Buprenorphine or Methylphenidate, anyone, ever?

[Cracker]

Serious question, but serious situation. See my other thread for further background please?

Basically I've exhausted all avenues in treating my anxiety and depression. Every med, class of med, CBT, etc etc. EVERYTHING, and I am still so very very poorly....work, kids, wife, all lost (or neglected)

I've been ill for about 20 years. I'm now nearly 40. In the last 3 years I've been particularly Ill and I'm on the verge of being admitted. The trouble is, I'm lucid and not suicidal (not really anyway) but my anxiety and depression literally renders me completely disabled (unless there's another underlying cause!)

Shining light ? Buprenorphine works profoundly well for me. I suspect methylphenidate will do too, but want to avoid a stimulant.

Question - has anyone, anywhere, in the UK ever successfully obtained a script for Buorenorphine (I do have major pain issues too, slipped,disc, 8x knee ops etc, but don't want to 'play' on using it for that. To me, it plainly and simp,y obliterates my mental funk and that's why I want it)

It's last resort time for me. It truly works. Nothing else has, Snri, Ssri, sari, anti psychotic augmentation, trazodone, mood stablisers, the list goes on and on and on.

When 15x ECT's don't help, but Buprenorphine DOES, what does that suggest!?

Thanks.:lac:

[yenool]

I think historically some opiates have been used for depression but no idea about something like Buprenorphine.

I have pain issues and I get codeine which works OK. I find the codeine does induce relaxation but I'm never sure if that is just because it relieves the pain or if it is a separate effect of the drug. The problem being the 'warm' relaxation effect wears off over time (although thankfully the pain relief is still effective).

Honestly I think it is unlikely either of those medications would be prescribed legitimately for depression and anxiety. Methylpenidate being a stimulant I would have thought it could actually increase anxiety?

Your best bet would be to try and get on Butrans for Pain.

Have you been on an MAOI like Tranylcypromine, Phenelzine, or Iisocarboxazid? - Potentially dangerous drugs that must be used with caution, but sometimes used as a last resort for treatment resistant depression. Moclobemide is a lot safer but perhaps not as strong.

I assume you have tried Amitriptyline or Clomipramine as well?

Can I ask what antipsychotic you have tried and what effect it had? - They want me to go on a combination of SSRI + antipsychotic now. Like you I have also failed with various meds, therapy, etc.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I think historically some opiates have been used for depression but no idea about something like Buprenorphine.

I have pain issues and I get codeine which works OK. I find the codeine does induce relaxation but I'm never sure if that is just because it relieves the pain or if it is a separate effect of the drug. The problem being the 'warm' relaxation effect wears off over time (although thankfully the pain relief is still effective).

Honestly I think it is unlikely either of those medications would be prescribed legitimately for depression and anxiety. Methylpenidate being a stimulant I would have thought it could actually increase anxiety?

Your best bet would be to try and get on Butrans for Pain.

Have you been on an MAOI like Tranylcypromine, Phenelzine, or Iisocarboxazid? - Potentially dangerous drugs that must be used with caution, but sometimes used as a last resort for treatment resistant depression. Moclobemide is a lot safer but perhaps not as strong.

I assume you have tried Amitriptyline or Clomipramine as well?

Can I ask what antipsychotic you have tried and what effect it had? - They want me to go on a combination of SSRI + antipsychotic now. Like you I have also failed with various meds, therapy, etc.

There are some studies that have been completed more recently about this med (the others were quite aged now) so maybe this will change?

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=170991

Might be worth a look, yenool. Maybe they are changing their minds?

[yenool]

There are some studies that have been completed more recently about this med (the others were quite aged now) so maybe this will change?

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=170991

Might be worth a look, yenool. Maybe they are changing their minds?

I will have a look at the links. The problem is in my experience it is very difficult to get a psychiatrist to change their mind about anything. They are black and white, follow their treatment protocol and will not adapt it for the patient.

I also think they struggle to deal with patients who have mental illness, But are also reasonably well educated and wanting to actively participate in treatment plans. In other serious illness patients are presented with information and choices to make about the treatment, but in mental health care you are expected to take the drugs and shut up. In my experience if you question the doctor then you just get labeled as 'non compliant'.

I've presented my doctor with proper evidence about a treatment I wanted to try but he was just not interested at all. "We don't do that here". My only option is to keep trying the crap that failed first time around.

Anti-psychotic augmentation is the latest trend.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yeah, I reckon thats true. I've not had to deal with psychatrists but I've seen others say exactly the same as you on that score. GP's tend to be like that too.

Public Health England are trying to update mental health issues to make them closer to physical ones. We all know thats ages off, if it ever happens. There was something mentioned about the ability to access a budget on an individual basis. Whether you could exploit that angle to pursue what you want, I'm not sure. It was something about presenting a case for funds to the local CQC or trust I think for review. I posted a thread about it recently if you need it.

I guess that might be more for psychaitric illnesses than us and I bet they would be not want to set any precidents given the amount of us there are but who knows.

[hanshan]

I wasn't familiar with buprenorphine, but reading up on it, it's only prescribed to people withdrawing from opiate addiction, which means to have obtained it, you are either withdrawing from opiates, or obtained it from someone who was (or going through the motions and on-selling). Either way, it's not a long-term solution.