[rkruz]

Hello:

I have taken a weight loss medication called Tenuate.
For me it also causes a marked improvement in my mental outlook and ability to interact and socialize with other people. Its a state of mind
I would like to maintain for the sake of my families happieness too.
(I have always been shy and have become increasingly withdrawn and often depressed as I have aged with my ability to interact comfortably with other people has diminished).

I talked to my doctor about this and he gave me a sample of Wellbutrin. It
really had no effect on me at all.
Later he gave me a sample of Provigil (Modafinil) which I am trying now. It
seems to have a minor effect but Ive only just taken it 1 day. Im a bit
worried that the doctor is just experimenting wide of the mark. The
Provigil is for a sleep disorder....not for depression.

What drug family is used to treat mental heath issues that provide the
improved state of mind I get when I take Tenuate? I would like to suggest
to the doctor a drug or several drugs that may have the same chemical
mechanism as Tenuate to improve my mood and outgoingness.

Tenuate opened a door for me by improving my outlook and the way people view
me. Its important for me to find an appropriate treatment that I can
continue indefinately.

Any thoughts or direction to lead me in this discovery and potentially guide
my doctor too?

Thank you in advance for any thoughts or help!

[darkeyes]

Tenuate is used for weight reduction, I had it many years ago from a "diet doctor", it is a stimulant, I am almost sure. I think this is why I had better mental concentration, weight wise it peters out, and then in my case the doc said to stay off of them.
You may want to ask CamW at our drug question forum, he would be the best to ask.
You can also read up through the internet,just don't take all the varying info to heart, it is best to ask your doc or pharmacist.
Stimulants can help in the areas you found improvment, I found when I was taking phenterimine I felt great, had motivation, mental acuity, weight loss was fine, but I liked the improved concentration, that I have never had in my life, this helped former T and pdoc realize that I was ADD, through different written tests, besides Bipolar-II (mild) the sad part they urged me to stop using stimulants fearing it may trigger a manic episode being that they DXed me as Bipolar also, they did say the thing is to treat the Bipolar and then go onto treating the ADD, my present pdoc (cause we had to relocate) just seems stuborn to give treating the ADD a try (if he doesn't work with me with that issue I will have to find a pdoc that will) but getting back to your improved feeling on the weight loss pills, I know from experience you can get hooked, and then fall into a deep depression and suffer from extreme fatigue so I would advise you discuss this with your doc to avoid any unpleasant reactions, it can really suck.
I am wishing you the best, I know this can be frustrating, and you know when I was taking weight loss meds I too, was able to socialize in the 3d world, so much better than ever, and did excellent in college too
Too bad the things that make us feel good, perform well, etc. are said to be dangerous, makes me ponder that.
I just wanted to add that I was later put on antidepressants in the SSRI category, plus wellbutrin, the one over a few years that worked for my depression was Celexa, but it petered out after 2 years and then my pdoc changed my mood stabilizer and that certain mood stabilizer I am on has helped address the depressive side of Bipolar-II, though it isn't an anti-depressant, but it has helped in that area while preventing any hypomanic episodes
Like we all say, all meds work differently for each individual, so it is almost like "one size does Not fit all", ha!ha!
Best Wishes [small]
Please take care,
DE

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON
<div class="foot">(Edited by darkeyes on 09/03/04 06:13 PM.)</div>

[dexter]

Hi rkruz and welcome to the forums.

Any of the antidepressant drugs may be capable of giving you a better state of mind without making you feel artificially elevated. Be aware though that ALL of the medications in this class take some time to have an effect. They won't start to show results until they establish a level in your body which takes at the very least 2 to 3 weeks. It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks to be able to judge whether it is working or not. It can take a month or more to gain full benefit.

There is also a large variety of medications available and everyone responds very differently to them. What works as a "miracle cure" for one person may have no effect at all for another. Because you have to try for so long before deciding if a med is working, and because if it isn't the doctor then has to try something new to see if it is effective for you, a lot of people feel like they are being "experimented" on but that is really the only way to find the right med or right combination of meds in the proper doses that will work for you. It is worth the trial an error.

How long were you taking the Wellbutrin? The doctor that gave them to you, is he your regular physician or a psychiatric doctor? General physicians run the gamut of how much they know and understand about mental health medications. Some can be quite knowledgable and others don't have a clue. If you don't feel that your doctor understands what he is doing then I would try to find a psychiatrist that you trust and can work well with. Think of it as consulting a specialist.

If the "sample" of Wellbutrin was just a few days worth and he didn't explain that you would have to take it consistantly for several weeks AT LEAST to determine if it is working, then I would take that as a sign that a doctor with more experience with this kind of thing is in order.

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--http://www.idexter.com