Antidepressant Experimentation

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Okay, I get it. So College Confidential is not the place to get medical advice and I won't take info here as medical advice. Whatever.</p>

<p>Here's my predicament: I took the semester off for a wide variety of reasons which include psychological reasons. It's taken me until now to really do "something" about it, to be honest. I've reapplied for the coming spring semester and am trying my best to absolutely make sure it happens this time. In the meantime, my physician has suggested we test out antidepressants to aid with some of the psychiatric issues I'm experiencing.</p>

<p>I tried one and had a terrible reaction to it. I've been told we may need to do some experimenting with several different types of antidepressants before we find one that works. As well, many antidepressants take upwards of about a month to quit with the terrible side-effects and/or you experience any benefits from it.</p>

<p>With the spring semester coming, I'm somewhat worried about experimenting while taking college classes. I'm afraid that I'll continue to have bad reactions or debilitating side effects which cause me to be unable to complete schoolwork or even go to class. I'd hate for my first semester at an actual university to be the first semester I completely fail due to medical reasons.</p>

<p>I'll have wasted the time and support of so many people by asking this, but would it just be best to take another semester off in order to figure out my response to these types of medications? Here's a few reasons why I ask...</p>

<p>If I lived on-campus (which my application for this has already been engaged), I'd probably get stuck with a roommate. My initial reaction to the first medication I tried caused me to fall into panic mode ALL NIGHT LONG (and even into the next day). It involved making lots of noise and endless pacing/movement. I'm pretty sure my potential roommate wouldn't appreciate me all that much. There'd probably also be another crazy roommate thread up here on CC next month for sure. Depending on how often this would happen and how many trials of medications I might need to run through would really determine how much of a burden this would pose on another roommate, and I fear it may happen too much. I have considered a single dorm to help alleviate this issue, but originally when I panicked, I didn't want to be alone all night to make sure something bad didn't happen to me. As well, there's no guarantee of a single dorm room right now since I have no say in where I get placed.</p>

<p>Taking another semester off would definitely give me a chance to find out what how the medication affects me. It'd also give me another chance to try and reapply to more colleges and enter in the fall for more merit aid. But here's a few considerations about that: firstly, I could find a brand of medication that works instantly the first month I try it and then I'd be stuck out of college for another 8 months. Secondly, I will have missed a whole year of college at that point. Thirdly, there's no guarantee of anything working.</p>

<p>Thoughts or opinions?</p>

<p>I should also mention: COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS NOT AN OPTION. I'm coming in as a transfer from a community college already who cannot take ANYMORE classes at community college because I'm approaching the state credit limit.</p>

2

<p>Seems to me if you don’t try medications, you won’t have any, and you will have issues with depression which often causes issues with grades. </p>

<p>So seems like you need to start trying medications. </p>

<p>Would it be better to start the semester and medically withdraw if you are having issues with medications?
Or like you said, take the semester off…but what would you be doing? just hanging around?</p>

3

<p>I’m worried about medically withdrawing because those still go down as Ws on your transcript and even though they won’t count against my drop limit (I don’t think), I’d have those forever glaring me down on my transcript. And I’d probably get an internship if I took the semester off since I kinda just… hung around this whole semester I took off.</p>

4

<p>I’ve been down the road you’re on, and your concerns are legitimate. The fact that you had a really bad experience suggests that it may be difficult to find the right medication. It’s also difficult to get accustomed to side effects (such as drowsiness) before deciding if a medication has any benefit or not.</p>

<p>Taking the cautious route might be the wisest decision.</p>

5

<p>Take the semester off. It’ll suck if you do find the right meds within a month or if nothing you try works, but I feel like both of those scenarios are unlikely. What’s more likely is that you’ll need a few months (and it takes like 3-4 weeks for anti depressants to start working) and you’ll see how it works in the long term. In the mean time, consider a low-stress job or a volunteer program or even internship. It’ll give you something and you won’t feel like you’re missing out as much. </p>

6

<p>Is your physician a psychiatrist? If not, ask for a referral. A shrink, psychiatric PA, or MHNP is likely to do a much better job managing your psychiatric meds than you family doc or GP. And while, yes, it can take weeks for initial side effects to subside, an adverse reaction as severe and immediate as the one you’ve described would likely be dealt with right away. I doubt you’d be asked to ride it out. While starting in the fall school may be in your best interest, if you do decide you must start this spring, take a 12 hr load (or whatever the minimum is for full time) and plan on a summer class to make up the deficit. </p>

7

<p>Yes. Take a semester off and get your health in order. </p>

<p>I’ve been on and off anti depressants for nearly a decade. It sucks when you’re adjusting but ime, once you find the right one, it’s like living for the first time. </p>

8

<p>My advice would be to improve your health first, by taking the recommendations of a psychiatrist - whatever meds he or suggests, plus counseling. Your mental health comes BEFORE school. It’s not a race. That’s the advice that many people have given me as our son struggles with mental illness (his is probably much more serious than yours). He is doing everything he should (meds, counseling, exercise, sleep, etc.) and finds he can handle two classes each semester. If a light class load would help you, you can register with the disabilities office and they should be able to get permission for you to take fewer than the regular “minimum.”</p>

<p>Good luck! As romani mentioned, finding the right med and dosage can change your life. I have a whole drawer full of meds my son has tried. His prescriptions have been stable for quite awhile now, and he is doing well.</p>