Intro & TTMA Antidepressants

[kawaiikitsune]

Hello everyone. I have been putting off intro'ing here because I am a chicken. I deal with OCD, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD and depression. I plan to start seeing a psychiatrist either next month or in November. I had been doing okay on my own for the past couple of years but ever since my Crohn's diagnosis (and subsequent Prednisone adventures), I have really been struggling. The anxiety and depression have slowly been getting worse the last few months and is getting tougher to manage. Lately, I feel like I can't turn of the negative thoughts and feelings and, despite having a bad experience with an antidepressant in my youth, I really think it is time to consider that option. Which leads me to my questions :

What medication(s) do you take?
How are the side effects?
Is the risk of side effects worth it?
How long until you noticed an improvement?


Thank you all in advance.

[Ray]

hey kawaii, I'm sorry you found yourself in the position of having to come here but I am glad that you are here! I don't have any experience with medication but just wanted to say welcome, and that we are here for you. There are a lot of familiar faces around these parts.

[bocaburger]

Welcome! I'm glad you decided to intro, we're a small but supportive community.

I completely understand being hesitant to start meds. I have been on meds twice and fought it both times, but both times it was absolutely the right decision. Which med did you have the bad experience with? Remember that each person reacts differently to antidepressants and what works for one person may not be the right choice for another.

I took lexapro a few years ago for depression. I had side effects each time I changed doses or missed a pill (shakiness/weakness/general malaise). I also gained a lot of weight although I think there were other contributing factors.

I am now on zoloft for panic. I had a lot of insomnia that lasted a week or two each time I increased the dose, but now that my dose is stable I don't have any side effects.

Good luck!

[kawaiikitsune]

@ray - Hi, thank you for the warm welcome! I did see a lot of familiar faces.

bocaburger - I took Paxil off and on when I was 15. It made me feel extremely detached and devoid of any emotion. I really hated it. I guess what worries me most is, when I was researching different meds, most of them warned about the possibility of suicidal thoughts. I have had that happen the few times I was prescribed Prednisone and it is really scary.

[icequeen]

Hi lady! I'm glad you had the courage to intro. I hope we can be another source of support to you and make you feel comfortable. I definitely agree with taking meds but I would first go to a psych to get another evaluation because I am not sure how recent these diagnoses are. Not that I am doubting you, but if it's been a long time since you've seen a psych, it might be good to get a professional opinion and recommendation. As for your questions:

What medication(s) do you take? Prozac 80 mg once a day, Zyprexa 5 mg once a day
How are the side effects? I don't have any side effects with the Prozac, but the Zyprexa makes me very dizzy, tired, shaky, and nauseous if I don't take before bedtime.
Is the risk of side effects worth it? Absolutely!
How long until you noticed an improvement? About one week

[bocaburger]

Sept 7, 2015 11:46:55 GMT -5 kawaiikitsune said:

@ray - Hi, thank you for the warm welcome! I did see a lot of familiar faces.

bocaburger - I took Paxil off and on when I was 15. It made me feel extremely detached and devoid of any emotion. I really hated it. I guess what worries me most is, when I was researching different meds, most of them warned about the possibility of suicidal thoughts. I have had that happen the few times I was prescribed Prednisone and it is really scary.

So first of all, antidepressants are only approved in adults and are used for kids/teens "off-label", often with worse side effects.  So I would not judge based on an experience from when you were 15.

I have personally never had suicidal thoughts, but I know it is a side effect they list on most psych meds.  My understanding is that it is not a super common side effect but is obviously quite serious so they have to list it.  My recommendation would be to come up with an action plan if that were to happen (such as going to the hospital or telling your SO right away so they can keep you safe), then write down the action plan to keep yourself accountable.  I would also make sure you are being closely followed by a psychiatrist and/or therapist when you start the meds in case of any adverse reactions.  But I think usually that doesn't happen and you will probably be fine.

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2015 13:05:19 GMT -5 bocaburger said:

Sept 7, 2015 11:46:55 GMT -5 kawaiikitsune said:

@ray - Hi, thank you for the warm welcome! I did see a lot of familiar faces.

bocaburger - I took Paxil off and on when I was 15. It made me feel extremely detached and devoid of any emotion. I really hated it. I guess what worries me most is, when I was researching different meds, most of them warned about the possibility of suicidal thoughts. I have had that happen the few times I was prescribed Prednisone and it is really scary.

So first of all, antidepressants are only approved in adults and are used for kids/teens "off-label", often with worse side effects.  So I would not judge based on an experience from when you were 15.

I have personally never had suicidal thoughts, but I know it is a side effect they list on most psych meds.  My understanding is that it is not a super common side effect but is obviously quite serious so they have to list it.  My recommendation would be to come up with an action plan if that were to happen (such as going to the hospital or telling your SO right away so they can keep you safe), then write down the action plan to keep yourself accountable.  I would also make sure you are being closely followed by a psychiatrist and/or therapist when you start the meds in case of any adverse reactions.  But I think usually that doesn't happen and you will probably be fine.

So much this. 

Even as an adult, your experience with a medication can change drastically from one year to the next. I was on Cymbalta for a while because it had the added benefit of possibly helping with my chronic pain. I went off of it for a few years and when it was time to start taking something again I went back to it only to have crazy side effects and it not work at all. 

[kawaiikitsune]

bocaburger & @led - Thank you so much for the clarification, I feel a lot better.

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2015 11:46:55 GMT -5 kawaiikitsune said:

@ray - Hi, thank you for the warm welcome! I did see a lot of familiar faces.

bocaburger - I took Paxil off and on when I was 15. It made me feel extremely detached and devoid of any emotion. I really hated it. I guess what worries me most is, when I was researching different meds, most of them warned about the possibility of suicidal thoughts. I have had that happen the few times I was prescribed Prednisone and it is really scary.

Hey there lady,

I have had an extremely difficult time with some medications, while doing unexpectedly well on others. No one reacts exactly the same to a medication, and reading too much into the side effects will scare you.

That being said, I still think it is good to be prepared going into your first session. I would advise having one sit down session with your psych to develop a treatment plan you feel comfortable with, this would include a discussion of potential medications, before agreeing to anything. This will give you time to research a smaller list of medications and make an informed decision.

I wish you luck and if you ever need to talk i'm here.

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2015 13:16:47 GMT -5 @led said:

Sept 7, 2015 13:05:19 GMT -5 bocaburger said:

So first of all, antidepressants are only approved in adults and are used for kids/teens "off-label", often with worse side effects.  So I would not judge based on an experience from when you were 15.

I have personally never had suicidal thoughts, but I know it is a side effect they list on most psych meds.  My understanding is that it is not a super common side effect but is obviously quite serious so they have to list it.  My recommendation would be to come up with an action plan if that were to happen (such as going to the hospital or telling your SO right away so they can keep you safe), then write down the action plan to keep yourself accountable.  I would also make sure you are being closely followed by a psychiatrist and/or therapist when you start the meds in case of any adverse reactions.  But I think usually that doesn't happen and you will probably be fine.

So much this. 

Even as an adult, your experience with a medication can change drastically from one year to the next. I was on Cymbalta for a while because it had the added benefit of possibly helping with my chronic pain. I went off of it for a few years and when it was time to start taking something again I went back to it only to have crazy side effects and it not work at all. 

Yes to this. Some of the medications I could take in my late teens are no longer effective or now cause side effects that I never experienced before.

I also have a completely different psych diagnosis and treatment plan as an adult. I was diagnosed with depression and ADD at 12, and put on SSRIs. By time I turned 18, my diagnosis had been changed to Bipolar Disorder 2; I was given mood stabilizers and antianxiety medication. Now that I am in my 30s, I am taking a completely different type of mood stabilizer that they would have never prescribed me in my teens.

[kawaiikitsune]

Thank you all so much for the information. You all rock!

[2kiddos]

Hello! And welcome!

I'm currently taking Zoloft 100mg and ambilify 30mg daily. So far it's "working", some days are better than others. But maybe that's how life is supposed to be. I see a counselor every other week and have dr visits every couple months to check in.

[URMySunshine77]

Hi Kawaii,

I just want to voice my support. I don't have experience with meds to share, but I hope that your doctor works closely with you to find the right choice. Sending love, lady.

[Deleted]

Hi kawaiikitsune, welcome. I take a low does of bupropion and while I'm still struggling a bit with anxiety, I noticed a lift in my mood right away. Side effects were a little nausea when I first started taking the meds but it lessened after about 1 week. Also if I take an extra dose on hard days it's hard for me to fall asleep.

Therapy helps a lot too.

[yoshijo28]

I feel ya with the hesitation to start meds. But 4 days ago after going back and forth for months, I started zoloft. I'd been on it as a teenager and had positive memories. My doctor said there have been newer studies disproving older studies detailing an increase in birth defects with people who were on Zoloft when they got pregnant. Either way she made a good point when she said that anxiety, ocd, and depression are also not healthy for the baby and the baby may experience more negative effects from that than the actual meds. She also told me I can reassess when we start ttc or when I get pregnant and maybe stop taking it for the first 3 months. But I know I need to be in a good mental place before I get KU and I'm far from it now. If meds can help me get to that place then I'm willing to use them.

[juliayadda]

Sept 6, 2015 22:27:12 GMT -5 kawaiikitsune said:

Hello everyone. I have been putting off intro'ing here because I am a chicken. I deal with OCD, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD and depression. I plan to start seeing a psychiatrist either next month or in November. I had been doing okay on my own for the past couple of years but ever since my Crohn's diagnosis (and subsequent Prednisone adventures), I have really been struggling. The anxiety and depression have slowly been getting worse the last few months and is getting tougher to manage. Lately, I feel like I can't turn of the negative thoughts and feelings and, despite having a bad experience with an antidepressant in my youth, I really think it is time to consider that option. Which leads me to my questions :

What medication(s) do you take?
How are the side effects?
Is the risk of side effects worth it?
How long until you noticed an improvement?


Thank you all in advance.

Hey girl

I take Paxil and I am positive there are better options available today.

I will say that taking it I no longer had that running feeling of doom. I was more confident and less paranoid. I was able to talk about my problems and learn techniques to not be stressed allllll the time.

I will be switching to a new drug soon I hope but it will be very difficult as paxil is very addictive chemically.