Emsam; Pamelor; Venlor; Arthritis. Celebrex; Voltaren; Diclofenac; Colchicine; Indocin; Mobic. Long- Term Antidepressant Treatment: A Strategy for Recovery or More Depression? The more I get into the research on antidepressants, the more questions I have. In the last post, I raised issues about the endless search for the right medication; the discouraging record of relapse after becoming symptom- free; and the puzzling primacy of antidepressant treatment for an illness with complex causes that go way beyond biology. Those questions are only the starters. I have even greater concern about long- term antidepressant treatment. Most psychiatrists consider it necessary for severe, recurrent illness, but others – apparently a small minority – are speaking out about adverse effects of using these drugs for prolonged periods. A fast and irregular heartbeat. Copyright 2016 The School of Toronto Dance Theatre Order Depakote Online - Best Prices, Fast Shipping, High Quality. Meet with her or her manager a work agreement short and long-term a. My experience with long- term treatment has made me skeptical of the value of antidepressants, but recent studies make me worry that I might have been harmed as well. I had no hesitation about taking multiple meds for depression, anxiety, poor concentration and sleep problems – 2. Over time, it became clear that antidepressants weren. Nevertheless, I kept thinking that I. In other words, I was driven by fear. So I kept on going and wound up taking at least one sample of each class of antidepressants: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (RI) (Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox)Serotonin Norepinephine RI (Effexor, Cymbalta)Norepinephrine Dopamine RI (Wellbutrin)Norepinephrine RI (Strattera)Tricyclic (Imipramine)Atypical (Trazodone)I took some of these alone but more often in combinations. I also used other drugs to help with mental energy and concentration, anxiety and insomnia. The guiding assumption of all the psychiatrists who treated me was that failure of one medication should be followed by others until an effective one was found. No psychiatrist ever suggested that I should stop using antidepressants. They assumed that stopping treatment would lead to relapse. Episodes come and go, but I also noticed a gradual deterioration of short- term memory and the ability to concentrate. How Fast Does Emsam Patch WorkzAnxiety in groups skyrocketed, and I also had frequent periods of feeling dissociated from everything around me. These were the problems that eventually made it impossible to my professional work. However, I did improve a great deal with my 1. This was an MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor), a class of antidepressants regarded now as a last resort because it requires dietary restrictions. Twelve years of misery with major depression is a poor tradeoff for a few items in my diet, but that. It failed after a great year and a half and was then supplemented with lamotrigine, a mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar illness. I intend to withdraw from these drugs over a very long period of time since they don. I have to say that my highly unscientific reaction to that idea is – No- duh. After all, my brain. They must have made some adaptation by now to this steady, artificial diet. So, sure, there will be a reaction after you stop pumping drugs in there. Is there any evidence that the brain really does adapt in this way? That question leads to a much greater concern. Why have the symptoms of depression progressively worsened over time, despite constant medication? Is it possible that the drugs designed to prevent relapse have done more long- term harm than good? Would I have been better off if I had never taken antidepressants at all? Of course, I. In a 2. With long- term use, however, the brain sets to work compensating for the drug- induced changes with a process he calls oppositional tolerance. The brain tries to re- establish its usual balance of production, release and reuptake of neurotransmitters – as every system of the body does when its normal functioning has been disturbed. The idea is that if the medication artificially jacks up the brain. In other words, if antidepressant use continues long enough, the brain will create a system to cancel out its effect. A paper published this year adds to Fava. The lead researcher, Rif El Mallakh, points out that resistance to treatment with antidepressants has dramatically increased, from 1. This corresponds to the period of explosive growth in the use of these drugs, especially for long- term maintenance treatment designed to protect against relapse. There are many possible reasons for this huge change, but he focuses on the possibility that antidepressant use itself could be causing the problem. He discusses specific neurobiological reactions that could account for the emergence of higher levels of resistance to treatment. In addition, he cites evidence that stopping antidepressants in people who no longer respond to them can lead to reversal of symptoms as the brain compensates once more, this time for the withdrawal of the drugs. For some people, however, stopping the medication has no effect. They continue to have recurring depression. If antidepressant treatment is restored as a response, these patients can develop a permanently recurring illness. This is tardive dysphoria. Could this explain my history with antidepressants? It’s a little late to freak out, but ! Mainstream practice: stay with antidepressants. The general attitude among psychiatrists is firmly on the side of long- term, even lifetime, use of antidepressants as the best protection against relapse. This is the recommended treatment for people with my condition – numerous recurrences of depression over many years, high frequency of recurrence and a family history of the illness. The rationale for this approach is that patients on extended drug use have less chance of relapse than those who go untreated. I have trouble following the evidence and reasoning that leads to this treatment recommendation, but I’ll save that for another post. You can read an interesting report on a roundtable discussion among 6 psychiatrists who strongly believe in long- term treatment with antidepressants. Their views are not monolithic and reveal a lot of debate within this community of practitioners. The paper is Preventing Recurrent Depression: Long- Term Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder. He also has a good article on tardive dysphoria on his blog at Psychology Today. Image bypsyberartist at Flickr.
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