Do anti depressants work?

[Sunshinegirl82]

Hi, just wanted some advise really, I’ve been suffering from health HA for the past year I have had private counselling as well as CBT. I was discharged from it in 6 weeks as they thought I was doing well. However I keep relapsing and I my thoughts are so wrong that it takes over my logical rationale. I have decided to go to the doctors and request Anti depressants, I have previously declined them. I just want something to take the edge of it all, I want a good quality of life something which I can enjoy with my loved ones, I started reading a book last year and would you believe I’ve still not finished it , I just can’t get my mind to rest and relax and concentrate on something else, got to the point of me thinking medication might be the way? Any advise will be helpful

[AntsyVee]

They work for me. I've been on them for almost 5 years now, and I don't plan to go off them.

There are some key things you need to know before you start:
1) They work by building up in your system. You can't just pop them like an aspirin for a headache. You need to be on them for at least a year, and it often takes 6 to 8 weeks to see the full effects of any dosage.
2) For some people, as your body gets used to them, have some start up anxiety in the first 4-6 weeks or so. This is normal. Just keep taking them and power through it; it'll even out. Gradually upping the dosage helps with this a lot.
3) You have to find the right dosage that works for you. You may need to up the AD after the first few weeks. Again this is normal, and finding the right dosage is a trial and error process, so be patient.

My other advice is to please talk to others who've taken ADs. Panic Down Under (Ian) in the medication section is great.

Good luck!

[LE]

Hi

Just wanted to chime in to say without a doubt AD work for me.

I’ve been diagnosed with ha almost 10 years ago. At various points I’ve decided to come off AD as I’ve felt better. Initially I would be fine then about 3 months off them and HA would be spiralling out of control.

AD allow me to rationalise. Then using cbt I was able to ‘wean’ myself off of the checking behaviours.

Everyone is different and what works for some may not work for another. As someone else said need to find what’s right for you.

I also don’t plan to come back if the medication again. I’ve realised that for me it’s like having a physical reason for taking medication just like I would for heart, liver etc etc problems. They keep me well and I tell myself I deserve to feel well. If you find some of my posts from the last HA has taken away many precious moments of the last 8 years as I’ve been well now for last two years.

Hope this helps

[Windywel]

Hi Le - did you go on the same AD again each time and it worked for you? Ive just started citalopram for the second time 4 weeks ago - not noticing much improvement yet and had much worse start up side effects this time. Was on it for 4 years and came off in April because I felt better but relapsed in September. Really worried its not going to work a second time

[Mindsight]

I am on week 1 of fluoxetine and i am sure its definitely working even if it is all in my head that its working as i can get through most of the day with little anxiety the attacks come and go now in 5 min burst where before i started this was from morning until sleep and from what i read it will only get better when the goings good i have never felt so normal when the anxiety hits its not so savage and is very mild and inbetween i still have pains in my head hopefully this will all get better over the coming weeks no side effects for me too which is great

[roseanxiety]

I take Effexor and it works very well for me. I was on Lexapro but came off because of weight gain and the anxiety cane back with a vengeance. I will probably take them for the rest of my life.


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