Author Brit Posted February 5, 2013 Author Posted February 5, 2013 I am sitting here just now, and for the first time, am actually seeing/feeling that I am completely stoned..waaay stoned..still from the benzos last night....like a stupor. And before when not realizing it, I was mistaking it for being leadened. You all do not know how much you have helped me! 1
Coping Vortex Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 I tried several anti depressants and I couldn't take the side affects. I only gave them a few days but I just couldn't function. I have been trying to get over this BU without them but I wish I could have tolerated the side effects as its been hard without meds.
Els Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 Did the same doctor prescribe all THREE of these for you: benzo, SSRI and amphetamine? I can't honestly think of why any medical professional would do that. You shouldn't be taking alcohol with a SSRI.
KathyM Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 Please continue taking the meds as your psychiatrist prescribed. It often takes four to six weeks for the medication to start taking effect, and during that time, you will experience side effects, like nausea, but the side effects should subside after your body adjusts to the medication. Please do not let the side effects deter you from taking the medication. You will start feeling better, but it may take four to six weeks. Also, I hope you are getting psychotherapy for your depression. Psychotherapy has been shown to be equally as effective as medication in treating depression, and has more long term results. You should be doing both psychotherapy weekly as well as taking the medication. Severe depression requires both therapy and medication. If you can manage to get out of the house and go for a short walk once a day, that will also help your depression, because it causes your body to produce endorphines that elevate your mood. A change in diet adding more fish and reducing refined sugar intake is also helpful.
Author Brit Posted February 5, 2013 Author Posted February 5, 2013 I am going to continue to take, but start tapering off the Benzo....took me some time to figure out, but it is the little culprit that is keeping me overly sedated well into the day....zombie like.
KathyM Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 I am going to continue to take, but start tapering off the Benzo....took me some time to figure out, but it is the little culprit that is keeping me overly sedated well into the day....zombie like. Please do not alter or reduce your medication on your own. You need the advice of a psychiatrist and his permission before changing any medication. Trust him to know and do what is in your best interests to treat the illness. It's possible he will alter the medication at some point, but do not make these decisions yourself. Those decisions need to come from him. Please call him, and also ask for a referal to a psychotherapist who can provide the therapy you will also need to overcome this. A medical doctor, if that is who you have been getting the prescription from, is not knowledgeable enough about psychological illnesses. You need both a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist to help you through this.
Divasu Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 Agree with KathyM, tapering off the medications isn't really something you should be experiementing with yourself --moreso for the benzodiazepine and amphetamine. The Detoxification should include lab work and vitals are performed FIRST, your prior dosages taken into consideration and the tapering off schedule is adjusted accordingly... You can go into seizure, mania, very dangerous stuff ESPECIALLY if you'd had it in your system for a prolonged period of time. Not to mention, the withdrawl effects from benzos are documented to be worse than heroine withdrawl and can last for YEARS. Again, this is all dependant on the dosage you are taking, how often, and for how long... Same with the amphetamine... The antidepressant, if you decide you don't want to take it, you can gradually taper off of. The withdrawl symptoms are less severe due to its half life (but I wouldn't recommend it without checking with your doctor first). On a side note, don't always trust your doctor to be prescribing the correct medications. Xanax has become a favorite of theirs to prescribe, and it is one of the most toxic medications out there for potential abuse and addiction. Do a little due diligence.
stevie_23 Posted February 6, 2013 Posted February 6, 2013 When I went on my anti-depressants, I asked the doctor specifically if they’d make me a “zombie” and change my personality. I said I didn’t want that. He assured me no, it wouldn’t happen, and it definitely hasn’t. I’m exactly the same as I always was, but my thoughts just don’t circle compulsively anymore and I’m a bit more relaxed and less acutely sad and horrid-feeling. To the poster who couldn’t tolerate the side effects after a few days and stopped taking the pills, I’d consult your doctor again. Seriously, you CAN find meds that will help you and won’t affect you so severely. I know it’s hard to keep trying and feeling crap in the meantime, but try to keep at it. Ideally, the meds don’t really kick in (in terms of what they’re supposed to do) for 2-6 weeks, and the first few weeks are the hardest in terms of side effects, while they stabilise in your system.
stevie_23 Posted February 6, 2013 Posted February 6, 2013 On a side note, don't always trust your doctor to be prescribing the correct medications. Xanax has become a favorite of theirs to prescribe, and it is one of the most toxic medications out there for potential abuse and addiction. Do a little due diligence. One of my friends online has been taking Xanax for many years, as he used to get panic attacks and major anxiety. He’s very intelligent and educated on various things, and he has tapered right down to having a fraction of the recommended dosage each day. He says the amount he has now is probably nothing more than a placebo but he still feels good taking it, so it works for him.
Els Posted February 6, 2013 Posted February 6, 2013 You need to TALK to your doctor about ALL the meds you are taking and the problems you are having with them, instead of just deciding what to do with them of your own accord!
Feelin Frisky Posted February 6, 2013 Posted February 6, 2013 Hi Brit. I have 20 years of experience with anti-depressants and I'm very happy what they have done for me. But finding the right one or mixture of two or more is something the patient has to be vigilant in. I here red flags when you said the doctor is giving you amphetamines and benzodiazepines though. Those are the medications that the newer class called the SSRIs were developed to get rid of. Of course an amphetamine is going to give you a boost and probably make you want to work hard at everything, but the drawback is sleeplessness. That's when they give you the sedative--the benzo--to calm you back down. It becomes impossible to gauge the very subtle effects of various SSRIs and other neurotransmitter drugs that effect things like norepinephrine and gaba-aminobutyric acid. Those are the true chemical component of the brain which if not tuned in good range result in depression and other maladies. Those drugs don't have any abuse potential and are not addictive whereas the the amphetamines and benzos do have addition and abuse issues, I have had problems with them and need hospital rehab to get off of them. If you are not already addicted, I urge seeing a different psychiatrist and expect the therapy to take a long time and be very subtle. The objective is for you to like how you are handling things and being proud that you're not a crab or a manic nut. Those other drugs are like sledge-hammers by comparison which mask any chance of you being able to know when you have a safe and productive medical regimen. Please don't let a malpracticing shrink give you the wrong impression as well as experiences that can hide the good truth about modern medicine from you. Best o luck.
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