Fluoxetine and other depression 'cures'
Discussion
A sometime workmate of mine posts frequently on FaceBook. First it was about the break up of his marriage and then how badly his ex was treating him but over the past couple of years it's all mainly about work and fun times with his little girl.
Over Christmas he's posted stuff about feeling down and today he says that 2015 will mainly be sponsored by Fluoxetine. A few of his friends have said things like 'Happiness is imminent' and 'I have been great since I started taking Citalopram'.
Sorry for the preamble but have I been denying myself happiness?
I put my situation down to my circumstances. Break up from wife 6 years ago this New Year's Day, heart attack 5 years ago, living alone, money is tight, no luck in finding someone etc, but even my ex says I need help in tablet form.
I see a nurse about my heart once a year and her last question is always 'do you feel depressed' and I answer yes. All I get is a leaflet or some website that I can express how I feel on. PH is much better, I can assure you
I read threads like the one about Ross and his ill health and now his fight to fitness since his op and it inspires me but yet I still do nothing about my circumstances. I am finding more and more that I will only leave the flat for work, which I enjoy and am a different person when with workmates, but when it's quiet, like now, I can sit here all day on my own looking at PH, watching telly or playing xBox. I do try to push myself to do something like walking, cycling and even starting on my new allotment and being out does make me feel a little better but at the end of the day I do feel like what's the point. I might as well do the same in the middle of nowhere. Rent and insurance would be cheaper for a start
I'm not bad looking for my age, 52, reasonably fit but I am getting more and more terrified of social situations. Going on a date, forget it. I'd rather jump out of a plane.
What do others think? Are you on any of these medications? I notice that one of the side effects when you start taking them is suicidal thoughts. Great
Thanks for listening to my moaning. Cheers
Over Christmas he's posted stuff about feeling down and today he says that 2015 will mainly be sponsored by Fluoxetine. A few of his friends have said things like 'Happiness is imminent' and 'I have been great since I started taking Citalopram'.
Sorry for the preamble but have I been denying myself happiness?
I put my situation down to my circumstances. Break up from wife 6 years ago this New Year's Day, heart attack 5 years ago, living alone, money is tight, no luck in finding someone etc, but even my ex says I need help in tablet form.
I see a nurse about my heart once a year and her last question is always 'do you feel depressed' and I answer yes. All I get is a leaflet or some website that I can express how I feel on. PH is much better, I can assure you
I read threads like the one about Ross and his ill health and now his fight to fitness since his op and it inspires me but yet I still do nothing about my circumstances. I am finding more and more that I will only leave the flat for work, which I enjoy and am a different person when with workmates, but when it's quiet, like now, I can sit here all day on my own looking at PH, watching telly or playing xBox. I do try to push myself to do something like walking, cycling and even starting on my new allotment and being out does make me feel a little better but at the end of the day I do feel like what's the point. I might as well do the same in the middle of nowhere. Rent and insurance would be cheaper for a start
I'm not bad looking for my age, 52, reasonably fit but I am getting more and more terrified of social situations. Going on a date, forget it. I'd rather jump out of a plane.
What do others think? Are you on any of these medications? I notice that one of the side effects when you start taking them is suicidal thoughts. Great
Thanks for listening to my moaning. Cheers
Well, I've suffered with depression on and off for more than 20 years, going back to my teens, depending on how or when I choose to measure it.
In my early 20's I was given 'antidepressants' by my doc, they mostly just seemed to knock me out at night, and left me feeling somewhat fuzzy and lethargic, a bit like using an old SD Fuji lens on an HD camera, to use an apt analogy.
Eventually I gave up on them, after trying for a few months, and managed to deal with my issues without too much problem right up until about 4 years ago. A big issue with a neighbour that ultimately resulted in us moving house kicked it all off again, and it's been a struggle ever since, although this year hasn't been so bad, other than spending 4 weeks in Brazil, which was soul destroying.
I thought I'd got a grip on it all again, but a mate pointed out the other week that my lack of interest in my favourite hobbies and interests (photography, cycling, etc) might be down to depression. I hadn't noticed, as usually I swing from being happy to being in a massive black hole, this time it just crept up and wore me down a bit.
It doesn't help that I don't particularly like my job as it's really dull, I never see the same people twice in weeks, so don't really have any friends that I work with. I do crave the camaraderie of the office I worked in before this. Social situations at the moment are an utter nightmare, as I've realised I have a bit of social anxiety, which alcohol used to help with; now I don't drink I struggle, really struggle, so know how you feel.
To sum up in a nutshell, basically you're the only person that can help yourself, but you might need to force yourself to go out and do things. The thought of joining a gym, or walking club, or something like that fills me with dread, but it's probably a good idea.
Personally, I might end up going back to the Doc's to see what they can do, although I don't want to, I hate medication of all kinds, and anyway, I still believe that I can do this myself, I just need to figure out how at the moment.
Sorry if this wasn't a particularly helpful post, it's not just you though.
In my early 20's I was given 'antidepressants' by my doc, they mostly just seemed to knock me out at night, and left me feeling somewhat fuzzy and lethargic, a bit like using an old SD Fuji lens on an HD camera, to use an apt analogy.
Eventually I gave up on them, after trying for a few months, and managed to deal with my issues without too much problem right up until about 4 years ago. A big issue with a neighbour that ultimately resulted in us moving house kicked it all off again, and it's been a struggle ever since, although this year hasn't been so bad, other than spending 4 weeks in Brazil, which was soul destroying.
I thought I'd got a grip on it all again, but a mate pointed out the other week that my lack of interest in my favourite hobbies and interests (photography, cycling, etc) might be down to depression. I hadn't noticed, as usually I swing from being happy to being in a massive black hole, this time it just crept up and wore me down a bit.
It doesn't help that I don't particularly like my job as it's really dull, I never see the same people twice in weeks, so don't really have any friends that I work with. I do crave the camaraderie of the office I worked in before this. Social situations at the moment are an utter nightmare, as I've realised I have a bit of social anxiety, which alcohol used to help with; now I don't drink I struggle, really struggle, so know how you feel.
To sum up in a nutshell, basically you're the only person that can help yourself, but you might need to force yourself to go out and do things. The thought of joining a gym, or walking club, or something like that fills me with dread, but it's probably a good idea.
Personally, I might end up going back to the Doc's to see what they can do, although I don't want to, I hate medication of all kinds, and anyway, I still believe that I can do this myself, I just need to figure out how at the moment.
Sorry if this wasn't a particularly helpful post, it's not just you though.
I would say see your GP and give them a go. We are chemical creatures. The chemical balance in your brain affects it's function, including your perception, and what you believe to be your 'logic'. This is why it is utterly futile telling depressed people to 'cheer up'. But, add a small amount of the right chemical, and you literally think differently.
grumbledoak said:
I would say see your GP and give them a go. We are chemical creatures. The chemical balance in your brain affects it's function, including your perception, and what you believe to be your 'logic'. This is why it is utterly futile telling depressed people to 'cheer up'. But, add a small amount of the right chemical, and you literally think differently.
thisSuper Slo Mo said:
Well, I've suffered with depression on and off for more than 20 years, going back to my teens, depending on how or when I choose to measure it.
In my early 20's I was given 'antidepressants' by my doc, they mostly just seemed to knock me out at night, and left me feeling somewhat fuzzy and lethargic, a bit like using an old SD Fuji lens on an HD camera, to use an apt analogy.
Eventually I gave up on them, after trying for a few months, and managed to deal with my issues without too much problem right up until about 4 years ago. A big issue with a neighbour that ultimately resulted in us moving house kicked it all off again, and it's been a struggle ever since, although this year hasn't been so bad, other than spending 4 weeks in Brazil, which was soul destroying.
I thought I'd got a grip on it all again, but a mate pointed out the other week that my lack of interest in my favourite hobbies and interests (photography, cycling, etc) might be down to depression. I hadn't noticed, as usually I swing from being happy to being in a massive black hole, this time it just crept up and wore me down a bit.
It doesn't help that I don't particularly like my job as it's really dull, I never see the same people twice in weeks, so don't really have any friends that I work with. I do crave the camaraderie of the office I worked in before this. Social situations at the moment are an utter nightmare, as I've realised I have a bit of social anxiety, which alcohol used to help with; now I don't drink I struggle, really struggle, so know how you feel.
To sum up in a nutshell, basically you're the only person that can help yourself, but you might need to force yourself to go out and do things. The thought of joining a gym, or walking club, or something like that fills me with dread, but it's probably a good idea.
Personally, I might end up going back to the Doc's to see what they can do, although I don't want to, I hate medication of all kinds, and anyway, I still believe that I can do this myself, I just need to figure out how at the moment.
Sorry if this wasn't a particularly helpful post, it's not just you though.
Wow reading your post made me realise I'm not the only one out there going through this horrible experience. Your story and mine are so much the same it's uncanny.In my early 20's I was given 'antidepressants' by my doc, they mostly just seemed to knock me out at night, and left me feeling somewhat fuzzy and lethargic, a bit like using an old SD Fuji lens on an HD camera, to use an apt analogy.
Eventually I gave up on them, after trying for a few months, and managed to deal with my issues without too much problem right up until about 4 years ago. A big issue with a neighbour that ultimately resulted in us moving house kicked it all off again, and it's been a struggle ever since, although this year hasn't been so bad, other than spending 4 weeks in Brazil, which was soul destroying.
I thought I'd got a grip on it all again, but a mate pointed out the other week that my lack of interest in my favourite hobbies and interests (photography, cycling, etc) might be down to depression. I hadn't noticed, as usually I swing from being happy to being in a massive black hole, this time it just crept up and wore me down a bit.
It doesn't help that I don't particularly like my job as it's really dull, I never see the same people twice in weeks, so don't really have any friends that I work with. I do crave the camaraderie of the office I worked in before this. Social situations at the moment are an utter nightmare, as I've realised I have a bit of social anxiety, which alcohol used to help with; now I don't drink I struggle, really struggle, so know how you feel.
To sum up in a nutshell, basically you're the only person that can help yourself, but you might need to force yourself to go out and do things. The thought of joining a gym, or walking club, or something like that fills me with dread, but it's probably a good idea.
Personally, I might end up going back to the Doc's to see what they can do, although I don't want to, I hate medication of all kinds, and anyway, I still believe that I can do this myself, I just need to figure out how at the moment.
Sorry if this wasn't a particularly helpful post, it's not just you though.
I too have been suffering from depression long term and have been trying all sorts of ADs during my 20s. When I hit 30s I stopped as I don't think I'm doing too well on it. There are some which made be feel really tired all the time and cannot focus.
I also realise I am the only one that can help myself and I need to seriously change my lifestyle (I am mostly confined to the house if I'm not working) but some days it's really hard... like this massive weight in the head bogging you down. I also know I need to stop drinking to try and "chill out"...
Been a tough year for me so there were times I feel that perhaps I should go back to the GP and have a chat again about ADs. Fluoxetine and Citolopram (sp?) seems to be the most commonly prescribed AD back then but personally they don't work for me at all. However I have to stress that everyone reacts differently to ADs as I know one who responded really well and it helped her through tough times.
No, it's not nice. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
I've found that getting plenty of aerobic type exercise helps, although to be fair, resistance exercises do too, as exercise isn't just good for you physically, it's good for your mental well-being too. I've been on a reasonably even keel throughout some of this year, although have had a rough couple of weeks (hence the post above!), which has coincided with me doing almost no exercise.
I just walk as much as I can, as fast as I can generally too, a simple 4 mile session per day, or every other day, works wonders.
Oh, and avoiding the alcohol helps too, although it's not a cure-all, and in my case has highlighted other issues I seem to have, although again, I think it's possible to deal with them myself. We shall see.
Anyway, I also think sharing your experiences helps somewhat, rather than bottling it all up and festering, again, I'm an expert at the latter
.
Ultimately, depression is destructive, you'll punish yourself and push everyone who loves you away, so be careful, and be aware of the damage you may do to yourself and others.
I've found that getting plenty of aerobic type exercise helps, although to be fair, resistance exercises do too, as exercise isn't just good for you physically, it's good for your mental well-being too. I've been on a reasonably even keel throughout some of this year, although have had a rough couple of weeks (hence the post above!), which has coincided with me doing almost no exercise.
I just walk as much as I can, as fast as I can generally too, a simple 4 mile session per day, or every other day, works wonders.
Oh, and avoiding the alcohol helps too, although it's not a cure-all, and in my case has highlighted other issues I seem to have, although again, I think it's possible to deal with them myself. We shall see.
Anyway, I also think sharing your experiences helps somewhat, rather than bottling it all up and festering, again, I'm an expert at the latter
.Ultimately, depression is destructive, you'll punish yourself and push everyone who loves you away, so be careful, and be aware of the damage you may do to yourself and others.
Super Slo Mo said:
Anyway, I also think sharing your experiences helps somewhat, rather than bottling it all up and festering, again, I'm an expert at the latter .
Ultimately, depression is destructive, you'll punish yourself and push everyone who loves you away, so be careful, and be aware of the damage you may do to yourself and others.
Can't agree more... I've been trying to bottle everything up as I know how annoying it is for people to be around a miserable .Ultimately, depression is destructive, you'll punish yourself and push everyone who loves you away, so be careful, and be aware of the damage you may do to yourself and others.
all the time. However one day I just snapped and it wasn't pretty... Nothing to serious but I've managed to say some really nasty words.I certainly need to start exercising again. Used to jog and cycle and it did make me more relaxed and I believe by exercising you release some kind of chemicals in the brain which makes you feel happier.
Anyway, apologies for OP for going OT
croyde said:
have I been denying myself happiness?
Yes, but I think you knew that already - a tablet cant answer that question. Meds are great as a crutch, to get some breathing space if you're at the point where everything's a bit too close and you need room to look at yourself properly. Something that will get you on an even keel, but there are loads of downsides - the start up side effects can be nasty, the highs arent high anymore (neither are the lows low) and coming off them can be awful. They're not a fix, they're a helper, assuming your depression is to be transient or situational rather than bipolar, you're not looking at the causes and you'll never find this happiness you speak of. I'm surprised that the docs havent prescribed anything to you in previous visits, they're normally straight out with the Prozac (dont try this one by the way, it's dirty and you'll become a zombie) before really thinking about anything else.
NHS mental health support has a long long long way to go to be considered in any way ready for patient needs, it's just not there yet in terms of timescale of availability, infrastructure and training. Private is great if you've got it through an employer, alternatively £50 a session with a good psychotherapist can be money well spent.
croyde said:
I read threads like the one about Ross and his ill health and now his fight to fitness since his op and it inspires me but yet I still do nothing about my circumstances.
This is where I would start, take action. It's not going to be easy as you said you are finding social interactions increasingly difficult - but if you are fine at work then it sounds like you have found yourself in a rut / habbit of staying at home without socialising and this will be depressing. Prozac is a very powerful drug which the doctors hand out like candy, it can be very useful but it does come at a cost. As said before the highs won't be as high and neither will the lows - it can make you detached and could just make you happier with the situation as opposed to taking steps to change your life. Coming off it can be very tough too.
Making any change is going to involve getting outside your comfort zone, I would suggest http://www.meetup.com/, lots a great groups to socialise with down the pub (or gym or whatever) full of decent people who want to make new friends.
Ease yourself into a monthly meetup and force yourself to go, you'll find a group of like minded people and you can go from there. Take it a step at a time, but try to force yourself to move in the right direction.
Meditation and gym will also work wonders. Find a local Buddist centre - the drop in mediation sessions don't have any hocus pocus to them and I find them really useful. I found "The Power of Now" very useful for mindfulness and getting a bit of perspective - get an audio book copy and listen on your way to work. Always dismissed it as hippy nonsense but was pleasently surprised.
All the best fella
Steve
Edited by CountZero23 on Friday 2nd January 21:55
I would echo the advice above about going to talk to your GP.
I did and I got some really good help, I got drugs to help with the panic attacks I was having ( I didn't even know that's what they were ) and when they didn't help enough the Dr changed my meds to Anti Depressants ( Sertraline ) and referred me for CBT / Talking Therapy.
The drugs stopped the Panic Attacks and helped me cut through the depression / brain fog / not wanting to go out / not wanting to do anything at all except sit on the sofa.
The CBT / Talking Therapy was for me the big winner, as it helped me realise that the situation I was in wasn't actually my fault and then gave me some techniques and tips to help me stop the destructive thought process' I was having. That coupled with me starting to cycle again really helped me.
I realise it isn't for everybody, I was sceptical at first, but if you don't try it you won't know, give yourself the best chance and take all the help you can get.
I did and I got some really good help, I got drugs to help with the panic attacks I was having ( I didn't even know that's what they were ) and when they didn't help enough the Dr changed my meds to Anti Depressants ( Sertraline ) and referred me for CBT / Talking Therapy.
The drugs stopped the Panic Attacks and helped me cut through the depression / brain fog / not wanting to go out / not wanting to do anything at all except sit on the sofa.
The CBT / Talking Therapy was for me the big winner, as it helped me realise that the situation I was in wasn't actually my fault and then gave me some techniques and tips to help me stop the destructive thought process' I was having. That coupled with me starting to cycle again really helped me.
I realise it isn't for everybody, I was sceptical at first, but if you don't try it you won't know, give yourself the best chance and take all the help you can get.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
This is worth a read for sure. Lots of real life stories and advise.
This is worth a read for sure. Lots of real life stories and advise.
I spent 5 years on an assortment including most MAOIs and some pretty high doses of Venlafaxine as part of some PTSD treatment. Worked really well but at the end couldn't focus properly and struggled to find some enjoyment in life.
Seems a big bang on the head and some heavy painkillers can mess with your testosterone levels. Simple enough check and some treatment and the world looks a lot rosier now.
There are listings of symptoms online.
Seems a big bang on the head and some heavy painkillers can mess with your testosterone levels. Simple enough check and some treatment and the world looks a lot rosier now.
There are listings of symptoms online.
I'm currently taking Sertraline for anxiety, although I believe it is also given for depression. I also paid for private counselling. I have found the counselling to work well. The pills I am not so sure about.
The initial side-effects were very bad. They increase feelings of anxiety and the first weekend I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. They also made me very tired. I had to take two days off work, not because of the anxiety, but because I was so tired from the pills that I didn't feel safe to drive. Most side effects have subsided but some remain, including it taking fking ages to climax when having sex or a Tommy Tank.
My recommendation would be look at some counselling options first. The pills work really well for some people but personally I don't feel like I have had much impact from them and don't think the side effects are worth it. I am currently reducing the dose with a few to giving up.
The initial side-effects were very bad. They increase feelings of anxiety and the first weekend I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. They also made me very tired. I had to take two days off work, not because of the anxiety, but because I was so tired from the pills that I didn't feel safe to drive. Most side effects have subsided but some remain, including it taking f
king ages to climax when having sex or a Tommy Tank.My recommendation would be look at some counselling options first. The pills work really well for some people but personally I don't feel like I have had much impact from them and don't think the side effects are worth it. I am currently reducing the dose with a few to giving up.
944fan said:
I'm currently taking Sertraline for anxiety, although I believe it is also given for depression. I also paid for private counselling. I have found the counselling to work well. The pills I am not so sure about.
Most side effects have subsided but some remain, including it taking fking ages to climax when having sex or a Tommy Tank.
Yeah, it does that - it's actually used off-label to treat PE;Most side effects have subsided but some remain, including it taking f
king ages to climax when having sex or a Tommy Tank.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9788108/
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