Is it depression or something else?

[mobenro]

After a significant life event nearly 10 years ago i started having strange episodes. The GP told me it was depression and put me on Fluoxetine which i took for a year or so. My symptoms ( lethargy, walking through treacle, feeling drugged) come and go and i have never had suicidal symptoms. I went back to the doctors recently and he put me on 20mg of Fluoxetine but the side effects were more debilitating than the ' depression' symptoms so after consulting him i stopped taking it. i have just started CBT too. Anyone had similar experiences?

[Suzie40]

You've been a bit vague with your symtoms, but I'm assuming the doctor would have not prescribed antidepressants without good reason. How do you feel now? Not everyone who is depressed feels suicidal X

[mobenro in reply to Suzie40]

Hello,

i find it really hard to explain my symptoms other than spaced out, jumpy, in another world. i know that not everyone who is depressed is suicidal i just wanted to note the severity of my symptoms. i think they are very physical in nature x

[Suzie40]

It's one of those illnesses that manifests itself in many ways, shape and forms. If you google NHS depression test, there's a useful tool on there. I'm always sceptical when it comes to diagnosing yourself via checklists, but if nothing else, it will open your eyes to feelings you may be having that you had not associated with depression before. For example, there's a question on there about not enjoying things as much as you used to. It took me to see that written down, and for me to have to consider my answer, for me to realise that actually, I'd stopped seeing friends, stopped going to the pub and relaxing and stopped calling people for a catch up in the evenings. That was a bit of a wake up call for me and a sign that things weren't quite right x

[mobenro]

I have just done it again and its come up as a 7 which is why i wonder if its something else! x

[Suzie40]

That's impressive! I got 54! X

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Hi

You said you had a significant experience and I'm wondering whether you have been able to share that experience with anyone. Often trauma can leave strange after experiences which are in many ways like depression and yet are not straightforward depression. You may not want to write about the experience here, but if you haven't shared it then it may be important that you find a way to do that, perhaps with a counsellor or therapist, even if it is on the phone with someone like the Samaritans it will be a start and likely to help. If you have already shared it then you are likely to know enough about your strange symptoms to have some idea about why you have them even if you don't know what they are. Can you say any more here about any of this, then we may be able to help?

Sue