[rainydayabsurdism]

Hello all.
I joined PC a few months ago, but have hardly come around to using it. The purpose was to try to get involved in a community somehow, but I've felt too depressed to move over the last month. I had a short spurt of creativity and just kept creating for weeks, but after a med change I started slowly moving back into not wanting to see anyone and unable to do much. I'm completely disabled by this illness. Over the last few years I have been adamant with meds, but I still haven't found my magic cocktail. I've just felt so weighed down, tired, and useless. I can't even enjoy anything anymore.

I know we're all unique and what meds work for some won't work for others, but does anyone feel like sharing their success stories? I'm just beginning to feel like this med journey is all for naught.

[SorryShaped]

I have meds and take them, but changes in me and my environment made the better of things.

[Merlin]

I have a success story. For many years, I was off and on meds and the meds I was taking would help for a short period of time before pooping out and then I would think, "what's the point of even taking meds?" This year I got really depressed while off my meds and contacted my pdoc in desperation, even willing to try ECT again. We decided to try a new med, while waiting for the ECT consult, and it's working wonders for me. We eventually needed to reintroduce a mood stabilizer, since it was an anti-depressant. I'm functioning now; I'm living in my condo again, rather than with my parents, and I'm going back to work tomorrow after being on sick leave for months. I have been unwell for years, perhaps over a decade, and I'm finally stable. Fingers crossed it will last. There is hope.

[SorryShaped]

Totally rocking

[Unrigged64072835]

I've been stable for 1 ½ years now on Latuda and Viibryd. Expensive as heck, but that's what the military pharmacy is for.

So it can be done, for the most part.

[rainydayabsurdism]

Originally Posted by Merlin

I have a success story. For many years, I was off and on meds and the meds I was taking would help for a short period of time before pooping out and then I would think, "what's the point of even taking meds?" This year I got really depressed while off my meds and contacted my pdoc in desperation, even willing to try ECT again. We decided to try a new med, while waiting for the ECT consult, and it's working wonders for me. We eventually needed to reintroduce a mood stabilizer, since it was an anti-depressant. I'm functioning now; I'm living in my condo again, rather than with my parents, and I'm going back to work tomorrow after being on sick leave for months. I have been unwell for years, perhaps over a decade, and I'm finally stable. Fingers crossed it will last. There is hope.

Thanks so much for sharing all of this, and congratulations on how far you have come! The mania is pretty much gone for me, but the damn depression will continually creep back up on me. I'm actually to the point of considering ECT.

[Merlin]

Originally Posted by rainydayabsurdism

Thanks so much for sharing all of this, and congratulations on how far you have come! The mania is pretty much gone for me, but the damn depression will continually creep back up on me. I'm actually to the point of considering ECT.

Thanks. I have had ECT in the past and it was helpful in getting me out of a bad depression. It then pushed me into a mixed episode, but they had taken me off of my mood stabilizers. ECT is pretty scary and I know some people have really bad side effects, but I only had minor memory loss. I would recommend it if meds and lifestyle changes aren’t enough.