[liveforfish]

I've been on anti-depressants for years. Why do I still get boughts of overwhelming sadness?

[avlady]

I also wondered that, i seem to be always in a state of depression, i'm on 9 different meds, low dosages, but doc refuses to try anything else because he said i've tried every other med there is. I guess i'm just a melancohly baby!!!

Same here I am thinking of stopping mine, I have BPD too and I am told that medication won't help me but my Pdoc and CPN thinks it would be wise for me to stay on meds but they both contradict what they say.

Not all medications work the same way for all people. That's why it's always a journey to wellness rather than a one-stop shop. I don't advocate jumping from med to med on your own...but what I do agree with is working with your medical team. If you don't think your meds are working, just simply dropping them from routine could cause more complications that you might not be ready to deal with on your own.

There has to be a balance. Don't take what your medical team says at face value...listen to them...ask questions...do your own research and work with them. But you also shouldn't ignore them either.

Sometimes you need to have a higher dosage. Sometimes you need to have a different medication. Sometimes you need medication in conjunction with therapy or some other form of treatment.

Whatever the answer is, I certainly don't know it. Everyone's different. But I wish you all the best in seeking what's right for you...

The problem may not be so much the medications themselves as the ravages that
psychotropic medications cause to the system. First, all medications leave an
acidic residue (or ash) which must be metabolized.

When you add that to the fact that Americans have (on average) a very highly acidic-reacting diet, (especially from wheat and red meat) you're going to be feeling the effects of an overload of acid in tissues and fluids.

We need to change our diets to overcome the effects of these acidic residues.
Squeezed lemon juice in a glass of about 8 oz of water will help with that. It
takes about two lemons in water. If you don't feel better within 4 hours, repeat
the process. That will help calm things and give you a much better feeling tone.
I use it occasionally when I feel a little irritated or down.

Then, too, medications are going to take their share of valuable nutrition from your system just in being metabolized. We need to have bloodwork done by our private physicians to determine if we're low on any vitamins--particularly D3, the B series, vitamin C, A, E, etc., right down the line.

Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown now to have a beneficial effect on mental
illness. They really are excellent help for feeling tone.

Things of this sort make a difference in our effort to live with medications. Being
pro-active in your care is a real way to get better quicker.

[liveforfish]

Genetic, I do have anemia caused by low levels of vitamin B. I was on vitamin B injections up until Jan. We have a new insurance with a new deductible so I haven't been to my monthly check up, and lab work.

[Underhill]

I had the same experience. For 14 years I went from one antidepressant to the next (started on welbutrin, then welbutrin + celexa, then lithium, then cymbalta, then welbutrin again) and I would still be depressed.

Now I am off all anti-depressants and the depressive symptoms are the same (no worse than when I was on the meds).

One thing I have found that helps tremendously (with an almost immediate effect) is intense cardio exercise. On the days that I work out I feel much, much better.

So, I recommend trying some exercise.

[TheRealFDeal]

I view my anti-depressant as a safety net. It's not meant to cure my depression, just keep me from going under. And when life happens, I'm going to feel sad and knocked about, but hopefully not suicidal.

I was on the same anti-depressant for probably 20 years, and it stopped working. Last year I changed pdocs and meds and I can tell the difference. I have more energy. I still have thoughts of suicide, but until very recent circumstances, I found I was less attached to them, like I could think about it, but not feel like I needed to do it, if that makes any sense.

[-jimi-]

Meds can stop working. Also it's not like tried one you tried them all. I had tried over 20 meds before I found the one working for me. It's stupid when docs think they tried everything. They haven't.

I like the idea of anti-depressants as a "safety-net". The lows aren't as low and I am able to deal with life better. Today odd things have been triggering old memories and feelings and so I feel sad (and a bit impatient!) but not down-in-the-dumps.

[liveforfish]

I wonder about that. I've been on Paxil for around 20 years myself. I'm going to research changing over to another like Prozac. I just learned that Paxil raises cholestrol and mine is high.