If ADs dont work, then what?

[Wilburis]

Hi

I wondered, how many different types of antidepressants have people tried.

What happens if none of them work, then what do you take?

My dizziness is getting so bad, but nothing works, what can I do?

Lizzie xx

[Ellen70]

Hi Lizzie,
Afraid I have no answers as I am in the same situation as you right now. I have tried numerous anti depressants but none of them are lifting my depression or anxiety. I have reached the stage where I feel that the whole anti depressant route has been exhausted and I am facing a brick wall.
I don't have dizziness but I take a benzo for my pa s and anxiety, I don't recommend this though as I have been addicted to benzos for years.
Have you tried a beta blocker?

My psychiatrist tells me to stamp my feet on the ground before standing up from bed or a chair and to stamp my feet regularly throughout the day (in private of course!) to bring the blood down from the brain and this can ease the dizziness (one med I was on caused me dizziness). Afraid I have no other help to offer, sorry. Hope things improve for you.

Ellen x

[Bill]

I've been thinking about this subject today and it bugs me! :mad:
I know Ad's help some people so they may disagree with what I say but these are just my personal opinions.

I was prescribed Ad's untl they'd run out of alternatives. They then gave me ECT. Once was enough! Never again.

When we see a doctor they can either refer us for therapy or give us an Ad. There can be a long waiting list for therapy due to the lack of resources. Mental health is the cinderella service compared to physical health in this country.

We need immediate relief but the doctor will be reluctant to give a sedative because they're addictive as I learnt when I was given diazepam! so they prescribe an Ad. However, as the name suggests, they're an anti-Depressant but as we are depressed because of our anxiety symptoms and don't suffer from clinical depression, the benefit of lifting our mood doesn't last so the doctor then prescribes an alternative.

I also feel that there is a danger of becoming addictive because of raised anxiety at the thought of coping without an Ad once we've been on them.

I know some days we need relief and that a one off sedative works but I don't believe in long term use.

I realise Ad's DO help some people but it bugs me knowing that Ad's are used as a quicker, easier option which alter the chemicals in our minds when we can be shown how to cope with anxiety without them but because of the lack of funding we're sidetracked into an option which only treats the symptoms and not the underlying causes. It's rather like using cough mixture for a virus! It won't cure it.

In the end I just decided to help myself, partly through advice given to me by my wife's psychiatric nurse....and I cope ok. :winks:

[MistyBlue]

I can't take antidepressants as I cannot tolerate any of them. But to be honest I feel better without them.:shrug: The side effects they brought on made me worse.

It's a hard one this, as everyone is different, therefore treatment varies for each individual.

If you can't take any, take hope in the fact that it is possible to get through this without them. Lots of talking, CBT and gaining knowledge are the key. :)

Lisa x

[woofytalk]

What kind of natural anxiety treatments have you tried? That's what did the trick for me.

-Rachel