meds

[ruby10]

Hi
I am suffering from an ongoing depression and anxiety. I have been treated in the past with anti deps but find that i am unable to function most of the time on them as they make me feel too subdued. So I manage without. However i am finding that I have extreme plunges of mood linked to anxiety which are making my life really difficult. I went to my doctor and she refused to give me any diazapam. I have tried councelling but that hasn;t been effective. I am a coper generally but now and again i just feel i could do with something to help me thru for a day. I can't go back to the doctor as she wasn't helpful. My homelife is being affected and I am wondering what I should do now.

Any advise would be welcome

[JFN]

You are welcome :) Hope the best for you.

JFN

[Franky32]

I find .5mg Klonopin in the AM & PM helps a lot. Switched from Xanax several years ago.

[ruby10]

Thanks for all your replies. They were really helpful. Might try some of the natural methods as have tried lost of meds and really need to try and take control of my life. I was wondering if someone would come back and say pull yourself together as thats what i mostly get at home!!

As for seeing a psychiatrist, I think if I do then my husband might try and use this as some sort of leverage to take my children away. I am going to try and get on a Cognative Therapy program tho. Unfortunately me and my husband have now split up because he just can't cope with my ups and downs. I am a perfectly good mum and love my children, because I have been feeling down my husband has taken over doing everything which has been good in some ways but now i realise that it has made me feel worthless and unneccessary. Since he left I have coped fine and been able to spend some time with my children and have really enjoyed it. Also my depression has lifted somewhat......

There is a very complicated story around why I am depressed so won't go into it. I wanted to try and move on so i started University which has been a lifeline to me. I am getting out of the house and doing something worthwhile and at the end i can get a better job.

So I will look into the food and natural remedies and try and do more outside activities and hopefully I will feel better.

Its been really good to get so many replies and so Thanks to you all

Ruby10

[Hensley258]

Kind of strange how your doc would not prescribe you either Xanax or Diazapam for the anxiety. Most regular doctors will prescribe that stuff like pez candy and not think twice about it.

Honestly, while Xanax or Valium (Diazapam) are fine short term anti-anxiety meds, they really are only a temporary band aid. Reason is that they have such a short half life and are not good for long term usage like a good antidepressant.

It takes a lot of time to work, but a good antidepressant like Lexapro or Zoloft can work wonders for anxiety as well as depression.

Problem with Benzos like Xanax and Valium is that we build resistance to them at a VERY rapid rate. In a short time more and more must be taken to get the same therapiutic effect. In time this only leads to addiction and a worsening of your depression.

I will agree that they are nice to have. I like them myself because they give me a little few hour break from the mad tempist in my head. It's just a mask though. It never lasts and then you need to keep taking more and more.

That being said I think Benzos are a great tool when making an AD med change. They help as a safety net until the effect of the AD maintanence meds kick in. Then it's easy to stop the Benzo because at that point the AD is working well enough to help with the anxiety.

In short: Benzodiazaphines like Xanax (Alprazolam) or Valium (Diazapam) great for short term - bad for long term usage.

[JFN]

Dear ruby10

Have you tried using ecological linseed oil, B-vitamine complex, Qi Gong or Tai Chi,
and also check the food, you use; be especially carefull on your glucose-level, since this is important. Remember water and lots of fibres. Be outside, use the beach, the forest, listen to "In Touch" by Tony O´Connor, which is an amazing CD for deep relaxing

Use time to find out, why you got a depression. Its your body´s voice, telling you
an important thing.

I have gone through a deep depression, using Citalopram and the above mentioned
things. If I feel a turn towards depressive thoughts, I have often changed this by going
to the beach and gone through a set of Qi Gong - it is strong, believe me.

The food is vital, more than most doctors think. So, please do not only rely on
medicine. You are welcome to write back to me.

Sincerely, JFN

[azalea82]

Perhaps a different doctor? (preferably as psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner)