People's Stories

[Guest guest]

Hi

my story - i will try to keep it as brief as poss

I'm 35, female, and until 5 days ago had taken 20mg seroxat daily for approx 5 years. Originally i was put on seroxat after i had been diagnosed as having post viral syndrome, panic attacks, vertigo, IBS, insomnia, large weight loss, nightmares, no periods for 10 months, and always very tired (tired - porbably wrong word, had to have help getting dressed, getting upstairs as would become exhausted half way through). It started one day at work - i froze in my car and couldn't get out - ambulance took me to A & E - i felt really ill, every part of me 'hurt' and i had (realising afterwards) my first panic attack. Sent home after exam. with a 'virus'. My then doc tested me for various things, i don't remember exactly (poor memory) - thyroid i do remember, however nothing showed up. Saw the doc for a period of 10 months on a monthly basis until she decided to put me on Seroxat - she did say it was non-addictive and felt i needed to have something to help with the panic attacks and anxiety as they were steadily getting worse to the point i was struggling to leave the house. Saw doc weekly then for about 6 weeks and she was pleased, i looked healthier, panic attacks weren't as severe, nighmares were a lot less severe and the medication for the IBS was helping. She thought i had pushed myself too far and my body had 'given up' , which could be a reasonable expanation as to what had happened.

Anyway, since then i have had 4 docs, only the first new my 'history', other 3 pretty much just gave me repeat prescriptions. They gave the Seroxat for anxiety/stress/depression.

I have had a very miserable time since i became ill, i still get panic attacks, have learnt which days i should be able go out from the way i feel, i worry constantly about everything (usually a single passing thought can end up consuming me for 2/3 days and it makes me feel so poorly) and i have what i think is depression - very low, don't want to feel like 'me' anymore, tried suicide, IBS/no appetite, i fall asleep easily but never for more than 2 hours and then very restless. I don't feel healthy. I hadn't questioned taking the Seroxat because i believed it was helping me, in fact i was terrified that one day i would go to the doc. and he would say to stop taking it - and if i was like this on the med then how much worse would i be off it?

Before i became ill, i was very athletic, huge amount of energy, slept fairly well, vivid dreams sometimes (no nightmares) and i was a happy, positive person. Although i will admit i didn't look after myself as i should have - worked long hours, high-pressure career, very poor diet, smoked (still do )

Then i saw tv one morning and a guy saying about the Seroxat not being all it was cracked up to be - looked on the net - and i realised how much harm i could be causing my body. Devasted would probably be a good description - i don't know who i am, whether i'm ill or whether the Seroxat is making me ill.

I have been to see my current doctor (unfortunately a fan of AD's) who wanted to increase my dosage or change me to effexor (sp.?) - he thinks my concern is unjustified and it's making me feel worse than normal. I spoke to the surgery manager - hoping she could help/come up with a suggestion - and she referred me to a 2nd doc, who in turn has referred me to a physc. The physc. did agree that the Seroxat could be doing more harm than good ( i was so relieved), but said he wants me to change to Cipramil - 40mg daily.

I have done this, this last week. I have also started taking Omega 3, magnesium, Vit C and 5 HTP at night.

Unfortunatley i'm not getting any support to come off the AD's. I have had some recent invaluable advice from someone who had been on a huge number of AD's over several years, and is now drug free. The more i find out/look into the whole SSRI/AD, it's become more apparent that i will not get better if i don't do something about it myself.

So i have started taking the above Vits. gone through the kitchen cupboards (much to my sons horror) and thrown out most of the contents. I no longer drink coffee (practically lived on it). I have read several of your recent posts - eg. lemons and limes. Your posts are encouraging - thankyou. I have gone back to basics with my diet - still a lot to find out there. And i have decided that i will start to decrease my med. until i am drug free.

My doc is unaware, so is the physc - i don't have any intention to tell them yet, partly because i have so recently changed to Cipramil. I think 6 weeks would be a rough guide to the change settling - hope. This give me 6 weeks to change my diet and hopeully the vits will be in my stystem. I just hope i don't come out the other side with all the problems that i have now.

Sorry, i have tried to keep it short!!

Thanxs

xxemma

[Guest guest]

Dear List Members,

I'd like to put people's stories in our FILES section of the group site.

If anyone objects to this or would like their story posted anonymously,

please let me know.

These stories are really helpful to newcomers so I hope we can get a

number of them.

Regards,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I would like mine posted about that I got drug induced hepatitis

from Depakote and cholesterol drugs, and that my daughter is hooked

on Effexor and the complaint I made against the doctor failed to do

any good.

Do you want it written in story form, or are you going back through

the messages and gleaning the stories there (ugh, sounds like a huge

job!)

Thanks,

Melody

> Dear List Members,

> I'd like to put people's stories in our FILES section of the

group site.

> If anyone objects to this or would like their story posted

anonymously,

> please let me know.