Time for medication - what has your experience been?

[lobbymusic]

Working in the mental health field, I know all the tools - from CBT to exercise to eating well to mood boosting vitamins and so forth.

Unfortunately, there comes a time when you have to admit you need more. I went through a traumatic period 1.5 years ago and haven't been able to crawl myself out of the it since. Lately, the depression/anxiety has gotten to the point where it can't be ignored. Sleeping all day, no motivation, a permanent sense of doom and sadness...the usual, I suppose.

I've been putting off drug therapy - I guess despite everything, I held onto optimism that things would get better given time and effort. Not so.

What have your experiences been on anti depressants? I recognise all that our experiences will be different but I guess I'm looking for a bit of a nudge organisation optimism that they will could work - not miraculously but something - no matter how little - to the positive. Thanks in advance 🙂

[Guest_128]

Hey lobby,

I will be totally blunt,for me if I wasn't on my meds, I would not be here. Like most people with problems it takes time to start and then they go through I don't need this crap. But they sure work out that YES they do. It's a tool to keep you alive.

Please seek some help,you already know the answers.

Go help yourself,its worth it.

Also join in here,ask whatever you need.

Later

[Quercus]

Hi Lobbymusic,

Welcome to the forums! And good on you for knowing in yourself when you need to ask for help. That is a great thing.

Well we're not allowed to name names unfortunately but I started off on an AD my psychiatrist called an "old faithful". He said it has been around forever and was reliable. It knocked my anxiety down a bit and the suicidal thoughts were under control after a while (and a fair few increases of meds). I had some headaches to begin with (about two weeks) and I struggle to sleep but apart from that no other complaints.

After a while I was on the max dose and still felt flat so he changed me onto a stronger one. Big mistake. First was the sexual side effects. Felt like I'd been chemically sterilised or something. Everyone gets warned one of the side effects of an AD could be suicidal thoughts but seeing as I'd had them before didn't quite realise what was happening. Psychiatrist realised immediately though.

I chose to go back to the old one again. He wanted me to try another but I was a bit freaked out. I can deal with feeling a bit flat I can't handle feeling randomly suicidal all the time.

Overall I am happy with my meds. They do what they need to along with psychotherapy. I'm glad I have a psychiatrist overlooking them rather than a GP though.

Wish you all the best with your treatment and hope you feel better. Please feel free to keep talking I'd love to know how you go.

Take care 😊

[white knight]

Hi lobbymusic, welcome

I agree with later.

Also google these

Topic: medication is a whirlpool- beyondblue

Topic: 53 years of hell now, 5 years of contentment- beyondblue

Cheers

Tony WK

[Blue_Jane]

Hi lobbymusic

Thanks for sharing and good on you for reaching out for guidance and opinions.

I too tried everything from lifestyle to eastern medicine to CBT to meditation to help with my anxiety - and get me back to normal sleep. They worked to varying degrees.

But in January last year I reached rock bottom and my GP totally agreed that it was time for me to go on meds. For me it was a game changer. Within three days I was feeling like myself again. I still maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, meditate sometimes etc. I think I just found the right combination. Since then I have only had about six 'bad nights of sleep' (that was my biggest symptom and impacted everything else) and one panic attack.

Its about finding the combination that works for you.

Hope this helps.

Blue Jane

[aegidius]

Ditto my experience Quercus. Discontinued after sexual side effects (might as well have been castrated - quite the cosmic joke) and recurring skin rashes, that persisted for months after discontinuing. I will be VERY reluctant to have anything to do with them again.