So I basically threw a fit to my doctor that the rexulti wasn’t doing anything for my anhedonia and he agreed we could try an antidepressant but he wanted to test out if dexamethasone would work for me first. It’s a steroid that you take just 4 doses of and in half of people who take it it shows a dramatic improvement in depression symptoms compared to placebo. He said maybe it could help pull me out of this slump so maybe an antidepressant wouldn’t even be necessary. So I agreed to try it. I’ll let you guys know if it works or not…I was just surprised to learn steroids could be used for depression, thought I’d share here.
That’s a new one on me. Just 4 doses ? Let us know how it goes.
It makes sense to me because a lot of the population struggles with inflammation, generally due to how unhealthy our diets are nowadays. Inflammation can cause depression, fatigue, etc. Thus it would make sense that a steroid would help with that. However following that logic also means the steroid is a bandaid solution because it may help fight the inflammation, but steroids shouldn’t be stayed on long term and won’t cure the source of the inflammation, diet.
I was just reading about all that actually. Not about steroids and depression but about how so many people have markers for inflammation and whatnot.
Surprised too, let us know how it goes. Ill ask my dr about it.
good luck with the steroids!
let us know if it works or not.
Steroids?
No way Jose, not for me.
Good luck with it.
Instead of taking steroids, wouldn’t the logical thing to do then would be to eat nutritiously? No more fast food, take out, or restaurant meals.
Hey so update for everyone, I guess the steroid worked! Day 1 I felt absolutely nothing and was still in a very bad funk unable to focus on anything and not enjoying anything. Did not feel hopeful. But then by day 2 it had lifted a good deal and I was able to leave the house, read a book, and even got excited (I haven’t felt excitement in sooo long!!) over a new videogame and played it for hours. Day 3 and it was like I hadn’t been depressed at all, participating in activities normally and even cooking. Today was my last dose. What a crazy experience!!
Keep in mind this is after over a solid month of severe anhedonia, coming home from work and just laying on the couch unable to do anything and having no interest in anything. It was absolutely miserable. And I’m finally ok again it seems! At least for now, we’ll see if it lasts now that I’m done with all the doses.
Excellent. I wanna try steroids if they do that.
What was the dose of steroids they had you on?
But steroids cant be taken for a long time I think?
No it is not intended for long term use, you only take it for 4 days or something like that. It is just intended to boost you out of an anhedonia episode. Therefore if you have chronic anhedonia as like a negative symptom I’m not sure it would work for you. But if you have depressive episodes where you have anhedonia that comes and goes it could help get you out of that anhedonia slump sooner.
Regardless there is no harm in trying it because taking it for 4 days or however long isn’t going to do anything bad even if it doesn’t end up working.
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