FAQ/Help |
Calendar |
Search |
New Member
Member Since Jul 2020
Location: United States
Posts: 6
3 |
#1
Good afternoon, I am a 35 year old male who was diagnosed with depression and anxiety yesterday during my first meeting with a therapist. He prescribed me 10mg of prozac to take daily. If you can, please read my experience and if you have any words of encouragement or help I would greatly appreciate it.
I'll start out by saying I am terrified of taking medication. When I was a teenager, I was heavily into drugs. MDMA, Acid, Pills, etc.. It was when I turned 20 that I had my first panic attack. I thought I took too much hydrocodone and I googled "Can you overdose on hydrocodone" the google results sent me into my first panic attack (which I didnt know at the time). I thought I was dying lol. Ever since then, the thought of taking medication gets my anxiety sky high. The only medication I have gained enough confidence to take is Indomethacin for my gout flare ups. Even with that, I have to take it right before bed and go to sleep immediately so I don’t have a full blown panic attack. My issue is I am afraid of feeling the medicine "kick in" (which it doesn’t). I guess all of those younger years of taking drugs that do "kick in" and the panic attack I eventually experienced on one of them is why I am so terrified of medicine. I'm unsure if any of this makes sense or if I am explaining this correctly but I hope someone out there understands what I am going through. Back to the Prozac, I am terrified to take it. I'm worried it will "kick in" and I'll feel high or extremely different as I am always on high alert on how my body feels. I’m scared I’ll feel artificial and this will send me into a downward spiral of anxiety which will cost me my job. I have a wife and a newborn who depend on me so the thought of that scares me. Thank you if you took the time to read this as I know it’s a lot. |
Reply With Quote |
bpcyclist, Open Eyes, Thirty shades, Toughcooki
|
bpcyclist
|
Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Mar 2011
Location: Northeast USA
Posts: 23,116
(SuperPoster!)
13 21.3k hugs
given |
#2
Yes what you shared does make sense and it’s understandable that you worry about taking drugs. I had that same fear myself. However if you are really struggling with depression antidepressants can actually make a difference and they are not the same as taking drugs when young and experimenting.
Have you tried jogging or other forms of exercising? Sometimes exercising can help especially if you have a job where you sit all day at a computer. |
Reply With Quote |
bpcyclist
|
bpcyclist
|
Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Mar 2011
Location: Northeast USA
Posts: 23,116
(SuperPoster!)
13 21.3k hugs
given |
#3
Also if you do try an antidepressant ask your doctor to prescribe one that is least apt to have sexual side effects. You can google search to see which ones are least at causing sexual side effects. I know one is welbrutrin yet there are others.
|
Reply With Quote |
bpcyclist
|
bpcyclist
|
Legendary
Member Since Sep 2019
Location: Portland
Posts: 12,681
(SuperPoster!)
4 40.2k hugs
given |
#4
Welcome, J. Yeah, these meds work differently than those you talk about. You can probably relax. Hope the medication helps. I second aerobic exercise as an equal partner in managing depression and anxiety. Rowing, walk, run, bike, something you find fun. Do it all the damn time. Huge upside.
__________________ When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield |
Reply With Quote |
New Member
Member Since Jul 2020
Location: United States
Posts: 6
3 |
#5
Tha k you both for the reassurance and advice. It means alot!
|
Reply With Quote |
bpcyclist, Open Eyes
|
bpcyclist
|
Legendary
Member Since Sep 2019
Location: Portland
Posts: 12,681
(SuperPoster!)
4 40.2k hugs
given |
#6
Look into Wellbutrin, that was a good idea. Works faster often
__________________ When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield |
Reply With Quote |
Legendary
Member Since Feb 2009
Posts: 10,019
15 15.2k hugs
given |
#7
Hello & Welcome, Jruck504.
That can be exhausting, but it can also be valuable. The person who prescribed the medication works for you, not vice versa. I'd say use your keen sense of how you are feeling in your favor. Quickly communicate with the prescriber about what's going on; don't wait till the next appointment. That sounds like a low, initial dose. Nevertheless, my observation is that psychoactive medications are highly individual in their effects. The range of real-life reactions is wide. Did you inform the doctor (?) of your "medication anxiety?" I wish you success. __________________ My dog mastered the "fetch" command. He would communicate he wanted something, and I would fetch it. |
Reply With Quote |
bpcyclist, Fuzzybear
|
bpcyclist
|
Wisest Elder Ever
Member Since Nov 2002
Location: Cave.
Posts: 96,329
(SuperPoster!)
21 81.2k hugs
given |
#8
Welcome to pc. I cannot usefully comment as I personally have been severely allergic to “most” of those meds
I agree with Rohag’s post. Please make yourself at home. Respectful regards __________________ |
Reply With Quote |
bpcyclist
|
bpcyclist
|
Poohbah
Member Since May 2018
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,205
5 80 hugs
given |
#9
Prozac and other antidepressants take a long time to start working. And when they do start working the effect is very subtle.
You might notice after several weeks of taking Prozac that your anxiety attacks are not as bad as they once were or are less frequent. You might also notice that your thoughts are not as negative as they were before. Sometimes a med doesn't work at all and so you might find that the dose needs to be increased or you need to try another med. I have been on meds for many years and support a family of 4. I think you'll be just fine. __________________ * Dx: Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorder * Rx: Remeron, Prozac, Klonopin, Vraylar My avatar picture is a photo of the Whirlpool Galaxy I took in April 2023. I dedicated this photo to my sister who passed away in July 2016. |
Reply With Quote |
bpcyclist
|
bpcyclist
|
Member
Member Since Jul 2020
Location: Texas
Posts: 221
3 247 hugs
given |
#10
I am so sorry you're dealing with this! I have a similar issue - I had so many bad reactions to meds when my dr started trying to medicate me that I'm now terrified to start new medicines. I don't have panic attacks, I .... just don't take the medicine. I've actually lied to drs and told them I tried a med and it gave me bad side effects to avoid having to ever start taking it. Terrible, I know. I just dread it. I worry that every new med will do something horrible. Over time, and increasingly poor health, I've had to take more and more pills, and am forcing myself to actually take the ones I need for health issues, so it's gradually gone down to the point where I just have to put the new pill in with my regular pills, and then pretend to myself it's not there when I'm taking them all. I'm pretty good at lying to myself, lol, so it works for me. Perhaps you could try easing yourself into it by taking vitamins or some other benign pill? I hope you feel better soon!!!!
|
Reply With Quote |
Member
Member Since Mar 2020
Location: Michigan
Posts: 126
4 1 hugs
given |
#11
It can be helpful to write out what your fears and anxieties are about taking the medication. Then you can look for evidence to support those fears or challenge them.
For me, I found that the biggest resistance I had to taking medication in the past was that it made me feel "different." When medication works for me, it does dull certain parts of me that I'm used to, including the severity of my depression or the ups and downs of my moods. I've gone off medication several times because I felt like the medication was dulling the "real me" and limiting me in some way. But every time I've gone off medication I've noticed negative things happen, some of them long-lasting. Now I try to remind myself of those negatives and tell myself that the things I lose by taking medications are not greater than the things I gain. I appreciate the stability that I have, as well as the improvements in other areas such as relationships, concentration, and ability to cope with life. I understand the hesitancy to take medication. It's important to know that antidepressants are generally safe, and there are lots of options if one doesn't seem to work for you either due to side effects or it just not being helpful. The best thing about medication is also the worst thing, in that there are so many options. It can take time and trial and error to find what works for you. What are some of your specific anxieties? I find that sometimes we feel like we should just be able to get through our depression without medication. Like somehow needing medication makes us weak or means that we're looking for an easy fix. That's usually internalized stigma, though. Things that other people have said that we push on ourselves. You wouldn't rob someone who is nearsighted from wearing their glasses, or take insulin/medication away from someone with diabetes. It's important to know that sometimes we need medication to help us. There's no fault in that. Whatever your anxieties are, make sure you discuss them with your provider. Medication can be helpful for a lot of people, but even when it does work it doesn't fix everything. Medication can make it easier to do some of the other things that are important to recovery. If you do take medication, stay consistent, follow the dosing as prescribed, and communicate closely with your provider especially if you notice any benefits or side effects. They can only help if they have all the information. |
Reply With Quote |
New Member
Member Since Jul 2020
Location: United States
Posts: 6
3 |
#12
Thank you all for the responses! On Saturday morning I mustered the courage and threw it in my mouth and swallowed. The anxiety was instant! I did manage to keep myself occupied and it helped. Day 2 was great, no issue taking it and normal anxiety levels. Yesterday (Day 3) was tough! It was extremely stressful in the office. I ended up taking it around 11:00 and was fine for a couple hours. When hour 3 came around I felt so weird. It's hard to explain. It was a huge rush that lasted for a hour or so and then I felt GREAT for the rest of the work day!
When I got home the weird feeling crept back in. My wife and I had a baptism seminar to go to for our 4 month old. At the church, It was like I wasn't in my body. I felt extremely depressed and full of anxiety. I felt sick, I felt just overall strange. It eventually passed when I laid down for bed (my comfort spot) so maybe it was just a new form of anxiety that I hadn't experienced before. My wife suggested I take the medicine at Bedtime to see if that helps. I hope I can stick through this |
Reply With Quote |
SlumberKitty
|
Member
Member Since Jul 2020
Location: Texas
Posts: 221
3 247 hugs
given |
#13
Quote:
|
|
Reply With Quote |
Reply |
|