[drunksunflower]

Woops - I just posted this in the general Depression forum, duh!

I'd just like any opinions/advice on this if anyone has the time ... bit of a long story sorry

Today I went to a new doctor cos I have just come back from overseas and am living in a different city. I think I am more confused than before I went to see him!!

I got very stressed finishing my thesis last june-july, and got given prozac. I went overseas after that and while I was working in the UK they sort of lost their efficacy and I got *really* icky even though I didn't really have too many current stresses. The doctor I saw there increased the prozac to 40mg/day (from 20). They made me feel crap - really bad stomach etc. So after about five weeks I decided to cut it back down to one. It REALLY helped my mood at 40mg, but I hated wanting to puke all the time! The 20mg helped a bit but then i couldn't be bothered with it and kinda stopped (over two weeks, 1 every second day). But I have been getting some wickedly down moods and crying irrationally, which is what happened before I got in a really bad state last time (while i was overseas). So i don't want it to happen again, even though i'm not that keen on the idea of taking medication.

So I went to see this new doctor today as I had finished the prozac, and he firstly said well, you've finished the course, you don't need any more. I sort of said i wasn't feeling that wonderful and he said oh, so you DO need something. I dunno if he was taking me too seriously at that point? Although that could have been my interpretation at the time ... I mean, they must see people wanting stuff all the time who they think don't need them? So he kept asking me whether I got anxious, and saying that people who also have anxiety do well on Aropax (which I think is Paxil for most of you). I don't get anxiety, but he said that a few times, and it seemed as if he wanted me to say I had it ... I have a psyc degree (although my thesis wasn't in abnormal psyc) so I do know the criteria of different disorders, roughly.

He suggested Citalopram, which I know is fairly widely prescribed in the UK also - I'm not sure about the US?

He also asked me quite randomly whether I had any 'male trouble'. And whether I was pregnant - even though I'd just told him I had been the same contraceptive for years and had no problems with it. I know they have to ask certain questions, but it was a little bit off at that stage.

Anyway, the two options I have is to stay off the pills and hope that it sorts itself out, because my mood might be low due to coming off the Prozac? Or try the new one, which would mean i would have to go back to doctor in two weeks, which i really really really don't wanna do. Has anyone tried not taking medication after say six months and waited a wee while before they decide if they need it or not? The doctor did say I came off properly by taking one on alternate days for two weeks. Or is it perhaps better to take the medication as i sort of have symptoms again?

sorry i'm sure loads of people write threads like these, I'm just interested in what someone else would do in my situation.

thankies.