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  #1  
Old Oct 07, 2011, 10:04 PM
vaarier vaarier is offline
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Hi Friends,
I just wanted to know if anyone has been on long term antidepressants, like 5yrs or 10years, I haven't met a pdoc yet, my previous 3 episodes of depression in the last 10yrs were treated by my doctor. Now i am seriously contemplating going on long term medications, maybe life long. When I am on them i feel confident and function normally. I was on 10mg prozac till last june, once i stopped it my depression relapsed, i might be one of those guys who might need to be on it forever, maybe its just a psychological thing. any thoughts or personal experience shared will be much appreciated.

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  #2  
Old Oct 08, 2011, 12:47 AM
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I started Prozac in 2005. I stayed on it for a few years, then like a knucklehead stopped taking it one day w/out consulting my Dr.

I started it again (was off for a few months.....THAT didn't go well) and was doing OK but still felt "off". So he switched me to Lexapro and it worked almost TOO good. So now, in addition to the Lexapro, I'm on Wellbutrin to kind of balance out the Lex. It's working so good. I also have Xanax (as needed) for anxiety but I don't take it that often because the Lex/Well keep most of my anxiety and depression in check. My t made a reference the other day about, "Well, you won't be on meds for the rest of your life".....we were talking about goals, etc for the future long term. I thought, "NO! Don't take it away from me!" Seriously, it's the only thing that makes me feel normal. Like, I can get out of bed and you know, take a shower and function.

My whole family on my moms side has depression (some severe) and my dad is undiagnosed bipolar. Yeah, I think I'll be on meds for a while. I try to just take it one day at a time though. No sense in thinking TOO long into the future if I can't function today, kwim?
  #3  
Old Oct 08, 2011, 01:17 AM
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I've been on mirtazapine coming up for 6 years. I was on efexor [not the best med for me] a year before that. Though I was depressed many years preceding, I hadn't sought help for various reasons. I did reduce the dose for a year, with professional support, with a possible view to coming off it, but then things at work got really insecure, and still are, so my GP increased the dose back up and I'm not keen to come off any time soon.
  #4  
Old Oct 08, 2011, 08:56 AM
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i've been on an anti-depressant for 21 yrs. trying to save money this past yr. i did my own experiment-NOT a good idea, not something i should have done w/out pdoc's approval and i knew better. about 4 wks. later i plummeted in a deep depression. took me 3 months to start feeling like my new improved self. i've had depression all my life. clearly i need the help of an anti-depressant along with therapy to live a more contented life. i'll never pull that stunt again. hope this helps.
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  #5  
Old Oct 09, 2011, 04:26 AM
vaarier vaarier is offline
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Thanks Guys, especially madisgram.
its reassuring to know that you people have been on antidepressants for a while, the maximum I have been is for 2yrs on fluoxetine 10mg and was ok during that period, but when i am of it even little things stresses me out and i become anxious and depressed.
maybe its about time i go on long term antidepressants, i am recently divorced and dont know if me being on medications will affect my future relationships. Bit worried as i am a professional and taking meds will be considered as a sign of weakness.
  #6  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 01:58 AM
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Vaarier, I've been on meds for close to four years now, with no signs of going off them anytime soon. I've been divorced now for almost two years, and I can say that I have more hope of being/staying married in the future if I take meds when I need them. Anyone worth pursuing will understand that. It's unfortunate that taking meds is still seen as a sign of weakness by some, but again, you decide who knows, and anyone who would judge you for it, you don't have to tell. I wish you success as you pursue treatment.
  #7  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 02:14 AM
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I have been on a long term antidepressant for the last 10 years. It helps. I have bipolar disorder and take a mood stablizer with it. I am mostly on the depressive side of bipolar disorder. But lots of anxiety.

Good luck,
Sharon
  #8  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 07:48 AM
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missbelle missbelle is offline
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I am like madisgram. I have been on antidepressants for 22 years. The first was prozac which I took till it wore off and the second is Effexor which I am currently on!

Hugs;
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  #9  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 11:48 AM
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I been taking anti-depressant med's for about 14 yrs. Some of the med's have worked then stopped working. Currently the med combo I'm taking has worked good for the last 6 or so years. As long as I maintain my dual-diagnosis treatments...I'm good to go.
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  #10  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 02:18 PM
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Caretaker Leo Caretaker Leo is offline
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I have been on an antidepressant for 15 years. I will never go off. To me, it is the same as a diabetic using insulin. Meds alone doesn't "cure" us, but sure can go a long way in helping us maintain some mood balance in order to get us successfully through our days.
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  #11  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 02:46 PM
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Elana05 Elana05 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vaarier View Post
Hi Friends,
I just wanted to know if anyone has been on long term antidepressants, like 5yrs or 10years, I haven't met a pdoc yet, my previous 3 episodes of depression in the last 10yrs were treated by my doctor. Now i am seriously contemplating going on long term medications, maybe life long. When I am on them i feel confident and function normally. I was on 10mg prozac till last june, once i stopped it my depression relapsed, i might be one of those guys who might need to be on it forever, maybe its just a psychological thing. any thoughts or personal experience shared will be much appreciated.
Well not myself, I just started them. But several people very close to me have been on them 12+ years and along with therapy they both have pretty much been out of major depression for years. Although I have more moderate depression, rather than MDD, they give me hope. I know quite a few people who view medication as life-long, the way that someone who has diabetes depends on insulin - oh hey I just noticed Caretaker Leo said the same thing . I was late in staring medication (four years into my diagnosis because I'm stubborn). But after my last episode, I don't think I will ever be off of antidepressants. I have come to terms with that. Depression simply runs in my family on both sides and I have now acknowledged it. But it has been a long time coming. Good luck to you in your journey. Sending many good wishes your way.
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Thanks for this!
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  #12  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 08:46 PM
vaarier vaarier is offline
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Thats reassuring, thanks guys. the longest i have been on antidepressants is for 2yrs and that 2 yrs i was good and faced lot of problems and issues successfully , but as soon as i come of them the first trouble in life brings me crashing down. Now i have decided to stay on it forever and will convey this to my Pdoc.
  #13  
Old Oct 10, 2011, 10:21 PM
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buttrfli42481 buttrfli42481 is offline
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I have been on Cymbalta since Nov, 2007; so almost 4 yrs. We have upped the dose (went from 60mg to 120mgs) and added Abilify 5mg a 5months ago. I have stopped all my meds before and it was not pretty. It has been almost a year since I stopped taking them. I am back on them and know now that I will probably never be off of meds, and that is ok. I am able to function and be a good mother to my beautiful daughter. Without meds I am not a happy person to want to be around and I don't want to be around me like that. Wishing you well.
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  #14  
Old Oct 11, 2011, 09:03 AM
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St406 St406 is offline
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I was on Zoloft daily for about two years --varying amounts. When starting 50 mg. hits me hard and is effective immediately. A tolerance develops and I creep up to about 150 mg a day. Years later, I use it as needed when things trigger the depression. Now I have both Lexapro which addresses the anxiety side better and Zoloft for the depression. My case is alittle different than most in that some very simple stressors can depress me. No cycle involved.

Once, I had access to Lyrica, a much heavier med. It worked but has withdrawal issues.

I have met many who have taken SSRIs regularly for years. If I had to take them regularly I would.
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  #15  
Old Oct 11, 2011, 09:32 AM
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Beholden Beholden is offline
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Great question! So natural or at least I felt and thought some of the same things as you.

For me it's been about 15 or so years on a variety of SSRI's and then the class that Cymbalta is in. SNRI..now back to an SSRI called Pevexa. They can and do poop out, so sometimes your P doc will change doses or brands within the same class or switch classes or add/mix medications.

I've had Zoloft, Lexepro, Effexor SR, (BuSpar for anxiety). I'm so glad my family practice dr. sent me to a P doc so I felt like I was getting better treatment/meds.

The Stigma OMG. What will others think, that I'm weak or worse, "crazy"?

The Stubborness factor. I was going to pull myself up by my bootstrapes! Yeah, right! That turned out to not be a good idea when I decided to go off my meds after 12 years. I ended up walking off my job because I couldn't deal with the pressure.

The Help I get from my medication is just help, not a cure. Therapy and/or other lifestyle changes may be needed as well. My first 'talk therapist' told me once I needed to be around positive people. Who knew??? So something as simple as realizing who I was hanging with had an effect on me was eyeopening!

One thing to know about AD, if you have had a relapse before, you most likely need to stay on lifelong medication, because relapse is much more common.

Good luck with your choices. There are a lot worse things you can do to/for yourself.

Last edited by Beholden; Oct 11, 2011 at 09:48 AM.
  #16  
Old Oct 11, 2011, 10:30 AM
TheByzantine
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I took my first antidepressant in 1969.
  #17  
Old Oct 11, 2011, 12:11 PM
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pgrundy pgrundy is offline
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I was on Effexor for five years and I stopped taking it twice to save money. Both times I went right back into deep depression, the second time worst than the first.

I'm back on high dose Effexor XR and Seroquel XR for almost a year now, and I feel great. Just saw my psychiatrist yesterday and he said I will have to stay on meds for life. (He said that before too but I was stubborn and didn't want to believe him.)

Well I learned the hard way that he was right all along, and now I'm just glad I lived through my stubborn denial. The difference between me on meds and me off meds is the difference between night and day. Seriously, it's nothing short of a miracle.

I don't let other people bother me anymore. This is my life and if they don't like it they can suck an egg.

Hang in there!
  #18  
Old Oct 11, 2011, 08:31 PM
vaarier vaarier is offline
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thats good for u pgrundy,
TheByzantine - was wondering what medication have u been on since 1969
  #19  
Old Oct 11, 2011, 09:10 PM
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I've been on an SSRI (paxil) for 10 years plus. Apart from the weight gain I'm in a better place than I would be without it...
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  #20  
Old Oct 11, 2011, 10:56 PM
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Marla500 Marla500 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beautiful.mess View Post
I started Prozac in 2005. I stayed on it for a few years, then like a knucklehead stopped taking it one day w/out consulting my Dr.

I started it again (was off for a few months.....THAT didn't go well) and was doing OK but still felt "off". So he switched me to Lexapro and it worked almost TOO good. So now, in addition to the Lexapro, I'm on Wellbutrin to kind of balance out the Lex. It's working so good. I also have Xanax (as needed) for anxiety but I don't take it that often because the Lex/Well keep most of my anxiety and depression in check. My t made a reference the other day about, "Well, you won't be on meds for the rest of your life".....we were talking about goals, etc for the future long term. I thought, "NO! Don't take it away from me!" Seriously, it's the only thing that makes me feel normal. Like, I can get out of bed and you know, take a shower and function.

My whole family on my moms side has depression (some severe) and my dad is undiagnosed bipolar. Yeah, I think I'll be on meds for a while. I try to just take it one day at a time though. No sense in thinking TOO long into the future if I can't function today, kwim?
I had the same experience with Paxil working too well, it was incredibly helpful except I could not drive on it because I would lose focus so I had to try something else. and stopping it actually caused withdrawal symptoms, like bugs crawling under my skin (sounds awful but it was just irritating). before that I took something called Serzone which worked great but I don't think is available anymore. 10 mg of Prozac did not work well enough but it made me too anxious to take a higher dose. now I am on Celexa 20 mg and really like it. Its been over 3 months now and I don't ever want to try to go without it. even gradually I don't ever want to stop taking antidepressants. I need them too much. depression runs in my family also.
  #21  
Old Oct 12, 2011, 01:43 AM
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gma45 gma45 is offline
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I have been off and on for 30 plus years! I do ok for a while so I think haha! Then the depression sets in again! I will stay on them this time as long as I can!
  #22  
Old Oct 15, 2011, 07:33 AM
vaarier vaarier is offline
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Hi gma45,
which antidepressant have u been on and how did ur family/partner take it? sorry for the questions but a bit curious thats all
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