Aa
Need reassurance about meds
hi, I've posted here before about my battle with anxiety/depression. I was on effexor for a long time, it did absolutely nothing for me. Now the doctor switched me to Sertraline with Seroquel at night and Clonazapam 3 times a day.
After the first week I honestly thought I was getting better, but this week I haven't been sleeping (not even an hour) and feel severely depressed. Now issues are coming up this week (my dog is sick and I can't afford all his vet bills) so it might explain it, but my doc said the Seroquel will knock me out at night when I told him I have severe insomnia.
So now it's been two weeks, the Sertraline makes my hands/legs shake constantly and the Seroquel isn't helping me sleep. I know it takes several week for these meds to work (4 to 6?) BUT I've honestly lost all faith that I'll get better. All of my career plans, everything is going down the drain because I'm not getting better and the voice in the back of my head is telling me I am not going to get better and the meds wont work for me. I mean the Effexor did't work, I've also tried wellbutrin; My question is, is there actually people for whom medication doesn't work?
Also, I have to take clonazpam 3 times a day but it's not doing anything - I heard that med is for quick help, so can I just stop taking it if im not feeling a difference?
After the first week I honestly thought I was getting better, but this week I haven't been sleeping (not even an hour) and feel severely depressed. Now issues are coming up this week (my dog is sick and I can't afford all his vet bills) so it might explain it, but my doc said the Seroquel will knock me out at night when I told him I have severe insomnia.
So now it's been two weeks, the Sertraline makes my hands/legs shake constantly and the Seroquel isn't helping me sleep. I know it takes several week for these meds to work (4 to 6?) BUT I've honestly lost all faith that I'll get better. All of my career plans, everything is going down the drain because I'm not getting better and the voice in the back of my head is telling me I am not going to get better and the meds wont work for me. I mean the Effexor did't work, I've also tried wellbutrin; My question is, is there actually people for whom medication doesn't work?
Also, I have to take clonazpam 3 times a day but it's not doing anything - I heard that med is for quick help, so can I just stop taking it if im not feeling a difference?
Thank you both for the responses.
Lynn, I am on 150mg of sertraline. 100mg of Seroquel and .5mgX3 of clonazapam. I'm not seeing my Psychiatrist until next month, so maybe he'll change the dose.
Nursegirl, you're right I NEED to stay positive, it's hard but I really, REALLY want to get better. I always feel like I'm that one person who has a rare disease, or in this case, the one person the meds will not work for. I finally have a psychiatrist who, while is not a fan of therapy, I trust him a lot with my medication. he works in the hospital and helps thousands of people with mental health problems. I really have to put my faith in him and realize that he is prescribing me medication that he has had good results with.
Thank you!
Lynn, I am on 150mg of sertraline. 100mg of Seroquel and .5mgX3 of clonazapam. I'm not seeing my Psychiatrist until next month, so maybe he'll change the dose.
Nursegirl, you're right I NEED to stay positive, it's hard but I really, REALLY want to get better. I always feel like I'm that one person who has a rare disease, or in this case, the one person the meds will not work for. I finally have a psychiatrist who, while is not a fan of therapy, I trust him a lot with my medication. he works in the hospital and helps thousands of people with mental health problems. I really have to put my faith in him and realize that he is prescribing me medication that he has had good results with.
Thank you!
Hello there!
It's still too early in the game for making a determination about whether or not these meds are effective for you. You're right that these meds usually take about 4-6 weeks to really make a difference. Also, the intial side effects (the shaking you described) is typical and after two weeks, they should start subsiding....so that should be fairly soon for you.
My advice to you is to give this a chance. Discuss what's going on with your doctor along the way and try to be patient. Relief does not come overnight, unfortunately. It can take some time. Some times, a person even ends up requiring dosage adjustments to get to a more therapeutic level. To answer your other question...no, don't just stop taking the meds, discuss that with thr prescribing doctor before you do anything.
"and the voice in the back of my head is telling me I am not going to get better and the meds wont work for me"
^^ Your words above are something you need to try to work on a bit too. I understand how easy it is to get discouraged, especially when you're feeling so badly and seeking relief. However, this kind of thinking could possibly set you up for failure. There really is something to be said for the power of positive thinking. Try to turn that around and tell yourself that the meds WILL indeed work for you. The anxious mind is a powerful thing!
Keep us in the loop!
It's still too early in the game for making a determination about whether or not these meds are effective for you. You're right that these meds usually take about 4-6 weeks to really make a difference. Also, the intial side effects (the shaking you described) is typical and after two weeks, they should start subsiding....so that should be fairly soon for you.
My advice to you is to give this a chance. Discuss what's going on with your doctor along the way and try to be patient. Relief does not come overnight, unfortunately. It can take some time. Some times, a person even ends up requiring dosage adjustments to get to a more therapeutic level. To answer your other question...no, don't just stop taking the meds, discuss that with thr prescribing doctor before you do anything.
"and the voice in the back of my head is telling me I am not going to get better and the meds wont work for me"
^^ Your words above are something you need to try to work on a bit too. I understand how easy it is to get discouraged, especially when you're feeling so badly and seeking relief. However, this kind of thinking could possibly set you up for failure. There really is something to be said for the power of positive thinking. Try to turn that around and tell yourself that the meds WILL indeed work for you. The anxious mind is a powerful thing!
Keep us in the loop!
Don't know what your dosages are so it's hard to tell what's going on. Some people cannot take SSRI's. There are other meds that were used before the SSRI's hit the scene. Some people do better with tricyclics like amitriptyline. MAO inhibitors are also available. Please keep searching until you find the right med for you. You shouldn't have to live like this. I know that sometimes you are better off with just the Klonopin at a little higher dose. There are many combos and even therapies void of any meds. I'm sure things will get better and some pieces will start to fall into place. Good luck.
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