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Seeking advice husband has clinical TRD

Posted , 4 users are following.

damam97
damam97

Anyone have above.any treatment that has proved to be successfu. My husband has suffering past 4years several antidepressants.Tried combination therapy on augmentation therapy. Lithium and Venlaflaxine nearly 6 months No change. Asked. at last appointment about ECT with psychiatrist shebsaid no. She said probably try MAIO antidepressant I am losing hope as I feel this will not help either.has anyone tried psychostimulaters

1 like, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • larry1888
    larry1888 damam97

    Posted

    I read on the web about a man who had treatment-resistant clinical depression for six years, and after trying everything else that didn't work, anafranil brought him out of it. He said for him it was a miracle drug that gave him his life back. I've been in major depression for over three years. You name it, I tried it--even ECT, TMS, and every SSRI, without results. I also have OCD, which is what anafranil is usually prescribed for. The thing is, you have to take at least 100 mgs/day, and it takes a good three months for it to work. It brings you out of it gradually, over a period of a couple weeks. It's quick enough to notice it, though. Its side effecta are dry mouth and some weight gain (for me that was a good thing--it brought me up to my normal weight--I had lost as much as 25 lbs during my three year episode. Another thing is, you probably will feel a bit worse at first, and it does actually take 2-3 months or slightly longer to kick in, but when it does, you know it. My thinking cleared up and I was able to learn, laugh, and be happy again. If you're desperate to get better, and you've failed to respond to the normal antidepressants, I would recommend this regimen to you! It's worth the wait. The odd thing with me, is that this OCD drug didn't stop my OCD (which is just a minor inconvenience to me), but depression was terrible, and I'm convinced it would have gone on for the rest of my life, had I not intervened with this. I had even discussed having deep brain stimulation or gamma-knife brain surgery with my psychiatrist, who felt that I might have to resort to one of those invasive techniques. I met with a psychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic, who recommended anafranil for me, at the strength of 100 mgs a day. I wanted DBS, but he said they wouldn't do it without trying and failing on OCD treatment.

    The ironic thing is, my depression is gone, but my OCD symptoms are still here: hand- washing, counting, teeth brushing, and so forth, but as I said the OCD for me was just a mild inconvenience and still is, but my awful terrible major depression is gone. Just like that.

     

    • damam97
      damam97 larry1888

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. .I am going to talk to his psychiatrist tomorrow. As I feel I cannot live with someone who does not want to do anything in life. Not even the basics having a shower. He does nothing all day long unless I push him .how long did you have ECT? where is the Cleveland clinic ?
    • larry1888
      larry1888 damam97

      Posted

      I know exactly what you are talking about.  I was bedridden for 6 months, got so weak I kept falling, wouldn't do any grooming, etc.  I've had 3 rounds of ECT and they made me temporarily worse, and did no good.  I would not recommend ETC.  The Cleveland Clinic is in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.  (I'm in West Virginia, USA).  BUT you don't need the Cleveland Clinic.  Any M.D. psychiatrist can prescribe Anafranil (Clomipromine).  You can do it there.  I went from being as good as dead for six months to now feeling terrific and working a full-time job.  100 mgs/day for three months!  Stick with it, and he'll recover, I think, hope, and pray.
    • damam97
      damam97 larry1888

      Posted

      Thanks Larry .stay in UK. .the Cleveland clinic would be no use.I argue with my husband most days now.we did have a good and happy marriage once. He is only 53 and I am 55 .kids grown up.daughter getting married next year few years ago got made redundant went back to uni which I was happy for him to do. Cause I thought the next job he would do make him happy. I guess I feel I made sacrifices so he could do this. Now all pear shaped. I go out to work full time and he sits at home.
    • larry1888
      larry1888 damam97

      Posted

      Just get him a psychiatrist appointment, ask for Anafranil 100 mgs/da, and wait for 3 months.  Then I think your husband will come back to his normal self.  Just my opinion.
  • alexander_39124
    alexander_39124 damam97

    Posted

    Sorry this is a new one to me, you looks like you have had a rough time with all this, there must be people out there that can help, put a lot more pressure on you Medical team look for 2nd opinion etc.

    I hope you get somewhere best wishes Alexander.

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