Off of the pills

[rags]

Okay, I mentioned in another topic that I was going to see a psychiatrist for some anxiety issues I've been having. I've been going to a counselor lately as well, but I wanted to look into this as well.

 

After talking with the psychiatrist and telling her everything, she suggested that I start taking an SSRI. I wasn't too keen on this, mostly because of all the nasty rumors about them. She asked if anyone in the family took anything, because that would give us a good starting place. My mother took some, so I had to ask her...the doctor reccomended Zoloft, since it was working for my mother.

 

I went to IHOP (yum!), picked up my prescripition, and went home.

 

I'm on a very small dose right now, just to be checking to make sure I'm not paticularly prone to any of the side effects...I've only been taking it three days. I know it is going to take a few weeks or months to start taking effect, but...I've been thinking a lot over the last few days, and I'm not sure this is what I really want. I think I'd much rather be able to deal with my problems on my own or with others, then have to rely on a pill and messing with my chemistry. I'm not really fond of how these specific medicines work, and feel like in the end I'd be a lot better off without them.

 

Basically, does anyone have any experience with SSRIs? Specifically, if I were to stop taking them after just a few days on a tiny dose, that would not have any real adverse effects? Any thoughts on the subject would be great...I don't see the counselor until next week and the shrink again for a few more weeks, and wanted someone elses opinion.

[Mr. Kinsley]

I'm not familiar with SSRI, or really any meds to speak of, but I think it'd be a mistake to unilaterally stop taking perscriptions without consulting your doctor. Letting them know that that's how you feel about it is a valid concern, but I don't think this is an area you want to be tinkering with on your own.

 

Then again, listening to random personal advice on a rock band fan site isn't always a good idea either!

OK, that I'm kidding about, but seriously talk to your counselors/doctors/whomever... that's what they're there for.

[froggie]

i went through the same thing in 1998. they put me on Zoloft (50mg i think it was) for nearly a year. it seemed to have worked. one of the side effects is actually farting - maybe thats how it actually works, since i find the subject funny

 

the doc wanted to renew the prescription, but i never got around to going to the chemist to get another batch

 

that reminds me, i was meant to have my wisdom teeth out about 7 years ago

[Leo]

Although I have no formal training in conditions requiring treatment with SSRIs, I do have personal and job-related experience that is relevant.

 

Without going into great detail, I have come to believe that our society and, more specifically, the medical community, overtreats with medication. I don't believe that a treatment which merely masks the underlying problem and creates a false sense of well-being is appropriate or beneficial. In many cases where a suffering person is prescribed SSRIs, the depression is caused by errant self-perception or an inablility to respond to people, places and things in a healthy way. Medication does not address those behaviors, it only masks the sadness. I don't believe they offer a solution and urge anyone considering their use to first try a more natural approach to the problem.

 

Obviously, people suffering from bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia will benefit from medication; but, outside those diagnoses, I think there are healthier responses to depression.

 

Link

 

 

PM me if you want to discuss more.

[foolnrain97]

I not nearly as qualified as Leo on the subject, but I agree with him. I do believe that our society is quick to prescribe meds to solve health issues. (and no, I don't think its some scam by the drug companies) In extreme cases, medication can be helpful to people suffering from psychological illness, but I think in a lot of cases, there are better ways to treat such things.

 

Similarly to what Leo was saying, though not dealing with mental health, I was prescribed a drug to help with a heart condition, after taking it for a year, I was told by another doctor that the drug I was taking did not actually help my problem, it just made it so I was unaware if the problem was recurring. He was not happy and I wasn't either. He gave me a one time treatment for the problem and that has solved the problem so far(and that was 3 years ago).

 

I guess what I'm saying is be careful, either way. Do consult a doctor you trust but maybe get a second opinion from another(perhaps recommended by a friend or something).

 

Also, Leo up there is a good guy and smart too. I'd take him up on that offer to talk more.

 

Good luck and feel better.

[Mr. Kinsley]

Despite my earlier post I'd have to agree with Leo as well... but since you're already taking the pills, talk to somebody (ie: a doctor) first before you go off of them.

[mountain bed]

I will second (or third) Leo's post. I couldn't say it any better. I think the thing is that most people simply do not have the time in today's fast-paced world to do the emotional fine-tooth combing that is necessary to get to the root of the problems that are bothering them. Not to mention the pain that can come up as a result of heavy therapy.

 

I can only wish you the best. I personally have found things like yoga & TM to be very beneficial. If you're so inclined that certainly can't hurt.

[W(TF)]

In my own experience, counseling with social workers and psychologists was of limited value. Exercise didn't work. Nothing worked. When I went to a psychiatrist, help arrived almost overnight. I was skeptical but I have to say he made an accurate diagnosis and put me on a specific regimen of meds, and they've worked brilliantly. No depression or anxiety attacks in over 2.5 years. No more sleep issues. I gained a bit of weight but that's the only side effect I've experienced.

 

I tend to mistrust the whole medical industry a lot, but that's my story. I wouldn't tell anyone else what to do, just that sometimes things are broken and it's 'ok' to get them fixed.

 

Btw, I found crazymeds.org to be a useful source of info.

[froggie]

> When I went to a psychiatrist, help arrived almost overnight

 

i noticed that didnt do anything for me except for play with my head even more. maybe i picked the wrong one but it felt like he was out to annoy me even more... for example, asking the same question 3 times in a row. things like "yes, but.... ", even though it answered truthfully the first time

[M. (hristine]

I've only been taking it three days. Specifically, if I were to stop taking them after just a few days on a tiny dose, that would not have any real adverse effects?

Whether or not to take SSRIs is your decision. Part of the maturation process is learning healthy coping mechanisms for the challages of life. We live in a culture that encourages exterior solutions to normal interior struggle and growth. I think it is reprehensible for the psychiatric community to have so fully embraced this philosophy. Especially for those patients without an actual diagnosis (bi-polar or schizophrenia etc.).

 

That said, you have begun using a drug which alters your brain chemistry. You need to talk with your psychiatrist about discontinuing it's use. Call your doctor and express your misgivings. If you have decided against the use of SSRIs, tell your doctor that, and ask the doctor's advice on stopping.

[jenbobblehead]

i have two ssri stories. The first is that my X has debilitating anxiety that really kept him from taking advantage of good personal and professional situations. he always chalked up those feelings to having low blood sugar until someone finally realised what it was. The dr put him on meds (at the same time he was detoxing for a drug abuse issue), and about three months after, the anxiety was gone, as well as the need to get high four times a day, he was much more confident and started making better, long term decisions. He was weaned off the med after about two years. he's still a passive aggressive sh*t, but at least he can own his decisions.

 

the other is that we had a cat some of you may remember, Little Jim, who peed on everything because he had security issues. The vet put him on prozac and within a month, he was feeling much more secure and had no need to make his territory. He went off the meds within two years as well and has never reverted to that behavior.

 

While the health community may very well be over perscribing medications and patients may be begging for drugs that they don't need, i suspect that there's very real evidence that a short term stint on these meds can really straighten a body out. Talk therapy and or endorphins through manic exercise programs do not do it for everyone. Sometimes people need chemicals. I don't think people should feel bad because their brain chemistry is all hosed up and somehow be made to believe that if they just tough it out they'll feel better.

 

the bottom line is that you can take the ssri and if you don't like it, you can stop. But don't self unmedicate. Make sure you talk to your doctor before you do anything.

[viatroy]

My take on shrinks:

 

"I don't know you from Eve, but I got a boatload of goodies from the rep from PharmaCon, so let's give these PharmaCon pills a shot."

 

 

That said, I had success for many years with a couple different SSRIs, and a disaster with the last one I took. At that point, I decided to go med-free.

It's been something of a roller coaster, but I strongly recommend meditation as a means for smoothing out the rough edges and gaining insight into

the issues that impact your depression.

 

IMO, dropping Zoloft after a couple days, especially if you've noticed no side effects and it's a small dose, is not likely to be harmful, but run it past your doc

rather than a bunch of goofball Wilco fans.

[M. (hristine]

I third the meditation recommendations.

[isadorah]

There's some really great thoughts and insight in this thread. My opinion is that I 4th what Leo said. Most certainly talk to the doctor before stopping the meds, you'll probably need to ease off of them.

 

However, I also think what is most important is that the treatment you receive (be it medication, therapy, meditation, etc) is what you feel most comfortable with. That will provide you with the fastest path to healing. I'd also recommend not only seeking treatment, but also seeking clear a definition for what is causing the anxiety. is there another underlying medical condition that needs to be solved that is a trigger for the brain chemistry?

 

Hope this helps.

[quarter23cd]

IMO, dropping Zoloft after a couple days, especially if you've noticed no side effects and it's a small dose, is not likely to be harmful, but run it past your doc

rather than a bunch of goofball Wilco fans.

Agreed. The decision whether or not to take the pills is your call to make. Really, it probably depends how debilitating your condition is. If you've only been on them a few days and are having second thoughts about taking them, its probably not a huge deal to stop, but I would still run it past your doctor.

 

I went through anxiety/depression issues for a time and can tell you that I let it build up and avoided diagnosis/treatment for so long that I eventually wound up in very bad shape (unable to hold down a job or go through a "normal" daily routine without self-medicating other ways) and can tell you that the pills were a godsend when I finally sought help. I was on them a couple years, during which time I made some major adjustments to my life. The psychologist I saw during that time kind of annoyed me sometimes, but I did at least gain a better understanding of what was happening to me and learned (somewhat) how to control it, or at the very least cope with it. Eventually I decided that I didn't want to be on meds long term if I didn't have to be, so I picked a point when I felt confident enough that I was ready to go pill-free and let my doc know, and gradually scaled down the doses until I was done.

 

Coming off the meds actually wasn't difficult at all for me. I dunno if I'd say I'm "cured" or not, or if there even is such a thing. I won't say that I haven't had any attacks since being off the meds, but its nothing at all like the beast it was before, and I chalk that up to just having a better understanding of my own body/mind and knowing ways to cope with it if it does act up. For that reason I heartily recommend finding a good therapist/psychologist you can talk to and who can recommend you some good resources for learning more on your own.

 

Best of luck to you in dealing with this.

[Good Old Neon]

I think there is now a pill available to remove any and all anxiety and/or doubt related to the prescribed use of SSRI-like drugs. I

[gogo]

I was on them a couple years, during which time I made some major adjustments to my life. The psychologist I saw during that time kind of annoyed me sometimes, but I did at least gain a better understanding of what was happening to me and learned (somewhat) how to control it, or at the very least cope with it. Eventually I decided that I didn't want to be on meds long term if I didn't have to be, so I picked a point when I felt confident enough that I was ready to go pill-free and let my doc know, and gradually scaled down the doses until I was done.

I think this is a great example of how the meds are supposed to work. It would be great if everyone could deal with depression or anxiety issues through exercise, improved diet, meditation, talk therapy, but some people need to take the meds to get them to the point where they're able to make those choices. At that point, hopefully they can be weaned off the medication, but sometimes it's the drugs that allow people to find the coping mechanisms that work.

 

Aside from that though, yeah, talk to your doctor about going off the meds. And talk to your doctor about alternate forms of treatment if you don't want to be on the drugs.

[W(TF)]

I think it's fine to have strong philosophical positions or opinions on these matters, but it would be much more helpful if people backed that up with reference to something they've experienced.

 

If you've never experienced a major depressive episode, or panic disorder, your comments may come off as a bit callous or insensitive to someone who has.

[jenbobblehead]

i really do not understand the reluctance to treat mental illness, depression, anxiety like it was somehow different from any other illness. Am i missing something here? If you had diabetes that was not controlled by diet and exercise would you just tough it out? Would you not take antibiotics even if you had a severe infection? If you had cancer, would you try to meditate to shrink the tumor? Why is there so much stigma around antidepressants and meds of those ilk?

 

I had a childhood friend who struggled with depression after her second child was born and she threw herself into exercise as a way to deal with it. She exercised her weight down to 90 lbs (she had been 150 pre baby weight), and became addicted to exercise and endorphins, it wrecked her marriage, she had an affair with the tennis pro and she lost her kids as a result. she drove her car into a tree (on purpose it appears) and when in the hospital after the accident she finally got some brain chemistry assistance and was able to get her life a little bit more on track. She got her kids back eventually but her marriage was over. I think she lives with her parents now and helps care for them as they are aging, and teaches art in an after school program.

 

So, not medicating isn't always the answer either.

[Good Old Neon]

i really do not understand the reluctance to treat mental illness, depression, anxiety like it was somehow different from any other illness. Am i missing something here? If you had diabetes that was not controlled by diet and exercise would you just tough it out? Would you not take antibiotics even if you had a severe infection? If you had cancer, would you try to meditate to shrink the tumor? Why is there so much stigma around antidepressants and meds of those ilk?

 

I had a childhood friend who struggled with depression after her second child was born and she threw herself into exercise as a way to deal with it. She exercised her weight down to 90 lbs (she had been 150 pre baby weight), and became addicted to exercise and endorphins, it wrecked her marriage, she had an affair with the tennis pro and she lost her kids as a result. she drove her car into a tree (on purpose it appears) and when in the hospital after the accident she finally got some brain chemistry assistance and was able to get her life a little bit more on track. She got her kids back eventually but her marriage was over. I think she lives with her parents now and helps care for them as they are aging, and teaches art in an after school program.

 

So, not medicating isn't always the answer either.

 

http://www.peele.net/lib/depression.html

[W(TF)]

http://www.peele.net/lib/depression.html

 

Oh, for the love of God.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Okay, I mentioned in another topic that I was going to see a psychiatrist for some anxiety issues I've been having. I've been going to a counselor lately as well, but I wanted to look into this as well.

 

After talking with the psychiatrist and telling her everything, she suggested that I start taking an SSRI. I wasn't too keen on this, mostly because of all the nasty rumors about them. She asked if anyone in the family took anything, because that would give us a good starting place. My mother took some, so I had to ask her...the doctor reccomended Zoloft, since it was working for my mother.

 

I went to IHOP (yum!), picked up my prescripition, and went home.

 

I'm on a very small dose right now, just to be checking to make sure I'm not paticularly prone to any of the side effects...I've only been taking it three days. I know it is going to take a few weeks or months to start taking effect, but...I've been thinking a lot over the last few days, and I'm not sure this is what I really want. I think I'd much rather be able to deal with my problems on my own or with others, then have to rely on a pill and messing with my chemistry. I'm not really fond of how these specific medicines work, and feel like in the end I'd be a lot better off without them.

 

Basically, does anyone have any experience with SSRIs? Specifically, if I were to stop taking them after just a few days on a tiny dose, that would not have any real adverse effects? Any thoughts on the subject would be great...I don't see the counselor until next week and the shrink again for a few more weeks, and wanted someone elses opinion.

 

Good lord.

 

You are coming to a INTERNET MUSIC FORUM for medical advice.

 

Mental Illness, Depression, anxiety are the result chemical imbalance: they are illnesses.

 

If you had diabetes would you stop taking insulin because you didn't like needles? Would you stop taking your high blood pressure medicine because it caused you sexual performance issues?

 

If you were experiencing enough of a problem to seek professional help, then you probably need to follow the professional's advice.

 

But then again, this is an INTERNET MUSIC FORUM. What do I know?

[Good Old Neon]

Oh, for the love of God.

 

Perfectly valid link.

[caliber66]

Perfectly valid link.

...which basically says that antidepressants are prescribed too freely, which is probably true, and does not mean that they are misprescribed in every situation.

[W(TF)]

He's a motivational psych selling $250 1-hr sessions.