Medication Yes or No

[Its_Jess]

Hi Guys

I have recently gone through a massive break up with my boyfriend which has started to play on old self confidence and depression problems I had before. I was broken up with completely out of the blue and only given the reason that he 'doesnt want a relationship.' Shortly after this he was involved in a horrific car accident with his best friend and a girl from his work and was air lifted to hospital. I was the last one to find out about this and was worried sick. He has now got out of hospital but is attended rehab most days as he has a lot of broken bones. I then found out he is now in a relationship with the girl who was in the car. it has only been a month and Im shocked and confused about it all

I ended up going to the doctor as I am really concerned about my mental state and dont trust myself about being alone. The doctor wanted to admit me to hospital and gave me antidepressants to take

I am worried about taking the medication and a few people have told me to take herbal medications first and see if they help. My doctor did not agree with this and now Im really confused as to what I should do. Does anyone have any suggestions, warnings or advice about taking pharmacy antidepressants?

[ModeratorA]

Dear Jess, thanks for your post to beyondblue. You have had terrible stressful things happen to you. It is great that you went to seek some help when you started to feel so low.  Well done, it is really brave to reach out for support. Medication is a really useful thing for some people. For some it works really well, for others their response isn't what they would hope for. It can sometimes take a while to 

1. feel the benefits of medication when you start taking it

2. get the correct dose for you

3. find the correct medication- sometimes the first one you try might not best suit you. 

Each individual is different, that's why it is so important to speak really honestly with your doctor about what you are thinking about medication. If you are taking it, how much and how regularly. It is also important to let him/her know if you are using any alternative medicines/remedies.Antidepressant medications are not like some other medications you may have had in the past - where you take a dose and feel a result in 1/2 an hour. 

There are also ways to help with depression other than medication. You can use these in addition to medication or separatey. Speak to your GP about seeing a psychologist and trying some CBT. This is a form of support that helps you use techniques to manage some of your thinking and mood. If you feel so low that at times you feel suicidal, it is really important to tell your GP, and it is really important to accept treatment in one form or another (medication, talking support/therapy or even both). Remember the most important thing is your safety.

Let us know how you are going.

The moderators

[geoff]

dear Jess, I often wonder why these sort of things always seem to happen, either in a relationship or not.

Firstly I am sorry for what has happened to your ex boyfriend, but this post is really about you, and how upset and shocked you feel.

With regards to taking antidepressants, the moderators have given you their experienced advice, but from someone else who has suffered from depression it's always good to get their view.

Your doctor must be very concerned about you, and I can understand why, a broken relationship is awful and there never seems to be anything to overcome on how you feel.

There are many different types of antidepressants, and I often believe that a doctor always favours the one that has had more affect on helping people. This type maybe good for you or you may suffer side-effects, which you will realise within a couple of days, and if this does occur then stop taking them and tell your doctor, who will change what type he has given you.

I think I tried about half a dozen before I had the right one, and I will be taking these probably for the rest of my life, so be it, I need them, because if I miss two days, then I would cry at the drop of a hat, but I then take them I am OK.

The natural 'antidepressants' are only for a very mild depression, but certainly won't help much, and you can't take both together, simply for medical reasons, and your  pharmacist and/or doctor will also tell you why you can't.

Please you have to either ring your doctor or any support line like lifeline if you feel anxious or too overwhelmed, because your safety is very much so important to all of us.

( see if you get BB to move this post to one of the 'online' posts, where you will get  more replies sent back to you, it's just by chance that I found your posting, as it's very concerning so it needs more replies to help you.) L Geoff. x