can my doctor refuse to prescribe me antidepressants, even though theyre working amazingly (and her reasons are awful)
shes decided i should stop them soon and i am not at all happy! i am worried to death that im gunna have them took off me and go back to how i was! i dont even want to think about it.
Hi there, your doctor shouldn't take you off them suddenly unless there is a really good reason to. You will need to gradually reduce the dosage over a period of time. If you are not happy then you have the right to ask for a second opinion.
xGGx
edit *
I have done a sudden withdrawal under medical advise and it isnt nice.
Your doctor cant tell you to stop them, she can advise you to stop takeing them and try and help you come off them over time, but they cant just go "nope no more tablets" you should just stop taking them cold turkey anyway you should reduce them slowly over time, Id go along to ur GP surgery and complain about them and get another dr xxxx
oh no, she meant stop them gradually haha. im just panicking that the next time i go in she'll only give me a lower dose so that im forced to come off them
she was saying that serotonin levels are higher after a course of antidepressants and i basically said thats a load of rubbish as all journals on the subject have found the opposite effect, and so she reluctantly filled another prescription out. gunna request another doctor next time i think then, someone who knows what theyre talking about!
so funny that doctors are so quick to hand antidepressants out to people with mild/moderate depression, and yet so quick to take them away from people with severe depression
You are right in saying that you should stop gradually. However, your doctor may be trying to reduce your dosage because you've been on them for some time, because he/she is worried about side-effects it may be giving you, or because you are on a dose that is higher than the standard range (which means they are putting their neck on the line).I also think that the evidence around serotonin levels post-SSRI-treatment is inconclusive overall as different studies have used different methods.
All this aside, your doctor sounds like she would benefit from listening to you! Sorry that you've had to go through this :/
i told her i get no side effects at all and that im really really happy and all she did was speak to me as if i know nothing about depression/neurotransmitters/basic human behaviour which really annoyed me!
i know when im happy, i know that i am still traumatised by the hell of depression and for her to suggest i should stop them is the worst thing ever!
feel like ive ran a hundred miles, had a break for a week and been made to run it again as soon as i thought i was safe. for now id just like to relax in my non stressful mind, instead of being hurried off my medication
poor meeeeeeeeeeeee
I'm sorry to hear that you are going through that. I think the other advice to see a different doctor at the practice would be good! I am sure that she has your best interests at heart and (especially because I believe you are quite young?) doesn't want to see you on anti-depressants forever.
Try not to worry too much, it's reduced a little at a time so the doctor and yourself can see how much progress you have made. It's hard to tell how much is the meds and how much is progression. If you feel you still need the higher dose, then talk to your doctor. It might be more fear of the unknown, than actually needed the same dose. They will not just drop or stop your medication, as that could be more damaging, so make sure you clearly explain how you're feeling with each reduction. Good luck :)
I can understand how it can be scary. I don't know your situation or your relationship with the doctor in the past but your doctor shouldn't (and I'd go out on a limb and say 'wouldn't' force you to come off the tablets if you don't want to. However there may be good reasons based on your history of using them that have for suggesting you try reducing them - either because the dosage you're on is abnormally high as a method of short term managing a serious period of depression and they want to aim towards a more long term level, or because they feel you're ready to give it a try lowering the dose as you seem to be doing well.
If you don't feel this doctor listens to you then ask for to see a different one - not all doctors are great! - but don't panic too soon, try to talk to them about why the idea scares you, ask them their reasons for suggesting you lower the dose, see what they say. Possibly you could coincide lowering the dose with CBT or councilling so you have support there. Maybe you've not been open enough about how you're feeling and so they think you've got a bit of a dependence on them when really you don't need them now. And even if you start to lower the dose and feel you're slipping again you can start upping them again.
not saying any of those are the reasons or that you should start to come off them, but try and find out why they're suggesting it and talk it through first.
well, i've been this way since 13, im now 20. and its been constant. started off really depressed over my body only and throughout the years has developed into a full on general, irrational depression. not only is depression the problem but anxiety too. so its not as if its a recent thing that a year of antidepressants will fix. its just my rubbish serotonin levels.
i told her about a few times when ive been late getting a new prescription and have been off them for a few days, my mood has reverted right back.
im still elated that im actually happy! i just cant get over it! feel as if ive won the lottery, and silly doctors robbing my winnings without even taking note of my circumstances/feelings : (
Have you had any form of talking therapies or CBT? If you have not tried these, it would be well worth asking your GP about services in your area as they are very effective (both from personal experience and from reviews of the medical literature).
fistinglover69 wrote:
can my doctor refuse to prescribe me antidepressants, even though theyre working amazingly (and her reasons are awful)
shes decided i should stop them soon and i am not at all happy! i am worried to death that im gunna have them took off me and go back to how i was! i dont even want to think about it.
Ok I have been here (although I wasn't told I had to come off of them) and I was scared but I figured that I could try reducing the dose slowly and if it wasn't working put them back up. My boyfriend has done this several times too but he has been on them years, he cant seem to cope at all without them but my attempts to come off the was successful,
I have bad days dont get me wrong but I have never been in that big black pit of depression since, but should it ever happen in the future I recognise the signs and can get help again before it gets too bad. You have absolutely nothing to lose by giving it a go although I can understand your fear of doing so, like I say I was terrified but at the same time I didn't want to stay on tablets forever either which pushed me into trying it. Feel free to add me if you need a chat :)
Just read your other reply, I recommend you ask about some CBT or other suitable therapies if you haven't already tried them. They do take a while to help though when you have been feeling depressed for a long time, it was years before I got the suport I needed and I think the CBT has helped loads, although sometimes it doesn't feel like it.
I felt like I was the only person on anti depressants recently
I can relate to a lot of what you are saying whilst I feel mine do bring me on a level ground , I really hope I wont be on them for life
People tend to think you pop your pill and life is amazing... which is far from the truth
recently I have been feeling so down and depressed , crying for the first time in ages.
I feel so lonely and anxious... a big brotherly hug to anyone who feels the same out there...
Witout knowing the type of anti d you've taking it's hard to tell whether or not your doctor is making the right more. There's advances in anti d's constantly happening, and new information.
Also different SSRIs work differnetly. Generally the body will become use to them rapidly, when compared to other forms of anti d's. Have you talked about trying a different medication? Also do you attend any therapy, SSRI's are often only effective when joined with additional external support. Also, it's rather common to be given other medications depending on your condition to help with other areas, such as panic, sleep, and more.
I've been on anti's for over 10 years now, and anti psychotics, as well as a mixed of sleeping tablets. Most of the time to notice any effect I have have to take a mixture, which often needs changing or increasing within 6 weeks to about 4 months. They don't really help me function like a normal person, but they make me function more like what society would class as normal. A lot of the time when taking them I often loose something else which I regard as important. Some have affected my creativity, or my excitment levels, or even orgasm, and some have made me able to cope but act very grumpy. Then there's other side effects such as weight gain, loss, hair loss, gittery movements, and more. I've found that most of the tablets work best when I either attend therapy, or find another activity I can focus on too. I personally found running a good way of helping as it made me focus on something else other than my mood and the medication. When focusing on the medication I found it less effective, as I would worry about it more. I know it's tricky to try and for get, esp when you have to take it at least once a day, but otherwise you're just letting it control your life.
Sometimes I go through phases without them at all, and I think this is healthy to take a break, and let your body try and adjust to its normal hormone levels. Yet, I know personally and from the people around me, this isn't the best thing for me. As when I don't take them at all, after one or two days, I can't cope. I can't leave the house, I panic, I try and be ok, and even running or exercise doesn't help. I know I can't function without them at all, and I personally hate this. I'd love to beable to be ok without them, and I spent years ignoring the doctors when they said I needed them as I felt I knew best.
The fact is though, even when taking these tablets, I don't become happy. And actually I don't expect I will become happy through taking them. Depression to me isn't about feeling one extreme emotion or another. Without tablets I act and seem down, and can't cope, but I can't really feel whther I'm sad. Tablets generally just help me know what I'm feeling so I can cope with these feelings. So I can control them, and stop them from becoming over bearing. And personally if a tablet caused happiness all the time I'd become a little scared of it, as I like being able to feel the negative and positive emotions.
If the tablets have started to make you happy that's good, and what your doctor is doing may be right for you. Try not to worry too much about coming off them, just seem where it goes. If you worry too much, you'll porobably become depressed about it and form another negative thought pattern, which'll just take time to climb out of again. This is also why it's important to have support from therapy or a similar network, to try and help you get out of negative thoughts, etc.
Maybe, reward yourself with something like an activity. Go to the movies once or twice a week, or go out with friends, or similar. An activity which you'll find enjoyable and be able to focus on whilst you are going through this change.
Sorry for rambling i'm not sure if any of that made much sense really. But personally, if I was able to cope without meds it would be wonderful, not having that restriction on my life and extra chore of either taking them or measuring out liquids.
im on citalopram, 20mg for depression, anxiety and bdd
not getting any therapy at all - which im happy with. im just in a really good place right now, no therapy is eeen needed
i think im just going to have to wait until this is next mentioned - my prescriptions are managed by boots pharmacy and so i dont know when this will be
will ask to see one of the superior doctors next time i go! : (
im on 40mg! your a noob at depression!!! :P hehehe <3 love you hun xxx hope it gets sorted out. as i said before the dr cant tell you what to do its ur health they can only advice, they can only stop giving u the drugs if you feel ready. my dr has suggested lowering my dose and coming off them slowly, but i want to have a steady life going before i try that.
I came off my first anti-depressents over the summer as id had such a good year, but cose i did nothing really over the summer i slipped back down, and had a massive anxiety attack when i had to go back to uni, i refused to leave my living room, i wasnt eating. Dont take the decision lightly, if ur still a little nervouse about it then dont do it yet. Tell the dr tht it scares u still and u dont feel ur ready for it xxx Im always around if you need support or someone to talk 2 hun x youve got my mobie number if ya need me <3 xxxx
citalopram made me totally hyper lol
I have long standing mental health problems from my preteens (7). I have always controlled my mood through behaviour management etc. 3 years ago I had to go on anti depressants, it took about a year for them to find a tablet that worked for me and and was on sertraline for 18months which worked wonders for me.
I came off them in may and although I did experience an initial dip in mood, and it is harder to deal with stress but I have been fine without them. I just have to work at my CBT methods to maintain my mood
I guess it's a mind set at the end of the day. I don't want to pump my body with unnecessary chemicals and I would much rather know that I have conquered my own issues. I know if it gets out of my control again I can ask to go back on the tablets.
If you are not willing to try and manage with out and not motivated to use other methods then coming off the tablets will be doomed from the start. I think you need to talk to your doctor and find out if she was just testing the water to see what your reaction was and will keep prescribing until you're ready to try without or if she is going to do this without your consent- which I think is unlikely.
You'll never know if you can manage without until you try.
Also, your hormones and coping mechanisms are very variable/ developing through your teens and its quite possible as you go in to your 20's your body will self regulate *if* it's given a chance to. 20 is very young to commit yourself to a life time of drugs.
I can't really relate to this topic, as I haven't been in your shoes. I have been prescriped anti-depressants several times due to my headache, but I discovered they don't work and stopped them after the first month - the other times, I just didn't bother starting them again.
It wouldn't hurt to ask for a second opinion, though.
To be honest, when I was a child I was taking some pills (not antidepressants, other types of pills - for epileptic conditions) for a few years and then, about a couple of years after I stopped taking them my headache started. I still wonder if there is any connection between the two.
i took some anti depressants some time ago all they done was made me laugh and fell like i was high on weed your probely be better off having a nice smoke lol x