Medication doesn't seem to work - things getting worse

[MommyNeedsHelp]

I'm a 32 year old mother of 2 young boys.  My problems with mental illness as well as abuse go back as far as I can remember.

I have been in and out of therapy since I was 17.  I have seen a number of psychatrists as well as medical physicans.  I have taken Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Effexor and Prozac for depression changing from one to another as one worked and then seemed to lessen in its effectiveness.

In addition I have taken Ritalin before becoming pregnant and after the birth of my 2 children have been taking Concerta for AD/HD.

Currently I am taking Effexor, Concerta and Respidal.  The Respidal was prescribed about 2 months ago to help with my thought imbalances - mostly hopelessness and sucidical thoughts (but no attempts as I am a Christian and refuse to give my life to the enemy.  I know that my faith and my husband and children are the only reasons that I am still alive today.)  

In the past 2 months, in addition to my phsychiatrist and phsychotherapist I have seen my general practitioner and a hematologist to help me deal with my most recent problems.  Dizziness, headaches, nausea, lightheadedness, vertigo, disorientation.  Also, I  have been sweating profusely, especially at night.  My temperature is not high - no fever - but for some reason I am having night sweats.

I have been for an MRI where they found 3 very small spots but of no concern.  My hormones are okay.

I have completely lost any (of what I had) sexual desire in the past 12 months. (My husband and I have had sex 2 times in the past 10 months.)  I have gained 20 lbs in that same time.

At times just the simple things like thinking, looking or hearing something hurts my head so badly I feel like pulling my hair out.  These things come and go...but I can't complete a thought at times.

My head isn't right, the medication doesn't seem to be working and no one can figure out what is wrong.  I am hoping that some of this will ring a chord with SOMEONE.  It may all be connected and then again it may not.  I don't want to live the rest of my life like this.  I pray that someone can, at the very least, stear me in right direction.

Also, like just now, my vision just shifts and then goes back into place all within 1 second.  At that time there is a little crackle-like sound in my head or it may be my ears...I can't identify it.  I don't know if any of this is a side effect of the medication, a problem we're not thinking, a symptom of these medications.  Lately I've been seeing my doctors regularly but no one has come up with something they can identify and then work to correct and I'm getting more and more depressed that I will live the rest of my life like this.  PLEASE HELP!

I don't want to have my children grow up with a mental mother.  I love my family and want to be strong for them but I have lost my patience with whatever is plaguing my body and I need some help.

Also, I'm asking for prayers.

Thank you.

[Browniz]

Has anyone considered that you might be Bipolar.  I ask because I suffered from depression many years - just diagnosed as bipolar 2 years ago.  Tried all the SSRIs with no help or made me worse. Tried Lexapro (new Celexa) for less than 3 weeks.  Short term memory loss, decreased appetite, no motiviation (didn't have much to begin with).  I just quit caring about anything - only good I had was it stopped the obsessions.

Then Lamictal (mood stabilizer) - after a week my depression begin to lift, I started to socialize and became assertive and I felt so much better.  After 6 weeks side effects so bad I had to quit it.  Not everyone has the kind of highs that you hear most often about with bipolar.

Believe me - I am not trying to diagnose you - Just wish I had been diagnosed sooner and that I could get some help.  Both of my children are also diagnosed as Bipolar - Topomax has helped them at times.  There are lots of side effects for many people and there are a lot of Dr. who just don't seem to really care or try to help - but I'm sure thate are also ones who do.  Keep in touch and God Bless you.

[happiness-is-coming-back]

I have been on effexor and I did have night sweats mommyneedshelp,  I also found out I had low estrogen.  I am 33 years old and the gynocologist  can't believe my estrogen level is so low.  She thinks I am at the beginning of perimenopause.  

I can tell you I've had major anxiety and depression.  I was diagnosed with clinical depression 4 years ago and that was when I found effexor worked well for me.  Recently I wasn't feeling as well, so decided to change medicine.  Well that has been hell.  Alot of anxiety and depression, I'm on a low dose of estrogen and progesterone, my hair is falling out and I just haven't felt well at all.  Three days ago I got on Paxil CR and I can already tell a huge difference.  My hair is still falling out, but I'm sure it's the hormones.  I also found out I have an ovarian cyst which I feel can mess with my hormones and may can cause some depression.  I don't know for sure, but I had an ovarian cyst several years ago, I found out right after I got on effexor for the clinical depression and I really think that is what made me go into that depression and now I think it is contributing to the depression/anxiety I've been experiencing recently.  I tried celexa and lexapro and I didn't feel like either one was really helping me at all.  Now the paxil really seems to be helping.

I was wondering if the doctor could tell me how much the ovarian cyst could be contributing to all of this.  I mean I've had such bad anxiety I feel cut off from things around me, even though I'm right there.  I don't know how to explain it, but it's weird, like I'm not me.  My gynecologist told me the type of cyst I had before that was removed did excrete some kind of hormones.  I also had to have the ovary removed because the cyst twisted around my ovary and fellopian tube and they were not able to save the ovary.  Is that why I may be going through menopause early?  I also have an appt with an endocrinologist that specialized in hormones and menopause.  Hopefully I will get some answers, but that is a month away.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

this is a difficult problem but I can suggest two approaches. If your psychiatrist has not had the additional training to become a psychopharmacologist, then ask him or her for a referral to one. That person can assess your medications, work on the interactions, and make some necessary changes to find out exactly what is going on.

At the same time, try counseling again,but this time separate out the symptom management( deal with the psychopharmacologist) from talking about your life, your feelings, and your conflicts at this time of your life...Keep the focus on the issue of momentum in life rather than past history. Keep the focus on decisions about change.

Try these two approaches and let me know what happens.

[joyce45]

It seems to me to be that your symptoms are medication related possibly.  I am not a doctor.  I'm sure the good doctor will respond to your post.  Could you be skipping a day here and there taking any of your meds ?  It seems like 'brain zaps' which occur on medications with short half lifes if you skip a day; and night sweats are very common with Effexor.  They can make you so uncomfortable.  Keep cold water on your nightstand which helped me. I'm not familiar with all the meds you are taking, but I can tell you that I have taken antidepressants with heavy side effects; some of them made me feel terrible.  You are taking an antipsychotic [Risperdal]which often causes numbness and confusion, moodiness, insomnia, etc. and it is combined with other meds.  My own experience has been that these medications are over-rated as to their effectiveness, and under-rated as to their side effects.  Talk to the best doc you feel most comfortable with, and examine your medication regime.  I hope things work out well for you. I will pray for you and your family.
There is a wonderful book called 'Feeling Good' by David Burns which is about cognitive therapy, looking for the positive in everything; feeling good and thinking the 'right' way which may help you.  It's not easy, but it can be done.
Regards.