More depression near treatment end?

[Katy4444]

Hello,
I am in my 14th month of treatment.  Started 20 mg Prozac before treatment.  During treatment went to 30, then 40.  But I'm feeling more and more prickly lately, ruminative, anxious.  Lonely.  Doc will support any decisions.  Part of me detests the prozac -- the sides and the horror stories of people who can never get off it.  But I seem to function better when I bump it every few months.

Is it common to keep bumping psych Anti-Ds during treatment?  Are the side effects of treatment cumulative or something?

Don't feel like writing on this board, lately don't want to do anything but TV and computer games.  I do eat welll and exercise and try to meditate and reach out to others.  If I don't feel better in one week I plan to bump the meds.  Hate to do it when I've only another month or so of treatment. Any similar experiences?
Thanks
Katy

[RedRodeo]

Hey Katy,
      Yep it is normal to increase doses of anti deps during tx and even when you're not on tx. As a pharamacist There are complex explainations as to why. But the truth is nobody really knows.  Interferon definately affects serotonin levels. Some people don't seem as sensitive to that as I was. I started taking ad's about a month before starting tx. I finished tx in May and still strugle with the depression. I tried lots of different ones. First was celexa, then lexapro and then effexor. As a friend of mine says "I am pharmacologically flexible" But during tx I was taking ad's, narcotic pain killers, sleep medications. I just wanted to get thru it. I had done this tx 2x before and was never able to complete it because of the side effects. So this was my 3rd attempt and to the best of my knowledge it was successful.  My hats off to you for hanging in there for as long as you have. Sounds like you are getting near the end just be prepared that all those crappy feelings just don't go away. Maybe they will for you but just be prepared. Its been a year since I worked and I am just now doing some interviews. I have zero desire to return to work. But I feel so out of sync with the world that maybe working will help. Who knows, but I need the money and insurance.
      So my advice is increase the dose if its ok with your md. In terms of withdrawal theres not much difference in coming off of 40 or 80mg.
      Hope that helps
      Chris

[Hank's mom]

I think a lot of treaters get smacked at the end - the last month or two, with all the mind sides. One question is your doc overseeing the bumps - sorry, you may have said, i get confused the biggest mind side of all for me.

Susie

[negative1]

Katy,

I had alot of trouble at the end of tx. I did 48 weeks but the depression and anxiety and panic hit me hard at week 40. My doc had me on Prozac at first...low dosage, then an increase in dosage. It still would only work for a while.

Anti d's are a strange drug and the are a lot of different ones out there and they all will act differently on different people. My doc switched me to Effexor and in 3 days, I was a new person! It just seemed to be the right drug for me.

So, maybe talk to your doctor about trying somehting else. See what he says.

It is very common for people to get almost through tx and then fall apart at the end. I personally don't know if it is because the meds build up in your system or if it is because you get to a point that you just can't fight off the *feeling* any more.

Cris gave you some great advice and he went through it all! His background also gives him more insight than others when it comes to how different drugs work.

What do you thnk, Cris? Should she ask her doctor for something else if this seems to not be working for her? If she is on the Prozac and still feeling withdrawn and depressed, maybe time for a change?

Hang in there Katy..this is not an easy road and it will take some time to recover from the tx.

My best.......Earl

[RedRodeo]

Katy,
    Effexor works differnetly then prozac. I think that it may help. Its a little more stimulating then others.I hope this tx works for you. I know you have invested your soul into it. Effexor made Earl a "new insame person" He said that was a improvement.
    I have interview a noon with "Walgreens" oh boy. I hate those things. There was a period in 1980 to 1982 when I was in and out of jail so I have to explain all that even though it was that long ago. I am already getting aggitated and angry. Put I have pair of pants on and shave.
     Chris

[negative1]

Yes Cris....It did make me a happy insane person!

lol
Good luck on the interview!

[Katy4444]

ThankyouThankyouThankyou for the replies.

 I know I need a bump in anti-d, spent the day ruminating about real and imagined slights.  I probably won't try a different drug though -- better the devil you know.  Every drug has it's horror stories and it's in my negative nature to read them all.

It took four minutes to figure out how to reply to this post today -- me, a computer goddess (amateur status).  I function OK on Prozac -- mental and physical sides somewhat deadening. 

It really helped to hear that coming off 80 is no worse than coming off 40.  I believe it.

Wanted to reread the posts before I sent my reply.  Within a mere few minutes I learned I could just scroll down. Jeez.  A year ago I was teaching some pretty tough mathematics.  Now...

Again, thanks.  Gonna be a grandma again.  Being a depressed mother-in-law aint the way to go.

Love
Katy

[robin]

Hi Katy...congratulations on the new grandma to be...grands are such a joy. Have you thought about talking to your doctor about changing or adding a secondary medication for your increased depression?  May I ask how long are you treating if you are now in your 14th month of treatment? Are you doing 72 weeks? Wishing you the best and keep your spirits high..robin

[negative1]

Katy,
Being able to function on Prozac is all fine and good, but if it isn't helping you deal with the depression, it isn't doing what you need it to do. You might want to ask your doctor.
I would tell my doctor how I was feeling and suggested to hm that there might be something different that would have better results. If you don't tell them, they won't know.
Anitd's are a very strange group of medications and they do different things to different people. When they are needed, it is always a trial and error effort to find the one that works FOR YOU.
I would STRONGLY suggest that you talk to your doctor about this. When I was on Prozac, My depression deepened and I was having even worse suicidal thoughts when my dose was increased.
Tryng a different anti d should not worry regarding hororr stories. A person does need to be monitored for the first 30 days usually to see how the respond.
There have been so many different antid's that have hit the market since the inception of Prozac that, in my opinion, Prozac is outdated.

Good luck to you. I could not imagine having to do tx more than 48 weeks. My hat is off to you....I could not ever do that long.

Earl

[Hank's mom]

Hi Honey -

Like Earl said, I had a terrible time with the Prozac class of drugs - went from bad to worse till I broke my hand punching a wall. What bothered me more believe it or not, was my sense of humor vanished - I stopped laughing, making jokes and in general being me - needless to say, I gave the leftovers back to the shrink. (The same thing happened with 2 of my kids, my daughter trying to drown herself in the bathtub and my son hearing voices and violent.) I chucked theirs for them as well.

Luckily, I did find a different shrink who, and this is important, had enough medical experience to understand the unique problems of us heppers and txers. She explained why the Prozac group didn't work - in our family - that we had more of a mood disorder - the lowest on the bi-polar scale, and wrote a prescription based on that. It made a huge difference for me and my daughter, my son outgrew his troubles, we are still us, the ride is just smoother.

Nothing can change the world around you, but being even sure helps maintain the right perspective.

Be well,
Susie

Since then

[Katy4444]

Hello,
Your replies really helped.  Anti-ds do calm me -- I tried Wellbutrin about 5 years ago.  But I felt more and more confused and quit it.  I did bump the Prozac after my first post.  And I haven't cried all day.  (I cried for a long time yesterday and got into this bizarre human interaction with a new counselor I was trying out.)  Went to a meeting today and my old personality seemed to start emerging.  More people seemed to be approaching me after the meeting.

To momxfive, thanks.  For the first time I feel open to trying something else.  My fear is if I wish to quit a drug eventually, will I be able to even if the rest of my life is back on track?  I have a sweet pill psychiatrist, but he doesn't take this fear seriously.  Perhaps my fears are somewhat irrational, but they are mine.  I grew up in some severe insanity -- alcoholism and schizophrenia and it took 20+ years in 12 steps to get to my sanity level.  So I'll be thinking about finding a doc that really respects my fears, and that will help me be able to respect his or her opinion.

So I bumped the prozac and think I'm OK for the rest of my treatment -- but I really will be open to exploring other medications after tx.  With all my time in the program I'm still quite the underachiever, and maybe I do need a bit of help.

Gosh, I actaully feel like writing.  And watching the presidential debates.

Again, thanks.
Katy

[pete c]

 HI KAT444

  Ater reading all the post to you  wow wealth of knowleage here ,It,s good to see that your able to share this stuff with others.
  I really dont have and thig to add to all that has been said.So just to let you know I will be praying for  ,stay strong just for today.

                                                          pete

Ps Criss good to see that you doing so well now hope your felling better. sounds like your gettin back to you.

[Lee]

I know I am jumping in here rather late, but am just catching up....Katy, really appreciated your post...I am so glad to hear that you are feeling more positve and active....you have found the right combination for yourself....good luck on your continued success on your journey.

I am on week 41...the sides seem more severe much of the time, much as described by all here...I find it far more challenging the more along I go with Tx...I tend to become very quiet and try to focus hard on what I need to do.  Much of my efforts during tx was to channel all my energy into working full time.  I have missed time at work, but luckily have very caring employers who work with me.  For the past few weeks, I have been leaving work early on Wed. applying the overtime I accumulate during the week.  It is helping with the extreme exhaustion and I find it helps me get through the rest of the week....concentration is very hard as you know and the feeling of moving in slow motion most of the time...smile...but there is light at the end of the tunnel...and when I feel I cannot lift another foot, I think about the blessings I have been afforded, and it helps me put that foot down and keep going....we all find our ways to deal...all if us drawing from our inner strength, and the strength of those that help so much here on the site, in our family here...stay strong, positive, laugh all you can and hold to your faith.

Blessings,

Lee

[pete c]

  Hello everyone 

 After reading the post here and seeing how I,am not alone in row row the boat. I have been on zolof and trasadon for about 

well it,s been awhile  For me  the depression seem to hit me more right after my shot on fri , I have found for myself that takeing a walk,seems to help keep my mind going the right way. Has anyone heard from Katty l lately ?

                                                                           pete

[missy]

Hi Lee & Katy -

Wow - can I relate to your posts!   I'm in wek 41 of 48 weeks, and I can honestly say that the last few weeks have been the worst!  Physically, I've felt horrible - but the worst is what it's done to my mental state - i feel crazy & weepy all the time. Sometimes I feel like the meds have accumulated in my system and thrown me on overload... but I'm gonna stay the coures - only 7 more weeks to go!  Hang in there - ok?

Peace & Blessings,
W.C. Missy (not to be confused with Florida "missy mouse!)