Medication Experience Question

[LittleHugger]

Hi guys...

I was diagnosed with PTSD, but my family doctor insisted that I was also depressed, and needed treatment for depression, via anti-depressants.

The symptoms she said I had of depression were:
-memory and concentration problems
-sleep disturbances (sleep study confirmed 4 different sleep disorders)
-constant fatigue
-loss of appetite
-no longer take part in activities/hobbies once enjoyed
-complete social withdrawal
-felt like I was in a fog

I pointed out that these same symptoms are part of PTSD, and that I didn't feel depressed. I explained that any low mood and sadness I felt was BECAUSE I HAD TO DEAL WITH THESE SYMPTOMS for so damned long, and was losing hope of ever getting any relief from this.

Still, she insisted she was trying to help with those symptoms and gave me anti-depressants.

I was given Celexa, no affect at low doses, and only negative side effects (headaches mostly)when raised. Tried the low dose for 18 months. Stopped as ineffective.

I was given Cymbalta next for almost 2 years. Same story. No effect.

Next they tried Remeron( a noradrenergic), for sleep and depression. I was on it for 3 weeks. I slept better, but was wired for sound when awake! I now know what MANIA feels like!! It's like hell in your head I tell ya!

QUESTION:
-Did anyone else find that anti-depressants were ineffective or made the situation worse?

I was also given pramipexole (a dopamine agonist) for restless leg syndrome, and once the dose was titrated to an effective dose I started experiencing mis perceptions. (the trees got big, like way toooo big, and it felt like I was looking down from the roof of the house when I was only standing on the ground).

QUESTION?
Was anybody with PTSD given a dopamine agonist and had a bad experience?

Finally, my family doctor referred me to a psychiatrist for "optimization of medication" for depression and sleep. He saw me for 3 minutes and said, "so you can't sleep, eh? This WILL make you sleep!" I explained that I had a couple bad reactions to meds in the past 6 months, since he did not have that information, and he said, "Well this is gonna stop the dopamine altogether." He handed me the script, I saw ZYPREXA 5mg, on it and started to cry immediately and broke out into a massive sweat. (Zyprexa was the drug given to my husband, and he committed suicide.) I was both terrified and dismayed...

After 2 days of self-regulating, reading, and careful consideration...I tried it, but at only half the dose. I slept well, and within a couple of days found that my intrusive thoughts and hyper-arousal decreased significantly. My functioning during the day improved as well because I was getting 3rd and 4th stage sleep.

QUESTION:
Has anyone diagnosed with PTSD found that a dopamine blocker worked on some symptoms, whereas anti-depressants did not?

I have since weened off the zyprexa(only on it 3 weeks), because I am just too afraid of the side effects, AND most importantly I was able to finally find a physician/psychotherapist who specializes in treating trauma victims and PTSD, and I would rather try to work through this and be free of meds (if possible).

QUESTION:
Adding dopamine and serotonin made my symptoms worse...and cutting these OFF made things better. Has anyone had experience with adding serotonin and dopamine vs blocking them, the way I have, and what has been your experience?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Sorry if this gets long! I'm going to try to address as much of your post as possible.

Yes, antidepressants can make PTSD worse. Yes, you MAY have depression, but that doesn't mean that "fixing" your seratonin is going to help. Why? Well, is your anxiety causing your depression or is your depression causing your anxiety? There's a BIG difference! For me, my anxiety causes my depression. Therefore, attacking the seratonin issue is worthless, even harmful. Yes, I went hypo-manic on Remeron the first go round. The second go round, I didn't sleep for a month. One psychologist told me that while these drugs make seratonin imbalanced people feel "normal", it makes those of us whose seratonin levels are normal, manic! Makes sense to me, but there are a lot of idiotic doctors out there who think that all depression is linked to seratonin imbalances. Long story short, it's complicated. Seeing a psychiatrist may help, but even the more decent trauma ones may still try to force antidepressants on you.

Antipsychotics, such as zyprexa, can be helpful. I took Geodon and it turned my life around. I was on it for a year and a half before it gave me muscle issues. I've been off it for a year and a half and still have muscle issues. I tell everyone to stay far away from these drugs as there is suspicion that the atypicals aren't that different than the typicals (remember l-dopa?!? Scary stuff!!) however, if you NEED them for stabilization, then by all means try them until you're stabilized. These are heavy duty drugs that are now handed out for garden variety depression when they were designed for schizophrenics and biplolars who have psychosis. IMHO the dangers are very real. And in your case, well...let's just say I understand your fears as they are quite well founded.

 

[LittleHugger]

Thank you! Very, very much.

xoxox

 

[Gamereign555]

I have also noticed that panic levels of anxiety cause my depression, and that lack of sleep raises my anxiety. Get on a good sleep schedule and that might help with your depression.