Unbelievable!!

[Iwantanewlifenow]

I just called a Rehab Facility and told them my story and was told in return I don't need to be there because I'm not abusing my meds..I believe I am...and also that I have legitimate pain so why in the world do I want to stop taking my pain meds!! What kind of mindset is that!? ..Maybe I want to live life chemical free...Maybe I want to do the things I did before. Do you have to be an abuser to get help!If I wasn't dependent I wouldn't be having withdrawal symptoms..I wouldn't like how they make me feel and help me cope with life

I suffered a Sever Post-Partum depression after the birth of my 3rd child....I was hospitalized for 2 months...Didn't feel myself for 2 years...Back then the Dr. told me I could expect it when I went peri-menopausal...which I am...and which I'm going thru depression and anxiety wise...After 20 years I called her office to make an appt. I know she will put me on Anti-depressants...I believe they helped my the first time..but I hear so much negativity about them now I wonder if I should go down that path..One thing is for sure..I could not live with another depression like that again...

Please be honest..If you have experience with AD's..good or bad...please let me know...I'm positive the pain meds are masking a horrible depression...As always..thanks for reading and responding...I'm terrified as to what to do.

[ricart70]

Hi,me again,I was just rereading your other post to find out what you are taking and it does not say.I asked you but I don't think you answered.What you were taking and how long can really make a difference in how long it takes to improve.

[ricart70]

Yeah no quick easy answer.I know that the physical part is definitely only 3-4 days.I know I don't do it much but socializing can help your mood as well as exercise.I would definitely give it a few weeks to get to where you feel noticably better.

[pkidiot]

Zoloft is what finally worked for me its just right. I tried several. The side affects of the others were not worth it. Zoloft is great for me I will take it the rest of my life. But everyone is different.

[Iwantanewlifenow]

A list of what I have taken is shorter...but like I mentioned before..A particular AD can have a very different effect from one person to the next...I am on Seroquel (very high dose) precisely because I'm a high strung person and have trouble resting let alone sleeping.(It is considered an Anti-psychotic as well as a strong Tranquilizer). And for me it's had the opposite effect...I have lost weight..I have trouble gaining any weight (I weigh under 100 lbs with clothes and shoes on).

My Dr. is thinking of adding me back on to Cymbalta..Which totally takes away my appetite and I would lose even more weight. But it is now prescribed for pain..so who knows..You just hear all these terrible things about AD's and it's scary..But I believe they saved my life 20 years ago after my severe PPD.

What I would really love is not being on anything..When I don't take the pain meds I feel as if I'm just existing..I'm painfully aware of how slow every minute goes by and I've lost my joy for doing things I used to love... Working out, Running, Hiking, Painting, doing puzzles and reading..These things no longer bring me pleasure and i wonder if the pain meds had anything to do with it..I've been of an AD for years and felt fine...now I feel that I'm just painfully existing..I want my life back and if these pills are ultimately causing this then I want off and will deal with the pain thru natural methods...but the meds bring me peace when I take them..but then I don't want to do anything..Just sit and feel finally at peace..So I've missed a lot of my kids sporting events...Plus I can't drive while on them.

If anyone can relate to anything I've said I would love your feedback.

Two things

How long does physical withdrawals last...and 2. How long til you feel joy..or even a smile, without these meds?

I know there is no quick easy answer.

[littlebit667]

There are a lot of newer AD meds out now that they did not have 20 years ago and they have had longer to track which were effective now.  I think at least investigating them will be good.  I use Lexapro (happy it will be generic  next year) and I have found it helps me a lot. It came out in 2002.  I am sure there are others as well.  My husband has been on wellbutrin and done well with it as well.  I hope you can find the support with that that you need.

[TaperBird]

Yep, I was a total clock watcher, waiting for the next dose & was told by my PM that I would always be in a constant withdrawal.  That's why he put me on the Fentanyl patch, *shakes head*.

I was grateful while it lasted for the "anti depressant" properties of opiates.  I can't take any type of real anti depressants because they give me very dark thoughts. Until I was injured 2 years ago, I used yoga and some meditation to help even myself out, along with working out every chance I got.

I just went and fished out 2 old meditation DVDs because I got inspired again by a George Harrison documentary and him describing how he got drug free.

[ricart70]

Your welcome.I did take an antipsychotic in combination with another nsri that I did not like at all.It was called geodon.When I took it which was supposed to be at bedtime,I would fall right to sleep and have these incredibly long dreams that were super vivid.I would wake up tired as I was living a whole other life as someone else that was not me as I was sleeping.It was the most bizarre and I would not recommend that drug fo r anyone.The dreams were so real I started wondering if my real life was real or not.I still sometimes wonder..lol

[Ann2497]

I have taken many anti depressents.  I have major depression and am taking Celexa right now.   Can't tell if it is working because I have been off Vicodin for only 12 days.  My dr told me I needed to be on an AD for a minimum of one year after abusing drugs to avoid depression.  One AD I would avoid at all costs is Seroquel.  Most of those prescribed this drug have gained from 40 to 100 pounds and had terrible withdrawal symptoms with discontinued use.

Let me know what you are prescribed and I can let you know if I ever tried it.

Hope that helps.  Good luck and keep in touch.

[Iwantanewlifenow]

Thank you for responding..When I was on them 20 years ago I tried all sorts of them...It was hit or miss...What works for one person may not work for the other.

I think you gave me an epiphany..Tapering is just having your body go into withdrawal until you can take your next dose...hence the clock watching...The body wants it and lets you know...Thank you again for your answer...

[ricart70]

Oh and after all an addict does not "forget" to take their tabs or oxys at least I never did.They were at the top of my mind all the time.But there are many nights when I am lying in bed and remember"I forgot to take my AD today and I won't even go to the trouble to get out of bed and go take it.

[ricart70]

Hi again,I had severe clinical depression and could fill this page with the amount of meds that I have tried for it.For me they either worked or they did not.I have heard people talk about how bad they are but I do not agree.I am now on a low dose of celexa.The ADs do not change your persona as do narcotics.As I see it they get you out of bed and get you the motivation to try and find the things that make you happy.They do not simply make you happy like pain pills do.I quit by tapering the ads before and the only symptoms I had was some hearing disturbances that were kind of annoying and being more tired but just in the morning.Nothing compared to narcotic withdrawal.Kind of a joke really.But they are not miracle cure for depression,only an aid to be used along with exercise and eating right,and many other tricks and tools used to manage depression.Manage being the operative word.You really need to be clean from the opiate to get any benefit from ADs.Alcohol will also cancel them out and is really a no no for depression.What you feel when the pills are gone and even while taking them is not depression that exists independently but a lack of neurotransmitter activity and availability due to the opiate use.Even when using opiates you are constantly thrown into withdrawal and back out again without even realizing it.If you sleep all night you wake up in withdrawal.After the good feeling of the pills you took an hour or so starts to fade you are experiencing slight withdrawal.This feeling led me to believe"wow I must be depressed"  I hope this helps you.I was a guinea pig for ADs for more than 4 years.If you have any questions about them let me know    you can do this...I hope you know that