Don't worry AskMe, I want to be informed and I prefer to be informed – but I experience that doctors don’t always provide the necessary information - maybe because they don’t want the patients to feel negative about such treatment. And I'm a person who wants to know all the pros and cons.

The doctor didn’t take a blood test yesterday to check my hormone levels – he just gave me a standard dose for women. I guess the doctor will start to monitor my blood level if this testosterone injection helps and if I want to continue with the treatment over a certain period of time.

Thanks for your help! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I’ve already done a search on it and I’m busy reading up on this stuff.

AskMe, I want to update you so I hope you will see this post! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

As you know, I received the testosterone injection almost a month ago and it really made a difference in my libido – especially during the 2nd week after I’ve took the injection. However, I've started to experience a side-effect (acne) and as a result I’ve decided not to go for another injection or the implant. I'm afraid I might start to develop other side-effects as well.

I have started to decrease my AD medication in stead to see if it will help for the libido problem. On one point I want to wean off the medication completely to see how I will feel without it. However, I'm somewhat afraid to do it because of the depression history in my family etc.

The doctor said he don’t think it will be a good idea to wean off the medication until my H’s court case is finished and the stress thereof, but I think if I just reduce it with a small amount (from 30 mg to 20 mg) it might be a good thing and not make such a big difference on my mood. I’m using 30 mg for more than 2 and a half years now and I have a suspicion that the dose have started to become too much for me (therefore the decrease in sex drive and the “numb” feelings).

I'm also tossing around with the idea to ask my psychiatrist about combining Wellbutrin with Cipramil (I understand this will help for the libido problem), but on the other hand, I don't want to unnecessarily take more pills or take something which might cause other side-effects & problems.

Any thoughts?

Your doctor always knows best, but I give an opinion like anyone else.

Wellbutrin and Serzone are the 2 ADs least like to have sexual side effects.

I don't think I would combine Wellbutrin and Cipramil for risk for seratonin syndrome. When you start mixing drugs that hit different receptors the risk becomes higher.

If your depression was brought on by emotional events and is not genetic depression, then after 2.5 years of being on an AD and if you have coping skills in place for stress you should be able to cut back slightly on your AD. The brain remarkably heals itself over a period of time. But if you cut back, cut back slowly.

Again, that is just an opinion and I'm not a doctor, just someone who has had a lot of personal experience.

Thanks for your thoughts & opinion AskMe, I appreciate it.

I was diagnosed with OCD and associated anxiety & depression. I mostly struggled with obsessive thoughts. In my case the disorders is genetic, but there was also a lot of emotional events (and issues from childhood) which triggered the disorder and caused me to use medication. However, I want to try and succeed in maintaining myself on the lowest dose of Cipramil as possible.

With OCD it probably why your doctor wants you to stay at a higher dosage. It takes a higher dosage of SSRI medication to reduce OCD anxiety. If you lower the dosage and start to have repeat anxiety you need to immediately start increasing your dosage back to the prior level. Sometimes you can maintain for a period of time without the medication being at the higher levels.