Medication

[Pukie]

Hi

New here. Over the last 18 months I’ve had 3 different types of anti depressants.All of these have caused me many side affects and no lifting of depression. Have been under the care of a psychiatrist and am getting no solutions or relief. The medication I’m currently on is creating a permanent fuzz particularly on the left side of my head and a clamping feeling of my brain. Feeling very alone and want my old carefree self back. Have done extensive reading and had all sorts of  professional advice but no drug or practioner has given me any clues or help. Will I get better or is this crappy life going to continue. I am a 60 year old female and prior to this I had never experienced depression. Any words of encouragement  or what to do next greatly appreciated.

[Eden1919]

@Pukie  Hello medications are difficult. because they still dont actually know how they work and what they do in the brain it can be a bit of a hit and miss some people swear by them and say they saved their lives others (like myself) have tried many and have found them uselss at best and damaging at their worst. so it is super hard to know what someones experience will be like and everyones is different. still there are a lot more than 3 anti depressants and if you still want to try meds you could try some of theose. other than that you are mostly left with lifestlye changes diet and exercise and trying to have an active social life can all be helpful. and there is some research being done into gut bacteria and mental health amoung other things. another option noticing your age is looking into hormonal causes i have heard a number of people say that menopause cause them to be depreessed so perhaps a hormone therapy could be helpful. again it is mostly about what your own preferences are but meds can be difficult. good luck. 

[Zoe7]

Hi @Pukie and welcome to the forum 

It took me and my team (GP, psychiatrist and psychologist) nearly 2 years to get the right mix of meds that both helped my depression and didn't have massive side effects. It really is sometimes trial and error with meds and combinations that work for each individual. It is not as easy as saying one med works for everyone with depression - or the 3 that you have tried. I know we tried both anti-depressants and anti-psychotics - some of those were to help with sleep issues as well as depression. It was a very long journey to get to a point where we had the right mix of meds for me. So what I am saying in telling you that is don't lose heart - it does take time but when you get ones that work that brain fog can lift. I have a much better quality of life know and am even back at work - the underlying depression is still there but it is manageable.

I also have done a lot of work with my support team and being able to sleep properly has been a significant factor to getting to where I am now. It is probably a much larger discussion you need to have with your psychiatrist - an open and honest conversation about how you are feeling and that you don't think the present meds are working. Tell them exactly how you are feeling and ask about alternatives. If they cannot offer you alternatives then mabe a second opinion (or change of pdoc) is a consideration for you.

[Pukie]

Hi Eden

Thanks for your reply.  Yes I have done and am doing all the things you mentioned and even sent down the path of HRT for 6 months. I am healthy, eat well, exercise and am very social but still I feel extremely low.  I soldier on but I'm going to try coming off the meds over the next 2 weeks as they're not doing their job so what's the point and the side affects are causing me grief.  No one has any answers including the head psychologist at my local hospital. 

This is crippling but thanks for your support

[Eden1919]

@Pukie  that is difficult although i can empathise my psychiatrist is also at a loss for what to do with me it is very frustrating when you are doing everything right but nothing seems to help. i wish there was more i could offer but for now all i can give is my support. 

[Pukie]

Thank you Eden

Hopefully your road to recovery is going well.

Take care

[Pukie]

Hi Zoe

Thanks for your encouragement. You sound like you have faith in your support team, unfortunately I always come away from appointments frustrated that there are no new solutions or new management strategies. After doing extensive reading I’m beginning to wonder how detrimental anti depressants are, it seems like it’s not an exact science. I’m being cynical however I really haven’t made progress in 18 months and my head is fuzzy and feels like it’s in a clamp. My life has spiralled into a very negative state. 

Keep well

Pukie

[Zoe7]

@Pukie I felt quite frustrated for the first year or so but I did/do have a very good GP and pdoc and knew they were doing everything they could to help me get through it all. I had to place my trust in what they were doing and knew they were both just a phone call away if I needed them. That kind of support was invaluable to me and helped with me trusting them. It does seem like you do not have the same level of support - and sadly that is the experience of quite a few here as well. All I can suggest is you look at changing your support people - if you are not getting answers/changes in treatment/lack of confidence in them then it would be good to look around for alternatives. I got really lucky with my support people - especially my GP who has been right with me from the beginning. She pushed hard and made a lot of calls to get me in to see my pdoc and it turned out to be a really good fit. I am certainly very thankful that I had her in my corner.

[Pukie]

Thanks again for your response. I have a new referral to a psychiatrist but unfortunately it takes ages to get an appointment. We seem to be on the same page and I do need a different opinion or viewpoint. So I’m going off the meds over the next 2 weeks and waiting for my appointment with a new psych.  Hopefully life will improve at some point because currently it’s hellish.

[Zoe7]

I had to wait some time to get in to see my psychiatrist too but my GP pushed for me to get in earlier as I was quite suicidal at the time and she eventually got me in @Pukie She did try with another one first who gave us both the run around - so glad I got into the one I did when I did.

I would strongly suggest you don't go off your meds until you see this new psychiatrist - the come down off meds can be hard to deal with especially if you don't have any support. Can you see your GP and discuss it with them while you are waiting to see this new psychiatrist?