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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,846
Registered: ‎04-23-2010

Re: Starting antidepressants


@gidgetgh wrote:

Please be gentle.

 

if anyone feels comfortable posting, if you had issues with anxiety and depression and decided, with the help of your doctor of course, to start taking an anti depression medication, were you nervous about actually starting the medication?  

 

Due to a whole bunch of stuff in my life which is just causing too much anxiety and sadness for me, I consulted with my doctor this week and am going to start taking medication.  I picked up the prescription today and plan to start Monday. I don’t want to start anything new on a weekend.  Just can’t do it. 

 

But I’ll admit, I have a lot of anxiety about starting. Like actually taking the first pill out of the bottle and taking it. I don’t take medications well. I can’t take any sort of steroid.  Tylenol makes me dizzy, but I do great with aspirin.    I don’t do well with most anti inflammatories and some antibiotics. I had a major reaction to something many years ago and that’s made me skittish since then.  So I’m really nervous about starting something totally new in a whole new arena. I’m going to do it, but I’m very anxious about it. 

 

If anyone one feels comfortable posting, please do, but I ask that you be gentle and stay high level and not give me any horror stories like how the meds made you howl at the moon or 911 had to be called. 

 

This is a huge decision/crossroad for me and I just have so much angst about it.  Hoping for success of course, that’s the goal, but very nervous about starting. 


It takes courage to reach out for help. Sometimes it takes trying different antidepressants before finding one that works the best. Psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatrists have the most knowledge about these medications, particularly if you need to try different ones. You are going to do great!

 

“The soul is healed by being with children.”
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,889
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Starting antidepressants


@butterfly123 wrote:

@gidgetgh 

Please pardon my blunder on my earlier post. What I’m thinking and what I type can be different than my intentions. 

 

I was hoping a friend or family member could come over and spend some time with you laughing, playing cards, chatting or doing something together to keep your mind busy.

 

Everytime your anxiety asks “what If” than switch your thoughts to something pleasant and calming. 

 

Plan your Monday starting today. Treat yourself to a yummy food, borrow or buy some reading material, plan to watch your favorite movies or whatever you like to do.

 

Think of Monday as the best day of your life, repeat on Tuesday, Wednesday and so on.

 

Are you, your husband’s caregiver? If this is too personal than please don’t answer. 

 

Love, hugs, and more hugs, 

🦋


 

@butterfly123 - no problem at all. And yes, I am my husband’s caregiver. He doesn’t require much “caregiving” at this point, but doesn’t drive anymore and has Parkinson’s and some mild-ish dementia, worse in the afternoons and evenings.  He sleeps a lot so we’re home more than the average bear. He has had a rough last week or so and I’m concerned about that.  I want to be “at the ready” so to speak if something happens and we need to go to the ER or whatever and not weird because I’m starting a new medication.  

 

I usually walk in the mornings with a few women.  Maybe I’ll ask if one or more of them can go to lunch with me on Monday.  And I’ve got a gazillion Hallmark movies recorded. 


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Honored Contributor
Posts: 28,707
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Starting antidepressants

My BFF had wonderful results with Lexapro, took it for a year, then weaned off, doing fine now without it, so try it for a while and see how you do, good luck. 

Contributor
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎11-13-2010

Re: Starting antidepressants

I guess I am the one person in the crowd that wants to tell you to be careful. You mention sensitivity to steroids and Tylenol, anti-inflamatories and some antibiotics . About 10% of the population do not have the liver enzymes to metabolize many drugs correctly. You can search for this information on the FDA website. There are blood tests to test for liver enzymes now and if you have a concern, you might want to ask your doctor about taking such a test rather than just guessing. Not metabolizing a drug correctly means it does something unexpected. But having the liver enzyme that is needed for the individual drug will give the result the drug company expects. Also, there are full drug inserts that explain the entire drug available from your pharmacy. Nowadays, the pharmacies just print out a generic printout, assuming most people won’t take the time to read the entire disclosure. I recommend you ask your pharmacist for the entire insert and read it. And keep it for future reference. If you have symptoms that only you notice, you will have better information than if you didn’t read the document. I totally respect the other kind people posting on this forum and do not want to take away from any of their input. It is just important to realize that 10 people in 100 (the 10%) won’t metabolize any drug correctly. And I just wanted to share that. I wish you the best. Life is worth living.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,519
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: Starting antidepressants

@gidgetgh,

You and I pretty much in the same boat with our spouses health issues.   The results of my recent lab work showed the stress I’m under, so I am struggling to regain control.  I too am keeping the antidepressant option open in my mind.   I keep thinking I can do this, but have seen the first sign of me not handling it as well as I think I am.

 

When my mom started taking an antidepressant a few years ago, she was instructed to take the med in the evening.  After 2 weeks of no problems, she added a morning dose, and also did well with that dosage.   Mom also is very sensitive to medication, but had no problems tolerating what was prescribed for her.   

 

Sending my best wishes for calmer days ahead!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,652
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Starting antidepressants

@gidgetgh , just wanted to stop by and send you a cyber hug.  Try the medication.  I am so hopeful it helps.  Thinking of you my friend.  LM

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,071
Registered: ‎04-14-2018

Re: Starting antidepressants

@gidgetgh How very brave you are.

 

My experience was not so great, but telling you only to share, not to guide or influence.

 

My anxiety caused me to wake up in deep REM and was unable to move my limbs upon waking. My arms and legs hurt all day long.

My GP said I really needed relief and should start Lexipro.

 

For three years it really did help. I felt like I had a good cocktail going all day.

 

The negatives, 40 extra pounds, less brain to mouth filter, low sex drive and a deadened attitude.

 

Getting off of it was hard. A quarter less of the dose every week for a month.

Dizzy spells, nausea,  Rough time.

 

Maybe now there are better choices for medications. 

 

Would encourage you you to speak with your doctor about all side effects and all of the options that are available to you.

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,775
Registered: ‎07-09-2011

Re: Starting antidepressants

 

@gidgetgh 

 

Just wanted to reiterate what others mentioned.

Do not stop taking until you can taper off under MD guidance.

 

Best Wishes.

"Animals are not my whole world, but they have made my world whole" ~ Roger Caras
Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,486
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Starting antidepressants

You didn’t mention what type of medication or the dosage that your doctor gave you.  I assume he/she discussed it with you.  There are many types of antidepressants and it may take several tries before you find the right one for you.  

 

I also have trouble taking many medications.  When my husband died last year and I was still having emotional difficulties many months later, my doctor also suggested a mild antidepressant.  I was very reluctant, but I finally agreed.  He explained it in detail and gave me the lowest dosage, which he suggested I cut in half to start, knowing my sensitivity to medications.  So I did just that.  I had no reactions, but it did take several weeks before I noticed one day I just felt more like the “normal me” again.  No bells and whistles and I wasn’t dancing a jig every day with happiness, but it was easier to deal with day to day life.  However, I will say that when I tried to increase the dosage to the full pill, my blood pressure crashed.  (My blood pressure is normally on the lower end to begin with.)  I went back to the half pill and was fine.  I tried this a few times just to be sure it was that medication, and each time had the same reaction.  So I stuck to the half dosage.  With that, I had no side effects other than slight drowsiness so I took the pill at night before bed.  That was great for me because I had trouble sleeping.

 

A year later and I’ve been tapering off the medication (with doctor’s permission) and seem to be doing fine without it now.  Although, admittedly I don’t sleep as well every night now.  Every day is not a picnic, but not a disaster either.  So it’s quite possible that you may not need it long term.  But this would be something to discuss with your doctor. It takes time to work, and time to taper off, if need be.

 

Best of luck to you.  I didn’t realize until I went on this type of medication just how many of my close friends had been taking similar meds for years!  

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,915
Registered: ‎06-15-2014

Re: Starting antidepressants

Wishing you great 👍🏿 results from meds. Sometimes 

it takes some trial and error to find right med and dosage. 

It is great 👍🏿 that you are being proactive and conquering your fears re meds. Millions get real relief.

It makes absolutely no sense to suffer needlessly.

Best of luck!