Anti-depressants!!

[Catherine]

Can anyone tell me why it is that after waiting for just over a week for an appointment with my doctor, for a bad back and feeling a bit hormonal I come out after 10 minutes with anti-depressant tablets, nothing for my back, (its wear and tear) not even looked at. Just told him I was a bit weepy and cross and irritable, (usual thing I've been like for years and years) my OH can vouch for. Instead he decideds that I need to fill a form in he counts the numbers up comes up with 19 out of 27 and sticks a prescription for anti depressants in front of me. I said I did not think I was depressed, e said that the piece of paper said I was. I was in with him exactly 10 minutes. This could affect the next six months of my life as he told me that it will take that long for them to work.

I dont want to take them, but if I have something wrong again and have to see him he might be difficult in the situation.

Dont know what to do. My OH, his cousin (who we spent Monday evening with) and a very good friend all say they dont think I have depression.

Yes I have had a difficult time recently but I dont feel depressed, and I have always cried at the drop of a hat.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Catherine, myself and anyone else offering advice need to be very careful what we suggest but, from my point of view i would seek a second opinion if you at all concerned, as there can be a multitude of reasons why we can feel low.

Regarding the form and the points scale, this is just a very quick way for Doctors to process their patients, but does this really tell them the underlying cause, if there is one.

I would personally refuse to take anything that i hadn't discussed thoroughly with the doctor and felt comfortable with.

But at the end of the day it's only something you can decide Catherine, with the support of your husband.

Now this is just to try and make you smile, maybe the Doctor was having a bad day himself and wanted to get home early.

Take care now.

[Catherine]

Thank you OH I think that I need a second opinion as I dont feel happy with his decision.

My OH and I have been discussing it tonight and he definately does not think I am depressed. He has known me for 21 years so he should know.

I dont think that I had enought discussion with the doctor to make this life changing decision.

I did smile about the doctor having a bad evening, as he kept us waiting half an hour longer than he should, and didnt even apologise for it, if our lady doctor is running late she always apologises. So I hope the rest of the his evening went down hill from there.

[oldherbaceous]

Glad i made you smile Catherine, i do worry that some people might take offence at my carry-on's.

[Catherine]

Not me

[oldherbaceous]

Well that's good, time for supper then!

[macmac]

Hello Catherine,speaking as someone who has suffered depression and have family members who are sufferers(they didn't inherit my sparkling wit or ravishing looks -just my faulty genes )I have taken several different antidepressants which personally made me feel a lot worse,others I know have thrived on them but and it's a big BUT if you aren't depressed why would you want to take them I agree with OH go and see someone else,ticking boxes on a form seems a little suspect to me.How about a chiropractor for your back ?I had several sessions once and it was most helpful.Another thought talking is great if you are depressed ,voiceing how you feel to someone who's a good listener could be useful.Good luck and I hope your backs better soon

[jane E]

Why not try the lady doctor? You said you felt hormonal. I used to feel as if I had walked into a dark tunnel with no exit at certain points in the month and then a day or so later it would lift. I went to my doctor and talked about it and she talked for ages about whys, wherefores and strategies. I came out without tablets, but lots of advice and an open door to go back if things didn't improve. I actually coped for 10 years on that help and now the whole thing has passed. You probably do need help but not the sort of help you got. Tablets are not the only help available. Go and see someone else in the practice and if your practice works on 10 minute appointments book a double appointment at a slackish time.

[Westi]

And don't forget chronic pain can make you feel a bit
low so maybe you need to try and fix the souce not
just the symptoms ie: get some treatment for your
back.

Westi

[Mike Vogel]

Dear Catherine,
I would support OH and Westi wholeheartedly on this. You seem from this forum to have a good sense of yourself.

So get your second opinion and get your back seen to.

Having said this, there are some anti-depressants, i am told, which are also muscle-relaxants.

Good luck and be well.

mike

[Elle's Garden]

I don't know much about depression, but I would also go for a second opinion. A few years ago I had my second son, and after sleeping through the night for the first 3 months he then virtually stopped sleeping, and became very clingy and almost permentantly ill. I too had no sleep and slowly went mad. Our midwifes take Post natal depression very seriously around here and at 8 months I had to fill in a form which checks for PN Depression. I scored very badly ( a typical PN score), but my midwife fortunately had the common sense to see that it wasn't depression in my case - I was beyond tired, and together we sorted out my son and my mood shifted.

My point is that these screenings can pick things up, but it isn't always depression causing the symptoms. I would want to look further - I hope things get better for you.

[Gilly C]

I am against taking medication unless absolutely neccessary, recently my hubby was diagnosed with depression from work related stress, he was given medication but after reading the contra indications refused to take it after 2 weeks we got him taking it an his mood lifted so much so his medication was reduced, bad move after only a week he was back on the larger dose, he has good and bad days and has not worked for 3 months, by all means get a second opinion but the medication has worked for us but he has also been given counselling he was making a good recovery but recently work have hassled him again and we have gone backwards, he has back pain too but we have found a tens machine copes with that and they are much cheaper at lloyds pharmacy. Good luck I hope you find a solution

[macmac]

GillyC I wish you and your hubby well,from my experience medication is not a one size fits all though sadly some GPs think it is,I also don't believe an illness that has probably been "cooking" for some time can be swiftly dealt with by medication.Talking is always good.I found accepting I felt the way I felt and allowing myself the time to recover-easy to say but not easy too do when you've got your work pressing you for a return date.Sadly I never did return to work but on a brighter note we took up our allotment and I haven't looked back since.Take care of your hubby and just as important look after YOU .

[Johnboy]

Hi Catherine,
May I suggest that you get a second medical opinion but in the meantime try and get an appointment with an osteopath.
Many moons ago I had a slipped disc and was admitted to hospital and was put on traction. After two months the cause was not rectified.
I was advised to go to a specific Osteopath and duly made an appointment. Whist he ummed and arred I was laying on his table and he was making kind of small talk and then without any notice he hit me hard with his hip and the disc sprung back into position. I had been carried into his surgery and I walked out. I was very depressed because of my back and being self employed I was steadily going broke with no money coming in with a large family to support.
I went back to work the following week and the disc has behaved itself ever since. The depression just disappeared over night.
So please get that second medical appointment and I wish you the very best of results.
Sincerely,
JB.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Gilly C, may i just wish you both the best too .