anti depressants

[criz]

hello

i was put on anti depressants for about a year and found they were no help at all i was prescribed 3 different kinds :
seroxat
citalopram
amitriptyline

in fact i would probably say they made me worse.
i couldn't stand the 'weird' feelings so became quite a heavy drinker - something i'm still trying to shake off now.
i view anti depresants as something the NHS (no hope system) can just throw at your problem and send you on your way with no kind of follow up check up or nothing.
i was just wandering if anybody has experienced the same as me ?

criz

[nomorepanic]

Criz

I took Dothiepin for about 6 months and Prozac for about a year.

Neither helped the panic attacks though Prozac helped with the depression I had.

I gave them all up 8 years ago.

I decided that lifestyle changes was what was going to help me and not any drugs so I went down that route instead.

Nicola

[kate]

Criz,

Have you actually got depression or anx/panic? When I had depression the anti d's sorted me out, no side effects going on or coming off the drugs. When I was prescribed them on numerous occasions for anxiety, I had awful symptoms when trying to go on them and gave up everytime after only a couple of doses.

I have never come across an NHS GP that has been at all clued up on anxiety or depression.

Kate

[criz]

i have both anxiety/PA's and depression.
neither me - every doctor i have seen has been more than willing to just throw tablets at me.
counselling helps alot though.

criz

[DagoGirl]

Reading this scared me. I started lustral 11 days ago and ive already been worried about it enough. I havent had any physical side effects yet so I am hoping that I dont have any. Seems like alot of people with anxiety dont "do well" on antidepressants and complain alot of side effects and dont follow through with it. While people with depression respond quite well to them. Does anyone with anxiety or panic have a positive story about antidepressants?

[nell1965]

I suffer from anxiety and i am now on prozac,just starting week four today and at present i would say i am at the worse before i get better stage which my gp did warn me may happen, i have had terrible indigestion and reflux and my bowels are full of gas, my sensible head is teling me it must be a side effect as i didnt have these problems before the prozac but my anxiety is telling me different,i too have read the reprts of people saying it didnt help their anxiety and at the moment it certainly hasnt helped me any but i have gone through nearly 3 weeks of hell since the side effects kicked in so i will persist for a while longer (back to gp on 4th) as i would hate to stop now and have gone through all that for nothing as i know it can take several weeks to help, i will keep you posted if anyone is interested


I just want my life back
nell
x

[LisaS]

I suffered acute anxiety with depressive symptoms and was put on prozac. This did not help me at all infact i really spirralled into extreme anxiety.
I was then put on Efexor/venlafaxine XL 75mg which has helped my anxiety enormously and I am now out and about much more relaxed.

you MUST remember that each AD affect different people differently. it is totally individual. what doesnt' help one may help another remember that.

stay strong,
lisa
xxx

"do not fear to hope...Each time we smell the autumn's dying scent, we know that primrose time will come again"

[DagoGirl]

Hi Neil I would love to keep up with you on your progress.

Thanks Lisa! Glad your doing better!
Did either of you have depersonalization as a symptom and has that improved with your meds?

[LottaLagg]

I just told my doctor these meds aren't working. We tried many kinds before I got on the right stuff.

Lotta

"One Oneness One"

[Yvonne]

Criz

When taking anti depressants you should be seen by youro GP at regular interviews, especially during the first few months.

Anxiety can get much worse - and depression as far as I'm concerned during the settling in period of the medication into your system.

In the long run I think that the medication can quieten down the anxiety. However, when you come off the meds the anxiety returns worse than it was before - that's my experience anyway.

It's a vicious circle, if you are really depressed and anxious you need medication to be able to take steps to begin getting on with your life. When you're on it and you still get panicky/depressed you think the meds could be actually causing it! When you are off meds and you feel that you just cant cope then you think you should go on them. Oh I do hope that makes some sense!!!

In hindsight (I have been on meds for a good few years) I wish I had dealt with the anxiety by other means than meds all those years ago. However, I didn't know then what I know now about anxiety and all the coping strategies.

I think medication is especially useful for depression, finding the right medication which suits may be another story and a psychiatrist told me that it can be a matter of trial and error with the meds until the right med and the right dosage of med is found.

I think mixing alcohol with anti depressants can cause worse depression and anxiety.

Criz, how are you feeling now without meds? Do you feel much better? Do you think you stayed on the meds long enough for them to be effective? I wonder if the side effects of the meds really put you off - but the side effects should only last a few weeks anyway.

Of course, there are people who simply can't take these medications. I have spoken to people who feel really rough whilst on meds. Maybe some people have a kind of allergy towards the drugs.

Take care everyone
Lots of love
Yvonne

Y Goble