Reset

I'm not very into the of idea of anti-depressants but my psychologist really thought I should try it.

So went to my doctor and he wrote a prescription for paroxetine hcl. Tomorrow I start.

The doctor says that in some people these things can actually increase the desire to commit suicide. Anyone have experience with that?

And this is the first time I've ever been on anti-depressants. Can anyone give me an idea what to expect? My doctor says they won't work if I don't get my mind around giving them a fair shot.

I'm kind of nervous about the whole idea. I really don't want to do this but I know that I do want to be motivated at work again and I do want to be happy in general so here goes...

myheadhurts

Yes, after 3 doses of zoloft I was planning my suicide, it was awful.


What tests did your doctor perform to find out what is "wrong" with you so they know which medicine and how much of it you need to get "better". Did they explain to you how the drugs "work" and what they will change in your brain?


Did the doctor go over the tests results with you? Did they explain the very long list of potential unpleasant side effects that happen to many people who take anti depressants? Did the doctor spend time with you explaining how it might be when you stop taking them? about "discontinuation syndrome"?

I'm not a doctor but these are all important things to know when undertaking a course of mind altering medication, they are in fact part and parcel of "informed consent" which a doctor is supposed to get before doling out medication.

The drug you have been given, paroxetine, is in a class called SSRI (same as the zoloft I took 3 times), I think it would be in your best interest to thoroughly search out all the information you can about them before embarking on a course of "treatment" that will alter the function of your brain.


I did exactly that after my 3 doses, when I became informed I knew that I would rather drill a hole in my head and pour in mountain dew than take an SSRI.

That's just me though, it is your body and mind and you should do what you think is best for you, but please empower yourself with knowledge before deciding.

MHH

Dee74

Hi liquoranddrugs

Read up by all means - but do consult with your doctor, and accord him/her the same respect you'd wish for yourself.

I was an 'internet doctor' for many years - for me the problem was I had a lot of factual knowledge - but very little in the way of application, and virtually nothing in objectivity.

I still research but in the end I discuss things with my doctor...because I know she's competent and she's shown me she's good at what she does, I generally give her the benefit of the doubt if I'm unsure.

I have only a limited experience with anti-depressants. They helped me get through some really tough times in my twenties.

It was weird for me feeling happy when I knew I wasn't, but I wasn't doing very well on my own.

best of luck with whatever you decide
D

Bamboozle

Please discuss everything with your doctor.

There was one med I took in the beginning that made me very bad within only 4 days--I stopped taking it and called my doctor (it was a drug for schizophrenia, but had an off-lable use for depression).

I was put on an SSRI instead and it was much safer for me. For the first time in a very long time the darkness lifted. Since then I've had to change doses and switch meds several times because these things can stop working.

I find that when I'm not on any antidepressants I am plagued with suicidal thoughts. Not being on these life-saving meds is not an option for ME.

Again, please talk to your doctor about all of your concerns. These are powerful drugs and anyone on them needs to be closely monitored by a doctor.

Reset

Thanks everyone.

I just read up on it and the doctor didn't tell me about most of the side effects (just the sexual ones). I just hope those side effects are rare, otherwise this stuff better be worth it.

Zencat

Yes be informed and if possible get more than one doctors opinion.

I did the above and the risk of not being medically treated for my depression far out weighed the consequences of side effects. My depression had me incapacitated, I was not function on any level.

Now with medical treatments including therapy my depression is at least manageable. I still have days when it is difficult to do everything I want to do but I can now do the things that I need to do. The side effects of the medication is small potato's compared to the grave symptoms I had with depression.

tjp613

I've taken Lexapro for 6 or 7 years now with virtually no side effects except that they lift my mood to an acceptable level. Without them I want to kill or mame anyone in my path and I am absolute hell to live with. You couldn't pay me to stop taking them.

Already you've gotten the entire range of experience with these answers from the 'general public'. The bottom line is that everyone is unique and their experiences will be unique as well.

If you start to take the medication, read the drug inserts carefully, simply notice and report any and all unusual symptoms to your doctor.

least

I've been on zoloft (sertraline hcl) 200 mg a day for well over ten years now and will take them the rest of my life. Without them I am suicidal and too depressed to do anything. They have helped me a lot. Plus, there's a little side effect (listed at the end of the list of side effects) involving "bizarre or unusual thoughts or dreams", which I call "the Zoloft Cinema" cause it's like going to a different indie movie every night. I love my dreams (most of the time) as they truly are bizarre and strange and very interesting.

The warning about anti-d's 'creating' suicidal thoughts, to me, is just that the anti-d's gave me back my energy and drive, which can be interpreted as giving me the 'will' or energy to actually commit suicide. It wasn't that the anti-d's 'made' me want to kill myself, it was more that they gave me the energy to do so, if that makes any sense... But once the anti-d's took effect I felt much better and no longer suicidal.

Also, it takes two or three weeks for it to take effect so don't give up right off the bat unless the side effects are horrible. Mine weren't too bad, a bit of nausea for the first couple weeks and then that went away. Zoloft has been a lifesaver for me.

utopia

i think the reality is you have an illness and it takes sometimes different approaches to medication and other means to find what works for you...i feel lucky enough to find desvenlafaxine and lithium help stabilise my mood, however i have increased the dose with my doctor in the past and will ask again this week as ive felt myself sinking a bit the last few weeks...do what i think is best but try to always ask doctor first, not just random experimentation or "think" i know whats best. stinking thinking

NYCDoglvr

I have been on anti-depressants for decades and wouldn't be alive without them. It's very important to stay in close contact with your doctor to monitor any adverse reactions. I've never had a problem, they've only helped.