Going back on medication, yes or no? (too many side effects)

[panickygirl]

Hi,

I'm genuinely really confused about what to do and would appreciate any advice.

I've been off anti-depressants (Prozac and before that Citalopram) for about a year now. For the most part I've been doing really well but have had an extremely hard couple of months. I've pulled together pretty well but the last couple of weeks I have noticed increasing anxiety, the odd sleepless night, a lot of crying and panicking about things that don't really matter, and a lot of panic.

Do I go back on meds? When I was on anti-depresssants I put on FOUR STONE(!) which I've only just lost and was also very apathetic (hence the binge eating) and sleepy all the time. I really don't want to go back to that but I'm wondering if a different anti-depressant will work much better?

Don't anti-depressants work by making you care less, therefore you become apathetic and slow down a bit? I just don't want to go back to that, it would feel like undoing all my good work coming off it and I CAN'T put any of that weight back on, it's taken 20 months and a lot of hard work to lose it the healthy way.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had the same symptoms as me, but then found another drug worked wonders or if anyone just had some general advice - is this a bad period, should I stick with it and keep going or would some kind of drug be sensible at this point? It is getting harder.

Thank you SO much for taking the time to read my ramblings!

xx

[spuder]

hi hun am on cipralex although i had a few side affects it works well i am so happy now

[times71]

Simple answer NO. You say, you did extreamly well, and even though you had a hard couple of months you pulled together pretty well. That's your answer dude, I guess your a fighter. The medication will only mask the issues. Whatever you did during the "extreamly well" period is what you need to work on. That's your medication. You just need to take that part to the next level. Im not knocking medication, but all i read is people who have been on them for years, and yet there still here talking about there panic attacks. Your body and mind as everything you need naturally, use that dude.

Good luck

[panickygirl]

Thanks. I think I will try and continue without it for a while. It's just when the panic comes, it's SO overwhelming, but I will try and keep going for the meantime. I guess it's only when it's really interfering with my functioning that I should consider medication. I'll keep going for now. Thanks for answering x

[musiclover]

What things can you do to help? Someone to talk to? Relooking at something which helped before? Diet and exercise? CBT? Relaxation- maybe a day at the spar? Trying to work out the main cause of the anxiety and working on how to manage that? I wish I could get off my antidepressants but I'm stuck on them at the moment, keep going your doing great x

[paranoidtree]

Hi, i've been wondering the same thing for the past few months. i came off citalopram last July after being on them for around 2 years. Unfortunatley a few weeks after taking my last one i have an operation to remove my appendix, since then my anxiety has been getting worse and worse but i have refused to go back on citalopram. My doctor gave me diazepam for when things get really bad (though this past week is the first time in months i've had to take them). I also went through a spell taking propranolol but have stopped this recently as didn't feel like it was doing much.

I'm trying to now do this with CBT and the help of a new counsellor as i know if i can do this without going back on AD's then the good will probably last longer (hopefully forever!) I've still got my emergency diazepam though for when it's too much (like today, i've just taken 1mg (half a 2mg tablet) as i've been under so much strain the past few days)

Good luck!

[panickygirl]

Thanks so much for the responses guys. Am doing a little better this week as things have eased at work so hoping to continue without them. I think it's possibly psychological that as soon as something panic-striking comes back in my life I immediately think "Oh no, and I don't have my anti-depressants!" when actually I can make it through without them, it's just tougher. Really helps to have support and nice words. I am also in therapy and doing CBT which helps massively and I would recommend to anyone and everyone. Best thing I ever did for myself. xx