Posted by triedit on August 18, 2001, at 22:25:22
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by Cam W. on April 12, 2000, at 19:27:33
Hi All-- Here is my story. In 1987 I was diagnosed bipolar and put on Lithium and Xanax. Lithium is a salt, NOT a narcotic, by the way. Anyway, it crystalized in my gall bladder and I had to have surgery. A few years later I divorced my alcoholic abusive husband and voila! No more anxiety, depression, or mania. I credit psychotherapy.
Four years later I had a bout of real chemical depression. My (new) doctor put me on prozac and I felt amazing. I quit smoking, lost 100 pounds (which I desperately needed to do) and it was amazing. Until I realized the prozac was causing anorexia and that is why I was losing the weight. The doc took me off the prozac and I did well on nothing at all for about 3 years. Again, I credit the therapy because I learned what depression is and what the warning signs are and what I can do.
Then I injured my back and the doctor put me on Morphine or something (I dont even remember what, but it knocked me WAY out for a LONG time) and when I finally convinced the Workers Compensation folks I needed another doctor, the new doc put me of Vioxx and Xanax and Paxil. Yep all at once. I had to have the vioxx to get out of bed. I took the xanax for about a week then stopped it. About three weeks later I forgot my dose of Paxil. I ended up in the ER needing CT scans because I had no short-term memory whatsoever. My fiance was terrified. I knew who he was and where we were but I couldnt even remember the drive to the hospital. Needless to say I never took another dose.
Last month one of our dear friends, starting his third week of Paxil, suddenly pulled his car off the road and jumped off a highway bridge, killing himself.
I had a baby in February and the post-partum depression really was tough. But because I knew what it was, I survived. Well Im now tired of just surviving. I know what feeling 'right' feels like and this isnt it. So yesterday I started the Effexor XR. Already I'm tired and weak, but I know that psych meds will pretty much all do that for awhile. So I will stick to it because I don't want to feel grouchy and anxious and scared all the time.SOooooo...In My Humble Opion....
Don't take any psych meds without first going to therapy UNLESS you are in a dangerous place (wanting to hurt yourself or others)
Don't start or stop or alter doses AT ALL without talking to your doctor.
Don't take anything--I mean not even advil--without talking to at least your pharmacist about interaction.
Don't give up
Don't blame anyone or anything--just get what you need for you and grow
Don't let yourself feel inadequate or stupid or ugly or whatever because you have to take drugs. Diabetic need drugs and depression is a chemical problem too!Ok that's all for me.
Robin
poster:triedit
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75544.html