The Black Dog Gang

Another request to join please. I have been very depressed and anxious for a while now, then hit crisis point a few weeks ago. Taking ADs long term, but the recent panic attacks have been horrendous, made me feel suicidal. Now taking Quetiapine which is helping. I'm going to order the book mentioned above by Dr Tim Cantopher, hope it helps.

Annie, try one tiny thing per day to lessen the isolation
Phone call, wave at neighbour, conversation with post man. Anything to get things moving in the right direction. Have you considered medication Annie?

Hello Missadventure, how long have you been taking ad’s? I have been taking them for 8 weeks and the last week or so have felt much better. That huge black pit that opened up every morning on waking which I was teetering around the edge of all day (if that makes sense!), has disappeared. I still feel anxious but I am able to go out and about now. I did have quite bad side effects, bad headaches, extreme tiredness but I am glad I stuck with the tablets. As others have said it’s probably best not to tinker about with the dose without asking your gp first. Wishing everyone a good day.

I am isolated , it is hell isn’t it

Yes Old Batty, the isolation not good. Have allowed myself to become almost a hermit. Not good. Went to a concert last weekend with a friend and could feel my mood lifting. So am off to the fitness walk this morning despite lots of work to do at home. Best wishes to you all.

My advice would be not to tinker with the anti-depressants as you really cannot be "a bit lax" with taking them - that will cause havoc. They are not something you can jiggle the dose about without medical advice. You are either on them or off them!

Only you can decide whether the sweating is worse than the depression - but honestly you must discuss this with your doc. - and it may not be the medication that is causing the sweating.

As you know anti-depressants need time to work and this is is related to getting the right dose settled and the side effects wearing off. If you are not taking them in a stable regime they will cause problems because they do not have time to reach a therapeutic concentration in your blood stream and you do not give the side effects a chance to settle.

The whole business of balancing side effects against efficacy is a problem with most drugs. I get side effects from my ant-depressants and would like to look at the idea of tailing off the dose a bit under medical supervision; but I have to bite the bullet on the side effects as I know what it feels like to be in the depths of a serious depression and I cannot risk that as long as I am full-time carer to my OH.

Miss A, sorry to state the obvious but go back to the docs if the side effects are troubling you. Secondly take the meds. I take mine in the morning and I sat to myself " this is helping you climb out of the pit".
Slowly it does.

I've been a bit lax with taking my antidepressants.
I've been having a huge problem with sweating, which is listed as a rare side effect, but has been confirmed by a few people on here.
So, I'm in a quandary, really..
Any advice would be appreciated.

My copy of Tim Cantopher's book has arrived this morning. Looking forward to reading it.

How is everybody doing? I have forced myself to be more sociable by joining a small local group of people, for casual meetups and restarting a bit of voluntary work.

The isolation is a killer isn't it?

Thank you.

join us please mrs.

I'm a bit of a lurker but please may I join in? Anxiety and depression for years. Currently taking Citalopram which seems to be keeping me reasonably OK. I can tell when I feel it coming on and thankfully am able to regulate the medication. I have given up trying to wean myself off! When it works, stick with it.

grandmama I know exactly what you mean about waking in the night, that seems just what I do and how I feel. I know that my problem seemed to start after the stillbirth of our first child. But it is so very difficult to say that to anyone because it is such a personal thing.

OK Gill, we are not great at this but put yourself first. Sorry about your daughter but this is about you.

Part of this condition is negative thinking. The GP will be fine, they are trained and experts. I think things have moved along and they seem more on the ball. Of course they will take you seriously. Perhaps jot down a few bullet points as to what you are experiencing.

Thank you oldbatty. I will tell him. I have been having sleepless nights, things running around and around in my head,wondering what I would say to GP ( who I don't even know, never met, I am never ill, huh). Maybe because I don't go running to the GP with every ache, cough and sniffle they will take me seriously when I do make an appointment. Irony alert: DD, under a lot of stress due to a new job, has started taking citalopram, and I sat there yesterday, at dinner, and told her there is nothing to be ashamed of, it is no different to a physical illness, etc, etc. What a bloody hypocrite

You are in, my friend.

May I join please?

Yes you are quite right nonnie. It's a tough one. I sometimes think of it like an octopus and one of its tentacles is shame, embarrassment and isolation. If we can find the courage to speak out, it can help.

oldbatty not sure it is quite that simple, not everyone accepts mental health issues in the same way as physical and if someone is depressed and not so sure their loved ones will understand it must put more pressure on them. I'm not even sure that anyone can understand unless they have been there. DH does his best but still has some very odd ideas when he sees MH debated on TV.

Thanks Nonnie, I will definitely be buying one or other of the books.

mmmmm, think of it this way, if you were diabetic you would tell him? He might be a bit worried but then due to medical care all would be well.

Maybe go out for a walk and just say you don't feel great. It doesn't have to be a biggy.

I know you are right oldbatty, it just somehow makes it more real, something I have to deal with if I tell DH

Mystical I haven't seen the updated book but the original helped me to understand that it was not something I could have controlled and not my fault. Dr C is excellent so may well have improved on the first one. I suspect either will be a help to you.

Hi Gill, I would absolutely urge you to tell him. Its an added burden carrying it around alone. You don't have to use the d word. I notice in therapeutic circles people are using " low mood" which seems more palatable somehow.