A life without prozac?

[Okami]

I am seriously thinking of asking my GP if I can be a lifelong candidate.

Without it I am just too short tempered, moody AND can't get anything done work wise as I am always ruminating on where the fook I went wrong. Prozac helps me feel normal and gives me confidence that just isn't there when I am not on it.

I would really like to leave DH but need to get myself skilled up so I have a decent life to offer my son, and be a confident positive mother for him. I think I need to be on Prozac to do this at least, and then need to think about what is best for my son after that - how I can be the best mother to him and if that means being on prozac forever, so be it.

[Okami]

I'm a regular, but changed my name (UCM, is that you?? - sorry UCM)

[allgonebellyup]

i know what you mean, i have only been on ADs for a month (is citalopram actually prozac, i dont know!?)but this week i feel so different and confident, i can chat to anyone, and im even smiling a lot. i just wont want to ever come off them if i always feel this good.

sorry to be of no help!

[Okami]

They are all the same type of drug - seratonin reuptake inhibitors, so some such like. I just thank god they are available - so glad I don't have to live like my mother did, now a bitter angry old woman, who is hated as much as she hates.

[Okami]

and don't woryy, don't think I want 'help' - just to know there are people who feel the same out there

[allgonebellyup]

How long have you been on the prozac?

[Okami]

2 years, since I stopped breastfeeding and got PND. Got more done in those two years than in the previous decade!

[fizzbuzz]

I was on it for ages, and others. Have had periods off ad's when life is being kind, but when shit hits, I always go under and back on them again.

I used to worry about being on them for ever, but now I don't care. You get one life, make it as bearable as possible.

Have factored in all stuff like side effects etc, but basically, do not want to feel like crap all the time, so would be quite happy to take them forever

[TotalChaos]

Depending on your history of your periods of depression it may be seen that the risk benefits of you staying on Prozac would be seen as better than the risk of you going off Prozac and having a bad episodre of depression. There will be some more info on this issue somewhere in the Royal College of Psychiatrists website.

[Surfermum]

I'm not on prozac, I'm on Dosulepin - it's a tricyclic which is one of the old style ads. I've been on it for about 7 years this time, and for about 6 years on and off before that. I found that every time I came off it I got ill again. My GP and I decided that I was better off just staying on it, and I'm really pleased I have because I really couldn't have carried on having episodes of being so debilitated by the depression that I couldn't function or work.

It keeps me really well, I get a really good night's sleep and I think at times of stress it offers me some protection about getting low again. I was really worried that I would get PND after having dd, but apart from a slight wobble for a week, I was absolutely fine.

I don't give it a second thought these days. If I were diabetic I would have to have insulin and I don't view this as being any different.

[Okami]

Had a look at the Royal Colledge site and it had a lot of interesting stuff there - especially the stuff about personality disorders. Looking around me, most of my family and DH's family have one - and me too I think; a 'generalised anxiety disorder'.

Anyone know anything about these?