[hammerklavier]

I suppose if one had found the right meds, they might not be paying much attention to this subforum. Nonetheless, I was wondering how long people here have endured a bad stretch to find something that works. For me it's been an 8 month long bad stretch, and I anticipate longer. I sometimes wonder if it will ever end. I'm spinning my wheels all the time about meds and my bad mental states. In my case, I have a sort of depression/anhedonia and some cognitive and sleeping issues that have been bothering me while I've been on these meds. I don't have any psychosis or mania, so the meds have been working in that regard. I take risperidone 3 milligrams and lithium 600. The next foreseeable change may be trying to change out risperidone for olanzapine. I don't know if I need an antidepressant or not, they might just make my symptoms worse, but I functioned very well for 2 years on Ability and Effexor with no mood stabilizer.

[*Laurie*]

I've been on psych meds for about 25 years. Over that time I've found meds that worked several times. I'd be on the meds for a few years, then they'd stop working and I'd have to try new ones. So it's an ongoing process, really.

[~Christina]

My response to meds change as do most people given enough time..

What works great today might poop out in 6 months or a year or 2

I say just enjoy the good times that everything is going well

[crimsoncat]

Originally Posted by hammerklavier

I suppose if one had found the right meds, they might not be paying much attention to this subforum. Nonetheless, I was wondering how long people here have endured a bad stretch to find something that works. For me it's been an 8 month long bad stretch, and I anticipate longer. I sometimes wonder if it will ever end. I'm spinning my wheels all the time about meds and my bad mental states. In my case, I have a sort of depression/anhedonia and some cognitive and sleeping issues that have been bothering me while I've been on these meds. I don't have any psychosis or mania, so the meds have been working in that regard. I take risperidone 3 milligrams and lithium 600. The next foreseeable change may be trying to change out risperidone for olanzapine. I don't know if I need an antidepressant or not, they might just make my symptoms worse, but I functioned very well for 2 years on Ability and Effexor with no mood stabilizer.

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

I've been on psych meds for about 25 years. Over that time I've found meds that worked several times. I'd be on the meds for a few years, then they'd stop working and I'd have to try new ones. So it's an ongoing process, really.

hi it has taken 8 years to get the combo i am on now which far from perfect is certainly the best so far and the fact I'm still here means it's doing something,!

[BrookeM.]

I was lucky enough for the first SSRI I was prescribed to work wonderfully for me. I've been on Zoloft since I was 11, just in varying doses, and it has helped me get through so much. Of course I've done a lot of self-therapy and tried to improve my thinking patterns, but it just helps you do so (at least it has for me). I feel like Zoloft is the best SSRI for anxiety disorders (which is why I was prescribed them in the first place), so maybe it has just worked so well for me because my number one issue was anxiety and not depression or another disorder. Either way, I'm definitely one of the lucky ones to not have to juggle a bunch of antidepressants before finding one that helps. But once again, everyone reacts to every medication differently.

[Hobbit House]

Still haven't hit the lucky number! But getting closer...