Meds and me are like oil and water

[ToniaMarie35]

I am worried that I'm going to spend my life on meds, and I don't want to, they always give me side affects or just wear off. I have been on anxiety pills for almost 2 years, have recently had the does increased and not finding them to be a great help...did go off them for 3 months though, feel so weak for having went back on them addictive buggers again!!!! Now I find the depression is over riding the anxiety and I'm on homeopathy treatments for now because I will try anything to get anyway from prescription drugs making me worse and making me feel like I have lost it!!!! My doc wants me to keep taking the homeopathic meds for now, but is suggesting going on antidepressants again, it scares me, and then how long they take to kick in!!! I can't remember when I felt like the real happy me, but I'm trying to fight this and I don't want to be on a pill and go through all this crap again, and a pill I have tried before. Any thoughts on this???

[jonnywombat]

Hi Tonia,

I really have no issue with taking medication. The way I view it is that my illness is caused my an imbalance of chemicals in my brain, and this imbalance has a large influence on the way I think and feel.

In a sense it is no different to diabetes, where an imbalance of chemicals, causes the suffer to not be able to process sugar correctly, and they have to take insulin to correct the balance.

I am sorry that you have bad side affects, the side affects I have, are not bad, in fact they are quite positive coz I have been loosing weight, and i am a big guy, so it is no bad thing.

What are you taking? St John's Wort? I guess it is about finding the thing that works best for you. I have a friend who also suffers from depression who swears that a Berocca every morning really helps her.

Take care

Jonny

[ToniaMarie35 in reply to jonnywombat]

Hi jonny:

I was never bad with taking meds, over the years working in healthcare and picking up every virus and being given antibiotics destroyed a lot of good bacteria in my stomach. I became intolerant and my immune system destroyed for a lot of years!!! Here lately my immune system seems better, I do take probiotics also, but I have developed ibs-c, not a nice thing at all...chronic fatigue...amongst other things.

As of right now I am taking Effexor and amitriptyline...sometimes holy basil...some vitamins. And what is a Berocca?

Take Care,

Tonia

[missrat]

There is a wide range of medication available for depression, and if your doctor wants you on them it is likely that something else might be available. If you do want to use herbal methods, then St. John's Wort, 5-HTP and SAME are options. Homeopathic medicine is so highly individualised that it is a good idea to see a qualified homeopath or discuss with something like the Jan de Vries helpline or a major shop like Nelsons (London) or Helios (Tunbridge Wells).

Ann

[ToniaMarie35 in reply to missrat]

St. John's Wort was terrible for me, and I have been to a few places that offered homeopathic treatment...I find acupuncture pretty good, just for the relaxation part of it. And I live in Canada, so I don't know about either of those places...thanks for replying...

Tonia

[Optimistic9]

I think you are very wise to try and manage without harsh mind altering drugs. The side effects can be horrendous and sometimes permanent if you take them for too long. Look up TARDIVE DYSKINESIA which can become a permanant side effect from psychotropic drugs. Depression can be caused by many things even a vitamin or mineral deficiency. There is no valid blood or lab test which proves that it is caused by a chemical imbalance of the brain. However DIABETES is caused by a chemical imbalance and this can be proven by a simple test. It annoys me when psychiatrists diagnose a chemical imbalance when there is NO test which proves this therefore it is only a theory. Many doctors will leave you on antidepressants for years and it all becomes a vicious circle.

There is an amazing book which I think would help anyone with depression called "Beyond Prozac" by doctor Terry Lynch. I really think it would help you with your problems.

I also think homeopathic medicine is much gentler on the body and can be very effective

I know its difficult but you can get through it. Remember you only live once. Try and do things which you enjoy and also make sure you eat a high protein diet and get enough sleep.....Good luck

[jonnywombat in reply to Optimistic9]

Hi Optimistic,

Sorry if I caused offense, I did say that is how I choose to view my depression, I wasn't claiming it was medical fact.

I realise my view is rather simplistic, but I don't speak from a position of complete ignorance. I have a basic knowledge of neurobiology, through my work, although it is quite a small (and different) corner of a large field that I have experience of.

[ToniaMarie35 in reply to Optimistic9]

Oh believe me I now all about the side affects of those meds, have been on a lot..had a major breakdown years ago from taking champix to quit smoking, and my doc didn't ween me off of them..went cold turkey!!! And I don't see a psychiatrist..just my own family gp...My job has left me with many health problems unfortunately, and being in chronic pain is one of them, chronic fatigue syndrome, weakened immune system....I will try that book thanks, have read a few and have done meditation also.

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it!!!

Tonia

[Hidden]

Hi, I agree with both sides of the argument here.

Meds are great for those people who want an answer that puts the cause as a biological bodily process and can be really effective, the only problem with them is that they tend to a) become addictive so that managing without them at a later time becomes very difficult and b) their effects tend to wear off over time as the body becomes accustomed to them and so it's often necessary to go onto heavier drugs. That said, they can be reallly useful at certain times. I took Prozac for a time and it enabled me to overcome quite deep depression in order to teach, but once weaned off over a period of time the depression returned once I was under new stresses and then Prozac was useless and made me feel much worse. I tried other drugs to no effect so went back into therapy (I'm lucky, we can afford private therapy). That doesn't solve the depression which continued to interfere with my work life, I'm now retired, also my personal relationships, but therapy does offer some support in managing the worst of the feelings.

Most medics will recommend drugs because they are quick to take effect and relatively cheap, also they fit with the medical model of all problems necessitating treatment having a bodily cause, but that doesn't mean meds are necessarily the best solution for you. Only you can decide WHY you think you might be depressed.

Do you havee any ideas about where the depression stems from? Have you always been depressed? Just thinking about those things can lead to decisions about the treatment that is likely to be most effective, for example if the depression goes back a long way into childhood then all meds will do is deal with immediate symptoms and temporarily suppress the feelings that might have led to an understanding of the causal issues.

Suex

[thelwell]

I have the same worries,after coming out of mental health hospital where I was for 8 weeks.Trying to find medication that agrees.It seems there are so many side effects you end up taking more tablets to combat them.I have been home for two weeks and am really struggling.My view is that I will take anything to get through.The brain is finely tuned and difficult to manage.One tablet I was made me aggressive and high.I know this may not help but I am persevering with current tablet but open to change.Good luck .

[Getting-By]

Hi All

This is a topic that comes up a lot and people have different opinions so both sides of the argument must be respected. For some medication can be a life saver and really get them out of a dark hole and on the road to recovery. But others find the side effects out way the benefits and look for alternatives.

I take medication and probably will be on them for a while yet and feel they do help keep my symptoms of depression, anxiety and intrusive thoughts at a more manageable level. The thing to remember about medication is that it will only help with the symptoms it is not a cure all so it is important to do some type of talking therapies such as CBT, CAT or Mindfulness which helps you identify the cause and talk things through and then teaches you ways of dealing with things better.

You do hear a lot of horror stories about medications but I have not experienced any of those and I have been on AD for 6 years.

[ToniaMarie35]

I have been on a few including Paxil when I was a teenager, which I got off of,my moods got alot worse.I went years without taking meds, just managed on my own somehow, then I got into counselling and a meditation group....but It gets quite pricey, I get 6 free sessions through work once a year, which is nothing. I weened myself off pills, but I have been on clonazapam for almost 2 years, didn't realize how addicitive,,,,but now the depression is over riding the anxiety....so I just want to be off them too. Having IBS and chronic fatigue syndrome makes my emotions alot worse, the IBS comes and goes but for awhile it just wouldn't go away.

There was a point not that long ago I had a major breakdown, the worse I have ever experienced in my life!!!! I had to take time off work, couldn't socialize that much, it was sooooo bad!!!!! I went on champix by recommendation of my GP, I was so sick taking it but stuck it out for 6 weeks, with everybody telling me to stick it out.....when I finally had enough I told my doc that I was going off of them he didn't tell me to ween off them, didn't say much actually. It could have been weeks later or a month this breakdown happened (and yes I still see the same doc), he said it could have been the drug or was an antagonist...I still think the drug caused this!!! I have been on Celexa, buspar, abilify and more....just weened off buspar actually, made me so agitated!!!

And I did mention that I am taking homeopathic meds right now, a weeks today, so I'm really hoping that it does something for me. The day before my homeopathic appt I bought a bottle of St. John's Wort from them, I was told not to take them right now, to put them in the fridge and maybe they will be fit in somewhere in the equation. I get to a point where I can feel great for awhile and then bad things will happen to me and then the stress just builds up and I can't handle it...I wasn't always like that. I would do anything to be good ol self again, and I know my boyfriend, family and friends wouldn't want anything more right now...especially my boyfriend, who is there for me 150 percent!!!!

Thanks everybody for your experiences and opinions I really appreciate, I find the last 2 years so difficult, even going to work because to be honest I don't want to be there anymore...and I have good reason for that also and I do eventually plan to get out of there, I have lost so much initiative and I hate myself sometimes so much for that sometimes. I am not me, I am a stranger, and my experience with meds always scare me and still scare me!!! Take care everybody, best of luck, if u wanna chat more I'm here....

Tonia

[miarose in reply to ToniaMarie35]

could you tell what Homeopathic meds yor taking. I cannot tolerate A/DS so any info would be appriciated,,

[ToniaMarie35]

I have tried St. John's Wort and SIberian Ginseng...worst stuff ever for me, kept me up and burned the guts out of me....Right now I only take Holy Basil for homeopathic meds...