When depression has not lifted after a few attempts at treatment, the next clinician will want to know exactly what came before. That history shapes the choices that follow. A written summary, prepared before your first visit, lets a new team spend the appointment on decisions instead of reconstructing the past.
Why the old story matters
Most people remember the big moments: the medicine that made them drowsy, the therapist who felt right for a while, the stretch when everything went quiet. Details fade quickly. Clinicians ask about dose, how long a treatment was taken, and why it stopped, because those answers separate a medicine that never got a fair trial from one that caused trouble. A vague answer like 'it didn't do anything' leaves them guessing whether the dose was too low, the timeline too short, or a side effect was the real reason to switch.
Treatment-resistant depression is a term clinicians use when several reasonable attempts have not brought enough relief. Whether your history fits that label is a judgment for your clinician to make, not something you need to decide alone. Your job is simpler: describe what happened as accurately as you can.
What to put on the page
Start with a plain list, using a single line for each treatment. Note the name as best you recall it, the approximate dose, how long you took it, what it changed, and what it did not change. If you cannot remember a medicine name, many pharmacies can print your fill history, and older records can often be requested from the clinic that prescribed the treatment. Bring any bottle labels you still have.
Next, cover therapy. Write down the type of approach, how often you met, how many sessions you attended, and what you worked on. Mention whether you stopped because the fit felt wrong, because your schedule changed, or because coverage ended. Those reasons matter more than people expect.
Then include anything that happened on the side. Sleep changes, appetite shifts, shakiness, sexual side effects, stomach trouble, or unusual thoughts all belong in the summary, even if you think they were minor or unrelated. You can keep each entry brief. A single sentence per item is usually enough.
Adding the parts people forget
Your history is not only about medicine. Include any hospital stays, urgent visits, or stretches when you needed more support than usual. Note medical conditions that might affect mood, such as thyroid problems, chronic pain, or a surgery from earlier in life, along with any substances you use, including alcohol and cannabis, described honestly. Family history of depression, bipolar disorder, or suicide is also useful. Clinicians ask about it routinely, so having it ready saves time.
Finally, write a short paragraph about what has helped, even slightly. People often list only the failures. Partial improvement tells a clinician what to build on. If something gave you a few good weeks, say so and describe what was happening in your life during that stretch.
How to use the summary in the room
Bring a copy for yourself and another to hand over. Read it aloud briefly at the start of the visit, then ask the clinician which parts they want to cover first. Some will want the full paper trail. Others will focus on the last few attempts. Either way, you are helping them decide, not handing over a verdict.
Keep the summary current by adding a line each time you start or stop something. A living document is far more useful than a rewritten one before every visit, and it travels well if you change clinics or insurance later. If you are preparing for an evaluation with a practice you have not visited before, ask the front desk whether they accept outside records or prefer the summary on its own.
When the list feels long or the memories feel tangled, that is normal. You do not need perfect recall. Honest approximations, labeled as approximations, are more helpful than polished guesses. A clinician who sees 'around a season, exact dose unsure' knows how much weight to give it.
If you are weighing next steps and want to know how to arrange an initial conversation, Brain Recovery Centers. Bring your summary with you either way.