Medication for depression

Dizzy Cat

A little advise if possible.

I do suffer on and off from depression and am at present engaging in a warfare to overcome these problems, as unfortunately I have become bogged down with negativity again.

Have any of you here used medication prescribed by your GP and if so, was it effective for you? Also, did you suffer any side effects from the use of the medication?

I am interested as my GP has offered to put me on a course of anti-depressants, but to say I am fearful, is to understate how I feel about the use of prescribed drugs. I am worried about ill effects and basically becoming too dependant.

If you have any useful online resources about the types of drugs prescribed as well, that would be useful. I've had a look, but the few I have found are not that informative.

mamashel

Hi dizzycat! I have suffered pretty bad in the past with depression and anxiety. I can honestly say it has been better since leaving the kh, but i still have my times. Each person is different. My system does not do well with meds. I always have some type of reaction to them. The first one they tried me on was paxil at 20 mg. This made me flat lined. I mean i was so out of it i was slobbering. hehe so my kids say!

That was for anxiety, Then they tried me on wellbutrin for depression and anxiety, and the side effects were worse from it. I was so anxious i couldnt sit still and my heart was racing. But not everyone is effected that way. It does have a list of side effects though. Talk to your doctor or pharmisist.

In all honesty, the very best thing i have found for depression and anxiety is to exercise and eat right. I know, boring and who has the time, but it has really been the only thing that has worked for me. And it works really well, because it releases something in your system that makes you feel good. I forget what its called. But try it a couple of times a week, and the biggest things to cut down on are caffine and sugar. My 2 favorite things in the world. But my doctor suggested this program to me and not only do i feel better but i have lost 26 pounds and god knows, that will make ya feel better.

Hope your feeling better soon.

SHelley

gumby

it works really well, because it releases something in your system that makes you feel good. I forget what its called.......Endorphines (don't know if I spelled it right)

Hi DC,

I have the same problem.....bitter, sad, angry, depressed. A lot has to do with the family situation with them being dubs and me being shunned. I still think I would have the problem though.

I am on EFFEXOR. I haven't had the symptoms since. It does play tricks on your limbido(sex drive) and performance......girls and guys.

Everyone responds differently to drugs. It's a trial and error thing with anti-depressants.

They wean you off slowly when you go off of them for withdrawl reasons and people should not abruptly quit. Hope this helps

Edited by - Gumby on 4 October 2002 13:37:16

mrs rocky2

A friend of mine just started med therapy for her depression. It's the newer version of Effexor, I'll have to find out the name. She told me this morning that she feels so much better. She is an incest survivor and has been treated for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the past. She has been experiencing a major depressive episode for almost a year and went back to her MD to get some help. I'm so glad to see her feeling better. If change diet/exercise doesn't help meds are something worth looking in to.

Mrs Rocky

ugg

the right medication and dosage can do wonders...but yes,,most have side effects...i am very

very grateful for the medications that are available now...they have helped me alot...i hope the best

for you....

outnfree

I just recently started taking Wellbutrin -- the first time I've ever been on an anti-depressant. My doctor warned me that I might experience sleeplessness and a lower sex drive. I do not feel like I'm "racing" at all -- unlike mamashel. I have experienced a lower sex drive. The only other symptom I've had is a somewhat dry mouth: not as bad as when I'm taking Flexeril or some other strong medications, but still noticeable. I go NOWHERE without my water bottle - LOL.

I, too, was very leery of taking any drugs for my sad episodes. I didn't want to think that I was anything more than "blue" sometimes. But I was reading a little pamphlet in the psychologist's waiting room, and I realized that I was clinically depressed. This past winter was particularly hard and I didn't feel better when springtime and more daylight hours rolled around. (I had always attributed my winter blahs to Seasonal Affective Disorder.)

I'm glad I took the plunge and got help. My GP prescribed 125 mg once a day. I think I read somewhere that 300 mg divided into 2 doses is not uncommon. I am less weepy, for sure! It's not a miracle cure, but I am not disappearing into a black hole anymore.

out

KelleyBlair

Dizzycat,

I have been on every kind of antidepressant and antipsychoic that there is on the market. I had many doctors put me on so much shit it is unbelievable. I was diagnosed everything you can imangine too. It wasn't until I stumbled across one doctor that told me that he wasn't going to give me any med's without me going to therapy. When I started going to therpay I started dealing with my depression and all the other crap. I have been off med's for the past 8 yrs. After experiencing all that I did I decided that I wanted to go into the mental health field and show these people how to work with people that have depression and other psych problems. This is my opinion only ok "medication can be just a bandaide for a gunshoot wound" you have to clean the wound out before it will get better. Now I'm not saying that medication can't be good but I feel like and from the experience that I have had as a patient and a professional medication is only good when you use it along with therapy. Depression doesn't have a quick fix. It takes a lot of work and understanding yourself to be able to manage depression. I know I missed out alot of my life by being so medicated. I would encourage you to checking into therapy and if necessary medication along with it. We as ex-jw's we kind of have a type of co-dependancy, meaning we have learned to rely on something to make us alright. I hope that this doesn't sound unkind by saying this. I have met different ones that have to take meds but almost all that I have worked with just needed therpay and behavioral modification to be able to cope with depression. Well this is my 2 cents, lol.

Kelley

KelleyBlair

Dizzycat,

By the way I thought you should know that I do work in the mental and social service field doing counseling. Just wanted you to know that this also an educated opinion too, lol. Good luck with what you dealing with and if you need to talk I'm here for you.

Thanks

Kelley

gumby

Damn! I used to think the dubs were the ones on drugs to feel better.

Sounds like us filthy ol Apostates have lots of trouble too.

Not to sound like a druggy but......does weed help anyone here?

Dizzy Cat

Many thanks for all of your thoughts and comments. I have studied them all and have something to chew over in my mind.

I think KelleyBlair seems close to my own understanding and if I can do, I think I will choose the course of more exercise (my diet is pretty good anyway - I'm not drinking at the moment and don't have high sugar foods etc) and try therapy.

The side effects scare me to be honest and I really don't want to have to deal with being in zombie mode. Or not deal with it, as I will be slightly detached and unaware.... shudder.

Co-dependency is the key word here. Very true sadly. I limp from one crutch to the next - oblivious quite often.

Medication for depression

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