Hi Michelle
I really would stick it out on one medication for a very, very long time. It can take 6 months ... sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. Everyone is different. To keep swapping medications too soon may have kept you feeling ill for this long. Starting a mediciation gives you side effects, coming off them gives you withdrawal effects - so maybe if you're expecting results too soon and then changing from one medication to another will give you side effects, withdrawal effects, side effects, withdrawal effects time after time after time ....... and not allowing your body the chance to let one medication take effect.
During your time on mediciation, seeing results is often not noticeable for a very long time - this is when people make the mistake thinking the meds aren't working then change to another. People often expect to see results in weeks, or at least something - but it doesn't work like that. You often see absolutely nothing, not even a smidgen, for months and months ........ then suddenly things start happening - albeit very, very slowly. During this recovery process you then often find yourself on a roller coaster ride and will often dip very low sometimes for week, followed by feeling slightly ok. Again this is normal. You just have to dig your heels in and just keep going as very slowly this will all begin to level out.
It seriously can take months and months of anguish, disappointment, frustration, disbelieving ........... this is what foxes people into thinking the mediciation isn't working ... but it is, in the background, and it will bring about positive results if you just stick it out. Even when you feel like it's all too much and it isn't working, again just push on through.
I was anxious and depressed for 15 years, and though I didn't know these type of medications would bring about recovery for me, I just carried on taking the meds for months and months and months. Recovery happened so slowly I hardly noticed it.
K x
I stayed on each med for months. I am now on my 8th week of cit. Dr suggested going off all meds. I am afraid to try that. What else did you do to recover? And were u on other meds over the past 15 years? I am bed ridden over the past year
8 weeks is far too early. It could be 4, 5 or even 6 months and sometimes even longer than that before you notice anything. Recovery should be marked in months, not weeks.
I was on no other mediciation. Only SSRI 20mg and did nothing else to recover other than carried on with my life as best I could, even though it was painful to do so. I cried so much, missed work occasionally but made myself go in. I carried on socialising, exercised - even though I dragged myself through it. It was at a dance class once I suddenly realised I felt lighter and had t thought of my illness for the whole hour I'd danced. It was a relevation. From there it still took months, but it slowly got better.
I've been chatting to people on this site, and some are only just noticing changes after 15 weeks. For some, it's even longer.
I'd persevere if I was you - 8 weeks is nothing. What have you got to lose if you continue on these? If you come off these and try something else you'll be in the same boat as you were before. You really need to just keep going - that's what most people here have done and what I did. It's painful, it's tough.
My son had a melt down 18 months ago and it took him 9 months to recover, and he went through hell. He was off work for just over 3 months. I encouraged him to persevere with the treatment, and it paid off.
When I say it takes a long time, it really does. You have to trust in the meds, trust in the time it takes, and just keep on persevering through whatever is thrown at you during recovery. Just keep on and on. The end result is so worth it.
You will not see yourself getting better. There is hardly any progress to monitor. But eventually it'll start to happen.
One mediciation. Time. Lots of time. Perseverance and patience.
K xx
Katecogs that's a great post 😀
My family seems to think that I have gotten worse with each med I've tried
Yes you will, at first. That's a given fact. It gets worse before it gets better. That's another reason people get foxed into thinking the meds aren't working for them, and give up.
These meds aren't like taking antibiotics whereby you see your infection getting better in weeks. They're not like a paracetamol whereby your headaches soothes in hours or a day. SSRI's don't soothe, you get no relief, and as said, you get worse. But ..... that's only in the beginning. In time the meds WILL settle and your body WILL start to even out. Then you will begin to feel the soothing, the worsening effects wear off.
Ask yourself - do you want to stay ill for another 2 years, or take the bull by the horns and try this for the next 6 months? Just think - by the end of the year you could be back to your normal happy self again.
You will have many disappointments along the way on these meds. Everyone does. It'll knock you back time after time, but you just pick yourself up and carry on again and again. Slowly, so very slowly, you'll begin to notice recovery happening - months down the line.
You can do this. Give the meds this year to work. Recovery is there waiting for you xxxx
K xx
Was your anxiety and depression severe? I feel suicidal when I am on these meds. Did you? I can't work for 2 years. I've been on 5 different types of meds and stayed with 2 of them for 6 mo
Yes my anxiety and depression were very severe. Before I started on these meds I'd got to a stage where I just didn't know where to turn next and couldn't carry on with the intense feelings anymore - I was in a bad state and in a very dark place. I've never felt suicidal on the meds though, but did have one desperate moment long before I took the meds..
However my son did. He couldn't cope with the feelings the meds gave him (he was on Fluoxetine) but equally couldn't cope with the anxiety and depression he'd started to suffer from in a few short months. He had suicidal tendencies and he was very frightened, and spent time in bed. He was ill for many months, even when taking his meds, and just when I began to think they weren't working for him around the 6 month mark, I started noticing him being chirpier, then one day heard him whistling and singing, and I knew the meds had finally started to kick in. The months that followed he got better and better and is today back to his happy self again.
The meds can give you suicidal tendencies - if you feel that way you need to speak to someone. It will pass in time, but you do need to speak someone if you feel that way.
It also helps to get the dose just right too. Everyone suits a different dose - some finding too high a dose makes them feel terrible, whereby some thrive better on a high dose.
I know you've not worked for 2 years, but it helps to heal you if you can get out of the house daily. Fresh air, walking, being with others and being occupied whilst you wait to heal helps so much. Exercise helps burn excess adrenaline. It's hard, but giving yourself that extra push helps.
My son went back to work after 3 months off, and he struggled badly. During the time he was off work, we got him out daily for walks or cycling. He saw nothing when out as all his concentration was just looking at the ground ... but we continued getting him out. He joined a badminton group and 2 music groups - something quite difficult for him as he finds socialising hard. But, today he's still with the music groups and plays 2 instruments quite well now and is more comfortable socialising now. It was very hard for him, and will never be the life and soul of the party, but he's come a long way.
K xx
Thanks Don xx
Its such a shame the meds take so long. So many people are unprepared for this and for what to expect throughout too. I'm sure though that with medical advances, there'll come a time when treatment will get even better, and simpler, than it already is.
😊❤️
K xx
I try to get out daily but basic things like chores or cooking seem impossible. I am afraid that I will never completely recover and be the same person I was 2 years ago. Like I have treatment resistant depression or something. I am in therapy as well but can't seem to implement what they suggest. They tell me to push into my life and I will recover. Do you think that's true?
That's great you're able to get out, and that you're also having therapy too. Helps to attack from all angles.
It is hard doing chores and cooking - the body never feels willing. However, even here small tasks are better than none. Little goals - small steps. If someone else does the cooking instead, maybe help do a little of it. Yes it's true just pushing that little bit. Sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone. It will feel uncomfortable, and will feel like you can't do these things, you'll no doubt feel tired too, but taking small steps is the way to go.
Im not sure about treatment resistant. When we're ill we over think things, think negatively and and always think the worst. I never thought I'd get better. I couldn't see what on earth could help me. I was proved wrong.
There is hope for everyone. If you give everything you have into recovering, push yourself into doing things little by little (even if you don't feel like it), carry on getting out every day, try and socialise a little, keep taking the meds ...... keep on pushing, on and on, beyond 6 months ..... a year if need to, keep on with the therapy and keep posting on here. Give it everything you've got. It's not easy,
K x