# DP/DR Research



## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

Hi fellow survivors,

My name is Paul & i live near Manchester, England.

Some of you may be aware that DP & DR have only been researched in the last 10 yrs or so & the likelyhood especially in the UK of anyone in the mental health profession having even heard of it is limited somewhat & over the years i`ve been diagnosed with all sorts of personality disorders.

There is currently only 2 DP research centres worldwide, one is in London UK & the other is in New York.

After doing much of my own research i got my shrink to send me to London last month where i was diagnosed as having chronic DP/DR, the consultant was brilliant, he is sorting out funding so i can keep going back to see him, we exchanged email addresses & then sent my GP a detailed report with recommendations for medication.

I am pleased to say that today i got my prescription & have just taken my first doses.

Lamotrigine 25mg tablets increasing to 75mg over the next few weeks....50% of DP sufferers have gotten better using this tablet according to London Shrink

SSRI Cipralex 10mg daily...i`ve had this before & managed to return to work for a short period

Clonazepan 0.5mg twice daily increasing on review

CBT used to be the therapy part of treatment but the researches at London have come up with what they`ve called Lifespan Intergration Therapy, very different to CBT so i`m told.

I`m now at the forefront of the research into DP/DR, a guinea pig i suppose, but i live in hope that one day soon i can get my life back

The consultants name i see at London is called Mauricio Sierra-Siegert & he has written a book very recently called (Depersonalization: A New Look at a Neglected Syndrome)

If i can assist any of you don`t hesitate to get in touch....keep safe guys...


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## Reflection (Aug 12, 2004)

I think it's called Lifespan Integration. link http://www.goodtherapy.org/lifespan-integration.html


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## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

Yes your right, it is lifespan intergration therapy, it`s not available here yet unless i have it in London which is a bit of a pain...CBT never worked for me but generally it`s common knowledge it doesn`t work for DP


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## voidvoid (Sep 5, 2008)

The book is floating around the forum in digital form. Im sure someone can give you a link or e-mail it to you. The original link keeps dying because someone is reporting it as copyright infringement


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## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

That would be great...i`m just feeling my way around the Forum & not quite sure what i`m doin yet lol


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## Reflection (Aug 12, 2004)

If someone would be kind enough to mail me the link I would be really grateful


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## sophiasmith (Mar 30, 2010)

paul121 said:


> Hi fellow survivors,
> 
> My name is Paul & i live near Manchester, England.
> 
> ...


Hello Paul,

I was also a "guinea pig" of Mauritio Sierra-Siegert. He suggested Lamotrigine and Citalopram, and advised me to keep increasing the doses of these meds slowly until I had reached a maximum he thought safe. At first I got some benefits from the drugs which made a huge difference to my life. I found that increasing these doses caused me mental confusion, part of which was not to be aware that they were causing me mental confusion. Then I also found some aspects of of my depersonalisation became notably worse. I eventually could no longer work, and decided to stop all the medication. Despite this, the aspects of my dp that had worsened remained that way, though I also, strangely, retained the benefits too. I was very weak for a few months. Then I had some treatment from an alternative health practitioner, and got my strength back again. However, since then, I find that I am "dopey", sleep too heavily, and whenever I get ill, I get much iller than I used to, and it worsens my dp.

I wrote to the hospital about it, and they were dismissive, denied that lamotrigine could have the effect of mental confusion and extreme tiredness ( though it is written in the textbooks), and added various things I was supposed to have said during consultations, which were inaccurate and made me look very neurotic.

I now feel both that he saved my life and ruined it. I think he should have warned me about the fact that lamotrigine can have this effect, particularly as there was no arrangement at that time to "keep an eye on you" (this was left to your GP). I should have done my own research and found this out for myself (eg on Medline, or in a Pharmacopia ). I mistakenly thought I was being supported and guided, when, as you said, I was just being given a prescription and being a guinea pig. I don't know how I could have got through my life without the help of that medication - I only wish I could also have avoided all its negative effects, which I think I could have done simply by not raising the dose beyond a comfortable level. He kept telling me it was good to put up with unpleasant side-effects so that you could overcome them. That was when I started to get really bad effects that never went away.

Just thought I would share my experience with you. I would say - get a friend to keep an eye on you and ask you how you feel, daily if possible. If you say you're not feeling good, they should be briefed to ask you what you think about continuing on the current dose of medication, and to talk it through with you.

I hope you have a much better experience. Hope you get better.


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## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

sophiasmith said:


> Hello Paul,
> 
> I was also a "guinea pig" of Mauritio Sierra-Siegert. He suggested Lamotrigine and Citalopram, and advised me to keep increasing the doses of these meds slowly until I had reached a maximum he thought safe. At first I got some benefits from the drugs which made a huge difference to my life. I found that increasing these doses caused me mental confusion, part of which was not to be aware that they were causing me mental confusion. Then I also found some aspects of of my depersonalisation became notably worse. I eventually could no longer work, and decided to stop all the medication. Despite this, the aspects of my dp that had worsened remained that way, though I also, strangely, retained the benefits too. I was very weak for a few months. Then I had some treatment from an alternative health practitioner, and got my strength back again. However, since then, I find that I am "dopey", sleep too heavily, and whenever I get ill, I get much iller than I used to, and it worsens my dp.
> 
> ...


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## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

I know where your coming from with lack of support, i went to see my local shrink who referred me to Mauricio & has now wiped his hands of me as i`m now under London.
It`s driven me mad over the years the different meds i`ve tried & the side effects...it`s hard living your life & the professionals just keep telling you to give it time....is 6 months not enough time? these tablets make you feel worse not better.

I`m coming off duloxetine now thank god...i was becoming a boarderline alchoholic because i couldn`t cope with the severity of the dp/dr depression & anxiety....it`s completely unfair to be just left to it.

Cipralex has been the best combination with perphenazine in the past & amazingly i returned to work. I got an infection resulting in hospitalisation & was unable to get back on my feet after that & lost my job...that was 2 years ago.

I just wish i could wake up in the morning & have the will to do something positive, a drive out, take the kids for a picnic...only as usual i`m half asleep & don`t want to do anything.

It`s a weird illness......your neither here nor there....somewhere inbetween....just barely existing

I`m grateful to my wife...she`s been my rock


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## sophiasmith (Mar 30, 2010)

paul121 said:


> I know where your coming from with lack of support, i went to see my local shrink who referred me to Mauricio & has now wiped his hands of me as i`m now under London.
> It`s driven me mad over the years the different meds i`ve tried & the side effects...it`s hard living your life & the professionals just keep telling you to give it time....is 6 months not enough time? these tablets make you feel worse not better.
> 
> I`m coming off duloxetine now thank god...i was becoming a boarderline alchoholic because i couldn`t cope with the severity of the dp/dr depression & anxiety....it`s completely unfair to be just left to it.
> ...


I no longer trust long term medication of any kind, and I'm trying a dietary program known as GAPS diet. It is a long term program and I probably won't see the real benefit for six months or more. I do feel some benefits now, though - small ones, but significant to me. I feel more connected to people, and not the overwhelming tiredness I normally have. Everyone is telling me how well I look. Other than that, I'm the same. After a longer time I will update everyone if it's working.

I feel saddest about people's refusal to acknowledge what it's like having this, but a friend of mine said to me, they are just innocent of what life can be like.

I suppose it is the same situation for many, many people with many different illnesses - that they only wish someone would just help them get better, but nobody does, they're just left to suffer. I've become more cynical over the years, I now think the world revolves around the wrong things and money is too high a priority to let people attend to the really important things. I'm sure peoples could be cured of many illnesses if the will was really there. I don't think one research team in one hospital is enough - I think people need to work together and really understand the causes of illness, but the money is in selling a pill to deal with the symptoms.

The only thing we can do is know we aren't alone and realise it isn't personal that it's happening to us. I think that is crucial. I can't tell you what a difference it makes to me to hear from other people going through this. I'm sorry that you are, though.


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## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

It`s even better to talk to someone who`s actually seen Dr Siegert & already been through it.

Nearly a week into the meds now & my mood has lifted, i`ve become obsesive with cleaning & have been painting my house outside. Time seems to have slowed down....being busy seems to have made the day longer.

I know this won`t last long....i always feel up at the start & get renewed hope that this is it...then bang...deep depression & severe DP...i don`t know maybe it will be different this time, i can only hope.

I`ve tried eating healthy combined with a 3 mile daily walk but made no difference apart from i felt less out of breath but then my mood dipped & i reverted back to my usual daily routine of nothingness.

You`ve just got to keep trying stuff & i hope this diet helps you.

Once you get well enough then you`ve got to find yourself again....rediscover who YOU are...


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## Reflection (Aug 12, 2004)

Vedanta said:


> If someone would be kind enough to mail me the link I would be really grateful


Anyone?


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## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

Sorry Vedentta i aven`t got a copy yet but will look for it on torrent downloads


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## Reflection (Aug 12, 2004)

paul121 said:


> Sorry Vedentta i aven`t got a copy yet but will look for it on torrent downloads


Thanks Paul


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## voidvoid (Sep 5, 2008)

Wow, someone really didnt send it to you yet? The link was up and working for a long time, surely alot of people would have it by now.


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## paul121 (May 4, 2010)

I can`t find it & no torrent exists for it....BOOOOO


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## pancake (Nov 26, 2009)

Anyone know if that PDF is still out there? 
I have a print copy but it would be dead useful to be able to search the text, the referencing system in the book is not so hot.


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## voidvoid (Sep 5, 2008)

Whoa, there was a PDF version?


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## pancake (Nov 26, 2009)

New Look


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