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Depression & Prozac
Girl-From-Mars
Posts: 2,822 Boards Guru
my mum is currently suffering from depression, and she is particularly susceptible and fairly frequently has bouts of it. She has been taking prozac for about 18 months. at first she found it very effective, although now the depression seems to have "caught up" and overtaken any good effect from them, and was having to ring her doc yesterday to see if she could take a double dose just to get through the day. her father died this time a year ago, and christmas is never an easy time for her, and now with this added bereavement it makes it even worse (my dad isnt the most understanding of people and just tries to stay out of her way when shes not so good, and makes "witty" comments to me when shes not within hearing.). i told her about this place, and if she knew how to use the computer she would come on herself, as i told her how supportive and friendly everyone was, and ive already shown her some of www.depressionalliance.org (?) after it was posted up by derby county and luka. and she identified with that and the way in which people described her depression and was very thankful to feel that others were in her position and understood her.
basically the question is, what medications do other people take for depression? and what do they think of them? are there any other ways in which they get through it, other than talking to relatives (as this is not really an option as i seem the only one in our immediate family willing to listen, as my brother is only 12 and my dad, well ive mentioned him before. her sister and mother both have depression and she does not want to worry them, and so she tries not to talk about it with them. she doesnt have any other close friends she could talk to about it either.) the local doctors she is wary about, partly because hers does not seem too knowledgable on teh subject and was talking to her yesterday about thinking positively to get rid of it and imagining the glass as half full rather than half empty, and had to consult other people or a book and then phone us before answering a wuestion. also she is wary about notes written in her chart, as she knows many of the doctors and receptionists there, and she feels people associate depression with the stigma of mental illness, even though she is aware that it is a chemical imbalance in the brain. people in other parts of the country generally are more up to date than here, she has found with a number of other things as well as this.
i would teach her how to use this herself, only she wouldnt get a chance on our main computer as my dad uses it most of the time for chatting himself, and she is quite a private person and would not want to reveal what she was looking up or talking about to the rest of the family. she is a bit wary about chatting live to people, such as yahoo messenger, as she prefers to think things through before she writes or says them, and would find instant messaging unfamiliar and a bit scary!
any replies to this would be gratefully received.
It's better to regret things you've done than things you haven't.
basically the question is, what medications do other people take for depression? and what do they think of them? are there any other ways in which they get through it, other than talking to relatives (as this is not really an option as i seem the only one in our immediate family willing to listen, as my brother is only 12 and my dad, well ive mentioned him before. her sister and mother both have depression and she does not want to worry them, and so she tries not to talk about it with them. she doesnt have any other close friends she could talk to about it either.) the local doctors she is wary about, partly because hers does not seem too knowledgable on teh subject and was talking to her yesterday about thinking positively to get rid of it and imagining the glass as half full rather than half empty, and had to consult other people or a book and then phone us before answering a wuestion. also she is wary about notes written in her chart, as she knows many of the doctors and receptionists there, and she feels people associate depression with the stigma of mental illness, even though she is aware that it is a chemical imbalance in the brain. people in other parts of the country generally are more up to date than here, she has found with a number of other things as well as this.
i would teach her how to use this herself, only she wouldnt get a chance on our main computer as my dad uses it most of the time for chatting himself, and she is quite a private person and would not want to reveal what she was looking up or talking about to the rest of the family. she is a bit wary about chatting live to people, such as yahoo messenger, as she prefers to think things through before she writes or says them, and would find instant messaging unfamiliar and a bit scary!
any replies to this would be gratefully received.
It's better to regret things you've done than things you haven't.
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Comments
just wanted to write you a quick post to say I hope things went ok today and you all had a good day, Christmas is such a difficult tim traumatic at times, I've spent the last 2 /12 hours quietly crying in my room waiting for my family to leave, I can fully apreciate how difficult it is for your mother, you and the rest of your family, and my thoughts are with you all.
Take care
Luk
The river is wide and oh so deep. I've been walking around in tears, No answers arethere to get. Cause between this world and eternity there is a face I hope to see
Why don't you create an identity for your Mum & get her to write down her thoughts on paper, in her own time. Then you could transcribe them here.
You can then print out any responses, for her to read. Just a thought.
J9
"thank you so much for caring and replying about problems that arent your own. it feels so reassuring to know that there are others out there with the same or similar probs. feeling slightly better today, having upped the dose by 100%! (checked first that it was safe). good job ive got an understanding daughter/GFM!"
It's better to regret things you've done than things you haven't.
Glad to hear that you are feeling a little better today. I've been depressed myself, but I never plucked up the courage to see anyone about it.
I have no idea what brought me out of it, just very lucky I guess.
Use us as a sounding board for your emotions, it's good to talk, especially to people you don't know & who are not involved, (yet) <IMG alt="image" alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif">
An understanding daughter it usually the result of an understanding Mother <IMG alt="image" alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif">
j9
I had/have depression for a few years now and was on prozac for I think since I was 15 (im 18 now). I came off when I was pregnant as I didnt wanna stay on it much longer anyway. It was really scary deciding to come off, like j9j9 said earlier. I thought that I would go right down again and I really didnt want too. Prozac really helped me and I guess u kind of end up relying on it. Thankfully I seem to have been fine but I think thats got a lot to do with my mind being focused on something else, having a baby.
Anyway, just thought Id share that with u as u asked for any info and thats my version <IMG alt="image" alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/wink.gif">. I really hope that your mum gets through it, or at least finds something that helps her more. Maybe she could try reading the book Living with prozac by Debra Elfenbein/Peter D.Kramer. It gives personal accounts from people on prozac and also explains about other meds for depression. I thought it was brilliant. Also if your mum finds it helpfull talking to you about it, she might also find a counseller usefull too. I saw various different people in the past and it helped me a bit but I no for my mum (who also suffers from depression although its psychological not chemical imbalance) it done wonders. Just a thought anyway, hope u had a lovely xmas <IMG alt="image" alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif">
when im not feeling so awful myself i might talk to her abotu seeing a councellor and see if she responds as i think she might, saying no basically! hehe
It's better to regret things you've done than things you haven't.
Because the last year and a bit has been a succession of really shitty events, pretty much coming when I've felt ready to come off the tablets. I'm now afraid that if I get better something else bad is going to happen.
But, I felt that counselling was really helpful - but you've got to get the right counsellor. Fortunately my employer funded counselling - right up until I left because they were half the problem...
Efexor has a relatively fast uptake and release times, so missing a tablet is noticable - I get a headache a couple of hours after I miss the first one, and dizzy flashes that get worse and more frequent after the second was due. However, it is one of the so-called `smart' drugs, so it keeps you alert and counters the mental laziness depression brings.
Glad I can b of some use <IMG alt="image" alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/wink.gif"> hope u r ok too!
I've been a diagnosed depressive for the last 4 years but have been a sufferer for the last 16 years or so. It isn't the easiest of illnesses to live with. For niether the surferer or the suferer's friends and family. As long as belief exists on both sides (the suferer and family) the long and windy road to recovery can be achieved.
There are many different treatmentfor depression, some more effective for different people than others. Medication alone in rare cases can treat the depression effectively. In other cases Therapy alone can treat the illness. The thing with therapy, is it's not just about talking about what's happened and what is going on, but teaching tools to equip you better (anxiety management, cognotive thinking, etc..etc..) Most professionals would agree that it's a mix of meds & therapy that most effectively treats depression.
In some rare occassions depression sadly can't be treated or so heavilly traumatised that the quick fix method won't work. I have personally had this diagnosis from my consultant in the priory, though I believe they had enough and wanted to be rid of me. It can be a very scary place to be at, all alone trapped in the confines of your mind, Wondering what it's going to take to make you better ( I have had 4 changes of anti depressants this year alone).
I wouldn't wish this illness on anyone it is such a debillitator, and is so verry frightening. You end up trying so desperately looking for hope, but always feel knocked back down. It's these knock downs that can be so dangerous and when self harm or suicide can take it's turn to knock you.
When all is said and done, No ones depression is the same, there may be similarities but still with big big differences. The unifyer is the despair.
I noted someone mentioned a drug called Effexor (Venlafaxine) in my experience I have takenit, and known many other users of the drug with little positive effect. Comming off the drug, caused so many bad effects, I took an overdose in which the police and ambulance kicked my front door down, and my self harm went crazy.
I'm starting to ramble, if I find I've missed something I'll add it l8r.
Take care GFM my thoughts go out to you and your mum, as they go out to my friends I've met through this illness especially Kate and Elly from the priory I hope your both doing better. And also to anyone out there suffering from this awful affliction.
Luk
The river is wide and oh so deep. I've been walking around in tears, No answers arethere to get. Cause between this world and eternity there is a face I hope to see
[This message has been edited by LUKA (edited 30-12-2000).]
If you get a home network kit (usually around 50 quid, tend to be aimed at games players) and run connection sharing, then you should be able to do these things from any PCs in the house. (I've no idea how difficult it is for a novice to set this stuff up - I'd say easy but I've been wrong before)
carriage return, we have 2 computers, one in my room and one my dad uses for the net like constantly, and we have connection sharing on that too, as otherwise i wouldnt get a chance at the net! i used to go on it more than him.. now vice versa. we set it upw ith the help of a friend, although we arent novices! well dad is.. he likes to think otherwise. but this is totally irrelevant to the post!! i will print out or show my mum everything you've written, thanks for everyone's contributions.
It's better to regret things you've done than things you haven't.
I've run out. I usually try to get it sorted about a week before, but Christmas got in the way. I had one friday morning, and I've just taken my last one. I feel really yuckky.
I must get down to the surgery tommorow.