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Can being on an AD for years reduce its effectiveness?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Aspinan
Aspinan

just wondering if anyone has any evidence or experience of bring on an AD for say 15 years but has found that it is no longer effective despite increasing the dose, ie the body has become tolerant to the meds and the therapeutic effect therefor reduced.

 

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • maria_1963
    maria_1963 Aspinan

    Posted

    I think they can lose their effectiveness , that is one of the resaon's why our GP's change the types we have , cannot remember how many different types of tablets i have had since i started them about 18 years ago , in i could have foreseen the future that i would still be on them then i would had written down what i had and when it was changed etc , it should be on my record but have no access to that , that is where being able to see our past record would be good , i have been with the same practice for as long as i can remember , sadly the GP who i was seeing at the time when she diagnosed my depression has since passed away but i would do anything to have her here now evenso my GP now is a nice chap .
    • hypercat
      hypercat maria_1963

      Posted

      You are allowed to see your records Maria.  Ask your doctor or nurse next time you go.  x
  • anne240
    anne240 Aspinan

    Posted

    Over the 20+ years I have had depression I have been on different anti depressants.  Some had side effects and I had to change them.  Others I was on for years and they worked OK.  I still felt depressed a lot of the time I was on medication.  If I stopped, the depression came back so much worse, so I had to stay on them.  Last year, after being on Effexor for 9 years (4 years then few months off then 5 years), but I found it very effective.  I have read where other people after taking an AD for years fiund it becomes less effective.

    Are you having that problem now?

    • Aspinan
      Aspinan anne240

      Posted

      I am Anne, been on Effexor for 15 plus years on and off but on a maintenance dose for last 4 years of being well but relapsed 8 weeks ago so my dose was increased to max as outpatient but not feeling any significant benefits "yet", back at GP tomorrow to discuss possible change to a different one but Effexor has always worked in past so it will be a difficult decision to try something else. 
    • Aspinan
      Aspinan

      Posted

      If GP says give it a couple more weeks and you should feel benefits I'll go with that but will ask for something for anxiety other than buspirone and Diaz to take as and when.

      Getting fed up now with it all and the stuck record thoughts, and thinking I won't improve or get better.

       

  • Celia1966
    Celia1966 Aspinan

    Posted

    Hello, I have been on and off antidepressents for 30 years now. I too feel that they no longer work. I self-increased my dose of Fluoxetine to maximum a few weeks ago. No positive change but I did become even more depressed and started to 'tidy up my affairs' - giving away stuff to the charity shops and even tidying up my PC that I share with my husband, so that he can find things if I'm not here. Thankfully these feelings passed but I know they will return again. Feeling better these last couple of days though. I even began to think I had been given placebos by the GP but can they do that without your knowledge? Sorry, I don't think I have answered your question other than I do think your body can get used to the effects. As far as I can remember I have never had any side effects from the meds either. .  
    • maria_1963
      maria_1963 Celia1966

      Posted

      I used to take Fluoxetine for a while before taking these one's that i am on now , never had any side effects - as far as i can remember i haven't on any medications , i was on the highest dosage of the one's you are on , i too make it well known to close friends of how i feel so it is noted after a possible sucide as my GP doesn't take my concerns seriously , i keep all texts between myself and MIND , Samaritans on my phone because i am not likely to leave a note if i did end it , my tablets Mirtazapine do help the nights but days i struggle badly even though my GP knows this , i even took extra tablets last night in hope they would make me sleep longer but did opposite as i kept on waking up through out so will try again tonight , it is good to hear that you are more postive at the moment , as we know our ups and down are always there so best to make the most of the better days , take care ,
    • Celia1966
      Celia1966 maria_1963

      Posted

      Hi Maria, I too am on the highest dose now. Unfortunately I find it incredibly hard to speak to anyone about it. I don't have any close friends. Only my husband knows I am on medication but since the day I told him we haven't discussed it since. I'm sure he finds it as embarrassing as me to talk about. I was meant to go back to the GP today to say I had increased my medication, without any success, but I couldn't face sitting in the waiting room so cancelled the appointment. Some days you just feel small and can't face people.

      I also think most GPs will think 'Oh no, here comes another depressed person' and I don't want to add to their already stressful day. I will go back at some point and ask to try a change of medication - perhaps Fluoxetine is a mild anti-depressant?

      I always try to put on a happy face to family, friends or colleagues, even when visiting the GP, which is really counterproductive! I have been told I am the person that makes people laugh..........but rarely answer the phone when it rings and can't remember the last time I sent or received a text message.

      As I say it was a better day today and I enjoyed my walk in the sunshine with the dog.   

    • maria_1963
      maria_1963 Celia1966

      Posted

      I keep a cheerful face on when around my parents as i don't want my Mum to worry though i expect she does as i told her earlier this year that i was struggling , when my GP decided to refer me to CBT ( didn't cope that well as i have trouble speaking out my thoughts and feelings , can write them down but not verbally say them - ended in disaster ) then this past Summer i was very low as i felt that i didn't even want my cat around me ( have had her for 10 years , still got her here ) so asked my Mum if things got too bad if she and my Dad would take her on , Mum said yes but leave Katie be - just feed her , sort out her needs ( Kitty Litter changes , etc ) and as Katie sleeps in the kitchen during the Summer ( she finds it too hot in other rooms ) just as i said leave her be and not worry about her which i did , my parents are elderly . My friends are aware of how low i feel sometimes but i don't confide in full feelings - prefer to do that to someone out of my circle around me , i don't like speaking on the phone hence why i text , do facebook , emails . It is good that you have a dog as means you have to try and go out even if just for a walk down the road , a family friend has 2 dogs who i go and stay with when he goes on holiday to places he cannot take the girls , i cannot walk them as far as i used to due to arthrits in both knee's but one of them makes me laugh as she loves watching television and barks at things on there , you take care , thinking of you .
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