Need advise please

[Hayley77]

I have been on an antidepressant for 11 years, suffering from depression and four years ago starting to have anxiety attacks. Recently I have had another anxiety attack due to husband being away for six months due to work. I am in another state with no family for support and have my two children with me with one with special needs. I am trying to cope and do it all on my own but it's hard. Went to doctors who has slowly after 11 years taking me off of the medication, I too am on an a benzodiazepine tablet for anxiety. But for the last three days I am struggling as I have not taken any antidepressant due to docs request as tomorrow I am starting a new one. I am struggling I am confused, dizzy, light sensitive , don't want to be around anyone, bad tempered and feel sick. Is this normal having these symptoms while changing meds? I am finding it hard to deal with the symptoms please help. 

[The_Real_David_Charles]

Dear Hayley,

Yes.   It would be the same if you changed from your new meds to another batch too.  Hang in there - there is on a brief changeover period (1 - 4 wks) compared the the months/years you might benefit from the change.

Next time your partner does a 6 month work stint away from the house is there anyway you can plan and organise monthly support or at least a helper for the arsenic end of the day (3 - 6pm).   My daughter does this kind of support for mother of 3 who really isn't coping and just having this extra resource, say, Tuesday afternoon and Friday afternoon is a life saver for this particular mother.   Even paying $20 an hour that's only $120 a week for some peace of mind and the ability to think straight.

"I'm trying to cope and do it all on my own but it's hard".    In some countries mothers have servants, in Victorian times there were wet nurses, in most of society now there are capable grandmothers, etc.    A little light babysitting is probably the difference between coping OK and going down anxiety/depression road.   The bottom line, for me (as a dad of late teenagers) would be that when you say "I'm trying to cope" you're not actually "coping".  It takes a village to raise a child.  It takes a couple of villages to raise a special child.  Sound the drums !

Adios, David.

[dew_drops]

Hi Hayley, Im sorry  your doing it rough & your alone with no support.Im not an expert on medications & i have been on the same meedication since my e.c.t. 3 years ago but what i do know is that i had forgotten to take my antidepressants for 2 days once, & geez...i was light headed..tingly..uncoordinated along with other horrible symptoms too.It was terrible!!I do know that if you come off antidepressants then it is meant to be a slow process.As i said, im not an expert & i may be wrong but im pretty sure your meant to wean off them rather than just stopping.Hopefully when you start your new meds tomorrow, you will start to feel a little better & the nasty symptoms will settle for.In regards to being in another state & having no support,(im not sure of the ages of your children) is there anyway you & the kids could attend a playgroup or something similiar where you could meet other people?This might help you feel less isolated?These are only suggestions & you might not be interested in playgroups or anything..im just trying to think of ways of helping you to feel less lonely.Good Luck Haley & i hope that the new meds help the symptoms subside, i know life can be so challengeing but hang in there & be gentle with yourself

To be on your own & raising two kids is a big job so give yourself some credit too!!Take care xx

[Miss_Fortune]

Hi Hayley

Last year I changed medication. The low I experienced during the finishing of one type and the takeup time of the other was very difficult. The end result was worth going through the whole process - although I felt much like you have described in your post. I can't speak as a medical expert, but from personal experience what you are feeling is normal.....

Good luck with the new medication

[geoff]

dear Hayley, unfortunately this is the down side of stopping one antidepressant to start another one.

It's a very difficult period where one small problem seems to be an enormous one, especially when you have children.

If the old one has run it's race then it's good to start another one, although with my antidepressant the mg's had to be increased to the maximum, and the doctor keeps asking me how it's going.

It must be difficult for you to cope with your husband being away for 6 months at a time, but the council can provide you with help, in all sorts of different ways. Take Care. L Geoff. x