Antidepressants

[Captain Deb]

OK so I finally caved! I'm back on the happy pills. The cheap ones. Generic Prozac. Been having unexplained crying fits for over a month, the criteria for clinical depression. Comes with the territory for chronic pain don't it? I went off them (Cymbalta) back in May because I lost my prescription drug coverage due to going over my $2000 non generic cap. Injectable Imitrex is expensive. $60 a headache! I'd love if you'd share your experience with the happy pills here. Are you on 'em and what kind? how long? side effects? do they seem to work for you?

I've never taked Prozac before and I've conjured up images of the "Prozac Zombie" in my mind--sort of a buzzed out housewife who cleans and cleans.  Yikes!!!!!  I need some reassurance here.

Capt Deb

[nancyann]

Hey Capt:  I was on Prozac several years ago - I lost alot of weight, had increased energy, but didn't like the side effects that came on a few months later:  sweating so much I couldn't wear makeup (didn't help that I live in South Fl.), & libido changes (not for the better), which was interfering with my then active sex life, so I went off them after about 6 months.    Hhhmmmmmm, maybe I should go back on them? - I'm done with the hot flashes, my  *%#& buddy left after the AN surgery......

[tony]

(I think I will skate around the potential "adult" content here)
So, I have always tended to stay away from the meds - its too easy to
get into a long term committment
There are herbals that work for me eg "St Johns Wort"
a side effect is that it thins the blood - not always good
but might be useful if you have an AN compression situation
They tend to calm rather than cure - seem to reduce the
ear noise a bit too.
Technically its not a med at all - no Doc can or would perscribe them
yet blind tests in W.Ger showed they bettered the state meds...
Final thought here - just the ongoing headaches might bring anyone down
equally if the whole OP/Change of life circumstances
are as yet unresolved then the cure maybe with
the psycological/support area ?
just a thought
best regards
Tony

[Brendalu]

Okay, Capt Deb., a few months after my surgery my Mom passed away.  I hadn't been feeling so great about life anyway, so that brought me further down.  My GP perscribed Paxcil.  It did absolutely nothing.  I was having two many crying jags and couldn't get out of bed.  She said I need to see a "shrink" to ge what she thought I might need.  I went to see a shrink who perscribed Prozac, nothing, went to Zoloft for several months and a couple of others that seem to work for everyone else, but not me, nothing, I started seeing a therapist once a week, she talked to the shrink and together they finally decided on Cymbalta.  I started out with 60 mg.  I am now on 120 mg. and feel the most "normal"  I have in my entire life.  Plus, the pain from the fibramyalgia isn't as bad as it is without it.  I will probably be "hooked" on it for the rest of my life.  Days are sunnier and I get the rest I need.  I don't have the highs and lows and if I need to cry I still can.  Side affects?  I can't go a day without it.  My umm love life is better, hubby says thank you to the shrinkl all of the time.  My weight is coming off slowly but surely and I wish it was a cure for my balance and dizziness problems.  I was diagnosed with severe cronnic depression, post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety phobias (too many to list).  I still have thoughts of suicide, but the difference now is that I'm not trying to carry them out.  Now you know the "rest of the story."

Good luck,
Brendalu

Miss Sadie is gonna help you a lot, I think.

[pattibobatti]

Hi everybody,

I wanted to give my little speech about anti-depressants....  First of all, I am so glad we have them.  My dad suffered terribly because they did not have these drugs available.  My family does have a long history of depression.  I used to feel a bit ashamed to have to take them.  That was a long time ago.  I have since learned that I cannot help having the brain chemistry that has a tendancy to become depressed.  I have also learned that each time I tried to get off of them, the next time I became sick, it was for a longer time and it was a more intense depression.   


So, I am happy to saythat I will never be off the medicine that I need.  That is fine with me because for the ones that know, it is a horrible existance to be sick like that....

I take effexor HR  75mg. twice a day.
I also take buspar to correct the anxiety I get as a side effect of the effexor
I also take trazodone for sleep, another side effect

AND I feel great!!
Patti

[Captain Deb]

Thank you Patti! I know that my mom and grandmother probably both suffered from depression--granny drank it away and my mom was on lots of meds after a stroke at age 60--a heavy smoker and drinker for most of her life.  I put that behind me in my 30's so I get to have a chance at a happy life, which neither of them had.  My brother is a Vietnam Vet on disability from combat PTSD and is on "psych meds." If I'm not feeling better in a few months, the shrink it shall be!  The one that prescribes the meds, too!

Capt Deb

[jerseygirl]

Capt Deb,

I have taken Prozac in 1990, shortly after a birth of my first child. It became available in the US in 1988 and should have been offered to me after my  first surgery. I was also in chronic pain and there is nothing you should take when you are pregnant. In fact, I had one big headache for 5 months during my first pregnancy and when I was 17 weeks pregant, I underwent an MRI. That's enough to be depressed about!

Prozac was the best thing that happened to me because it literally saved my life. I entertained the thoughts of suicide. Head and neck transplant? I wanted to chop it all off, so that I would not be in chronic pain! The drug changed my thoughts and I started fighting those headaches instead of feeling down and helpless. Unfortunately, it also made me very sleepy so I had to get off it but whatever it taught me, stayed with me. I should add that sleepiness is a side effect of many pain drugs. I tried many of them but could not stay awake. Even OTC allergy meds knock me out even if I am standing or moving! My neurologist at that time felt that my original tumor was so big and so compressed and rotated my brainstem that my sleepiness was from that. It seems to be only me, though. If I ever need anything, I will probably try St. John's Wort first in the hopes that it will not make me sleepy.

Good luck with Prozac! It did not make me say or do inappropriate things, like laugh uncotrollably, etc. I loved the experience and really needed it regardless of how sleepy it made me feel.

          Eve

[tony]

Sorry I must still be med-happy
I missed this one completely
OK many of the prozac type meds work on the
central nervous system (hence the libido changes ?)
Anyway another change may well be in the balance area
(which links with the CNS function)
So if you already have balance issues - it may not be such
a good idea - if things get worse talk to the Doc
Best Regards
Tony

[Cheryl R]

    I finally went and seen our psychologist where I work in Dec as we get 3 free vists a year so I did all 3 in Dec.      I am NF2 plus have other non AN related stressors and it has been really getting to me lately.       He thought an antidepressant would help so saw my dr and was put on Prozac.    I found Prozac made me jittery.     I stopped and started a couple times to make sure that was the drug doing it.       I am now on Celexa the last couple weeks and have had no problem plus feel I am doing better.                    I knew I needed them but just hadn't pushed  for any earlier.   
 I still wish this was all a bad dream and I will wake up and be normal again.             Actually since this has been going on since 2001, I almost have forgot what normal felt like.   
                                                         Cheryl R

[tony]

I thought about this one in to answer Cheryl
but extend to all NF2s that maybe out there
Basically with`2 - as I have discovered/experianced
However bad the OP/the changes/the recovery
There is always the ongoing fear/threat of the future
I read somewhere that 50% of all diagnosed suffer from
depression - so it really is a "Human" condition ?
In terms of psycological support - it might be helpful
if the support really understands the issues
(for instance I had a new bump a month back
- worried sick, until it dawned on me that a perfectly
formed blister ......was not life threatening)
Its just so easy to panic ?
I was thinking that support services that are linked
to a NF2 specialist clinic might be worth a look
The other more general point is :
I know of a number of NF2s stateside in their 70s
They still have lives
they still love - and are loved
Best regards
Tony

[Brendalu]

Tony,

I think you have one of the best attitudes out there!  Thank you for your positive outlook.  You are right, there are people out here with NF2s  and other losses, that seem to live life to the fullest and never miss a beat. 
There is help out there, if you look for it and hopefully, someday everyone can be half as positive as you are!  On another note; how are you doing since your surgery?  Are you smiling yet?
Happy thoughts,
Brenda

[tony]

Well Thank You  - more or a smirk than a smile
- but moving a face that was still for three years
is still going some !
One unexpected bonus - I can now use a drinking straw
(before my lips simply did not meet to seal properly)
Theres more to this reconstruction than you might think !
best regards
tony

[Static]

There's nothing wrong with getting help from antidepressants if they can help.  It's not an easy thing accepting the fact that you need them at first, and it took me a while to admit it too, but after I did, I tell so many people that they just need to get over it too and get the help, they will be so glad they did!  I have also tried many different things and ended up with cymbalta.  I am now at 90 mg daily and feeling better than I did without it!  I don't let things bother me like they used to.  I still get anxious at times and a little bothered at times, but am trying to deal with that and will see about upping the dose.  Brenda, I was told the highest dose was 90mg, unless I am mistaken.  I go back in a couple of months and I'll talk to the doctor about it then.  I used to have to take something at night to fall asleep but haven't since I've been on the cymbalta.  I think the 3 things that have helped me come to this point in my life (besides my husband and kids) are the cymbalta, chocolate and my puppies! 
~Karen

[yardtick]

I'm so grateful for the happy pills.  I've been on them a yr.  I was so stressed before and on the verge of tears all the time.  I couldn't sleep, concentrate and I ached all over.  I still have the odd battle with anxiety but I too have something for that if I need it.  At least now I can honestly say I do not care how long I have to be on them I'm so happy my benifts cover the cost.

There are worst things than admitting you need antidepressants.

Anne Marie

[lori67]

My biggest hurdle was admitting I needed them too.  I had always thought they were for weak people who can't handle life.  Boy, was I wrong.  I tried to stick it out for a few months after my surgery, but everything kept piling up - I was stuck in the house with the little ones because I couldn't drive, I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, I was dizzy...all the usuals.  Plus we live in a new neighborhood, so I basically had no neighbors.  We just moved here 6 months prior to my surgery, so all my friends and family are far away.  I felt like a total shut in, which is hard for someone who is normally pretty social.  But then I didn't want to be social because I was so self conscious about my face and would get frustrated about not hearing anything anyone said anyway.  It was a vicious cycle.  I felt like I was taking my frustrations out on my family so that's when I knew something needed to be done.

My doctor made me feel a lot better about it - telling me I was not crazy or weak and that this was a totally normal reaction to an abnormal situation.  He put me on Effexor and it has made a huge difference.  I was afraid it would change who I was or my personality, but it hasn't.  It just helps me not make mountains out of molehills so I can deal with them like a "normal" person again.  Our plan is to stay on them for a year and then see if I need to keep taking them.  Hopefully by then, I'll be back in Virginia and closer to my family and that should help matters.

I could kick myself for being so judgemental about them in the first place.  Could have saved me a little sanity if I'd started taking them sooner.  Oh well - live and learn.

Lori