Help with anti-depressants

[mark115]

Hi! it's been a long time since I posted a thread here. In the last few months, i've been dealing with what i think is depression. It's not really very severe but there are times that i'll just feel very crappy. i also started having difficulty in sleeping because i'm always thinking about things that make me feel crappy. so now, i'm considering taking anti-depressants. i don't know much about them but i don't think i'm ready to go to a shrink to ask about them. are there anti-depressants that doesn't need prescription from a doctor? and is it ok to take them because i'm worried i might get addicted to them?

 

[D_Tintagel_Demondong]

I have a friend who has been taking his for over 10 years and he's doing just fine. If he misses a day, he feels horrible. I wouldn't say that he's addicted to them, he just has to take them every day or suffer extreme side effects. He's much better for taking them.

 

[D_Inglethorp Rumpshow]

I took one for a couple of months (forgot the name) and found I felt a bit better than I did before I took them. The downside is it killed my sex drive. I don't think I even masturbated for almost a month at some point. It was almost like sex never crossed my mind and that was scary. I was single at the time, so it didn't cause any relationship problems.

If you are feeling depressed make sure you tell a loved one and try to seek help ASAP.

Good luck...

 

[deleted15807]

Be careful. Those anti-depressants (all require prescription) can be helpful but they can cause other side-effects. You need to determine if the side effects are worth whatever therapeutic benefits you may experience. They can be tough to get on and off.


JAMA -- Abstract: Antidepressant Drug Effects and Depression Severity: A Patient-Level Meta-analysis, January 6, 2010, Fournier et al. 303 (1): 47

vs.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/health/12mind.html

 

[Principessa]

Grrrr, I hate that taking anti-depressants has such a bad reputation. Some people (myself included) need them to function better. I am not addicted, nor am I a weak willed individual. If you think you need help then you do. Don't pussyfoot around this site and others looking for an easy way out. There usually isn't one.

Hi! it's been a long time since I posted a thread here. In the last few months, i've been dealing with what i think is depression. It's not really very severe but there are times that i'll just feel very crappy. i also started having difficulty in sleeping because i'm always thinking about things that make me feel crappy. so now, i'm considering taking anti-depressants. i don't know much about them but i don't think i'm ready to go to a shrink to ask about them. are there anti-depressants that doesn't need prescription from a doctor? and is it ok to take them because i'm worried i might get addicted to them?

Sometimes a primary care or family phsyician will prescribe them. However you need to be effectively evaluated and that means a psychiatrist. There is St. John's Wort which can be puchased at any drug store or even Walmart; but depending upon the type and level of your depression it may not work. Also, it can interfere with the absorption rate and effectiveness of other prescription medicines.

I wouldn't worry about addiction to an anti-depressant. I know people in NA that take them with no problem whatsoever.

How is depression detected and treated?

Depression is a serious medical illness; it’s not something that you have made up in your head. It’s more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It’s feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for weeks at a time.

How do men experience depression?

Men often experience depression differently than women and may have different ways of coping with the symptoms. Men are more likely to acknowledge having fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in once–pleasurable activities, and sleep disturbances, whereas women are more likely to admit to feelings of sadness, worthlessness and/or excessive guilt.12,13

Men are more likely than women to turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed, or become frustrated, discouraged, irritable, angry and sometimes abusive. Some men throw themselves into their work to avoid talking about their depression with family or friends, or engage in reckless, risky behavior. And even though more women attempt suicide, many more men die by suicide in the United States.14

I attribute this to the fact that more men than women, use guns to commit suicide. It's hard to not to die when you put a loaded revolver in your mouth. :frown1:

 

[deleted356736]

Recent research has shown that anti-depressant drugs have some impact on moderate to severe depression, but have no impact on mild depression at all. This was found by a controlled double-blind study involving placebo drugs. Those on the placebos reported the same degree of improvement of their mild depression as those on the real drugs. It's obvious, then, that those taking drugs 'feel' they will get better by taking those drugs, and as a result they do feel better.

The drug-companies are half-right in selling these drugs, as they do seem to have a mild effect on very severe depression, which is clearly where they were testing these drugs when first developed.

The best treatment for all forms of depression is psychotherapy, and it's longer lasting too.

 

[uncutblond34]

I'm on Wellbutrin to stop smoking.... the one side effect of it, for me, is that it makes me horny as hell. It also has the least sexual side effects of any of the antidepressants. If you can take it, I highly recommend it...lol

 

[798686]

I'm with Principessa on this. They're actually very helpful for a lot of people.

Talking to someone should help (Doctor, or Psychologist - or someone who's been through it).

I've been on Prozac for over 10 years, and feel fine. If i cut down or stop taking them I gradually feel worse over a few weeks or months - because the half-life of the drug is quite long (meaning it takes a while to take or lose effect). The only side effect really has been slight lessening of sex-drive and sensitivity, which makes it take longer to cum.

Good luck anyway man - it's a good sign that you've chosen to mention it, and to think about whether you need to take steps to make things better.

It can be put right in various ways - with drugs (temporary or long-term), small life changes (suggested by experts), or even by talking it through.

 

[D_Andreas Sukov]

Maybe go to some form of chaplaincy or some councilling service. That is my plan at the minute. Then see if they can help. if they cant, see a doctor

 

[rbkwp]

I would suggest to get a proper diagnosis
ensure you go onto the bare minimum of any anti-depressant offered to you
(in other words make sure you talk thru the options with your Doc)
NO need to go to a super duper Psychiatrist at your stage..the GP will help determine that WITH you-he has to refer you anyway)
make sure there are constant & regular follow ups..gonna cost you, but your healths worth that.
( not sure..as in i forget now, but i think in Au you should be able to get a lot of it covered with medicare??
DONT just let him prescribe .. and forget about you.
Cheers & the BEST of Luck
enz

 

[Dave NoCal]

Some people who suffer with dysthymic disorder (chronic low-grade depression) benefit from ongoing treatment with antidepressants. I work in the field and know there is a large variety available. Welbutrin (buproprion generic) is kind of unique in that it has beneficial sexual side effects, even in men who aren't depressed. However, it should not be used in people who are at elevated risk for seizures.
These medications are not addicting in the classic sense but do displace natural neurotransmitter production and and dosage adjustments should be gradual. Primary care physicians do prescribe them but sometimes tend tend to be so cautious with them that they prescibe in doses too small to be therapeutic.
Dave

 

[D_Inglethorp Rumpshow]

I'm on Wellbutrin to stop smoking.... the one side effect of it, for me, is that it makes me horny as hell. It also has the least sexual side effects of any of the antidepressants. If you can take it, I highly recommend it...lol

Is it helping with the smoking?

 

[uncutblond34]

Is it helping with the smoking?

:biggrin1: I'm happy to say it is ! I'm down from 1 1/2 packs a day, to smoke free in about 3 weeks... I feel GREAT ! I quit smoking, I'm working out a few times a week... and the 23 y/o I've been seeing is... well, lets just say he's veeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyy satisfied.....:wink:

 

[technopeasant]

I have major depression, dysthymic disorder, and some other problems that came from sexual abuse and physical abuse. I have been taking antidepressants for about five years. If the antidepressants have anything to do with sexual function or not with me has been depending on the type of antidepressant I am taking and if it is working or not. Some cause anorgasmia commonly however, I have experienced that because of depression more than from antidepressants. If you are seriously depressed and especially thinking of death or suicide it is imperative that you get that you get help. I will be the first to tell you that antidepressants can be dangerous, they can cause liver failure serious other mental problems sleep problems and other problems that only a psychiatrist can deal with. There are blood tests you need to avoid physical problems with antidepressants. There should be no problems with that if the tests are handled properly. Don't even try getting a GP or Internist to write a prescription. They are not qualified or trained to handle antidepressants.

By the way Wellbutrin can cause terrible headaches, seizures, liver failure and other problems no drug is 100% safe. I couldn't take Wellbution because it caused seizures. You need to work out what you take with your psychiatrist. There are other drugs that don't cause sexual side effects. You may well need to take something that does cause sexual problems for a while until the depression gets under control. There are things like death that are far worse than going without sex for a while. If the depression is bad enough you may not be performing in that department anyway.

You also need counseling don't sidestep that there is a reason you are having depression. You need to discover it and deal with it. It may take a while and there is no reason to be ashamed. There are those who will try to get you to believe that real men don't get depressed. That is a lie. The little men are those who don't deal with problems or do it with drugs or alcohol. Those things will screw up your life especially if you are depressed. Getting high hides the problems while you are high. When you get sober again the problems are still there and you still haven't dealt with them. Get help man. There is hope I am not depressed now and perform pretty normally in most departments. Better in the sexual department than ever but it took a while. Keep up the fight don't give up.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

I want to repeat for emphasis what a few people have said above: you can't do anti-depressants without a doctor.

Anti-depressants require a prescription. That is for a good reason. Different people react differently to different drugs and you may not need drugs at all. If it is a mild depression a doctor may start you out on a change of diet, routine and exercise. Or be able to direct you towards some good counselling. Or you might need drugs and a doctor will need to supervise that with you.

As for addiction, Principessa is right - there is a world of difference between having a drug help you feel better and addiction. As someone once put it to me, "I'm not addicted, I'd just have a lower quality of life without them".

Go to your GP and tell him/her what you told us.

If you really don't want to go to a doctor then are still some things you can look at yourself:

• When did you start 'feeling crappy' and was there a specific event or series of events that occurred at the outset of this 'feeling crappy'? (i.e. what has changed in your life, if anything?)
• Lethargy can be an issue. Do you get much exercise in a day? If not have you time to add some in? Something you enjoy - not forcing yourself to go down the gym if you hate that. I'm a stroll in the park kind of person. You might be a swimmer or runner or tennis player, etc..
• Routine can be an issue. Are you doing the same ol', same ol' day in and day out? Can you add something new in your life to give you more variety? A new hobby, a weekly trip to the cinema if you like that, an evening class, a book club, whatever, as long as you can enjoy it.
• Look at your diet too. Cut out things like caffeine, eggs and dairy and dramatically reduce wheat products. See how you feel. Then slowly reintroduce them one by one, a week at a time. See how you feel. The foods I mention there are more specific to diagnosing a migraine cause but they are among the chief offenders of foods than people do not realise are having an adverse effect on them.

If you are depressed those above steps may do absolutely nothing for you. I'm not suggesting that all depression can be cured by stopping to smell the flowers and drinking less coffee. It can't. But if you don't want to go to a doctor yet it is worth taking a month to try it - and then, if you do go to a doctor, you can tell him/her that you've done all that.

Best of luck with feeling better.

 

[798686]

I want to repeat for emphasis what a few people have said above: you can't do anti-depressants without a doctor.

Anti-depressants require a prescription. That is for a good reason. Different people react differently to different drugs and you may not need drugs at all. If it is a mild depression a doctor may start you out on a change of diet, routine and exercise. Or be able to direct you towards some good counselling. Or you might need drugs and a doctor will need to supervise that with you.

Good points! :smile:

 

[FuzzyKen]

Anti-depressants are a mixed bag. There is no such thing as an anti-depressent that works well without some work on the causes of the depression. If your depression is situational in origin and not chemical in origin taking them may help short term, but, this needs to be looked at very carefully. As has been said by others many of them have negative side effects with regards to your love life. The few which have positive side effects do not have them in all patients treated with them.

In the year 2001 I was faced with a great deal of stress and this of course brought on depression. I was given and tried a handfull of different anti-depressants and none of them did anything other than mask symptoms. I still was depressed, the difference on the medications is I didn't much care and that was wrong too at least for me.

I had a very good MD at the time. He did some other blood work and found that I had wound myself up so badly and had done other things via stress to my body. His treatment for me was 8 weeks on mild testosterone therapy because I had killed the production from stress, and 8 injections of human growth hormone. In three days my depression was GONE. I started feeling good and I really started getting things done especially with regards to a bunch of paperwork I had to deal with as a result of the death of my Mother. It is nearly 10 years later and a borderline T level then has continued to descend, this time I will probably be on replacement for the rest of my life, but, the difference it made in me was nearly immediate. Then I used injections, the MD is considering it and next time it will be a transdermal creme.

Get your T and estrogen balance checked and also look at your prolactin levels. All three of these can have effects on depression and or cause it if they are not where they are supposed to be.

 

[bigdik09]

Sorry to tell you this but I went to a Psychiatrist not too long ago & told him I was on antidepressants when I was a kid & they didn't kelp much, he said it's because antidepressants don't actually work.

 

[mark115]

wow, thanks for all the replies.
i think it all boils down to one thing. I need to consult a doctor first.
And wellbutrin, prozac, and xanax are the most common anti-depressants suggested so i'll ask about those.

again, thanks for all the advice. i hope i can get over this really soon. i hate feeling crappy because it also affects everyone around me.

 

[mark115]

Grrrr, I hate that taking anti-depressants has such a bad reputation. Some people (myself included) need them to function better. I am not addicted, nor am I a weak willed individual. If you think you need help then you do. Don't pussyfoot around this site and others looking for an easy way out. There usually isn't one.

Sometimes a primary care or family phsyician will prescribe them. However you need to be effectively evaluated and that means a psychiatrist. There is St. John's Wort which can be puchased at any drug store or even Walmart; but depending upon the type and level of your depression it may not work. Also, it can interfere with the absorption rate and effectiveness of other prescription medicines.

I wouldn't worry about addiction to an anti-depressant. I know people in NA that take them with no problem whatsoever.

How is depression detected and treated?


How do men experience depression?


I attribute this to the fact that more men than women, use guns to commit suicide. It's hard to not to die when you put a loaded revolver in your mouth. :frown1:

this is very informative. it almost mathces what i'm experiencing now. but the good thing is i don't feel suicidal (thankfully). again, thanks for the help.