Comments on: We Are All On Drugs

By: Kit

Kit — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:27:58 +0000

Depression is a bitch, I was diagnosed with it for ten years while they were overlooking the fact that I had autoimmune thyroid disease. This is a REALLY common cause of depression. Unfortunately, the test they usually look at (TSH) isn’t very accurate, which is why it took so long.

If you’ve already had a TSH test, make your doc give you the free T3 and free T4 thyroid tests. If those are normal, insist on a antibody tests (anti TPO). If those are all normal…insist on retesting every six months. Sounds like a pain, but that’s what it takes to get a diagnosis if you have low thyroid function. Check out my Facebook site “St. Louis Thyroid Support Group” for more info.

Thyroid drugs are a hell of a lot cheaper than anti-depressants and might be the key to a lot of other things that might seem unconnected to your depression. Oh, by the way…ALWAYS ALWAYS ask for copies of your labs. You wouldn’t believe how often they get misread by docs and lab workers. Your health depends on you keeping track of what they’re doing.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:43:35 +0000

Oh, and PS, Wellbutrin comes in generic form, it’s what I take, and it really and truly works. My doc loves it because it has few side effects, esp. the sexual ones that made me nervous about trying again. Some people actually report an increase in libido. That may be slightly true for me but I’m still on a relatively low dosage.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:41:44 +0000

Wellbutrin has very few side effects. I used it to quit smoking – very effective for me – and now, 7 yrs later, I use it for depression. Only side effects I’ve had are dry mouth and vivid dreams for the first week or so (or sometimes if I forget I took my 2nd pill and take a 3rd – oops), a few heart palpitations (common) at the beginning which have more or less stopped, and hehe, constipation – solved by a once-a-week “women’s laxative.” But hey, no sexual side effects, to that’s sweet, right? Drinking has not bothered me with it, and oh, yeah, the 10 lbs I put on when I was suffering depression melted away with the Wellbutrin.

And oh, did I mention I’m HAPPY??

Wellbutrin is my miracle drug and I have a fantastic doc.

I tried Zoloft and it was terrible with the sexual side effects.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:46:31 +0000

1) I was diagnosed with anxiety recently, and they gave me Lexapro to try. I had a panic attack each time, so now I take Cymbalta – and it works well. All I can really notice is dry mouth in the morning. Oh, and I can drink again without getting paranoid and anxious.

2) Neko Case is nothing short of a siren, and I would want to marry her if she wasn’t so intimidatingly amazing.

By: Nik

Nik — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:10:22 +0000

A very close friend of mine takes anti’s that are horribly addicting…she can’t drink while on them.

Best of luck.