Anxiety and/or depression discussion.

acuriouscat

Just got prescribed Chlorpromazine and Prozac.
Anyone have an experience of these pills?

Gongoozler

After around 7/8 weeks, my low mood and constant depression seems to be finally beginning to lift. It's nice to not feel completely overwhelmed by the smallest of things.

Thought I would never come out of it

spudger1

Very general question:

For those of you who have been on anti-depressants for an extended period...Do you have any trouble 'making' yourself take them on a regular basis?

It has some benefits...but just like the last time i was on medication, i'm starting to resent it. It's making me sluggish and sleepy, and i can't stand that 'out of it' feeling any more. These last few days i just want to stop...but then i'll be back to my twitchy, jumpy, can't sleep, pacing back and forth, OCD self.

Gongoozler wrote: »

After around 7/8 weeks, my low mood and constant depression seems to be finally beginning to lift. It's nice to not feel completely overwhelmed by the smallest of things.

Thought I would never come out of it

Good to hear Gongoozler, long may it continue.

Hugo Stiglitz

Gongoozler wrote: »

After around 7/8 weeks, my low mood and constant depression seems to be finally beginning to lift. It's nice to not feel completely overwhelmed by the smallest of things.

Thought I would never come out of it

I'm delighted to hear that GG! I hope the same happens for everyone else here soon too.

spudger1 wrote: »

Very general question:

For those of you who have been on anti-depressants for an extended period...Do you have any trouble 'making' yourself take them on a regular basis?

You know, I'm so used to taking them now that I don't even give them a second thought. Just have a habit now of popping them morning and night.

mocha please!

I've just started taking antidepressants for the first time, an SSRI called Serlan. I'm finding the side effects pretty tough (isn't it lovely how the side effects kick in straight away but the benefits will take several weeks. :rolleyes: )

Does it make any difference what time of the day you take them? I was just told one a day, he didn't specify morning or evening. Would it matter?

mg1982

spudger1 wrote: »

Very general question:

For those of you who have been on anti-depressants for an extended period...Do you have any trouble 'making' yourself take them on a regular basis?

It has some benefits...but just like the last time i was on medication, i'm starting to resent it. It's making me sluggish and sleepy, and i can't stand that 'out of it' feeling any more. These last few days i just want to stop...but then i'll be back to my twitchy, jumpy, can't sleep, pacing back and forth, OCD self.






Good to hear Gongoozler, long may it continue.

After a while taking medication I do question if it's helping or not. Then usually after a week or two I'm in a bad place so go back on them.

spudger1

mocha please! wrote: »

I've just started taking antidepressants for the first time, an SSRI called Serlan. I'm finding the side effects pretty tough (isn't it lovely how the side effects kick in straight away but the benefits will take several weeks. :rolleyes: )

Does it make any difference what time of the day you take them? I was just told one a day, he didn't specify morning or evening. Would it matter?

I'm on another SSRI, Sertraline, and the time of day doesn't seem to make a lick of diff to me. Still makes me feel like something from The Walking dead. Side effects, near immediate. Benefits...some two months later still not sure.

greenfrogs

mg1982 wrote: »

After a while taking medication I do question if it's helping or not. Then usually after a week or two I'm in a bad place so go back on them.

Do u just stop taking them is it? There are days that I feel I shouldn't be on them. Like this morning I was singing and dancing around the house before I went to go do an exam.

It was mentioned to me a few months ago that my dose might be reduced. How long does it take for the withdrawal symptoms to show?

mg1982

greenfrogs wrote: »

Do u just stop taking them is it? There are days that I feel I shouldn't be on them. Like this morning I was singing and dancing around the house before I went to go do an exam.

It was mentioned to me a few months ago that my dose might be reduced. How long does it take for the withdrawal symptoms to show?

I find that within a few days i start feeling withdrawals like dizziness and brain zaps. But coming off them cold turkey isn't a good idea. Reducing the dose over a few weeks is the right way.

It's good to hear your feeling more positive. Are you on the medication long?

greenfrogs

10 months. It's a fairly high dose. 100 mg sertraline. The thought of having terrible withdrawal symptoms does not sound appealing.

mg1982

greenfrogs wrote: »

10 months. It's a fairly high dose. 100 mg sertraline. The thought of having terrible withdrawal symptoms does not sound appealing.

With the help of your doctor your could gradually reduce it by maybe 25mg at a time. But you will need to know yourself when the right time is to come off them. I guess with myself I just don't like being on medication full stop But in reality I do need them.

greenfrogs

mg1982 wrote: »

With the help of your doctor your could gradually reduce it by maybe 25mg at a time. But you will need to know yourself when the right time is to come off them. I guess with myself I just don't like being on medication full stop But in reality I do need them.

I have a GP apt tomorrow and a opd appointment next week. I kinda want to get it over and done with. I'd hate to be working and going through withdrawal symptoms.

Roquentin

greenfrogs wrote: »

10 months. It's a fairly high dose. 100 mg sertraline. The thought of having terrible withdrawal symptoms does not sound appealing.

ive become so inured on the drugs that i become insomniac without them

Euphoria Intensifies

I can actually notice a real difference if I don't take my meds for a few days, my mood tends to drop significantly.

mg1982

Roquentin wrote: »

ive become so inured on the drugs that i become insomniac without them

The zyprexa will really knock you out, it's very sedating. It's very hard to sleep if you come off it.

scrimshanker

mocha please! wrote: »

I've just started taking antidepressants for the first time, an SSRI called Serlan. I'm finding the side effects pretty tough (isn't it lovely how the side effects kick in straight away but the benefits will take several weeks. :rolleyes: )

Does it make any difference what time of the day you take them? I was just told one a day, he didn't specify morning or evening. Would it matter?

When I first started taking them, the pharmacist advised me to take them with food. I think it helped because I didn't get any of the nasty gastric side effects. I did notice they made me a bit dozy in the afternoon if I took tthem at lunch so I moved it to dinner then bedtime.

greenfrogs

And now l'm lying in bed after a good cry. I hate this.

Gremlinertia

greenfrogs wrote: »

And now l'm lying in bed after a good cry. I hate this.

Heyo Frogs, what's up?. It's bloody miserable at times isn't it?. Sometimes I could do with short circuiting the emotional side of myself and just continue on as an android. Pointless kind of existence but you wouldn't even realise.

Gremlinertia

Therapy appointment today. It's going to be tough. My weekly report thing looks pretty dire.. I wish I could skip..

scrimshanker

Today's lesson is never get your hopes up about an appointment; they aren't listening to a word you say anyway. Simultaneously fuming and distraught.

mg1982

scrimshanker wrote: »

Today's lesson is never get your hopes up about an appointment; they aren't listening to a word you say anyway. Simultaneously fuming and distraught.

What appointment was that scrim? I get what you mean though, sometimes it's like banging your head off a wall in trying to get doctors to listen.

spudger1

Roquentin wrote: »

ive become so inured on the drugs that i become insomniac without them

Random sleep patterns without, even more random with.

greenfrogs wrote: »

I was singing and dancing around the house before I went to go do an exam.

greenfrogs wrote: »

And now l'm lying in bed after a good cry. I hate this.

Hope the exam went ok GF.

Hugo Stiglitz

scrimshanker wrote: »

Today's lesson is never get your hopes up about an appointment; they aren't listening to a word you say anyway. Simultaneously fuming and distraught.

Unfortunately that really can be the case at times it seems. :-/

loveisdivine

Panic is pretty bad today. I keep thinking that I haven't confessed enough to my husband. I keep pulling things up from years ago and convingcing myself that unless I tell him and be forgiven then I'm going to go crazy with guilt.

scrimshanker

mg1982 wrote: »

What appointment was that scrim? I get what you mean though, sometimes it's like banging your head off a wall in trying to get doctors to listen.

Hugo Stiglitz wrote: »

Unfortunately that really can be the case at times it seems. :-/

It was a GP appointment. He didn't listen to a word I said. My great strategy going forward is to stay on the medication (that isn't working) for my panic attacks (that I don't have - it's constant anxiety, I've never had a panic attack) and oh, go talk to someone (which I'm already doing).

Livid.

Euphoria Intensifies

scrimshanker wrote: »

It was a GP appointment. He didn't listen to a word I said. My great strategy going forward is to stay on the medication (that isn't working) for my panic attacks (that I don't have - it's constant anxiety, I've never had a panic attack) and oh, go talk to someone (which I'm already doing).

Livid.

Scrim, you need to bite the bullet and ask the GP for a referral to either your local mental health team or a private one if you're unhappy with how they're treating you. GPs really aren't the best people to be treating someone with more complex mental health problems (I hope I don't offend by saying complex problems, I'm just speaking from what I see you write here), hence why they often aren't great when it comes to doing treatment plans etc. My GP is grand at supporting me when I'm on a more even keel MH wise or even short-term crappy spells, but the hint of a proper bad spell and she refers me back to the mental health services.

scrimshanker

Euphoria Intensifies wrote: »

Scrim, you need to bite the bullet and ask the GP for a referral to either your local mental health team or a private one if you're unhappy with how they're treating you. GPs really aren't the best people to be treating someone with more complex mental health problems (I hope I don't offend by saying complex problems, I'm just speaking from what I see you write here), hence why they often aren't great when it comes to doing treatment plans etc. My GP is grand at supporting me when I'm on a more even keel MH wise or even short-term crappy spells, but the hint of a proper bad spell and she refers me back to the mental health services.

I'm going to see the other GP next time I'm there and ask if it's OTT to be referred. Just seems like I'm giving everything I have to getting better (I even cancelled all my exams) and the support isn't there if you get me. I don't know how to fix this myself.

Roquentin

gps as well are under serious stress. they have to deal with people all day and then pressure from the government about new rules and so on.

if one is doing real badly or suffers a serious mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar 1, i think specialist psychiatrists are needed.

greenfrogs

scrimshanker wrote: »

It was a GP appointment. He didn't listen to a word I said. My great strategy going forward is to stay on the medication (that isn't working) for my panic attacks (that I don't have - it's constant anxiety, I've never had a panic attack) and oh, go talk to someone (which I'm already doing).

Livid.

I don't blame you being livid. Your GP doesn't sound at all good. He sounds dismissive and not listening to you at all. Have you a referral already to mental health services. If not you should get one.

scrimshanker

greenfrogs wrote: »

I don't blame you being livid. Your GP doesn't sound at all good. He sounds dismissive and not listening to you at all. Have you a referral already to mental health services. If not you should get one.

No referral. I just don't want to clog up an even more strained system if I'm being overly dramatic (I'm a bit prone to catastrophising) about how I've been. Like, it's only straight forward anxiety, I don't see why I'd need a multidisciplinary team or psychiatrist for that. Surely it should be within the remit of a GP to treat if they would just listen to what I'm telling them and make more specific suggestions other than "here's a phone number, give them a call". Going on holiday shortly enough, will see the other practice GP (the one I first went to who was very nice) and ask about one then. Like I've never in my life mentioned having a panic attack. I'd say my records are all wrong and everything.