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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tom Twilight on August 15, 2005, at 16:13:36
Hey everyone
I’m sorry to be negative but I’m close to giving up hope with my Social Anxiety
I’ve been trying over a year to get effective treatment without success, its such an uphill struggle in the UKI’m currently taking Marplan (for those who don’t know)
I’ve been on it since June the 3rd, reached 30mgs on June the 26th and I went up to 40mgs last Sunday
The Marplan doesn’t seem to be helping with social anxiety at all, nor does it seem to be very effective for depression, it is helping generalised anxiety a bit.
I have a bad feeling its not going to work for SA, although I hope to give it a fair trial
The side effects are few but quite annoying, bad constipation and disturbed sleep/insomniaI really want to try Nardil, but no UK Psychiatrist I’ve spoken to has been willing to prescribe it, for some stupid reason the last one I saw preferred Marplan over Nardil
I haven’t met a single doctor in the UK who takes social anxiety seriously, they all say “what you really need is CBT”
I’m so tired of trying now, its so lonely struggling, my parents think I should stop trying to get treatment, so does the only friend I’m still in contact with.
I used to think its better to face ones problems, but now I think denial might be best, it’s the classic UK response!
Posted by ed_uk on August 15, 2005, at 16:26:04
In reply to Despair, posted by Tom Twilight on August 15, 2005, at 16:13:36
Hi Tom,
>I hope to give it a fair trial
You must :-) I'd give it at least 6 weeks at the highest tolerated dose before switching to a different treatment. I'd try up to ~ 80mg if you can.
>I really want to try Nardil, but no UK Psychiatrist I’ve spoken to has been willing to prescribe it.......
That's odd. As far as I can tell, Nardil is prescribed more often than Marplan in the UK. Perhaps your new pdoc will let you try Nardil or Parnate if Marplan doesn't work out.
>bad constipation
Have you tried Fybogel? I like Fybogel, it tastes quite nice. Movicol is also good. Fybogel and Movicol are both suitable for long term use. Senna can be useful if Fybogel and Movicol don't work.
>sleep/insomnia
Zolpidem (Stilnoct) might be useful. Trimipramine (Surmontil) is an alternative. I'm scared that you might develop the SS if you take amitriptyline when you're on a high dose of Marplan.
>my parents think I should stop trying to get treatment....
I don't. Why do your parents think that?
>what you really need is CBT...
Have you had CBT?
~ed
Posted by Ilene on August 15, 2005, at 18:23:05
In reply to Despair, posted by Tom Twilight on August 15, 2005, at 16:13:36
> I’m currently taking Marplan (for those who don’t know)
> I’ve been on it since June the 3rd, reached 30mgs on June the 26th and I went up to 40mgs last Sunday
> The Marplan doesn’t seem to be helping with social anxiety at all, nor does it seem to be very effective for depression, it is helping generalised anxiety a bit.
> I have a bad feeling its not going to work for SA, although I hope to give it a fair trial
> The side effects are few but quite annoying, bad constipation and disturbed sleep/insomnia
>
> I really want to try Nardil, but no UK Psychiatrist I’ve spoken to has been willing to prescribe it, for some stupid reason the last one I saw preferred Marplan over Nardil
>I took Marplan for about a year. It didn't do anything for me either, but I didn't have SE's from it. I don't remember the dosage. My new pdoc never heard of it and doesn't know much about MAOI's period.
> I haven’t met a single doctor in the UK who takes social anxiety seriously, they all say “what you really need is CBT”
>The new pdoc referred me to a therapist for CBT. I'll give it a go, even though I don't think it will work for me. Maybe it will do something--who knows?--but I'll get it out of the way.
> I’m so tired of trying now, its so lonely struggling, my parents think I should stop trying to get treatment, so does the only friend I’m still in contact with.
>
> I used to think its better to face ones problems, but now I think denial might be best, it’s the classic UK response!
>Good luck with it. I know the UK is notorious for waiting lists and 7-minute appointments.
I.
Posted by Phillipa on August 15, 2005, at 20:49:17
In reply to Re: Despair » Tom Twilight, posted by Ilene on August 15, 2005, at 18:23:05
Since meds don't seem to work for me I'd like to try CBT. Unfortunately noone around here uses it. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Ilene on August 15, 2005, at 21:03:47
In reply to Re: Despair, posted by Phillipa on August 15, 2005, at 20:49:17
> Since meds don't seem to work for me I'd like to try CBT. Unfortunately noone around here uses it. Fondly, Phillipa
Where are you?
I.
Posted by Phillipa on August 15, 2005, at 21:28:06
In reply to Re: Despair » Phillipa, posted by Ilene on August 15, 2005, at 21:03:47
Emerald Isle NC. The Beach. Even in Moorehead city there is only one pdoc and l therapist. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Ilene on August 15, 2005, at 21:36:07
In reply to Re: Despair » Ilene, posted by Phillipa on August 15, 2005, at 21:28:06
> Emerald Isle NC. The Beach. Even in Moorehead city there is only one pdoc and l therapist. Fondly, Phillipa
Try these sites:
http://cms.psychologytoday.com/usnews/state/North%20Carolina.html
http://www.cognitivetherapy.com/others.htmlI.
Posted by Phillipa on August 15, 2005, at 22:33:30
In reply to Re: Despair » Phillipa, posted by Ilene on August 15, 2005, at 21:36:07
Thanks Ilene, Had to go to the second one and typed in an E-mail. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by denise1966 on August 17, 2005, at 4:37:31
In reply to Despair, posted by Tom Twilight on August 15, 2005, at 16:13:36
Hi Tom
I'm from the UK and so far I've managed to find two psychiatrists who have agreed to prescribe Nardil for me, both were private and at the Woodbourne. There are psychiatrists in the UK who will prescribe Nardil.
Whereabouts in the UK are you? Have you tried getting an appointment with a private pschyiatrist at one of the Priory Clinics. I know the cost of the appointment is expensive but you'd only have to see them once just to get the Nardil prescription.
Kind Regards......Denise
Posted by Declan on August 17, 2005, at 6:02:58
In reply to Re: Despair, posted by denise1966 on August 17, 2005, at 4:37:31
Hi Tom
Once you've got your foot in the door with a script (should it be effective) your situation will look different. It's just that it's not the first line treatment.
I'd be worried in your situation that my dr would say, well you haven't responded to a MAOI and therefore....
You've got to bear all this stuff in mind.
Declan
Posted by Empathy on August 17, 2005, at 23:01:37
In reply to Despair, posted by Tom Twilight on August 15, 2005, at 16:13:36
You are not alone.
See all of us here? We are like you - a group of folks in the same boat set to sea on a rough ocean... but we keep fishing - please keep fishing, there is something out there that will help you. Hope keeps us a float.
I have come to realize that I will never be as social as I once was (which wasn't very dang social). My goals are modest now, I am working on adding one new person at a time over a long time... Slowly drawing my circle larger. Baby steps
I cannot emphasize enough how important it has been in my life to have some friends that suffer from all the same mental problems that I do. I love my Mom & Dad, but they never had my exact life experiences. I think they have had some type of depression on and off in their lives, but not anything like myself.
My father brought an article to my Mom not long ago and said to her, "I think I have this"... it was an article on Agorophobia... I always suspected he had it... didn't my Mom always say I was so like my father??? LOL!!! I felt so glad to know that I got it from him... Sad that he has lived his 69 years not knowing what it was until now.
Posted by Declan on August 18, 2005, at 0:02:53
In reply to Re: Despair For TOM, posted by Empathy on August 17, 2005, at 23:01:37
Despair is a perfectly reasonable reaction to the human condition. You just need to be able to get out of bed in the morning.
That's all
Declan
Posted by Tom Twilight on August 20, 2005, at 16:27:39
In reply to Re: Despair For TOM, posted by Empathy on August 17, 2005, at 23:01:37
a
This is the end of the thread.
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