Meds - never again

[Nel]

I think I must just be one of these people whom meds disagree with.

Citalopram - did nothing (on it for 6 months) to help and withdrawal was awful.
Beta blockers - made me faint.
Effexor - palpatations, heart rate up to 140 and was hospitilised.
Sertraline - 4 weeks of hell, told to stop immdiately after a medical by psychiatrist.

So, continuing with CBT and I am NEVER taking meds again. I think it's ridiculous that they dole out meds that are as potent and leave you to get on with it - I visited my doctor twice during my sertraline hell, phoned the CPN loads until they eventually got the psychiatrist to see me and he was stunned that the GP had told me to keep taking them. Blood pressure was sky high, heart rate too.

[yorkylover]

Hi Nel,not everyone can get on with meds.I had been on a few before I found the one that helped me.Even this one took me two weeks to get over the side affects,but I put up with it which was hard but it all settled down.
Meds just work for some,and not others.;)

Ellen XX

[squirrel]

I agree Nel never again been off seroxat now for 19 months and still not right. Refuse to take anymore.

[sgp64]

Hi Nel

I know that meds really help some people but I'm with you on this. I had a brief skirmish with anti-depressants that scared the life out of me. If you can get by without them then that can only be a good thing so don't be upset that they haven't worked for you.

Here's to a med free solution to our troubles!

Sean

[yorkylover]

I understand that not everyone can take meds,and some refuse to.But people like me and alot of others on here who suffer from depression need meds to carryon everyday life.I was med free for 3 months in the summer and relapsed.I had to go back on them.I was really upset with my self,but Im glad now I was put back on them.Some people have to be on meds for life for certain illnesses,they have no choice.I would love to be able to say "I refuse to take any more meds"but I would probably end up in the local psychiatric hospital.:(

Ellen XX

[mooks]

me too..ive now accepted ill probably take meds for life...and hey if I had a heart problem or diabetes I would then too ..its no different..It took me several attempts to find the right meds...and now after 6 years am going to have to try different ones..
Please persist...they can make you feel terrible at fist but after a few weeks you do feel the benefit
xx

[Nel]

Well I never said (at the risk of scaring people, as I said perhaps I have just been very unlucky), I DID end up on a psychiatric ward. I stayed for 2 nights and it was an awful experience, all because my careless GP and equally careless CPN told me to keep taking the meds, that it would be a 'shame to stop' without giving them a chance to work. My husband was absolutely terrified because I genuinely felt suicidal.
The upshot - I woke up last Wednesday morning and didn't know if it was evening or morning, my husband took me straight to hospital - the shock on the face of the CPN who had seen me only 4 weeks before was telling to say the least. They stopped me taking them right then and there and advised me to stay in hospital for a couple of nights because they were damn worried about the state they had let me get into. My GP and CPN blamed each other, both saying they thought the other was monitoring me.

[yorkylover]

I can see where you are coming from,my brother ended up in a psychiatric hospital.He is still on meds now,they were changed.He has severe depression,and without his meds he wouldnt be here today.So Im just saying none of us want to take meds,its a case of having to.

Ellen XX

[Nel]

Glad your brother came through Ellen.
I wasn't being treated for depression, I have GAD and OCD and had developed a slight secondry depression.

[yorkylover]

Hope cbt goes well for you nel,I have anxiety and depression,also panic attacks.

Ellen XX