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Originally Posted by George H.
I disagree with part of that also Rose, based on personal experience. I take an anti-depressant and an anxiolytic. I don't recall the anti-depressant I took before Prozac but it was an old school drug. Elavil or something like. The difference was night and day.
When I was switched to Effexor XR I didn't notice a difference. A couple of years or so ago I wanted off of Effexor. I tapered slowly and used Prozac to help with withdrawal. The Prozac definitely helped with that but I immediately crashed into an awful depression. We upped the dosage and there was no change. I chose to go back to Effexor and the depression improved.
I've been prescribed three anxiolytics. Xanax did absolutely nothing. An M&M would have had more effect on me. I've known people who used Xanax as a recreational drug so it must make them feel pretty good. Ativan worked... sort of. It was too sedating and the anxiolytic effect was too short lived. Clonazepam was perfect. I didn't feel sedated. I just felt a great deal less anxiety.
On the original topic I still have the same opinion. I may be skeptical of 5 to 7 drug cocktails but it isn't my business what other people take.
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Well, it seems we've had some experience in common. Like you, I found Elavil effective, while Prozac was useless to me. Doctors had reasons to be concerned about the old style antidepressants. They had bad side effects, especially on the heart, and they were quite lethal in overdose. Prozac was so much safer, and doctors so wanted to believe that it was just as good . . . that it was even better. These later generation antidepressants haven't proven to be all that. Efficacy tends to come at a price, for drugs of any classification.
With the A.D. I also took a benzo, Librium, that certainly helped me fall asleep faster, which was a god-send.
Neither of these drugs cured my depression and anxiety. But they were worth taking because I was much less de-railed by my mental problems. But I still was plagued with problems that became severe at times. Eventually, I spent a few years getting all kinds of psych drugs substituted and layered on, to no avail. I've become very skeptical. I don't think there is a complete pharmacological solution to any psych issue . . . for anyone. But pdocs prescribe with such gusto, as though they'll find one, if you just let them layer on enough meds.
I think all that drug ordering dissuades people from taking a hard look at the non-physiological component to their problem.