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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mike lynch on September 22, 2006, at 22:20:06
I want to know those of you who feel that if you could go back and decide not to take meds because the problems you took them for, while maybe helped in some ways it made the overall picture worse. And if given the chance you would go back and try other ways. This is not to be confused with the people who believe that, although the meds may have caused problems, they couldn't funciton at all without it -- so they wouldnt' have a choice.
Posted by linkadge on September 23, 2006, at 9:07:38
In reply to One more, a poll, posted by mike lynch on September 22, 2006, at 22:20:06
Obviously I guess you'd expect me to respond. :)
Anyhow, I think that long term meds just made things a lot worse. It started when I was 16ish when I was put on SSRI's. For 5 years I suffered with a horrable quality of sleep, waking up almost every 20 minuates in panic.
Since stopping I have had problems with excessive sleeping, probably my body still trying to catch up.
Other problems persist like: drug induced movement problems, ballance problems, sleeping problems, sexual problems, cognative problems, anhedonia worse that prior to drugs, persistant visual disturbances, speech problems, panic attacks (I never had panic just depression)
I feel that they have dammaged my brain, and stunted my developement.
Going back, I would have first started with intense CBT, and started on omega-3. I just wish sombody had told me about omega-3 back then.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on September 23, 2006, at 9:39:04
In reply to Re: One more, a poll, posted by linkadge on September 23, 2006, at 9:07:38
Link you really think they work? And were they out there then. I feel the same way. Funny my daughter started seroquesl yesterday said she didn't want to end up like me but 30yrs ago the benzos were what they used for panic attacks. And I'm much worse now than before. Love Phillipa
Posted by Guy on September 23, 2006, at 13:16:04
In reply to One more, a poll, posted by mike lynch on September 22, 2006, at 22:20:06
If I were able to rewrite history, I wouldn't touch psych meds with a ten foot pole. Yes, I had anxiety and insomnia before, but nothing compared to what I have now. I have been severely damaged by meds, the worst being a psychological dependence on pills and a profound phobia of not being able to sleep.
Posted by mike lynch on September 23, 2006, at 14:49:39
In reply to Re: One more, a poll, posted by Guy on September 23, 2006, at 13:16:04
I'm curious, how long have you been off drugs completely link, do you think taking amino acids, omega - 3's + abstaining from meds completely would help aid in the healing of your brain. I've done research of mdma addicts who depleted lots of there serotonin, and they were clearn for about a year or 2 and the receptors started growing back. Only thing that really gives me hope, if I'm still like this after a year or 2 of being COMPLETELY off drugs then I haven't a clue what I'll do next - it's just the thought this will eventually all go away that keeps me going. I'm only 18 and my brain hasn't even finished developing so I have no idea.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on September 23, 2006, at 14:55:29
In reply to Re: One more, a poll, posted by Guy on September 23, 2006, at 13:16:04
I have to say that I also think along the lines of Guy and Linkadge.
For me it kicked off when I was 21, and seriously, a good round of CBT and 'healthy living' would have sorted me out.
I honestly regret taking the pills. I spent a year and a half on celexa, being a walking zombie. All I could do was sleep and eat, and I had no abmition or drive or things like that. I regret that immensely.
Healthy living, some herbs, a good bout of exercise are what I live on now, and I'm really well. I need to add in therapy, something i haven't done yet (mainly due to fianical constraints) but I am hoping to try.
I would suggest that if you don't have anything 'super-serious' (for lack of a better word) like schziophrenia, or bipolar, or really really really bad depression then the drugs just aren't worth it.
I dunno. Maybe we live in a 'quick fix' society and just think its easiest to fix things with a pill = no work involved.
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by tensor on September 23, 2006, at 15:46:39
In reply to One more, a poll, posted by mike lynch on September 22, 2006, at 22:20:06
I really needed the AD back then, after six months of suffering remeron pulled me up. I was doing okay with just 15mg of remeron for over two years, no relapses at all. Then i was put in a very stressful environment/life situation and decided to start taking clonazepam. After that it has been 15 different drugs, countless relapses and now i'm back at square one with the difference that the drugs don't work anymore. I can't say it's a decision i regret, i needed it back then and i need it know.
Sometimes i think that the only difference between me and that screaming monkey at the medical research lab is that the monkey doesn't pay for the drugs..
Posted by linkadge on September 23, 2006, at 16:08:04
In reply to recovery, posted by mike lynch on September 23, 2006, at 14:49:39
Some ramblings.......
Don't get me wrong, I do think there is hope.I've been off meds for about 2 (?) years. I stopped zoloft cold turkey, after after being on prozac, paxil, zoloft, celexa, luvox, and many others.
I am feeling much better than I was say 1.5 years ago. I am suprisingly doing better in school, even though the material is harder.There are, of course, still lots of problems, but I am coping.
I could go on forever, but to make a long story short, I think there are much less toxic ways to help deal with depression. No, they may not have you tapdancing on the dinnertable, but they can slowly steer you in the right direction.
Some of these treatments are just "bad paths" to take. They may not mess you up right away, but it an accumulation of their subtle detrimental side effects that eventually make things worse.
In addition, there is only so much energy at the cellular level. When you overload the receptors with ultrabiological levels of neurtransmitter, you tax the functionality of the cells themselves. Eventually, no matter how much you step on the gas pedal, the circutry is working insufciciantly.
The biggest problem is that people want things better "now". They want to get better overnight. Depression doesn't happen overnight, and doesn't recover overnight (although, as we've seen, symptoms can be supressed overnight)I'd like to see more treatments like gepirone and valdoxan. No, they're not going to give you that rapid boost in subjective well-being, but they're less intrusive to the body, and they may be able to slowly stear you back on track.
Sorry for rambling.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on September 23, 2006, at 16:20:09
In reply to Re: One more, a poll, posted by Meri-Tuuli on September 23, 2006, at 14:55:29
Some things to consider, are that there some natural treaments fair well in comparison to pharmacudicals.
SAMe is just too expensive to use in doses necessary to help depression. WTF is with this? Is it that expensive to make or is something else going on.
In canada its like $35 for a month of 200mg/day. At 1600mg/day thats almost $300/month out of your pocket.
I'm willing to bet that 99% of people who would benifit from this cannot afford it.
Side effects, better liver function?
The people who would benifit from it would probably be able to regain a degree of functionality that is just unatainable with pharmacudicals.
Oh well.
Linkadge
Posted by madeline on September 23, 2006, at 20:46:28
In reply to One more, a poll, posted by mike lynch on September 22, 2006, at 22:20:06
I've been on prozac for five+ years, although I think it is finally pooping out on me.
I remember what my life was like before prozac. I remember really not being able to see in color, not tasting food and just crying non-stop. After three weeks on prozac my life came back - well, my life came to me.I'm not saying that drugs are the answer for everyone, but for some they work.
Yes, I would start the medication again without reserve.
Maddie
Posted by jaclinhyde on September 23, 2006, at 21:34:51
In reply to Re: One more, a poll, posted by Meri-Tuuli on September 23, 2006, at 14:55:29
For me Wellbutrin brought back the absolute hell of hypochondria. I would rather be depressed than go through that again. All the SSRI's did me harm in that they wasted my precious time. I knew that the only drugs that I responded to were the MAOI's and yet I let a doctor who had a fear of them convince me to try the 'new and improved' drugs.' And I went through each of them until I finally said NO MORE and found another doctor who understood that serotonin wasn't my problem.
To kind of put a spin on your question Nardil was the first drug that worked and actually saved my life. I am 49 and went on MAOI's when I was in my 20's. I went on to have 3 beautiful boys. If I suddenly found out that all those years on MAOI's put me at serious risk for cancer or what-have-you I would not have altered my drug choice one bit. Why? Because depression can be fatal and panic attacks leave you lifeless so I would be dead if I hadn't have made that choice back in my 20's. In a way I guess I was lucky that the only other drug alternative at that time were the tricyclics (which were like a living hell.) If all the newer drugs had been available then I might not have made my way to the MAOI's soon enough to prevent me from taking my own life.
Sorry to ramble.
Terri
Posted by Declan on September 24, 2006, at 1:26:05
In reply to Re: One more, a poll, posted by jaclinhyde on September 23, 2006, at 21:34:51
We're all different, but for me I would have been much better off without any drugs. Since my main drive was toward some kind of mental change this presents difficulties. Perhaps (if it had been around for me) Traditional Chinese Medicine might have been the best option.
Posted by valene on September 24, 2006, at 7:45:35
In reply to One more, a poll, posted by mike lynch on September 22, 2006, at 22:20:06
If only the benzodiazepines had never been created! I regret with all my heart and soul ever going on this addictive drug and it is too late I believe to ever come off it after 25 years. I think benzos ruin your life. I tried tapering off once and got down to 11mg. valium from 3mg. xanax. It was a living hell for a year slow tapering.
Xanax (or almost any benzo) is the absolute worst drug to taper off since it can still do damage months or years after the drug is no longer in your system. The downregulation of the GABAa receptors is the problem and I think mine are messed up for life now. :-( No GABA = a panicked brain out of control. MY humble opinion. The stuff is poison but I have to take it to have any kind of a "life".
Posted by Declan on September 24, 2006, at 17:02:38
In reply to Re: One more, a poll, posted by valene on September 24, 2006, at 7:45:35
Once you've had drug induced problems the normal sort seem so much more manageable.
Posted by tensor on September 24, 2006, at 17:06:46
In reply to Re: One more, a poll » valene, posted by Declan on September 24, 2006, at 17:02:38
This is the end of the thread.
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