Med exhaustion

[repeatOffender]

Anyone else experiencing med change exhaustion.

Since my depression episode started in July I have tried at least 12 meds.

Nothing seems to be working.

Is it because I have real things I am sad about and the meds won't make that go away.

It is so, so frustrating. As if we are just spinning a wheel to decide what to try next.

And this same thing happened a few years ago, that went on for 2 years.

I've been trying meditation too, guess I need to add regular exercise.

Thoughts?

[Hidden]

Exercise will definitely help. Changing meds is exhausting and finding the right ones takes patience. 12 meds since July is a lot so I can imagine your frustration. Meds only cover up our sadness; need to let it all out. Do you have a therapist?

[RMHiker]

It took almost a year for me to find the right medication. I know it's really, really hard to keep going from med to med. Getting your hopes up and then being disappointed. For anxiety, gabapentin helps me. And for depression, Auvelity has been amazing. Don't be afraid to switch doctors if necessary. I pray you find something that works soon 🙏

[bethelbee]

After decades of being on antidepressants (some very successful, others not so much)I became treatment resistant to them. The last few I tried either didn't work or gave me intolerable side effects. My therapist recommended TMS and for me it was a life changer and at one point literally a lifesaver.

[CAGgmb]

In 7 weeks I went through 7 med changes in types of meds and in doses. It was hard and I felt hopeless. Now I'm not well, but I'm better. What finally worked for me was finding a psychiatrist who listened and cared. In my case it's anxiety, panic disorder, and depression. To distract myself, I do crosswords, read, and go for walks. Being outside helps.

[designguy]

You might consider doing a psychopharmacological test that uses your dna to help determine which meds are best suited for you, it can help take some of the guess work out of it. Mine was from Genesight and was paid for by my insurance. I live in the US and it's available here, i'm not sure if it's available outside the US, I also think there are other brands available.