Medication or not, what do you think?

[Cinders]

Back to the doctors tonight and need to talk to him about available help.

My family say stay away from medication, my partner says do whatever i feel is right and my friends say take whatever you can get.

So if offered it do i except, i said no last week when i initially saw the doctor but i was in such a state then i didnt know what i was saying.

So what do you think?

[Smiley?]

It's such a hard choice but it has got to be your choice. Can your partner go with you for some support in case you are in a state again?

I have to say I don't like being on my meds but i realise i still need them at the mo.

It really is tricky but it has to come from you.

[alias_kev]

I battled long and hard with this question before I ever went for help and in the end only went when I had depression on top of my stress/anxiety/avoidance combination. Its not such a hard choice if you already feel ill enough.

Bill started this thread (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42050) a short while ago and in it we explore many of the pitfalls and benefits of medication. Its worth reading although Bill did seem to start from a position of opposing meds.

For me I'd say that there are certain rules to follow:
1. If you feel bad enough already and other help is scarce then it not daft to try medication.
2. Medication has helped a lot of people and harmed a lot of others. Its a tool not a savour. Like electricity - use it carefully and wisely.
3. Neither you nor your GP should treat it as a long term solution. It may turn out to be one BUT never treat it that way.
4. Its important to take most modern meds long enough to actually get benefits from them.
5. You should rarely come off the meds in a hurry, even if they are not agreeing with you or you are obeying rule (3).
6. You should expect to come off the meds eventually. This might take a lot of additional help as they will have been doing some of the job for you.
7. There are lots of meds so push your GP if necessary to change if what you have do not benefit you after a while.
8. UNLESS you have a HEALTH PHOBIA please do read the leaflet with the meds. If you have H P then its probably not useful as those leaflets are scarey these days.
9. Use places like this to understand your condition and your medication.

That's all I can think of a the moment.

[Burnsey]

anti depressants have given me my life back
its everyones individual choice. i tried frelaxation - beta blockers but nothing worked
i was prescribed sertraline 4 yrs ago and have never looked back. if u have to take a tablet to have your happy life back then so be it, no one should judge you they havnt been feeling how u have been feeling

good luck

[sunshine-lady]

This is a personal choice, but one that should be taken after great thought. Try to weigh up the pros and cons. I think a lot of people who say don't take meds, don't have a clue how you are feeling.

I have Bipolar plus other mental health issues, meds have given me some of my life back, so I am all for them

[Cinders]

I have been prescribed prozac, what is this like and is it easy to come off of? i don't want to become reliant on anything.