Poll: How long have you been on AD's for depression?

[Beetle]

HI all

I am curous how long you all stay/have stayed on AD's after being diagnosed with major depression.

I just started 4 weeks ago on a SNRI and my doc said I may stay on them for 6 month or a year, after I have been well for 6 month.

What plan did your doc put you on?

Take care

Beetle ( curious)

[Jo3]

Hi Beetle

I was prescribed anti depressants 3 yrs ago for depression.  The doctor originally told me only for a few months, which then turned into a year.  Now three years on and I am still on them.  

I have tried to come off them but I am worse, so I guess for now I will need to stay on them for a little longer.

Jo

[geoff]

dear Beetle, I have been on them for 20 odd years, and probably will be taking for the rest of my life.

I know this because if I miss a day or so I fall into a heap, and feel terrible, miserable and teary, but everyone is different. Geoff.

[Neil_1]

Hi Beetle

I've been about 11 years now and counting.  Absolutely no sign of going off any of the three meds that I'm currently on.

Best wishes

Neil

[acacia]

In October to November I went cold turkey after having taken AD's for 17 years without a break. I cannot suggest strongly enough that you should do this with medical help! I did not do this. If people are interested I can post what I experienced. All the best to all those who have the dark dog!!!!

[Beetle]

HI

Thanks to everyone for their response so far. I really appreciate this.I have researched a bit about AD's and why we need to take them and looked at my own history and why i am on them.I figgured I might be on them for more than 6 month. As many are on them for years I guess you are also very deficient in neurotransmitters. I read a study and that found that if people respond very quickly to AD's ( like me in 2 days) this is a sure sign that their depresssion is organic, meaning that the neurotransmitters are out of wack. Once u stop the Ad's the depression comes back. So i will defiantely stay on them unless my doc really urges me to go off them......Looking forward hearing more expereinces from all you lovely people :):)take care beetle

[Starz]

I am in the same boat as you Beetle. I started taking AD's about 7 weeks ago (onto my 3rd different kind now as I've had some side effect issues).

My Dr has said 6-12 months but I also responded very quickly and she has said this may mean I will need them for my lifetime.

[sola]

Hi Everyone,

First of all I'd like to thank Beetle for starting this thread. I find it extremely interesting and I also think that, it is a very important issue about depression.

I've watched an interview with psychiatrist Dr Colin Ross on youtube about ADs, and it was a real eye opener for me. Any one, who suffers from depression, must watch it,  as it has important factual information based on scientific research.

"Do Antidepressants Cure Depression? Are Psych Drugs Safe? Dr Colin Ross with Corrina"......Please watch it and let us know what you think. I would really appreciate other people's opinions.

Cheers

Sola 

[Beetle]

HI Sola

thanks for the link. I could only watch it half way before my connection packed in. So i only got 50% of the docs talk.

very interesting. I have read many scientific articles and its true that the actions of placebos and AD's are pretty close together.

However there are different kind of depressions and that them trials only go after the depression and anxiety score but don't ask WHY people are depressed or/and anxious. So for example if someone is depressed because they lost their job/their partner etc. its called reactive depression and they will get better with placebos, AD's and /or therapy. However if your brain itself doesn't produce enough chemicals than talking and placebos wont work. So I reckon listening to the Dr's talk and considering the scientific evidence maybe only 5% of all of us may suffer from the true chemical imbalance and we really need the real AD's????

I went to talking therpay until the cows came home and nothing changed I went donwnhill.  but I picked up quickly after I started the AD's. NO way are their effects just from a placebo. I can feel it 2 hours after I take the drug and I feel if its wearing off. So unless my imagination is really strong I cannot phantom that these actions are the work of placebos.

it would be interesting if new studies come out to filter out people with organic depression/anxiety and do a trial on them. Then we will REALLY know whats going on with placebos and AD's

All the best

Beetle

[geoff]

dear Beetle and Sola, this is an interesting post, I was going to watch the youtube but it was over an hour, so maybe I clicked the wrong link, but I didn't have that amount of time to watch it.

What I can say is that ' I can feel it 2 hours after I take the drug and I feel if its wearing off', so as far as I can gather then you are not on the right dosage that will benefit you for 24/7.

No one can have half the dosage of morphine after an operation, because it will only kick in for a very short time, so what they do need is the full amount, and the same applies with AD's, because it has to keep the circuit alive in our brain 24/7, so if this doesn't happen then the AD has to be changed. L Geoff. x