Help please - how long do meds take to work for you?

[kizzie]

Hi Ive been back up a therapeutic dose of anafranil (clomipramine) for the last 10 weeks - 8 weeks back up to 75mg with is the max dose i have taken in the past. (Its a tricyclic)

I had already been on the drug since 2006 (75mg then 50mg then 25mg then 20mg and below for a year) and had been very well for the last3 years. (I cant take more than 75mg because it reduces my blood pressure too much).

I took 7 weeks off work and returned 2 weeks ago. I returned after a similar break from work in 2006 and managed ok. This time i have also reduced my hours and have taken a temporary downgrade to reduce my responsibility. But the depression and anxiety and still extreme and I am crying regularly through the day and feel quite desperate.

My psychiatrist has said that he would expect anafranil to work again (its the third time Ive been on it) and to stick with it for another few weeks - but am i just clutching at straws. If something hasnt worked after 8 weeks at therapeutic dose then is there little chance of improvement after this time?

I would really appreciate any thoughts - finding it very difficult to cope.
x

I think that might need to be the next step cpanda. Im in the south east so can get to london relatively easily. Im just not sure how to go about finding a good private psychiatrist

(Sorry sent before had finished sentence)

and also not sure if going private is a good idea - as then that would get me out of the NHS system

yes it does feel like im in limbo. will see what psychiatrist says tomorrow and then decide where to go from there.

Part of the problem is that he always just says 'what do you want to do' or 'what do you think we should do next'.

And I havent got a bloody clue!

hi kizzie only just read your thread as been so caught up in my own problems

Hope you made it through work ok today. Just one day at a time.x

Hi - went for appointment.
I really dont like that man. Its not his fault. Its just that hes a psychiatrist. And i really dont like saying 'my' and 'psychiatrist' in the same sentence.

Anyway - he said i had two choices at the moment. Either up the dose to 100mg (which i have tried before twice but it made my blood pressure plummett and I ended up falling over a lot. Wouldnt be able to drive.)

Or total opposite and go down to 50mg. (Ive also done this twice in the past and in the end i was ok on 50mg.)

I think im probably going to try dropping it. And then if that doesnt work look at switching x

Hi cpanda. yes he does leave a lot of it to me. Yesterday he asked me twice 'so kizzie -what do you think is going on'. I dont have too much confidence in him to be honest so thats probably best really

I know - it does worry me

Last few days:
Thursday, Friday & saturday bit easier - i didnt feel 100% back to normal but there were certainly moments when I did and I had more confidence about getting better.

Yesterday very anxious and uneasy from when I first woke up. Tried really hard to carry on despite it - when for a walk by the river and then swimming. But felt very sad because normally this would be my perfect day but everything felt 'wrong' for no reason.

Very shaky and anxious at work today. Dizzy and disorientated. I am going to start my reduction to 50mg tonight.
This episode has gone on soo long. It started on Jan 28th . Sorry i think ive probably said that a hundred times already.

Kizzie x

Hi cpanda - Ive read the info about Denise Welch - does that make me sad too .
She saw a professor John Studd in London.
I have thought about doing that.

the reason i think it may not be the right thing for me is that Prof Studd seems to concentrate on low oestrogen and says indicators for it are people with v bad PMT and who were conversely very well in pregnancy (when oestrogen high). Neither of these really apply to me so I think it may be a clutching at straws one for me unfortunately. For those people who this does apply to tho there are lots of women on the PMS.org website forum who have been to see him.

Hi kizzie, not been around much lately but you have been in my thoughts

Hello - everyone - im sorry to ressurect this thread but unfortunately I've gone backwards again.

Id had about 6 weeks of feeling much better. Coping with work, enjoying time at home etc. and then just hit again out of the blue.

Not sure what Ive done wrong but Im terrified that I just wont be able to get well long term.

Feel very very anxious and jittery again. Horrible lows. Have been back up to a therapeutic dose for the last 4 1/2 months.

Not really sure what to say really - but could really do with some support x

bump

thank you both for replying x

Im really sorry you are both struggling too.

Coffeepods - im probably not in the right frame of mind to offer any useful advice at the moment - but didnt want to worry you into thinking my PND has never ended. I originally had it 11 years ago and have had some recurrences - but have also had many years which were really good (eg very well through whole of 2007/08/09)

x

thanks so much for asking itsonlyajob. Im trying to rebuild some resilience to it all. Easier said that done really but I know I need to try.

My big fear today is that taking ADs for 11 years - even low doses for quite a lot of that time- have done some permanent damage to my brain - and that why I keep getting the depression.

I know it doesnt sound logical but its a genuine fear.

Im really sorry you are having such a tough time too. Because of your name changes i dont know who you are :-) but I hope you are getting some RL support/help too x

hi kizzie, sorry to hear you are struggling again - it all seemed to be going so well

when you can see your psychiatrist again?

Hi Mitchy - see him in just under 3 weeks.

I did have about 6 good weeks. Keeping fingers crossed can get back there.
Hope you are doing better x