[NowhereUSA]

I've had depression since i was young. Antidepressants don't work and my t says i'm a very good client and it's been hard on him over the years to see me work really hard and not get much out of it (i do dbt and i really love dbt i think it's saved my life on more than one occasion).

so he's really sure it's a bio problem and we've been struggling to figure out what could be the root. before i had my baby last year, i had a med that was working (off-label use) tho no one knew why. it didn't necessarily solve all my depression problems, but it fixed a chunk.

anywho, he had this idea and so i'm going today for some bloodtests with my reg. doc (i see my pdoc in a few weeks). hormone tests (i get my thyroid tested regularly but he suggested i ask about pth?). plus someone here gave me a suggestion to ask about.

the thing is, i've always come back super clean on blood tests my whole life. on paper i look like a really healthy person. i don't have any hope this will show anything but i figure it can't hurt and i'm due for my thyroid check anyway. still. i know it'll affect me if it comes back clean.



How do you deal with that kind of disappointment? I've got some dbt coping ahead skills but i feel too discouraged to try.

[Altered Moment]

I too have very treatment resistant very genetic/ biological depression. All the meds have not been so great and I have tried them all. Many years of therapy, 1000's of AA meetings, working the steps over and over, Alanon, meditation, you name it.......has to be deeply ingrained biologically.

However recently, in March, I decided to try the meds listed in my sig. Fetzima. It has worked like a miracle so far. So I would say keep on trying new things. Fetzima is an SSNRI and I have been on all the other SSNRI's but this one is working for some reason. There are a few other new ones out too.

[sph123]

As much as a biological/chemical issue is rooted in depression, my doctors have stressed to me how much CBT (and DBT) is critical for bringing me out of the dregs. As much as I would like to get a "bump" from medication, my therapists and pdocs (all of them over the years) have stressed that it's critical for me to lay down new ways of thinking.

I, too, come back with clean blood tests all the time and I recently refused to have a test to see what kinds of drugs I metabolize best based on the information I found on this forum. Many people have found that those tests come back with information that is not always that helpful, so don't be discouraged if you get back test results which does not tell you in big flashing letters "ah ha! This is the cause!" It won't be like that.

It sounds like you are anticipating that your blood work is going to going to come back with no information and that will be a set back. Try not to look at that way. No results is not an indication of negative results, it's just one more piece of information. So you tried bloodwork...okay, so at that point you can cut bait and move in a different direction.

If you have ever seen the TV show "House" you'll see that House never gets discouraged by lack of results, it means he hasn't found results to support his hypothesis.

I hope this helps, hang in there.

[NowhereUSA]

i think it's hard for me to feel optimistic when even those around me aren't. my pcp was more than willing to order tests (and threw in a couple more that we brainstormed) but she wasn't sure if i'd get more info.

we'll see what the pdoc says if there's a new med to try. i've been on so many! they look at their list and they've told me i've been on ones in every class (i've been on well over a dozen).

i work really hard at dbt and I'm pretty skillful. I'm "re-taking" dbt after five years just because i need the support right now. i agree that meds don't do much good if you don't restructure your thinking. dbt has been invaluable that way.

thanks. i'll try not to be pre-disappointed lol.

[glok]

Hello, NowhereUSA. Life is hard, as you well know. I wish you well in improving it.