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Suggest Treatment For Depression, Fatigue And Anxiety
Question: My dau-in-law ia suffering from depression & fatigue & anxiety. This is not common. Began seeing therapist. Not helping. Could it be a chemical imbalance? She has asked me to help her find an answer.
Brief Answer:
Yes, by definition depression & anxiety is a chemical imbalance
Detailed Answer:
Welcome to HCM. Sorry to hear about your search for answers. On the molecular and microscopic level. It has been believe that depression and anxiety are as a result of chemical imbalances in our body. And what the medications do is help normalize that imbalance. Please note however that the medications take 6 to even 10 weeks to work. So they should not be changed before this time has been exhausted. Also note that when one medication doesn't work, you might want to increase the dose of that medicine. Next would be to try another medication from a different class and not the same class of the one that has failed. Then next 2 medications can be used from 2 different classes to try and keep her symptoms at bay. Only after this approach has been exhausted can you say that there is been treatment failure. As you can see, if each of these results expect at least 10 weeks, we are talking almost half a year to a year before you can't definitively give up on trying to correctthis situation. The other factor is to stay with one physician during this treatment, This avoids another physician from starting from scratch with the medications that already failed. It very hard for another physician just to pick up in the middle of a course of her treatment. And he'll find you have to start replaying all information that you're done for the past months or so. This gets very frustrating for the patient and the physician leading to noncompliance to treatment and sheer frustration from both parties. I hope this helps, and good luck.
Yes, by definition depression & anxiety is a chemical imbalance
Detailed Answer:
Welcome to HCM. Sorry to hear about your search for answers. On the molecular and microscopic level. It has been believe that depression and anxiety are as a result of chemical imbalances in our body. And what the medications do is help normalize that imbalance. Please note however that the medications take 6 to even 10 weeks to work. So they should not be changed before this time has been exhausted. Also note that when one medication doesn't work, you might want to increase the dose of that medicine. Next would be to try another medication from a different class and not the same class of the one that has failed. Then next 2 medications can be used from 2 different classes to try and keep her symptoms at bay. Only after this approach has been exhausted can you say that there is been treatment failure. As you can see, if each of these results expect at least 10 weeks, we are talking almost half a year to a year before you can't definitively give up on trying to correctthis situation. The other factor is to stay with one physician during this treatment, This avoids another physician from starting from scratch with the medications that already failed. It very hard for another physician just to pick up in the middle of a course of her treatment. And he'll find you have to start replaying all information that you're done for the past months or so. This gets very frustrating for the patient and the physician leading to noncompliance to treatment and sheer frustration from both parties. I hope this helps, and good luck.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
would you then suggest a medical doctor for assessment rather than a pyschiatrist (sp)? This has all been recent & not like her. The emotions seem to be extreme for her. For her to ask for my help shows me she is struggling. She is unhappy w/the pyschiatrist is seeing.
Brief Answer:
The medical doctor will refer you to a psychiatrist for care
Detailed Answer:
When the situation becomes complicated like this sounds, I would refer my patient to a psychiatrist, now what you can do is look for another psychiatrist and be open and upfront about the issues and the lack of good patient doctor relationship you currently have, problem is that that may be seen as a negative, as in, who is to say that she will change from this new doctor. I would try and talk to your current psychiatrist, you attend a session to visit if you have to and kindly explain the predicament and hopefully your cries are taken more seriously and there is a change before you change doctors.
The medical doctor will refer you to a psychiatrist for care
Detailed Answer:
When the situation becomes complicated like this sounds, I would refer my patient to a psychiatrist, now what you can do is look for another psychiatrist and be open and upfront about the issues and the lack of good patient doctor relationship you currently have, problem is that that may be seen as a negative, as in, who is to say that she will change from this new doctor. I would try and talk to your current psychiatrist, you attend a session to visit if you have to and kindly explain the predicament and hopefully your cries are taken more seriously and there is a change before you change doctors.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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