Anti-depressants (Cipralex), are they really necessary?

[Tasaio]

Greetings

I was perscribed Cipralex anti-depressants some months ago...in response to a depression that started over four years ago.

While I believe that this depression was triggered by external factors (being in school subjects I hated, a violent and abusive teacher), I do have a family history for depression.

In fact, all of the women on my mother's side suffer from depression. All (including me) contemplated suicide at early stages, it was that bad.

However, they're all better now, and so am I. Don't worry, it happened years ago! I'm completely past the depression now.

Indeed, it was Steve Pavlina's website that helped spur me to seek medication, and a way out of the university degree I wasn't enjoying.

That's exactly why I'm writing this post -- since I don't feel depressed in the least, would it be safe to go off my medication? My doctor feels I should remain on it for several years, but I won't be able to afford the medication soon.

Normally, I wouldn't hesitate.

However, there are some mornings I forget breakfast (and hence my pill) Without realizing this, I feel very irritable and angry these mornings.

This could be because I have not taken my pill...or it could just be hunger pains.

Is there anyone here who has been on anti-depressants, and has advice for going on the medication?

Also, are there any potential side effects of the medication?

Thanks in advance!

[Pegasus]

Having had mild depression and anxiety off and on for years, here’s my two cents worth:

The official answer is to talk to your doctor. If you don’t like his/her answer, do your own research and seek a second opinion.

That being said, it is common for doctors to solve problems the easy way by prescribing medication. The type of professional you see determines your course of treatment. For example, when you go to a family doctor or a psychiatrist, you most likely will be put on/stay on medication. When you seek treatment with a social worker or a psychologist, then you will be talking about your problems.

I wasn’t familiar with Cipralex till I Googled it and saw its other brand name Lexapro; I’ve been on Celexa in the past and have heard Lexapro works well. If you’re on one of the lowest doses of SSRI’s or SNRI’s and have only mild depression or dysthymic disorder (which falls between “normal” and depressed), then you can probably function okay without the medication. If you decide to quit taking the medication, be sure to have support systems in place first. You will need to take it upon yourself to take good care of yourself by exercising, meditating, and eating well. Eat healthy planned meals, especially breakfast including protein (stay away from refined sugars).

Most people who go off medication relapse. Be sure to recognize symptoms early on and do not hesitate to see a doctor if you need to. If there’s a chance you’re bipolar, you should probably continue to take the medication. Given your family history and your having contemplated suicide before, you’re probably going to be stuck taking medication. Do whatever works for you.
Good luck!

[openeyes]

If you can regularly exercise, medication may be unnecessary. Check this out:

"More and more evidence is accumulating that for most people exercise is more powerful than drugs in treating depression."

http://www.mercola.com/2005/nov/22/t...depression.htm

[escapee]

You may want to give Fish oil a try

Fish oil derivative reduces depression
SHEFFIELD, UNITED KINGDOM. There is considerable evidence that fish oils help in combating depression and other mental illnesses. What is not quite clear is whether it is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that is the most active component.

The standard medical therapy for depression involves the use of tricyclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs, however, are not terribly effective. Prozac, for example, produces a 50% improvement in symptoms in only 38% of patients starting treatment. This is not much better than the placebo effect, which provides 50% improvement in about 25% of patients.

A team of British and Scottish researchers has just completed a study aimed at determining if the ethyl ester of EPA, ethyl-eicosapentaenoate (EEP), would be effective in strengthening the beneficial effect of standard antidepressants. The study involved 60 patients who were already being treated with SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants. Fourteen patients received a placebo while the remaining 46 received either 1, 2 or 4 grams/day of EEP. All participants were evaluated for depression using several different scales at the beginning of the experiment and after 12 weeks. At the end of the study it was clear that the 1gram/day dosage of EEP was highly effective in reducing depression and associated conditions such as sadness, pessimism, inability to work, sleep disturbances, and diminished sex drive. In most cases, 60- 70% of patients receiving 1 gram/day of EEP showed an improvement of 50% or better. This compares to only 25% of the patients on the placebo showing a 50% improvement. The degree of improvement was substantially less in the 2 grams/day and 4 grams/day groups. The researchers speculate that this could be due to the depletion of the omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid, by an excess of omega-3 fatty acid (EPA), indicating that the balance between omega-3 and omega-6 is important when it comes to depression.

If it's PMS related, then Dietary change may also something you would like to try out

Wishing you a speedy recovery

[taylor2]

i have a long history with depression.when u are depressed...u can not even get up to exercise.u don't care.it is horrid.i gained so much weight cause of several issues.then i went on meds.(zoloft).I feel like a new person. I have now lost 65 pounds. i care again and i am not teary about everything and ranting about everything that upsets me.i am so thrilled. i am exercising and working on my weight and eating better.so to me,if u are not depressed and u feel better.take the medication.it is so so worth it.good luck.taylor2

[taylor2]

sorry-i meant to say-if depressed and you are prone to it and not caring about anything in your life.take the meds. it is so worth it to not be down.life is too precious and we only go aorund once.why not be happy for goodness sake?it is a wonderful to feel ok and better than ok.good luck-taylor2

[anglocon]

Originally Posted by Tasaio

Greetings

I was perscribed Cipralex anti-depressants some months ago...in response to a depression that started over four years ago.

...
Is there anyone here who has been on anti-depressants, and has advice for going on the medication?

Also, are there any potential side effects of the medication?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Tasaio,

I have got a friend who has suffered on and off with depression for most of her adult life. She has not been depressed now for over two years but is still on the minimum dose of her anti-depressant.

She forgot to take it when she was staying at my place earlier in the week and could'nt sleep, and has reported before that when she tried to come off it she was really ill.

So I think your body can get a chemical addiction to these things, so its like trying to come off nicotine or a similar drug.

I have advised my friend to wait until she feels strong enough in herself to deal with the side-effects before coming off them totally.

Good luck, M.

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by anglocon

So I think your body can get a chemical addiction to these things, so its like trying to come off nicotine or a similar drug.

I have advised my friend to wait until she feels strong enough in herself to deal with the side-effects before coming off them totally.

With anti-depressants it's generally emphasized that one needs to go off them gradually with the care of a physician. Going off them cold turkey is considered a very bad idea, as withdrawal can be a serious issue, though drug companies don't like having the term "addictive" applied in this case.

[Tasaio]

Thanks for all the replies.

It's been 2 days since I went off my medication...and I feel great! In particular, I feel so much more energetic than I did when taking Cipralex.

My doctor commented that it may make you feel tired, but I'd forgotten it was possible to be this alert!

Here's hoping that I don't crash anytime soon; I hope to get through the full 30-day trial.

[PhyllisZ]

Originally Posted by escapee

You may want to give Fish oil a try

Fish oil derivative reduces depression
SHEFFIELD, UNITED KINGDOM. There is considerable evidence that fish oils help in combating depression and other mental illnesses. What is not quite clear is whether it is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that is the most active component.



If it's PMS related, then Dietary change may also something you would like to try out

Wishing you a speedy recovery

I second that.

Fish Oils and proper WATER intake will help with many depression symptoms.

Water... at least half your weight in ounces.
Example: 200 pounds = 100oz water

[Veronika]

Hi Im Veronika
I am batteling with depression from the time I was pregnant 6 years ago. There were many other factors as well. I moved to a totally different country in only a little time and underestimated the challenges i would have to face here. On the advice of my mother, who also takes it, I started taking Cipralex approx 4 years ago. At first I took 1 tablet a day and after some time I felt really much better.
After a year or so I was actually okay and I really wanted to stop. I have tried it once in a while not to take Cipralex but after some time my symptoms started happening again.
Does anybody know if Cipralex is actually addictive? In the description they tell that it is non habit forming.
I have extreme mood swings.

[Dharma]

Originally Posted by Tasaio

That's exactly why I'm writing this post -- since I don't feel depressed in the least, would it be safe to go off my medication? My doctor feels I should remain on it for several years, but I won't be able to afford the medication soon.

However, there are some mornings I forget breakfast (and hence my pill) Without realizing this, I feel very irritable and angry these mornings.

This could be because I have not taken my pill...or it could just be hunger pains.

I was on Prozac for depression and PTSD. I took myself off the medication after a few months because I felt I didn't need it anymore. And I didn't. The one thing I wished I had done was told my therapist so she could have told me to go off it slowly, not cold-turkey. The pain in my head was incredible for a few days as the meds flushed from my body all at once. Oooops.

As for you, if you want to get off your meds, you need to realize a few things:
You ARE yourself and you ARE your medication. The change in your being is not from the medication, but from a choice for change in your consciousness. The medication is just a permission slip to let you experience life without depression. What's really going on is you're making the change yourself and don't want to know it is you relieving you of depression and you'd rather blame the change on a pill.

I think you feel you have no power to change this yourself. You even opened your post saying that all the women in your family have the same depression. To me that says "I cannot change this, look no one in my family has changed it, we are all destined to have depression. "

You need to assume the role of the force that is making the changes. Medication is just a prop we use to help us on our journey until we say, "I'M the one making the change here, not the medication".