Just diagnosed,looking for tips

[miss_weepy]

Hi there, I was diagnosed with depression/anxiety yesterday, and my psychiatrist has put me on antidepressants. Ive never taken them before and i start tomorrow.

Ive been told 1/2 tablet daily for 1 week

1 tablet daily the following week

and 1 and 1/2 tablets daily the following week which will be 75 mg

 its only a month trial to see how it works out for me as im new to it and my GP will be able to lower my dosage if required.

Is there anyone out there who is on, or has been on antidepressants who can tell me how it worked out for them?

Im dont know how active this forum is so not sure if anyone will even see this post but im looking for all of the support i can get seeing as though i get none from my family.

If anyone can direct me to information, resources, other online communites or any information or tips that they feel like sharing with me then it would be much appreciated.

I know i cant solely rely on the antidepressants to help me but I want to add that it was a SUGGESTION by the psychiatrist and I chose to give them a go, id like to find out for myself.

 Anyway thanks to anyone who takes the time to read or respond xx

[JustMe]

Hi miss_weepy, I've also just started on anti-depressants after a breakup and a broken heart. I've been doing a lot of reading on this site and others about medication, and I understand that it can take 3-4 weeks before it actually kicks in and you start to feel better. I'm now 2 weeks into it, and don't feel any better. Yet. But I'm giving it a go, as I really need to recover. Have a read of the resources here, I found them very informative. All I can suggest is to hang in there, and I also found being able to vent my frustrations on the phone and the online chat helpful. Stay strong xx

[miss_weepy]

thanks very much for the kind reply 🙂 Its my second day of half tablet (25mg) and i dont feel any different but im excited to see how it goes, hopefully i will be on the road to recovery!

[Lostheart]

Hi Miss_Weepy...  I have been taking anti-depressants for 14 years now.. When I first started them I was in a bad state and it took about six weeks to feel better.. There are so many available, some times it takes a few trials to find what suits you.. Lucky the ones i take have relatively few side effects.. I thought it was going to be short term but unfortunately not the case, trust in your docter, they are a great support for you, good luck Xx

[LifeStyler]

Hi,

First I would like to say I hope you are starting to feel a bit better now, from when you first wrote this post. May you feel better and better every single day. Best of Luck.

I would like to share my experience with anti-depressants. Not wishing to influence anyone's decision to take them, just want to share my story.

I have been prescribed anti-depressants twice in my life (I am late 30's), once when I was 21 and once when I was 26.

My issue was the ease of prescription. Two different Doctors prescribed two different anti-d's.

As a survivor of child abuse I have suffered depression regularly. I now realise my diet, lifestyle and thoughts can contribute to my 'health', in the long term, just as much as any anti-depressant. Again I stress the point that this is MY experience, and would be different for everyone.

The point I wish to get to is, that I was abusing alcohol and using marijuana and speed when I was 21 and first prescribed X medication. The Doctor never once asked me if I was taking any other substances, whether I had a healthy diet or regularly exercised. Not once was I asked if I drunk alcohol or took illicit drugs.

So off I went on a X medication journey, and took speed one night. Only to end up having to drive myself to the emergency department after being awake for over 80 hours straight. I was an emotional wreck.

All I wish is that before Doctors prescribed anti-depressant, they first prescribed daily exercise (even laps of your lounge room), a healthy 'whole' foods diet (non preservative, no processed food, no sugar or caffeine) and NO alcohol or other drugs. Plus psychological counselling. Give the patient a month to 6 months on this 'prescription' first and see how they feel afterwards.

I have found this is the best remedy for myself. Exceptionally good food is a must, what you put in your body affects your brain, thoughts etc. As well as many other things I do to bring joy into my life (bushwalking, cuddling my dogs etc), I do not need anti-depressants anymore. Not to say if I find myself in crisis later in life I won't need them again.

My second experience with anti-depressants went much better and helped me through a very down flat period. But I do believe they should be a temporary thing, not a life long thing. There are many natural things that help. Like for me in winter I use S.A.D. powder, to help with seasonal affective disorder. It is natural and works for me.

Best of luck to all out there.

[HighlandGirl]

Firstly I'll say that everyone is different and your trigger for depression and anxiety may be something "temporary" that will heal over time.  It may not be too.  My story is that I suffered childhood trauma which was repressed till recently but that trauma led into my becoming very anxious as a child and into my teens.  I was socially very withdrawn ("shy"), nervous and unhappy.  This developed into an eating disorder and depression over time.  I've been on anti-depressants for 19 years, since being diagnosed by my former psychiatrist with Major Depression.  I've also had a lot of psychotherapy, countless consults with GPs, have used lots of different techniques to manage panic attacks and anxiety including active and passive relaxation, visualization, breathing techniques etc.  I've tried a number of medications, some of which I couldn't tolerate due to the side effects, some of which didn't help, and some of which worked for a time before they became less than effective.  I've always led a fairly healthy and active lifestyle with regular exercise and a decent diet. 

I will more than likely always need medication.  My illness was caused by repeated traumatic events, grief, and genetics.  There is psychiatric illness in my family with my parents, sibling, two grandparents and at least one cousin having depressive and/or anxiety disorders. 

Be guided by your treating doctors' advice and recommendations.  Do your own research on any medications that are suggested to you, and do see a clinical psychologist and engage in psychotherapy.  It all works together; no one treatment is supposed to work in isolation. 

[Kitty]

Hi Miss Weepy.

It can take a while for medication to take effect. Everyone's body (and mind) reacts differently to various meds. The first one i tried i hated it, i had no energy and wanted to sleep all the time - not much good with a small baby. Then it was changed and it was much much better. I have had the dose adjusted a bit over the years but I know if i dont take it - even missing a day - i really notice it. 

Can you confide in a close friend? Without the support of my wonderful friends i cant imagine where I would be. I would recommend counselling also. There are medical clinics where you can see psychologists bulk billed, sometimes you just have to ask. 

I have just joined the forums, i think it will be very helpful talking to people who understand what you are going through.

Kitty 🙂

[geoff]

dear Miss Weepy, some good replies by many people. Personally I have been on antidepressants for 18 years and probably for the rest of my life, that doesn't worry me at all, as I had run out of scripts and hadn't had my medication for two days, and that was bad as I cried at anything, an ad on tv, a song I listened to, so I knew that I had to stay on them. I do know that if you told to stop taking them you have to do that slowly.

I tried about 5 or 6 different antidepressants before the doctor found the right one, with no side effects. I have to confess that I was still depressed even while I was taking them, so I used alcohol to numb my sorrows, and this probably was not helpful at all. It took these tablets plus therapy about 8 years before I started to feel better, but this doesn't happen to others where their medication can have the positive effects after a few weeks.What the psychiatrist will do is change your medication if the current one is not working, it's basically trial and error.

Some people can go for a walk or go to the gym, but I didn't have any desire or strength to do this, but now I realise that I should have.

Just remember that your doctor sees so many people who have depression and that they are certainly very good in helping you. After you have recovered from depression you will become a much stronger person, because it changes the way you think, the situations that you know will adversely affect you, you definitely don't do, plus the people you associate with, you know the 'make-believe' people so yo don't make friends with, however we still have our bad days, but we can get over these days quickier than before. Please get back to us. Geoff.

[patricia3105]

Hi Miss Weepy

                         I was Diagnosed with Depression 2 days ago.My Gp wanted to put me on Medication but im very worried that I will be on them for good just like my mum & sister are.My gp has referred me to a Psychologist to see if talking all my problems & worries out will help.Ive only just joined this site & think its fantastic to read all the stories about what others are going through & knowing Im not alone.

[Kitty]

Feeling alone is part of the battle. I am lucky to have some wonderful, supportive friends. But some people just don't get it. Our journeys are all different in this. I don't cry all the time. I internalise everything. I just feel so low, worthless. I have no energy or strength to do anything. Im sure people think - just snap out of it will you! Wish it was that easy.