[gimpy34]

I'm just going to list all of the meds I've been on. There's too many to make a comment about every one, so if you have a question about any of them, you can send me a PM.

Celexa
Remeron
Wellbutrin (SR and XL)
Klonopin
Xanax (regular and XR)
Ativan
Effexor XR
Serzone
Provigil
Risperdal
Zyprexa
Seroquel
Lamictal
Neurontin
Trileptal
Nortriptyline
Lithium
Selegiline
Moclobemide
Buspar
Zoloft
Revia (naltrexone)

I've tried some of the 'natural' ADs
SAM-e
5-HTP
St. John's Wort
L-tyrosine
L-phenylalanine

 

[David]

Seems like you're almost proud of having such a long list, like a badge of how fucked up you are! I've noticed the same thing with several other people in this forum. Of course DP is a horrible, horrible thing but it seems to me lots of people are defined by their illness and by their medication - how about we just try to get on with our lives? OK so I'm bring deliberately provocative, but I think there's a grain of truth in there.

The other thing is - why so many meds? Is your doctor just really crap and tries you on anything available for a laugh? Though there still needs to be a hell of a lot more research done on DP, and individuals respond in different ways, there is some kind of consensus forming about what works and what doesn't. The studies done by the DP research unit in the UK, which I was lucky enough to be able to attend, are leading the way here.

David (Lamictal and Prozac if you must know)

 

[kenc127]

Wow David

What a sour delivery of your point. There are varying intensities of this disorder, and sometimes people can't just "move on with their lives" and require additional help with this.

Ken

 

[David]

I think it's a valid point - Elizabeth Wurtzel in Prozac Nation says it was a valuable part of her recovery learning not be be defined by her illness. Yes DP is horrible but even when it's at its worst we still find moments of escape from it.

See some of my other posts regarding latest understanding of what causes DP and latest treatments and latest treatments - fluoxetine plus lamotrigine or clonazepam seems to be the best thinking at the moment

David

 

[bat]

ok i know prozac and clonazepam but what is lamotrigine. is it an ad, a tranquilizer?

 

[David]

It's an anti-convulsant previously used to treat epilepsy but which has had some success in treating DP. It's still experimental at the moment, but research is promising.

 

[gimpy34]

I forgot I made this post. David, I don't know what about my post made you think I was proud of all those medications because I'm not. When you have had DP for five years and consider my openness to medications, you can rack up a list pretty fast. There are a number of other people on this board who have been through just as many meds as me. Some of those were temporary meds like Xanax and Ativan. Some I just tried and discontinued quickly because of side effects. Most of those medications work differently so you never know. A lot of it has been my suggestions to my doctor seeing what has helped other people on this board and upon other research.

 

[Guest]

Out of those i've only been on Zoloft and klonopin. Zoloft gave me old man penis and klonopin made me a narcolept. Klonny is still awesome...i love you clonezepam

 

[gimpy34]

Ziggomatix, let me ask you a question. You're in college. Do you "self-medicate" with drugs and alcohol? I only drink 1 or 2 nights a week now but get smashed. Rarely ever do drugs. For the past year, I have been on some combination of klonopin and wellbutrin, maybe with remeron or zoloft added. When I first started taking Klonopin and Wellbutrin, I was doing great but after a year on that, things went south and have been snowballing. I don't know if the Klonopin is weighing my system down or what.

 

[Guest]

Klonopin is only bad news when taken long term. I spent maybe a month where i took .5 mg a day and it got rid of a bulk of the anxiety, but killed my personality and got me depressed. I then only took it a couple times a week for emergency situations.

Umm, lets see. As of last week, I cannot drink on my new med depakote which is working well for me and i'll trade being sober for a good attitude any day.

Freshmen year - Smoked weed 5 times a week, maybe drank once or twice a week (get hammered). Tripped on some random hallucinogen about monthly.

Sophomore Year - Same as freshmen year, but smoked weed AT LEAST once a day, and tripped occassionally (which caused my hppd, dpdr, gad, bipolar, adhd, all that crap)

Junior Year - Hardly ever smoke pot, became an alcoholic in the last year and got mashed on average four times a week. I've also been on adderall benders which are FUN for two days, and then HELL for about 3 days afterwards

In conclusion, i self-medicate, and i am an idiot 8)

Sophomore year - Smok

 

[David]

Yeah is there any research about DP and cannabis. I smoked a hell of a lot in college, and also took the odd trip as well. I know there's research linking cannabis with psychosis, which I suppose is fairly similar in symptoms to DP.

David

 

[gimpy34]

I know Klonopin makes me depressed some, but it works so well for panic attacks. I am definitely most social and active on the Wellbutrin-Klonopin combo. But things still seem to get worse, partly because I drink on the weekends and when I get drunk, I get drunk.

Basically, I am wondering if I quit drinking (or at least cut down to 3 or 4 drinks instead of 15) will it allow the anidepressants to bring me up more than the klonopin brings me down.

I went off klonopin for a month not too long ago and was on Remeron during that process. My DP didn't get any better, it was in fact worse, and I was anti-social as hell. But, I never really had any bad withdrawal effects. I guess I was looking for more improvement faster but it just wasn't happening, so I went back on Klonopin.

Since I never had terrible withdrawal, I am also wondering if I am one of those people where long-term use of Klonopin either helps them or ruins them. Any thoughts?