[emptyspace]

When do you decide your combo is as good as it gets?

Or do you keep trying to find one until things improve?

For example, if you were severely depressed, but now are only mildly depressed, do you assume that is all that meds can do or do you look for another med to help the mild depression?

[catnip123]

I would work with my pdoc to try yo get to no depression

[DepressedMyself]

I was recently told by my psychiatrist to increase my prozac to 80mg's. When I started taking the increased dosage, I felt more energetic, and my mood seemed to improve. It's been 2 weeks since the increase, and now I feel depressed and miserable as I did on 60mg's. I think 80mg's is the highest dosage, but I may ask my psychiatrist to increase it again to see if there are any long lasting effects.

[gayleggg]

I try to keep looking for stable. Sometimes that doesn't necessarily mean happy.

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[loveme_or_leaveme]

Depend's on how long you've been on your current med's. If it's been several months, I would say to stay on them and seek a therapist to evaluate that mild case your feeling since they are already in you're system.
My theory is this: Your current antidepressant's have relieved the amount of depression specifically caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. But that lingering sadness, or whatever negative emotions you still have, are a result of certain event's that have happened in your past (or childhood) that you still haven't healed from. Whether you are consciously aware of it or not. This is all assuming that you HAVENT yet completed a treatment program with a psychiatrist. Not sure if you have or not. If you already have, maybe it's time to try a new form of therapy on top of the med's. That's just my own theory though.

On the other hand, if you have only been on your current med's for a short amount of time, try giving it a little longer to kick in. It took about two months for me to notice a difference when I started taking mine.

Anyway, there are so many different treatment method's and medications to try so I wouldn't settle for less than the best. Easier said than done though, I know.

[LonesomeTonight]

Is increasing your dose on one or more of the meds an option? Because if it's helping you some, then a higher dose could help you more. (Basing this on my recent experience with Cymbalta). Or could you add something like Wellbutrin if you're not already on it?

[Chummy]

I don't think my depression can be cured only with meds. I hope I'll find an antidepressant that will lessen my severe depression so I'll have some motivation and energy for therapy and to deal with my issues.

It might also depends on what caused your depression? I've heard that a few familymembers take antidepressant and that it makes them feel better. And they don't have therapy.
I think antidepressants and therapy is the best combination to treat depression. It's also what my pdoc told me.

[ThingWithFeathers]

This is such a great question!

[vvector0000]

SRI's, from my personal experience and lots of reports have a disappointing way of crapping out on you.. when you go to the max, or above the max (it's not harmful) and it doesn't seem to be helping, your brain may have established a permanent balance with it - and you need to substitute another SRI if you want to avoid SRI withdrawal..

Usually if it's something like prozac, the doctor should substitute Effexor and probably mirtazapine/Remeron. Effexor is a powerful drug, more activating than prozac, and it's hard to get off, but that's really not the concern right now. Remeron will help you step off it.

Originally Posted by DepressedMyself

I was recently told by my psychiatrist to increase my prozac to 80mg's. When I started taking the increased dosage, I felt more energetic, and my mood seemed to improve. It's been 2 weeks since the increase, and now I feel depressed and miserable as I did on 60mg's. I think 80mg's is the highest dosage, but I may ask my psychiatrist to increase it again to see if there are any long lasting effects.

[mikegrot]

There is no perfect medication regiment. You have to supplement your medication with therapy, healthy eating habits, exercise, and seeking joy. Then everything will be great.