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Sweetleaf
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22 Aug 2012, 3:30 am

I don't really know exactly why either...I mean I finally got that whole mess of talking to a doctor and such taken care of, but I don't really feel relieved at all. The doctor I went to prescribed me some anti-histamine for anxiety but as far as I can tell its only sedating which can kind of help with anxiety but it also causes a lot of drowsiness and lethargy which just if anything probably adds to the depression...I mean it doesn't even have any sort of mood lift or anything to kind of counteract the drowsy lethargy. At least its not as dissociation as benydryl but that is another thing I don't particularly like this prescription due to being an anti-histamine does have that dis-associative effect which makes me feel kinda weird. Even so maybe I will take one or two to sleep since its 2:30 in the morning and I didn't sleep much at all last night either

So on the next appointment or whatever I guess I could tell them its not effective, I just don't want them to think I'm some jerk after benzos to 'abuse' or something. I mean I am really trying to follow through with all this and so I can attempt SSI again, uhh though I still am not too thrilled about that idea but I don't see what other choice I have. But yeah I guess maybe I am thinking I should feel some relief from at least getting that process started.......but if anything I just feel like crap for the most part.


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The_Perfect_Storm
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22 Aug 2012, 7:09 am

these things are kind of a work in process. not every drug works for every person. Just tell the truth.



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22 Aug 2012, 9:42 am

The_Perfect_Storm wrote:
these things are kind of a work in process. not every drug works for every person. Just tell the truth.


This.

Also I don't know how you generally sleep but I know when my sleep is bad (which it always is without a sedating antihistamine to put me to sleep) all my anxiety, self harming behaviours etc get significantly worse. If that's the case for you you might consider using it as a regular sleep aid. The beneficial effects of a good night's sleep on mental health are vastly under advertised.

It's been a revelation to have the antihistamine induced improvement in my sleep over the last few months. Unfortunately I am now without any of my meds due to my recent overdose. My GP won't prescribe until I see the psychiatrist again on 30th Aug (because I told him I couldn't promise I wouldn't overdose again). I don't really care about the mood stabiliser or antipsychotic ... My main concern is for my sleep inducing antihistamine! Should be in a right state due to the lack of sleep by the time I get to the psych again ...


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PastFixations
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22 Aug 2012, 9:57 am

The_Perfect_Storm wrote:
these things are kind of a work in process. not every drug works for every person. Just tell the truth.

I agree but I think it's also important to add that medication to treat depression doesn't make you happy... it makes you cope somewhat.
To cope though would require you to put those negative feelings aside, I know it's not easy or going to happen overnight but try gradual steps from one day to the next.
By all means you can change your medication but you have to make the effort to feel happier, it's not only the medication that has to do the work.


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Sweetleaf
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22 Aug 2012, 1:08 pm

The_Perfect_Storm wrote:
these things are kind of a work in process. not every drug works for every person. Just tell the truth.


Well yeah I suppose I will, I guess I just find it odd rather then trying out a more normal anti-anxiety medication first, they went to an anti-histamine that has some properties that help calm anxiety attacks and edginess.


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Sweetleaf
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22 Aug 2012, 1:15 pm

PastFixations wrote:
The_Perfect_Storm wrote:
these things are kind of a work in process. not every drug works for every person. Just tell the truth.

I agree but I think it's also important to add that medication to treat depression doesn't make you happy... it makes you cope somewhat.
To cope though would require you to put those negative feelings aside, I know it's not easy or going to happen overnight but try gradual steps from one day to the next.
By all means you can change your medication but you have to make the effort to feel happier, it's not only the medication that has to do the work.


I don't expect to be happy, and it's not for depression it's for the anxiety......but I have depression to and as far as I can tell if anything this drug just adds to depressed feelings. I mean it doesn't make me cope it makes me lethargic which makes it even harder to cope with. I mean if it doesn't help and just makes me feel uncomfortable its probably not the drug for me.

Also I don't have the ability to put those negative feelings aside, that is how I feel......I have tried just trying to ignore it or distract myself and that doesn't work. If I had that ability I probably wouldn't have depression.


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Sweetleaf
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22 Aug 2012, 1:22 pm

Also though the medication thing is not such a big deal, I mean I can tell them it doesn't work and probably try something else...I guess I am more bothered by the fact I did get that whole process started and am more on my way towards diagnoses and hopefully SSI(I guess). And I feel worse in general if anything.


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lostgirl1986
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22 Aug 2012, 2:48 pm

I find that anti-anxiety medication usually works best with an antidepressant along with it. To be honest, it doesn't give me a lot of energy but I have a little bit more since I've been depressed and I can sleep better again.

Did you mention benzos because you want to go on them or because you don't? You already know that they have addicting side-effects so if you want them just ask. Your doctor will either be reluctant and might not give you any, might give you a few or write a normal prescription for them and you can take them daily. I find that all doctors usually have different opinions on benzos. If you don't want benzos then just tell him that you don't want them and he wont give them to you. It's perfectly acceptable to ask for a certain medication, I've done it before and they usually give it to you unless you have addiction problems and it says not to give it to you on your file or if the doctor thinks that it wont work for you or if it counteracts with another medication you're taking.

From my experience benzos worked the best for my anxiety. Seroquil helps a little bit but it's more sedating and makes you really sleepy so I use it as a sleeping pill. Seroquil may also make you gain a lot of weight as well depending on your metabolism and the dosage. So far Effexor XR has worked the best for my depression and I'm on the highest dose, it's worked wonders. I still get a bit of anxiety but not as much as before.



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22 Aug 2012, 2:53 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
The_Perfect_Storm wrote:
these things are kind of a work in process. not every drug works for every person. Just tell the truth.


Well yeah I suppose I will, I guess I just find it odd rather then trying out a more normal anti-anxiety medication first, they went to an anti-histamine that has some properties that help calm anxiety attacks and edginess.


In my experience, especially if the doctor doesn't know too much about your history with mental health is they start you off mildly and try something that's not too strong and then work there way up if things don't work with that medication. So for example he might try you on that, then next he might, try you on an antidepressant by itself, then he might refer you to counselling and try on on an anti-psychotic which are also good for anxiety and then if things still are not working he might break out the benzos. I don't know though, all doctors are different. If you have a particular medication in mind you can ask them about it, that I do know.



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22 Aug 2012, 3:18 pm

lostgirl1986 wrote:
I find that anti-anxiety medication usually works best with an antidepressant along with it. To be honest, it doesn't give me a lot of energy but I have a little bit more since I've been depressed and I can sleep better again.

Did you mention benzos because you want to go on them or because you don't? You already know that they have addicting side-effects so if you want them just ask. Your doctor will either be reluctant and might not give you any, might give you a few or write a normal prescription for them and you can take them daily. I find that all doctors usually have different opinions on benzos. If you don't want benzos then just tell him that you don't want them and he wont give them to you. It's perfectly acceptable to ask for a certain medication, I've done it before and they usually give it to you unless you have addiction problems and it says not to give it to you on your file or if the doctor thinks that it wont work for you or if it counteracts with another medication you're taking.

From my experience benzos worked the best for my anxiety. Seroquil helps a little bit but it's more sedating and makes you really sleepy so I use it as a sleeping pill. Seroquil may also make you gain a lot of weight as well depending on your metabolism and the dosage. So far Effexor XR has worked the best for my depression and I'm on the highest dose, it's worked wonders. I still get a bit of anxiety but not as much as before.


I cannot bring myself to try anymore anti-depressants at least not SSRI's after how horrible the prozac was I already told them that....And I have found benzos effective in the past, though I never had then prescribed before just had it given to me a couple of times when I was really anxious and people happened to have them.

I also did try seroquil once and found it to be a terrible drug...I kind of like to have a little more control of my body and I hate excess sleep because it prevents me from doing anything at all, just feels like such a waste of time. But yeah I don't know wether its better to mention such experiances to a doctor or if they'd dismiss it as trying to justify drug abuse or something but I guess it kind of depends on the doctor. I mean I prefer to be more functional than I am not less functional because of a drug.......I pretty much stopped drinking regulary because it was causing more disfunctionality so I certainly don't want a prescription that makes me drowsy and lethargic.


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Sweetleaf
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22 Aug 2012, 3:21 pm

lostgirl1986 wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
The_Perfect_Storm wrote:
these things are kind of a work in process. not every drug works for every person. Just tell the truth.


Well yeah I suppose I will, I guess I just find it odd rather then trying out a more normal anti-anxiety medication first, they went to an anti-histamine that has some properties that help calm anxiety attacks and edginess.


In my experience, especially if the doctor doesn't know too much about your history with mental health is they start you off mildly and try something that's not too strong and then work there way up if things don't work with that medication. So for example he might try you on that, then next he might, try you on an antidepressant by itself, then he might refer you to counselling and try on on an anti-psychotic which are also good for anxiety and then if things still are not working he might break out the benzos. I don't know though, all doctors are different. If you have a particular medication in mind you can ask them about it, that I do know.


I am not really ok with SSRI anti-depressants or anti-psychotics....so I'd probably refuse those honestly. maybe I should just really look into getting an mmj card and I guess I should look into how that might or might not interfere with SSI.


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lostgirl1986
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22 Aug 2012, 3:30 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
lostgirl1986 wrote:
I find that anti-anxiety medication usually works best with an antidepressant along with it. To be honest, it doesn't give me a lot of energy but I have a little bit more since I've been depressed and I can sleep better again.

Did you mention benzos because you want to go on them or because you don't? You already know that they have addicting side-effects so if you want them just ask. Your doctor will either be reluctant and might not give you any, might give you a few or write a normal prescription for them and you can take them daily. I find that all doctors usually have different opinions on benzos. If you don't want benzos then just tell him that you don't want them and he wont give them to you. It's perfectly acceptable to ask for a certain medication, I've done it before and they usually give it to you unless you have addiction problems and it says not to give it to you on your file or if the doctor thinks that it wont work for you or if it counteracts with another medication you're taking.

From my experience benzos worked the best for my anxiety. Seroquil helps a little bit but it's more sedating and makes you really sleepy so I use it as a sleeping pill. Seroquil may also make you gain a lot of weight as well depending on your metabolism and the dosage. So far Effexor XR has worked the best for my depression and I'm on the highest dose, it's worked wonders. I still get a bit of anxiety but not as much as before.


I cannot bring myself to try anymore anti-depressants at least not SSRI's after how horrible the prozac was I already told them that....And I have found benzos effective in the past, though I never had then prescribed before just had it given to me a couple of times when I was really anxious and people happened to have them.

I also did try seroquil once and found it to be a terrible drug...I kind of like to have a little more control of my body and I hate excess sleep because it prevents me from doing anything at all, just feels like such a waste of time. But yeah I don't know wether its better to mention such experiances to a doctor or if they'd dismiss it as trying to justify drug abuse or something but I guess it kind of depends on the doctor. I mean I prefer to be more functional than I am not less functional because of a drug.......I pretty much stopped drinking regulary because it was causing more disfunctionality so I certainly don't want a prescription that makes me drowsy and lethargic.


Yeah, for me it took me about 2 weeks to get used to Seroquil with the drowsiness part. Now, I'm perfectly fine functioning through the day with it and I'm not on a really high dose. It's different for everyone though, I know people who couldn't stand it as well also I wouldn't ever recommend taking it in the morning, only before you go to bed.

If I were you I'd try benzos but on a low dosage because high dosages can make you really sleepy and knock you out. Plus it's just better to be on a low dosage addiction wise. Just make sure you don't stop cold turkey, there is a certain way to taper off them.

Oh and the doctor wont think you're some addict by telling him about your previous experiences with those drugs. Doctors actually want to know that kind of stuff. If you mention, "I was on that before." they'll ask you how it worked for you anyway. They'll want to know what you've been on before.



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22 Aug 2012, 3:37 pm

lostgirl1986 wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
lostgirl1986 wrote:
I find that anti-anxiety medication usually works best with an antidepressant along with it. To be honest, it doesn't give me a lot of energy but I have a little bit more since I've been depressed and I can sleep better again.

Did you mention benzos because you want to go on them or because you don't? You already know that they have addicting side-effects so if you want them just ask. Your doctor will either be reluctant and might not give you any, might give you a few or write a normal prescription for them and you can take them daily. I find that all doctors usually have different opinions on benzos. If you don't want benzos then just tell him that you don't want them and he wont give them to you. It's perfectly acceptable to ask for a certain medication, I've done it before and they usually give it to you unless you have addiction problems and it says not to give it to you on your file or if the doctor thinks that it wont work for you or if it counteracts with another medication you're taking.

From my experience benzos worked the best for my anxiety. Seroquil helps a little bit but it's more sedating and makes you really sleepy so I use it as a sleeping pill. Seroquil may also make you gain a lot of weight as well depending on your metabolism and the dosage. So far Effexor XR has worked the best for my depression and I'm on the highest dose, it's worked wonders. I still get a bit of anxiety but not as much as before.


I cannot bring myself to try anymore anti-depressants at least not SSRI's after how horrible the prozac was I already told them that....And I have found benzos effective in the past, though I never had then prescribed before just had it given to me a couple of times when I was really anxious and people happened to have them.

I also did try seroquil once and found it to be a terrible drug...I kind of like to have a little more control of my body and I hate excess sleep because it prevents me from doing anything at all, just feels like such a waste of time. But yeah I don't know wether its better to mention such experiances to a doctor or if they'd dismiss it as trying to justify drug abuse or something but I guess it kind of depends on the doctor. I mean I prefer to be more functional than I am not less functional because of a drug.......I pretty much stopped drinking regulary because it was causing more disfunctionality so I certainly don't want a prescription that makes me drowsy and lethargic.


Yeah, for me it took me about 2 weeks to get used to Seroquil with the drowsiness part. Now, I'm perfectly fine functioning through the day with it and I'm not on a really high dose. It's different for everyone though, I know people who couldn't stand it as well also I wouldn't ever recommend taking it in the morning, only before you go to bed.

If I were you I'd try benzos but on a low dosage because high dosages can make you really sleepy and knock you out. Plus it's just better to be on a low dosage addiction wise. Just make sure you don't stop cold turkey, there is a certain way to taper off them.

I thought they could be used more on occasion, I would probably prefer that to regular use...like take it when I am feeling anxious but not multiple times a day.

Oh and the doctor wont think you're some addict by telling him about your previous experiences with those drugs. Doctors actually want to know that kind of stuff. If you mention, "I was on that before." they'll ask you how it worked for you anyway. They'll want to know what you've been on before.


hmm maybe, I didn't really get much chance to talk about much though during the appointment, so I didn't really get a chance to mention it and in the initial paperwork I didn't go into detail just mentioned I've had marijuana and alcohol in the past 12 months.


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22 Aug 2012, 10:15 pm

I would assume you are referring to hydroxyzine, which can be helpful for panic attacks especially. It doesn't work with everyone, but the drowsiness wears off once you get used to it. I find clonazepam the most helpful, but only with an antidepressant. Doctors hesitate to prescribe benzodiazepines to people with depression unless they are also on an antidepressant because the benzos are a depressant. Taking them occasionally seems to be OK, but they worsen depression if taken daily without something to counteract them. There seems to be a higher incidence of suicide with unopposed benzos. Seroquel is an excellent choice because it has antidepressant features as well as sedating features, and the drowsiness does go away for most people after a couple of weeks. Tricyclic antidepressants also seem to work wonders for anxiety and sleep trouble without being overly sedating. There are lots of options out there, make sure to give a few of them a chance!


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23 Aug 2012, 9:06 pm

I am not sure how that works considering depressant drugs refers to drugs CNS depressants which slow you down physically, they don't make you depressed mentally at least not based on any information I know of. CNS depressants don't really have anything to do with serotonin while anti-depressants are specifically to try and either trap more serotonin in the brain or make it produce more or something. So honestly if they only way they would want to give me more effective anti anxiety medication is if I take SSRIs then I'd just assume get my MMJ card...that way one drug that helps without major side effects could be used instead of multiple drugs with unpleasant effects that make me more dysfunctional than I already am.

But then of course that brings me back to the problem of money for the MMJ card, and how it may or may not interfere with applying for SSI...not to mention in general I still cannot seem to decide whether I should just try to find part time work or try to get on SSI I think my mom is getting impatient of me not having income so she thinks I should, my dad is neutral either way and I just cannot come to a decision.


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24 Aug 2012, 1:59 am

There are antidepressants other than SSRIs, and even among SSRIs they all act differently. If you have depression and anxiety, the anxiety is likely linked to the depression. Treating the depression with a combination of medication and therapy is the most effective solution for the depression and the anxiety. Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants, your brain is part of your central nervous system.

Here is some information regarding benzos and depression:
http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au/ ... mono71-5-7
http://web4health.info/en/answers/bio-b ... ffects.htm

Medical marijuana is currently not approved as a treatment for depression (outside of terminal illness), and there is no evidence that it treats anxiety. The dose must be accurate for it to work as an antidepressant, so smoking it is not really an option. A low dose is good, a high dose makes depression worse and may trigger psychosis in susceptible individuals. It works in a similar way to SSRIs when given at the right dosage.

And a caution about marijuana as a treatment:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,304996,00.html
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view ... nID=000226
http://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/ ... treatment/
http://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/ ... c-attacks/


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