A
female
age
41-50,
*tellaBaby83
writes:I went to the doctors yesterday because I was feeling really tired all the time and really down. He prescribed me anti-depressants and I started taking them last night. My housemate went nuts and told me they were really bad for me but I think I the dr might be right. He's been my dr since I was young and told me given 'my family history' he thought it would be advisable for me to give this a go. I thought he might be saying that one of my family might suffer from depression as well. I'm not sure. The tablets help em build my serotonin. I'm always sad even though my life isn't that bad and I find I cry alot and get really snappy at people at work when they don't really deserve it and I'm worried I'm going to lose my job over it. My housemate told me they mask all your problems and you live in a bubble world when you take them and went you stop it makes you want to kill yourself. But she's told me she never has never had them.I just wanted to know what other people's experiences/point of view is on this matter?Are they really that bad for you?
View related questions:
at work Reply to this Question
Share |
Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (12 February 2009): Damn.. uninformed people can cause so much misery in life. Your flatmate isn't a doctor or a nurse, she has never taken the tablets, she hasn't studied up on them and the side effects they may or may not have, but she thinks she knows better than your doctor who knows all about them.Your crying, you feel unhappy, your on edge. Your doctor thinks that your families medical history is relevant, so he has prescribed you what you need. It's too complicated to go into here, but the tablets only work on people that are sick. As you said, they work to raise the serotonin levels (that's the chemical that we produce when we are happy) They don't leave you in a bubble, at the moment your living in a bubble of unhappiness, they should work to stabilize your mood and make you more able to deal with life. You should find yourself feeling calmer, less tearful and less stressed. If that doesn't happen, or you notice other symptoms then go straight back to your doctorAnti-depressants have changed, you are probably on one of the new ones, which are non addictive. Anti-depressants are no longer prescribed for many years, you should have been given an appointment in a couple of weeks to go back to your doctor to see how you are getting on and if your feeling any better.Also please listen to all the advice that has been given to you by the aunts on this board. Depression is a complicated illness. For many people the recommended treatment is counselling and in severe depression, anti-depressants too. But you also have to help yourself with things that make you happy and help you achieve some goals. So church, gardening, volunteering, healthy eating, exercise, you need to make sure that you aim to have a totally healthy lifestyle, and sometimes this on it's own can help.Please get advice only from either medical professionals are people that are very familiar with depression and the various treatments on offer. Try to keep a diary, and write down your moods, the things that are improving and the things that are getting worse, and make sure that you see your doctor often to discuss your illness with them.PS: It's very true, that counselling and anti-depressants do not work for everyone, and in a very, small percentage of cases it can make things worse. But for the majority of people counselling and anti-depressants as well as living for health can cure the condition and give you techniques to make sure that you don't get sick like this again. Good luck babes, you'll feel better if you get the treatment that suits you best.
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (31 March 2008): i found tham great they made me less snappy and i stopped all the crying i was on citalopram. i have had to come off them an have amitripyline for neuralgia and depression, great for neuralgia but all the crying for nothing back, i would highly recommend them though people told me not to take them do your own thing good luck valerie[Moderator's note: Please obtain confirmation from your doctors about the medicine discussed here, to be aware of effects and contraindications, etc!]
...............................
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (4 February 2008): If I could go back and never take the first one I would, I don't recommend them to anyone, they made me nuts and I still feel bad!!
...............................
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (3 April 2007): I was given anti-deprssents from my doctor because i was having trouble sleeping, he though it was caused by depression, he recommended anti depressants because i could not get the time to go to a councilor.
I went on the anti depressents for about 3 weeks, i did not like them at all, it actually made me more depressed because i was ashamed that i was taken them because i was depressed, i feel like a bad person because i have depression, i went off the anti depressants, i also felt not myself while i was on them, i felt like something was controlling my feelings, like i could not express myself.
something upsetting happended while i was on them and i would probably cry and get upset but instead i just become blank and felt nothing, i new it was upsetting but nothing happended, i dont like the feeling of something controllng me. it really depends on the person, but doctors will most likly give you ones that will be best suited to you.
...............................
A
female
reader, TELLULAH  +, writes (28 March 2007):
 Hi,
Shandy Pop is so right, in the end the only person to really get you out of this is you. As I said before, I am not against anti-depressants, but you should be really carefull. Go see your mates and fill your life with fun. Its the best medicine you could ever take. XX
...............................
A
reader, anonymous, writes (28 March 2007): I think your house mate is probably reacting that way because anti depressants have quite a bad reputation. But a lot of people are misinformed. Medications have come a long way in the past few years and there are a lot of new anti depressants on the market now that are a lot safer and don't have as many side effects. Don't listen to your house mate or anyone else. Listen to your doctor, get a second opinion if you feel you need to and follow the advice of the professionals. And most importantly do what feels best for yourself, Concentrate on getting happy again. Goodluck
...............................
A
reader, anonymous, writes (28 March 2007): I think it all depends on the person. I was on medication for a short time and i went to counselling, it nearly drove me NUTS!!! I cried my eyes out every day. The medication made me worse. People kept saying to persevere with it. I don't take too kindly to being ordered about, but i felt i had no say in my life, i felt driven by 'something else'. I piled on the weight, which made me feel worse!
Sorry, but i found the only person to get me out of it was me. I used to go along to see a counsellor and ended up crying my eyes out for half hour after i had been in there. I just couldn't pull myself together. I stopped the medication and counselling. Started to get out there, walking with a walkman to listen to great music. I used to walk my son's dog, anything to get out even if it is pouring with rain. Arrange to see friends, have a meal out, chat. Visit someone you haven't seen in ages. Kick start your life, if i can do it anyone can!
Like i said before though, it all depends on the person.
Take care and keep in touch if you want.
xx
...............................
A
reader, anonymous, writes (28 March 2007): I think it all depends on the person. I was on medication for a short time and i went to counselling, it nearly drove me NUTS!!! I cried my eyes out every day. The medication made me worse. People kept saying to persevere with it. I don't take too kindly to being ordered about, but i felt i had no say in my life, i felt driven by 'something else'. I piled on the weight, which made me feel worse!
Sorry, but i found the only person to get me out of it was me. I used to go along to see a counsellor and ended up crying my eyes out for half hour after i had been in there. I just couldn't pull myself together. I stopped the medication and counselling. Started to get out there, walking with a walkman to listen to great music. I used to walk my son's dog, anything to get out even if it is pouring with rain. Arrange to see friends, have a meal out, chat. Visit someone you haven't seen in ages. Kick start your life, if i can do it anyone can!
Like i said before though, it all depends on the person.
Take care and keep in touch if you want.
xx
...............................
A
female
reader, cd206 +, writes (28 March 2007):
 Personally I think doctors give out anti-depressants far too easily when they should recommend more counselling and dealing with problems instead of cutting yourself off from them. The main problem with them is that they do stop you from feeling the lows but they also stop you from feeling the highs and the highs are an important part of enjoying your life. As someone else said theyre also highly addictive and difficult to come off because you often build up the idea that you can't live without them. If you're worried about it go back to your doctor and talk again about things.
CD
...............................
A
female
reader, TELLULAH +, writes (28 March 2007):
Hi,
They can be very helpfull if you are really depressed, but not on a long term basis. I had to take them when my relationship fell apart, and they were really good, they got me back feeling ok about myself. But I have a friend who thinks that she cant cope without them, and has been taking them for a long time. I think they dont have much effect on her now as she is probably immune to them. But the trouble will come when they take her off them.
When I was taking anti-depresants I felt much more able to cope with my life, but I never let them take over. You have to listen to your doctors advice, and only stay on them as long as you have to.
You could try other methods and try to talk to a profesional about how you feel, and why. I only went to a councilor once, and it didnt work, but everyone is different.
Hope you feel better soon XXXX
...............................
A
female
reader, Wendyg +, writes (28 March 2007):
 Hey,
As Cool as cucumber said anti depressents are normally prescribed with a session of councilling. Maybe pop back and talk to your doctor some more about this.
Anti depressents do not work for everyone as we are all different and have different experiences, and reaons why we are feeling low. What works for one doesnt work for another and vice versa.
I think we all expereince a low point in our lifes at some point and some deal with this better than others, and others need a little help to get back on top. It is all about the chemical in balance within the brain, so once things are on an even keel, whether its medicine or natural remedy, things begin to calm down.
Your friend is going on press news, and general stories that we hear, rather than from personal experience. As with everything there is an element of risk to what we do and we never know the outcome until we try it.
I notice you are in Australia and know that the doctors and health care schemes are probably a little different to over here. It was once thought that doctors here just gave you Prozac and so on to get you out of the surgery! Just gave you it like smarties as they didnt really know what to do with people.... But im sure thats all very different to over in Oz. But do remember you dont have to take it, its up to you... It would take about 2 weeks to see any affects anyway and they may not even work for you. Again you can always talk to your doctor some more about this.
Bare in mind that no little pill will help you feel better over night, you have to work with it, yes they help to calm you down in most cases, but if you have any concerns its best to talk to your own Doctor about it.
Hes the proffesional, he prescribed these to you, and hes knows the reasons why he has. You do not have to take them, and you can get a second opionion if you were overly worried. Dont listen to bad press and others opinions, do whats right for you, its you that counts and your doctor will discuss all sorts of options with you.
Take care and I hope you feel better soon, and things pan out for you.
...............................
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (28 March 2007): I suggest you go to a Professional Therapist to deal with your emotions. Anti-depressants can help but you should work the problem not mask it. Otherwise you'll find yourself depending on prescriptions for the rest of your life. That's not terrible but you could become psychologically dependent to prescription drugs because you never learned a way to cope with your emotions naturally, just chemically (ex. I'll just have a pill and everything will be just fine) Anti-depressants have some side effects. They vary from pill to pill and from person to person. Most of them reduce to zero your libido. And I mean zero. You should also take into account that some of them have horrible withdrawal symptoms. Yes, there are websites about it (you should do a search on Google) and I personally have experienced them with Paxil CR (no longer on the market for the many lawsuits) and Lexapro. These really helped with my anxiety and mild depression but I quit because of the side effects. I had the experience with Prozac that even when my therapist assured me it wouldn't make me drowsy I ended up asleep after each dose. Also, there are some people who don't experience these side effects and/or the withdrawal symptoms. I took those for specific short and stressful periods in my life. I suggest you go with the natural approach. I currently take a natural supplement that's 100% better. It's not that by taking it you will suddenly start to see the world pink colored but it will make you feel more in control of your emotions as you take it. It made me start to laugh about things again and become more optimistic. It's called Neu becalmd' You can get it on "E bay". It will also help you a lot going to a Christian Church. God Bless.
...............................
A
female
reader, Cool Cucumber +, writes (28 March 2007):
 They need to be taken along with a course of counselling/therapy. Did your doctor advise that you see a counsellor? There could be underlying reasons to your depression and taking drugs won't cure these problems. You might feel good for a while but then when you stop taking this drug your problems will still be there. Some people can become addicted to the drugs depending how strong they are, and become dependent on them. This is always a possibility but not a definite problem with everyone!
Taking any form of drugs is never good on the long term for the body. Maybe look at taking natural alternatives if you are worried? Hope you will eventually be at peace and have friends who can support you. Take care. x
...............................
A
reader, anonymous, writes (28 March 2007): Anti-depressants aren't a miracle cure to depression but they are effective at helping people through their depression. Your friend's, whilst looking out for you, are extremely careless to tell you these things as it will only make you feel a lot worse.
Anti-depressants don't so much mask your problems, but they help you think more clearly so that you can address issues in your life more easily. The idea is that you shouldn't be on Anti-depressants indefinitely, but often many people do end up taking them long term, rather than addressing their thoughts and feelings with a plan to come off the anti-depressants after a specific period.
There are some problems with particular types of anti-depressants, namely has been a lot of bad media attention on Seroxat - one of the biggest anti-depressants and anti-anxiety and has been known to cause suicidal thoughts when the person tries to stop taking it.
Anti-depressants are not bad for you, I suspect they will really help you out and give you more rational and constructive thoughts. I do though think you need to be conscious of the fact that you don't want to take them indefinitely. GP's have a tendency to give Anti-depressants to many who seem depressed as this is the quickest and easiest solution for them, yet Antidepressants are not the most effective, long-term solution for depression. Rather, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) addresses the illness and claims to get rid of it indefinitely. CBT is a type of therapy used by therapists and is a systematic way to analyse your thinking, and see where your thoughts don't make sense. It then addresses this by helping you make logical thoughts. If you are in full time work I would suggest you find an experienced CBT therapist to work with (whilst taking the Anti-depressants) with a goal to come off them in, say 6 - 12 months. Obviously your GP should give you their medical advice on this.
But try not to overly worry about what your friends have said - Anti-depressants do have a bad image to many, yet it still remains they are a life-saver to those who need them. All the best and I hope you start feeling better very soon :)
...............................
A
female
reader, finchy +, writes (28 March 2007):
 They are not bad for you, but they are sometimes addictive depending what ones you are on.
I was on fluxatine they were known to be addictive but i came off them no problem. I dont think you will lose your job over it, just keep taking the medication and you should be alright.
They dont mask all your problems as such.. they actually help you calm down and be happy.. a little to happy if you ask me!
Watch out for side effects though. i lost a lot of weight and became quite thin (im a size 6 and weigh 7 1/2 st).. if you think you are getting any side effects go back to the doctors.
hope i helped xx
...............................
|
