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Mental health

Do you think Prozac could help me?

83 replies

StifflersMom · 11/06/2007 09:10

A very me-me-me post sorry and also a v.regular with a namechange.

I was wondering if people in the know could advise me as to whether they think Prozac could help me.

I have never gone down the anti-depressant route although have often wondered, in recent times, whether I should. I am not sure if I am classically depressed. I am under a lot of stess and have definite anxiety issues and have having counselling with my partner which is helpful in lots of ways but it hasn't yet done anything to help with the anxiety.

The way I feel much of the time has come about due to a large combination of v.stressful family circumstances, most of which are long term; I can't change and have to deal with as best I can. But I feel I CAN do something about the way I feel; I don't have to feel this anxious most of the time surely. It's got to stage where something triggers me off, I feel physically ill, (bad stomach etc) and half the time I can't tell whether the acute anxiety feeling is justified all not. Sometimes it is obviously, but sometimes it most definitely isn't. For instance I can read a thread on here when just lurking (more often than not in the Relationships section) particularly if its about something similar to the issue DP and I have had (but we are getting counselling for those and our relationship is for the most part a positive one although we are both suffering from long term stress and our past/present issues are by-products of this I - and the counsellor - feels), and I will have triggered myself off into another horrid day of anxiety.

And then there's the chronix anxiousness which most days I wake up with. I can wake up feeling fairely relazed.. and then whoosh the anxiety swoops into my stomach as my brain kicks in.. it's like a big fist clamping my insides tightly and not letting go.

I was talking to a friend who had been on Prozac during a VERY stressful period in her life (her child was having chemo) and she said it didn't make her feeling "uncaring" or "dopey" or "falsely happy" (these were my concerns about taking it!) but instead made her feel, overall, calm. (Which sounds lovely; I would love to feel calm!). She said other side effects were that she seemed to need less sleep and less food (which sound like bonuses to me!) and that her mouth was a little dry but only for the first few days. Obviously the main stressor was still stressful and horrid, but the calmness helped her deal so much better with the day-to-day stuff which has become so difficul for her.

I didn't really want to go down the anti d route.. am not even sure if am classically depressed and/or if my GP will give it to me. I went last year about my anxiety; he gave me a questionnaire which seemed to indicate I was not depressed, "just anxious" but things - and time - have moved on - and I do feel down a lot of the time I suppose the difference being from someone who is depressed is that I can "snap myself out of it" after a few days before something triggers me off again. (The "down" feelings seems to follow the anxiety") and back it all comes. I did discuss tranquilisors (valium?) with the GP.. but he I don't want to/can't feel "out of it" in any way.. plus I need to drive everywhere constantly!

I would so love to feel "calm". I know nothing can take away the main stressors in my life but if I could approach them from a calmer perspective I can see only positives; for me, DP and my children.

I know this is a bit long (sorry) but can people with some thoughts about prozac/anixiety/depression please take a few moments to share them with me? Thanks lots.

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Boco · 11/06/2007 09:24

Sorry you're feeling like this SM. I've had lots of experience of different anti-ds - not personally but my dp has suffered from depression and anxiety, and as he's had bad reactions to some of them, we've become very familiar with many different drug treatments.

It does sound like anxiety rather than depression, but being in that state leaves you feeling down, so its a bit chicken and egg. For anxiety, i'd say citalopram is the best (in dps experience) - its specifically for anxiety, i've known a couple of people to take it and for it to have huge benefit.

However, if you do go down this route, i think you need to fix the problem too - rather than just treat the symptoms. You said you've had counselling - dp found that counselling could sometimes stir up anxiety without actually helping it. For some its great, but i think if you need to change the way you're feeling, something like cbt or cat would be good, it helps you to understand why you're feeling like this, and rather than try to supress it , which makes you feel worse, gives you strategies for changing it.

For dp, cat (cognitive analytic therapy) was amazing, he still has follow ups, but he's so much calmer now, calmer than me - and deals with stress so much better than before.

In your situation, maybe it would be an idea to take a short, low dosage of citalopram to give you the ability to then tackle it with cbt or cat.

Good luck, anxiety is horrible and i hope something works for you soon xx