Changing from 1 med. to another and what to expect

[AliSa05]

I started an new medication at the end of September and suffered horrible side effects. Increased anxiety, insomnia, sweats after about a month the dr suggested to increase which I have done and for the past three weeks now I’ve had the side effects above still but also constipation, which I’ve never had in my life before. A few of the other side effects have slightly improved but definitely still there.

dr has suggested changing meds. 1 day off current then start new.

as it’s been 2 months of horrid side effects already I’m dreading the change over and what side effects are installed for me.

Have people had side effects last for a good 2 months and then finally disappear? Do I persist with this one or change? Scared of getting worsening side effects all over again.

my dr has told me not to expect many side effects but then again he also said I shouldn’t receive many initially but he was certainly wrong. I feel worse then I was before starting.

i work full time so concerned how increasedside effects from changing will effect my work. Or are side effects of switching not so bad as say quitting completely

any advice appreciated.

thankyou.

[AliSa05]

I should add nausea is one of the systems I’m still experiencing after a couple of months

[baet123]

Hey Alisa,

Welcome to BB and thank you for posting and sharing your situation with us. Extremely brave and courageous of you to do so and that shows a lot about your character and who you are as a person. I can tell your extremely strong, resilient, focused and determined to get better and continue improving and these are amazing qualities you possess and you should be extremely proud of this!

Sorry to hear that your struggling at present and have been particularly since late September or thereabouts. It sucks that you are experiencing many negative side effects due to your new medication but I it is encouraging that you are in continued consultation with your doctor.

Do you see a psychiatrist? To be honest, GP's are great. They do a wonderful job providing you with active medical care and treatment and more often than not, provide you with the appropriate medication to improve your condition. However, a specialist (psychiatrist) may be something you wish to consider as they specialist in providing medication and active medical care and treatment to people who are experiencing the same condition as you. Psychiatrist are much more qualified and up to date with the new anti-depressant medications available and this is something you should consider.

As you are probably aware, medication impacts everyone differently and unfortunately not one size fits all right? Having negative side effects continuously for two months isn't normal and I think you should get a second opinion and ask your GP for a referral to a psychiatrist or another psychiatrist if you are currently seeing one at present and this is the doctor prescribing you with medication.

The medication you are taking can have negative side effects but it seems as if these side effects are constant and are detrimental to your quality of life which is not ideal and not the outcome you are hoping for.

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Nick.

[AliSa05]

Thankyou so much for your reply! When you feel like you’re the only person in the world going through something and no one understanding to talk too it was nice to get a response.

[baet123]

Hey Alisa,

Not a problem at all. We are always here to support you.

When we are experiencing hardship or struggling from anxiety or depression, it is extremely common and normal for our views, emotions and outlook on life to be skewed. When someone suffers from a mental health condition, a person can often thing illogically or irrationally which is a negative consequence resulting from their condition.

Don't be too hard on yourself and try not to stress all the time, even though this can be extremely difficult and far easier said than done. You are not alone and millions upon millions of people understand you and what your experiencing. Feel free to post as little or as much as you feel comfortable doing so and even check our some other posts from fellow users experiencing similar struggles as yourself. This may provide you with some comfort and you may also learn a lot from others experiences and other may learn a lot from your experiences also.

Hope you have a great week Alisa.

Nick.