Depression

@Weezyg , Hi , welcome to the site . There isn't any problem taking antidepressants long term .  I have taken them for the best part of the past 32 years , from the age of 15 . The tablets that I take now keep me in the positive zone , I am happy and stable and that is the most important thing . The best thing to do , if you are worried about how people would react , is to keep it to yourself . Others do not need to know . I am sure the main priority for your friends and family is to see you enjoying your life . Best wishes :-)

Daren :)

That's right @xDarenx - my husband has been on antidepressants since he was 15 and he is 65!  Some are better than others for him and we have periods when he gets used to one and needs a change, or one doesn't suit him and causes some unwanted effect or other - flying fish and lions sitting in corners comes to mind :) A

As Daren says @Weezyg , no one needs to know but you and your close family, and if you are better because of them, I am sure that is all they will bother about.

Hi all darren u are so inspirational and helpful on this site i love reading what u have to say ....

After a very bad spell for myself i self reffered back to my local mental health team stopped going 3 years ago cosr the doctor i was seeing was horrible but yesterday i seen someone new who was very understanding and helpful she couldn actually diagnose me though ..... She said a scale where major depression is one side and bipolar the other im somewhere in the middle ..... She has upped my quietapin from 50_75 mg to 150 mg and left my sertraline as it is at 100mg im hoping to see an improvement soon ..... jodz x

Quetiapine really helps my husband, but around here they will not prescribe it as a general med, only 10 tabs at a time for a limited period to get through a really bad patch. :(

@Jodzkhr , Thank you , very kind of you to say . I do try to help ... I have been to hell and back so I can relate to many issues that are discussed on here .

           Quitiapine is a good antipsychotic .. I know a few people that are taking this that it has helped . I could not tolerate Sertraline but again , there are many people that it is helping . I do hope you feel better soon .

           I am struggling at the moment but at least the problems that the hospital have discovered are so far , treatable . I am on the waiting list to have my gallbladder removed and it can not come soon enough . I am experiencing a cycle of pain and sickness which can occur at any time . It is very difficult for me to plan things because I just don't know how I am going to be  . I am also waiting to have an injection in my spine at the back of my neck , the vertebrae is crumbling and I have Arthritis in it . Many mornings I wake up with horrendous toothache and pain down my arms and across my chest . I take my Oxycontin with co-codamols and pregabalin and sit up until the pain subsides . I am going to be put on Fentanyl pain patches as soon as my GP receives the letter from the pain consultant . The trouble is , the tablets I take for the pain attacks I have do not help my stomach problem .. I am waiting for a capsule Endoscopy , I hope that will shed more light on the problem . In the meantime the Gastroenterologist has put me on Ondansetron , a powerful antisickness tablet . I don't feel as unwell while I am taking it , but I know it is only masking the problem . My pancreas is not functioning how it should either , so I have to take Creon ( pancreas hormone ) every time I eat  . On top of that , while they have been doing all kinds of tests on me , they have discovered that I have a severe leaking heart valve which means regular check ups at the hospital to monitor its progression . I can't wait to get back into training . I have a Gym room , a treadmill , a vibration plate , a full set of Olympic weights , a leg press and a curling bench and a punch bag lol ... I was  very fit before I became unwell and I really want to get back to where I was , I know I can achieve anything if I put my mind to it . I just want to wait for the hospital to give me a full diagnosis before I start building myself up again because if I appeared to be fit , they would not take me seriously , that is my main worry at the moment . The most important thing is that I am coping and managing to work part time . I am very lucky that I am self employed and able to plan my schedule around my illness . I certainly feel better when my mind is occupied . I think very positively which really helps in every way . If you believe you can , then you are half way there  :-)

Daren :-)

@Suncatcher2015 , I hope you have had a good day :-) ... we have enjoyed some sunshine today , it has been quite hot ... By the way I love your word games and other contributions to the site :-)

@Jodzkhr  , My sincere best wishes to you :-)

Daren :-)

I wish they would hurry up with the blood test results for my husband - we are waiting on those and/or the neurologists appointment to get a confirmed diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis before he can get any treatment.  In the meantime they have stopped all pain meds apart from Co-Codomal, which are not cutting it.

I understand the reasoning behind this and that they can't start treatment until we have a confirmed diagnosis but in the meantime I can see the signs of a slide into depression coming - don't know what to do, to head it off at the pass!

Aww darren sounds like not such a good time .... I also have other things going stimach pain and bowel problems etc ..... Been ongoing for a year now had endoscopy colonoscpy been addmitted many times .... Just waiting now for a laparoscopy for them to go in and have a look whats going on as they think endo...these things dont help with deppression x

@Suncatcher2015  , I hope you get the results very soon .. I know its rotten having to wait ... I am waiting for a capsule endoscopy ... I have had stomach problems for many years , but recently things have got much worse , I have pancreatic insufficiency and am waiting for my gallbladder to be removed . I keep getting infections and internal inflammation . They have just put me on Cephelexin and it has almost instantly started to make me feel better . My sincere best wishes to you and your husband , I hope they sort him out soon :-)

@Jodzkhr , I am sorry you are suffering as well , I have had 10 endoscopys and 5 colonoscopys , ct scans , barium xray , ultrasound lol ... They have found that I have loads of gallstones and that my pancreas isn't working and also my prostate is enlarged ... I have constant abdominal pain and suffer different infections almost fortnightly . My capsule endoscopy can not come quick enough . Despite all of my physical problems I have never felt as positive or mentally strong and stable . My antidepressants are definitely working  . Keep your chin up , and if I can give you any advice or help in any way please message me . My sincere best wishes x

Daren x

Thanku darren ... Hope you get things sorted also ... X take care