How Do You Know If The Meds Are Working Or Working Against You?

[morgan]

I've been on paxil for several years now and it has done wonders for my depression. I think you ought to give it a try. JMO

 

[Deleted member 541]

Depression is my biggest struggle now. I totally understand where you are coming from......Rachel, you need to deal with this issue the best way for YOU.......

For me. It was dealing with my trauma and issues. That did wonders for my anger and rage. I no long get like a raging lunatic.

Hugs....

 

[anthony]

Antidepressants are not 'an exact science' But they can, and do save lives. Some lives anyhow, mine being one.

You are right, they do save some lives, however; people look for medication the moment they feel a little out of sorts. Suicidal ideation is something that comes with not only depression. You do not have to be depressed to have ideation, far from it. You can have suicidal ideation because you sick of flashbacks, nightmares or no sleep. You may start thinking that killing yourself is easier than dealing with that crap day after day. You don't need to be depressed to have it.

Major depressive disorder is a part of the PTSD diagnosis, no disagreement with that one. Very few people though actually have major depressive disorder uniquely from the induced symptoms of PTSD. When you heal the trauma you remove the symptoms of PTSD. PTSD will always produce some minor symptoms or issues even when controlled, hence its incurable aspect.

If you get depressed though five times a year, does that warrant taking an anti-depressant for the entire year? For some they may be able to justify that.... for other they cannot. It is a personal thing and there is no right answer. The only right or wrongs to medication is side effects and then some of the nonsense physicians pull with patients in prescribing them, ie. prescribing two or three medications to counter side effects of a primary medication, is not ethical or warranted. The right answer is to change the primary medication to one that produces less side effects for that person, not prescribe more medications to create a concoction of disastrous proportion and a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and go wrong.

Those are about the only right vs. wrong issues.

 

[linasmom]

So, how have others here dealt with being on meds while going through therapy? Since PTSD has so many symptoms that go along with it, and since certain side-effects from meds can mimic some PTSD symptoms, how have others been able to tell whether what they were feeling was PTSD related or med related?

 

[Deleted member 541]

For me.....I had increased anxiety 24/7 while on meds. Plus my mouth felt like the bottom of a birdcage in the desert...... I knew it was the meds. When I came off the meds, my anxiety level went down. Not gone, but down to a manageable level.

 

[anthony]

Rachel, excellent point. For me, I didn't know until I went of meds to discover my real feelings in order to know exactly what I did have left to work upon. Whilst medicated though I didn't work on symptom based matters, I just worked at the trauma regardless what symptoms where doing. That is what I suggest others do here, always have actually.... just go at the trauma then work out the rest once the biggest parts are sorted first.

Excellent point though.... be interesting to see the experience shared. I guess what you ask is the reason for this forum though, in that to stop others learning from such drawn out experience and learn from others mistakes, to trust what so many have done the long way to discover a shorter method in which to manage and heal PTSD.

 

[grace5555]

Rachel ~ for me it is having a T who is very in tune with me and able to "translate" quite often what is med reactions with what is PTSD, etc. She is also in contact with my psychiatrist as I try new meds. I would be very, very careful about writing off anti-depressants completely - especially if you have a clinical depression diagnosis. Finding the right mix is hell but I hear it is possible. =)

 

[becvan]

I am on a med while in therapy. It took almost two years of mucking about with meds to find one that works. It has zero side effects for me (a bonus in life!) The meds have reduced my symptoms to manageable so that I can do therapy. I wasn't put on meds for depression. I am on meds for rages, anxiety and hypervigilence. With the meds lowering my symptom bar, it enables me to work on the actual issues, instead of fighting symptoms constantly. Not to say I don't have symptoms, because I do. Every day. It's just down to managing them, so that therapy is left for what it was meant for. Dealing with the trauma. For me this works beautifully. However I am lucky that I found a singular med that does what it should. Most don't.

bec

 

[pandora]

Ok....here is my take...I have now been on an antidepressant for more Am I depressed...right now, hell yes! I think it is all about how you frame your thoughts....I truly am living proof of that.....my current life situation along with ptsd and a spinal cord injury.....yep...sadness and though I know I am bound to have bad days...........I just keep reframing my negative to positive....it is the hardest thing I have ever had to do........not med related....meaning no antidepressants. i do take pain killers and a lot of ativan but I think you need to change your thinking processes.........just my opinion.

 

[anthony]

Well said Bec.... exactly what medication is for.... to give you breathing space to work like hell on your trauma, then you reduce and learn to do the same without them, OR, with a lesser dose to remove any residual and permanent anxious edge. Very well stated.

People need to know though, medication is firstly meant as a TEMPORARY treatment, secondly it is a matter of TRIAL AND ERROR to find the right ONE medication to treat PTSD. There is no requirement to be taking five or more medications when you are talking about PTSD alone. If you have another injury, yes... but that is not PTSD. PTSD alone requires usually one or two medications at most, anxiety and maybe depression. The rest are bullshit and of little use 99% of the time. You cannot treat symptoms of PTSD such as sleep or flashbacks with different medications, it doesn't work. If you lower the anxiety and the medication is working correctly for you, then you should actually be doing ok in most areas, sleep included, because the medication has correctly lowered your anxiety / panic levels to a more manageable level.

If you are knowingly taking medication which is treating side effects of another medication, then YOU'RE ON THE WRONG MEDICATION to begin with and need to withdraw from one and try another. Repeat the process until you have the right one for you.... and there is quite a range of SSRI's to treat anxiety and depression uniquely.

 

[linasmom]

Well, let's see - I've tried - Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Trazodone, Effexor, and Zoloft (and also a combination of said meds).

Bec, my most prevalent symptoms are the one you mentioned - anxiety, rage and hypervigilance - yes, I suffer from depression, but it is mild in comparison to the symptoms I just listed. Could you tell me what med you are on? If you don't feel comfortable listing on here, could you PM me?

I definitely have NO desire to be on meds any longer than I have to. I want to get through my EMDR sessions and be done with this crap. I am OVER feeling like I'm feeling right now.

 

[nic]

Quote from linasmom:

"...my therapist thinks Paxil would work really well for me."

While Paxil can work, be CAREFUL on this medication. I had a VERY hard time when I tried to stop taking it even though I went off of it very slowly.