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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on December 2, 2005, at 20:34:56
In my battle with anxiety and depression, this was the toughest thing for me to accept. Not accepting it set me back perhaps for months and years.
Before all this started, I refused to take an aspirin for a headache. I didn't want anything un-natural (well, other than Cheetos and Doritos perhaps) in my body.
So you can imagine my horror when I had my very first visit to the pdoc and she handed t-h-r-e-e different prescriptions. I went from not taking Tylenol to digesting pills with names I could not pronounce. I felt like I had lost my youth, and overnight transformed to a walking medical cabinet. It devastated me.
I could not come to terms with taking the meds. Every time I got a little better, I would ween down and eventually stop taking everything, And of course it would never fail, that eventually I would get worse, go back to the pdoc, then get higher doses of everything.
It was an awful cycle that repeated itself for many years and most definitely stunted my recovery. Why was I not strong enough to recover from this on my own strength? Why did I need to take these awful tablets? Why was I not feeling better?
The more I tried to reason, the worse I got. I mean, I was close to checking in somewhere. My thought patterns were out of control. I worried about worrying.
Finally I ran into my Sunday school teacher who was also an MD. He sat me down and looked me in the eye and said twice GOD GIVES PEOPLE THE KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE MEDICINES TO HELP PEOPLE.
He then explained how a heart patient would take heart medicine and a diabetic would take insulin, etc. Only then did I begin to accept that I had to take meds. It was hard, and I was hardheaded, but I finally relented.
Then came the most awful thought of all: What if I had to stay on these meds forever? Yikes. That idea tormented like no other.
I didn't need my Sunday school teacher to rationalize this one for me. I finally came to the conclusion that I need to be concerned about making it through just TODAY and not be concerned about the tomorrows. When those days arrive, each of them, then you can think about them. All I think about now is just making it through TODAY.
I just wanted to share this with anyone else who is struggling with being put on meds. My heart goes out to you.
Posted by Schess81 on December 2, 2005, at 22:02:15
In reply to Accepting that you might have to take meds forever, posted by UgottaHaveHOPE on December 2, 2005, at 20:34:56
Eh, I'm not much concerned with being on meds forever, I just want something that works.. and KEEPS working, lol.
Posted by med_empowered on December 3, 2005, at 7:17:32
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for, posted by Schess81 on December 2, 2005, at 22:02:15
hey! Different people take different paths towards wellness (and some never get well, sadly enough). For some people, medication is only needed for certain periods, and can then be discontinued. For other people, long-term or indefinite treatment is necessary or produces good results. I wouldn't view it as "having to take" medication--I mean, you're free not to, after all--just view it more like "medication works well for me, better than other methods, and may need to be continued indefinitely".
Posted by linkadge on December 3, 2005, at 9:59:08
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for, posted by med_empowered on December 3, 2005, at 7:17:32
I would personally not accept that, becuase it may or may not be the best thing for you.
These illnesses can improve on their own. They often did, before the times when people had medications.If you don't keep testing to see wether you still require the medication, then you may be taking something you don't need.
Linkadge
Posted by Gee on December 3, 2005, at 10:46:28
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for, posted by linkadge on December 3, 2005, at 9:59:08
Thanks for sharing. I've been thinking a lot lately about the forever aspect. I'm doing well on my meds, but I'm hating the side effects that are STILL affecting me a year later. I really want to see if I can go off my meds. I'm just so scared of going back to the horrible place I was at, and being so far away from my whole support system would make it even harder. My doc and pdoc live a good 10 hours away from here, so it's not a light decision to make....
Posted by gardenergirl on December 3, 2005, at 11:32:52
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for, posted by linkadge on December 3, 2005, at 9:59:08
> >
> If you don't keep testing to see wether you still require the medication, then you may be taking something you don't need.That's a very good point. Still, it's very important to treat an illness thoroughly and completely. This may mean being on a med for six months to a year, even if you are feeling better, before trying a med reduction.
In depression, thorough treatment lowers the risk for future recurrences, especially adequate treatment of a first episode.
gg
>
>
Posted by UgottaHaveHope on December 3, 2005, at 15:21:11
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for, posted by linkadge on December 3, 2005, at 9:59:08
I didn't say that I have accepted that I will HAVE to take medicines for the rest of my life, just that I MIGHT have to take medicines for the rest of my life.
Anways, that is besides the point. I just wanted to share my own story in hopes that it might help at least one other person out there dealing with the same issues. As much I would never like it admit, medicines have done miracles for me. Thank gosh for them, and thank gosh for the message board. And hey, thank you for you!
Posted by Phillipa on December 3, 2005, at 22:46:25
In reply to Re: Might, posted by UgottaHaveHope on December 3, 2005, at 15:21:11
If only the clinical trials were longer than six months. What happens then? Is that why so many poop out? Fondly,Phillipa
Posted by Bob on December 5, 2005, at 20:51:05
In reply to Re: Might » UgottaHaveHope, posted by Phillipa on December 3, 2005, at 22:46:25
> If only the clinical trials were longer than six months. What happens then? Is that why so many poop out? Fondly,Phillipa
And many trials aren't even as long as that. I've always wondered since I first started struggling with these meds years ago what we'd know if there were some very long term trials. Every med I've ever taken behaves quite differently months after you start taking it.
Posted by fires on December 7, 2005, at 22:49:52
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for » linkadge, posted by gardenergirl on December 3, 2005, at 11:32:52
> > >
> > If you don't keep testing to see wether you still require the medication, then you may be taking something you don't need.
>
> That's a very good point. Still, it's very important to treat an illness thoroughly and completely. This may mean being on a med for six months to a year, even if you are feeling better, before trying a med reduction.
>
> In depression, thorough treatment lowers the risk for future recurrences, especially adequate treatment of a first episode.
>
> ggOne severe episode of MDD convinced me and my doc that meds were necessary to stay well. 14 years on Parnate with no MD, then an episode within 6 months after stopping it on bad advice from a cardiologist.
For me: meds for life, unless something proves better. Therapy was worthless for me -- at least as far as helping Dep. goes.
In fact, it was probably harmful.
Posted by gardenergirl on December 8, 2005, at 6:50:04
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for » gardenergirl, posted by fires on December 7, 2005, at 22:49:52
>
>
> For me: meds for life, unless something proves better. Therapy was worthless for me -- at least as far as helping Dep. goes.
>
> In fact, it was probably harmful.I'm glad that meds are working well for you. My pdoc and I were just talking about the possiblity of meds for life the other day. She mentioned waiting until I was sure I was out of a depressive episode before trying to stop meds. I said I can't remember a time I was ever not depressed at least to some extent. :( So it might be meds for life for me, too. Unless I get pregnant. I assume that's not an issue for you. ;)
Sorry therapy was a bad thing for you. It's not for everyone. It also needs to be a good fit between the therapist, the style of therapy, and the client.
Take care,
gg
>
Posted by fires on December 8, 2005, at 11:59:30
In reply to Re: Accepting that you might have to take meds for » fires, posted by gardenergirl on December 8, 2005, at 6:50:04
> >
> >
> > For me: meds for life, unless something proves better. Therapy was worthless for me -- at least as far as helping Dep. goes.
> >
> > In fact, it was probably harmful.
>
> I'm glad that meds are working well for you. My pdoc and I were just talking about the possiblity of meds for life the other day. She mentioned waiting until I was sure I was out of a depressive episode before trying to stop meds. I said I can't remember a time I was ever not depressed at least to some extent. :( So it might be meds for life for me, too. Unless I get pregnant. I assume that's not an issue for you. ;)
>
> Sorry therapy was a bad thing for you. It's not for everyone. It also needs to be a good fit between the therapist, the style of therapy, and the client.
>
> Take care,
>
> ggParnate was the only med that worked quite well. I'm now somewhat better on Wellbutrin and Lamictal, but an entire year has been spent on titration and dose adjustments. Parnate worked in 6 weeks.
Re: therapy. I had several types, and at least 7 different therapists! Some were just horrible (I didn't realize it until I began to question what they were doing/suggesting in therapy). Many couldn't "handle" my attitude that there's no truth without proof. The good ones ended up suggesting meds.
My final T didn't really practice T in the traditional sense. It was like advanced CBT: no need to talk about the past. He told me during my first "visit" -- in a hospital -- that I had to do EXACTLY what he said, or I would no longer be his patient. I HAD to attend group activities, and I had to walk daily. I think I've mentioned this before: when a nurse asked him if he was going to work on my problems -- now that I was feeling better -- he told the nurse, "No, depression WAS his problem." He was the best T I had.
I could ramble on -- but won't --at least now.
Thanks
This is the end of the thread.
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