mamie4

[mamie4]

hi,

has anyone been prescribed anything for depression, as iwas at a mdeicatin reveiw with practice nurse, and she said that i should speak to my docter about how i have been feeling the last few weeks, would welcome any comments you all might have.

[lindajane01]

Am sorry you're not feeling so good. My nurse also suggested I see GP when I got upset recently, and she prescribed anti-depressants. But didn't take them because I felt my sadness was just part of it, rather than an illness in itself, and anyway, life has its ups and downs. But I know that many benefit from anti-depressants, so I guess it's a personal decision about whether to ask for them and/or take them. Hope you get on ok whatever you decide, and things will start looking up for you mamie.

[tanyamarie in reply to lindajane01]

Hi there miserablegit! Your name does make me smile.

How are you feeling lately, been thinking of you?

[amagran]

my husband started taking fluexotine ( prozac ) after he had a stroke in 1991, he was ready to come off it or cut down when he first started with copd, when he was diagnosed with ipf as well as emphysema, he was so down about it that he kept on the lower dose, whether it helps or not it ertainly does no harm.

[Jo_BLFHelpline British Lung Foundation]

Hi Mamie

Sorry to read you are feeling so rubbish at the moment.

Feeling depressed and anxious can be common when living with a chronic condition. Anti depressants can be helpful especially when combined with counselling. Of course it must always be your choice. You can call us at the helpline and ask to speak to Helen - our counsellor who will be more than happy to discuss this with you - 03000 030 555. We also have booklets on depression and anxirty on our website.

Hope you feel better soon.

Jo

[Hidden]

Hello Mamie,

My opinion on this is, if I were you, which I'm not, I mean, if I were me, and I am, I would not go down the road of using medication to make myself feel better.

Being ill obviously isn't nice, adjusting to new situations isn't always easy, but making moves in your life to try to alleviate some of the down-time feelings, will be better than taking medicine for depression.

You are not just feeling down for no reason, the reason you are feeling down will be caused by the disturbing, also frightening thoughts you are having in relation to your present condition.

Which stage of COPD do you have?

What is your age?

If not absolutely necessary then the effects of medicine may just be yet another problem for you, if you have not always been down or depressed then surely you can find a way to grab hold of the bits of your personality that were more optimistic so that you get past this bit in your life.

You can choose to place your facts and thoughts into a framework of your own choosing. You do not have to muddle everything up, what you need right now is clear perspectives.

Break it down an analyse/work out what your main upset is right now, is the degree or amount of upset relevant to the actual situation, or could you change the way you view something and make yourself less fear-ridden and upset?

Place activity time in is own box, place hobbies in another, p lace family in yet another, in fact, separate your issues and don't be muddling one thing up with another, if one box needs tidying up it doesn't mean that all of the life-boxes need to be tuned upside down. Put things into realistic perspective if you can.

Do not simply listen to doctors and nurses and take their opinions on-board, because you have the right to an own mind, many doctors prescribe far too many tablets, and way too quickly too.

That leads to nationwide addiction because the types of medication used for depression, etc, are very heavy.

I had a girlfriend, and it turned out she was hooked on tranquillizers, etc, and through her, I found out that not heroin, but medicine was the worst form of addiction there is.

That's why I would need to be uncontrollably out of it in some way, and a danger to myself and others before I ever started popping pills for depression.

You must also remember that doctors are not gods, they learn for certain skills and they have accumulated knowledge, but they are always human beings with opinions and at the end of the day those opinions are based on all kinds of things, some of those things being faults in the thinking, just like all of us, and so the opinions may be incorrect.

Think for yourself and get second opinions on any important matters

[Hidden]

Er sorry, correction to the above,

the 'info/things believed in or implied in the opinions' may be incorrect, opinions are simply what they are.

[Hidden]

Hi mamie4, Welcome here.

I can recommend counselling. But not the drugs. That's just me others feel fine on anti depressants.

I would agree with what the nurse suggested about talking with your GP.

Do give the BLF helpline a call, so you can be aware of the options available.

Hope you are feeling better real soon.

[ingy]

Hi mamie, I am now on a very low dose of citalopram for anxiety.I always said I wouldnt take antidepressants such as valium etc, but if there comes a point when anxiety takes over your life and you get upset for reasons outwith your control, then something needs to be done. I have always been cheerful and outgoing, but my doc asked me to try this low dose, it wasnt addictive, doesnt make you dopey or sleepy. I have been on them for 6 months now and never looked back, nor have I had to get the dosage raised. Speak to your doctor about how you feel, let him guide you, but the decision is yours.

best wishes.

[alanjudy in reply to ingy]

I agree. I am also on a low dose of citalaprim and it helps me to cope. Please go and talk to your GP and the help line.

Good luck

Judith

[tanyamarie]

Hello,

As a pharmacy dispenser, I dispense many different types of anti-depressants and some are also used for other purposes too, like a sleeping aid for example. Everyone is different and are used for different forms of depression and severities. Some can take a month to start being effective, others can work much quicker.

On a personal level, I was on an anti-depressant called citalopram for post natal depression a few years back. It was very short term, only 6 months or less and it was a low dose. I can honestly say from my experience that it did me no harm and must have made me feel better as I progressed well.

It is a personal choice that you will have to make, but do not make the decision alone, talk to a counsellor and take advice. It is commonplace for people with various illnesses to take anti-depressants, anything that helps keeping you positive and less depressed must be a good thing surely?

[Puffthemagicdragon]

mamie4, come and chat as much as you want on here and we'll all do our best to make you feel good.

[Hidden]

I feel so sorry for you - COPD and feeling miserable what a combination! Try to talk to you Doctor and if the short term meds. help, take them. I think that depression is not highlighted as much as it should be with COPD - it is such a life changing condition that it inevitably affects mental health as well. The BLF meetings have helped my husband - just to talk to someone else with the same problems and see them gives him support. Good Luck TAD xx

[Hidden]

pS Of Course I didn't mean BLF meetings - I meant Breathe Easy!!!! (it could be a long day......)