Are my anti depressants making me worse?????

Question

I am 17 and suffered with depression, suicide and self harm for 4 years I went to a phychatrist who perscribed me fluoxide, but I gave up on them after a week and a bit ... now I feel tired all the time and have to nap during the day which interupts my sleep at night . I feel down all the time I have no job and all my interviews dont seem to end up any where I want to start taking them again but carnt be bothered , I feel im 17 and should be normal I have no friends apart from my partner and no job & no life + I aborted a baby I loved so much due to peer pressure and carnt live with my self, I thought the anti depressants would help but they havnt I know I should give them time but is it really worth it if they do this if I stop taking them, I am more down taking them as I feel like a nutter with x amount of problems rather than a young 17 year old whos going out with her mates and enjoying life????

Its also affecting my partnerof 2 years as I dont want to show him any affection and if he shows me any I carnt be bothered, which gets him upset & angry, which annoys me because I dont want to be like that.

Answer 1

you can't be bothered?? what you really really want to stay like this then??? please think about it these meds really do work just give it a try for at least 2 months before saying no. I can't be bothered I will just not care about my health that is no type of attitude to have to feel better about yourself go on see your doctor again tell him whats really going on and take the meds they are only to help you not make things worse.

Answer 2

Anti depressants take between five and six weeks to fully get into your system. It sounds like you have a lot of things going on in your life all at once. Friends are really hard to make when you feel bad all the time and there is nothing worst than being in your house all day thinking about what is going on in your life.
I suffered from depression after being in the army and still take anti depressants over 10 years later. There is a chemical imbalance in mine and your brain that will be helped by anti depressants.
Unfortunately what works for one person does not necessarily work for somebody else. You will need to give your medication time to work and if it does not work then you need to go back to doctor and try something else.
If you are feeling sleepy during the day try changing the time that you take the medication, also try taking them at the same time you eat as this will slow down there release into your system.
17 is a real tuff age as your life at school has ended and you are starting a new life outside of school. Have you considered going to college? This would help you make new friends and take your mind of things?
Stick with the medication and try to keep yourself busy with reading, walking, swimming etc.
Good luck and don't think you are alone.

Answer 3

Less than 50 per cent of people taking anti depressants will get any relief and it can take between 2 to three weeks to kick in.
The risk of suicide amongst teens taking anti depressants rises quite considerably so you are wise to be concerned.
Maybe your doctor can prescribe you Ketamine which has a higher and much quicker success rate in cases of depression. It is technically a pain killer but don't let that put you off. It is proven to work!
Medication alone cannot make you like yourself again. That has to come from within and needs the help of a counsellor who makes you feel understood.
It isn't a journey you have to take on your own although it will often seem that way.
You have made a good start by voicing everything on here; but let the professionals help you in any way they can. Never be afraid of being seen as a nutter. Trust me, most of us are seen that way at some time. You will have met many people you thought were a little strange to say the least, but already you will have forgotten most of them which shows how unimportant it is.
You have to grieve for your baby as you would any other death. It is a process and it takes around 18 months to complete full circle. Understanding that may help you adjust to how you are feeling.
And remember not to feel bad if you laugh sometimes, it is natures secret weapon for healing.
Goo luck sweetie. We are all behind you. We think you are worth it or we wouldn't bother answering on here. Now you have to!

Answer 4

Go back to the doctor and ask for a review of your medication it's probable that what you were taking wasn't right for you, or you weren't taking them for long enough, though meds aren't the only answer. They can and do make you tired, they are tranquillisers, so i would explain fully how you are feeling, and ask to see someone like a counsellor who can advise and more importantly listen to what you have to say. This should be on a longer basis than just seeing a psychiatrist.
You are not a nutter but a young person with a lot of different and dificult problems, and it's a sad fact that you were pushed into making a decision by others that was obviously contrary to what you really wanted.

Answer 5

You've been through a terrible experience and anybody would be feeling bad like you are now, if they'd been through what you have.

It sounds like you have clinical depression which means that there's been a change in how your body functions - eg napping in the day - and that should be helped in time by medication. But you need to take anti-depressants for 6 weeks before they really start to work on your bio-chemistry.

However, you're also grieving the loss of your baby and no amount of medication will take that grief away. The only thing I found to help with the loss of my baby was talking to people - lots! Your partner probably has their own feelings to deal with so it might help if you saw someone like a grief counsellor and talked to them. But whoever you choose to talk to, please talk to somebody. Trying to ignore it just doesn't work and only means you'll suffer with it until you do decide to reach out for help.

My heart goes out to you - but only you can choose to take the actions that will help you. If there's going to be any chance of you being that 17 year old who's going out with her mates and enjoying life then you're going to have to face up to the things that are stopping you first. The sooner you do that, the sooner you'll have the kind of life you want.

Answer 6

They do different things to different people. My girlfriend was put on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication, and she almost killed herself as a result. She said it just made her feel numb to the world, which is just as depressing as any painful feelings, so she stopped taking them and got better. Some people do seem to improve, but some people seem to get worse. Human emotions are very complex, and in my opinion, anti-depressant drugs are a blunt instrument for molding them, like doing surgery with a hatchet. Sometimes it might work, but it can easily mess things up more. In my experience, psychiatrists are very eager to put depressed people on medication, because it's easier than figuring out why the people are depressed and fixing the cause.

Answer 7

Most Anti depressants will take a couple of weeks befor they have any affect at all. For anti depressants to work you have to have a concentration of the drug in your blood and this takes a couple of weeks to get the blood level to the right concentration befor the drug will have any affect on you. Your tiredness seems like the affects of depression. I would say you need counselling to help you work through the issues of the pregnancy and please take the prescribed medication. Not all anti depressants work the same for everyone and you may need to return to your Dr to try another one. Also, once you do start taking them regularly what ever you do don't stop suddenly as this can cause you to feel very ill. People on anti depressants have to reduce the dosage gradually befor stoping the drug. Good luck and hoping you have a bright and happy future.

Answer 8

Anti depressants can take up to 4-6 weeks to begin working with their full effect. Yes, it would be worth it to you to stay on them. You should NEVER stop taking them without first talking to your doctor. This is a big thing bc your body and mind is doing crazy things when you go off of them. This is when many commit suicide. What they do is regulate enzymes in the brain, and this is why you should never ever stop them without first talking to your doctor. Give it 4-6 weeks, and if the meds are not working for you, he will change them, but I repeat, DO NOT stop taking them unless instructed to do so by your doc. Yes, this IS very important not to do! I am on antidepressants and anxiety med. I did the same thing after about 3 months of taking them bc I got low on money and mine are over $100 a bottle for 30 pills. It wasn't long before I could not take it any longer and had to go back to the doctor bc of it and I felt the same way. I was tired constantly and miserable. I knew what it was and fixed it as soon as possible before it got worse. Get back on them and give it time to work like it should. Once that time is up, you will notice a HUGE difference in the way you feel. I feel like I am alive again.

Answer 9

Hiya, a lot of what you're saying sounded like me. I am 18 and self harm and have spent the last 9 months feeling suicidal, but please, please give the antidepressants a chance because they can make the world of difference. I have been on sertraline and escitalopram, long names but believe me they have saved my life, they can really help. I know how it is to feel crazy, I ended up in a psychiatric hospital so I felt like a right nutcase, but dont let it get that far, help yourself and take the pills and see if you can get yourself some counselling. It will really help. I had a look on the net and Marie Stopes offer post abortion counselling which might really help you come to terms with the decision you had to make, have a look at the site http://www.mariestopes.org.uk/uk/centres-abortion.htm You will need to greive for the baby you lost before you can recover from this and that will be hard but with help you will get through this. I am here if you need someone to talk to, please go back to your GP and talk through your options regarding medication and counselling, dont give up, there is a way through this. Good luck.

Answer 10

It takes a while for them to work and you should be monitored closely for the first few weeks because there are reports of people feeling more suicidal. You need to talk this through with your doctor. There are also other medications but if you decide to try fluoxetine again give it at least 6 weeks and also have a plan of distraction in place for those suicidal moments.

Answer 11

you need to take the tablets it can take up to six weeks before you feel any different,but persever otherwise you are been your own worst enemy.every tablet has funny side effects but they will wear off you just need to persever.i felt a bit like you at 17, but what is normal?. your not a nutter everyone has problems, its just some can cope better than others.never feel sorry for yourself, i know thats easier said than done but it wont help.never regret the things you have done only the thing you havent! your young,only you can help yourself, you just need a bit of support and motivation.maybe you should see a counsellor just so you can get your feelings out.i suffer with depression and cope by taking tablets but there not for everyone, but i do think you should keep taking yours and see a consellor. keep smiling your only 17 and have your whole life a head of you.life is worth living, so live it