Who here is actually taking antidepressants?

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Permalink Reply by Liam G on July 20, 2010 at 1:17am

I was on citalopram hydrobromide for about 8 months maybe. I started taking them because I just felt like fading away (dieing basically). Hadn't felt normal in a long time. Had to try something. Maybe they helped a little. I don't know. I think I stopped taking them around about the time I started to learn about basic raw food principles (not 811). It was kind of an experiment to see what would happen but there were many things involved in my decision to stop. I can't really say anything happened. I felt the same off them as I did on. No withdrawal symptoms. Apparently they are one of the safest drugs and they're not very addictive though according to my doctor. If I had gotten depressed again shortly after I may have gone back on them. I was always into vitamin supplements and stuff but it's only in the last year or so I've been looking into basic dietary principles (what you shouldn't eat for example). I had learnt a lot of stuff before I stopped taking my medication and was determined to learn more (about diet and lifestyle). So when I stopped taking them I started doing things I did know worked for me (that improved my mood and general health)and I kept learning and trying out more things. I found this site and learnt about 80/10/10. It made sense. I tried things. They worked. I think I have most of the answers. I'm applying things I've learnt to my life and I'm coping okay. Something like that anyway. :)

Permalink Reply by Kathi on July 21, 2010 at 5:40am

Thank you so much for sharing. I found your words to be tremendously encouraging, and I have high hopes that I will soon have my own success story to share .

Permalink Reply by Mermadria on July 21, 2010 at 5:11am

I have been on Wellbutrin for 10 years, 8 years at my current dosage of 300 mg. This is the same time I was diagnosed with dysthymia (long-term chronic depression with intermittent depressive episodes), although I have likely suffered from it since before puberty. I have tried to go off it/wean myself several times, all with disastrous results. Of course, I wasn't lfrv at the time, but I am working towards that and once I feel stable in those eating habits I'll talk to my doctor about going off it. I also have a lot of weight to lose, which is throwing off my hormonal balance, so I'm not going to mess with my medication until I'm within normal range and feel confident the change is for good. I wouldn't want to sabotage myself and slow down my health-seeking efforts by messing with it prematurely. Until then, exercise and eating lots of raw fruits and vegetables have helped tremendously in keeping my energy levels up and my mood afloat!

Permalink Reply by Kathi on July 21, 2010 at 5:44am

Glad that we are sharing the same shoes, and walking the same path! I agree, exercise and fruit are extremely helpful and I hope to conquer this enemy before long. I have the same hopes for you as well! Until then, if you ever need encouragement, feel free to look my way.

Permalink Reply by Christine on July 27, 2010 at 2:20pm

I was on anti-depressants, much more often then not, for the last 18 years (I am 35). I was "diagnosed" with dysthymia and have had several episodes of major depression. I've probably taken 15-20 different medications and several combos throughout the years. They always work for about 8 weeks and then slowly stop working. However, I was told by doctors that I will always need medication and I dutifully took Prozac when nothing else would work because that drug had the least amount of side effects for me. Recently, due to losing my health insurance, doing 80-10-10 and studying natural hygiene principles, I decided to wean myself off my latest drug (Cymbalta).

I really feel like the only way I will truly be depression-free is if i can get my brain chemistry balanced on its own, with the help of 80-10-10 and without powerful drugs. Only the body can cure. I KNOW this. I wonder what these drugs have permanently done to me? No one really knows the future damage! I don't want to sound so pessimistic because they have saved my life more than once, and they do have their place for sure.

I weaned myself off Cymbalta (last dose taken a month ago) and the transition has been interesting. When I've weaned off meds in the past, I didn't notice any withdrawal symptoms. It was easy. This time is MUCH more difficult. Now I have nothing to hide behind: no cooked food and no alcohol. (Also, I am in a career transition so I've been a bit stressed).

So far I haven't had a return of any depression. However, I've been a bit emotional and can cry at the drop of a hat. For instance, a man at work told me that I was a ray of sunshine and he was glad to be working with me and I started crying! Normally, I would have just said thank you and be very proud. Driving from Chicago to Detroit the other day, I passed some cattle trucks and I looked directly into a cow's eyes and started crying so hard for about 20 minutes that I had to pull over. During that same trip, I was listening to my favorite baseball team on the radio when my favorite player hit a home run to win the game. I started crying with joy... This is sooo not like me! But did the drugs numb all of this emotion for years? Am I going through withdrawal? A little of both? Who knows?

But I do know that I need to be easy on myself during this transition, follow 80-10-10, and let my body heal. If the depression comes back full-force, would I take the meds again? One day at at time I guess! So that's a teeny bit of my story. :)

Permalink Reply by Liam G on July 27, 2010 at 11:08pm

One month. Go girl! I think it's good that you're crying about things. It means you have emotions, emotions for things you should have emotions for and the right ones. It's better than being numb right?

Permalink Reply by Christopher on July 28, 2010 at 4:10pm

I was on a drug cocktail for the better part of the last 5 years from a depressive episode that was caused by going on testosterone hormone replacement therapy. Using it for only a matter of 5 days messed up my hormones so bad that I was in a terrible deep depression that landed me in the ER for suicidal ideations.

I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder since that time and even up to today. At that time, I had chronic insomnia as well so immediately they put me on Seroquel and Cytolopram...one for sleeping and the other an antidepressant. I became dependent on sleeping pills and could not sleep without them but for around only an hour per night. Sleep was the topic of every conversation I ever had and I was obsessed with sleeping, because I couldn't sleep :( My depression was barely manageable as well and led to stronger medicines and higher doses.

Over all that time, I have been on the following medicines in moderately high doses at different times: Prozac, Lexapro, Cymbalta, Abilify, Seroquel, Wellbutrin, Xanax, Ametripteline, Remeron, Cytolopram, Ambien, Lunesta, Nerontin, and an anti-anxiety that I can't remember. I'm sure there are a few I am missing.

I felt that I would be on them for life in some dosage or another as my doctors all told me I would be.

I attempted suicide once and was planning on it 3 other times. Those landed me in a mental facility for about a month stay each time. Each time I left, my doctors knew I wasn't better and they expected me to kill myself sooner or later... I had seen this one Dr for the same 4 years in a row, and the final time I was there, I was so far gone that I had taken every medicine they knew to offer and still no progress, so he wanted to do ECT *electro-convulsive therapy* or shock treatments. I didn't care what they did to me and actually hoped I would die in the process. The ECT's worked on only the last 2 treatments. They had given up hope that those would help either, but the final 2 did :)

That was 2 summers ago and I haven't been to the hospital since! I have progressively gotten rid of the whole cocktail of drugs I was on (5 when I last left the hospital) and as of a week ago, too, the last half dose of the lowest remaining pill I was on (wellbutrin xl 150mg) I believe that this diet has helped me defeat my addiction and dependence on drugs and also moderately stabilize my hormone issues! I am getting stronger each day and keeping my happiness more and more. I used to experience a maximum of 1 hour of happiness in a whole week! But now I am happy for approximately 80% of my day!

You can do anything...

Permalink Reply by Liam G on July 29, 2010 at 4:00am

Great to hear you're overcoming it. Thanks for sharing Christopher. I too have swapped my few moments of feeling okay with moments of misery and I'm alright most of the time. I can cope. Just have to be careful what I put into my body, get enough sleep in darkness and make sure I get out in the great outdoors daily. It's also helpful to have inspiring stories such as yours. One of the main reasons I created the group. So that we could all share, inspire and understand each other.

Permalink Reply by SuperduperCucumberLover!..=) on July 29, 2010 at 12:06pm

I was just thinking about this recently- and how some people have such a hard time sleeping and staying hydrated that it was probably leading to all of these diagnoses that werent really true..

If it was a choice between taking a supplement like melatonin (for sleep) and getting on a perscription drug- Id say try the supplement.

Also foods with dha, and omega 3s- like hemp, flax\flax oil, etc.

Permalink Reply by Liam G on July 29, 2010 at 11:27pm

Supplements? I've tried Ginko Biloba, Gingseng, Rhodiola, 5HTP, St Johns Wort, Co-enzyme Q10, Chelated Magnesium, Inositol, Flaxseed Oil, Vitamin D, Valerian Root, Various Mulivitimans. DIdn't seem to help much. The only thing I think might have worked is the 5HTP. It may have calmed up me down but in a way I didn't like. Hard to explain. It only deals with the lack of Seratonin. Depression and anxiety are a bit more complicated than just dealing with one neurotransmitter (such as Seratonin). Not worth the cash.

Permalink Reply by Nicolas on October 11, 2010 at 9:56am

Just wondering, did you ever try any broader amino acid blend, other than just 5-HTP?

Permalink Reply by Liam G on October 11, 2010 at 1:54pm

Just before I found this diet I was considering taking tyrosine perhaps with 5-HTP. Umm... I don't think I did. No. But I did do protein shakes for a while which are full of amino acids of course. Soya. And that made me feel a little better to be honest. Maybe it was just giving me more calories. Which I probably needed (as fuel). Either way. It's probably not a good solution long term. Well it wasn't a solution at all but like I said. It helped certain things if I'm being honest

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