I can’t believe how easily doctors prescribe anti-depressants today. They can cause a multitude of bad side-effects and really fuck with your psyche. Sometimes permanently (like my sister, who says she was never the same after taking an anti-depressant years ago).

Is your PMS really *that* bad that you want to open this door? I understand that for some they can be helpful but I think they are over-prescribed and offered far too quickly.

When I first developed my tinnitus last year and was so freaked out about it, my doctor suggested anti-depressants right off the bat. I was horrified, my jaw dropped with shock. I mean, I had a physical condition that was causing me to react emotionally but I wasn’t unduly depressed. I was merely scared and upset. Dan comes to my visits with me, so he was there and he said, “no way”. Of course, I wouldn’t have agreed, even if Dan hadn’t been there. And I’m glad I did not take them and stuck it out because as the tinnitus got better and my fear receded, I might have associated my natural recovery on my own with the drug making it go away and stayed on it, believing IT was why I stopped obsessing and not just because I stopped on my own.

I’ve watched friends and relatives get on a merry-go-round with these meds. My sister had a terrible experience years ago; the insidious part of it was she didn’t even understand that her behavior had changed so drastically until she went off the meds and became herself again.

My brother…he’s been on several different types over the last 10, 20 years or so. Every time they put him on a new type, he always says they help so much but I don’t see it. He still has severe emotional issues, panic disorders, etc., he still sees a shrink all the time, despite all the drugs he’s now on. And he’s on several. He’ll never stop taking them, though. He’s addicted to the idea of having them in his system and far too afraid to go off them.

I see the change in him and it’s pretty scary. And it wasn’t like he was having severe issues in the first place; he was going through a lot of stress due to his business failing, he asked the doctor for something to help him sleep and bang, they put him on anti-depressants and he’s never gone off them since.

I know it’s none of my business and you know yourself best but I can’t help but caution you about this.
[rq=120222,0,blog][/rq]Good Times

With Welbutrin, my drive is just fine, could be higher I am sure, but I also take Depo so as to not have periods… Definitely like to be ready whenever my Master is. :D

Good luck anyway… I do think it’s odd they are prescribing it for just 2 weeks a month though.. kind of seems like the yoyoing would be bad for you…I think it would be better to be on something consistently… but that’s just me…

Me, I had my entire uterus yanked in 2002. The level of crazy in this house went down by almost half. Heaven.

I get bored all the damn time but don’t have the attention span to cure it. I go clean something, or bake. It helps that I have no appetite so it doesn’t make me fat.

long rant…
be vewy vewy vewy careful is all i can suggest.
GL

I have PMDD too. Sweeeeeeet.

OTC, I like Primrose Oil. It actually helps me a widdle bit.

Dunno if you’re looking for full-time pill-form birth control, (or looking to switch) but Yaz is the only one that can help PMDD.

And I’m pretty sure ONLY Sarafem, Paxil CR, and Zoloft are FDA approved for treatment of PMDD.

So if Prozac doesn’t work? Take that info about FDA approved drugs back with ya to the doc and request another drug. (That’s not to say other SSRIs won’t work, or that Prozac specifically won’t work… Just that the FDA hasn’t approved them for PMDD yet.)

Oh, and someone in here recommended Lexapro. That’s cool, and I took it for a while… But watch out asking for it – it doesn’t have a generic so even with insurance, it can end up costing you a buttload.

Thazallfernow.

~Chloe, resident PMDD sufferer, and psychopharmacology nerd
[rq=119161,0,blog][/rq]Randomness Numero Dos

Going off the medication was even worse (seriously…Google “SSRI discontinuation syndrome” to see what you’re in for when you stop using the medication) and I count it as the worst medical experience of my life. And this is coming from someone who spent a month in the hospital last year nursing severe injuries.

Here is where the critics tell me that “I didn’t give SSRIs enough of a try” or “my dose was too high”. I tried five different brands at different doses over the course of two years, and came to the same shitty result each time. I tried hard to make it work for me and it just didn’t.

Now I know I’m just another random person on the internet and the stuff I’m telling you is anecdotal. But let me ask you this: do you really want to experience all the fun stuff that comes with trying a new medication when you’re about to deal with a high stress situation (new baby in the house) or when you’re on vacation? Believe me, I understand how much PMS sucks, but at least you know what to expect from it and can plan around it.

I was on Prozac for 6 months to see if it would help my ‘menstrual migrains’. I wasn’t explained the whole sexual side affect part either. Suddenly…… what happened to my orgasims????? boooooooo!!

It was months before I realized thats what was going on. Poor hubby! He was sure it was him. :( My desire never went away, just the orgasims!

I have also taken birth control pills to ward off periods and stop the hormonal drop of ovulating. That might be just the thing for you in the long run. Just take the pills and toss the placebos. If you do have periods they are light and next to nothing and the big PMS drop shouldn’t happen. Takes a few months for your body to adjust to it, but what a treat after so many awful periods to have to deal with!

Wishing you guys the best! Your Spankfest game looks….umm..interesting too :)

xox
rinna