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)

[--Danny--]

I'm 31 yrs old mate & been on anti-d's for 8 years....I had a spell of 2/3 yrs without them

[AGrace]

Dear Beetle & Others,

You've all raised some interesting points here. Ive been on ADs for 12 months and cant even think about coming off of them. I wonder everyday whether I am organically well or if im just well thanks to my medication? 

What are other people's thoughts on this?

Do most people take just ADs, or are most people taking a combination of other medications as well?

What are people's opinions on the side effects of our medications? Im interested to know how people have dealt with their side effects too? My 2 biggest concerns are cravings for sugar (I'm tthinking about shares in Cadbury) and massive weight gain.

Thanks

AGrace

[geoff]

dear AGrace, personally I am better and you could say well for being on my AD's, but they are not foolproof, as nothing is in the world we live in.

The AD I take I have done so for about 17 years and will be on them probably for life, so I can say ' c'est la vie'

Other medications well I take about 50 odd tablets each day, and all of these I need to take, so the side-effects are that they do make me very tired, but I have to live with this, because the damage has been done.

I hope that you get more help than this. L Geoff. x

[Beetle]

Hi Agrace and others

I only take my AD's. I was a long time very proud that I never needed any meds to function. I do take supplements like calcium and Vit B but that's it. When I started my Ad's I had all the sideeffects under the sun. Two really aweful weeks.( dizzy, brainzaps, fainting, huge pupils)

But because they took the suicidal thoughts away pretty quickly I didn't mind the side effects. I thought: well this is not that bad as wanting to kill myself. I rather put up with this than to die. It sounds pretty drastic but it was like this. I knew I had no choice since I had no energy anyway to try another med.

Now after being on them for 7 month or so I don't have any side effects whatsoever. I don't want to eat meat or vegies anymore. dunno if that is a side effect? I can sleep ,I can concentrate better and cope great at work.I dream more which I haven't done before.....

 I can truly say the meds have changed my life and rescued me. without them I would write this.....

My experience is: give the meds time to work. give them 2-4 weeks to kick in. if your mood hasn't changed by then and you still have sideeffects chose another one. But I guess 2 weeks going through side effect hell with meds is better than having hell on wheels every single day without them.....

Kristina

[HelenM]

Hi,

I've been on ADs for 12 years. I'm on a high dose which bothers me as there's nowhere to go if I become really bad. I also take a mood stabiliser and beta blockers. I am incredibly lucky as I haven't had any side effects.

[Rharnie]

Hi, i have been on AD's for 15 years, have changed meds a number of times. Also added mood stabeliser that seems to have done the trick. Remember that there are new meds on the market all the time, and also older ones that work well too.

I have also dealt with inflamation in my body as have fibromyalgia as well, so taking anti inflamatory and going off the gluten in my diet has seemed to really help too.

It does take at least 6 weeks to start to feel the effect of a medication. I know many people that are no longer on meds, i am unlucky as it runs in both sides of my family. I was lucky however to be diagnosed quickly and able to start meds.

[--Mark--]

Hi everyone,

I first started ADs 8 years ago, and have been on and off them since. Basically I go on them for about a year, off for a few months, then back on them. Cyclic, and change of meds most times. I'm on a high dose this time for all my meds not just the ADs.

Mark