Call Me Naive, But Whats With The Pink Pills?

[WinstonSmith357]

Some light reading for the uninitiated:

 

Drunk Pilot Seeks Drunk Co-Pilot

 

Disorientation

 

5 Things to remember on motion sickness pills

 

You will understand...

[Moonlight_Graham]

Wow this is an amazing thread, i didn't know we were all so medicated with anti-depressants on the Bored. Shouldn't be suprised, depression/anxiety is sooo common.

 

I take Effexor (extended release) & its a dark red pill. I take it for anxiety. My doc wanted to put me on Paxil for a long time but i resisted because i heard of some of the side-effects (stories of some people committing suicide, probably bogus) & horror stories getting off it. But he gave me Effexor when my anxiety got incredibly bad, apparently Effexor doesn't have barely any side-effects compared to other anti-depressants. I don't have any problems with side-effects other than some drowsiness.

 

Never tried to come off the stuff, but doesn't sound fun. But a lot of anti-depressants have very hard withdrawl symptoms like Paxil. I've heard that the key is to ween off very slowly in slow dose drops.

 

I have no prob with people with severe medical coniditions going on these types of pills. Its maybe the people who have minor problems that could do just as well with good psychotherepy that i think can sometimes be over the top. Tom Cruise & his stupid rants, if you have schizophrenia you better believe you should be on meds because that shit is serious.

Edited November 17, 2006 by Moonlight_Graham

[cringleman]

In summation of what I previously read, Not Graham (I hope you don't mind my calling you that, since that's what your profile says ;)) speaks well for my line of thinking.

 

It's odd, I'm actually beginning to feel that I'm one of the few people on the Bored who hasn't had to take medication for this type of problem. I had no idea it was so prevalent, but, then again, perhaps it's Matt's music has something to do with it -- obviously I'm not saying it causes depression, but perhaps it's much easier to relate to if you've seen some rough times. I know that's when I started getting into it.

[Muran]

Personally what annoyed me so much about my experience, was my doctor's insistence that I did *not* need therapy or counsel in any sort of way, I merely needed drugs.

 

So she prescribed Effexor to me in low dosage, and when I came in for check ups and told her I thought it wasn't working, she just continued to amp the dosage, until I was on the highest dosage possible. And all it did was make me miserable for a year.

 

I wonder if other people have a problem with doctors seemingly blindly prescribing anti-depressants, like it's the magic key that will fix everything...

[xcham]

Anyone who says that "antidepressants are a scam" has never been in the kind of place that some of us have been where they've pulled us out. And no, it isn't a placebo effect, since often it takes a few tries to find the right medication, and the effects of the "wrong" medication are rather... nasty.

 

Now what IS a scam are the drug companies coming out with a slightly improved version of the same old drug right as their patent on the old one is about to expire. Effexor is already post-patent, effexor XR is due to be likewise in 2008, so they're introducing a metabolite of the original drug that supposedly has less side effects... pfft.

[nerd glasses]

Personally what annoyed me so much about my experience, was my doctor's insistence that I did *not* need therapy or counsel in any sort of way, I merely needed drugs.

 

So she prescribed Effexor to me in low dosage, and when I came in for check ups and told her I thought it wasn't working, she just continued to amp the dosage, until I was on the highest dosage possible. And all it did was make me miserable for a year.

 

I wonder if other people have a problem with doctors seemingly blindly prescribing anti-depressants, like it's the magic key that will fix everything...

My sister-in-law is a pharmacy technician, and she says a lot of people come in for A-D/A-A scripts but aren't totally aware of the potential side effects, or even why they've been prescribed the meds in the first place. (I.E. patient comes in & describes symptoms, perhaps unaware of the physical issues being caused by mental/emotional distress, & doc says 'here, take this' without explaining anything). They tend to come from the same doctors, of course, and there is rarely any follow-up.

My stepsister was put on Effexor at age 13, which obviously didn't help matters much. Now, at 18, she's been on Lithium for roughly 2 years, and in my personal opinion, she's not bi-polar at all. She was a mood-swinging teenage drama queen that should have had more actual counseling to deal with her troubles. I hope one day she tries life without them, just so she knows how she really is, especically now that she's basically an adult and can make a truly informed choice. Going off Lithium would be hell, though.

 

I should be on meds, but I have anxiety (ha!) about going into the Doc's office and saying as much (despite an attempt on record at age 14 - I suppose I like to let the family/doc think it was a teenager thing. There's a lot more in recent years that just about everyone is in the dark about). I guess the stigma still gets to me sometimes. I used to be of the mindset that meds were "the easy way," but back then I was a teenaged moron, trying to find something to be strong about in a state of complete helplessness. Obviously, I've since become educated on the subject and have changed my tune entirely. ;)

[sockcrotch]

anti-depressants have always made me feel kind of up and down, if that makes any sense. i used to just take painkillers, but after a while, it just turned into a game of seeing how often i'd have to up the dosage because i was getting too used to the pills.

 

now i don't know if anyone here has been sent to the hospital on an occasion when they were hooked up with some morphine, but maaaaaaaaaaaaan, is that the best stuff in the world ;)

[juxtaposed]

luckily never received morphine... when i had my wisdom teeth taken out i already fell in love with the gas they gave me.

[little miss sunshine]

Anyone who says that "antidepressants are a scam" has never been in the kind of place that some of us have been where they've pulled us out. And no, it isn't a placebo effect, since often it takes a few tries to find the right medication, and the effects of the "wrong" medication are rather... nasty.

 

Now what IS a scam are the drug companies coming out with a slightly improved version of the same old drug right as their patent on the old one is about to expire. Effexor is already post-patent, effexor XR is due to be likewise in 2008, so they're introducing a metabolite of the original drug that supposedly has less side effects... pfft.

Okay, so you're saying that the side effects of the "wrong" medication are hell but you are demonizing drug companies who try to market metabolites that have less side effects? You can't have it both ways, man.

 

I'm not saying that drug companies are all about having your interests at heart but don't bite the hand that's making those pills that are making you happy.

[Moonlight_Graham]

It's odd, I'm actually beginning to feel that I'm one of the few people on the Bored who hasn't had to take medication for this type of problem. I had no idea it was so prevalent, but, then again, perhaps it's Matt's music has something to do with it -- obviously I'm not saying it causes depression, but perhaps it's much easier to relate to if you've seen some rough times. I know that's when I started getting into it.

Oh i'm sure there's many posters here who haven't needed to take anti-depressants. I was a MG fan long before i started to take them.

 

The reason i think so many posters here are on meds isn't Matt's music but rather that, if i'm not mistaken, problems with depression, stress, & anxiety are the #1 reasons why people go see a doctor. These problems i guess you could call general or chronic 'unhappiness' when it all boils down, & its not suprising to see a large % of people dealing with this problem (a pretty universal & age-old problem!).

 

Kind of ironic that Matt has had the shit stick handed to him this year & has gone through similar things/emotions a lot of have in our lives.

[bishopx]

Anti-Depressants do work for most people. A lot of it is proper maintenance and monitoring, and a willingness on the patient's part to accept that the drugs aren't a quick fix.

 

Having said that, there also alternative ways to deal with these issues. Medication didn't work for me, Ritalin as a kid was a failure, anti-depressants as an adult did more harm than good. It was excercise, diet, meditation, and therapy, that improved me.

 

However, I have seen the positive aspects of medication on many others, and can certainly vouch for their benefits. I was a psych major in college, and may at some point finish my degree, so I have always been interested in mental illness, and the drugs involved in it's treatment.

 

Anxiety and depression are terrible things to live with. After moving to RI, it seems like I saw and lived through one traumatic event after another... I was diagnosed with PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as an adult, I had panic attacks, and issues with OCD. As I've read the studies over the years, I have often wondered, how many people aren't effected, verses how many are...many of us harbor things that we never seek help for, and a lot of those people self medicate, with drugs and alcohol, or scar themselves, binge and purge themselves, or harm themselves in a desperate attempt to have control over something in their lives, when they feel like they have no control anywhere else.

 

For those of you who are getting the treatment you need, I applaud you, for those of you who feel that you need help, but are afraid of the stigma, or just don't know enough, I urge you to read more, to investigate those feelings you can't quite explain, but never quite seem to go away. There are better ways than holding it in and living with it.

Edited November 20, 2006 by bishopx

[destined4failure]

Well, we all know the pink pills are for your sanity, but it's the blue and red pill we have to watch out for. Who wants to wake up?

[bishopx]

Amen!!! Someone Call Morpheus...

[somnambulist]

Personally what annoyed me so much about my experience, was my doctor's insistence that I did *not* need therapy or counsel in any sort of way, I merely needed drugs.

 

So she prescribed Effexor to me in low dosage, and when I came in for check ups and told her I thought it wasn't working, she just continued to amp the dosage, until I was on the highest dosage possible. And all it did was make me miserable for a year.

 

I wonder if other people have a problem with doctors seemingly blindly prescribing anti-depressants, like it's the magic key that will fix everything...

That's what bothers me about these situations most too, that other methods aren't tried before they want to prescribe you medication. They're way too over-eager to give the drugs. Another problem is they often don't deal with the underlying problems that cause the depression.

 

For example, when they gave anti-depressents to my ex, she had been in a psychiatric hospital for two weeks where they helped her deal with a traumatic experience. That part was good, however they failed to deal with or even recognize her already existing problems with depression, they just gave her the medication. Just cover up the symptoms, forget about the cause...

 

Thankfully she seemed to overcome her problems, and you seem to be okay as well.

 

 

Bishopx, you have a lot of great advice and you seem to be a really good person. I admire that. ;)

[Daedalus]

My doctor had me on Effexor for only a week and a half before she stopped it. Had some rather miserable mood swings because of it. Have an atypical depression or some such, it is relieving to be told what is wrong now though, as for a while my physician would spout everything from bipolar to severe anxiety.

 

At any rate, no more antidepressants for me. Its on to the mood stabilizer Trileptal, which is a yellow pill, close enough to pink.

[mikeymackinon]

Celxia - because we don't have an action grid.

[Mr.Domino]

20mg paxil is pink, if i'm not mistaken.

 

I haven't posted in ages, but i feel the need to do so here.

 

Anti-depressants DO work. It's just a fact that when a pill you take blocks the re-uptake of seratonin (the brain's happy drug), there's more seratonin in the system, and thus more positive affect (happiness).

 

The problem with prescribing these drugs is that no one can pinpoint what the exact problem is, so it takes trial and error to figure out which drug can do the most good. For all those that said they were on the drugs for a short period of time and went through hell, it should be noted that the effects are not immediate. In most cases it takes 2-4 weeks for full effect to be noticed, so i don't think its fair to place a stigma on them if you haven't given them a fair chance.

 

However, i don't condone doctors who just amp up the dosage if it isn't working. that's just wrong. obviously, something that modern medicine doesn't understand is interfering in the system, and a new approach should be tried. Also, exercise, psychotherapy and diet have huge effects on how a person feels, so obviously the free methods should be tried first. However, research shows that in people with similar depression, drugs and exercise are more effective than one or the other.

 

As for addiction to anti-depressants, i personally believe that it is just like any other mild drug (i.e. nicotine, pot, whatever else like that), kicking it is just as much (or more) psychological than physical. The mind is powerful, and a person's belief that they NEED the drug, or the perception that they will have withdrawal only serves to increase their symptoms.

 

There we go, my 2 cents (actually wait, thats pretty long, might be more like 10 cents).

[hobo_ted]

ahhhh so many drugs

[nerd glasses]

The problem with prescribing these drugs is that no one can pinpoint what the exact problem is, so it takes trial and error to figure out which drug can do the most good.  For all those that said they were on the drugs for a short period of time and went through hell, it should be noted that the effects are not immediate.  In most cases it takes 2-4 weeks for full effect to be noticed, so i don't think its fair to place a stigma on them if you haven't given them a fair chance.

The thing is, some of the side effects can cost you. I'm specifically referring to the ones that can make you drowsy and too tired to function properly, like Effexor. If I were to have my judgement affected at my job, I could be seriously injured or get killed, and possibly run the risk of endangering others. One only gets so much time and money for vacation ... and seriously, who wants to blow that time working through shitty side effects? ;) However, I definitely understand what you're saying. It unfortunately isn't always tangible to give the drugs a chance if it fucks things up too much in too short a time.

 

--

 

It's on the brain so I'll confess it - The other thing that scares me from trying them is dealing with people who would notice the change in me, for better or for worse. Colleagues, mostly, and then family & friends. I always get rankled if someone points out a change in me, no matter if it's positive or negative. Just a stupid quirk of mine, I guess; perhaps I don't want that level of unsolicited scrutinization aimed at me, even if its meant well. :angry:

[bishopx]

Thank you Mr.Domino. You're right on all counts.

 

Thank you Kevin, you're pretty all right yourself.

 

nerd glasses, sometimes the side effects are almost invisible, and if there is an improvement, wouldn't you want people to see it? All of your concerns are taken into consideration by the doctor. The last thing they want to do is kill you. Any sane doctor, knows enough to practice restraint with prescriptions. A lot of times the Doctors, are a little far removed from the patients, that's where the therapists come in. They work in concert with the Doctor, to guarantee that your needs are adequately address. Most Psych meds, are prescribed with a planned ramping up process...small amounts, to determine the effects. Again, the medications should be a part of the therapy process, not the sole action.

[mrs jesus]

there are pink xanax and valium, though they're a pretty low dosage.. i always assumed that he was talking about those, because they're anti-anxiety pills and they make you feel fucking great. if you'd like to begin a journey into pill-popping bliss and you're not familiar with how to start, i'd suggest the pinkies.

 

;)

[Shiri]

Oh, what would we do without you, Christy?

[Alex Ross]

I've never taken anti-depressants in my life, and I never will. The idea of taking a mind-altering pill daily is too weird.

[Computer]

I've never taken anti-depressants in my life, and I never will. The idea of taking a mind-altering pill daily is too weird.

It's not mind-altering persay. All my pills do is raise the level of seratonin in my brain so that i'm able to be as happy as an average person. The pills themselves don't induce happiness. I still get depressed like everyone else, all they allow me to do is feel like a normal person again.

[Alex Ross]

This topic has really opened my eyes, I had no idea so many people were on anti-depressants...