why do doctors seem so quick to give anti depressants?

[loopyc]

hi everyone hope you are all well. i went to the doctors today after months of feeling poorly cant put my finger on what just ache everywhere feel mentally and pyshically exhusted. for the last 6 months i was looking after my terminally ill nan who unfortunatly passed over on the 10th march so i am obviously upset. anyway to cut a real long story short doc didnt examine me just said all my aches and pains and feeling ill are part of the grieving process so has given me anti depressants it would seem everytime i see him weather its for a headache or sickness etc he gives me antidepressants, do all docs use anti depressants as a mircule cure?

[hal]

The answer is no they don't all use anti-depressants as a miricle cure. I have period bouts of (mild) depression. My GPs (I have seen three over the years) have never prescribed anti -depressants. They have discussed them with me but we have agreed they would not be a good idea. They have instead arranged for me to have counselling - a much better idea in my case. I strongly recommend you find a new GP to discuss this with.

[hal]

oops - should have read periodic bouts!

[nannon]

i think they do just give them out as cure for anything. I was first prescribed Prozac when i was 14!! Luckily my dad saw them as wouldnt let me take them. Had a few sessions with a counseller and was ok. My sister went to docs three weeks ago and couldnt sleep and wanted some sleeping tablets, he gave her anti depressents without even asking her why she wasnt she sleeping - i cant remember now which ones they were but we did some research and they were pretty strong. I dont think some people realise how addictive they are, and also they arent a cure - if you are depressed then its awful but they should only be given as last resort. Thats my thoughts anyway!

[smudge]

I'm so sorry to hear about your Nan loopy & of the problems you've been having too. I hope you will soon be feeling brighter. Take care. -x-

P.S. There are a few comments on anti-depressants on this thread, which may be of interest to you too.

[loopyc]

thank you smudge have read thread you said about found it helpful and also confusing as im now wondering if i am depressed but trying to deny it. im putting on a brave face for my children so they dont have to see their mum crying but when they are not here i break down just feel so lost. thank you for your kind words x

[kipchik]

Hmm,i went to the doctors with ibs a few years back and came away with prozac,cos i needed them for my symptons,,,EH? It WAS ibs by the way,whats all that about then?

[CompNut]

Hi loopy and everyone,
So sorry to hear of your sad loss. You are being brave when your children are around, but it is only natural that you break down for a cry when alone. You can't bottle grief up, it has to have a release.
I also was prescribed anti-depressants when grieving, but did not take them as I knew grief was something one just has to go through, however hard, until one can comes to terms with the loss.
It does seem anti-dep. often are given as a cure-all.
A friend of ours has been taking Prozac for 10 years and although she has tried to come off them gradually several times, she can't go through with it. Sounds like addiction to me, and her doctor shouldn't have allowed this to go on for so many years. Apart from the health question, it is very wasteful for the NHS to prescribe tablets unless they are really needed and will do some real good.

[pilchard]

I also went to the doctors with ibs and was offered anti depressants and a sick note. He thought a break would do me good!!! I refused and paid to see a specialist privately, amazing what can be done with a cheque book.

[Litchick]

loopyc, I have to agree with not taking anti-depressants at least not for this. Your ill nan died whom you loved and cared for a great deal! It's completely normal to feel as you do. You are going thorugh the grieving process. Not to say that they don't work for others but my goodness you are rightfully stressed and upset. I would seek a counselor and other treatments first. Good luck to you.

[Kay]

loopyc. Im so sorry about the loss of your Nan. We all need to grieve and crying is the best outlet.Anti-deps would act as a mask and stop you from crying but all your grief would just build up inside plus you would more than likely become addicted to the anti-deps. I lost both my parents within 18 months of each other and had counselling from Cruse,all therapists have lost a loved one at some time in their lives so they really understand. The aches and pains are no doubt due to the stress.Please dont start on AD's unless you really have to loopy. Crying is nature's way of healing you. x

[mimififi]

I felt much like you before christmas, and in fact have felt like that for many years. I finally thought, right, I'm gonna shake this and go to the docs. She listened to me and then told me that due to my violent and traumatic birth experience with my daughter last year, I was most likely suffereing post natal depression. SHe talked about anti d's and told me to come back in a fortnight. She also too a load of bloods to rule out anything physiological and told me to look at my diet and maybe try an elimation diet of key food products to see if it made any difference.

I couldn't go back two weeks later because it was christmas, so I went back 4 weeks later. My bloods came back normal except for an IgE level which was elevated. I have also suffered from depression before and was sure that that was not what it was this time, it didn't feel the same. With the combination of my diet and my elevated IgE, it was discovered that I actually have a wheat and gluten intolerence that was leaving me short of necessary nutrients and just meant I wasn't absorbing food well.

You could try taking a vitamin tonic as after a long spell nursing your nan, maybe you are run down and have a little bit of nervous exhaustion. Try taking regular exercise, a tonic such as metatone, or floradix, make sure you get plent of sleep and also take an omega 3 an 6 supplement. See if that helps.

wishing you well,
XX

[loopyc]

thank you all very much xx

[smudge]

FINA - I lost both my parents within 20 months of each other. Nothing prepares you for the grief in store & it's taken me a very long time to recover from the shock of it all.

I wish everyone who has posted on here & who has suffered from depsression, all the very best. It's so nice to be able to share your feelings. -xx-

[Kay]

Hi smudge, How right your are! Even though we know "that time" is near, all the mental preparation in the world does'nt allieviate the overwhelming feelings we experience. Even though my parents are long gone and I have a loving family,at times I feel like an orphan even though Im 58 this year. We come to terms with death but never get over it dont you think? x

[smudge]

Hi FINA - my Dad died in Sep '94 aged 85 & Mum followed him in June '96 aged 86.

Myself & all my siblings think of them every day & still miss them so much. When Mum died we all said "That's it then, we're all orphans now". It was awful.

I'm 59 in Aug, but it doesn't matter how old they were, or how you are, it's very hard all round.

Take care FINA. -xx-

[maimai]

I had a similar situation. (Delayed grief from father's death, other family funerals, major issues at work, IBS, etc). Exactly a year ago I started to get really ill with the IBS (stress), lack of sleep and constant crying. I gave it a number of months but in July the doctor (not my normal gp) suggested time off work and to consider taking anti depressants. I didn't take them for the first month. But to cut a long story short ~ ended up off work for over six months. Work were v. good but had to see the work doctor and a therapist. When I said to the work doctor that I felt the gps were too quick to prescribe the tablets, he basically said they are so experienced in recognising the symptoms they do generally know best. He did say that therapy can do the same thing but takes longer. And that different tablets suit different people. Bad reactions to the tabs at first, then didn't think they were working, then felt very flat/empty. But suddenly after 3-4 months it all started to kick in. The tablets, the therapy, (and a book called Feeling Good). And now I can recognise how bad I actually was. The new gp is lovely and tells me what a difference she can see. We are now planning to reduce the tabs over the next month. I know I needed to leave my job, but would have been in no position to do an interview back then. AND, my IBS has improved immensely without the constant stress. See if you can get the therapy as well (I had bupa through my old job ~ but can take some time to set up on nhs, which is why they think the tabs kickin first.) If you do need them, give them a go. Apologies for length of this, but honestly, things can get better. And I am not worried at all about coming off them. Best of luck!

[loopyc]

thank you miamia for your kind advice i never thought about the doc being so quick to perscribe because he could see the signs. your advice made alot of sense. im going to start on the tabs today and hopefully start feeling better soon. hope you are doing well and feeling better x

[worrier]

if the docs had more time to see each patient properly and be able to have a one to one chat to find out things about you it would be so different. I have gone through sex abuse myself and with my son and have a court case looming, already had one.....I was offered counselling but I felt in the way as all the time I was in with her she kept looking at the clock, so I felt I wasn't getting the right counselling. The trouble is there isn't enough people out there to help with mental illness, it has been a taboo subject for so long and it's only now that people are realising that it is an illness like anything else. My sisters Doctor said if you have diabetes you take tablets so if you have a mental illness you take tablets. Talking does help but you need one who you can relate to and they are hard to find. If you haven't gone through the experience yourself it's hard to judge what or what not to do. Just my opinion, hope this helps.