has anyone else been on meds for as long as me?

[taralee]

Hi I've changed my name for this post. I've been on anti-depressants for 11 years. I had a major depressive episode 11 years ago (I was hospitalised) than had another not quite as severe when I was pregnant with dd1 9 years ago.
I've twice tried coming off the pills but have chickened out as soon as I started to feel a little 'off' (which my have been in my headbut I will never know!).
The psychiatrist i see (veryu occasionally as I am functioning fine) thinks I should probably stay on them permanently. Of course the media and other people are so disapproving of pils that i constantly feel I should be trying to come of them. People seem to see them as shaming (on mumsnet anyway).
There is a fair but of mental illness in my family which is a major reason why the shrink has concerns for my longterm health. Plus I am my family's main breadwinner. Actually it's because of the latter I stay on the pills really. I feel I can't afford to take a risk. Maybe I'll enver know if I could function without them.
However I feel pretty fine most of the time - maybe beacuse I'm recovered but maybe because of the pills.
Anyway i wonderd of anyone else has been on anti-depressants for a long time?

On them on and off over the last 13 years for OCD and depression. Like you a psychiatrist eventually recommended I stay on them long-term due to previous history of relapses. Do what you think is best for you and your family - sod what anyone else thinks (other than appropriately trained health professionals!).

I have been on ADs most of the last eight or nine years (and also before I had my children). My GP says regard them as permanent. Several times I have tried to come off them, very gradually. But my mood always drops.

I hate being on them long-term, but I am beginning to come round to my GP's way of thinking.

so have been on Prozac since Dec 03.

Same here...prozac on and off since June 03. Always had major crashes when coming off them so my GP has told me to regard them as permenant too.

Thanks for your replies. It's still one of those things people don't talk about. Fopr all I know serveral of my colleagues may be on meds. And even some family memebers. Doubt they would admit it thjough. So thanks to Mumsnet for making me feel less freaky!

Wormhole tboht times I tried to come off the pills I did ok for the first few weeks after very slowly lowering the dose. And then things would just start to go a bit wrong. My husband would notice my mood swings..as would the kids. Bother!
You just have to pray they aren't doing the old grey cells any long term harm....

I have been on ad's for 7 and a half years
cant see me ever being off them

they have given me my life back

I have been on and off them for 25 years. I am off at the moment and i have taken a nose-dive

i've been on citalopram since 1995 for panic disorder i plummet within a couple of weeks when i taper off so haven't even tried for the last 10 years.

Just wanted to say my mum has been on AD's for nearly 30 years (lithium + SSRI). She has been hospitalised for several months about 3 times in her life, last time when she decided to come off them (because she felt it was 'wrong' for her to be on them for life). She was embarrassed and always said she would much rather have a physical health problem, because of all the stigma around mental health problems. But she has now resigned herself I think to the fact she needs them and is really well. (And we all need her too much to risk her not taking them - which is I'm sure what your family feel too)

Take care.

on ads for much of last 12 years, after classic breakdown in final year at college. after about 6 years a new GP said 'i never really believed in seasonal depression, but you've blatantly got it' - it's only in winter it gets bad. with therapy and life adjustments like using subtitles on tv and help from access to work, it's now at a level where there may be a couple days in october i take off work, but then the pills kick in.

although this year i have a two week old and it's october tomorrow. have already checkefd and my ads are fine to bf with, so will take if necessary.