[Wellness] Antidepressants

["Karen Patterson" <Patterson@womens-wellness.com>]

In the past nine years of being a cancer patient I have been prescribed
antidepressants numerous times by numerous doctors.  There were actually two
times when I needed them and they did help.  The first time was during my
standard radiation treatments in 1997 when I was under extreme pressure at
work and the daily one and a half hour trip (EACH WAY) kept me away from my
job for most of the day.  The second time was when I was diagnosed with
recurrent breast cancer in Dec 1999 only eights month after the bone marrow
transplant.  I remember really being depressed and feeling a great
improvement in mood, energy level, and overall well being. Paxil was the
drug prescribed both times.  I usually took it for about 3-6 months and then
weaned off.

 Since my last treatment in 2001 I am constantly being prescribed
antidepressants by my neurologist, oncologist, and new internist.  One
reason they note is that I can not sleep well.  I have interrupted sleep
most nights and downright insomnia for a week or so a month--EVERY month.
The other reason is I suffer from anxiety attacks every so often.  Sometimes
just one day or night and other times for a week or so at a time.  I have
found that taking antidepressants--paxil, effexor, celexa, zoloft and I
think that's all I've tried make me more anxious and nervous, depressed and
not able to sleep at all.  I know that these drugs are used to induce
selective serontonin uptake but I truly believe that if you are not
depressed and not serotonin chemically imbalanced that the drug reacts in
the opposite fashion.  I believe this is why some people feel suicidal.  My
husband showed me an article on this topic with some individuals trying to
recall these drugs completely.  I think that doctors have to become less
cavalier in prescribing these drugs (all my friends are on them for weight
loss) and prescribe them as carefully as the anti-anxiety drug I am
prescribed instead now.  It is highly addictive and so doctors center mostly
on this concern and try to push me onto the antidepressants.  The drug I
take works almost immediately and does not have to be taken everyday.  I
just take one when I need it.  Last week was one of those almost every day
with the hurricanes and horrific tragedy on TV everyday.

I do feel better now and have not taken one since the weekend.  I also
stopped watching the news.  I was just wondering if anyone else found their
doctors way too quick to prescribe anitdepressants?  Share your experiences
with us all since I am sure many have been misdiagnosed.

My best to whole wellness,
Karen Patterson, Founder of Womens-Wellness.com and a breast cancer survivor
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