Antidepressant medication not working.

[sherlock holmes]

What do you do when antidepressants just dont work? I've been on prozac, seroxat and citalopram from the SSRI group, and now I'm trying Mirtazapine from the SNRI group. My doctor has already said she doesn't prescribe MAOIs anymore, and is reluctant to prescribe Tricyclics. And because I can't swallow tablets, Mirtazapine is practically the last drug I can try.

I wonder if mood stabilisers would have any effect. Bah. Why wont something just work?

[Stellata]

How long have you been on mirtazapine?

Maybe you need to take 2 ADs concurrently. The psychiatrist I saw had me on efexor and mirtazapine, until I gradually withdrew from efexor. It did help boost me out of the worst.

And have you seen a psychiatrist? They know more about meds than most GPs.

[Ami]

lamotrigine si apparntly good for depression but takes 20 years to start working (exaguration eh) ... and lots of mood stabalises can help depression without sending you into mania.

:)
try and seeee a psych yeh?
xx

[craola]

There are lots of alternatives Sarah, this is nowhere near the end. There are lots of mood stabilisers and some psychs will use drugs that are not used over here yet, thats what mine is currently doing so please dont give up hope.

[sherlock holmes]

I have seen various psychiatrsits, and on the recommendation of one who specialises in depressive disorders have started on the SNRI group.

[Starz*]

trazodone is an snri and u can get a liquid

[Stellata]

How's the mirtazapine going?

[Dark_Ronius]

If none of the above work, there are alternatives- you can ask your doctor if he can refer you to Cognitive Behavoural Therapy or a psychologist... if it's anything like what we have around here, a psychiatrist will do an initial assessment alongside a mental health nurse anyway.

I personally regret ever going on anti-depressants... I have tried coming off them, but withdrawal symptoms can last more than a year, and it was either have a year gap in University and work to come off them or go back on them and get the side effects for 2 months while being able to stay on my studies... I think you can guess the option I took.

In my case, anti-depressants more increased my motivation to do positive things than directly lower the depression, and in my area that's the basis of prescribing the medication; as more of a crutch so, along with therapy, you can eventually learn to walk without said crutch so to speak.

If you're after other alternatives, I have found acupuncture extremely helpful... it's had a similar effect on me as anti-depressants, but no harsh side effects (apart from getting needles shoved into you, of course!!). If you don't like the idea of being poked with needles, you could try acupressure or shiatsu (same idea as acupuncture, but through massage instead).

I would go to your GP first and ask about whichever ideas seem best for you.

Hope all goes well for you... PM me if you feel like it

~Gary~

[mitch]

you should try lithium, i tried 11 antidepresants without any success but lithium has been ausume. It comes in liquid form as well

[craola]

I dont think lithium is necessarily the answer for Sarah, it tends to be a mood stabiliser they use after trying others, its mainly for bipolar. There are plenty of mood stabilisers to try though or it might just take a mixture, thats what worked for me :)
Hope you're ok hun xx