Do many of you who have been off of the pills successfully for a while take anti-depressents? The physical symptoms have gotten a bit better for me, finally but I think it must just be my mind waking up now. I still can't sleep and I lay in bed from about 3 in the morning on and just think. I feel so worried about everything. I do have a lot going on right now regarding my parents care. Is this part of the healing process? I am not craving pills at all....just stressing about every little thing. It is like I dont have good control over my emotions and I am depressed. I just wondered if this is a normal part of withdrawl and if it is how long does it last? I must have been numb for the last year straight. L
I've been clean since 9-11-05. To be honest, it was rough for me for quite a while. Don't get me wrong even my worst day was better then any day when I was using pain meds. But in June I asked my doctor to put me on an anti-depressent. He put me on 20mg of celexa. From what I understand this is a fairly low dosage. And it's no miracle drug but I have noticed that for the most part I feel more in control of my moods and emotions. There aren't as many highs and lows. Of course, I still have my rough days but not as many and I usually just feel more evened out. I would say to you that getting on a mild a/d but not be a bad idea. Let us know how it works out for you. Good luck.
Shelly
Shelly
I have never been a pain pill user (other than Ibuprofen), my daughter is the user, but both of us benefit from antidepressants. She is on Zoloft and Celexa and I'm on Zoloft and we both feel better for taking them. (She is in chronic pain and has done everything possible to get off pills, but there's no answer for her. She is currently on fentynl patches along with the anti-depressants. The difference for me is night and day. My husband is so much happier when I'm taking Zoloft than when I'm not, and so am I. I'd do a free commercial for that drug.
Hi LLH, i have taken Prozac (for depression), hydroxyzine (for anxiety), Trileptal (a mood stabilizer), and Cymbalta (for depression) during my recovery. I think depression is a big part of recovery - I was really down during my recoveries. Good luck to you!!
Are you still taking them or did you just take it during recovery, and how do you feel now? How long has it been? I worry that my own brain chemistry won't straighten out if I put something artificial in it.
LLh
Im on Wellbutrin, and have been since i stopped taking them..im on the strongest slow dissolving one...( white)
Personally, I amnever sure if they help...at least 4 times i stopped taking them, and then 10-14 days later feel horrible and depressed and sad, and go to my Dr and then get heck for stopping them..so i go back on them..
I dont always stop on purpose but sometimes i forget to take it for 2 - 3 days and then think what the hay..i probably dont need them anymore...
I am also taking 5-HTP to make my brain make its own serotonin..so should i stop again i should probably bump that dose up, which is what the Naturopath suggested..
A
Im on Wellbutrin, and have been since i stopped taking them..im on the strongest slow dissolving one...( white)
Personally, I amnever sure if they help...at least 4 times i stopped taking them, and then 10-14 days later feel horrible and depressed and sad, and go to my Dr and then get heck for stopping them..so i go back on them..
I dont always stop on purpose but sometimes i forget to take it for 2 - 3 days and then think what the hay..i probably dont need them anymore...
I am also taking 5-HTP to make my brain make its own serotonin..so should i stop again i should probably bump that dose up, which is what the Naturopath suggested..
A
llh, For me early on in my recovery I would wake up in the middle of the night and worry about everything. I had made such a mess of my life during the 5 years of using that once I got clean my mind was racing a mile a minute. It wasn't until I started counseling and started cleaning up the mess I had caused and made my amends that I started to sleep well. I have been on wellbutrin, lexapro, prozac and one other one but didn't like the way I felt on them. I hope you find something that helps. Hang in there. Shantel
llh..I found out that after being clean for a little while, I wasn't depressed. It was the pills and withdrawals that made me depressed. I could never figure out why anti-d's didn't work for me. It's because the depression was medically induced. I've never had a problem with depression since. I think if you give yourself some time, while taking care of yourself emotionally, you'll find that you don't need all that crap.
Were you guys still doing the wake up thing after a month? That is a perfect description, I wake up and can't shut my mind off and then by the time I get up I am depressed. It seems to linger all morning like a dark could and then I feel a little better in the afternoon. I hope it is just a symptom of my brain trying to get back to normal.
So ali....5htp is okay to take with prozac? Which one is it you aren't supposed to take if you are on antidepressants? St. John's wart?
The dark cloud lifted for me when I got my butt back to meetings and started sharing with people how I was feeling. Knowing that I wasn't alone helped too. I'm sorry, I don't remember how long you've been clean?
Lisa stated:
" I could never figure out why anti-d's didn't work for me. It's because the depression was medically induced."
I think this is a very important comment. As mentioned in a previous post, the St.John's Wort did nothing for me and I was told it was most likely that I did not have the chemical need for it (certainly had the mental need). It is a drug that is way over prescribed. If people only gave themselves the TIME to ward off depression, they'd be fine. Time was what worked for me. Instead too many are given in too quickly and so when they come out of their funk they think its they a/d. But now they just have a new pill to deal with in their body.
Anyone considering the a/d route, Id whole heartedly suggest you give nature a chance first. I believe for some instances there are blood tests to determine - is that correct?
Now I have relatives who benefit greatly from anti-depressants and I whole heartedly believe in their use WHEN it is correctly prescribed.
I am in full support of those who need an a/d and get results from them.
" I could never figure out why anti-d's didn't work for me. It's because the depression was medically induced."
I think this is a very important comment. As mentioned in a previous post, the St.John's Wort did nothing for me and I was told it was most likely that I did not have the chemical need for it (certainly had the mental need). It is a drug that is way over prescribed. If people only gave themselves the TIME to ward off depression, they'd be fine. Time was what worked for me. Instead too many are given in too quickly and so when they come out of their funk they think its they a/d. But now they just have a new pill to deal with in their body.
Anyone considering the a/d route, Id whole heartedly suggest you give nature a chance first. I believe for some instances there are blood tests to determine - is that correct?
Now I have relatives who benefit greatly from anti-depressants and I whole heartedly believe in their use WHEN it is correctly prescribed.
I am in full support of those who need an a/d and get results from them.
As long as it will go away, I am sure I can ride it out. I bet one of these nights I will sleep and everything will look a little rosier. It has been 35 days today : )
L
The problem with starting an antidepressant is that eventually you may want to get off of it and then you have w/d again which is what Ali described...depression and feeling horrible. And if they don't do anything because you are having withdrawal depression and not clinical depression you will still have that feeling of discomfort coming off of them. Doctor's will tell you they are not addictive but do they tell you that you will feel like crap if you want to stop? No. If I were you I would wait 6 months or so and see how you feel then. As far as insomnia goes, it's all part of the joys of withdrawal. It will pass if you don't start taking sleeping pills. It takes time. Get some melatonin, stay away from caffiene and energy drinks. Give you body time to heal before you introduce more medicine into your system.
The problem with starting an antidepressant is that eventually you may want to get off of it and then you have w/d again which is what Ali described...depression and feeling horrible. And if they don't do anything because you are having withdrawal depression and not clinical depression you will still have that feeling of discomfort coming off of them. Doctor's will tell you they are not addictive but do they tell you that you will feel like crap if you want to stop? No. If I were you I would wait 6 months or so and see how you feel then. As far as insomnia goes, it's all part of the joys of withdrawal. It will pass if you don't start taking sleeping pills. It takes time. Get some melatonin, stay away from caffiene and energy drinks. Give you body time to heal before you introduce more medicine into your system.
Thanks for your insights on antidepressant meds. The depression is the pits right now and many have recommended a/ds . I just can not see changing my brain chemistry (again) without taking at least 4-6 months to see if they are needed. If I am experiencing PAWS right now it seems best to wait.
-Gentlepeace
-Gentlepeace
I just started taking lexapro last week. I know I should have waited to see what my brain chemistry is before starting them but I just cannot. I also wake up every night...after about 2 hours of sleep, regardless of what time I go to bed. It is by far the worst part of this. I try so hard to relax all my muscles and within 1 minute every single one of them is tense. I have 3 or 4 different songs going through my head (all of which I hate) and I know the baby will wake up any time!!!!!
Someday it will be spring and we'll be sleeping better and have a reason to go outside!
Someday it will be spring and we'll be sleeping better and have a reason to go outside!
Cici, how long have you been off the pills? You still aren't sleeping? How is the lexapro working? Have you noticed a difference yet? I am just exhasted today I need some sleep.
I've only been off for 2 weeks...I had a slip in the middle (one day) though. My most depressed moments are when I first wake up...almost like a panic (like when my father died and it was a new realization each time I woke up).
I haven't noticed a change from the lexapro yet. In fact...I've found that it makes me a little tired so I have to take it in the evening. Not tired enough to sleep though. I have to add that I think I may have post partum anxiety and a little depression. I was a mess right after my baby was born.
I have found myself happy at moments for no apparent reason and that's a great feeling.
Good luck to you.
I haven't noticed a change from the lexapro yet. In fact...I've found that it makes me a little tired so I have to take it in the evening. Not tired enough to sleep though. I have to add that I think I may have post partum anxiety and a little depression. I was a mess right after my baby was born.
I have found myself happy at moments for no apparent reason and that's a great feeling.
Good luck to you.
Also, have you asked your dr. about Trazadone for sleep?
do you take trazadone? My Dr. mentioned it, but I don't know anything about it. My doc is really into ambien. He thinks it is a really clean drug, non narcotic. He said the weird stories you hear are not from people who are taking it as prescribed. He also said you want to be in bed when you take it, not walking around.
