Mental Health Antidepressant guidance

[BurritoJimmy]

Hello I've suffered anxiety and depression my entire life am age 36 and I'm sick of living like this. I used to mask these with alcohol, tobacco and occasional amphetamine use but have not used these for the past year due to chest pains and migraines which I have gotten under control. I don't like the idea of taking a pill everyday but I'm at the point whenever I don't have anxiety I have complete malaise about everything and will end up losing my job and other parts of my life simply because I have no desire for living life anymore...Im not suicidal just that nothing gives me any joy even though an outsider would say I have a pretty good life. Anyway does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about finding a good antidepressant or is it pretty much just hit or miss? Some of the side effects I've read about are horrifying so I didn't know if anyone has used any strategy to notice these sooner or stay away from drugs that would cause bad side effects. Just taking a random drug to see if it hurts or helps seems really unscientific but maybe that's just the way medical practice is.

 

[antonomasia]

The doctor will choose which antidepressant that you're going to be on, you wait for a few weeks for it to kick in (this is when most side effects occur, most usually subsiding after) and then if it works you stay on it and if it doesn't you try a different one. The effects are different with everybody; there's no way to know whether it will work until you try it so recommending one is pretty much impossible. I'm not a medical professional so this is just my opinion but since you've had it for so long and with it effecting your life in this way I really would suggest you try them and stick with it even when it seems like it's not working and build a support network. Please talk to your doctor.

 

[silverwheel]

Your doctor isn't just going to pick something randomly. A psychiatrist will be choosing something that has a good chance of success given what you're dealing with. Most people go through some trial and error before they find the one(s) that work for them, but it's not as bad as that sounds. Don't get too fixated on the "horror stories" - the side effects that are genuinely worrisome will be noticeable pretty quickly if they happen. If that happens, notify your doctor and move on to something else. And don't swear them off entirely if you have a bad reaction to one of them - I once had a potentially fatal reaction to Geodon, but have had good success with another drug in the same general category (Seroquel).

 

[llama112]

I'm 25 and in a similar situation. I've had it with anxiety and panic attacks and depression. For the past few months, I haven't been able to avoid a panic attack every day. I'm anxious about everything. I feel hopeless and worthless and it's awful. I have about one good day a week which is pretty nice and I think positively. But everything else just wears me out.
I'm seeing a doctor at a walk-in clinic regular and so far we have tried four anti-depressants. First was escitalopram (SSRI) and it was the worst. An hour and a half after I took it, I threw up. I was dizzy, I couldn't walk. I also couldn't sleep that night. The next day, I had tremors in my hands and legs the entire day. Didn't take a second one of those. Then he prescribed me venlafaxine (SNRI). I didn't want to try an SNRI because of how it reacts with amphetamines and stimulants but I tried it anyway. It felt weird and I didn't like it although it wasn't as bad. I went back and he prescribed me Duloxetine (also SNRI) even though I said I didn't want an SNRI. I didn't even try it. Finally, a fourth visit, he prescribed me sertraline after I did some research and asked for it. It seemed like the best one for me. I've been taking it for a week and there have been some days where I have been nauseous and light-headed but that is okay for the first couple weeks if it's not TOO bad.
So yeah, essentially, it is just choosing which one they think would be best for you but there isn't really a good reason for it. It's a lot of trial and error. If you do your research, you can always go in with a suggestion.
Some SSRIs are more for anxiety, some are for OCD, some are for depression, so make sure you emphasize what you really need it for. I am confident that my depression is caused by anxiety so I avoided talking about depression and only mentioned the anxiety and panic attacks so he would look at meds closer to that.
There are some really bad reactions, yes. But they can work. I used to be completely against taking a med every day but you know what, if it helps you feel normal, then why not? We shouldn't have to live life in constant anxiety and depression and if a pill will give us some relief then I think it's worth it!

 

[Germanpigtales]

I always think it's best to speak to a physiotherapist or councillor before being prescribed anything. I find that the doctors won't know the underlying issue leading to the anxiety or depressed.

talk it out and if you feel it's not working, then you have fair right to take on messmess

 

[Newbie25]

I have been on antidepressants since I was 13 and I have gone from being on 5mg to now 50mg and so far they work for me yes sometimes I forget to take it but then I just take it when I remember again if I miss a pill I don?t feel drastically different maybe a little more moody but my depression was worse when I was in high school because my mom and 10 year old sister were in a car accident and my sister died and I hated it when I had to go to school and be away from my mom when I got into high school sometimes what I think was anxiety was too much and I would basically make my mom come get me and take me home or sometime I would feel like I needed to break something because my arms would feel really weird like almost shakey but now that I?m out of school I feel like I have gotten a lot better with everything like my depression but I still get times when I don?t want to anything but sleep