Can I simply be prescribed Antidepressants?

[BlondieLoxie]

Hi there.
I suffer bad with anxiety and I suspect that I suffer with mild depression too.

I've been on the waiting list for counselling for way too long. It's beginning to impact my everyday life and I need a quick fix until my counselling is available.

Will the doctors prescribe this?

Thanks

[MissKatieVictoria]

It took me 10 years to actually get prescribed one that made any difference, i went through about 5 different ones before moving from an SSRI to TCA, which has about 60 side effects, but the difference was incredible.

[TolpuddleFarterOATB]

I had bad anxiety, and intrusive thoughts at the beginning of the year. I was prescribed fluoxetine (Prozac) and it has changed my life for the good. I don't' think I'd realised how anxious I was until I've spent time living without anxiety.

My libido has increased, btw, so it's not always a worry. And I don't get brain fog, in fact I've read and taken in much more since I've been on the tablets. The only downside I see is I can't see me ever wanting to give them up now, not in an addictive sense, but I don't want to lose the positive changes that have occurred.

[PacificDogwod]

Sorry, Agomelatine

[PacificDogwod]

Valdoxan is algomelatine and very much a 2nd or even 3rd line treatment for depression/anxiety, IME would be prescribed by psychiatrists if other options have been tried and failed.

[stopfuckingshoutingatme]

Op why not find a thread here with similarity affected folk ? They can advise what to ask for . Mn can be very useful this way.

Also if you have been though women's aid I am guessing you have had some bad experiences

Onwards op - you can get through this and I hope you get helped

[MorrisZapp]

Tyrion, that's interesting what you say about a quick fix. Do you mean valium etc? I get these for occasional sleeping issues and they literally chill me out in about one hour, but the effect isn't ongoing. They're highly addictive so mostly for short term use.

Have you taken them longer term?

[littleprincesssara]

Valdoxan is a non-SSRI anti-depressant that works much faster than SSRIs and is known for its relative lack of side effects. Some people get great results on it, some don't. It's relatively new and some GPs have never heard of it.

[TyrionLannisterforKing]

OP, I have been taking anti depressants since I was eight years old (talk about issues...) so I am unable to give a statement regarding the state of my libido while taking them, besides the fact that it is very much there.

Like people said, they are not a quick-fix and not only it takes a while to find the correct dosage, it might take a while to find the right medication, too. I am currently on my fourth antidepressant (escitalopram), which has been recently adjusted because of the removal of a mood stabilizer.

Anyway...

The only quick fix I know is in the class of benzodiazepines, which I believe are harder to get and rightly so. Don't go there unless you must.

Antidepressants can be a great aid, and I find they work better along with therapy. So, if you are interested, go ahead, but once your name is called from the waiting list, give therapy a try.

[mygorgeousmilo]

A very very close friend of mine, the very closest - experienced what you have described. The anxiety and then feeling absolutely nothing. She also worried that she wasn't able to parent properly whilst feeling his way. After much tweaking of doses she is now like a different person, so consistent and motivated, has a lovely relationship with her kids. My point is, it won't be a quick fix, but maybe starting on a low dose and seeing how it goes, really could help you in such incredible ways. I know people are often wary of taking medication, but most of us would take whatever was available if faced with cancer or HIV or something... It's no different really, your mental and emotional health is so important. Speak to your GP and see if they agree to start on a low dose

[AdaLovelacesCat]

True, Zapp, i did not mind not feeling horny.
But when I tried to stop taking them , I was left with the female equivalent of a permanant stiffie. It was not fun.

[MorrisZapp]

I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that anybody who won't take ADs in case of effect on libido almost certainly doesn't need the ADs anyway.

Ssri medication saved my life. They're not perfect, there are downsides. But being alive for my son and feeling like myself again are such a huge upside that the cons barely register.

[PacificDogwod]

SSRIs can have an effect on libido/ability to orgasm.
Depression can have an effect on libido/ability to orgasm.

Varies wildly from person to person, and from AD to AD. And sometimes even from episode to episode of depression in the same person.


You'll not know until you've tried.

[needakick000]

sorry about typos

[needakick000]

I started taking them after my husband walked out on my, completely out of the blue. I didn't sleep, couldn't eat and felt anxious all the time to the extent that I had mild panic attacks. I had not history of anxiety whatsoever. I am now having some private counselling too but the antidepressants help me to get trough solicitors and bank appointments as I can now actually think straight. I am on a very low dose and they just about take the edge off. I still feel emotions.

I know everyone is different but for me they certainly have been a life saver, and I was apprehensive at the beginning when my gp suggested them.

[mrsspratt]

I take Citalopram for anxiety and depression and have found them to be very effective. For me, it took 2 weeks until they started to have an effect.
Everyone is different some people do have side-effects but not all.
If you are struggling to cope please go and talk to your GP. You don't have to live with debilitating anxiety.

[HeirOfNothingInParticular]

I was prescribed AD's last year at a time when I was struggling with my DHs life threatening diagnosis, and also very unhelpful work. A colleague who I respect very much, and is a mental health professional, suggested that I consider taking a course of AD's, which I did. I'm not really sure how I got along with them... I have tapered myself off them for the last month. I think that whilst I was taking them I had a bit of brain fog going on, but it's hard to explain. I decided to come off a few weeks ago, but no real help from GP, Luckily for me I have another colleague who is a practicing mental health nurse, and they were able to give me some really good advice about tapering off. I think back and wish I had never taken ADs, but perhaps they were the best course for me at the time.

[echelon]

Ada
I think that's quite a generalisation. Those are side effects that affect some people. Not all.

I have been on SSRIs for 12 years and I accept that I need to be on them, some people do, unfortunately.

I am able to orgasm and my libido isn't affected much.

[Blue2014]

There's an antidepressant that can be prescribed for anxiety as well, I forget what it's called but maybe ask for that?

[MothersGrim]

I had bad anxiety and the doctor prescribed me beta blockers, as an alternative to anti-depressants.

I've also had anti-depressants had have nothing but wonderful things to say about them Placebo or not I didn't have any adverse effects and I was not on them long term.

I always feel better after talking to my doctor about how I am feeling. I don't notice it at the time but it is always a turning point in my recovery. I was reading a Woo thread on here and advice is to turn and say to your ghost "You are not welcome, go away". I wonder if seeing the GP is my non-woo fix for depression!

[LittleMissUpset]

I'm glad you are going to speak to your doctor.

I found counseling helped but it wasn't enough, I've been offered anti depressants in the past but wanted to try counseling, but when I said I wanted to go on them it wasn't a problem.

I'm on my second type, first ones I only took one, and it wasn't for me, so I rang the doctors and they gave me another one straight away, so don't worry if you need to do this, I'm nearly 3 weeks in and am starting to notice a slight difference. My anxiety was worse to start with, but the side effects are wearing off now.

I would quite happily take them forever if I need too, as I am finally sleeping properly and have an appetite, so it's worth it for me!

[BuonoEstente]

I should add I'm also waiting for therapy again so they act as a stop gap for me. Just takes the edge off until you can see someone to get to the root of the one of many problems

[BuonoEstente]

AD's here for the last 4 months. My libido has improved as a result of not being so anxious/depressed. However experiences vary as can be seen in earlier posts. No harm in trying - can always stop taking them (with a doctors advice).

[PacificDogwod]

ADs are one of the available tools in the tool box to treat depression and anxiety.
As is counselling.

There is good evidence that both work, either one or them alone, or ideally both.
What will work for you is impossible to predict and you'd really need to try an AD to find out what it can do for you.

From what you are prescribing, it sounds worth a trial to me.
They take a minimum of 2-3 weeks to do anything positive for you (you may feel nauseated in the first few days, some ADs can make anxiety worse before it gets better) and more like 4 to 8 weeks before they are fully effective.

[AdaLovelacesCat]

Fair enough margaretcavendish. I found myself unable to orgasm. But as you say, that could be a reasonable trade off.

[Girliefriendlikesflowers]

Anti depressants are not for every one and come with side effects, I was prescribed them for anxiety and they made me seriously unwell (fluoxetine) I only took 2 tablets but it took me months to recover mentally and physically.

I found the book Panicking about Panic by Josh Fletcher as helpful as anything for tackling anxiety and also had counselling which was valuable.