Anyone here on Anti-depressants?

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Depression is a temporary issue for _some people_. In my case, I had it (still do, without meds) every winter, starting light in the fall, deepening to almost suicidal in January, then lightening up until about April. Did this for many years, until I finally took some Tofranil in January of 79, when those antidepressants were new. That cut off the low points, but gave me a cardiac irregularity side-effect, so I didn't take it very long, just long enough to either save my life or scare me off of it: funny, I thought I wanted to die, but I didn't want to die of my heart just stopping.... It really causes you to think when you lie in bed at night and listen to your heart go "Thump, thumpathump, thump, .... thumpety-thump"

One thing, Tony Attwood says that depressed Aspies usually need maybe half the starting dosage for neurotypicals, and I (with permission) raise and lower my dosages of Zoloft and Pamelor according to the calendar and whether I have any new symptoms: too much seems to be as bad as too little, making depressive symptoms instead of abating them. To me, anyway. I do have a 6% side effect with Zoloft: I sweat too much. I can live with that.

Some here have reported really bad stuff with citalopram or Celexa (same thing). That one did _nothing_ for me, zilch, might as well not have been taking anything. Paxil put me to sleep like a sleeping pill, and the higher the dosage, the more hours I slept. At the time I was trying that one, I couldn't _afford_ to spend too many hours per day sleeping, or too many weeks experimenting with that one: I had a small child and a job.

Just don't take any medications for head-colds with it. I don't know which pill my epileptic friend (the one who didn't wake up) was on, or which cold pill she took with it: general descriptions of the pills were all I heard from her father.

Yeah, one reason why I don't like to be on meds, but I need to lower my anxiety. Although, I never take cold medications because they really don't do anything and just make me feel weird. I don't get colds that often though, if I do I just stay home and eat hot chicken soup But yeah, some over the counter meds can be deadly if mixed with prescription medications.

depression is temporary for some people. if it's temporary for you, then be very very grateful. I have dysthymia--which basically means I am depressed all the time to a greater or lesser degree. I was born depressed. Dysthymia is depression in layers, but always always some and sometimes, more stacked on top of that

I am grateful it is temporary for me. However it does affect me every 18 months or so and generally f*cks up my life. Doctors have recommended I take drugs but I have refused after having a disastrous experience with them when I was younger. If people have depression continously then drugs may be a solution for them.

hi guys.

just an update. after 2 hours of sleep i woke up in the middle of the night like my chest was on fire (except there was no fire). i was seriously considering calling triple zero which is the emergency hotline in australia because it was so bad. its the weekend today, so my doctors office was closed and i have exams on monday so i didn't think i had time to go to the emergency room (also a lack of transportation as i dont drive and my parents are on a cruise atm). i looked it up and its only occurred in 2% of the population who took the drug that im taking and 1% in placebo.

i looked it up on google and apparently this burning sensation is called Paresthesia which is due to a problem with the functioning of neurons. could the neurological difference of autism be a result of this?

GO TO EMERG!
J.

It's not, for those with mild to moderate depression. It's significantly better than placebo for severe depression. However, 'mild', 'moderate' and 'severe' are subjective categories.

Personally, I've benefited from antidepressants but I needed to reach my current dose (40mg citalopram) before it helped me much. I don't think my depression is typical, though. Without listing all my symptoms, it was a bit like some of the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia (which I don't have). I haven't needed anti-psychotics and the SSRI seems to be doing the job.

I still have anhedonia, but...meh, I suppose.

Citalopram have done bad things to my digestive system and I fear having to come off it, but it has been worth it because depression is worse.

My doctor has talked about venlafaxine, but I have to come off the citalopram first...eep. Mirtazapine is another option. I'm on a waiting list to see a very good counsellor, too.

I'm on Prozac, which has done wonders for my anxiety. I've tried other weaker SSRI's like Celexa and Lexapro, which were little more than placebos (except for the withdrawals).

I take paxil and it has helped a lot. Took a couple of weeks to feel any different and also had clonazepam as an adjunct to become adjusted, but since last may it's been much better than I expected. I also have an active take as needed script for clonazepam for real bad anxiety.

::edit:: I should note I take the ssri for anxiety.