Help Should I take antidepressants in the long run?

[Amumu]

Ok, so I've taken antidepressants for 3 years (amitryptiline 1.5 years and mianserin+duloxetin 1.5 years).
I had MDD after stopping amitryptiline, but it's completely unrelated, it started a few months after stopping.

I stopped mianserin+duloxetin one year ago.

I have another MDD now, and I wonder whether I should take ADs in the long run.
Are there long-term users here? (More than 5 or 10 years)

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

I took some SSRIs and they removed the residual empathy and aversions I had left. I stopped and just about got my regular neurotic cringelord brain back. About what you "should" do, it's not my place to say. Could you perhaps tell me about the pros and cons of stopping/reducing/switching/increasing SSRI use in your case. Every case is different, of course.

 

[Symbiote]

Are you seeing any benefit on them? If so, then continue to take them until the benefits are no longer present. I got off of medicines in general because they had more side effects than benefits, and even then the benefits most likely were dulling my brain to the point of inactivity.

 

[Amumu]

I took some SSRIs and they removed the residual empathy and aversions I had left. I stopped and just about got my regular neurotic cringelord brain back. About what you "should" do, it's not my place to say. Could you perhaps tell me about the pros and cons of stopping/reducing/switching/increasing SSRI use in your case. Every case is different, of course.

I'm nitpicking, but none of the antidepressants I mentioned are SSRI.
Amitriptyline is a tricyclic, but I'm not going to use it again
With regard to mianserin + duloxetin:

Pros : Less insomnia, slightly better mood
Cons : Sluggish, still suicidal and depressed and fear of long-term consequences + Extreme difficulties stopping mianserin last time

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

I'm nitpicking, but neither of the antidepressants I mentioned are SSRI.
Amitriptyline is a tricyclic, but I'm not going to use it again
With regard to mianserin + duloxetin:

Pros : Less insomnia, slightly better mood
Cons : Sluggish, still suicidal and depressed and fear of long-term consequences + Extreme difficulties stopping mianserin last time

Sry, I auto-translated AD to SSRI haha. Those weird chem names don't help my tiny brain, either. So, difficulties stopping is not a con since you are considering long-term use. Long-term sleep deprivation means infinite brain damage from what I've read, so that's something. Mood is important, of course. Still suicidal and depressed seem to imply that you'd need some other shit on the side, too.

Idk, I don't believe in pills personally and I've never tried the strong stuff, only SSRI. Can you think of any way that you'd be able to in, let's say, a year know if you made the correct decision in using/not using?

 

[Amumu]

Sry, I auto-translated AD to SSRI haha. Those weird chem names don't help my tiny brain, either. So, difficulties stopping is not a con since you are considering long-term use. Long-term sleep deprivation means infinite brain damage from what I've read, so that's something. Mood is important, of course. Still suicidal and depressed seem to imply that you'd need some other shit on the side, too.

Idk, I don't believe in pills personally and I've never tried the strong stuff, only SSRI. Can you think of any way that you'd be able to in, let's say, a year know if you made the correct decision in using/not using?

Yes that's a good point for sleep deprivation...
I'm supposed to see in April if I'm still completely low as I am today, without meds.
SSRI never worked for me, I had tried for one month once but it was useless

 

[Spiral]

Ok, so I've taken antidepressants for 3 years (amitryptiline 1.5 years and mianserin+duloxetin 1.5 years).
I had MDD after stopping amitryptiline, but it's completely unrelated, it started a few months after stopping.

I stopped mianserin+duloxetin one year ago.

I have another MDD now, and I wonder whether I should take ADs in the long run.
Are there long-term users here? (More than 5 or 10 years)

I don't take them myself but a therapist I saw told me he was taking them for 15 years, and he said he was fine, did you ask your doctor if there is another medication you can try that is better for long term?

 

[Amumu]

I don't take them myself but a therapist I saw told me he was taking them for 15 years, and he said he was fine, did you ask your doctor if there is another medication you can try that is better for long term?

There isn't, SSRI are useless for me and tricyclic are quite damaging, so I haven't other options.
Thanks for witnessing though

 

[Makko]

All that medicine sounds like such witchcraft. Just seeing people here talking about the effects and side effects is proper spooky.

 

[Amumu]

All that medicine sounds like such witchcraft. Just seeing people here talking about the effects and side effects is proper spooky.

That's narrow-minded my friend. The fact that pills don't work for you doesn't mean it's the case for everyone.
We're in the recovery section and you don't help me recover rn.

 

[Sherri]

I'm a long user also. Though my medication is not the same as yours. Some people take it for a lifetime. Hugs @Amumu

 

[Amumu]

I'm a long user also. Though my medication is not the same as yours. Some people take it for a lifetime. Hugs @Amumu

May I ask you how long have you been on them if not too rude?
Are you considering taking them for a lifetime? Because maybe I'm going to do that. Or until I ctb, maybe.

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

All that medicine sounds like such witchcraft. Just seeing people here talking about the effects and side effects is proper spooky.

You're probably ahead of your time with this one, fam.

 

[Sherri]

May I ask you how long have you been on them if not too rude?
Are you considering taking them for a lifetime? Because maybe I'm going to do that. Or until I ctb, maybe.

sure hun, 3 years for me. In my case I don't think it's forever as per the doctor, but if it was I would t have a problem with that, mine give me no side effects tbh.

 

[Amumu]

You're probably ahead of your time with this one, fam.

I'm saying they're rather positive for me but you keep invalidating what I'm saying. That's blatantly rude.

sure hun, 3 years for me. In my case I don't think it's forever as per the doctor, but if it was I would t have a problem with that, mine give me no side effects tbh.

Ok thanks keep me informed if you stop them

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

That's narrow-minded my friend. The fact that pills don't work for you doesn't mean it's the case for everyone.
We're in the recovery section and you don't help me recover rn.

I think you misunderstood, I believe he is referring to the very haphazard and random nature of the entire thing. There are a lot of drugs and people try like five or ten before supposedly getting results sometimes. It varies person to person as opposed to heart surgery or math. Something along those lines, maybe.

I'm saying they're rather positive for me but you keep invalidating what I'm saying. That's blatantly rude.

What? I didn't mention you there?

 

[Sherri]

I'm saying they're rather positive for me but you keep invalidating what I'm saying. That's blatantly rude.


Ok thanks keep me informed if you stop them

Will do hun, I'll add you up so I wont forget it. But I do thint it will be In a year or so..

 

[Amumu]

I think you misunderstood, I believe he is referring to the very haphazard and random nature of the entire thing. There are a lot of drugs and people try like five or ten before supposedly getting results sometimes. It varies person to person as opposed to heart surgery or math. Something along those lines, maybe.

Ok but the Makko guy wasn't saying that. He was saying I was a complete retard because I used to take antidepressants, basically.

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

Ok but the Makko guy wasn't saying that. He was saying I was a complete retard because I used to take antidepressants, basically.

I don't think he was talking about you personally, idk, ask him.

 

[Amumu]

I don't think he was talking about you personally, idk, ask him.

He was saying all ADs users are retards, it's the same. Anyway, I put him on ignore.

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

He was saying all ADs users are retards, it's the same. Anyway, I put him on ignore.

In another thread, you mean? I thought he seemed like a smart guy, maybe just a little unsympathetic then. If that's true then I suppose he just blocked me for giving him a compliment, heh. I don't really take offense, personally, since I could be accurately described as a "retard" in many ways. Perhaps, it would actually be a fitting description if you had to make a birds-eye-view analysis of my genetic data combined with early childhood environment. Being a "retard" or "stupid" doesn't mean that I deserve anything bad to happen to me, though. Neither does it mean that I can not keep pushing toward the sweet release of death at my own pace.

Hope I don't cause you further offense, once people start getting offended you tend to be able to see offense in more and more things.

 

[greebo6]

I have been taking them for far too long. Its always better if you can avoid long term use because the effectiveness wears off after a certain time and after that you begin and keep taking them just for the sake of it.

 

[Kat!]

Everyone's different ofc.
Like said above, the ideal route is meds to boost your way to recovery, coupled with therapy in the long term, without meds.

Mine ultimately destroyed a good majority of my empathy and positive emotions, as well as clear thought and decision making. It's hard to think, speak clearly, I piss people off without warning idk it's just not a good decision on my part.
If you feel the negatives outweigh the positives, stop taking them.

 

[rs929]

Everyone's different ofc.
Like said above, the ideal route is meds to boost your way to recovery, coupled with therapy in the long term, without meds.

Mine ultimately destroyed a good majority of my empathy and positive emotions, as well as clear thought and decision making. It's hard to think, speak clearly, I piss people off without warning idk it's just not a good decision on my part.
If you feel the negatives outweigh the positives, stop taking them.

I wonder, would it be a good idea to stop taking meds if you're suicidal?.

 

[AutoTap]

I've been on lexapro for two years now. Doesn't do much though so I'm switching meds soonish... when gene sight testing comes back..

Ive also tried fluoxetine but that made stuff worse.

Currently taking lexapro 20mg Buspirone 15mg twice daily, and .5mg clonazepam twice daily.

However the clonazepam is a recent short term addition (Been on for two weeks so far) until my gene sight testing results return and help my doctor put me on the right track for medication hopefully.

 

[Amumu]

I've been on lexapro for two years now. Doesn't do much though so I'm switching meds soonish... when gene sight testing comes back..

Ive also tried fluoxetine but that made stuff worse.

Currently taking lexapro 20mg Buspirone 15mg twice daily, and .5mg clonazepam twice daily.

However the clonazepam is a recent short term addition (Been on for two weeks so far) until my gene sight testing results return and help my doctor put me on the right track for medication hopefully.

What do you think they're going to give you?
I'm supposed to see a sleep center myself but it pisses me off that I should wait for a few months.
Anyway if I take them again I don't think I'll ever stop taking them again. Until I probably ctb.

 

[Kat!]

I wonder, would it be a good idea to stop taking meds if you're suicidal?.

Er well.. I'm not sure, if you notice the thoughts are worse off of them than on them maybe you should keep on them. But I really don't advise quitting, at your own risk. There could be some serious withdrawals depending on what you're on.

 

[LittleJem]

There isn't, SSRI are useless for me and tricyclic are quite damaging, so I haven't other options.
Thanks for witnessing though

You can try MAOIs. St John's Wort is a natural one that you can buy OTC. It is the most helpful thing I've found. I am still pretty low, but I can get out of bed on it just about. Selegiline is a newer MAOI, also called Emsam. You can (from time to time) augment it with DLPA. Maybe not too often, as you want to keep your dopamine receptors happy. There are also Nardil and Parnate. Some people have a good response to MAOIs that do not respond to other meds.

I am looking into meds at the moment. SSRIs haven't worked for me, but I've only really tried one of them for long enough (3 months), so I might need to try another one. Scared of all of them I've also been looking into what you can combine with SSRIs to boost their efficacy. There is research that adding SAM-e can help. Also, as another option, you can augment with Lithium.

Modafinil plus a medication can also be helpful.

My brain isn't working at the moment, so excuse the splurge of information, I spend my life researching depression cos it's all I think about.

 

[AutoTap]

What do you think they're going to give you?
I'm supposed to see a sleep center myself but it pisses me off that I should wait for a few months.
Anyway if I take them again I don't think I'll ever stop taking them again. Until I probably ctb.

Honestly no idea. Idk if there is anything that they could give me that would fix me or make me "better" enough where I wouldn't want to ctb.

 

[Amumu]

Thanks for the replies
I think I'm going to wait a little bit and go back on mianserin+duloxetin after going to a sleep center.
Then I'll never leave them, and either I feel better, or I ctb. Hugs & Love.