![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by PattyK on March 30, 2001, at 22:04:40
I have suffered from depression most of my life. It's a condition that has plauged me on and off for 25-30 years. I finally decided to try anti-depressants about two years ago...people had urged me to try them for years, but I resisted. First, I tried Zoloft. At first, my depression was lifted and it was great. But after a few months, it stopped working. In the meantime, I started gaining weight and had that emotionally numb feeling that is a common side effect of SSRI'S. I felt flat and emotionless most of the time. After about a year, I asked my DR. to let me try something else. He put me on Effexor 150 mgs. I was concerned about gaining more weight, and was told it was unlikely. Wrong. I gained even more weight on Effexor, and the numbness continued. Effexor didn't work that great for me. After 5 months of Effexor, I decided to stop. I thought about trying another anti-depressant, but first I I had to get through Effexor withdrawal. That was very hard. Nightmarish. I think that Effexor will eventually be removed from the market, after the class action lawsuits get started.
It has been almost two months since I stopped taking Effexor. The withdrawal effects bothered me for about 2-3 weeks. Since I stopped taking Effexor, I am no longer having nightmares and disturbing dreams. I have real emotions again! I love being able to feel emotional again...even though it has the down side of feeling sadness and other unpleasant emotions more...but I feel human again, instead of like a lifeless zombie. I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. If a person has debilitating depression or anxiety, and they find it hard to function in life because of it, then, by all means, use medication to help you function.
I have decided that for me, anti-depressants are not the answer. I do not enjoy being overweight, (I am an avid excerciser) or emotionally numb, or grinding my jaws, or having disturbing dreams, or going through horrific withdrawal effects. I think from now on, I'll take my chances, and just live my life medicine free. I'll deal with the sad times, and enjoy the happy times. I now can enjoy crying at a movie (something I never did while medicated) and just accept the ups and downs of life. For me, SSRI'S had the unfortunate effect of taking the joy along with the sadness. It's not worth it to me. This is the best decision for me....but it may not be the best one for everybody. Each person has to decide what is best for him/herself. I wish everyone here the best that life has to offer. God Bless.
Posted by ItsJustMe on March 31, 2001, at 0:39:37
In reply to No More anti-depressants for me, posted by PattyK on March 30, 2001, at 22:04:40
You are lucky that your depression is so mild.
> I have suffered from depression most of my life. It's a condition that has plauged me on and off for 25-30 years. I finally decided to try anti-depressants about two years ago...people had urged me to try them for years, but I resisted. First, I tried Zoloft. At first, my depression was lifted and it was great. But after a few months, it stopped working. In the meantime, I started gaining weight and had that emotionally numb feeling that is a common side effect of SSRI'S. I felt flat and emotionless most of the time. After about a year, I asked my DR. to let me try something else. He put me on Effexor 150 mgs. I was concerned about gaining more weight, and was told it was unlikely. Wrong. I gained even more weight on Effexor, and the numbness continued. Effexor didn't work that great for me. After 5 months of Effexor, I decided to stop. I thought about trying another anti-depressant, but first I I had to get through Effexor withdrawal. That was very hard. Nightmarish. I think that Effexor will eventually be removed from the market, after the class action lawsuits get started.
> It has been almost two months since I stopped taking Effexor. The withdrawal effects bothered me for about 2-3 weeks. Since I stopped taking Effexor, I am no longer having nightmares and disturbing dreams. I have real emotions again! I love being able to feel emotional again...even though it has the down side of feeling sadness and other unpleasant emotions more...but I feel human again, instead of like a lifeless zombie. I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. If a person has debilitating depression or anxiety, and they find it hard to function in life because of it, then, by all means, use medication to help you function.
> I have decided that for me, anti-depressants are not the answer. I do not enjoy being overweight, (I am an avid excerciser) or emotionally numb, or grinding my jaws, or having disturbing dreams, or going through horrific withdrawal effects. I think from now on, I'll take my chances, and just live my life medicine free. I'll deal with the sad times, and enjoy the happy times. I now can enjoy crying at a movie (something I never did while medicated) and just accept the ups and downs of life. For me, SSRI'S had the unfortunate effect of taking the joy along with the sadness. It's not worth it to me. This is the best decision for me....but it may not be the best one for everybody. Each person has to decide what is best for him/herself. I wish everyone here the best that life has to offer. God Bless.
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 31, 2001, at 2:08:05
In reply to Re: No More anti-depressants for me, posted by ItsJustMe on March 31, 2001, at 0:39:37
> You are lucky that your depression is so mild.
Please be careful not to be dismissive of the experiences of others. Also, have you seen this?
http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/SSRIs-and-apathy.html
Bob
Posted by dreamer on March 31, 2001, at 3:40:10
In reply to Re: No More anti-depressants for me, posted by Dr. Bob on March 31, 2001, at 2:08:05
> > You are lucky that your depression is so mild.
>
> Please be careful not to be dismissive of the experiences of others. Also, have you seen this?
>
> http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/SSRIs-and-apathy.html
>
> BobYEP! as a painter I feel less motivated and the need to achieve success somewhat diminished I have to force myself and the imagery tends to even look as FLAT as my mood.
Also the desperate need to listen to music has lessened ,can't live without SSRI's and difficult to live with them.
Posted by PattyK on March 31, 2001, at 8:58:20
In reply to Re: No More anti-depressants for me, posted by ItsJustMe on March 31, 2001, at 0:39:37
> You are lucky that your depression is so mild.
>
>
>
>
> > I have suffered from depression most of my life. It's a condition that has plauged me on and off for 25-30 years. I finally decided to try anti-depressants about two years ago...people had urged me to try them for years, but I resisted. First, I tried Zoloft. At first, my depression was lifted and it was great. But after a few months, it stopped working. In the meantime, I started gaining weight and had that emotionally numb feeling that is a common side effect of SSRI'S. I felt flat and emotionless most of the time. After about a year, I asked my DR. to let me try something else. He put me on Effexor 150 mgs. I was concerned about gaining more weight, and was told it was unlikely. Wrong. I gained even more weight on Effexor, and the numbness continued. Effexor didn't work that great for me. After 5 months of Effexor, I decided to stop. I thought about trying another anti-depressant, but first I I had to get through Effexor withdrawal. That was very hard. Nightmarish. I think that Effexor will eventually be removed from the market, after the class action lawsuits get started.
> > It has been almost two months since I stopped taking Effexor. The withdrawal effects bothered me for about 2-3 weeks. Since I stopped taking Effexor, I am no longer having nightmares and disturbing dreams. I have real emotions again! I love being able to feel emotional again...even though it has the down side of feeling sadness and other unpleasant emotions more...but I feel human again, instead of like a lifeless zombie. I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. If a person has debilitating depression or anxiety, and they find it hard to function in life because of it, then, by all means, use medication to help you function.
> > I have decided that for me, anti-depressants are not the answer. I do not enjoy being overweight, (I am an avid excerciser) or emotionally numb, or grinding my jaws, or having disturbing dreams, or going through horrific withdrawal effects. I think from now on, I'll take my chances, and just live my life medicine free. I'll deal with the sad times, and enjoy the happy times. I now can enjoy crying at a movie (something I never did while medicated) and just accept the ups and downs of life. For me, SSRI'S had the unfortunate effect of taking the joy along with the sadness. It's not worth it to me. This is the best decision for me....but it may not be the best one for everybody. Each person has to decide what is best for him/herself. I wish everyone here the best that life has to offer. God Bless.
I wouldn't call 25-30 years of chronic, intermittent depression "mild". Luckily, even when I am depressed, I can usually still function...and I realize that this is not the case for everyone who suffers from depression. That is why I said in my original post that for some people, anti-depressants are the best choice, because the benefits outweigh the side effects. In my particular case, I decided that the benefits do not outweigh the side effects. Each person is different, and has unique circumstances. I am not saying that everyone should stop using medication to treat depression.
But please don't dismiss my depression as "mild" because it is something that I have had to live with since I was a child, and it has robbed a great deal of my life.
Hopefully, some day another option will become available to treat depression. Something that doesn't cause such severe side effects like anti-depressants generally do. Just read these posts...and see how the anti-depressant side effects are causing so much discomfort and misery. It's a trade-off I am not personally willing to make anymore. I like being able to be moved to tears by a good movie, or a beautiful song...and I felt emotionally dead while I was on anti-depressants. Again...I am not knocking anti-depressants though..for many people, they are literally a life saver. And I think that they will improve as time goes on, and cause less side effects.
Posted by Chaston on March 31, 2001, at 12:49:51
In reply to Re: No More anti-depressants for me » Dr. Bob, posted by dreamer on March 31, 2001, at 3:40:10
Dr. Bob's thread on SSRI's and apathy was very interesting. (Thank you Dr. Bob for hosting this whole amazing site!).
It reminds us that depression is not like a simple bacterial disease, in which an invading organism causes the patient to become ill, and can then be specially diagnosed and treated with an antibiotic, after which the patient is disease-free. The medications that doctors have at their disposal have improved enormously over the past 50 years, but they are still imprecise, sometimes even blunt, instruments, that can take good things away from some patients even as they confer critical benefits to others.
Moreover, anxiety, depression, and even other mental disorders can become an important part of an individual's personality, especially over a number of years. For some driven or creative people, these parts can be essential to what they most value about themselves.
Lauren Slater's Prozac Diary is especially interesting in this regard, and is an extremely well written. It recounts her personal struggle to accept the dramatic changes that accompany her use of Prozac, even though they might appear to an outside observer to be almost entirely beneficial (and for her, ultimately worth the costs).
When I was much younger, I saw my "moodiness" in a positive light--although I was not particularly artistic, the changes and sensitivities brought on by a bipolar mood disorder can sometimes encourage fresh insights and approaches. Looking back at 30 years of psychological wreckage, though, I can honestly say that the benefits were not worth the cost--for *me*. For someone else, with different talents, in different circumstances ... one solution is not right for everybody.
Although people in a truly major depression are in so much psychological pain that I believe few would not prefer relief, the appropriate treatment in many cases is not simply a matter of degree. Medication *can* change a patient's personality, in some ways, and its long-term use should ideally be based on a careful decision that involves the patient's personality, history, family, as well as his/her current symptoms, and the experienced judgement of the doctor (or *doctors*). That may sound like something out of an APA pamphlet, but it is not. It's based on my own 20 years of experience with taking medication, some of which helped me lead a productive, sometimes happy life, and some of which actually made problems worse. There is probably a lot of cosmetic pharmacology going on (why not, there's cosmetic surgery?), but having a long-term mood disorder often involves some serious choices, and requires us to stay well-informed. Which is why this website is so vital!
Posted by ShelliR on March 31, 2001, at 13:10:13
In reply to Re: No More anti-depressants for me, posted by PattyK on March 31, 2001, at 8:58:20
Patty, you might want to try St. John's Wort if your "downs" become to frequent or too down. It's over the counter-herbal; very few or no side effects with a small dose and may give you the best of both worlds. I respect your decision not to take anti-depressants, just wanted you to keep St. John's wort in mind in case you go through a really difficult period. Good luck. ShelliR
Posted by ItsJustMe on March 31, 2001, at 16:34:25
In reply to No More anti-depressants for me, posted by PattyK on March 30, 2001, at 22:04:40
It's your cavalier attitude toward meds and those that take them that causes me to call your depression mild.
Example:
< < I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. > >
It sounds to me that that was exactly what *YOU* were doing. You were simply looking for a way to be "happy all the time." The opposite of "happy all the time" is NOT depression.
I for one find your attitude toward meds and those that rely heavily on them to KEEP THEMSELVES ALIVE (not merely happy-go-lucky) incredibly offensive, and I don't hesitate to say so.
Dave
> I have suffered from depression most of my life. It's a condition that has plauged me on and off for 25-30 years. I finally decided to try anti-depressants about two years ago...people had urged me to try them for years, but I resisted. First, I tried Zoloft. At first, my depression was lifted and it was great. But after a few months, it stopped working. In the meantime, I started gaining weight and had that emotionally numb feeling that is a common side effect of SSRI'S. I felt flat and emotionless most of the time. After about a year, I asked my DR. to let me try something else. He put me on Effexor 150 mgs. I was concerned about gaining more weight, and was told it was unlikely. Wrong. I gained even more weight on Effexor, and the numbness continued. Effexor didn't work that great for me. After 5 months of Effexor, I decided to stop. I thought about trying another anti-depressant, but first I I had to get through Effexor withdrawal. That was very hard. Nightmarish. I think that Effexor will eventually be removed from the market, after the class action lawsuits get started.
> It has been almost two months since I stopped taking Effexor. The withdrawal effects bothered me for about 2-3 weeks. Since I stopped taking Effexor, I am no longer having nightmares and disturbing dreams. I have real emotions again! I love being able to feel emotional again...even though it has the down side of feeling sadness and other unpleasant emotions more...but I feel human again, instead of like a lifeless zombie. I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. If a person has debilitating depression or anxiety, and they find it hard to function in life because of it, then, by all means, use medication to help you function.
> I have decided that for me, anti-depressants are not the answer. I do not enjoy being overweight, (I am an avid excerciser) or emotionally numb, or grinding my jaws, or having disturbing dreams, or going through horrific withdrawal effects. I think from now on, I'll take my chances, and just live my life medicine free. I'll deal with the sad times, and enjoy the happy times. I now can enjoy crying at a movie (something I never did while medicated) and just accept the ups and downs of life. For me, SSRI'S had the unfortunate effect of taking the joy along with the sadness. It's not worth it to me. This is the best decision for me....but it may not be the best one for everybody. Each person has to decide what is best for him/herself. I wish everyone here the best that life has to offer. God Bless.
Posted by Diane J. on March 31, 2001, at 22:02:35
In reply to No More anti-depressants for me, posted by PattyK on March 30, 2001, at 22:04:40
> I have suffered from depression most of my life. It's a condition that has plauged me on and off for 25-30 years. I finally decided to try anti-depressants about two years ago...people had urged me to try them for years, but I resisted. First, I tried Zoloft. At first, my depression was lifted and it was great. But after a few months, it stopped working. In the meantime, I started gaining weight and had that emotionally numb feeling that is a common side effect of SSRI'S. I felt flat and emotionless most of the time. After about a year, I asked my DR. to let me try something else. He put me on Effexor 150 mgs. I was concerned about gaining more weight, and was told it was unlikely. Wrong. I gained even more weight on Effexor, and the numbness continued. Effexor didn't work that great for me. After 5 months of Effexor, I decided to stop. I thought about trying another anti-depressant, but first I I had to get through Effexor withdrawal. That was very hard. Nightmarish. I think that Effexor will eventually be removed from the market, after the class action lawsuits get started.
> It has been almost two months since I stopped taking Effexor. The withdrawal effects bothered me for about 2-3 weeks. Since I stopped taking Effexor, I am no longer having nightmares and disturbing dreams. I have real emotions again! I love being able to feel emotional again...even though it has the down side of feeling sadness and other unpleasant emotions more...but I feel human again, instead of like a lifeless zombie. I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. If a person has debilitating depression or anxiety, and they find it hard to function in life because of it, then, by all means, use medication to help you function.
> I have decided that for me, anti-depressants are not the answer. I do not enjoy being overweight, (I am an avid excerciser) or emotionally numb, or grinding my jaws, or having disturbing dreams, or going through horrific withdrawal effects. I think from now on, I'll take my chances, and just live my life medicine free. I'll deal with the sad times, and enjoy the happy times. I now can enjoy crying at a movie (something I never did while medicated) and just accept the ups and downs of life. For me, SSRI'S had the unfortunate effect of taking the joy along with the sadness. It's not worth it to me. This is the best decision for me....but it may not be the best one for everybody. Each person has to decide what is best for him/herself. I wish everyone here the best that life has to offer. God Bless.Dear Patty,
I have read all the posts following your message. I don't think your message is "cavalier" or offensive. It sounds to me as if you were telling us how you felt. I didn't get the impression that you were telling others how to live. I agree with Dr. Bob when he says not to be dismissive of the experiences of others. I think it is prudent not to be judgmental.I have had recurrent depression since I was a child. I have also reached the point in which I have decided to leave anti-depressants behind. I am going through withdrawal from Effexor, and at the moment I am down to 75mg. I am glad about it.
I will tell you what made the difference for me, even though I realize that we are individuals and what helped me might not be the answer for you. About a year ago I talked to my psychiatrist about the therapy I was doing with a clinical psychologist. I was unhappy because it seemed to me that the psychologist had been quick to point out my faults and weaknesses but had not given me any direction as to change these behaviors. My psychiatrist suggested that I read the book FEELING GOOD by Dr. David Burns. He said it was the best book on cognitive therapy that existed. I gave it a good read, and I was amazed when I read about the 10 cognitive distortions and recognized myself in many of them. Dr. Burns has a website, www.FeelingGood.com, which I visited (and I still do). I asked some questions, and he answered them.
I did not automatically think I should stop the Effexor. That came about a year later after I started seeing a therapist who was kind and supportive. I also had several e-mail exchanges with Dr. Burns, and I think he is not only very intelligent and professional, he is also a nice guy.
You might want to give it a look. I hope everything works out for you.
Diane J.
Posted by KarenB on April 1, 2001, at 0:58:58
In reply to No More anti-depressants for me, posted by PattyK on March 30, 2001, at 22:04:40
Dear Patty,
I can understand your frustration. SSRIs never worked for me at all - and I think I may just have tried them ALL. However, SSRIs are only one class of antidepressant. There are Tricyclics and MAOIs as well as other drugs that can lift depression without leaving you emotionally flat and without motivation. That is no way to live, I must agree.
Try your way if you must, but be aware there are MANY other options available to you, if you are willing to give them a try.
Wishing you the best,
Karen
Posted by Mr. Scott on April 1, 2001, at 12:09:08
In reply to No More anti-depressants for me, posted by PattyK on March 30, 2001, at 22:04:40
Good for you!! I'm almost at that point myself. I have a few last things to investigate first however. That was by the way a great post that I think sums up in some way a great many peoples sentiments on psychiatric drugs and mental disorders. Please keep us posted..Good Luck.
Posted by Dr. Bob on April 1, 2001, at 14:56:38
In reply to It's your cavalier attitude !, posted by ItsJustMe on March 31, 2001, at 16:34:25
> I for one find your attitude ... incredibly offensive, and I don't hesitate to say so.
Please do hesitate in the future, otherwise I'll need to block you from posting. Thanks,
Bob
PS: Follow-ups, if any, regarding this should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration.
Posted by Kingfish on April 1, 2001, at 20:00:28
In reply to Dr. Bob on Civility, posted by Rex Jones on April 1, 2001, at 17:52:27
Patty:
I kept trying to respond earlier but for some reason was having trouble.
Best of luck to you. I am on the side of those saying "you have not been offensive in the least."
If you do decide to try something again, the St. John's idea is a good one, I think. I still believe it's been shown to be effective in cases of mild to moderate depression.
The other possibility would be a mood stabilizer I suppose, though those side effects tend to be worse. I'm BP II and after many years of working with natural options, I decided to go with the unnatural ones.
Just monitor yourself and if you do go back to a pdoc, don't feel as if you've failed. The main thing is to keep yourself healthy.
Best of luck!
- K.
Posted by Christina on April 2, 2001, at 10:23:48
In reply to No More anti-depressants for me, posted by PattyK on March 30, 2001, at 22:04:40
When I read your post, I thought maybe I had written it and forgot about it... It sounded so much like my own life.
I am currently weaning from Celexa after being on various ADs and mood stabilizer for 6 years.
The side effects robbed me of normal emotions and I realized how bad it was when I could not cry at my best friends funeral.
I have gained almost 40 pounds, and I have been in a menal fog for years.Despite all the med combos I've tried..I have never really felt "undepressed" and I just can't bring myself to try anymore.
I am fortunate.. that like you.. I have always been able to function. (i.e. continue to work, take care of my kids). My problem is that I feel so numb and nothing has been able to alleviate that.
I've been struggling for years to determine if my depression would get better if I tried just one more med. Nothing was ever the Panacea I was hoping for.
When my withdrawal is complete, I am prepared for a possible rebound depression, but I am willing to take that risk to see what's on the other side.
Posted by Miss Amy on April 2, 2001, at 12:08:10
In reply to My decision to withdraw from meds..., posted by Christina on April 2, 2001, at 10:23:48
Good luck to you! I read an article in a mag once written by a woman who did the very same thing you are doing. Keep a journal concerning your moods to see if they get any worse after quitting the meds.....and also see a therapist for awhile. Many people learn coping mechanisms through therapy that can really ease depression symptoms (such as diet, exercise, assertiveness, healthy relationships, etc.). If you find that the meds were actually helping more than you thought, you can always go back on. You said you tried a lot of meds in the past...have you tried serzone? I have no fogginess and a full range of emotions with hardly any side effects. I started at an extremely low dose and worked up to the one I am on now (25mg. a day to 400mg. a day over a couple months) so as not to have side effects.
Anyway....Good luck to you. Any decision you will make will be the right one. Some people don't have to be on AD's forever anyway. Maybe you are one of those people........and if you AREN'T one of those people, you will have learned something and can always reinlist into the wonderous world of happy pills.
Have a Good Day!
Miss Amy
Posted by gen on April 2, 2001, at 14:30:43
In reply to Re: My decision...*Christina, posted by Miss Amy on April 2, 2001, at 12:08:10
I think this is fascinating. After taking anti-depressants (various kinds) for 10 years, I one day realized that I was numb, flat. It was an epiphany! It's very interesting to hear others describe the same thing.
The ADs never really helped much; I was still depressed. And the side-effects had started to become more and more troubling.
So I weaned myself. Very, very slowly. Took about 2.5 months to get off both Remeron and Effexor. Withdrawal was awful, but it DOES go away!
Now I'm about 8 months off all ADs, and I feel
better than I've felt in years. Yes, I still get depressed, but frankly, it's about the same as it was when I was on drugs. And I'm much more optimistic because I immediately lost all the weight I'd put on, and I'm no longer constipated, and all my "allergies" disappeared,
and I just feel---I don't know, more like me.
My doctor didn't want me to go off the ADs, said I should take them all my life, etc. And I think that's probably true for many people. But to tell you the truth, that doctor didn't really know much about me. I only saw him once a year the last couple years I was on ADs, and had only seen him 15 minutes a month before that. Fact is, I know myself better than he did, and I think I made the decision that was right for me.
Of course this path is not right for everyone, but it's not an irrational alternative, and it can be successful.
Posted by Christina on April 3, 2001, at 14:00:33
In reply to Re: My decision...*Christina, posted by Miss Amy on April 2, 2001, at 12:08:10
> Good luck to you! I read an article in a mag once written by a woman who did the very same thing you are doing. Keep a journal concerning your moods to see if they get any worse after quitting the meds.....and also see a therapist for awhile. Many people learn coping mechanisms through therapy that can really ease depression symptoms (such as diet, exercise, assertiveness, healthy relationships, etc.). If you find that the meds were actually helping more than you thought, you can always go back on. You said you tried a lot of meds in the past...have you tried serzone? I have no fogginess and a full range of emotions with hardly any side effects. I started at an extremely low dose and worked up to the one I am on now (25mg. a day to 400mg. a day over a couple months) so as not to have side effects.
> Anyway....Good luck to you. Any decision you will make will be the right one. Some people don't have to be on AD's forever anyway. Maybe you are one of those people........and if you AREN'T one of those people, you will have learned something and can always reinlist into the wonderous world of happy pills.
> Have a Good Day!
> Miss Amy
Posted by Pattyk on April 4, 2001, at 21:39:22
In reply to My decision to withdraw from meds..., posted by Christina on April 2, 2001, at 10:23:48
Christina,
I wish you the very best. I am truly enjoying having real emotions again. I thought that I had simply become desensitized to the world, until I realized it was the medication. I was the same way...noting really touched me or moved me. I remembered how I was supposed to feel in response to certain things, but I did not actually feel anything.
I hope everything turns out well for you.
> When I read your post, I thought maybe I had written it and forgot about it... It sounded so much like my own life.
> I am currently weaning from Celexa after being on various ADs and mood stabilizer for 6 years.
> The side effects robbed me of normal emotions and I realized how bad it was when I could not cry at my best friends funeral.
> I have gained almost 40 pounds, and I have been in a menal fog for years.
>
> Despite all the med combos I've tried..I have never really felt "undepressed" and I just can't bring myself to try anymore.
>
> I am fortunate.. that like you.. I have always been able to function. (i.e. continue to work, take care of my kids). My problem is that I feel so numb and nothing has been able to alleviate that.
>
> I've been struggling for years to determine if my depression would get better if I tried just one more med. Nothing was ever the Panacea I was hoping for.
>
> When my withdrawal is complete, I am prepared for a possible rebound depression, but I am willing to take that risk to see what's on the other side.
Posted by Pattyk on April 4, 2001, at 21:46:35
In reply to Re: please be civil » ItsJustMe, posted by Dr. Bob on April 1, 2001, at 14:56:38
Thanks to you and everyone else who posted on this issue for defending me. I was unaware of what was going on because I had not checked the posts in a few days. I appreciate your help.
Patty
> > I for one find your attitude ... incredibly offensive, and I don't hesitate to say so.
>
> Please do hesitate in the future, otherwise I'll need to block you from posting. Thanks,
>
> Bob
>
> PS: Follow-ups, if any, regarding this should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration.
Posted by AMenz on June 3, 2001, at 14:02:16
In reply to It's your cavalier attitude !, posted by ItsJustMe on March 31, 2001, at 16:34:25
YOu are right that there are diffent degrees of illness. Obviously some people are in the position to quit medications and continue to function. I would join their ranks if I could. I would like to be free of side effects, med trials etc.
However other groups require medication to function and feel reasonably well. Those who are treatment resistant, or simply have not hit upon the right combination are indeed going through a trial in life that it takes every ounce of courage to go through.
I thought you expressed yourself strongly but not uncivilly in your previous post. Obviously sometimes that might be a problem. But I do not think your post lacked courtesy. You probably feel some anger because this is a personal issue. I can understand that.
There are obviously no right or wrongs in this issue. We are comparing apples and pears here. What applies to the functionally depressed does not apply to the very ill. These may even be simply the same people during different times in their lifes.
> It's your cavalier attitude toward meds and those that take them that causes me to call your depression mild.
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> Example:
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> < < I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. > >
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> It sounds to me that that was exactly what *YOU* were doing. You were simply looking for a way to be "happy all the time." The opposite of "happy all the time" is NOT depression.
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> I for one find your attitude toward meds and those that rely heavily on them to KEEP THEMSELVES ALIVE (not merely happy-go-lucky) incredibly offensive, and I don't hesitate to say so.
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> Dave
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> > I have suffered from depression most of my life. It's a condition that has plauged me on and off for 25-30 years. I finally decided to try anti-depressants about two years ago...people had urged me to try them for years, but I resisted. First, I tried Zoloft. At first, my depression was lifted and it was great. But after a few months, it stopped working. In the meantime, I started gaining weight and had that emotionally numb feeling that is a common side effect of SSRI'S. I felt flat and emotionless most of the time. After about a year, I asked my DR. to let me try something else. He put me on Effexor 150 mgs. I was concerned about gaining more weight, and was told it was unlikely. Wrong. I gained even more weight on Effexor, and the numbness continued. Effexor didn't work that great for me. After 5 months of Effexor, I decided to stop. I thought about trying another anti-depressant, but first I I had to get through Effexor withdrawal. That was very hard. Nightmarish. I think that Effexor will eventually be removed from the market, after the class action lawsuits get started.
> > It has been almost two months since I stopped taking Effexor. The withdrawal effects bothered me for about 2-3 weeks. Since I stopped taking Effexor, I am no longer having nightmares and disturbing dreams. I have real emotions again! I love being able to feel emotional again...even though it has the down side of feeling sadness and other unpleasant emotions more...but I feel human again, instead of like a lifeless zombie. I think that many of us are relying on anti-depressants too much, to rescue us from that somtimes painful condition called humanity. If a person has debilitating depression or anxiety, and they find it hard to function in life because of it, then, by all means, use medication to help you function.
> > I have decided that for me, anti-depressants are not the answer. I do not enjoy being overweight, (I am an avid excerciser) or emotionally numb, or grinding my jaws, or having disturbing dreams, or going through horrific withdrawal effects. I think from now on, I'll take my chances, and just live my life medicine free. I'll deal with the sad times, and enjoy the happy times. I now can enjoy crying at a movie (something I never did while medicated) and just accept the ups and downs of life. For me, SSRI'S had the unfortunate effect of taking the joy along with the sadness. It's not worth it to me. This is the best decision for me....but it may not be the best one for everybody. Each person has to decide what is best for him/herself. I wish everyone here the best that life has to offer. God Bless.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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