[Msboot]

Hi!
I have major depression and have been on a variety of meds over the past 3 years since diagnosis. I'm wondering if it is typical for us as patients to have certain side effects which we are willing to tolerate and others which we are not and therefore we may resist taking those meds and want to try others. And if so, does this extend even to those meds which have been proven to help us in our ideation? You see, my doc is convinced that lithium (along with an antidepressant) is a matter of life or death for me but I hate the side effects of lithium and frankly, feel as though I'd rather die than deal with them. Does this make me crazy?

Thanks.

msboot

[Altered Moment]

No. Sometimes side effects are intolerable and sometimes you can live with them and sometimes they go away. A large part of the equation is how effective your current combo is. If it is totally working and you happy joyous and free it may be worth tolerating them. There are many other options besides lithium as an augmenter. Other augmenters are abilify and lamictal but there are many AD's you can try by themselves.

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[TheOriginalMe]

I think Zinco has it right about efficacy, another part of the equation is quality of life. My experience has been that pretty much every SSRI / SNRI I tried all caused bladder problems. Sure I could have worn protection or been catherterised but both options seemed intolerable and the problem itself had a massive negative impact on both my self esteem and quality of life. Eventually, my doc found a new ad, which doesn't have that effect, however it does give me creepy feelings in my legs (like insects under the skin) but I can live with that, its unpleasant but doesn't affect the quality of my life, I'll get used to it.

[Fuzzybear]

[regretful]

Originally Posted by Msboot

Hi!
I have major depression and have been on a variety of meds over the past 3 years since diagnosis. I'm wondering if it is typical for us as patients to have certain side effects which we are willing to tolerate and others which we are not and therefore we may resist taking those meds and want to try others. And if so, does this extend even to those meds which have been proven to help us in our ideation? You see, my doc is convinced that lithium (along with an antidepressant) is a matter of life or death for me but I hate the side effects of lithium and frankly, feel as though I'd rather die than deal with them. Does this make me crazy?

Thanks.

msboot

This doesn't make you crazy at all...I seem to experience very serious side-effects with everything that I'm taking. The last one, effexor, had me thinking such morbid thoughts (I was looking up all sorts of info on suicide), that I had to stop taking it. I've never been on lithium; I've seen the effects of lithium toxicity...being afraid of side-effects is not crazy at all...

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by Msboot

Hi!
I have major depression and have been on a variety of meds over the past 3 years since diagnosis. I'm wondering if it is typical for us as patients to have certain side effects which we are willing to tolerate and others which we are not and therefore we may resist taking those meds and want to try others. And if so, does this extend even to those meds which have been proven to help us in our ideation? You see, my doc is convinced that lithium (along with an antidepressant) is a matter of life or death for me but I hate the side effects of lithium and frankly, feel as though I'd rather die than deal with them. Does this make me crazy?

Thanks.

msboot

For me I never read the side effects because then I cause them! You're doc is right, an AD with Lithium is great for MDD and bipolar! Btw, research now shows that SNRIs don't poop out hardly at all and SSRIs poop out rather quickly! My ADs I love are Fetzima, Aplenzin and Nefazodone...good luck!!