Does anyone have any feelings about these things? Sometimes I feel like they may be may only hope.

Kem,

I have taken anti depressents for 8 years now.. on and off. They have helped me tremendously. They are not for everyone though. Some people do fine with adding exercise to alleviate depression, some do fine with different types of therapy, some do fine with alternative medicine. It all depends upon what you and your doctor decide is right for YOU!

There are alternatives to medication.. but if you decide with your doctor that you need meds, they can help you.

Good Luck

I am on antidepressants also since last December. I resisted going on them for 11 years....I should have been on them a long time ago. I feel so much better on them. Have been struggling with my weight for a long time. The problem was I couldn't stick to any diet. My Dr. told me a few years ago....women who have a long standing weight problem....often have depression. At least now....I am able to do this....the majority of the time....do the points.

I have had another benefit.....my blood pressure got lower....Am on medication for high blood pressure.....my blood pressure went down to 124/72. It never was that low before.

My quality of life is better on the antidepressant & I am happier. Since I am happier....my relationship with my DH is better.

April

Hi,

I've been on anti-d's for a few months now after fighting it for over 4 years. I started out taking Zoloft which made me feel wacky and then switched to Welbutrin which is working out well for me

I am feeling much better and I'm trying like mad to do this diet thing Before going on Anti-d's I didnt' even try to diet.

You realy need to discuss this with your doctor, like LindaT said.
It is difficult at first but then it becomes easier... I was scared, embarassed and in denile.

Huggs !!

Leenie

Is it true what they say about the lack of a sex drive while you are on them. I don't have one right now I would hate to have a better outlook but still not have a sex drive. What kind of alternatives are out there?

I have a few thoughts on the issue but best person to talk to is a doctor or two....

I went to on Anti dep for about 6 months about 7 years ago....I was having anxiety attacks...chest pain, SOB etc and everything was so dark, didn't want to get out of bed etc....I self medicated a bit with alcohol but that didn't work so well with having children to look after.....my son who was 2 at the time was very ill and they thought he may have had CP or some other neurological disease, even cancer...as it turned out he had a fatal metabolic disese....anyhow I was so stressed out I was getting lost when I was driving places, my heart was pounding in my chest, I was running around so much but getting done......

My doctor put me on Paxil...it seemed to be the wonder drug of the moment....and it was like the sun came out in all its glory....It was so great....it took the edge off enough that I could concentrate....I went for therapy as well...which is an absolute part of the whole treatment...no pill is gonna do everything...I learnt a lot about myself and got the support I needed. I had so much energy.....my doctor said I had felt so bad for so long that it felt good to feel good....or something like that.

Anyhow as it turned out my son died one year later....I was no longer on anti dep but I didn't end up on a pysch ward as I would have imagined...I had gained the ability to cope with my break down one year before.....and even though it wasn't easy and I was in so much emotional and physical pain at times it would have been easier to die....I hung in there. I lived for my 4 year old that was left behind and my love for her was all that pulled me through to the other side.....

So long story short, I think that they help and for some people it is a life long necessity...like insulin for a diabetic...other times it is short term like a course of antibiotics....it depends on what type of depression you have.

That is (part of) my story and I'm sticking to it.

Let us know how things go!

Elizabeth (aka liz321)

P.S. There is no reason you have to lose your sex drive with anti dep...your doc just might have to play around with the drug that works best for you...I would imagine if you are feeling less depressed you will feel better in all aspects of your life

Hang in there!

Some meds can effect sex drive.. others don't. If this is a concern for you, you can talk with your doctor. Part of the reason you may have a low sex drive IS your depression, so it is possible that it could return.

As I mentioned yesterday, exercise can help alleviate some symptoms of depression, therapy is also beneficial. Other therapies I have heard about are herbal, massage, biofeedback, acupucture, chanting.. you name it. I tried the herbs.. didn't do much and now we are finding out how dangerous some of these can be, massage was nice but don't know what it really did for my depression. Biofeedback seemed to help more with my anxiety than depression.. and I am NOT going to get stuck with needles.

Your doctor is the best person to ask about what would be right for you. Anything we can offer here is just options we have heard about or are using ourselves.. which could be wrong for you.

Check out http://www.webmd.com/
http://www.drkoop.com/
http://www.nami.org
http://www.nimh.nih.gov
http://www.depression.org/

Kem,

It definitly depends what meds your on. With Zoloft, the Chippendales could have been dancing in my living room and it would tweek me (i'm trying to be nice ).

Now that I'm on Welbutrin, its a whole different story - NOW i'd like to see them in my living room

Kempyd,
I have tried many antidepressants and had problems with lack of sex drive and numerous other things. I am now on the brand new antidepressant named Lexapro. I have had no problems with it, on it 10 days, yet it gives me a boost. It is not interfering with my sex drive either.

Last winter...my doctor had me on Paxil....I wasn't able to have an orgasm. The doctor said that was fine one time....but not on an ongoing basis. He changed me to Effexor XR. I do notice I don't seem to have much sex drive on it. I wonder if it's the Effexor?

April

Thank you guys! I have learned lots. I guess I just need to make an Appt. with my doctor.

Hello!

I've been on antidepressants for about twelve years. I wasted half of my college years sleeping thru the winter.

I initially started taking ADs for that *I cannot make myself get out of bed and get started on my day* feeling I got every winter. Initially took imipramine, then switched to Prozac. Both were effective in *curing* my malaise at a minimal dose, but the Prozac helped to reduce my chronic migraine pain, while keeping me feeling *normal*.

After I was having trouble with no libido/orgasm on the Prozac, I switched to Paxil, and there is some improvement. One side effect of feeling good - is the energy to diet now. When I get to a comfortable shape and size I think that the libido thing will take care of itself.

My doc was totally cool - I said to him one day after reading an article about Seasonal Affective Disorder - do you think anti-depressants would help me get up and out of bed in the winter? I am such a slug when the days start getting shorter. He said - let's find out and wrote me a prescription.

I had always thought that I needed a psychiatrist to prescribe something *for my mood*. Was glad to be able to talk to a doctor I trusted. I stay on them all year now - but drop my dose to 20 mg a day in the summer (half).