StarSparkle Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 Please don't try to lecture me - I appreciate you are talking from a position of experience, but so am I. I am not intending to minimise the sometimes-very-unpleasant side-effects of some medication, but I think these can be over-estimated to the extent that fears about side-effects can prevent people taking medication that could really help them. sometimes very unpleasant...a bit of an understatement!!!! I also do not want to minimise your problem but some of the side effects that antipsychotic medication gives you is terrible not just unpleasant and it is no suprise that many individuals choose not to take it....to be told you have to take meds the rest of your life is bad enough but to then be expected to live with the side effects of that drug is just plain cruel.... I was essentially talking about SSRIs rather than any other type of medication. I KNOW of people who have been put off taking Prozac because they are scared of possible side-effects, not realising they may not have any side-effects at all, and if they do have some, it's most likely to be only for a short period of time. StarSparkle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarSparkle Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 Prozac is the so called "wonder drug" because it is helpful to many, many people, there is no disputing that and it has minimal side effects, however it does not work for everyone and then people are given out drugs or cocktails of drugs which have all kinds of horrible side effects. By your own admission you don't know so much about these other drugs..... Effectively you are almost doing what the "pull yourself together" brigade do by saying that Prozac worked for you so it is ok for everyone else. I'm not saying Prozac works for everyone - I'm suggesting that people don't refuse to take it just because they are afraid of side-effects - which may well not occur in any case, and if they do, are likely to be short-lasting. I don't think I can make my position much clearer than that. I was intending my posts to be helpful, and am rather dismayed by the negativity I'm getting back from them. I wish someone had told me how brilliant Prozac can be when I was younger - it might have meant less of my life was lost to me through depression. StarSparkle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbees Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 I wish someone had told me how brilliant Prozac can be when I was younger - it might have meant less of my life was lost to me through depression. I'm not saying you shouldn't take it and clearly in your case it has been a very good thing but it's horses for courses on this very complicated issue and my opinion based on certain experiences and research is that dependant on the SEVERITY of the condition is best to try to avoid medication if you can, if that fails do a combination of medication and therapy. I highlighted severity because some people don't seek help until they are in a very bad state and in those circumstances may need something temporarily such as diazepam to calm things and to then try to make more rational decisions. There's no easy answers though and your experiences are useful to know that Proxac can and does work but if it doesn't don't just chuck anything down your throat because it's convenient for the GP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarSparkle Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 I'm not saying you shouldn't take it and clearly in your case it has been a very good thing but it's horses for courses on this very complicated issue and my opinion based on certain experiences and research is that dependant on the SEVERITY of the condition is best to try to avoid medication if you can, if that fails do a combination of medication and therapy. I highlighted severity because some people don't seek help until they are in a very bad state and in those circumstances may need something temporarily such as diazepam to calm things and to then try to make more rational decisions. There's no easy answers though and your experiences are useful to know that Proxac can and does work but if it doesn't don't just chuck anything down your throat because it's convenient for the GP. Good God, I'm the last person to take something just because a doctor tells me to! I've had far too much crap from doctors over the years to take anything on face-value! There are no easy answers in the field of depression - certainly there aren't. Because I've been so much better on it, does not minimise the years of utter HELL I went through before thankfully responding very positively to Prozac, although finally getting onto the right dose for me ultimately made all the difference in the world. Getting prescribed the correct dose is CRUCIAL - I should point that out. The basic dose of Prozac may well not be enough in some cases, certainly where OCD is also involved. As always, it's horses for courses. StarSparkle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudybay Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 I wish someone had told me how brilliant Prozac can be when I was younger - it might have meant less of my life was lost to me through depression. StarSparkle How much I admire you for having the guts to admit you have had depression. Some of the most brilliant minds have had depression.............without it you can never suffer the highs and lows ...........to enable you to experience life in all forms, shapes and sizes, oblique and obtuse.........darkness and light. Think of it as a gift ..............hard to live with but a gift nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarSparkle Posted December 16, 2006 Share Posted December 16, 2006 How much I admire you for having the guts to admit you have had depression. Some of the most brilliant minds have had depression.............without it you can never suffer the highs and lows ...........to enable you to experience life in all forms, shapes and sizes, oblique and obtuse.........darkness and light. Think of it as a gift ..............hard to live with but a gift nonetheless. Thank you, Cloudybay - that means a lot Cheers, Sparkle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 and what if tablets and therapy just won't work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dozy Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 and what if tablets and therapy just won't work!! That'll be because you haven't found the right combination of medication/therapy yet! Keep trying, you will get there. Dozy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monz Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I really feel for anyone who has these problems and do agree it is a big taboo. My life is something to be endured, not enjoyed at present and it is very hard. Looking back I have probably been depressed for a couple of years and tried to carry on as normal. I made mistakes at work and was sacked in December 2006. Since then I have been for over 100 interviews for all sorts of jobs, I put on my war paint and a big smile but something must be coming across as not right as I have not been succesful. We have major financial problems now and I must get a job but I am not sure what else to try. Had a letter from DWP this morning to say my JSA has run out so that is our food many gone. My doctor says I am clinically depressed but won't give me medication as she says a good walk and getting out will do me more good. My friends and family have been really good but I can feel them withdrawing slightly, and my OH, who is lovely, doesn't understand how I can spend days not doing anything, when he comes in from work I may have been sitting in front of the TV all day but cannot tell him what I have watched! I do not have highs and lows, I am just totally flat. If you gave me the worst news ever my reaction would be the same as if you gave me really good news. Hopefully if I can get a job and get myself back on my feet this will not last much longer for me but my heart goes out to those of you who live with this for years. I really hope you all find a way forward as depression is the worst thing I have ever had to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick2 Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 and what if tablets and therapy just won't work!! Like Dozy said, you try something else, eventually you find what works for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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