Do The Meds Work?

[Acer]

Hello all, I know there is a specific medication link here but I was wondering, for those of you that take meds to treat the symptoms of PTSD, what do you take and have they helped? I know that meds aren't the be all, end all, and I know that therapy is an essential healing component. Still, do the meds help? Do they work? What do they help alleviate?

I am interested in personal experiences with the meds here, not clinical information (as I have read quite a bit of that).

Thanks!
Acer

 

[anthony]

I would always recommend people to be on medication if they have not healed their trauma fully. Once healed, then wean themselves off the crap.

Medication does work for some, makes others worse. You cannot just take one and leave it at that, as you will typically have to try others to find out what works best for you, what causes less side effects, etc etc etc. Every medication you have will limit your ability to heal your trauma though, because often a person will just believe they can continue on medication. Yet every person finds out that they need more of it, double doses, doses that exceed safe consumption, the body become immune to them and addicted.

The problems off medication are an issue, but one that can be dealt with once you heal your trauma first. I would not typically recommend trauma therapy for any person that was not medicated. Self medication is not the best either, though if someone said they would rather smoke a joint than pop pills, if it works for them and keeps their brain function stable, do it I say.

Alcohol and cigarettes did it for me, neither healthy obviously, then when I removed those I fell down, hence went to medication, healed, got off medication and learnt further how to manage PTSD without any off it. All in all though, medication is a trial and error process, never an exact science. If you begin suicidal ideation, change meds. If you are sore and tense constantly, change meds. The long list goes on.

Anxiety drugs are one thing.... anti-depressants are another. Anti-depressants typically make a person actually more depressed and suicidal.... not a good drug those one's.

 

[Deleted member 541]

I agree with Anthony to a point with the meds. I have tried many, many anti depressants over a 30 yr span, and some of them were awful. Some caused more anxiety than I had to begin with, others caused the depression to worsen, some caused me to become suicidal. There was one that worked very well. So there are some that do work. It's just trial and error to find them.

The problem with the anti anxiety drugs....They are addictive. They work, but it's the dependency issue for a lot of people that is the issue. You really have to be careful.

I guess it's just a personal choice for everyone, to be on meds or not.

 

[hollyberry]

I've been taking effexor and seroquel. Seems to be working for me. I'm headed back to work on monday, I've been out for 7 weeks.

 

[Acer]

geeze, do they give you back your memory, energy and take away the irritability? (miracle pills!)

 

[morgan]

My meds work great. I personally will probably always be on meds as I cannot function without them. I have worked through most of my issues thoroughly and still I would not dare try to function without meds. I feel they have saved my life. I am on Paxil and ziprasidone. I swear by them.

 

[baileysemt]

I take Paxil (SSRI anti-depressant) and Metoprolol (a beta-blocker). Both helped me; they took the sharp, rough edge off the anxiety, hyper-responsiveness, etc. But they didn't get rid of it by any stretch. They just helped make each moment more bearable.

I have depression anyway, so I was on Paxil before the PTSD came to be ... I increased my Paxil and that helped lessen the deep, deep lows ... I found out too late that beta-blockers have been found to be helpful in treating the startle responses and hyper-vigilance (my Doc told me there had been a study about this with troops returning from the war) or I would have happily increased my metoprolol too. I take the beta-blocker for mild high blood pressure (also started pre-trauma) but have noticed it has a calming effect -- it just gets makes that rough, edgy anxiety go away. I don't feel drugged or dopey at all -- just an amount of anxiety and preoccupation is gone.

No, no pill will make PTSD go away, nor will any pill give you your energy back. The only way to achieve those things is to work on recovery. That means you have to face your trauma, come to terms with it, grow as a person, and move forward with life. It is hard. The meds are a tool to help you through that process. The right meds might help lessen the anxiety, take the edge off the fear, help lessen compulsive behaviors, or help to make your lows be not quite so low (or not last quite so long). If you can cope a little easier, then you have more energy to direct at healing.

Healing is slow, and an unsteady process. And frustrating. A lot of times it's 1 step forward and 3 steps back. (Just went through that this week, myself!) But hang in there. Over time, there is a net gain. There is a net improvement. And feeling better is so worth it, OMG ... even just a teeny tiny bit feels so good!!!

As you recover, you will regain your memory, you will become less irritable, and you will get your energy back. It is gradual, but it does happen.

Hope this helps to offer you hope. You deserve hope. :) You deserve to get better. Hang in there and try to be patient with yourself. (I know, easier said than done -- but practice it. Keep trying. We are all our worst critics. We are merciless with ourselves -- that's another symptom! Take it easy. You deserve a break!!)

Bailey

 

[Acer]

Thanks Bailey.
I feel like the only memories I have are bad ones and that I have been dealing with it my whole life (to the disappointment of my family unfortunately). I wonder now after a lifetime of fatigue, poor productivity, and instant irritability how to get past the HABITS of them.

I have only been on zoloft a little over a week. I haven't noticed anything yet (and only had sleepiness the first three days, where I switched taking them to nights and it went away). The doc says give it two and the info says it takes a full month to get the full effects. I am hoping that at least, without any bad side effects (yet) that this will help not only with all the symptoms I listed but with my incredibly suspicious tendencies. Enough of those already, I want to trust!

Has anyone taken oxytocin? It helps in trust feelings and bonding. I considered asking my doc about it. With all the fear and paranoia, I feel I can't bond that well.

 

[Frankie]

I am a carer, my bf has been on medication for the past 3 years and also seeing a psychiatrist and a phsycologist, both doctors and the meds are very important to his healing process !

Sometimes it frustrates him to take his meds but it is helping him a lot, and at this stage he still needs both meds and therapy to manage and function with his PTSD.

Hopefully in time he will be able to take less and less meds, but for the time being he knows he needs them.