It depends on the type of antidepressant.
I used a tricyclic (old type) which started working straight away for me (although it was for anxiety, might take longer for depression).
I've also been on Lexapro (ssri) which took over 2 months of misery for them to start working.
Why won't your dr prescribe them for you? Which alternative treatments have you tried?
__________________ Dianette
Spiro 100mg
Zinc
EPA fish oils
Ground flaxseed (when I remember) and flaxseed oil on salads
Pure Inositol 3 grams a day (for panic disorder - thrilled to discover it could help with pcos as well)
I tried st johns wort, seratonin(sp?) and all sorts of other mood enhancers from my local herbal shop, nothing did the trick.
My docs excuse was that because i was young ( i was 17 when i first asked for them and going through a really bad time) that they could make worse suicidal thought, which at the time i was like, well theyre all ready there so whats to lose?
Now since my diagnosis of pcos, i havent mentioned it or even seen him. But surely 3 years plus of suffering warrants at least giving them a try? I mean what do i have to do to get them, actually try killing myself?
When my pdoc first wanted me on meds, I was very reluctant. So I tried St. John's Wart. I went "manic" within a couple of days and went off that stuff really fast-even though it's "natural" it IS a drug!
Then I tried the pdoc's med and could tell right away that it was going to help me. It took a bit of experimenting, though, to find the right dosage I needed a much smaller dose than is usually recommended, so trust your own body. I think my reactions were faster than normal. I actually ended up taking the second drug the pdoc wanted to try, the first one was "too scary" for me, so I got him to give me another option...you've got to get a doctor you feel comfortable working with...it's a process and he won't have all the answers.
Usually they say your body will take about 2 weeks to react to an anti-depressant. Some meds take longer, but your doctor should be able to tell you about it. If he doesn't, ASK how long it should take to get results. If you aren't getting results within that time frame, you probably need a different drug.
You really need to go back and tell your doc about the PCOS... And get the hormones under control, that's the first step to emotional stability. Then find a doc who can help with the mood issues. If necessary, keep looking til you find one who is knowledgeable about the emotional side-effects of PCOS.
You may need more of a "mood stabilizer" rather than an anti-depressant. There is no reason to keep suffering. Meds are out there that can help.
__________________ Age: 54, post-menopause Two daughters, ages 10 and 14, natural conception! One mc at 12 weeks Original dx: 1983 "androgen excess syndrome" Re dx: 2003 (ovaries now clear, weight under control)
had Laser Current Meds: Met, 850 2x daily Seroquel, 12.5 mg 2x daily (for depression, mood swings) Multi vit Fish oil, 500 mg 2x daily Magnesium and Calcium
Iv managed to get an app with him on weds. Hopefully he'll listen to me this time.He was the doctor i finally managed to convince to test me for pcos, but he seems very reluctant to give out anti depressants. Shame i couldnt see the doc who gave them to everyone "youve got an ear infection, right well ill presescribe you some anti depressants" lol, seriously he was that bad, no wonder he had to retire!
Yea, some doctors are reluctant and age does have a lot to do with it, but there should be no reason now that he would say no. If you have to find a psychiatrist they are better IMO at finding the right dosages and combos for you. Also counseling does wonders with or with out medication on the side. I hope you get some answers. The previous posts mentioned about 2 weeks which is generally what I've been told and noticed. It can take up to a month or so, it really all depends, but sometimes they can give you a combo of one that is instant and one that will work after a bit so that way you don't have to suffer, but like I said I don't know how good that will go if he doesn't want to even give you one. Keep trying and hope things get better for you! Keep us posted on how it goes
__________________
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I hope you find another doctor, preferably a pyschiatrist, your GP doesn't seem to be very understanding.
Anti-depressants can take effect anywhere from immediately to up to 2 months after tapering up to the correct dose, it depends on the person, but generally SSRI's take about a month.
__________________ -diagnosed 1/2004
-treating with diet and exercise
-mom to 5 furkids, Patrick the greyhound, Gretta and Samantha the rabbits, Sophie and Rosie the guinea pigs, and 4 guinea pigs waiting at the Bridge.
-working on a PhD in American History
Thanks for all your help lades, i saw him today and thankfully he listened and gave me Prozac, on 20mg daily to start so hopefully ill start to see a change soon!
I am on 40mg Citalopram and it took about a month for me to notice a differnece, but it was a HUGE difference.
__________________ Me (26) DH (28) DD (5)
Happily Married Since
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One thing to be aware of is that many of the side effects you might first experience usually pass within a month or so. Particularly I get an odd, spacey feeling (other people say brain zaps) when I go on or off SSRIs. So if possible, stick it out and see if any problems you might have go away, they probably will.
For me, I still have good and bad days (I'm bipolar), but I don't hit the soul-destroying lows that I get without proper medication. You shouldn't feel flat or like you can't experience normal emotions--if you do talk to your doctor about changing medications.
__________________ -diagnosed 1/2004
-treating with diet and exercise
-mom to 5 furkids, Patrick the greyhound, Gretta and Samantha the rabbits, Sophie and Rosie the guinea pigs, and 4 guinea pigs waiting at the Bridge.
-working on a PhD in American History
I've got BPD, and antidepressants have never worked...however, once I got on a mood stabilizer (lamictal) it took about a month for me to start doing much better. I still get moody, especially if I forget to take my meds, and I have clonazepam for anxiety too. But mostly, I'm able to live a relatively normal life.
__________________ Diagnosed May 21, 2008. Symptoms since 1996 - (since developed) hirutism, irregular periods, dark skin patches on elbows, obesity, insulin resistance, large & painful complex ovarian cysts, migraines, bipolar disorder, anxiety
Taking Glucophge XR 750 mg 2x/day
Goal 1 - 10% of body weight
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Isn't lamictal wonderful? It's literally been a life saver in my case, the only thing that really worked for my depression.
__________________ -diagnosed 1/2004
-treating with diet and exercise
-mom to 5 furkids, Patrick the greyhound, Gretta and Samantha the rabbits, Sophie and Rosie the guinea pigs, and 4 guinea pigs waiting at the Bridge.
-working on a PhD in American History
Antidepressants frequently don't work. I've tried many different ones, with no success. I hope yours works for you.
What works for me is exercise, meditation and yoga. It's not as easy as popping a pill, but I'm one of the unlucky ones for whom no antidepressant works.
Just a quick question? 
