team" when I'm on meds... psychologist for counseling, psychiatrist only for med management: 15min appointments once a month who spends most of the 40hrs a week not with patients, but reading and keeping up on alerts and studies. Literally hundreds of med alerts come out every week. Conferences and seminars even month. Peer review journals. Word of mouth about Strattera for anorexia in addition to ADHD (or whatever else off-label is going on). Ridiculous amounts of reading. It's impossible to keep up on everything if your practice is patient based))
So as you're looking for something to help with depression, don't get hung up on names. "Blood pressure" meds used off label for nightmares (or perky private parts) or anger management, "ADHD" meds for anorexia, uppers for downers, downers for uppers... It's all a big cluster. There are a lot of short acting meds out there. If it's something you might be interested in... Do either talk with your doc or look into finding a good team.
