A little back story.

A year or two ago I went to the Dr. because I couldn't sleep. He sat with me for a while and asked me a bunch of questions about sleeping habits, school, social life, etc. Long story short he told me I was "suffering" from depression and wrote me out a prescription for Prozac.

Keep in mind he had me really sold on my condition and so I joined the prozac nation. I remained a citizen for a few months, all the time questioning my need for the pill.

So after a lot of consideration and research I decided to stop my "treatment" right away. It was apparent that even if I did have some mental issues, prozac was not the answer. All it did was turn me into a zombie. Rather than feeling depressed, I felt nothing. I thought that I would rather feel like shit than be in this state.

The following years, I wish I had not come to that conclusion. Granted, I wish more that I had not even began taking the prescription.

So for those who do not know, the correct way to stop taking prozac is to eventually "wean" yourself off of it; otherwise you tend to get... well to put it bluntly, suicidal.

At first this was a real trip to me as I had never thought about ending my life to this extent. It's a thought that crosses everybody's mind, but this was different. It wasn't long however that the novelty of this state wore off.

Now fast forward to present.

I'm not sure if the suicidal thoughts have thinned out or I have just become jaded to them but they don't seem to be too much of an issue anymore (I'm not going to jump in front of a train or anything). But the overwhelming depression is more than I would like to have to handle on a day to day, minute to minute basis.

So that all being said, what is the likely course of action or prescription I should expect if I go back to the doctor? Keep in mind I really don't think I needed prozac to begin with and feel that it is the source of my mental maladies presently.

Thanks in advance,
MM

Tetrahydrocannabinol

Tetrahydrocannabinol

Quoted for truth. I already found a doc about an hour from here that is open to the idea, but I was thinking of going to a "conventional" Dr. first.

MM

they could try to change the SSRI, change it to celexa or effexor. if you keep telling them you're depressed, then they are prolly going to prescribe an anti-depressant to you. or maybe an MAOI or whatever it's called. don't know much about those though.

I went to the doctor with insomnia and left with depression. I'm pretty sure it was the prozac that made me feel like this. I just wanted to reiterate because I really hate The idea of prescriptions to change a person's mood. However I feel that I've fucked my head over with those damn pills.

Eh, fuck it. I'll just go to fresno and get a cannabis card.

MM

I've been doing clonezpams for like the last week and just haven't felt like doing shit, i stopped 2 days ago and started again tonight i think they actually do cause depression if you don't have a problem with it.

Didn't read your post so if this doesn't coincide with the post my bad :o

Don't go back to that doctor, first of all.

And, by the way, the FDA requires all anti-depressant medications now to carry the black box warning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_box_warning) in regards to their ability to cause suicidal thoughts.

If one SSRI didn't help much, it's likely others will be similar. Try talking to him about an SNRI or tricyclic anti-depressant, or an atypical anti-depressant like Wellbutrin.

I've gone through a gauntlet of anti-depressants over the past ten years or so, and have probably at one time or another taken about every common one there is-- and, in my opinion, the two that worked the best were Wellbutrin and Remeron. I still take the Wellbutrin now and have a bottle of Remeron I only use occasionally if I'm really feeling like dog shit or am having a hell of a time sleeping (it can cause drowsiness).

Remeron is approved for major depressive disorder so it will pretty much pull you out of the deepest pits of depression, but in some people it causes weight gain and excessive day-time drowsiness. Wellbutrin will do the opposite, actually, because it has adrenergic properties.

i dont think MAOIs are prescribed much anymore


Don't go back to that doctor, first of all.

If one SSRI didn't help much, it's likely others will be similar. Try talking to him about an SNRI or tricyclic anti-depressant, or an atypical anti-depressant like Wellbutrin.

I was on prozac for a year, then it stopped working so I switched to Wellbutrin. It didn't have any effect on me, but everybodys different with this stuff. Now I'm on zoloft, but so far it hasnt done much.

to the OP: I'm not sure I really understand what you are asking. Are you asking whether you should be on anti-depressants or just smoke tree? If you are, give the pills another shot

Good, now tell him what you told a bunch of random strangers on the internet and you can actually fucking get somewhere!

I stopped taking all my anti-depressants too. I've tried so many, none of them worked. I got prescribed Lithium instead cause they said I'm probably bi-polar which is why the anti-depressants weren't working.

Personally I don't notice a difference in myself. But the people around me notice a difference. You might want to talk to the people closest to you and ask them if they've noticed anything different about you in your personality or attitude.

Good luck man, cause it took me a few years to even reach this point. I don't know what kind of doctor you are seeing but I see a mix of 3. I see a therapist, psychiatrist, and general doctor. It's good to see what each one says and how they differ and agree on certain things.

When I couldn't sleep they had me on a few anti-depressants and a mix of things to get me to sleep like Trazodone, and Seroquel...and Valium is 3x a day. I don't take nearly as many pills as I once did, cause I had 2 shelves in my medicine cabinet of my pills for various things. I'm down to 3-4 now. Most of the stuff they give you for sleep I feel makes me feel like shit and isn't even worth it.

I stopped taking all my anti-depressants too. I've tried so many, none of them worked. I got prescribed Lithium instead cause they said I'm probably bi-polar which is why the anti-depressants weren't working.

my therapist said he wanted to try lithium if the zoloft didnt work. but i read up on it and saw that it can cause severe weight gain and acne that scars. doesnt exactly sound too appetizing, but i might have to give it a shot.

did you experience any side effects with the lithium, aside from the normals like headache and nausea and whatnot?

I have had similar problems OP

After a stint in the looney bin I was put on Prozac, thought it worked for a while, but was probably more placebo effect than the actual drug.

Moved on to Zoloft, then Welbutrin and Prozac, then Lexapro, finally to Effexor.

Anti-depressants do not make you magically happy, which is why I do drugs.

We live in a world of instant gratification, and because I am apart of that world, I do not want to have to work hard to be happy. I am fine with narcotics.

On a second note, life sucks, do whatever you want,

my therapist said he wanted to try lithium if the zoloft didnt work. but i read up on it and saw that it can cause severe weight gain and acne that scars. doesnt exactly sound too appetizing, but i might have to give it a shot.

did you experience any side effects with the lithium, aside from the normals like headache and nausea and whatnot?

Yeah the headaches were really bad. No weight gain though. I think they say weight gain just because you need to drink a lot of water while on Lithium so it's mostly water weight. Other than it's not bad...but everyone is different you know. Good luck!

Stop taking depression medication. You don't need pills, just change your lifestyle.

Everyone I know that takes anti-depressants or ritalin and shit everyday turns a little "off" in the following years. Don't listen to the TV commercials, pills do not help you. They only mask or in most cases create more problems. My friend was on Prozac for a few months and now he thinks he's insane.

The best cure is to just find and center yourself in a setting you're comfortable with and carry that comfort with you through life. Not living good? Travel wide.

Everyone I know that takes anti-depressants or ritalin and shit everyday turns a little "off" in the following years. Don't listen to the TV commercials, pills do not help you. They only mask or in most cases create more problems. My friend was on Prozac for a few months and now he thinks he's insane.

Agreed. The shit is only mass perscribed in the US. Its all about the FDA perserving the pharmaucetical industrial complex. Millions of ppl are getting fucked off bs anti-depressants and add meds. Just listen to the commercials for some of these things. "Have you ever felt down", "are you drowsy", "do you have trouble concentrating". its ridicoulas, but its a billion dollar industry.


Stop taking depression medication. You don't need pills, just change your lifestyle.
Its hard, but its the right thing to do. The easy way out is popping those pills cuz its the only thing you know how to do. THeres plenty of natural cures out there, changing your diet, and certain kinds of yoga all can help. Look into those things and study them, get off the pills man their not doin good things to your head.