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Jacs
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08 Apr 2011, 4:10 am

I guess I better start at the beginning; I have suffered with anxiety and depression in various forms since childhood.

6 weeks ago I was sent home from work, after a few weeks of feeling low, having burst into tears at work. I went to see my GP who prescribed Mirtazapine. However after 4 days of sleeping 20 hours a day, I went back to see my GP and asked for something that would make me less sleepy.

I was given Prozac and by day 7 my anxiety levels had risen so high that I ended up in hospital. I was given 15mg of valium immediately and prescribed 2mg x twice a day and 4mg at bedtime. The doc was reluctant, so was I to prescribe any other antidepressants because of my severe reaction to the Prozac.

Initially the valium did help and but the depression was still there and after weeks it got to the stage where I was having very distressing suicidal thoughts (I have no intention of carrying them out).

I returned to my GP once more and have been put on 35.7mg of Venlafaxine twice a day, 4mg of Valium 3 times a day and 7.5mg of zoplicone at night.

The first few days I felt very sick and drowsy but after about 8 days I did start to feel a little better. My GP has advised me to cut down on the valium so yesterday I only took 2mg at lunch time inside of 4mg. I went to bed with a slight headache and a pain in my chest.

This morning I feel sick, quite depressed again, anxious and my suicidal thoughts have returned (although again I have no intention of doing anything about them).

I have an appointment for CBT and counselling etc. but that isn’t until the end of the month.

The zoplicone is now not working so am hardly sleeping and, as I have no appetite my BMI has now reached an anorexic level.

I feel so messed up. Is it all the drugs I've been on that is making me feel this way? Is it valium withdrawal, or does it take this long to get used to the antidepressant (am on day 12).

Any help, support or advice would be appreciated, especially if you have experience of being on one or all of the above


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Bluefins
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08 Apr 2011, 4:36 am

Drugs can definitely mess you up. A good blog: http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/about/



Jacs
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08 Apr 2011, 7:17 am

Has ayone hear been on one or all of these meds?

Am feeling v low and could do with some help and advice.


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faithfilly
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08 Apr 2011, 9:38 am

I have stayed far away from them. What works for me can be found in the Bible.


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"Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." – Isaiah 66:2


Jacs
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08 Apr 2011, 9:58 am

Thanks for your advice but faith isn't a gift I've been granted yet.


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Kon
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08 Apr 2011, 10:27 am

When beginning on most SSRIs or SNRIs you tend to feel worse (more agitated) before feeling better, especially if you begin at high dose or raise the dose too quickly. It typically takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks before they take effect for most people. Taking a benzodiazepine during this initial time may help. Unfortunately sometimes the benzodiazepine is the drug that is most effective and when you stop it, hoping to to see the SSRI/SNRI anti-anxiety or anti-depressant to take effect after the 4-6 week period and it doesn't occur, you feel worse. Partly because of the mild bezodiazepine withdrawal as your system has gotten used to it. But if the SSRI works for you, then you should feel better. And yes, I've been on many benzodiazepines and SSRIs.



Last edited by Kon on 08 Apr 2011, 10:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

Jacs
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08 Apr 2011, 10:55 am

Thank you so much, I feel a bit more hopeful now :)


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Alphabetania
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08 Apr 2011, 11:12 am

Medication can be very helpful (I'm on effective medication for ADHD and mood instability), but the type of medication which messes with your sleep can be extremely harmful. Even the stuff that is supposed to make you sleep can be addictive and can actually cause insomnia after prolonged use.

My former husband had this experience and developed clinical depression as a result of the sleep tablets which were prescribed for him.

I have an aspie friend who was turned into a drug addict by all the medication prescribed by her psychiatrist. She has serious insomnia now, It caused some liver damage too. She suffers from depression and anxiety. When her father (a doctor) finally saw the list of the things she was taking, he said he was surprised she had not died long ago. She is now undergoing drug rehabilitation and also attends a support group for drug addicts.

The only medication which I recommend for sleep and use occasionally is melatonin. Very few people have side effects from it. In my country you can buy it without a prescription. I also have half a dozen non-chemical sleep strategies which carry me through most of the time.

I used to take risperidone, and after a year this (combined with other strategies and supportive friends) led to a reduction in my anxiety to the point where I no longer need it.


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Last edited by Alphabetania on 09 Apr 2011, 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Henbane
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08 Apr 2011, 11:54 am

Hi Jacs,

I have been on all the drugs you mention at some point or other. My diagnosis has changed at various points in time, but originally was anxiety and depression, later became bipolar disorder, and also personality disorders.

I have had many conversations with people about venlafaxine and SSNI's and SSRI's (like Prozac). Venlafaxine (an SSNI) is widely prescribed in the UK, but I and others I have talked to, have had many problems with it. It seems to increase anxiety and induce mania in people with bipolar disorder, and I personally blame it for both increasing my anxiety and social phobia. It is also a very difficult drug to come off, and withdrawal symptoms can be very difficult (although not for all people). If you read the leaflet that comes with it you will find anxiety and also suicidal thoughts as possible side effects (at least they used to be listed).

I don't want to worry you, and I don't know how these sort of drugs affect people with AS (I only suspect that I have AS). But the only antidepressant I could deal with was an older type - a MAOI. All the SSRI's and SSNI's have made my anxiety much worse. I was on Venlafaxine three seperate times, the first for four years, and it was hell to get off each time. It was only because the doctor was so very insistant and I was too depressed to say no that I ended up back on them again.

You might find that in time it does work for you, the first few weeks of starting any med can be the most difficult in terms of side effects. And different people will have different experiences of each drug. It might end up working fine for you after a few weeks.

Zopiclone and benzos like valium are also addictive, and seem to stop working quite quickly, meaning you have to keep raising the dose to get an effect. Most GPs in this country won't prescribe them long term.

Are you under the care of a community mental health team and psychiatrist? It sounds to me that you would benefit from someone with more experience of drug interactions, anxiety etc. A GP can only go so far, and you sound very distressed. If your appetite is very poor as well I think that asking for GP for a referral might be a good way to go.

I don't mean to scare you, but these are the things I would say to a good friend (if I had one!). I hope things start to improve for you soon. Take care.



Jacs
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08 Apr 2011, 12:12 pm

Thank you for your advice, its been most helpful.

My plan is to wean myself off both the valium and zoplcine. Am doing the Valium at 2mg a week and plan to go on to half a zopicone for a two weeks and then finish with it.

By that stage, I should know if the Valafaxine is working. I have to admit if I had known about it what I know now I wouldn't have started but, like you, was to depessed to ask any questions.

I have seen a psychiatrist but my GP is still waiting for the report. Have an appointment with the CMHT at the end of the month.

Just guess I will have to ride things out til then.


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AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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08 Apr 2011, 4:49 pm

Henbane wrote:
. . . I was on Venlafaxine three seperate times, the first for four years, and it was hell to get off each time. . .

Say over two weeks, a series of downward steps, might that work?

Hi Jacs, we're all pulling for you. :D And for the weight loss, maybe just a little dense-caloric food, like avocado or something?



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08 Apr 2011, 6:37 pm

AardvarkGoodSwimmer wrote:
Henbane wrote:
. . . I was on Venlafaxine three seperate times, the first for four years, and it was hell to get off each time. . .

Say over two weeks, a series of downward steps, might that work?

Hi Jacs, we're all pulling for you. :D And for the weight loss, maybe just a little dense-caloric food, like avocado or something?



If Jacs has only been on a short time then she should be ok with coming off venlafaxine. Maybe just a little dizziness.

The best way I found to come off it after being on long term is by transferring to duloxetine - its another ssni, like a sister drug. You can go onto it straight away, without any withdrawal effects from venlafaxine, and it is much easier to come off. Obvs under a GP/Psychiatrist's care.

The first time I finally managed to get off it, I had really bad flu, and decided I would just go cold turkey and pretend it was the flu that made me feel so awful. I could never manage it even with baby steps before that.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you luck. :)



Jacs
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10 Apr 2011, 12:15 pm

Thank you all for your help, suport and advice , it really has helped.

I've been feeling a bit better this last day or so; eating, all be it small meals, sleeping a bit better and feeling a lot less anexiety and depressed.

However I have to cut my Zopcloine from 7.5 to 3.5mg and loose another 2mg of my Valium (will be down to 8mg day then). on Tuesday, so I think I might be for a rough few days then!

Think the combo of my body getting use to the Venlafaxine and all its side effects + all the different meds I've been on lately wasn't a good for me say the least!!

I may have quite a few 'downs' to come but it's nice to feel an 'up' for a change

Think the Venlafaxine may be working at last (touch wood) :)


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10 Apr 2011, 1:07 pm

I was on zopiclone but it did little to help me sleep.
So I started taking more of it to try and help but still didn't help.
It's not a very good drug IMO and it only worked the first time I took it.
Generally I was a little more sleepy the next day but nothing too bad.

Venlafaxazine made me feel like crap....I stopped taking it after a week.

Never taken valium, but I have taken ativan (same type of drug) and it when I tried to quit I started having some crazy panic attacks (I think this is the biggest way you can tell withdrawal) I was getting panic attacks before but these were insane and really made me go mental.


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10 Apr 2011, 5:23 pm

Jacs wrote:
. . . Think the Venlafaxine may be working at last (touch wood) :)
That is good news! 8)



Henbane
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10 Apr 2011, 5:55 pm

Jacs wrote:
Thank you all for your help, suport and advice , it really has helped.

I've been feeling a bit better this last day or so; eating, all be it small meals, sleeping a bit better and feeling a lot less anexiety and depressed.

However I have to cut my Zopcloine from 7.5 to 3.5mg and loose another 2mg of my Valium (will be down to 8mg day then). on Tuesday, so I think I might be for a rough few days then!

Think the combo of my body getting use to the Venlafaxine and all its side effects + all the different meds I've been on lately wasn't a good for me say the least!!

I may have quite a few 'downs' to come but it's nice to feel an 'up' for a change

Think the Venlafaxine may be working at last (touch wood) :)




Very good to hear that things are looking up for you.

It just occurred to me as well, have you read Temple Grandin writing about anti depressants and ASD? I read in one of her books that she believes that people with autism/aspergers need lower doses of anti depressants in order for them to be effective, and in fact normal doses can make them feel ill. I think she bases this on research in the US.

Anyway, I hope you continue to feel better.