Med Success Story?

I would like to report a successful med story. Tentative though because it has only been two months on the new meds.

I was on Effexor and Abilify for at least a year. Were not working at all. I was in one of my much longer term now fairly deep depressions. I have very refractory or treatment resistant depression. To meds and therapy. I have cycled in and out for many years. Some meds have worked better than others some not at all. I have been on almost everyone and every combination and it has never stopped the cycles. Over all I think they have helped or I would have given up on them along time ago. When in a very deep depression I don't ever remember meds pulling me out. Maybe they have at times. Usually it just has to run its course and I snap out of it.

Two months ago I ditched abilify cold turkey and went on lamictal. The plan was to also ditch the Effexor and switch to Fetzima but we wanted to wait a month to see how the Lamictal did. With the Lamictal I noticed a big improvement in mood after about two weeks. Still had all the other symptoms, no motivation, no energy, no showering, won't leave the house. We know the drill. Same after a month on Lamictal, just better mood over all.

So we ditched the Effexor and went on Fetzima. After two weeks I started noticing a huge difference. It was getting me kind of manic sometimes and I would be very calm at other times. It has been a month on it and this last week I have felt wired a lot. I have gotten very weepy at times and cry real easy. Over all I have slowly seen a huge improvement in all those symptoms I listed above. I am not totally out of the woods yet but right on the edge.

Now I always get a little manic for awhile when I come out of a depression and I could be that it has just run its course again and I am snapping out of it like usually happens with me and it has nothing to do with meds. But I know that is not the case. I know my body and mind well after all these years and I can totally tell it is the meds. From the side effects which I am having some but nothing real bad and the fact that I am getting real wired and different effects I cannot explain. But I can totally tell it is different from the other times and it is the meds.

I am a little worried it might trigger a manic episode, this Fetzima is very activating (it is the nor epinephrine), but I think it will balance out and I will be back to my normal self again. Thank God. My normal self is mild to moderately depressed but maybe it will even keep that at bay. I fully suspect that next Nov. I will cycle back into one but who knows maybe not.

So I still say tentative. We will see. My hopes are very high based on what I am seeing.

Now I still have this theory that people who are doing very well on meds long term don't come to these boards and tell us about it and we don't hear a lot of success stories. It gets depressing reading the depression section.

I would like those of us on these boards who read this to post in this thread if they have had success stories with meds. Thank you in advance.

Hello Zinco...I have a success story from a while back. Late 2010 I knew I was depressed, but fought against medication. But with a lot of urging from family and friends (esp a friend who also happens to be a psychiatrist) I decided to pursue medication. I reluctantly went to my primary MD and told him about my depression and how long it had been going on.

At that appointment, I was prescribed lexapro, 10 mg daily. Like your experience with fetzima, I was feeling better in about 2 weeks. At the six week follow up, I was able to tell the doc that I was really feeling exactly like myself again. Sure, like with all meds, there were some side effects, most notably weight gain (friends that I hadn't seen for a year described me as "fat and happy" when on lexapro), but the improvement in my mood was notable.

I stayed on lexapro for about six months and was able to wean off of it without any complication. To me, that is a success story.

Next, Cymbalta worked well. I went back on medication due to some marital difficulties that exacerbated my depression. I stayed on that for a year, and it worked well. It was when I was on Cymbalta that I found this site, and have corresponded with many who have helped me along the way.

Presently, after three other meds, I am on effexor, and it is delivering as described. My depression is lifting, and this site is helping me stay on track.

Thanks for encouraging the success stories.

That's awesome. I am glad the Effexor has finally started working. I know you have really been struggling. Sounds like you respond well to meds. This site has helped me hugely too.

Been on Cymbalta now for a couple of weeks. My mood has stabilised but I am still very afraid of another failure and that in itself is holding me back. But there is a glimmer of daylight in my head that hasn't been there for a while. So fingers crossed Cymbalta will be the drug for me.

Where I am I have no access to insurance or meds... The great thing about a third world country is that you can get meds without a prescription. Not here though. Lexapro stopped working for me on the second round, so I stopped and I'm pretty much white knuckling it atm. I'm glad that you found the right combo of meds and doctors to pull you through.

I love reading success stories. It makes all the difference being on the right med combo. I'm doing better now that I've started latuda. It kinda numbs me out so I cut it in half and it seems better. Lamictal works excellent for me too. I'm on a few meds for a few diagnosis but depression is my number one issue.

I've never heard of fetzima. So it helps you with depression? I wonder if it's something I should try...I'm so glad yr doing so good!

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I am glad to hear you are doing better. Fetzima is fairly new. It is an SSNRI. Activating for me so far, which is better than depression and not so bad I can't handle it. I got two months worth of samples. I don't know how much it costs yet and how I am going to manage that. I am hoping the company has a program.

Ya check out the pharmaceutical company cause usually you can get it free when you are on a limited income. That's how I'm getting latuda. Definitely check it out. :-)

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venlafaxine has probably got me as close as I've ever been to recovery. All the 'positive' symptoms of depression and anxiety have reduced a lot (panic attacks, eating problems, self harm, suicide urges, crying, sleeplessness, body aches and pains...), but the 'negative' ones, (i.e: complete lack of desire to do anything, total anhedonia, seeing no point in existence) are sticking around after 3 months. I guess that aspect must be something I have to fight myself.

Paxil 60 mgs, has been helping me.

For me it is taking a cocktail of meds daily. It has been a 5 year long battle to find some that work for me. I can finally say that after five years I have finally achieved a life I feel is worth living. It's been about 3 months now and this is my cocktail
Prozac-60mg
Dexedrine-40mg
Nuvigil-250mg
Remron-30 mg
Latuda-80mg
Suboxone-4mg
It's been a very tough road but I finally feel it was worth the fight. 45 med trials later
and this is where I am and managing well now-Thank God.
If you notice, I am on two amphetamines which are so crucial for me. If I am without them, I can't even leave my house. They were my saving grace to allow me to go back to work full time. I find them to be a wonderful antidepressant, but it can be tough to find a Dr. that isn't afraid to use them like this. I am lucky-mine swears by them for me.
I also find that a med I am taking for an opiate addiction-suboxone-has also prooved to have antidepressant qualities. When I had started a taper off it I really tanked so my Dr. stopped that process immediatly and all was well again.

Eventually, I would love to say I can whittle this drug list down. I am sure it is hard on the body. But for now, this is what I require and I am so very much grateful to not be living in the hell that I was before.

I don't think Nuvigil is an amphetamine. I was always against amphetamines for depression but the more I read in here is seems to be really helpful if taken appropriately. I was not against it because it doesn't work. I can totally see how it works. It was just the dangers of it.