Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 887127

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I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996....

Posted by pattisun on March 26, 2009, at 17:41:01

I know these are supposed to be for "short term" use. Mine is described for anxiety and mild depression. I also have been taking Klonopin since 1996 too. Just wondering if my brain is completely fried.... (I'm 53)

Thoughts appreciated.

 

Re: I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996.... » pattisun

Posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2009, at 0:18:26

In reply to I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996...., posted by pattisun on March 26, 2009, at 17:41:01

37 years of benzos if you're fried I'm burning. SSRI only wow off and on 14 years!!!! I don't know. Love Phillipa

 

Re: I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996.... » pattisun

Posted by yxibow on March 27, 2009, at 0:52:05

In reply to I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996...., posted by pattisun on March 26, 2009, at 17:41:01

> I know these are supposed to be for "short term" use. Mine is described for anxiety and mild depression. I also have been taking Klonopin since 1996 too. Just wondering if my brain is completely fried.... (I'm 53)
>
> Thoughts appreciated.

SSRIs ? They're prescribed for long term use, so you don't have to take benzodiazepines, or not nearly as much as you would without it.

I seriously doubt your brain is 'fried' or you wouldn't be here talking. Is it helping your anxiety and dysthymia well ?

As for the clonazepam -- I don't know what sort of dose you are on, but if it is still "doing something" even if you dont feel a 'zing', what matter does it make ?

Yes, we don't know the infinite question of long term use, but we have the collected amount of data of people taking SSRIs ever since Prozac of thousands of patient-years which is just as good a comparison.

Some people will try to paint agents as 'genotoxic' or 'carcinogenic' -- but ask yourself, would you want to be seriously depressed for many years or have a slightly higher risk of cancer or some sort of brain anomaly?

I know it may sound harsh, but I don't see the worry personally.

-- best wishes

Jay

 

Re: I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996....

Posted by Zana on March 27, 2009, at 13:54:20

In reply to Re: I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996.... » pattisun, posted by yxibow on March 27, 2009, at 0:52:05

I wonder too about what 25+ years of psych meds has done to my brain. I do know that if you have a major depressive disorder, you will probably be on meds for the rest of your life. I think that is the general medical opinion. My pdoc said to think of it like fighting cancer. I don't really like the analogy but I know what she was trying to convey: you have to put up with funky side effects and just the plain wierdness of taking drugs that alter your basic sense of self. Well thats been my experience.
I think your brain is probably just fine. In fact, I think our brains are very adaptive which is good and bad depending on what homeostasis it is trying to achieve.
If the meds are helping I would stay on them and be grateful. If they aren't helping I would check in with your pdoc.
Hope this helps.
Zana

 

Re: I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996....

Posted by bleauberry on March 27, 2009, at 15:04:06

In reply to I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996...., posted by pattisun on March 26, 2009, at 17:41:01

My own take on your question is that as long as things are stable and fine on your longterm meds, then everything is fine. Your body, genes, hormones, immune system, nervous system, and the drug itself, have all become one and are working as one. The drug has become an integral part of the whole machinery, not just some added visitor.

I think when people really seriously notice that something is drastically wrong with longterm med use is when they stop the med. It becomes obvious at that time that an integral piece of the machinery has been removed, and everything else breaks down. The trauma is too much and overwhelms the body's ability to regroup.

There are theories that meds can shrink and deform dendrites, decrease or increase numbers of receptors, slow down or stop the body's own production of neurotransmitters from proteins, and such. No proof. Decent theories maybe.

A popular critic of antidepressants claims that even when you don't need them any more emotionally, you do still need them for the rest of your life because your body has the lost the ability to know how to function without them.

Just my unscientific take on it is that if things are stable, everything is fine. Logic says if you weren't stable, then obviously everything under the surface isn't fine. That cannot be blamed on longterm med use solely, because there are so many other variables and factors involved.

 

THANKS for the follow-ups....

Posted by pattisun on March 28, 2009, at 2:06:34

In reply to Re: I've been taking SSRI everyday since 1996...., posted by bleauberry on March 27, 2009, at 15:04:06

My med combo has been working just fine so I have no interest in changing it. Every once in a while I've had to change doctors and the new doctor freaks out a little and sends me for a second opinion.

I wasn't worrying--I knew there are some "long timers" here I could compare notes with :-)

THANKS!


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