Are there people out there who have to use anti-depressant drugs(prescribed) and is it safe?

Question

I have been on an anti-depressant for almost a year now. My first course was for 6 months. I then took a break for a month and found that I could not cope so I went back to my GP for a second course.I am not quite certain if continuous use is safe but so far, I have not had any side effects.

Answer 1

I have taken antidepressants off and on for 22 years. I have taken tricyclics, SSRIs and what they refer to as atypicals (like Effexor). I know hundreds of people who take them through my work and they are fine. The antidepressants allow them to function more comfortably while hopefully they work on other ways of dealing with life and the causes of the depression or other disorder.

But...as to what we know long term...I asked my doctor the same thing and he said, and I agree, we do not know. The trycyclics have been around a while, but they are not given much anymore. The SSRI's have not been around a "life span" so in essense we are still finding out about them.

We do know that for some people, they reach a point where they stop working and they much either up the dose, change to a different medicine or add a medicine to what they are taking now.

Some people are NOT able to take them, that we do know. And, we do know that the reaction to them is very individualized...one person may do great, the next person may not get any relief at all. Going off them should be done with your doctor and any of them should be tapered off very, very slowly to prevent relapse.

In time I think there will be better medicines for us and we will also know more about those we take now. Medicine is advancing almost as fast as technology. But, really, I am glad you are doing okay now.

Answer 2

I'm sorry that you're not feeling well.

Antidepressants are safe in the fact that the benefit of taking them will always offset the potential negative consequences for not taking them. That is, if they are taken under strict instructions given by a Psychiatrist.

Different mood disorders do not react well to antidepressants, such as bipolar disorder. So in a scenario, where someone is misdiagnosed with Unipolar disorder (major depression) and is prescribed an antidepressant, this can trigger mania and provoke further depression. The lesson is, you should be working with an experienced mental health professional.

I'm not sure that there is a difference in vernacular with your description of a Dr. I know a GP is a regular internal medicine doctor as referred to in the UK. If that is the case, I suggest that you get you seek the services of a Pychiatrist that specializes in treating major depression.

Another scenario that I often come across are people who do not follow their Dr's instructions. It can take several weeks to months for an antidepressant to begin working properly. Once the theraputic doses are reached your brain is saturated with these medications and you do in fact become physcially addicted. This is normal as this is the process designed to regulate your neurotransmitters, otherwise it won't work. If you stop taking any psychotropic medication after you've reached the theraputic dose, you run the risk of suffering through a discontinuation syndrome if you miss a dose, several doses or stop taking them cold turkey - This may explain why you couldn't cope without the meds. These effects are unbearbly harsh for MRI's (multiple reuptake inhibitors) such as Effexor and Cymbalta. There is a very complex process involved that your Dr. has to calculate, administer and monitor if you are going to stop taking antidepressants for any reason. If not discontinued properly, you will go mental and can suffer more than you need to.

I guess I'm rambling, but the point to all this is that there are side effects and risks associated with taking any psychotropic medication. However, the benefit the medication will provide far outweighs that of living life without taking it. If I've made any sense, the thing that you should pay attention to most is to INSURE THAT YOU TAKE THESE MEDICATIONS UNDER THE EXPRESS INSTRUCTIONS OF SPECIALIZED PSYCHIATRIST AND YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT

I haven't even gone into the meds that I'm taking, anticonvulsants. These meds can actually kill you, where antidpressants aren't metabiolized the same way and won't kill your kidneys or liver.


Cheers and good luck!

Answer 3

There are many anti-depressions medications out there. Myself i'm on celexa. I've been on it I think for over 2 years. Any anti-depression medication will not work until 6 months or later. I have no idea why i takes so long to have the effect. But i'm in on celexa. I agreed with the dr that i would take it because it had few side effects. I take kloipin only at night to sleep because that seems to be more likely the time I seem to have anxiety and can't sleep. Its only 5mg. I haven't had any side effects of either one.

If your not sure of the medicaiton that you are on go to this link www.webmd.com and look for the drugs and it will tell you what are the pros and cons of each medication.

Not all anti-depression medicaiton is for everyone some others take multivitiams and or other things.

Answer 4

I can't really add anything that others haven't already said but I have been on and off antidepressants for many years.

I would like to bring up the point someone made about natural medications and herbs having absolutely no side effects. This simply isn't true, there are many natural herbs etc that cause a great deal of side effects. The only thing you can do is thoroughly research whatever medication you take so you can make an informed decision on whether you want to take it or not.

Answer 5

I am pretty sure that I read some where you have to stay away from St John wort, as I had a herb garden when I was pregnant and it seems to stick in my mind for some reason. Also there are a few vitamins you shouldn't have any extra doses of (other than what you get naturally), i remember I had to stop using a moisturizer that had vitamin A in it (I think it was "A"). Beware that with any condition to do with emotion can make chances of PND higher and sometimes you don't realise you have post natal depresstion until you come out of it or until someone confronts you with it. So even if you don't have any issues, make sure that every one dealing with you and your baby know that you could be prone to PND, as it will make it so much easier to understand your baby's needs. And if you don't already have a regular doctor with knowledge of your history, it is better to have a doctor who can get to know you well enough to handle your treatment throughout the pregnancy and after, as hormones and emotions only get worse after you finally have the baby and you really want to enjoy every moment because it goes by so quickly!

Answer 6

,,,,,,, yes these drugs are safe and they work well if you are on the right one. I have been on them for 15 years Prozac and lexapro ,, i also thought at one time that i didn't need them and tryed to get off them ( big mistake ) there is nothing wrong or shame full about being on these as it is a chemical imbalance in your brain . and if you have parents that were known to be depressed they are saying that it is a heredity condition.you may feel that in the future you might need a stronger dose or maybe a different drug that is also normal,,, just thank God that we have these medications

Answer 7

I have been on them. All drugs are not safe long term, but you have to weigh the pros and cons, Maybe look into natural medicine or herbs. Extremely effective, and absolutely no side effects. I would go see a naturopath or holistic doc. good luck

Answer 8

People can be an anti-depressants for years, especially if the cause of their depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Answer 9

Yeah, people with depression often use antidepressants! Thank goodness for today's safer drugs!!! They have saved my life. I also have bipolar disorder & anxiety disorder & have been on medication for over 20 years, have a 7yr. old, 23 & 28 yr. old children and they all love me!

Answer 10

I take Efexxor XR 150mg for anxiety and its perfectly safe.I believe its used for depression too.I have dry mouth to some degree but its nothing I cant live with.I`ve been on this med now for 5 yrs....good luck!