Dixiesmom wrote:I had also posted earlier about medication making my depression worse. I had taken a lot of different kinds, but at one time I had tried both paxil and zoloft. I don't remember the side effects of them now. But what I do remember is that with every type of medication I was on, my depression and anxiety got worse. I have been off of everything for 7 years now and I can say that while I'm not 100% better, I am MCUH better off of the meds than on them. It didn't happen right away, it took time, but I'm now at a level that I can cope and function.
Thank you for giving me some hope. I have been on several medications for the past 5 years and I am sick of them.
I started lowering my doses in January, this is going to be a long process for me as I am loweriing the doses very
gradually. I have enough medications to last me 3-6 months right now. I have no health insurance ,
so I HAVE TO rid myself of the medications anyhow - - I cannot afford them because I am living off of the
unemployment payments. I have heard other people write about their success with being medication
free and I am hoping that this will be part of my future too. I just wish I knew how long it will take before I
start feeling better, but I guess that depends on how much work I put into helping myself to get better. I have not
been putting much effort into anything lately and I cannot go off of the medications without continuing to work
on the program and learning the skills to help me recover. I need to keep being interested in exploring new
experiences and friendships. I need to keep reading interesting and inspirational reading materials. I need to stay
off of the sugar and the caffeine. I need to somehow integrate exercise into my "lifestyle". I must not give up.
I don't expect miracles and I don't expect to be 100% "cured" after my medications are all used up. It just seems
like I have been on the medications for so long that I am so dependent on them. I hate being dependent on them.
I am hooked ? Too many drugs for too long a time. Some folks said that they had been on medications for many,
many years and it has only has been 5 years for me, but it has been a LONG five years. I am on a combination
of medications, six to be exact, relating to mood disorder and depression and anxiety and sleep disorder. I guess
I could say that I have been on medications longer than five years because I was on Paxil from 2003-2006. Then I
took nothing. Then I was prescribed a bunch of meds in 2007 after a breakdown. I just want to know what it feels
like to be totaly medication free - - what was it like before this all began. I want to be free on the drugs. Free to
be myself again without being "under the influence". Pray for me and give me hope.
PS: Once a person takes their last doses, how long does all of the medication still stay in their system ?
Lynda
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