I've been put on anti depressants by my doctor. I've been taking them for 5 days now and feel a little more positive but i don't feel dramatically happier yet. Does anybody know how long it takes for them to take effect? I'm concerned that my Dr. might have given me a placebo and the positive feeling ive been getting is all down to my own mind.
2007-02-27 02:20:46 · 12 answers · asked by wildchild44 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Please be patient and wait at least another week. I have always been told that it takes up to 2 weeks to feel any noticable difference. I, however, have always responded quickly to antidepressants, usually within the first week.
I hope you feel better soon. :-)
2007-02-27 02:56:06 · answer #1 · answered by ♥ terry g ♥ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The doc cannot legally give you a placebo and the pharmacist cannot fill a prescription for a placebo unless you are in a drug study which you are not. Since it is working you need to give it a total of 14 days before you will see the full affect. If after 14 days you feel some better but not enough then let the doc know and he will either increase the med or decide what he wants you to do.
2007-02-27 10:25:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First off, let me offer my sympathy and support to you over the difficulties you have been going through. Depression is a very misunderstood medical condition, especially by others around you who may not appreciate how exhausting and debilitating it is to feel 'down' ALL THE TIME!
The positive feelings you are starting to feel is the anti-depressants starting to do their job. It usually takes a week or two for them to really kick in and do their job, depending on the type and dosage that you are taking.
I have been taking them (Effexor) for several years, and they DO HELP. But they tend to flatten everything out - I don't have the lows any more - THANK GOD - but I also don't have the highs either and I do miss them. The joys of life are what makes it all worth living and, for most people, they make up for the bad things... People with depression have a chemical imbalance that means that they have many more lows which are longer-lasting and more extreme.
Contrary to popular belief, anti-depressants don't give you a constant high. You don't get a feeling of euphoria from them. They just help to make your mood more stable, giving you the room to focus on WHY you are having difficulty coping. It is important that you work out WHY you are depressed and not coping with things. Otherwise it is a bit like putting a band-aid on a torn artery.
TALK to people - a counsellor, your doctor, a friend, anyone who is willing to help you work through any issues or problems that you are struggling with. Ideally, you should speak to someone who has experienced some of the same difficulties that you have. Sorting through and dealing with these difficulties is important in dealing with your depression.
Good luck. Taking the anti-depressants is a solid step forward to sorting out your problems and getting better.
2007-02-27 12:40:08 · answer #3 · answered by Jara 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
4-6 weeks. no they did not give you a placebo, they arent allowed by law to do that unless you have signed up for a research study, even then they have to notify you that you could possibly be given a placebo. keep in mind the anti-depressant they gave you isn't going to work miracles immediately. it takes commitment on your part to change the aspects of your life you find depressing. i recommend counseling along with medication. that way you have a better insight into what depresses you and how to combat it. i take lithium for bipolar disorder, along with counseling, and lifestyle changes. without one or the other i would be back in the same boat. i wish you luck, antidepressants are crucial in stabilizing normal brain function. just dont stop taking them because you think its not working, stick with it for a year or more and if it still isnt working, try something else. there are so many options on the market you might need to try a few before you find one that really works the way you want it to.
2007-02-27 10:29:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can take a few weeks for them to start having any sort of dramatic effect on your depression. Just keep taking them faithfully and note changes in your mood, thoughts, etc., ESPECIALLY if you begin to have suicidal ideations (antidepressants can actually cause these). If they spring up, contact your doctor immediately!
Give these a couple of weeks. In the mean time, if your doctor did not schedule a two-week or three-week follow-up session with you, schedule one yourself. Then, go in and tell him or her how the medication is affecting you. If, by then, you still don't feel like your old self, tell him or her. It could be you need a higher dosage of the med you're on now, or you may need a different med completely.
They say the average is 4 different tries to get the type and dosage of antidepressant correct, since we are all different. Just hang in there, be faithful with taking your meds, and stay in contact with your doctor until you are satisfied with the results. (Even then, you need to go back for check-in visits every 6 months or so, just so he or she can monitor you.)
2007-02-27 10:32:55 · answer #5 · answered by Lauren L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be honest with you..I wouldn't take anti-depressants at all.. But this is jsut me. I'm not sure what's wrong, if you have stress, or whats causing you to be depressed, but to me it seems that something a doctor gives you cannot truely change who you are and how you act. I think that if you are having problems with depression then just try something else.. Something like going out with some friends..even if you don't feel up to it, doing something you love to do, or even doing something that you've never tried. Also, you can always go to therapy. All therapys are not the same and they're not all about making money. I know of a therapy you can take where all you do is laugh for 1 straight hour. I've even tried it. It was very fun and brought my spirits up. Look around for things you like to do or would like to try. Honestly, I don't think anti-depressants are the answer!!
2007-02-27 10:33:39 · answer #6 · answered by Amber B 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
4 to 6 weeks and you won't feel dramatically happier you will jest not feel depressed
2007-02-27 10:26:10 · answer #7 · answered by delmonticoman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sometimes they take a week to 10 days to kick in...some of them might take 14-21 days...depends on the pill.
2007-02-27 10:24:24 · answer #8 · answered by Munya Says: DUH! 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
usually 6 weeks
2007-02-27 10:23:48 · answer #9 · answered by Mindrape 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it can take 4 to 6 weeks to see the full effect....
what kind are you on? and what does it look like?
for example...i am on wellbutrin xl and it is a tiny white pill.....
2007-02-27 10:24:21 · answer #10 · answered by myheartisjames 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋