Please help me?

Question

i think my meds have stopped working.

i was prescribed fluoxetine 20mg two and a half months ago. i had a bad reaction to themthe first month, then they worked great for the second but now my obsessions are returning and i feel depressed a lot but i dont want to call my psychiatrist because i dont want to be depressed.

im scared of what lies ahead of me in my future, i dont want to be insane and yet i feel that i already have this label of being a head-case.

please help me, im really down about this.

Answer 1

I don't know anything about your meds, sorry. What I do know is that someone who is aware of a problem and actively seeking help, in whatever way they can is saner that ALLOT of people. It is sad, but I have found in my vast experience that the people who get labeled are usually responding to the really insane people in their lives. There are so many people out there that go around hurting people with no clue whatsoever what they are doing. The worst part is they tend to be very judgmental and really think they are just fine. The truth is none of us are "sane", it's just that some are good at hiding it, others have no clue, and others are very sane but we think we are not because we live in a world full of the fore mentioned people. Having awareness and the ability to question yourself is a good thing. Believing that you are the only one who feels that way is not good for you or me or anyone. Please do not be too hard on yourself. You are probably not as nutty as you think. It is hard to find compassion and understanding in this world. We have to be on our own side, it is a necessity in this world.

Answer 2

Go back to your Psychiatrist, anyway. The fact that the Themthe was working last month indicates that you probably just need adjustment in it's dosage. You sound very bright and articulate. May I give you some advice? I am an artist myself, and when I do not work I fall into a very deep depression myself. It seems that when you have great creativity and it has no outlet, you turn it back inside on yourself and figure out ways to exquisitely torture yourself with all the genius you can muster. The number of artist that have suffered from depression is tremendous. Mark Twain, Dickens, Poe, the list goes on.

Hans Christian Andersen
William Faulkner
Ernest Hemingway
Charles Dickens
Mary Shelley
Virginia Woolf
Honore de Balzac Hector Berlioz
George Frederic Handel
Gustav Mahler
Sergey Rachmaninoff
Robert Schumann
Irving Berlin
Peter Tchaikovsky
Ludwig van Beethoven

Poets: Artists:
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
William Blake
Emily Dickinson
T. S. Eliot
Victor Hugo
John Keats
Edgar Allen Poe
Paul Gaugin
Vincent van Gogh
Michelangelo
Adolphe Monticelli
Georgia O’Keefe
Jackson Pollock

I stopped and googled the above list. This list is a very short list, too! Terrible depression, whether it's any good or not, is what is known as the Artist's Reward. So you are in good company! I would not trade my periodic anguish for being one of those unthinking, unfeeling deadheads.

Go back and get the adjustment, and love yourself happy or sad. Where would we 'be' as a world without these people? I am here to talk to, so please feel free and welcome to keep in touch.

Rose

Answer 3

I cant comment on fluoxetine because I don't know much about it, but I've been where you are at as I'm sure many here have. My advice is to call your psychiatrist, I have learned that the times when we think we don't need help are usually the times we need it the most and don't be afraid of being labeled a head-case or anything else, who cares what others think, whats important is feeling better for yourself. I know how scarey it can be when you feel like you cant even trust your own reason, but know that you are not alone, the best and sometimes the hardest thing to do is to share your story with others, maybe join a group, I know of one yahoo group I will list below and if you like you can contact me on my 360, just leave a comment and I will get back to you. Just don't give up hope, its what keeps us going. God bless you.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/depression-anxiety/

Answer 4

i suffer from bipolar disorder. started meds for depression when i was 18. i am now 29 and have come to the realization that meds are a permanent part of my life. i was scared of my future, too. but once i found the right meds i knew that my life could be as productive and successful as anyone else. i know i will never be "normal" in the sense that i have more obstacles...in my own head. being a head case is so common that noone really looks down on it. i have learned to be comfortable and confident with myself. you need to see your doctor. the first few weeks on any psych meds is difficult. then you'll feel better, like you did. i found this a problem for me in the beginning. but it isn't always the type of medication. sometimes a higher dose of something that has worked is needed. but you have to consult ur doc so he/she can monitor meds and help u find what works. i find that when i don't want to go to the dr. is when i need it the most. you're probably young and feel handicapped by your illness. remember that that's what it is...an illness. all illnesses have a treatment. ours doesn't have a cure, it's not just gonna go away. but it will get worse if untreated. it took a long time for me to find the right meds, but after i did i returned to a fully functional life. don't worry about labels. people don't know you have a mental disorder unless it's not treated. go see ur doctor, find the right meds, talk to someone about how to handle ur behaviors (psychotherapist) and you'll be fine. millions of people are just like you. and being a head-case is more interesting than being average. "i don't suffer from insanity...i enjoy every minute of it!!"

Answer 5

You need a different medication AND you need counselling. In my opinion prescribing medication without counselling is irresponsible. Medication is only half the equation. Do not be afraid to call your psychiatrist and make another appointment ASAP. Also if he or she does not provide counselling ask for a referral to a therapist who does. Good Luck and Feel better soon.

Answer 6

I think that you SHOULD call you psychiatrist, if you feel the meds are no longer working them some adjustments may need to be made in you meds or there may be some additional issues that need to be addressed. Do NOT fear talking to your therapist. They are there to help you.