anti depressants

[fairyflossy]

Hi just wondering how people have gone with antidepressants? I was prescribed cymbalta or something like that a few months ago and took one tablet and was horribly ill and felt like a zombie I was scared i didnt feel right at all, I know they say it takes two weeks to work but i havent had one since and my depression is getting worse ive tried other ways to beat it but i really feel nothing else helped so im think i will take my tablets again, i just wanna know for those that have taken ad's did you feel like yorself? How long did they take to work? Any replies would be greatly appreciated

[Sundae]

Hi,
I've been on anti depressants for a long time. Before I was on them I cried about everything. Literally. I've always known there was something wrong but didn't know what.
I started taking them and some worked for awhile then stopped. Now I'm on lexapro and have been on it for a long time. I feel like I can handle things much better, and don't break down as easily.
I get physically sick if I forget to take my meds.
Hope you feel better soon xxxx

[Cheerilee]

I had the same problem with Cymbalta it was horrible and coming off them was even worse.

Try something else they are not as bad as Cymbalta

:)

[Lollie1990]

I took 1 tablet of cymbalta and had the same reaction. I refussed to take more. I then went onto lexapro that didnt work for me either. Thats when I was put onto effexor XR 150. Very good anti depressent. But you get very bad withdrawals when you stop taking them. It took me a month and a trip to the ED to get that drug out of my system. I am very scared to take anymore. So I am currently un medicated and ttc-ing. Hope I was some help.

[kb90]

I was on Lexapro before bub. Going on them wasnt so bad, got a few head spins and feeling a bit down but thats normal due to changes in your brain, coming off is worse by alot! but if your getting it so bad maybe ask for something less stronger. Even after i had been on them for 3 months i only took a quarter a day rather than a whole tablet, worked much better. maybe speak to your Dr about only taking a quarter a day but that def worked for me. sometimes if your new to it you wont need such high doses

[HarvestMoon]

I've been on lexapro for a few months. I haven't noticed any differences good or bad. I still feel my same anxious self.
I actually don't think they do anything at all.

[SugarSkull]

I'm on Zoloft for PND and was sick for the first week. I felt nauseous, felt dizzy, had headaches, stomach cramps and felt awful. I only took half a pill for for a week and then took the entire pill the week after which helped me a lot. I didn't feel as sick and eased into them. I also started to feel the difference within a few weeks. 6 months later and I feel like the old me.
Have you told your doctor how you're feeling?

[kb90]

TBH i was on them for 3 months and went off.
I turned myself around myself!
it was hard but if you really do focus it is amazing. theres times when things are too much and it hits me hard but then i do this whole think positive thing and im back. ive told my friend the same thing as i will tell you now. you dont need these stupid tablets, its all a mind thing. when things get to the point where your about to scream and shout. stop. breath and dont see the bad side of it. its a really really hard thing to do but if you set ur mind to it it works so well. its been about 3-4 months now ive learnt to do this after 2-3 years of being depressed so it took self strength but works.
i was raging at DP for not supporting em at first but the mon=ment i stopped and thought you know what, no i dont need to be angry, why cant i do this myself, when he calls i will laugh, he will expect me to be bawling my eyes out and you know what. its worked, he knew there was no reason i couldnt do it myself and made him realise to turn around, and ever since we are perfect never had 1 fight, back to being best of friends/to be married one day and i take every situatin the same. alot of my motivation is the new bub soon to be in my life, but use that, use ur kids as ur motivation and it works so well. get off that crap and use ur mind power ffs not that stuff dr's tell you to take to make money off the pharmacies.
It really does work. all the best

[Witwicky]

I'm on Zoloft and started on a low dose, slowly easing my way up to a higher dose. Each time I increased it, I experienced the same side effects (nausea, headaches, dizziness & a weird feeling in my mouth?). The symptoms eased within four days each time.

I have definitely, noticed a difference. First I started to get my energy back, and the moods changed after. It didn't happen straight away though!

It might be a case of trying different doses and types to see which works best for you :)

[Witwicky]

TBH i was on them for 3 months and went off.
I turned myself around myself!
it was hard but if you really do focus it is amazing. theres times when things are too much and it hits me hard but then i do this whole think positive thing and im back. ive told my friend the same thing as i will tell you now. you dont need these stupid tablets, its all a mind thing. when things get to the point where your about to scream and shout. stop. breath and dont see the bad side of it. its a really really hard thing to do but if you set ur mind to it it works so well. its been about 3-4 months now ive learnt to do this after 2-3 years of being depressed so it took self strength but works.
i was raging at DP for not supporting em at first but the mon=ment i stopped and thought you know what, no i dont need to be angry, why cant i do this myself, when he calls i will laugh, he will expect me to be bawling my eyes out and you know what. its worked, he knew there was no reason i couldnt do it myself and made him realise to turn around, and ever since we are perfect never had 1 fight, back to being best of friends/to be married one day and i take every situatin the same. alot of my motivation is the new bub soon to be in my life, but use that, use ur kids as ur motivation and it works so well. get off that crap and use ur mind power ffs not that stuff dr's tell you to take to make money off the pharmacies.
It really does work. all the best

We are all entitled to our opinion, however I feel as though comments like that have the potential to be very damaging to someone who is being medicated for depression.

Anti-depressants are not 'stupid' and they certainly aren't a placebo - they affect brain chemistry in a very complex process. Some people need to take them in order to get better, and that's okay. I was heavily depressed, and i'm still battling it, however anti-depressants have literally saved my life.

Telling someone who is depressed to 'get off that crap and use ur mind power for f*cks sake' is really unhelpful. I'm glad you have managed to turn yourself around though, and I wish you all the best. I just ask that you be cautious when telling someone with depression to stop taking their anti-depressants.

[kb90]

Ive had depression for 2-3 years I did state that, I know its a serious thing I almost wanted to kill myself, i'm saying if its *** with her head maybe she should try other options too. Dr's are so quick to tell ppl to jump on the tablets without even sussing out more than a "Oh im upset" from someone. My friend, perfectly normal.. goes to see the DR he tells her go see a phsyc and go on tablets. shes fine. they dont even look into things before assuming oh its depression, its normal go on tablets. worth more trying to turn yourself around before coming dependant on them for 20+years as I know some who have been and they are far from fixed

[SugarSkull]

LOL if "mind power" was all we needed to prevent depression and suicide then the world would in fact be a better place.
Are you a doctor at all? Like Witwicky said, your advice is very dangerous and can cause somebody harm. You've got to remember that
1) deficiencies in our bodies can lead to depression
2) hormones can also lead to depression
3) brain chemistry plays a huge role in depression
4) not everyone has the same support system.
I kept shrugging off the AD's for months until I became suicidal. I then thought "why am I being silly? This is MY HEALTH we're talking about!" within week of the AD's I felt a difference. Six months later and I feel amazing!
This is also coming from somebody who is amazingly strong and has dealt with a lot in life. I'm a firm believer in mind power and the placebo effect but when it comes to *real* depression, your mind isn't in the right place for any kind of power, positivity or placebo effects.

[SugarSkull]

Ive had depression for 2-3 years I did state that, I know its a serious thing I almost wanted to kill myself, i'm saying if its *** with her head maybe she should try other options too. Dr's are so quick to tell ppl to jump on the tablets without even sussing out more than a "Oh im upset" from someone. My friend, perfectly normal.. goes to see the DR he tells her go see a phsyc and go on tablets. shes fine. they dont even look into things before assuming oh its depression, its normal go on tablets. worth more trying to turn yourself around before coming dependant on them for 20+years as I know some who have been and they are far from fixed

Okay this I also agree with. They don't bother to look further into it. I finally found a GP who looked further into why I was suffering from PND and it turned out my progesterone and estrogen levels were non existent. Progesterone is a natural antidepressant so when it's non existent in your body then you're screwed.

[SugarSkull]

But in saying that, a mixture of hormone therapy, oxytocin lozenges AND antidepressants helped me. I've had friends come off of their antidepressants or refuse to take them only to become suicidal in the mental health unit and I've had 2 commit suicide because of it.

Fairyflossy- have you seen a GP or a psychiatrist? A psychiatrist would be your safest bet to tell you what's going on.

[kb90]

im very serious about depression, and i want to help anyone who needs the help, but I think if it can be done after a few years that its worth a shot first. My SIL was diagnosed at 17 ffs! but end of the day the issue was a boy had messed her around, the Dr didnt even bother looking into it and threw her onto the tablets straight away
Some, and im not saying all, dont know how to deal with their depressive states and just keep thinking in their head im sad, not many do try and think the opposite way around. all im saying. if you do have issues deeper than just being sad then yes I agree on tablets but also with someone who you can talk to, no point going on them and living life as is, because end of the day the problems will still be there

[MuminMind]

We are all entitled to our opinion, however I feel as though comments like that have the potential to be very damaging to someone who is being medicated for depression.

Anti-depressants are not 'stupid' and they certainly aren't a placebo - they affect brain chemistry in a very complex process. Some people need to take them in order to get better, and that's okay. I was heavily depressed, and i'm still battling it, however anti-depressants have literally saved my life.

Telling someone who is depressed to 'get off that crap and use ur mind power for f*cks sake' is really unhelpful. I'm glad you have managed to turn yourself around though, and I wish you all the best. I just ask that you be cautious when telling someone with depression to stop taking their anti-depressants.

Oh, you beat me to it, Witwicky! I was on the phone when I first saw the response and logged onto the computer to reply now, but you have said it perfectly so I will refrain from repeating your arguments!

Fairyflossy; I am sorry that your initial experience with ADs had been a frightening and unpleasant experience. Unfortunately it can take up until a few weeks for the full effects of the medication to kick in, but sometimes it even takes a few different trials to find an AD that works effectively with minimal side effects. And in those initial weeks of being on a new AD, it is crucial to monitor you mood closely, as new medication can exacerbate the depressive/anxious symptoms.

However, not everyone experience negative side effects. I have had very positive experiences with Zoloft and thank it for saving my life!

If you only have mild to moderate depression, taking herbal remedies might be another option.

I want to add that I strongly believe that a combination of treatments are always the most effective approach, including counselling, a healthy diet, etc.

I wish you all the best!

[Witwicky]

im very serious about depression, and i want to help anyone who needs the help, but I think if it can be done after a few years that its worth a shot first. My SIL was diagnosed at 17 ffs! but end of the day the issue was a boy had messed her around, the Dr didnt even bother looking into it and threw her onto the tablets straight away
Some, and im not saying all, dont know how to deal with their depressive states and just keep thinking in their head im sad, not many do try and think the opposite way around. all im saying. if you do have issues deeper than just being sad then yes I agree on tablets but also with someone who you can talk to, no point going on them and living life as is, because end of the day the problems will still be there

My friend committed suicide at age 17, so it's certainly possible to be depressed at that age, and much younger as well.

Anti-depressants are not for *everyone*, it's true. But i'm not a doctor, so I certainly won't tell someone whether they should be taking them or not. Furthermore, my doctor didn't just 'throw' me onto them - she was very thorough and my dosage and side effects were closely monitored (and still are).

OP - I would recommend talking to your GP about your anti-depressants, perhaps you can trial a different one or a higher dose :)

[OurLittleBlessing]

I don't know...

First of all let me start by saying that I have taken antidepressants, and my DH is currently taking Zoloft, so whilst I haven't been in your shoes I do somewhat understand.

A few months ago, my GP prescribed me Efexor, and it was HORRIBLE. I have never experienced such severe depression (more like psychosis I think). I couldn't even be left with my children alone, due to the physical side effects either... think extreme vertigo, heart rate of 180bpm. It's not an exageration to say it was horrific. The withdrawal was only marginally better. Not to mention the fact that it made me suicidal, something which I had never been previously, or since.

Anyhow, a friend gave me the DVD 'Making a Killing' which is a documentary written by people from within the psychiatry and pharmaceutical industry (in America, but there are still many similarities to our system in Australia). It was a very thought provoking documentary, and since watching it, I doubt I will ever take another psychotropic drug (antidepressants, sleeping tablets, ADHD medication) again.

I have hesitated in posting, because I understand what a delicate issue this is, but I just wanted to share my experience.

In no way do I judge anyone who decides to take antidepressants. We all make our own decisions on what is right for us and our families.

If anyone is interested in finding out more on this subject I would highly recommended they track down a copy of the DVD I mentioned. Very interesting stuff.

[OurLittleBlessing]

Oh, and OP, I am so sorry you are feeling this way. I agree with the others that it is a shame that the underlying causes aren't very often more thoroughly investigated.

I hope you find some relief soon. :hugs:

[AM]

Yes, some are definitely not compatible to everyone, I remember when my mum was on them, it took quite a while for them to find the 'right' one for her.

All the best, don't give up, there are quite a few different ones, if you work with your doc, I'm sure you'll be able to find the right one for you.

I take citalopram (celexa) and luckily it was the right one for me, when they got the dosage right for me, I just felt as though a weight had lifted off me, I was interested in life again, and got my sense of humour back

[lonni]

Hi

Anti depressants work by altering chemical in your brain so there are going to be side effects. The first few days to a few weeks are the worst, then your body will get used to them.

Sometimes if you have a bad reaction to it the doctor wil lower the dose. Call the doctor and try to get an appointment or leave amessage and get them to call back with instructions.

Not every anti depressant will work for every body, i used them when i was a teen and it took a long time and about 7 different ones to find one that worked, That was an extreme case, most people only need one or two to find a good fit.

The important thing is that you look after your self, if you are scared about the side effects you can call the GP and speak to a sister or even the chemist to speak to the pharmacist. They will be able to tell you what is normal and what you can do.

You should not stop using them unless the doctor says it is alright, it can be worse than the side effects and sometimes dangerous beceause of the way they affect the brain.

When i was on them the made me a zombie, i couldnt speak properly and couldnt open doors as i could not grab the handle. But when i found the right anti depressant i felt quite wiped out and a little zombieish for a bout a week then every thing just clicked and i settled in to it.

Dont listem to the negative people, if you need them pills you need them. They will help settle you down enouht to function and work through anything adding to the depression. Counselling will help you in conjunction with the anti depresants.

Hope you feel better soon, my thoughts are with you.

[lonni]

im very serious about depression, and i want to help anyone who needs the help, but I think if it can be done after a few years that its worth a shot first. My SIL was diagnosed at 17 ffs! but end of the day the issue was a boy had messed her around, the Dr didnt even bother looking into it and threw her onto the tablets straight away
Some, and im not saying all, dont know how to deal with their depressive states and just keep thinking in their head im sad, not many do try and think the opposite way around. all im saying. if you do have issues deeper than just being sad then yes I agree on tablets but also with someone who you can talk to, no point going on them and living life as is, because end of the day the problems will still be there

Just read the other posts and had to comment.

I was diagnosed at 16. I was on them for 5 years through some very dificult times.

I would not be here without the pills. They gave me a chance to work through my problems with the crazy emotions. That is what they are for, To give you emotional relief, help you get perspective and work through the problems.

No it was not beceause of a boy, no it was not cause i felt left out or any other emo/normal teen things.

I learnt very valuable coming mechanisms during that time.

Also not every depressed person has a deeper emotional reason. I have been told by a doctoer that most post natal depression is hormonal or brain chemistry. Some depression is a brain chemostry thing too and cant be avoided or fixed with mind over matter.

Every single person is different, broad and sweeping comments do more damage than good and should be avoided. Or contain the words in my opinion.

In my opinion if brain power was all that was needed to turn your self around then you did nit need them in the first place.

[MMelissa]

I've been on Zoloft for 2 years now. No side effects. Definitely helped me get through PND. Hoping to wean off gradually under dr's supervision soon.

[xpresschiro]

Generally doctor prescribe Cymbalta to a patient of depression. Although it is a effective salt in depression. I have seen some positive result of Cymbalta. But in some cases like yours it is allergic to the patient and ineffectual to patient. So in that cases Citalopram is a good medicine.

[MyBubbaJack]

I have been on and off anti depressants for 5 years now, i have repressed depression. I have trialed a fair few and it took me about 3 different tablets to find the ones that suited me. I now take Zoloft and get no side effects at all. Speaking with a good GP is your best option. Also doctors can give you 2 weeks samples.