I take the maximum dose of nortriptyline and it seems like it doesn’t mix well with psychotic illness - hallucinations are listed as a possible side effect. I also read elsewhere that the med I’m on exacerbates schizophrenia! has anyone been on tricyclics and how did you find them? I was moved over to them because it was deemed I have treatment resistant depression.
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I have never been on tricyclic antidepressants. Only ssri’s. ssri’s did not do anything for me though. Do you find that tricyclic antidepressants work on your depression at least, or do they only have the potential to cause you worse side effects with no benefit of relieved depresssion?
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I suffer / suffered from treatment resistant depression, and was taking above the max dose of nortriptyline (200 mg) It didn’t help me. California Rocket Fuel (a combination of Mirtazapine and Effexor helped a bit).
I have tried every antidepressant, lithium included. They didn’t help me.
It was first when I tried Isocarboxazid (a mao inhibitor) that I noticed a difference. It’s not perfect. I still get depressive episodes but it is the strongest and most effective (legal) drug to treat depression that I have tried.
I read some of your posts, and you seem like a balanced woman. I wouldn’t worry too much about taking a mao-inhibitor even though it can exacerbate SZ symptoms because it increases dopamine.
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I honestly don’t feel any different on tricyclics compared to when I was on SSRIs. I think my shrink just wanted to try something because I wasn’t making the anticipated recovery by going back to work etc… the main symptoms which bother me now could readily be linked to schizophrenia- cognitive impairment and lack of motivation. Just not sure that going for hardcore antidepressants is doing much, but I guess my shrink knows best.
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Yes, that’s what I was thinking. The possibility that your depressive symptoms could be negative symptoms of schizophrenia, like I think mine are. In that case it would be doubtful that any antidepressants would make a difference.
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Yeah I’ve been on lithium too when I was in hospital- it sent me bonkers. I guess the next thing to try would be the mao inhibitors. I’ll talk to my doctor about it next time. Sorry you’ve been dealing with such entrenched depression- that must be really rough.
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Thanks, im better now, and good luck too you. Hope you find something to treat your symptoms
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The trouble is my doctor needs to agree to a diagnosis of schizophrenia - at the moment he is convinced I don’t have it, so just keeps at the stronger and stronger antidepressants. Ah well I’m off all antipsychotics now so we will see what happens over the next few months. It’s strange to almost wish for psychosis just to prove my doctor wrong but that’s where I’m at.
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I’m on amitryptiline thats the sister drug to nortriptyline but only on 20mg for insomnia I used to be on 150mg for depression n anxiety and it worked well I tried all the ssris and most snris with no luck then I was given flupenthixol after ability did nothing and now I’m not depressed at all which is good im also off all antipsychotics which is gd for me anyway x
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I was on Tofranil years ago.
That stuff made me manic and crazy!
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In 1969, I was put on triavil. That’s a little triangular pill with elavil and perphenazine in it. But I slept all the time when like that, so they gave me shock treatments.
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