Question about AD's and (Casey, I think) anti-anxiety meds
#116803 - 10/28/04 03:42 PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
My depresion is WAY BAD right now. How long do you give an AD before talkign to your doc about it possibly making the symptoms worse?
I'm on low dose AD's for fibro. I am getting to the point where I don't want to do anything...and that's NOT a good sign  I'm worried for myself! I'm not suicidal....jyst very down.
On another subject, I think it was Casey who mentioned an anti-anxiety med was helping her? I am wondering what it was called and what the symptoms were that led you to knowing you had anxiety. Hubby thinks I'm pretty anxious...but I'm not sure I know enough toa gree or disagree with him to speak to my doc about it.
It is just NOT healthy to feel so down like I do...and it hasn't been so bad until I started the med I'm on, it's called Elavil and I'm taking the generic which is Amatriptyline (sp).
Thanks everyone!
Love,
Ruchie
Oh, one more hting...a side effect of the med I'm on is anxiety...but it doesn't mention depression.
--------------------
Formerly known as Ruchie
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
First of all, *hugs* to you, sweetie. How long have you been on the AD's? The bottom line is that if you think it's making things worse, call the doctor. If they think you haven't been on it long enough, I'm sure they'll tell you to stick it out a little longer, but I'd hate to see you keep suffering if you don't have to. At the very least, it's possible that the dosage you're on isn't right for you.
I'm on Lexapro, which is anti-anxiety and anti-depressant. I can tell you ALLLLL about Lexapro, anything you wanna know, haha. I love it. I've known from the time I was a kid that I had abnormal anxiety problems. I worried about money at age 7 - not normal. More recently, I just worried about everything, all the time. I don't know how to explain it, really, just that I felt... very tightly wound, if that makes any sense. Like something was always on the verge of snapping. I was very tense, and got angry very easily. I still have a bad temper, but it's nothing like the irrational mood swings I used to get.
Anxiety can manifest itself physically in a lot of ways. You can have trouble sleeping, you can have headaches, you can have nausea (that was my big symptom). It can make your IBS worse, it can make you have nightmares, the list goes on and on.
I can't tell you if you have anxiety, but I can tell you that I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised, with everything you've been going through lately. *hugs*
If you want me to tell you more about Lexapro, let me know and I will.  Everyone reacts to AD's differently, of course, but it's seriously given me my life back, in a lot of ways.
*hugs*
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Ruchie~
I just saw my doc today and she prescribed A/D's. She said that I'll have to wait 4-6 weeks to notice an improvment or not. I don't think that you should wait that long though if you are feeling that they are making you more depressed. I'm one of those people that didn't know about that effect with A/D's and it was VERY bad. I would at least call your doc right away and let her know that it is making you feel worse, and that you are really concerned about it. She may decide to take you off completely or maybe just monitor you more closely. But it's NOT normal to be feeling like that, so go get it taken care of, hon.
Good luck, and I really hope you feel better soon~
--------------------
~*Amber*~
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Ruchie
I am on paxil cr 20mg for anxiety and I have Klonopin for panic attacks. The Klonopin desolve in your mouth for quick relief. Panic attacks I get pounding heart, shortness of breath and tingling. The paxil is for me to be able to cope with anxiety. Anxiety is differant for everyone mine I am very edgy and stressed feeling. I have alot on my plate so it helps me cope with the stress of it all. I am a bit obsessive compulsive too. It helps with that also.
Good Luck I hope you are feeling better soon.
Fembeth
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Please? She needs to know about this and monitor you carefully. You should get good results from an AD anything from 2-8 weeks after starting it, so it canm take a while!
Btw, amitryptiline is supposed to be a good one for Fibro, so don't give up on it too quickly. But call your doc!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I've been on meds since, July 2, 1988 (yep, I remember the exact date). There's three, one for anxiety, one for depression, and one to prevent psychosis. I need the third one because the depression was untreated for several years. My diagnosis is schizoaffective disorder with unipolar depression. -in layman's terms "psychotic depressions with anxiety." However, since that day in July, I've never gone off meds. -and therefore, haven't had the psychotic features ever since. The funny thing is that I was full-blown for almost three years & hardly remember a thing about it! God is kind.
Buspar and Effexor (the anti-anxiety & antidepressant) took about two weeks to reach full effectiveness. However, most antipsychotics (which would not seem necessary in your case) work almost immediately. This seems to be the norm although I'm not much of an expert -just from a patient's perspective.
The one your taking seems to be one of the older ones... Perhaps, if you stick with it a little longer it may do the trick. Otherwise, by all means, talk to your doc & try a new one. We all have different brain chemistries. Therefore, what's good for one person may be adverse for another. For example, I tried Prozac when it was all the rage, so to speak, and it really messed me up.
Anyways, good luck to you & I really do know what a blessing these meds can be when they kick in & "do their stuff."
Bob.
--------------------
Life is transitory, love is not!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
