Anti-Depressants

Loghead · 10-30-2011, 01:14 AM

How many of you take anti-depressants? Why? What brand do you take? How was it for you in the beginning? Do you like how it works? Were you more depressed than usual at the beginning of your treatment?

A lot has happened in the last month, and I recently found out that, not only do I have a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but I have a Major Depressive Disorder as well. I was recently prescribed an anti-depressant called Prozac, and I'll likely be on it for the rest of my life. In the week that I have taken it, I've felt nauseous at random moments, and I've felt more depressed than usual at certain times of the day. I'd just like to hear about your experiences so that I know what's in store.

rockin'robin · 10-30-2011, 08:59 AM

I hope you have told ur doctor about becoming nauseous taking Prozac...I never had a problem with Prozac, and took a very high dosage of it due to Chronic Depression, along with another drug, Abilify....After about a year, it didn't seem to help me any...so I was switched to Wellabrutin, which gave me nightmares...all in all...several attempts of taking anti-depressants, and nothing helped, I told my doctor that I did not want to take anything else....due to the side-effects. I've been free of anti-depressants for a very long time now.

However, anti-depressants affect people in different ways. It's a trial and error situation. But am hoping you and ur doctor can work this out!.....

**KristinaB** · 10-30-2011, 08:58 PM

I have been on Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, Neurontin, Lyrica and Cymbalta.
Most of them either made me so loopy that I could not care for my family or I had such allergic reaction to them that I had to be hospitalized. Others I ended up developing a resistance to them and they did not work any longer.

I am now not able to take anything.

Ildri · 10-30-2011, 09:39 PM

I've dealt with depression, and have been on a few different anti-depressants over time. The thing to bear in mind is different ones work differently for different people- depression can be tied to an imbalance of a few different chemicals in your brain (dopamine, seratonin, norepinephrine) and different meds are meant to work for different imbalances. So if you're put on a med that doesn't feel like it's working that well for you, don't be discouraged- sometimes it's just a matter of trial and error to find the right one.

Definitely talk to your doctor about the nausea and depressive episodes.

I hope things get better for you! Have you sought any counseling? I may be biased as a counselor-in-training, but I don't believe in JUST using anti-depressants. If you're dealing with anxiety and depression it might be really good for you to have a professional to talk to as well, who can help you to find ways to cope with these issues.

jillio · 10-30-2011, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loghead

How many of you take anti-depressants? Why? What brand do you take? How was it for you in the beginning? Do you like how it works? Were you more depressed than usual at the beginning of your treatment?

A lot has happened in the last month, and I recently found out that, not only do I have a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but I have a Major Depressive Disorder as well. I was recently prescribed an anti-depressant called Prozac, and I'll likely be on it for the rest of my life. In the week that I have taken it, I've felt nauseous at random moments, and I've felt more depressed than usual at certain times of the day. I'd just like to hear about your experiences so that I know what's in store.

Nausea is common with SSRIs. They change your body chemistry.

Who put you on Prozac? A family physician?

You don't have to be on Prozac for the rest of your life. There are treatments that are showing more success than any of the pharmaceuticals available. Please find a good psychologist that practices narrative therapy. There is also a new treatment being used called transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Loghead · 10-31-2011, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockin'robin

I hope you have told ur doctor about becoming nauseous taking Prozac...I never had a problem with Prozac, and took a very high dosage of it due to Chronic Depression, along with another drug, Abilify....After about a year, it didn't seem to help me any...so I was switched to Wellabrutin, which gave me nightmares...all in all...several attempts of taking anti-depressants, and nothing helped, I told my doctor that I did not want to take anything else....due to the side-effects. I've been free of anti-depressants for a very long time now.

However, anti-depressants affect people in different ways. It's a trial and error situation. But am hoping you and ur doctor can work this out!.....

Considering you no longer take anti-depressants, are you seeing a psychotherapist?

And thanks!

Loghead · 10-31-2011, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KristinaB

I have been on Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, Neurontin, Lyrica and Cymbalta.
Most of them either made me so loopy that I could not care for my family or I had such allergic reaction to them that I had to be hospitalized. Others I ended up developing a resistance to them and they did not work any longer.

I am now not able to take anything.

Sorry to hear that, Kristina.

Do you see anyone?

Loghead · 10-31-2011, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ildri

I've dealt with depression, and have been on a few different anti-depressants over time. The thing to bear in mind is different ones work differently for different people- depression can be tied to an imbalance of a few different chemicals in your brain (dopamine, seratonin, norepinephrine) and different meds are meant to work for different imbalances. So if you're put on a med that doesn't feel like it's working that well for you, don't be discouraged- sometimes it's just a matter of trial and error to find the right one.

Definitely talk to your doctor about the nausea and depressive episodes.

I hope things get better for you! Have you sought any counseling? I may be biased as a counselor-in-training, but I don't believe in JUST using anti-depressants. If you're dealing with anxiety and depression it might be really good for you to have a professional to talk to as well, who can help you to find ways to cope with these issues.

I'm seeing my doctor in a month to discuss the medicine's effects. In all likeliness, she'll up the dose of Prozac.

I am going to be seeing a psychotherapist soon. We'll be getting a call about it within the next week.

Loghead · 10-31-2011, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillio

Nausea is common with SSRIs. They change your body chemistry.

Who put you on Prozac? A family physician?

You don't have to be on Prozac for the rest of your life. There are treatments that are showing more success than any of the pharmaceuticals available. Please find a good psychologist that practices narrative therapy. There is also a new treatment being used called transcranial magnetic stimulation.

That's what my pharmacist told me. He said that nausea isn't uncommon with Prozac.

Yes, my family doctor prescribed the anti-depressant.

Narrative therapy? Transcranial magnetic stimulation?

rockin'robin · 10-31-2011, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loghead

Considering you no longer take anti-depressants, are you seeing a psychotherapist?

And thanks!

No, not at all....the last doctor I went to strongly suggested to me that the cause of my depression was my deafness.....My feelings were it was life in general, not completely my deafness, however, it may have been a part of it.

After several nervous breakdowns, the realization that I needed to get a grip on life's situations. I took a very long vacation from all the stresses I was enduring, and came back to face everything so much stronger. My mind set had a lot to do with my recovery and it still does to this day.

So good luck to you!...Take it a day at a time, and when things get too overwhelming, find you a place to unwind, mediate, even yoga, exercise. And avoid negative people and things in your life. Surround yourself with positive people and environments, avoid those or things that bring you down.

AJWSmith · 10-31-2011, 04:25 AM

I have had a number of nervous breakdowns and took anti-depressants for clinical depression for a long time. The first one was citalopram which made me feel really ill and left a permanent horrible taste in my mouth. After a week or two, I was switched to venlafaxine (or mirtazapine, I can't remember which). I was on this for a while but was never able to shake off my depression. The third stage was when I was put on a combination of venlafaxine and mirtazapine which did the trick for me.

The doctors told me that finding the best anti-depressant varies from person to person, so you should always tell the doctor about the side-effects and discuss whether another anti-depressant would be less unpleasant (there are nearly always unwanted side-effects). My moods stabilised and I was on this combination for a long time. One side-effect for me was always feeling hungry and I put on loads of weight until I because officially obese. Another side-effect was that I was feeling numb. I actually thought this numbness was due to my depression, but after some research I decided that the medication was the cause. In the end I felt that the side-effects were becoming worse than my actual depression and decide to try life without them. Fortunately I was able to come off the anti-depressants and not relapse into clinical depression again.

But please note that I was prepared to keep taking the anti-depressants for the rest of my life so it wasn't a case of feeling the need to stop taking them to show the world that I'm now cured. I wasn't ashamed of needing to take anti-depressants.

Also beware of those research findings that say anti-depressants are no better than placebos. Scientific research of people who are seriously depressed do show that anti-depressants are beneficial. It's people who are mildly depressed who don't tend to show any benefits, and they probably should have never been prescribed anti-depressants in the first place! It's the latter group that dominate those surveys claiming to show that anti-depressants don't work.

Throughout this period I was seeing a psychologist, and I still see one now. In my experience finding a qualified expert (whether psychologist, psychotherapist or other talking therapist) to talk to about your depression and how to cope with it is a very helpful thing.

SkullChick · 10-31-2011, 06:10 AM

Wirelessly posted

I take prozac for my genetic depression and it work pretty well it wont completely cure you from depression. what it does is reduce it to minimum and nausea is normal at first but it will go away also important info, never ever stop anti depressant/antipsychotic cold turkey (tried and went completely nuts and run off in middle of highway but my ex saved me by holding my arm and tell me to take medicine as we get home)

anlos09 · 10-31-2011, 08:37 AM

bupropion, it made me moodier then usual. get frustrated at little things, get pissed off at anything. but now its fine.. even stopped smoking.

jillio · 10-31-2011, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loghead

I'm seeing my doctor in a month to discuss the medicine's effects. In all likeliness, she'll up the dose of Prozac.

I am going to be seeing a psychotherapist soon. We'll be getting a call about it within the next week.

Ask your psychotherpist if they are familiar with narrative therapy.

jillio · 10-31-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJWSmith

I have had a number of nervous breakdowns and took anti-depressants for clinical depression for a long time. The first one was citalopram which made me feel really ill and left a permanent horrible taste in my mouth. After a week or two, I was switched to venlafaxine (or mirtazapine, I can't remember which). I was on this for a while but was never able to shake off my depression. The third stage was when I was put on a combination of venlafaxine and mirtazapine which did the trick for me.

The doctors told me that finding the best anti-depressant varies from person to person, so you should always tell the doctor about the side-effects and discuss whether another anti-depressant would be less unpleasant (there are nearly always unwanted side-effects). My moods stabilised and I was on this combination for a long time. One side-effect for me was always feeling hungry and I put on loads of weight until I because officially obese. Another side-effect was that I was feeling numb. I actually thought this numbness was due to my depression, but after some research I decided that the medication was the cause. In the end I felt that the side-effects were becoming worse than my actual depression and decide to try life without them. Fortunately I was able to come off the anti-depressants and not relapse into clinical depression again.

But please note that I was prepared to keep taking the anti-depressants for the rest of my life so it wasn't a case of feeling the need to stop taking them to show the world that I'm now cured. I wasn't ashamed of needing to take anti-depressants.

Also beware of those research findings that say anti-depressants are no better than placebos. Scientific research of people who are seriously depressed do show that anti-depressants are beneficial. It's people who are mildly depressed who don't tend to show any benefits, and they probably should have never been prescribed anti-depressants in the first place! It's the latter group that dominate those surveys claiming to show that anti-depressants don't work.

Throughout this period I was seeing a psychologist, and I still see one now. In my experience finding a qualified expert (whether psychologist, psychotherapist or other talking therapist) to talk to about your depression and how to cope with it is a very helpful thing.

The research shows that anti-depressants can be effect in relieving symptoms in the short term. Their efficacy in the long term has not been determined. In fact, the reason that people have to change their med regimen when using these drugs long term is because they stop working. The most successful results are seen with a combination of therapy and medication with a gradual weaning of the medication during therapy. Just as you have done.

LoveBlue · 10-31-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ildri

I hope things get better for you! Have you sought any counseling? I may be biased as a counselor-in-training, but I don't believe in JUST using anti-depressants. If you're dealing with anxiety and depression it might be really good for you to have a professional to talk to as well, who can help you to find ways to cope with these issues.

I totally agree.

LoveBlue · 10-31-2011, 12:35 PM

For postpartum depression years ago, I took Prozac and Xanax - prescribed by a psychiatrist - without any problems. When my husband was dying, I tried to be proactive and asked my family doctor for Prozac and Xanax. It messed me up with really bad anxiety. After a little more than a week (and a 2nd visit to the doctor), I went to the ER and they changed the meds to Zoloft & Clonazepam - within a day or two, I was feeling much better. Though I had planned to find a psychiatrist to monitor me eventually, after this episode, I found one (my previous one had died a few years ago) and saw her on a regular basis. As it turns out, thankfully, I did not develop depression from my husband's death and weaned off the drugs about a year later.

**KristinaB** · 10-31-2011, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loghead

Sorry to hear that, Kristina.

Do you see anyone?

I see a therapist via Skype once a month now. I had to change therapists and put in a plea for someone else I worked with. She does this in her own time on her day off. She is a part time therapist with a men's residential treatment center.

Oceanbreeze · 10-31-2011, 04:07 PM

I'm seeing a therapist and psychiatrist.

I take cymbalta for anxiety and depression.

jillio · 10-31-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KristinaB

I see a therapist via Skype once a month now. I had to change therapists and put in a plea for someone else I worked with. She does this in her own time on her day off. She is a part time therapist with a men's residential treatment center.

I'm really glad that you found someone else you were comfortable working with. It can be difficult, especially if you had the kind of connection you had with your previous therapist.

jillio · 10-31-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oceanbreeze

I'm seeing a therapist and psychiatrist.

I take cymbalta for anxiety and depression.

That is the way it works most often. Psychiatrist to prescribe, therapist to treat. Team approach. Rarely do psychiatrists provide actually psychotherapy anymore.

**KristinaB** · 10-31-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillio

I'm really glad that you found someone else you were comfortable working with. It can be difficult, especially if you had the kind of connection you had with your previous therapist.

She is wonderful!! I had to give her a lot of help when I was with the agency with the state form that Missouri Dept of Mental Health required.

We both speak (I can read hr lips very well) and text. She has said that it's better that I not be on any medication and we work on a lot of things together. When it comes to assignments that she gives me, I scan them as a PDF and email them, or I will fax them to her on my fax machine.

Oceanbreeze · 10-31-2011, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillio

That is the way it works most often. Psychiatrist to prescribe, therapist to treat. Team approach. Rarely do psychiatrists provide actually psychotherapy anymore.

True. Although, I did have a psychiatrist that did both. But, that is extremely rare as you pointed out. He moved on, so I'm now seeing his partner (who just precribes my meds) and a therapist who treats my conditions.

jillio · 10-31-2011, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KristinaB

She is wonderful!! I had to give her a lot of help when I was with the agency with the state form that Missouri Dept of Mental Health required.

We both speak (I can read hr lips very well) and text. She has said that it's better that I not be on any medication and we work on a lot of things together. When it comes to assignments that she gives me, I can them as a PDF and email them, or I will fax them to her on my fax machine.

Great! You know, I don't have anything against using medication, and there are many times that medication is absolutely necessary. I ask my clients that aren't on meds to try it with me for a couple of weeks at least, and then, if they still are insistent on meds, we'll take care of it. Those that are on meds without a compelling reason, I ask them to try to cut back their dose a bit and see how it goes, and then we will re-evaluate. It's really a case by case thing, but I hate to see people on meds long term. There are far too many side effects. Often times, what disables a person is not the disorder, but the side effects from the meds they are taking for the disorder. IMO, medication should be used at the minimum dose for as short a time as possible.

Here's the problem though. Insurers press for short term therapy: 6 weeks is their preferred time. Medications make that happen. But it also creates a revolving door because people have to keep coming back and coming back when the meds start to fail them, or they have another problem in their life. If we allowed people to stay in a therapeutic relationship long enough to create lasting change for them, we would not have that revolving door, and we would have people who no longer needed their meds because they have managed to make the changes that relieve their symptoms. As it is, we treat the immediate issue and do not address the fundamental issues that created the immediate symptoms. I really am bothered by that, but so many times, my hands are tied.

SkullChick · 10-31-2011, 07:31 PM

Wirelessly posted

yeah but I'm different my depression is genetic and I cant be reasonable and sane without medication and sometime I'd just flip out and have nervous breakdown over little thing and I had 2 other voices in my head they have "name" even (lefty and righty I know its dumb name but its only one kinda like my name is amy and theres no other option) and they're negative voices and etc blah blah you get the idea I got that so I have to be on medication for life :-( and if I miss more than 3 doses I'd lose it like twice I tried to get out of still running car in highway phew

Doug5 · 11-02-2011, 10:57 AM

Ive tried them all. They dont do nothing. When theyre "working" they make me extremely lazy and turn me into a tv watching couch potato.

I suspect theyre overpriced placebos, cuz studies have shown theyre barely more effective than placebos. Chemical lobotomies

I recommend low carb paleo diet with cardio, stretching, and weight training exercises. You will notice a postive affect on mood and anxiety in around 3-5days. Unlike the crazy pills that takes months to start working.

Feel free to put Tom Cruise pic in my avatar

jillio · 11-02-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkullChick

Wirelessly posted

yeah but I'm different my depression is genetic and I cant be reasonable and sane without medication and sometime I'd just flip out and have nervous breakdown over little thing and I had 2 other voices in my head they have "name" even (lefty and righty I know its dumb name but its only one kinda like my name is amy and theres no other option) and they're negative voices and etc blah blah you get the idea I got that so I have to be on medication for life :-( and if I miss more than 3 doses I'd lose it like twice I tried to get out of still running car in highway phew

Your genetic predisposition doesn't lock you into any predicted outcome. You would be amazed at the number of people just like you who have managed to greatly reduce the amount of medication they take, or wean off their medication all together and still live very productive and symptom free lives. Those that have residual symptoms, will generally have those residuals even on meds.

SkullChick · 11-02-2011, 11:34 AM

Wirelessly posted

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillio

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkullChick

Wirelessly posted

yeah but I'm different my depression is genetic and I cant be reasonable and sane without medication and sometime I'd just flip out and have nervous breakdown over little thing and I had 2 other voices in my head they have "name" even (lefty and righty I know its dumb name but its only one kinda like my name is amy and theres no other option) and they're negative voices and etc blah blah you get the idea I got that so I have to be on medication for life :-( and if I miss more than 3 doses I'd lose it like twice I tried to get out of still running car in highway phew

Your genetic predisposition doesn't lock you into any predicted outcome. You would be amazed at the number of people just like you who have managed to greatly reduce the amount of medication they take, or wean off their medication all together and still live very productive and symptom free lives. Those that have residual symptoms, will generally have those residuals even on meds.

I dont want to risk that cuz I was obsessed with killing myself, warped view of self, angry easily, do crazy thing and little delusional and I'm happy with way I am right now with medication in system. my brain's so quiet with only my own thoughts and I smile and able to reason with things before act on it.

jillio · 11-02-2011, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkullChick

Wirelessly posted

I dont want to risk that cuz I was obsessed with killing myself, warped view of self, angry easily, do crazy thing and little delusional and I'm happy with way I am right now with medication in system. my brain's so quiet with only my own thoughts and I smile and able to reason with things before act on it.

I would never suggest that you immediately come off of meds or that it would be possible to completely come off meds. Certainly not if you are having suicidal thoughts. I'm just saying, that you may not have to be on your meds, or this high a dose of your meds, for the rest of your life. Amazing things are being done in the treatment of despression. I am glad that they are working so well for you now. Just try not to think in terms of forever, so you don't close yourself off to other things that might be even more beneficial in the future.

Giulia · 11-06-2011, 04:03 PM

Jillo, I am on med for ADHD.
Without, even the best therapy doesn't do a thing.
I am prepared to be in need for ADHD med for my whole life. If I come to a point when meds are becoming unnecessary, great. Otherwise, it's not the end of the world : many people live with meds for their whole life, be for diabetes, be for asthma, be for epilepsy etc...
ADHD made me so unable to function that I couldn't do much of my life. I dropped out my studies after the Bac. I couldn't read a page of a book. I couldn't even help mom at home. I don't call it a life, by no way.
So the ADHD med was, and is still, the small price to pay to have a dignitful life. I found some tricks to live with my ADHD, to organize myself, to coach myself. We did that when I was a child, but my ADHD went worse after my Bac. It was not diagnosed before 2009.
I don't say that pharmaceutical companies are angels. I don't say that overprescription doesn't exist.
But living without meds, be for depression, be for diabetes... is not the way we have to think about the objective. The objective is living the best way we can with our pathology. Therapy helps, for sure.
Then, after a certain amount of time in therapy, we can think about stopping meds or not. For some people, stopping meds can be a reasonable goal, for other people it's not a reasonnable goal. But it's not something we shall think at the very beginning.
Meds is not the panacea, it doesn't do the whole job. But it helps.
As a person who deals with ADHD, some LD, sensory issues and SSD, the aim in life is living it to its fullest. So the question of "with or without meds" is absolutely not a priority : living a good life doesn't limit at this question. I see it as a very small question, not the major one.

I have suffered from depression.
I took Effexor during one year, then I stopped it very gradually.
My depression expressed itself by crying all the time, being tired even after good nights and being indifferent about not being able to do absolutely anything.
I was put under Effexor by a psychiatrist at 37.5mg (normally, the therapeutic dose is higher, but I am a sensitive one). Within three days, I had the full effect (the psychiatrist I had had never seen that in her career).
We had to open the caps to withdraw the Effexor, apart than that, it was quite uneventful.
The only side effect I had with Effexor was diarrhoea at night. But no nausea, no serious weight loss, nothing to be written of.
I was having talk therapy (which I had for many years).
We thought about stopping Effexor after a year of it, when I reached a better balance in life. But stopping the antidepressant was not our first goal : our first goal was the balance in life. After, the question of stopping the antidepressant came naturally, and we could stop it without any problem.

Loghead, don't think that far as "it may be for the rest of my life". It's really not the moment : no one has the answer right now.
Think first about caring your depression. Therapy has to be part of your regimen : the med won't make the whole job by itself.
Then, the question of stopping the medicine or not will get a clearer answer. It's not a question your physician can reply right now : he has no more crystal ball than anyone else here or elsewhere.
But the aim now is caring this major depressive disorder and build your life. The idea is one day at time, without looking too far away.

And just to reply to people who say that meds become inefficient after a period of time, I answer : it depends of the person. Some will take the same med for the rest of their life. Some will have to change med. Some can live without med. Some will take it for their life. There is no single rule, as everyone react differently even with the same diagnosis.
We can't make a prognosis, as no one can know what will happen in the future.

Good luck

10-30-2011, 01:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
Loghead Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,677	Anti-Depressants How many of you take anti-depressants? Why? What brand do you take? How was it for you in the beginning? Do you like how it works? Were you more depressed than usual at the beginning of your treatment? A lot has happened in the last month, and I recently found out that, not only do I have a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but I have a Major Depressive Disorder as well. I was recently prescribed an anti-depressant called Prozac, and I'll likely be on it for the rest of my life. In the week that I have taken it, I've felt nauseous at random moments, and I've felt more depressed than usual at certain times of the day. I'd just like to hear about your experiences so that I know what's in store.

10-30-2011, 08:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
KristinaB New SDIT Deacon Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Land of the backstroke Posts: 13,772	I have been on Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, Neurontin, Lyrica and Cymbalta. Most of them either made me so loopy that I could not care for my family or I had such allergic reaction to them that I had to be hospitalized. Others I ended up developing a resistance to them and they did not work any longer. I am now not able to take anything. __________________ Taking life one day at a time.

10-30-2011, 09:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ildri Registered User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ohio, for now Posts: 175	I've dealt with depression, and have been on a few different anti-depressants over time. The thing to bear in mind is different ones work differently for different people- depression can be tied to an imbalance of a few different chemicals in your brain (dopamine, seratonin, norepinephrine) and different meds are meant to work for different imbalances. So if you're put on a med that doesn't feel like it's working that well for you, don't be discouraged- sometimes it's just a matter of trial and error to find the right one. Definitely talk to your doctor about the nausea and depressive episodes. I hope things get better for you! Have you sought any counseling? I may be biased as a counselor-in-training, but I don't believe in JUST using anti-depressants. If you're dealing with anxiety and depression it might be really good for you to have a professional to talk to as well, who can help you to find ways to cope with these issues. __________________ "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken" -Oscar Wilde

10-31-2011, 04:25 AM	#11 (permalink)
AJWSmith Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: live? I'm the walking dead! Posts: 684	I have had a number of nervous breakdowns and took anti-depressants for clinical depression for a long time. The first one was citalopram which made me feel really ill and left a permanent horrible taste in my mouth. After a week or two, I was switched to venlafaxine (or mirtazapine, I can't remember which). I was on this for a while but was never able to shake off my depression. The third stage was when I was put on a combination of venlafaxine and mirtazapine which did the trick for me. The doctors told me that finding the best anti-depressant varies from person to person, so you should always tell the doctor about the side-effects and discuss whether another anti-depressant would be less unpleasant (there are nearly always unwanted side-effects). My moods stabilised and I was on this combination for a long time. One side-effect for me was always feeling hungry and I put on loads of weight until I because officially obese. Another side-effect was that I was feeling numb. I actually thought this numbness was due to my depression, but after some research I decided that the medication was the cause. In the end I felt that the side-effects were becoming worse than my actual depression and decide to try life without them. Fortunately I was able to come off the anti-depressants and not relapse into clinical depression again. But please note that I was prepared to keep taking the anti-depressants for the rest of my life so it wasn't a case of feeling the need to stop taking them to show the world that I'm now cured. I wasn't ashamed of needing to take anti-depressants. Also beware of those research findings that say anti-depressants are no better than placebos. Scientific research of people who are seriously depressed do show that anti-depressants are beneficial. It's people who are mildly depressed who don't tend to show any benefits, and they probably should have never been prescribed anti-depressants in the first place! It's the latter group that dominate those surveys claiming to show that anti-depressants don't work. Throughout this period I was seeing a psychologist, and I still see one now. In my experience finding a qualified expert (whether psychologist, psychotherapist or other talking therapist) to talk to about your depression and how to cope with it is a very helpful thing. Oceanbreeze likes this. __________________ Born deaf. Profound hearing loss in both ears (90-105dB). Wears Oticon Spirit Zest C SP (Chili) You can also find me on twitter as @AJWSmith and on Google+ as AJW Smith

10-31-2011, 06:10 AM	#12 (permalink)
SkullChick Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Middle Of Nowhere, Delaware Posts: 940	Wirelessly posted I take prozac for my genetic depression and it work pretty well it wont completely cure you from depression. what it does is reduce it to minimum and nausea is normal at first but it will go away also important info, never ever stop anti depressant/antipsychotic cold turkey (tried and went completely nuts and run off in middle of highway but my ex saved me by holding my arm and tell me to take medicine as we get home) Oceanbreeze and jillio like this. __________________ [Left Ear] Implanted 1/15/08 with Nucleus Freedom! Activated 2/12/08 with Freedom BTE Link for my Cochlear Implant http://skullchick.blogspot.com Link for my Blog unrelated to cochlear Implant http://skullchickworld.blogspot.com

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10-30-2011, 08:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
rockin'robin Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 15,283	I hope you have told ur doctor about becoming nauseous taking Prozac...I never had a problem with Prozac, and took a very high dosage of it due to Chronic Depression, along with another drug, Abilify....After about a year, it didn't seem to help me any...so I was switched to Wellabrutin, which gave me nightmares...all in all...several attempts of taking anti-depressants, and nothing helped, I told my doctor that I did not want to take anything else....due to the side-effects. I've been free of anti-depressants for a very long time now. However, anti-depressants affect people in different ways. It's a trial and error situation. But am hoping you and ur doctor can work this out!.....

10-31-2011, 08:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
anlos09 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: west palm beach, fl Posts: 103	bupropion, it made me moodier then usual. get frustrated at little things, get pissed off at anything. but now its fine.. even stopped smoking.

10-31-2011, 12:35 PM	#17 (permalink)
LoveBlue Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3,356	For postpartum depression years ago, I took Prozac and Xanax - prescribed by a psychiatrist - without any problems. When my husband was dying, I tried to be proactive and asked my family doctor for Prozac and Xanax. It messed me up with really bad anxiety. After a little more than a week (and a 2nd visit to the doctor), I went to the ER and they changed the meds to Zoloft & Clonazepam - within a day or two, I was feeling much better. Though I had planned to find a psychiatrist to monitor me eventually, after this episode, I found one (my previous one had died a few years ago) and saw her on a regular basis. As it turns out, thankfully, I did not develop depression from my husband's death and weaned off the drugs about a year later. jillio likes this. __________________ Severe-to-profound hearing loss in both ears. SD @ 100db L-88% / R-96% - unaided Phonak Naida IX UPs

10-31-2011, 04:07 PM	#19 (permalink)
Oceanbreeze Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: S. FL Posts: 9,967	I'm seeing a therapist and psychiatrist. I take cymbalta for anxiety and depression. __________________ "There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living."

10-31-2011, 07:31 PM	#25 (permalink)
SkullChick Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Middle Of Nowhere, Delaware Posts: 940	Wirelessly posted yeah but I'm different my depression is genetic and I cant be reasonable and sane without medication and sometime I'd just flip out and have nervous breakdown over little thing and I had 2 other voices in my head they have "name" even (lefty and righty I know its dumb name but its only one kinda like my name is amy and theres no other option) and they're negative voices and etc blah blah you get the idea I got that so I have to be on medication for life :-( and if I miss more than 3 doses I'd lose it like twice I tried to get out of still running car in highway phew __________________ [Left Ear] Implanted 1/15/08 with Nucleus Freedom! Activated 2/12/08 with Freedom BTE Link for my Cochlear Implant http://skullchick.blogspot.com Link for my Blog unrelated to cochlear Implant http://skullchickworld.blogspot.com

11-02-2011, 10:57 AM	#26 (permalink)
Doug5 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 865	Ive tried them all. They dont do nothing. When theyre "working" they make me extremely lazy and turn me into a tv watching couch potato. I suspect theyre overpriced placebos, cuz studies have shown theyre barely more effective than placebos. Chemical lobotomies I recommend low carb paleo diet with cardio, stretching, and weight training exercises. You will notice a postive affect on mood and anxiety in around 3-5days. Unlike the crazy pills that takes months to start working. Feel free to put Tom Cruise pic in my avatar

11-06-2011, 04:03 PM	#30 (permalink)
Giulia Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Paris, France Posts: 306	Jillo, I am on med for ADHD. Without, even the best therapy doesn't do a thing. I am prepared to be in need for ADHD med for my whole life. If I come to a point when meds are becoming unnecessary, great. Otherwise, it's not the end of the world : many people live with meds for their whole life, be for diabetes, be for asthma, be for epilepsy etc... ADHD made me so unable to function that I couldn't do much of my life. I dropped out my studies after the Bac. I couldn't read a page of a book. I couldn't even help mom at home. I don't call it a life, by no way. So the ADHD med was, and is still, the small price to pay to have a dignitful life. I found some tricks to live with my ADHD, to organize myself, to coach myself. We did that when I was a child, but my ADHD went worse after my Bac. It was not diagnosed before 2009. I don't say that pharmaceutical companies are angels. I don't say that overprescription doesn't exist. But living without meds, be for depression, be for diabetes... is not the way we have to think about the objective. The objective is living the best way we can with our pathology. Therapy helps, for sure. Then, after a certain amount of time in therapy, we can think about stopping meds or not. For some people, stopping meds can be a reasonable goal, for other people it's not a reasonnable goal. But it's not something we shall think at the very beginning. Meds is not the panacea, it doesn't do the whole job. But it helps. As a person who deals with ADHD, some LD, sensory issues and SSD, the aim in life is living it to its fullest. So the question of "with or without meds" is absolutely not a priority : living a good life doesn't limit at this question. I see it as a very small question, not the major one. I have suffered from depression. I took Effexor during one year, then I stopped it very gradually. My depression expressed itself by crying all the time, being tired even after good nights and being indifferent about not being able to do absolutely anything. I was put under Effexor by a psychiatrist at 37.5mg (normally, the therapeutic dose is higher, but I am a sensitive one). Within three days, I had the full effect (the psychiatrist I had had never seen that in her career). We had to open the caps to withdraw the Effexor, apart than that, it was quite uneventful. The only side effect I had with Effexor was diarrhoea at night. But no nausea, no serious weight loss, nothing to be written of. I was having talk therapy (which I had for many years). We thought about stopping Effexor after a year of it, when I reached a better balance in life. But stopping the antidepressant was not our first goal : our first goal was the balance in life. After, the question of stopping the antidepressant came naturally, and we could stop it without any problem. Loghead, don't think that far as "it may be for the rest of my life". It's really not the moment : no one has the answer right now. Think first about caring your depression. Therapy has to be part of your regimen : the med won't make the whole job by itself. Then, the question of stopping the medicine or not will get a clearer answer. It's not a question your physician can reply right now : he has no more crystal ball than anyone else here or elsewhere. But the aim now is caring this major depressive disorder and build your life. The idea is one day at time, without looking too far away. And just to reply to people who say that meds become inefficient after a period of time, I answer : it depends of the person. Some will take the same med for the rest of their life. Some will have to change med. Some can live without med. Some will take it for their life. There is no single rule, as everyone react differently even with the same diagnosis. We can't make a prognosis, as no one can know what will happen in the future. Good luck __________________ Giulia, Single Sided Deaf pre-lingual, BAHA hearing aid. French young girl speaking Italian, English and Modern Greek Two wrongs don't make a right

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