Advice needed!

[Jo1760]

I have thought I had depression for about 4 or 5 years. I only went to the doctors after a push and came away with medication and a review in a month about 4 weeks ago, but the medication has left me with nasty side effects, feeling much worse mentally then before plus sick, headaches amd heartburn. I cant concentrate, I feel like i'm loosing the plot. Others have started to notice which they hadn't before and I have been telling them i'm stressed and thats all it is. I really feel like I cant do this anymore and that i'm just coming across to everyone as a bit wierd at the moment. Also I have developed a stutter which is driving me mad.

I do have a reasonable stressful job but if i go on as I am at the moment I dont know how long I will keep my head above water at work.

If anyone has some advice i would be truely grateful, as I have no idea what to do or where to turn. Sorry to sound so negative.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Hi jo1760,

It sounds like your having a hard time at the mo, but things will get better!! sometimes it takes a while to find the right meds and if the side effects are bothering you that much I would get yourself off to your GP and let him know. They will understand, people react in different ways to meds all the time. Could you also take some time out from work just until your feeling on top of things again - your health needs to come first!

Hope this helps, hang in there!

Angel

 

[Jo1760]

Thanks for your help.

I did speak to my GP and they have said I need to give it until my review to possibly change the medication i'm on. In terms of work I have been booking odd days to give me long weekends etc.. but unfortunately I'm in a managers position which means I have to be there all the time and I also didn't really want to inform my boss as i've been aware of her views on mental health in the past and I think she would have a hard time understanding why I feel the way I do - I dont think she means it, but equally I would rather she didn't think any differently of me. I dont mean to come across so negative, I guess i'm just not coping well at the moment and dont know how to help myself get out of this, Only one friend I have understands and she is going through a particularly bad phase at the moment and I dont want to add to her stress by confiding in her. It was fine when it was just me that knew, but now others are noticing that i'm unhappy it's adding to my stress.

Sorry be be so negative in my writing, I know it's not the end of the world and worse things are happening. I just need to vent my feelings somewhere.

X

 

[ali]

if you need to vent love here is the place to do it !!!!! you are so not alone ..... just keep talking

xxx

good luck

 

[Jo1760]

Thanks Ali. xxx

 

[Lozzi_1004]

hi &

It does sound like you could do with more than just a long weekend - you need some proper time off!! Book yourself a proper holiday ortake a couple of weeks sick. Manager or not you need time to recover - the medication alone won't help you need to be good to yourself and have a pretty good support network. Your boss doesn't have to know that you're taking time off with depression, you can ask your doctor to put 'stress' on your sick note if need be (my mum did the same as her boss didn't have good views on MH). However, her views on mental health are irrelevant. It's true some people still think people with mental health problems are crazy but it is trying to be squashed and most work places have some sort of legislation in place to stop unfair treatment etc (or they should!)

As for your meds they will ask you to stick them out for at least 4-6 weeks so they can get into your system and have been given a chance to feel the effects. If you can stick them out until your review and then you can tell them they are making you feel ill and they'll try you on another one hopefully .

Take care

 

[Jo1760]

Thank you.

I am due to visit my GP tomorrow to review the medication and just generally how I feel so I will see what she has to say. I do agree that I probably need more time off than 3 days, and I guess you are right my health needs to come first. I'm just very bad at thinking about myself I worry far too much about what others think or how work would be if I wasn't around for a couple of weeks. I guess i will just have to wait and see what tomorrow brings.
Thank you everyone for your advice.