Antidepressants

[Brendalu]

Karen,

I see a therapist and a "shrink manager".  She manages my meds and has decided I have a very strong tolerance when it comes to meds.  The normal dosages just don't work.  My scripts are filled for 21 days at a time, so instead of paying one $50 copay, I pay one and then the last week in the month I pay another.  She gives me samples whenever she has them.  I also take Stratterra at 120 mg.  I'm just not normal.  The Straterra keeps me awake.  Normal meds for narcolepsy (sp) make my migraines worse and I wasn't ready to deal with that.  The Cymbalta also helps with the fibromalagia (sp).  Not a good speeling day for me today.  I get blood work done every 90 days to make sure I am not doing any damage or any over loads on anything.  I hope this helps to explain.................
Brenda

[Static]

Brenda,
I don't see the therapist any longer.  I did talk to one a couple of times, but she decided I didn't need to see her and could just see someone to manage the meds.  She just makes sure everything is ok and writes me a scrip for the cymbalta for 3  mos.  For this I pay $20.  What a freakin rip off.  Basically, I could do all this on the phone but insurance makes me go there and pay the copay.  My copay for the cymbalta is also $20, so basically for $40 every 3 mos, or $160 a year, I'm on Cymbalta probably for quite some time because it keeps me centered and through all the things that come my  way, helps me cope and not get too stressed or over anxious and flip out on everyone or get miserable, etc.  Insurance is such a racket.  I'm lucky that right now, mine isn't as high as some others.  If I have meds left over that I don't use any more because I've stopped them but get so many ahead of time, I'll give them to someone else I personally know who isn't as lucky with their plans as I am but takes the same meds.  Drugs and doctors costs are way too high these days.  I hope you continue to get help from meds you are taking!
~Karen

[yardtick]

Lori,

I'm on the sames med's as you.  Effexor has been a life saver for me, and I've had no side effects what so ever.  I've never thought one way or another about antidepressants before.  My girlfriend's sister-in-law has a few issues with stress management and her Dr actually prescribed antidepressants, but she's to afraid to go on them.  If taking med's is going to improve your quality of life I say go for it. 

Anne Marie

[Brendalu]

Karen,
Wow your copays are great!  For Cymbalta mine is $50.  My shrink manager spends at least a half hour with me every three weeks (that is a $50 co-pay, it went to $75, but she refused to raise it.)  I see the therapist once a month now, where I was seeing her once a week and sometimes twice a week.  I had a lot of issues!!!  I wouldn' trade what I've learned about myself for all of the tea in China.  Since I know that without the meds, I don't function, I will stay on them even if they cost me my entire SSD check!  I can say one thing, I couldn't for a long time.  I can smile again and it is coming from the inside, even though it is lopsided!
Hugs,
Brenda

[yosemitesam]

Hello everyone,
After three surgeries and mengentitus, I have been very tired and alot of headaches.
My new doctor just prescribed Nortriptyline 10 mg, Imitrex 100mg, and vitiman B2 100mg.
I am hoping to get rid of the hydrocone, the doc says I may be having residual headaches.
I'll let you know how it works.

[Rc Moser]

IMO I agree with tony less meds the clearer the mind and less side effects.  I imagaine there is a low precentage that have to have them. Crutches are hard to get rid of.  IMO doctors are too eager to put you on uppy happy pills, downy pills or any pill for that matter, I also beliieve woman are the ginniepigs for most of the cause most of or some of us men refuse to take them, I have my reasons, I still have to work and My mind has to be clean Lives could be as stake. 

Yea, I depress I just lost my ear, I stumble around, don't feel good most of the time, Ect.....I wish there was a magic pill to cure all my problems. But, I am afraid drugs that may fix one problem might lead to a worse problem and the odds are it won't fix the orginial problem, now your left with the second problem also .  I just hope anybody that takes the wonder pills read the side effect thoroughly JMO sorry if you don't like my opinion, but we all have'em, Got to take the good with the bad

[Don]

 There you go RC I myself have never been a fan of skull mechanics also as who decides whats normal? As long as your not in jail your doing ok I suppose I never can rationalize how ANYBODY on earth can try to put a finger on how I truly feel? To me its all a process of trying you to get you to change your feelings and Im pretty good at that now and know what works me thats why I live in the middle of nowhere as if I lived in a big city I would have ripped someones lips off by now trust me on this as not only am I a Viet Nam Veteran I am also an ex postal worker, them guys get paid to come up with a plan you want to hear that works out for others involved how many relationships have been destroyed when these things strike us? Thats the sad part that is never really focused on, I dont need to pay someone to tell me what Im feeling I think Im a better judge of that.  And you know what I have come to learn sometimes anger can be a good thing especially when it comes to righting wrongs, apathy gets you no place when dealing with doctors its your life and you need to stay educated and vigilant.

[Dana]

Captain Deb,

I have been on antidepressants since 1990, and boy do I wish I'd been on them since 1963 when my clinical depression started.  Twenty-seven years is a long time to fight alone.  This stigma against depression, as if it's a personality choice one makes, is my #1 cause in life -- I take every opportunity to let people know I have depression.  Not the minute they've met me, but once they've known me a little.  Very few people would think I suffer from depression; I have a good sense of humor.   The analogy I make is, "If you lost a leg, would you NOT get a prosthesis?"  You'd still have to relearn how to walk, but you couldn't even START without the prosthesis!

Antidepressants are NOT "happy pills."  They don't make you happy; they just make it possible to work on being happy.  The cruel irony of antidepressants is that it takes weeks if not months to see if one drug works for you, even though the side effects begin immediately.  AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH.  I still have to go through the process sometimes to make adjustments, since our bodies change... as we get older?  as we change?  whatever it is that chemically changes.  Depression is a mean, mean disease ... sorry I sound so pissed, but I'm in a depressed time right now.  If I hadn't had a mother who taught me to be feisty, and to be understanding, I would not be here. 

So... an order from me ... do NOT judge yourself because you need antidepressants!

Love,
Dana

[Rc Moser]

I too have seen the effects of years and years of mind altering pills. they had some in the 50/60's one that I know of was liltimum.  My mother was then  manatic depressent, now I think they call it Bypolar?  IMO most of these problems was created by mean people at early age stressing the mind.  Normal life as the call it hard for some people when everybody is mean to you, mean at home, mean at school, mean cause you look or act a certain way ect.... All of this has an effect on the mind and sometimes that part of the brain just don't connect.  We all have baggage, some can be heavy and breaks us down after awhile.

I seen the roller coaster ride she was on since I was 9 years old. That's why I said there is a few that got to have something to have a chance to function.  I also seen the effects of Alcohol and tobacco products, these were the crutches I was thinking about.  Even Coke (the soft drink) and eating can be an addiction.  IMO tobacco is the worse, they lied to use for atleast 70 years. If anybody has seen someone die of lung cancer it's not pretty. All they had to do was " JUST DON"T SMOKE" (who famous last words was that?) (give you a hint intials are YB) but, we all think it won't happen to us? I say that cause I use to smoke and know what a crutch it can be. Luckily for me I quite many years ago. I agree if you an't mean or in jail your doing good! Life for most of us working stiffs is depressing IMO.  All of this is JMO as I seen life through the years, I'm sure others have, seen it, lived it , and got it worse.

[Don]

Thats the way I always looked at it some days you eat the bear some days the bear eats you? My 21 years in the Navy and 5 years as  postal worker enforced this I have a former friend who is bi-polar and should be on meds as he has already destroyed his now ex wifes life and his step daughters and is in denial which is not a river in Egypt I just didnt like the way I felt on Zoloft?

[Static]

It took me quite a few tries of different antidepressants before I found something that really worked for me.  Just like Dana said, you don't get the benefits from the meds but the side effects do kick right in unfortunately.  If I have too many side effects from meds, I won't continue on them, but the cymbalta that I'm on now makes me feel like I used to feel instead of the isolated miserable grumpy ***** that I had become.  It was that important and meant that much to me to feel right again.  Sometimes you find something that works right away, other times it takes a while and it depends on whether you want to keep trying or go back to the status quo.  It's your choice what your quality of life will be like.  Unfortunately, it's also a choice of many bipolar patients whether or not they stay on their meds or not and usually the not is when things get really bad and that continuous cycle is what brings changes to their lives, not always for the better.  Not going into a long song and dance here but I know of someone who is bipolar and can tell you some stories but that's not what I'm trying to say, what I'm trying to say is that I agree with Dana.  Just like those on this forum who are deaf (myself included) and many have tried with success some type of hearing aide, when it's broken we try and fix it.  That's just what taking antidepressants is for those of us who take them.  Nobody has been trying to tell me what "normal" should feel like but me, and I'm happy to feel more like me now that I've found something that works 
~Karen

[pattibobatti]

Hi!

Dana, I'm glad you said that they are not "happy pills".  People like to call them that.  I don't because I think it continues the stigma surrounding antidepressants.  When a person is clinically depressed,there is a chemical  imbalance in the brain.  It has to be treated with meds.  Some people get sicker than others and the depression returns again and again.  The depression episodes become closer together andd more intense with each onset.  That happened to me and so now I am on the medicine for the rest of my life.  And if you have experienced true depression (not just having a bad time because there is a huge difference) you would understand how thankful I am to have the medicine available.  My father was not so lucky.  Drug companies had not invented these drugs and he suffered terribly..

And I am happy to report I think very clearly!!! 

Pattibobatti

[Don]

 I agree with Pattibopatti as the former friend I have who is bipolar he needs something as he even grinds his teeth now at night? they are almost wore off he looks like a Halloween mask but doesnt see it now no longer has any friends but thats OK they were all messed up anyway? Its sad as we were close for 25 years but until he recognizes the problem there is nothing to be done, just stay away too often those of us who are fairly normal are prescribed these things "just because" like the anti seizure drugs forced on me even though I never had seizure's I call it the Mikey school of medicine after the old special K commercial "Give it to Mikey!" "He likes it!" I know that having a bad day and depression are two different animals and I have learned just to have bad days now and dont dwell on the situation that caused them as if there was something to be done I would do it to me drugs dont work reminds me of drinking to feel better, for awhile you feel great but the next day doesnt feel so hot?

[Captain Deb]

OK folk, I saw my wonderful GP today, who is really good at treating depression, and she seems to think that most of my psych symtoms are side effects of the Topamax I'm on for the headaches and I can't help but agreee with her. She's switching me from the prozac, which has made me very antsy and jittery, to generic Celexa. I've never tried this one, but maybe I'll have better luck with it.

Capt Deb

[Larry]

Hi Deb,

Interesting about the topomax. It's a powerful drug but that unfortunately comes with powerful side effects. Are you going to stay on topomax? and do you find it helps?

Good luck with the new drug.

Laz