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March 28, 2024, 10:17:45 AM

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going on the anti depressants thread

Started by madhair60, February 06, 2022, 11:47:47 PM

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Beagle 2

Hello! I've had what amounts to my second nervous breakdown over the last couple of weeks, fifteen years or so since the last one.

The trigger was the war, what can I do about that, fuck all. I would quite like to be not shaking and able to form sentences and look after my kids and stuff.

Saw a doctor today and to my surprise he did not prescribe me any pills, seemed really reticent to do so. I did all the tests and scored maximum nutter on them all and then he said he'd refer me to community mental health for some CBT sessions or some shit and that was it. He signed me off work until the end of the week though which I appreciate.

My question is - what should I do this week to get better? I really want to stay in bed all day and that's basically what I've done today, I'm just completely fucking drained and confused. But is that the complete worst thing to do? 

Glebe

Aw no, love and hugs Beagle... Trump, the pandemic and Putin have really made the news unbearable these last few years and it really does have a shitty effect on your head.

Your doc's reluctance to prescribe anti-depressants or the like... hmmm, I think he's just being cautious but while I think it's irresponsible to just stick people on pills as a quick fix it does sound like you could benefit from them, at least just until you get back on your feet. Hopefully you can arrange to see a counsellor... in any case best of luck.

Twit 2

Get out for walks in the fresh air. Eat some tasty but relatively healthy food. Get as much sleep as you can. Do some nice stuff with your family. Don't follow the news.

Dex Sawash

Quote from: Beagle 2 on March 14, 2022, 02:05:39 PMMy question is - what should I do this week to get better? I really want to stay in bed all day and that's basically what I've done today, I'm just completely fucking drained and confused. But is that the complete worst thing to do? 

Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.

All Surrogate

Wishing you the best, Beagle 2. I think Twit 2 has some good advice.

markburgle

Quote from: Beagle 2 on March 14, 2022, 02:05:39 PMHello! I've had what amounts to my second nervous breakdown over the last couple of weeks, fifteen years or so since the last one.

The trigger was the war, what can I do about that, fuck all. I would quite like to be not shaking and able to form sentences and look after my kids and stuff.

Saw a doctor today and to my surprise he did not prescribe me any pills, seemed really reticent to do so. I did all the tests and scored maximum nutter on them all and then he said he'd refer me to community mental health for some CBT sessions or some shit and that was it. He signed me off work until the end of the week though which I appreciate.

My question is - what should I do this week to get better? I really want to stay in bed all day and that's basically what I've done today, I'm just completely fucking drained and confused. But is that the complete worst thing to do? 

(This may not work for you because your symptoms sound more debilitating than mine tend to be, so obvs feel free to ignore the following):

After a day hiding from everything you might well have started compiling a mental list of all the errands and chores you're now failing to get done, on top of all the worries that drove you there in the first place. It creates an extra feeling of things slipping out of your grasp and the longer the list grows the more helpless you feel.

In that case it can help to make a to-do list of the simpler ones and set to to work on it. It'll feel impossible initially but force yourself and you might be surprised. This can help you start to regain a feeling of competency and control

Cold Meat Platter

Quote from: Cold Meat Platter on February 25, 2022, 02:35:12 AMIf I forget to take my fluoxetine sometimes the end of my sentences get bilge pump.

Recently had an article in my Google feed on my phone about bilge pumps FWIW.

Cold Meat Platter

Quote from: Cold Meat Platter on March 16, 2022, 02:38:33 AMRecently had an article in my Google feed on my phone about bilge pumps FWIW.


I'm not a boat user.

banana

Apologies if this has been posted before but here are some things that can help.
SSRI's are (as research seems to show https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172306/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4592645/) no better than placebo for depression.
Other things can help:


Omega 3 fish oil has seen to be useful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HDFEbsGRlA
That's a Youtube talk that spells it all out.

Clinical research:
The results indicated that with an EPA dosage ≤1 g/d, the EPA-pure and EPA-major groups demonstrated significant beneficial effects on the improvement of depression (SMD = −0.50, P = 0.003, and SMD = −1.03, P = 
And this is the study:  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-019-0515-5

Best source of Omega 3 in the UK (it's a minefield getting good stuff with enough EPA):
https://hencestacks.com/shop/omega3zone-omega-3-fish-oil

There are a few studies with magnesium but this is a good one: https://www.fabresearch.org/viewItem.php?id=11047

Good source of magnesium:
https://www.british-supplements.net/products/clean-genuine-natural-magnesium-l-threonate-640mg-per-cap

Hope that helps some people.

Catalogue of ills

Update required from @madhair60 - how is it going on the meds?

I came off mine about 9 months ago, but today a minor thing happened at work that led me to 50% seriously consider offing myself so I'll be back on to the GP in the morning to get back on the meds pronto before I'm fished out of the reservoir in dramatic fashion. Don't know whether to go for 'tried and trusted but awfully like amphetamines for the first 3 weeks' Fluoxtine, or whether to try summat else. Can you go shopping like that? Or will they just say 'if what you had last time worked then that's what you're getting'?

Cold Meat Platter

Quote from: Catalogue of ills on April 13, 2022, 12:18:38 AMUpdate required from @madhair60 - how is it going on the meds?

I came off mine about 9 months ago, but today a minor thing happened at work that led me to 50% seriously consider offing myself so I'll be back on to the GP in the morning to get back on the meds pronto before I'm fished out of the reservoir in dramatic fashion. Don't know whether to go for 'tried and trusted but awfully like amphetamines for the first 3 weeks' Fluoxtine, or whether to try summat else. Can you go shopping like that? Or will they just say 'if what you had last time worked then that's what you're getting'?

No just tell them it's not working and you want to try something else. It's your fleshbag and it's it's up to you what goes in. I've had loads of different ones, just say nah mate still feel like shit/want to sleep all the time/fancy chinning a copper and they will be happy to help. Literally their job.

Catalogue of ills

Quote from: Cold Meat Platter on April 13, 2022, 12:28:22 AMNo just tell them it's not working and you want to try something else. It's your fleshbag and it's it's up to you what goes in. I've had loads of different ones, just say nah mate still feel like shit/want to sleep all the time/fancy chinning a copper and they will be happy to help. Literally their job.

Cheers. The Fluoxetine was fine, just the first few weeks were tricky. So maybe I should just ask for them again. But I think they are at the more 'speedy' end, and it would be good to have something a bit more sedative - is that what Citalopram is like?

I laughed at 'chinning a copper' - when I went on the Prozac last time it was partly on the basis that I was ready to FIGHT ANY CUNT, ANY TIME. I think they were just a bit afraid of what I might do (as was I). In the current climate, the chances of anyone actually giving a fuck and not just fobbing me off with whatever I ask for seem pretty slim to be honest.

markburgle

Quote from: Catalogue of ills on April 13, 2022, 12:34:19 AMCheers. The Fluoxetine was fine, just the first few weeks were tricky. So maybe I should just ask for them again. But I think they are at the more 'speedy' end, and it would be good to have something a bit more sedative - is that what Citalopram is like?

I laughed at 'chinning a copper' - when I went on the Prozac last time it was partly on the basis that I was ready to FIGHT ANY CUNT, ANY TIME. I think they were just a bit afraid of what I might do (as was I). In the current climate, the chances of anyone actually giving a fuck and not just fobbing me off with whatever I ask for seem pretty slim to be honest.

I found citalopram slightly speedy for about a week but I've never had Fluoxetine so can't make a meaningful comparison sozzards

itsfredtitmus

I think it's time to come off these things, the numbness is fucking soul-destroying. I just DON'T CARE about myself. Someone got shot outside mine the other week and I didn't care one bit... oh bullets? What a novelty! Outside mine! Lost my cat of 10 years? Oh, only a cat! All humanity is ripped from me and replaced with an SSRI-induced ellipsis or "blah"
I had more life in me when I took Xanax and that's saying something

I had a homemeeting with my new psych the other week and he seemed to suggest I shouldn't be anywhere near an SSRI and my old psych was a useless cunt for putting me on them.

itsfredtitmus

The things I would do to be prescribed wellbutrin like americans get, seems like the holy grail to get rid of ssri nothingness

TrenterPercenter

Hope this works out for you Fred and your new psych has got some good plans going forward.

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: itsfredtitmus on August 10, 2022, 03:09:37 PMI think it's time to come off these things, the numbness is fucking soul-destroying. I just DON'T CARE about myself. Someone got shot outside mine the other week and I didn't care one bit... oh bullets? What a novelty! Outside mine! Lost my cat of 10 years? Oh, only a cat! All humanity is ripped from me and replaced with an SSRI-induced ellipsis or "blah"
I had more life in me when I took Xanax and that's saying something

I had a homemeeting with my new psych the other week and he seemed to suggest I shouldn't be anywhere near an SSRI and my old psych was a useless cunt for putting me on them.
Good on you for getting the right help and not just deciding to bin them off on your own.

Glebe

Yeah best of luck with the new psych Freddy.

Pavlov`s Dog`s Dad`s Dead

Quote from: itsfredtitmus on August 10, 2022, 03:09:37 PMI think it's time to come off these things, the numbness is fucking soul-destroying. I just DON'T CARE about myself. Someone got shot outside mine the other week and I didn't care one bit... oh bullets? What a novelty! Outside mine! Lost my cat of 10 years? Oh, only a cat! All humanity is ripped from me and replaced with an SSRI-induced ellipsis or "blah"
I had more life in me when I took Xanax and that's saying something

I had a homemeeting with my new psych the other week and he seemed to suggest I shouldn't be anywhere near an SSRI and my old psych was a useless cunt for putting me on them.
Good luck with this, Fred. I tapered off the Sertraline earlier this year largely because of that sense of numbness. I'm about six months clear, now, and doing ok - I'm glad I did it. In the hope that my experience might be helpful to head, know that there were some pretty rough days to begin with. They will pass, and in my experience the lows, although grim, didn't last for more than a few hours at a time. If you can keep sight of that, and remember to draw on your support network (which, to be honest, were both things I struggled to do in the hard times), you'll be ok.

bgmnts

Quote from: itsfredtitmus on August 10, 2022, 03:09:37 PMI think it's time to come off these things, the numbness is fucking soul-destroying. I just DON'T CARE about myself. Someone got shot outside mine the other week and I didn't care one bit... oh bullets? What a novelty! Outside mine! Lost my cat of 10 years? Oh, only a cat! All humanity is ripped from me and replaced with an SSRI-induced ellipsis or "blah"
I had more life in me when I took Xanax and that's saying something

I had a homemeeting with my new psych the other week and he seemed to suggest I shouldn't be anywhere near an SSRI and my old psych was a useless cunt for putting me on them.

Yes mun!

itsfredtitmus

Thanks all.
I think missing a few doses a month or so back really done me in because weirdly, as I'm typing this, I feel "better than well". As someone in the thread pointed out before it feels like some pharmaceutical-grade speed, wanna jump around and clean to my heart's content - I can't stop typing! Counter that to a few days ago when I was on the local crisis team's hotline unable to even put the bin out.
Medication's weeeirdddd.

no_offenc

I fucking hate it when I miss a dose because I know I'll just spiral out of annoyance at myself for missing a dose, which will then be worsened still by having missed the dose in the first place. Fucking stupid shite. I find sertraline to mostly work for me for the moment, I've just put in to my GP to refer me for an adult ASD assessment as well because as time goes on I'm increasingly wondering what's always been going on with my brain. Full disclosure, I had something of a breakdown myself recently following a bad call at work (ambulance control, not going to give any info, sorry) and wound up signed off for three months. I got counselling through work, though, which has been amazingly helpful. The counsellor had a good listen to why I thought I needed to get checked out for ASD during a session and agreed wholeheartedly, and got me details for a quick assessment via Right To Choose. Everyone was so helpful from work and I'm now back in the office and out of the other side of one of the worst experiences of my life. Got a bit of self-actualisation self-advocacy gubbins going on at the minute too, which I'm surprised at, but enjoying nevertheless.

Best of luck getting off your meds Fred, hope it goes well for you.

willbo

how the heck do you get this help? I still haven't managed to get a GP appointment

Zetetic

Quote from: willbo on August 12, 2022, 07:42:04 AMhow the heck do you get this help? I still haven't managed to get a GP appointment
Have you written an email or letter? Did this contain recent and dated PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores? Did it contain clear descriptions of your relationship to self-harm and suicidality? Did you state what you wanted from the GP surgery, as specifically as possible?

I'll share my recent emails on here later today.

Zetetic

Here's one of my emails as a template: https://pastebin.com/FyYNszgw

This got me a referral to a particular service without having to talk with anyone at the practice.

A very similar email with a bit more detail about stressors, requesting a sick note, got me an appointment that took 2 minutes (because they'd read everything that I'd written) and then the sick note.

(I appreciate this is partly because my practice is not terrible.)

poo


willbo

Quote from: Zetetic on August 12, 2022, 01:27:01 PMHave you written an email or letter? Did this contain recent and dated PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores? Did it contain clear descriptions of your relationship to self-harm and suicidality? Did you state what you wanted from the GP surgery, as specifically as possible?

I'll share my recent emails on here later today.

a lot of it is that I'm just too tired and have no time. On the few days off I get I just want to lie down, not fight to see a doctor. And regarding self harm etc, I'd be hugely embarrassed to write about that. I was humiliated a lot in my teens with info/docs I thought was private being shared with my parents etc, and while that wouldn't happen now, it trained me out of feeling safe writing stuff like that down.

itsfredtitmus

Need off this Prozac shite FUCKING asap

Been like 7 weeks since I got my dose increased and it's turned me into a fucking lunatic that screams in the mirror in self hatred whilst hurting themselves

Want the person that put me on this poison KILLED

Glebe