Depression
- Thread starter fade
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I use my dry pill swallowing privilege to marginalize and exclude you. KNEEL BEFORE THE PILLTRIARCHY!
Although in trying to find out how common either situation is, it turns out there's not a small amount of damage people do to their throats when dry swallowing. Some cases show that when pills become unknowingly lodged in the throat they burn through the esophagus and cause all sorts of medical problems.
But even when they traverse normally, they coat the esophagus with the medication, and depending on the medication and frequency of use they can still cause medical problems.
So it appears the advice is to always use water, even if you don't need to.
Sounds like your body is protecting you.
Yes. Just ask Cher.
I'm with you, though. I have never had a problem taking any (coated) tablet. It makes my wife make That Face.
--Patrick
GasBandit
Staff member
Swallowing pills without liquid has always been a bizarre and horrifying concept to me.
GasBandit
Staff member
I know how to swallow pills, I choose to do it the easiest way for me.
I like how this thread has suddenly become about everyone swallowing. 
.....Aaaaaaanyway, getting back to the subject at hand:
.....Aaaaaaanyway, getting back to the subject at hand:
Original issues, as in just your marriage, or do you not feel like the pills are having an effect on your outlook on most things in your life?
Wll then, let me tell you about how I take pills.
I swallow.
Sometimes with water, sometimes without. I go both ways.
Yowza!
It's a real fucky disease. It's taken months since deciding to go back on antidepressants that I've been able to make some positive changes in my life. In some sense, it's ironically depressing - how much progress could I have been making if I'd been medicated this whole time?
I totally understand the missed time/opportunities. Just remember that progress can only be made by moving forward, not by looking back.
I quit antidepressants cold turkey after years of using them, and I still haven't quite decided whether or not that was good call. I definitely feel worse in some ways - and better in others - than when I was on them. I mean, looking back, I guess I definitely shouldn't have quit like that, but you can hardly restart to stop properly 
Honestly, having moved and changed jobs, I haven't seen my therapist in over a month, and that has about as much of an impact, really. Still trying to somehow work out how to get there on time somehow or something.
Honestly, having moved and changed jobs, I haven't seen my therapist in over a month, and that has about as much of an impact, really. Still trying to somehow work out how to get there on time somehow or something.
Feel the same way. Mental health-wise, I probably should still be on them. But physical health-wise, I felt so fucking awful while I was on that shit that I'm not sure which was worse.
I'm curious: did those of you who had bad reactions try different medications? 20 years ago doctors put me on Prozac, which basically numbed me to all things. I went off it after a while because it was basically worse than being depressed. Then a couple years ago I talked to my doctor and wanted to try something else. He put me on Wellbutrin, which I have had no problems with. I know these things all effect people different ways, and if you feel you need it maybe try asking for something else.
That's how my mom described being on it, and the reason she also dropped it.
Wellbutrin has one particularly famous side effect.
EDIT: @Fun Size @Bubble181
Wellbutrin (and other NDRIs) are frequently derided for doing their job so well that it becomes extremely difficult to orgasm. Or, as one wag put it:
--Patrick
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I have been on around 12 different antidepressants in my life, I think. It took a very, very long time to find one that was acceptable. Some didn't affect me. Some numbed me out. Some gave me unacceptable side affects. The one I'm currently on has a side effect, but the cost-benefit is well worth it, so I won't be going off it any time soon.
fade
Staff member
Well, I know I'll get fussed at for this, but I dropped the medication.
First of all, don't do that cold turkey. It really messes with your head.
Second, I did not realize what these meds were doing to me. It may help stabilize the depression, but here are things that I immediately noticed after coming off:
1. Got my energy back
2. Got my speed back. I tried throwing jabs after coming off, and I felt like Goku turning the gravity back down to 1.
3. Got my imagination back. This is the other reason I'm coming back to the comic. I just could not find the story on the meds. Now it's suddenly there again. I'm no neurologist, but I'm guessing this is probably related to the way antidepressants treat anxiety. Can't be anxious if you can't imagine failure.
4. Got my libido back
Geez, these things work, but they're also poison. It's a Pyrrhic victory.
First of all, don't do that cold turkey. It really messes with your head.
Second, I did not realize what these meds were doing to me. It may help stabilize the depression, but here are things that I immediately noticed after coming off:
1. Got my energy back
2. Got my speed back. I tried throwing jabs after coming off, and I felt like Goku turning the gravity back down to 1.
3. Got my imagination back. This is the other reason I'm coming back to the comic. I just could not find the story on the meds. Now it's suddenly there again. I'm no neurologist, but I'm guessing this is probably related to the way antidepressants treat anxiety. Can't be anxious if you can't imagine failure.
4. Got my libido back
Geez, these things work, but they're also poison. It's a Pyrrhic victory.
Things I learned today:
Sometimes side-effects are worse that what is being treated.
Sometimes Fade gets violent while simultaneously sporting an erection.[DOUBLEPOST=1493995219,1493995148][/DOUBLEPOST]Wait, to be fair, sometimes Fade gets artistic while simultaneously sporting an erection too.
Sometimes side-effects are worse that what is being treated.
Sometimes Fade gets violent while simultaneously sporting an erection.[DOUBLEPOST=1493995219,1493995148][/DOUBLEPOST]Wait, to be fair, sometimes Fade gets artistic while simultaneously sporting an erection too.
I don't have any first-hand knowledge about this kind of medication, but can you get the dosage adjusted, or is it an "all or nothing" thing?
fade
Staff member
Yeah, two years of no sex drive while on Sertraline really did a number on me psychologically and on my marriage - in terms of stress and my wife's self image. Plus it was only partially effective in its treatment of my actual panic disorder - it would keep me to a baseline of calmitude, but when things got hairy it had a maximum effectiveness and anything above that level still led to catastrophic panic attacks. With my doctor's recommendations, I dropped the drug, got into counseling, and started doing some meditation. I have to say, not only am I now much more balanced (not just stasis locked at "calm"), but I can manage my panic attacks and overall mental health much better. Without that baseline I can feel them coming on before they get to catastrophe levels and now I can slow them down, delay them, sometimes even stop them in their tracks; and when I can't, I can usually do a quick self-examination, verify there's nothing actually wrong with me, and leave my brain to deal with it while I watch TV or take a quick shower or something.
The problem is, Sertraline also treats depression, so while I was primarily concerned with the panic attacks/anxiety, there've been some pretty damn dark days on the depression front, so now I'm learning to deal with that.
The problem is, Sertraline also treats depression, so while I was primarily concerned with the panic attacks/anxiety, there've been some pretty damn dark days on the depression front, so now I'm learning to deal with that.
I've been on multiple anti-depressants and while I got the side effects, the actual effectiveness for most of them for at least my type of depression so far isn't great. The one I'm on now has been working the best for me if I don't take it every day.
There are many others out there, so while that one didn't work, it's kind of a trial-and-error - I'd talk to your whomever you got the prescription from and see if there is another one that might work better with less side-effects. Each person reacts a little differently based on body chemistry.
There are many others out there, so while that one didn't work, it's kind of a trial-and-error - I'd talk to your whomever you got the prescription from and see if there is another one that might work better with less side-effects. Each person reacts a little differently based on body chemistry.
fade
Staff member
Was somewhat better for a while. Hitting hard again. It's really hard for me to talk about this. People think, "oh he's successful, why is he complaining? Look at that guy over there that has nothing and is having the time of his life." I tell myself that stuff, too. Sometimes it works for a little while.
Man. I hate that fucking response. It's so short-sighted. It's sort of like: How could Robin Williams be depressed?
Being superficially or to outwards appearance successful is itself enormously stressful. The feeling that you "shouldn't" feel bad or depressed or burned out is itself an enormous burden.
Not to mention - the more you're able to "just" live in the here and now and not care much for anything outside a small world, the happier you can be.
Not to mention - the more you're able to "just" live in the here and now and not care much for anything outside a small world, the happier you can be.