ADVICE ON ANTIDPRESSANTS PLEASE

[Sandraan]

HI Please can anyone give me advise on antidpressants, I'm going to my GP on Thursday and think she will change me ??? As I'm stuggling after a month on venlofaxtine, I have been on fluoxetine, sertraline, duloxtine, and citalpram (came off as made me weight gain ) over the past twenty eight years, what others are left that work ( they have to be none weight gaining ) ????? PLEASE ANY ADVICE would be more than grateful xxxx

[Hidden]

Hi well there is mirtazapine which is another one of the newer ones. It didn't suit me as it made me too sleepy. You are best to be guided by your doctor though as s/he is the expert. To be honest if it helped me I would take any ad even if it did make me put on weight. I guess it depends on the level of your depression.

I hope you find something which works for you. x

[Sandraan in reply to Hidden]

Hi Bev, thank you for taking the time to read and reply, mirtazapine ( (was the weight gaining) and the sleepiness was one of the side effects to this one, I agree my doctor is really supportive and really wants to help, but she's never had depression Bev, over the past twenty eight years I have always gave my GP good views on certain antidpressants, and we have always agree and usually stay on that med for many many years, but this I have left it up to GPs and nothing's working, I don't no were I am Bev ( I believe I'm going though the change and not getting the right meds for that ) but my bloods come back as normal !!!!!! My GP did say there's nothing to say you definitely are or are not, doctors just go by being period free for a year, so Iv came off the mini pill I was on, to see if that can prove anything, I'm certainly no doctor but Iv has depression most of my life and it's never been this bad for so long. I'm desparte to get well Bev xx

[Hidden in reply to Sandraan]

Sandra

What were you on prior to above and the one before that.

Some of the earlier ones had quite a clout and were more of a problem .

I take Citalopram and Amitryptalene (sorry for spelling), reduced dose for nerve damage pain. Yes I am a little away with the teddybears sometimes with my Opiates when flaring, although the mix of my ADs seems to keep me calm

BOB

[Sandraan]

Ok doctor Aronmega whatever you say, well done thank you

[Hidden in reply to Sandraan]

YES you'll find no doctors on here. so stop asking about your depressant pills

[Hidden]

Hi I take venlofaxtion, I think you should give it a little longer, they have helped me, I take several others as well, if you stay on the ven then you will probably have to take one other to help with side affects. I think you should ask to see a specialist in mental health. The GP's don't know how to blend the meds. I see a mental health doc, since seeing him the drugs have worked, normal GP's don't know what works well together.

I also suffer from the weight gain, what ever I do the weight stays the same. But on the good side I feel better plus I eat better and no fizzy drinks.

Good luck,

[Sandraan in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so very much ferrarifx i know my GP did tell me to reduce sertraline months ago and just before I was to start on venlafaxine, she said she was writing to s pyschatrist to get the go ahead to start on them, it was taking some time to hear anything, so I rang to chase things up and the Assment team told me it was fine to take venlafaxine so I started the reduceing agoain and started the valafaxine a month ago now, ferrarifx I'm seeing my GP Thursday I think I must ( although I really don't want to ) change to something else I just do t want to go anymore weeks like this or increase and go worse, I'm just to low at the moment, thank you so very much for taking the time to reply I really appreciate it, I'm really struggling at the moment, so it's a real comfort THANK YOU x

[Robbie138 in reply to Sandraan]

I take new tablet at night incase of side effects which I get with every tab that I take (at least I'm sleeping ) and once I feel it's ok to take them during the day I do

[Sandraan in reply to Robbie138]

Hi rob, thanks for replying, yes my GP told me to do that, but I get terrible feeling hour after Iv taken them, then like now I feel sick and a very heavy head, thanks but Iv got to change, the side effects should have gone by now, but I am going to take your advice and continue to take them off a night in future thanks hope your ok

[Hidden]

Hey, I'm here anytime, I had to mix and match before it started to help, I take venlofaxtion, quetiapine, lamotrigine and mirtazapine. But still have very bad days you just have to fight, you are here so you have been fighting and you have got this far, so that shows you are a fighter and you can keep doing it. The meds help and you will get it sorted, it takes time, it takes time to see a specialist.

For me when I'm low it's really hard to get out of it so I feel for you. Find something you like, a song, an item a picture, keep it with you, when you are low hold it, listen to it, look at it, it takes your mind to a different place.

Remember I'm here, if you are down just text

Good luck, you don't need it you're a fighter

[Sandraan in reply to Hidden]

What a really lovely supportive message thank you so very much I may have to take you up on texting you as it's the only thing that keeps me going the care and support from people on here like yourself, THANK YOU REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT

[Hidden in reply to Sandraan]

Good night and have a great day tomorrow, I will be with you

[Sandraan in reply to Hidden]

I have decided to ask my GP to change my meds on Thursday, the side effects are not going, and I'm reading people are really struggling coming off them, I think venlafaxine must be a very strong, much to strong for me, hope your ok

[Hidden in reply to Sandraan]

Good afternoon, yep venlofaxtion is a strong one. You will get the right one for you, it just takes a little time, which for you is really hard as you feel low and it seams nothing is working. But the biggest thing is you are trying, that means you are fighting and not giving up. Pat yourself on the back, well done

Have a great day

[Sandraan in reply to Hidden]

Thanks it really does help to carry on fighting when you get supporting texts like yours thank you hope your ok

[Hidden in reply to Sandraan]

Hey, good evening,

See another day done, that was easy, well done.

It's a good feeling being strong and knowing that you were low and you still got through the day. time for another pat on the back me thinks.

Now go and tell someone what an amazing thing you have just done.

Keep fighting, and remember there are people out there, who don't know you but care.

Have a great evening put your feet up you deserve it.

[Sandraan in reply to Hidden]

What a really lovely kind, caring, supportive person you REALLY are THANK YOU this world should have more people like you. X

[Hidden in reply to Sandraan]

Thank you, just want to help in a small way

[Olderal]

Sandraan. This is complicated as its difficult to know ,even for the user what works. Yes something may make you feel better but would you have felt better anyway.?

Its possible that none of the ads you've had have worked particularly well. I believe on balance and in hindsight none of the ones I've taken have been very effective although for most of my life I was glad to take them as then I knew I was doing all I could to keep "normal" ,keep my job etc. They gave me a psycholgical boost at the least.

You will have to discuss this with your doctor but I believe if your depression is resistant to ads then its likely you might have bipolar depression which at least some psychologists think should not be treated with ads,or ads alone ,but with a mood stabiliser. In fact many psychologists think ad treatment alone is to be avoided .I now take Depakote ,a mood stabiliser, which I am not entirely happy with but at least I've been OK since end July. The reason I am not 100% happy is that I believe another mood stabiliser might be better. I suspect Lithium might be better still but the complications of taking this mean that I am not pushing to be put on that.

Since end July I have also been taking the maximum dose of highly concentrated Omega 3 fish oil which might also be helping but with taking Depakote,ads and fish oil its hard to work out what ,if any ,are helping. All I can tell you is that I'm taking them and I've been pretty good since end July. Of course I might have been pretty good without any of them. Who knows?

Anyway this is something to discuss with your GP and/ or psychologist as medical opinion,while not always right with such a complicated condition, is worth more than mine. Weight gain is OK if you've got will power. Even taking Citalpram ,you could n't have put on weight if you had eaten nothing. I know you can't eat nothing for long but if citalpram made you gain weight then if you had cut your food intake then you could have continued with citalpram. Easy for me to say, not so easy for you to do.

One thing I have learned through 40 plus years of depressive spells is that the more research and reading I do the more chance I feel I have of getting effective treatment.

best of luck with your GP.

Olderal

[Sandraan in reply to Olderal]

Thanks very much for replying oldAl I really appreciate it and yes you make very valuable points il take On board what you have said, hope your ok

[Were]

Hope your ok lovely x

[Sandraan in reply to Were]

Battling on, but have to go my GP on Thursday to change my antidpressants, the side effects are not going, I'm just so worried what she will put me on next, how are you, I may not message you, but I think of you all the time x

[Were in reply to Sandraan]

Or really well I don't take anything because I always think antidepressants make me worse am so scared to take them sandman. Nice to no you think of me hunny I'm OK for now tired but I'm plodding about so hard this time of year as my partner has it alk to do a so wish I could help him Christmas shop but I'm really terrified x

[Sandraan]

Hi yes thank you for your advice and yes I agree with you, I v only been on them for six weeks at 75mg so hopefully I won't struggle to much, I have got to reduce tonight by half to 37.5 for a week then half of that the next week, I have to go see a specialist on Monday to see what ones are best for me, I'm dreading it to be honest. As I have to leave it up to them

[SAMBS]

Hi Sandranne - please please please do t stuff yourself up with Antidepressants.

Doctors love to dole them out, gets you out of surgery quicker!

From what you say, if overweight, as I used to be also, you'll end up being diagnosed either with type 2 Diabetes or Underactive Thyroid - have you ever had a blood test for either? If yes and you Are already on meds for either of those, anti-depressants can often counteract with them, making weight loss even harder, because non of the meds will be doing their jobs properly!

I was put on a variety of anti deps and ended up with Primary Billiary Cirrrhosis - cancer and alcohol being ruled out.

Weight loss is going to be the starter for you if possible, it will also help your joints which not all wrong meds do either! Check out what you take on drugs.com, and compare against the others - also out your conditions in!

I'm not medically qualified, just another one who was on too many meds with too many problems! I've found out the hard way. I hate to say so but docs prescribe drugs Pharma' deps envoyrage them to. we are now in the days of being responsible for our own health, first and foremost, rather than just going to get a script for another pill!

I've lost weight, made sure I have most of the right blood tests, almost, and also always get the printed lab results of any tests I do have done!

My liver suffered from too many different meds. But the right vitamins, minerals, and diet are starting to and will help me. My joints don't ache from weight anymore either.

Sorry to sound as though I'm lecturing , I'm not - also be careful because there Are several bogus members on some of the communities, remember we are all anonymous, so Don't just jump at every solution offered. with the little coloured emojis we don't know who we are confiding in!

Hope you find a good solution for you Sambs x

[Sandraan]

Thank you sambs, you make slot of sense and yes have made me open my eyes, hope you are ok now xx

[SAMBS in reply to Sandraan]

I'm working on it - sorry for the typos, I hate fllat screens, I grew up in days of typewriters and am used to a keyboard!

I'm glad youn found what I wrote useful about the meds. Another good website is labtestsonline - you put in the letters of the test done or look under the which section, it's in - ie TSH is for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. Sorry not very good at explaining things. The Thyroid UK community is excellent at explaining thyroid blood tests,,they are a bit complicated for me.

Take care, Good luck with your research and when you see the Doc on Monday!