View Full Version : Do meds work?
For those of you who are on meds do you think they work. Please comment on what other type of help you have found useful
Wannabeloved85
09-08-06, 12:50
Thers no magic pill for anxiety. Ive thought about taking them for months and months but i really think i should just stick without them. wether you decide to take meds or not, is your decision, remember other people experiences or just that, other peoples. Everybodys differant, one med could be ABOSLUTLEY FAB! for them, but really bad for you. and visa-versa. one thing to remember though, with meds, side effects can also arise, But were all differant, so maybe not!
Becci x
Wannabeloved85
09-08-06, 12:54
oh! therapy can be great also. I think ive finally realised something, no matter what method you take, its always going to involve facing fear, either gradual or full on, gradual works best lol
Maybe try over the counter remedies such as quiet life or kalms to ease stress etc and try some systamatic desentasisation? thats what im doing but it can be done without the weekly therapy sessions! just like cbt basically, alone.
Becci x
I was prescribed xanax on an "as needed" basis. I try not to take them very often, because I don't want to become dependent on them. The xanax is almost gone now. I only take 1/4 of a low dose tab. Just enough to take the edge off. I also have librium to take when the xanax is gone. I have had the xanax since...well,actually so long that the date has worn off the bottle. I know the pills expire in november. I have had them for months. I hate taking medication. I don't like the way it makes me feel. Rather go for therapy(hopefully soon) and try the natural way.
Mia:):):)
I was prescribed dothiepin a few years ago, it really helped to calm me down (i had recently had a miscarage and was extremly anxious) but it did not necessarily take away the health anxiety. I was still worrying about health things, definitly not as much as I was beforehand but its not a fix. IMO it masks the problem. The way to go is counselling. I had a year of seeing a psycologist which helped me get to the root of my problems BUT it didn't conqour my fears so im starting CBT next week which my GP has arranged for me:-)
Medication can help to calm your nerves and that way it does make you more relaxed but once you come off it you are anxious like before.
I have been on meds for about twenty years, with only brief times where I was on no meds at all.
Benzos are brilliant if you are really, really down but they are so addictive, I was made take them whilst in a psychiatric hospital when I was 16 and have been addicted ever since.
Anti depressants are a different thing. Because they take several weeks to work when you first take them and because you can still be depressed whilst taking them, it is hard to make a judgement. However I take dothiepin and whilst I still get very depressed, the depression would be even worse if I didn't take them.
I have also had 3 years of pyschotherapy which was beneficial but which didn't in anyway help the anxiety and depression.
I don't feel at all 'guilty' about taking meds. Depression and anxiety disorders are illnesses and whilst it would be great not to have to take meds for any ailment, wouldn't it be much worse if there were no meds available for mental health problems?
Eibhlin
Not currently taking any meds as panic and anxiety are almost a thing of the past (fingers crossed) but i used to take Seroxat and at the time they worked great for me and gave me my life back.
Julie
personally i think that meds can be great. i have used them to help me get to a point where i can deal with issues and think abotu whats wrong. i dont believe there is one magic pill out there that can help cure all ills. i would be happy to say otherwise if i can be proved wrong.
in our country its a russian roulette when it comes to mental health treatment, this time i was lucky and the surgery i am with has a wizard of a bloke. he more than anyone else has helped me.
I see a counselor/psychiatrist as well as the meds. I'm working on it...doing great too!
every individual is different and has varying levels of anxiety/panic so it would be hard to work out whether meds work or not.
Ive been on meds 10 years at various doses and different types and yes they do have their place but meds need to be combined with other therapies as they only block the symptoms.
I used self-help for many years, which enabled me to control my anxiety to a certain degree but as my problem is genetic it was a constant struggle to maintain. My Psychiatrist, Doctor and CPN (and me) all agreed that psychotherapy or CBT would be of no use to me. Eventually I elected to try meds, I've only been on them for about two months but they really are making a difference; I'm still quite tense but feel much less on edge than before, and my urges and irrational emotions seem to have gone. I only wish I'd tried meds sooner.
Im taking Mirtazapine 20mg at night for anxiety , which ive been on for the past 2 years.
Im supposed to take Cittalopram 40mg daily but i havent.WHY? Because i have a phobia about taking drugs and what mixing drugs can do to you.( although doc thinks i take them)
So the Mirtazapine has helped a little for sleeping. I have therapy every 2 weeks which to be honest does not help because you only end up telling them what they want to here.
So apart from that i suppose they dont really have much effect.
Hugs to all
Elly
xxxx
eternally optimistic
15-05-08, 22:10
Citalopram has definitely help calm things down and bring myself back to where I was many years ago.
CBT helped, albeit only 6 sessions, wanted it to go on forever..
J
I found Propranolol (40mg) really good!
But the after effects.. not so.
I take 60mg of citalopram, 30mg of buspirone, go to weekly therapy, and a daily exercise class. Not a cure but everything seems to help a bit, oh I took ill health retirement as well.
I was on Citalopram ( a low dose of 20mg). Prior to taking the drugs I tired herbal remedies from a proper Herablist and some other alternative therapies which did nothing - I was in a real mess and nothing could get to me..
The citalopram numbed me enough to regain some control of my life and then I could start using other strategies ( e.g. therapy) to start rebuilding and redeveloping copying strategies. It didn't stop the attacks but they lessened and were not as severe and I could then begin to deal with it all more rationally.
I don't think I will ever be fully 'cured'. But I can now go out of the house, look after my family, have a social life, work part-time in a job of responsibilty and love my life all over again.
Not sure if they work & if they do i'm obviously on the wrong one....:ohmy:
i'm taking lofepramine and it doesn't seem to be working at all - 140 mg a day taken at night and have been taking it for nearly 3 months.
i also took diazepam which worked and ucerax for anxiety and that worked.
I'm on paroxetine 20mg and it makes me as normal as
I hate to say it but it is a magic cure for me.
I want kids soon though and Im really scared to try and come off them again, I go for cbt in a few days, sooo well see hoe I go
I was given Cipralex for 3 months, and they worked really well. My symptoms disappeared completely by the end of the second month. Then I got pregnant, and the Dr stopped them completely, and I had a really bad relapse! That lasted a couple of months, then I gradually got better. Not sulre if it was pregnancy, it felt like my anxiety and stress were on hold then. Now the baby is 8 months old, and my problems are gradually returning.
I have tried St Johns Wort so far, but it doesn't seem to make much difference. I also use Quiet Life tablets which help a bit.
Kaz
I took Citalopram for a while (low 20g dosage) combined with CBT. The citalopram let me take some control back over my life and let my body a break from the relentness anxiety and related symptoms.
Am now off all drugs, still suffer with anxiety but feel better able to cope (although I am having a very stressful time atm with new house, new job, moving to the other end of the country etc etc).
I would not hesitate to go back on Citalopram if things started to get too much again.
The CBT has been really helpful long term - I still get anxiety symptoms but now I recognise them as that and do not panic - it goes some where to halting the circle of fearing the fear.
sunshine-lady
08-01-09, 16:01
I take a cocktail of meds each day - they have literally saved my life
Dominic1975
08-01-09, 21:04
Im not on Med, but I have a phobia of taking tablets, as I feel they will make me feel weirdo and almost bring on a panic attack if I couldnt deal with the unexplained side effects
I stuggle to take a paracetamol!!!!
There have been times when I have considered med, and without my phobia, there are time, where I think I may have got the extra help whilst I got therapy to sort out the problems
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.