Combination treatment?

[hk1993x]

Hi all.

I have depression, ocd, adhd, anxiety, and panic disorder 🤦‍♀️ I'm being treated as an outpatient recieving ECT twice a week just now and on fluoxetine 60mg. I struggle with my mood and use artificial happiness such as cocodomol. I don't seem to develop happiness/excitement on its own. I have a good life, a loving dh and 4 kids. Has anyone found a combination medication with fluoxetine that works? I've tried the majority of everything apart from mood stabilisers/lithium, etc. And never had a combination treatment with meds. Any advice?

Should I push for more answers? I have been back at my GP to get more bloods done, I always have microscopic blood in my urine and have done for ages, and I'm being referred to urology.

After my ECT session, I felt I was quite dismissed by my doctor when I asked what the long term plan is. He said a few more sessions and stay on the fluxoetine, but i feel like I need something combined with the fluxoetine.

I'm ashamed to say I am taking cocodomol to try get a "buzz" of happiness and excitement and I don't want to rely on that forever 😪

I understand how you feel completely. I believe I need something other than fluoxetine. I take propranolol for palpitations. Do you find a difference with ect?

I've tried lots of different medications but never a combination. I always seem to reach the highest dosage then it poops out on me.

The ECT is helping just now, I wasn't as emotional as I was a few weeks ago. I'm just wondering what can replace that in the long term x

@hk1993x you're not alone. I feel the same that the meds only work for a certain amount of time then I'm back to square one.
I've found on forums in the US a lot of the fluoxetine takers are on tramadol too prescribed through their primary care but it's not known here x

Wow really? I've heard of ketamine infusions etc but not sure where they are about.

I've never taken drugs in my life, I don't drink etc too but feel like I need something that's going to balance my mood. I'm just sick of living in the shadows and fear xx

@hk1993x I totally totally get you. I've heard ketamine infusions are really helpful but don't know anyone who's had it x

Have you tried combination treatment before? X

@hk1993x no never. I know a girl at uni who takes fluoxetine and sertraline together and it's really helped her. I've really struggled to get a good gp who will listen and help x

Not sure if this is what you mean @hk1993x but my psychiatrist is suggesting an anti-psychotic on top of my anti-depressant. I tried Aripiprazole with my citalopram and I felt great on that for a few days until unbearable side-effects kicked in and I had to come off the antipsychotic. He wants to try a different one but I’m worried about that now.

I'm willing to give something a bash like a mood stabiliser but they are funny with me being of child bearing age? I don't want anymore kids anyways so definitely going to discuss it x

I take fluoxetine in the morning, trazodone in the evening and also take a mood stabiliser (lamotrigine) twice a day. I wouldn't say it's a combination that makes me super happy per se but it keeps me quite stable and safe/alive which is the priority.

For what it's worth, my diagnoses are treatment-resistant depression, PTSD and anorexia.

Is a mood stabiliser the same thing as an antipsychotic?

@mynameiscalypso I have ptsd, anxiety and ocd. Just got a new Dr who is off for a month so will wait till she's back to discuss combination therapies and ketamine. Her next step was to put me on mirtazipine but I'm not sure x

@hk1993x , have you ever been prescribed Venlafaxine? It is an SNRI. It is different than the regular SSRIs in that it has a combined action on norepinephrine, which is a hormone similar to adrenaline, if I understand my psychiatrist correctly. It adds a kind of boost to your mood, for people who feel really depressed but aren't too anxious. In high doses it can make it harder to fall asleep. It works wonders for me, whereas SSRIs did nothing .

Talk to your doctor about trying it. Best of luck finding what works for you.