# Update on Meds/Depression Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686 "2011-07-11T23:26:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686/1 "2011-07-11T23:26:53Z")
Howdy: I started a thread last week(?) about depression and meds. I wanted to provide an update. Today I went to my new psychiatrist about my SSRI-resistant depression and anxiety. She asked me 12 trillion questions, including stuff that previous shrinks have not asked. I explained how crappy I was feeling and how anti-depressants haven’t seemed to work over the last few years, how totally unfocussed and unmotivated I’ve been, and how my stupid brain won’t turn off the stupid invasive thoughts and static. So, a very prelim diagnosis is Adut ADD – something I have never, ever, never considered. I did a questionaire for the doc and scored a very high ADD symptom score. We started on a very low dose of Adderall and tapering the SSRI. I took the first dose this afternoon and, OMG, I actually FEEL BETTER! I’m hoping it’s not some placebo effect b/c I’m so desperate to feel okay. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686/2 "2011-07-11T23:43:42Z")
Wow great news. I never would have thought of ADD. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686/3 "2011-07-11T23:47:43Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > Wow great news. I never would have thought of ADD. I didn’t either. I thought attention and other probs were from depression (they still could be), and I’ve had a rather reductive view of ADD. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686/4 "2011-07-12T01:03:32Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > Howdy: I started a thread last week(?) about depression and meds. I wanted to provide an update. > > Today I went to my new psychiatrist about my SSRI-resistant depression and anxiety. She asked me 12 trillion questions, including stuff that previous shrinks have not asked. I explained how crappy I was feeling and how anti-depressants haven’t seemed to work over the last few years, how totally unfocussed and unmotivated I’ve been, and how my stupid brain won’t turn off the stupid invasive thoughts and static. > > So, a very prelim diagnosis is Adut ADD – something I have never, ever, never considered. I did a questionaire for the doc and scored a very high ADD symptom score. We started on a very low dose of Adderall and tapering the SSRI. > > I took the first dose this afternoon and, OMG, I actually FEEL BETTER! I’m hoping it’s not some placebo effect b/c I’m so desperate to feel okay. If you are feeling better, why nitpick if it’s a result of a placebo effect or an actual chemical change? Placebo effects ARE real effects that shouldn’t be minimized. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686/5 "2011-07-12T01:18:33Z")
I will venture a guess: the concern is that an initial placebo effect may not last. Don’t know how long you’ve been on SSRIs, but I recommend a SLOW taper, especially if you’ve been taking them a while / haven’t experienced quitting before. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686/6 "2011-07-12T02:10:18Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I will venture a guess: the concern is that an initial placebo effect may not last. > > Thanks, VT: that’s EXACTLY it! > > Don’t know how long you’ve been on SSRIs, but I recommend a SLOW taper, especially if you’ve been taking them a while / haven’t experienced quitting before. We’re planning a two-month long slow taper from the Cymbalta. Word is that the withdrawals from this are horrible if not done slowly. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/update-on-meds-depression-thread/588686/7 "2011-07-12T12:47:15Z")
ADHD medicines do actually work that quickly. Now if it was an SSRI, it would likely be a placebo effect, as they take weeks to work. But the therapeutic action of Adderall is quite often measured in hours.