News and Articles
02.21.10
by Lucia M. Gregorio, M.D.
Up to 80% of people with depression enjoy relief from their
condition with proper treatment, although improvement may not occur
with the first treatment. For the remaining 20% of patients,
however, relief may seem elusive as treatment after treatment
fails. For individuals with treatment-resistant, or refractory,
depression, it's easy to lose hope. But maintaining a partnership
with your doctor, researching options, and staying committed to the
process can lead to successful treatment. While it can be
frustrating to take medications that don't work, or suffer side
effects that make treatment not worth it, the good news is that
success is possible with time and effort. Depression requires a
highly customized treatment plan-what works for one often fails for
another.
Depression can make you feel hopeless and helpless. But just
taking the first step-deciding to get treatment-can make all the
difference. If your doctor prescribes an antidepressant, keep in
mind that it takes time for antidepressants to work. Once you feel
better, it is important to keep taking your antidepressant for as
long as your doctor tells you to. For more information, please call
ESTRELLA INTERNAL MEDICINE & GERIATRICS CLINIC at 623-873-1500.
Affiliated with Banner Estrella Medical Center, our office is
located at 8410 W. Thomas Road, Bldg. 2, Suite 112, Phoenix. Our
hours are weekdays 9am - 12pm, 1pm - 6pm. We accept Visa, MasteCard
and American Express.
P.S. The FDA recently approved vagus nerve stimulation as an
option for treatment-resistant depression.