Not working off meds

SD44 · ‎13-09-2014

Hi

i am new to this forum. My story is too long to go into right now but i have been on antidepressants for 12 years and recently came off them over a6 month period in a possibly misguided attempt to support my teenage daughter who was also coming off hers. Suffice to say neither of us are doing well atm. I tried a natural antidepressant this past week but i seem to feel more anxious and have been having heart palpitations, so decided to stop this and thinking of going back on my regular medication. My daughter has been away at a youth rehab for 6 mnths and returned home about 6 weeks ago. They took her off meds while she was away as it is a very tough love program, but unfortunately seeing her so down and developing an eating disorder is bringing me down. Her father and i are divorced and although she sees him for 1 night a week, it is pretty much me dealing with it all alone and at the moment im not coping. Feel disappointed about going back on meds but i guess i need to do whatever it takes to be strong so i can help her also. Just needed to reach out to others who might understand as i dont like to talk about it much with others in my life who dont really know how im feeling. I have a pretty full on job and not feeling like im coping well with that either atm.I am going on a week long holiday with my daughter and son in a weeks time and hoping we are feeling ok to enjoy it. Any tips appreciated.

white knight · ‎13-09-2014

Hi Akashagirl, welcome

Yes, I went off meds once. (we arent suppose to mention brand names shhh!) and never again. The picture you have painted describes a need for them actually and if there is a need then it is usually lifelong. So I'd be off to your doctors asap...just my view.

My view is this. I take fish oil daily in the morning. If I have to take 10 tablet also for various ills then its in the same action at the same time just 10 more tablets. It matters not.

Good luck and welcome to post more if you have some more issues to discuss or expand on this one.

WK

SD44 · ‎14-09-2014

Hi WK and thanks for your reply. I guess i made the mistake of feeling like i was doing ok and assumed the meds weren't doing anything. So i thought i didnt need them. Unfortunately my life is particularly stressful at the moment and it seems they were actually helping much more than i knew. So maybe this is a need for life. I have a family history of depression and my sister turned to alcohol to cope with hers and then was tragically killed in a car accident 7 years ago. My daughter has been suffering for 3 1/2 years too. I started back on meds this morning and am praying they kick in quickly. I have been feeling so low its hard to get out of bed. Thanks again, good to chat to someone who has been there.

AGrace · ‎15-09-2014

Hi Akashagirl,

Welcome to the forums, I think you'll find there are plenty of people here to chat with, and plenty who have shared a similar experience.

I wanted to add that perhaps it just wasn't the right time to come off your medication. As you said you're dealing with a lot at the moment. It doesn't mean that you will never be able to come off of them. Its great that you and your daughter are trying to tackle life's obstacles together. I guess going back on your meds will be a good opportunity for her to see that just because things don't always go according to plan it doesn't mean we've failed. Is your daughter getting help with her eating disorder? You may even like to suggest the youthbeyondblue website to her. They have their own forums for young people.

I hope that we will hear more from you. Good luck with restarting the medication, look on the bright side at least you know you won't have any negative side effects.

Take care.

AGrace

SD44 · ‎15-09-2014

Thank you for your supportive words AGrace. Thats what my doctor said, not the best time right now. Hopefully my life will get easier at some point and maybe that will be the time. I started back on them yesterday. I think the natural alternative i tried this week actually backfired and made me feel much worse. My number one priority is to support my daughter and as its often just her and i at home together its very difficult not to feel down when she does. She has had years of intervention with not much success. But she is seeing a new psychologist for the first time tomorrow who specialises in eating disorders so im hoping its a start. I really think she needs medication also, problem is they dont seem to have found the right one yet or maybe evetything else she was self medicating with at the time stopped them working. I will definitely look into the youth beyondblue website for her. Thank you again, for taking the time to reply.