Hi! I was diagnosed with clinical depression about two or three weeks ago

[David in Canada]

Hi!

I have been on DU for a while but I mostly lurk around here. I wonder if anyone has a similar story to mine and/or have advice to offer me.

Anyway, I am 30 years old and likely have Asperger's Syndrome. I was diagnosed with OCD back in 1996 and have been taking Prozac since then. I also took Risperdal from 1996 until ~2005.

I moved here (Canada) from Florida in 2005 and until a few weeks ago, hadn't seen a psychiatrist since moving here. A few weeks ago, I was feeling (emotionally) like crap and my libido just died. I finally got off my ass and went to see my GP. He diagnosed me with clinical depression and referred me to a psychiatrist.

Anyway, I saw the psychiatrist the following afternoon. She confirmed the clinical depression, agreed that I have the signs of an autistic spectrum disorder and upped my dosage of Prozac from 20 mg to 30 mg and put me back on Risperdal. When I was on Risperdal previously, it was only .5 mg but it is now 1 mg.

It has been almost three weeks since I commenced treatment. I do notice some improvement with my OCD symptoms but the depression is still there and what remains of my libido seems to have gone!

I have been reading up more on Risperdal in the last day or two and am considering asking my psychiatrist to discontinue its use. I have been reading more on Wellbutrin and I feel that it is more along the lines of what I need. Should I mentioned this to him?

Does anyone here have experience with Wellbutrin? If so, was it positive or negative?

Thanks!

[fizzgig]

1. welcome to our group

if you are unhappy with the side effects of the medication absolutely talk to your doc about it and ask to explore other medication options.

i don't have any experience with wellbutrin, sorry i can't help with that.

good luck and keep us posted

[David in Canada]

5. Thanks for the warm welcome!

Hi, fizzgig!

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I went to see my psychiatrist today and she took me off the danged Risperdal and switched me to Wellbutrin XL 150 mg/daily. I don;t know if its just me but I started feeling better only two hours or so after my first dose.

If my progress continues, Wellbutrin will be a resounding success for me!

[hunter]

3. That's a very familiar story to me...

Some of the meds I've been on have suppressed my libido entirely and the only reason I continued to take them was that the alternative was worse...

Another trouble is how long it takes to see results when changing meds; three weeks isn't nearly enough.

And then there's the meds that gradually stop working but make you feel crappy when you slowly (under a doctor's supervision) taper off them.

I've quit meds without doctors supervision too. Don't do that.

People's responses to meds differ. One of my brothers seems to have very similar symptoms to my own -- depression, OCD, etc. Meds that I've found helpful have made him miserable, and vice versa. Wellbutrin is on that list. I won't say which way so as not to prejudice you. It could work for you!

I hope you have someone you trust who can give you some feedback about your own mental state. In my own experience the ability to judge my own mental state is the first thing that flies out the window. From my personal perspective it's always the world that's changing around me, not the state of my own mind. Well, sometimes it IS the world that's increasingly suckage, but often as not it's just in my head.

[Neoma]

4. I have had tremors since I started Wellbutrin.

Hoping to get off of it today! My appointment's at 8.

[David in Canada]

6. I'm sorry to hear that!

I'm sorry to hear your experience with Wellbutrin was so negative.

I DID read tremors are a rare side effect and my psychiatrist said to discontinue immediately if that happens to me. With only one dose under my belt, my experience has been very successful thus far!

[Neoma]

7. Well, my doctor left me on it, because he was adding a medicine to the mix...

And didn't want new side effects to be mistaken for withdrawal symptoms.

[Neoma]

8. By the way.

Get your doctor to check your thyroid and B-12 levels. Never know!

[David in Canada]

9. Thanks for the advice! ;-)

Thanks for the advice! That's good to know.

I see my psychiatrist next Friday. I'll ask her for a blood workup too. A little looky-loo can't hurt, right?

[Neoma]

10. Psychiatrists don't usually do the blood tests.

They send that off for my regular doctor to do.

[mecherosegarden]

11. How about therapy

Medication is just one step, however, therapy is also essential. I believe ( personal belief) that with medication one take care of the symptoms , but whatever is causing the depression is still there. I would go to a therapist who will assess and diagnose.

[hunter]

12. Depression may or may not have causes.

My depression is unrelated to either my environment or my history. Looking for "reasons" other than simple brain chemistry might make me crazier.

But untreated depression does cause certain habits of thinking that persist when my head is clear, my extreme pessimism for example. I can be a "happy pessimist," bringing misery with me wherever I go... Identifying these habits by therapy is useful.

[David in Canada]

14. I'm the same way...

I can't think of anything that is the source of my depression other than simple brain chemistry.

[EFerrari]

13. Talking therapy is not indicated for everyone that has depression. n/t