Posted by smart.drug on May 12, 2008, at 18:48:20
Hi everyone,
I'm a 21-year-old university student, majoring in biochem with plans for med school. Unfortunately, I've struggled almost my whole life with dysthymia. Almost every semester, I'm '"fine" at the beginning, but towards the end, everything crumbles and topples over on me. I'm tired of naming my "symptom" to the psychiatrist, to have him write me for another magic bullet. I want to take charge, and be pro-active about this.
When I go back to school for the fall semester, I want to present him with a comprehensive treatment plan that I want to undertake. So any help or guidance would be appreciated. I need a treatment plan which addresses the "core" symtoms of depression, but does not cause impairment in memory and cognition, nor anxiety. I will present my problem, piece by piece, in subsequent "episodes." I think the very first thing I have to undertake is improve my sleep.
Beyond the old advice of improving my sleep hygeine, etc, is there any medication that can help? I'm not looking for a medication to knock me out. It's not enough for it to be free from "hangover" side-effects; it must be able to improve sleep in such a way that it improves alertness in the daytime. Does such a thing exist, or am I day-dreaming?
I'm thinking of a combo of kava, valerian, tryptophan, and glutamine... Would it do what I'm looking for? Would a medication like gabapentin be any better? Or how about a different strategy, with Rozerem? Or should I try my luck with a sleep study, in the hopes of getting a narcolepsy diagnosis, and subsequently a prescription of Xyrem?
See, if I take an anti-histamine, I drag my feet around and constantly nod off the next day. But if I take a stimulant like Adderall, I can't sleep! Yes, even if I take the dose very early in the morning...
Please help!
poster:smart.drug
thread:828752
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080510/msgs/828752.html