antidepressants

rowan

Well-Known Member
Does anyone take antidepressants? My doc wants me to try citalopram and said its ok to take as long as he signs off on it. I checked with dot and they said as long as dr is ok with it then its ok. I'm not depressed just some anxiety due to some family matters. Just not sure if I want ups to know ill be taking them.
 

jaker

trolling
Does anyone take antidepressants? My doc wants me to try citalopram and said its ok to take as long as he signs off on it. I checked with dot and they said as long as dr is ok with it then its ok. I'm not depressed just some anxiety due to some family matters. Just not sure if I want ups to know ill be taking them.
I was on that for awhile and it helped but i had to stop using it , after a few weeks it makes it really hard to finish having sex ( I know it sounds like a good thing but it wasn't ) the sad part even after you stop it takes awhile to get out of your system
 

barnyard

KTM rider
My wife was on it. Took the better part of a year for things to return to kind of normal.

I think we are all trying to tell you that the side effects may not be worth it.

That said, a good psychiatrist should have a decent idea of what can work to even things out for you without the awful side effects. Unfortunately, those drugs are the type that you have to take for a while to know if they are working. By the time you know they are working, no more happy endings for a while.
 

rowan

Well-Known Member
Sounds like one bad side effect. My main question is can taking it have any chance of me loosing job? Who decides dot or ups? I have my physical in a few months and ill let them know so it will be on record.
 

jaker

trolling
Sounds like one bad side effect. My main question is can taking it have any chance of me loosing job? Who decides dot or ups? I have my physical in a few months and ill let them know so it will be on record.
One bad side effect I think my dick not working is a big enough side effect , to your main question I wouldn't say anything to anybody until after you physical

I walked in the office and just told my sup that if it wasn't for the pills I don't know what I might do , he said ok and didnt even bat a eye
 
Does anyone take antidepressants? My doc wants me to try citalopram and said its ok to take as long as he signs off on it. I checked with dot and they said as long as dr is ok with it then its ok. I'm not depressed just some anxiety due to some family matters. Just not sure if I want ups to know ill be taking them.
Don't worry about ups take care of yourself. If it's bad you need to survive now.
 

MassWineGuy

Well-Known Member
There is a ton of misinformation and exaggeration going on here. Each antidepressant differs in its side effects. Many have the same but affect people differently or not at all. I've been on Prozac for a few years because I tend toward depression. It doesn't cure life, which can be depressing enough, but it definitely levels out the strong mood swings I had. If your family doctor recommended that you take something, I'd suggest getting a consult appointment with a psychiatrist. General practitioners often are unaware of the latest research and options available.

As for sex or lack thereof, I have plenty. The main question is: Do you want to feel better or do you want to continue feeling anxious and depressed? Yes, antidepressants sometimes take a few weeks to build up the right level and start making a noticable difference. A bunch of guys on a Web forum can tell you lots of stuff, but you're the only one who can decide what's important and how bad you feel. And I can't imagine UPS doing a thing. Being depressed and treating it is not a criminal act.
 

stink219

Well-Known Member
I was on antidepressants years back. I tried many different ones. I noticed similar side effects in all which were major weight gain (about 30 lbs) and my pee pee didn't work. You want to talk depression? Take a dudes rooster away and pack on some fat. That was more depressing than anything. I later developed the ability to change my thought process. I posted this a while back. I hope it helps.

"I suffered from depression for a few years after I became employed with UPS. I saw many doctors, took many meds, talked it out. Nothing seemed to help. After about a year of that, I stopped everything. And I'm sorry to those that suffer from it, but I now feel that depression is all in the "perception" of how we view things. It is a processing of individual thought. Once you accept everything that's positive in your life and reject negative thought processes you will instantly start to feel better. We have 25,000 to 50,000 thoughts a day. You need to start to change a significant portion of those into positive thoughts. Use active reasoning. When your feeling depressed, dissect that thought. Once you identify the negative process you can then be aware of the "pattern". I used to think I was always working, no time for family, fun, things that I enjoyed. I was too focused on the negative. Once I started thinking of the things that UPS afforded me, a home, a boat, vacations, fancy restaurants, money, it all got better. UPS's work motivation model is surrounded by negative reinforcement but It's in our ability to change the perception of our minds in an instant. My close UPS buddy was depressed about not being able to see his daughter in plays, at ballet, gymnastics, all other activities during the week. We talked about it a bit, and once he started thinking that all this extra stuff cost a good amount of monthly tuitions and dues, he realized that if he wasn't working to make up the money, he still wouldn't see his daughter in the activities because he wouldn't afford it. Now who would suffer? The daughter! There is no other motivator in life than your own childen. Correct?
So in abbreviated terms, think of negativity as a bully that always tries to beat you up, put you down and stomp on you. You just need to wake up one day, kick his friend-cking :censored2: and he will never bother you again. Try it. Worked for me. I hope it helps."
 

Ouch

Well-Known Member
There is a good drug out there that is not a narcotic. Buspirone is a great nonnarcotic anti anxiety medication. It is the non habit forming version of xanex. I took it when I went thru a divorce and had no problems coming off of it. Their are plenty of alternatives just do some research and ask your doc about some with not so many side effects.
 
J

jibbs

Guest
An antidepressant for anxiety? It's not unheard of but it never made sense to me, treating anxiety with antidepressants (what with the extremely wide range of side-effects that most common antidepressants come with.) Would you be taking it prior to or during work hours, or would it be an as-needed kind of thing likely after a stressful workday?

I only asked because I would recommend a benzodiazepine (Xanax/alprazolam, Valium/diazepam, Ativan/lorazepam etc. etc.), but that would be one of the worst recommendations one could give to a driver who might need to take his or her medication on the clock. They're potentially extremely addictive as well, so one would have to tread carefully if they were looking for a daily medication as opposed to one taken as needed.

Anxiety's a killer for me... almost crippling sometimes. After 1mg of Xanax or 10mg of Valium, though, my house could be burning down around me and I'd likely go for a bag of marshmallows to roast in the flames because I totally have like 3 or 4 minutes before I should really think about getting the hell out of there. No worries whatsoever... that's not to say that benzo's don't come with their own side effects, I'm just of the opinion that, so long as one doesn't become physically dependent on their anxiolytic medicine, there's really nothing to worry about.


[EDIT: I realized immediately after posting this that OP wasn't asking for recommendations/advice, just experiences with citalopram. My apologies if I overstepped my boundaries here.]
 

cynic

Well-Known Member
Does anyone take antidepressants? My doc wants me to try citalopram and said its ok to take as long as he signs off on it. I checked with dot and they said as long as dr is ok with it then its ok. I'm not depressed just some anxiety due to some family matters. Just not sure if I want ups to know ill be taking them.

Why would you tell UPS that you're taking any medication? HIPAA protects the confidentiality of your medical records to only those you permit any access.

Also, UPS is one of the only employers with meaningful mental health benefits I've worked at in over 20 years. I have family members with depression and anxiety so can say from experience there is a wide network of counselors out there to talk to as well.

I wish you success in treating your anxiety / depression, I see those I love suffer from it daily.
 

gingerkat

Well-Known Member
Every persons body chemistry is different and reacts differently to medications. A doctor will recommend a particular med because he/she feels that the potential benefit is greater than the risks. Not everyone experiences side effects. Sounds as if this doctor is recommending this med as a short term thing. You can always stop taking it if there are side effects that you can't deal with.

Two questions main questions to ask yourself. Do you feel that your symptoms are bad enough that you need that extra pharmaceutical help? Do you trust your doctor?
 

1BROWNWRENCH

Amatuer Malthusian
If the sexual side effects from other antidepressants are getting you (been there), try talking to your doctor about Bupropion (Welbutrin).
 

rowan

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the great advice. I won't tell ups but i don't feel like I should lie to DOT. But I'm sure they can get those records. Think ill talk to my dr again and maybe try counseling. Citalopram is taken at night so don't think there is any problem there. I don't think its addictive either but I could be wrong.
 

gingerkat

Well-Known Member
OP,
Agreed, do NOT tell UPS. It's not their business and is not in your best interest to tell anyone. I would suggest not telling any co-workers ... you know just in case someone's got a big mouth. Loose lips, sinks ships.:wink2:

Take care of you first and foremost. Good luck and I hope things work out.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
Just my two cents, growing up with a bunch of people with bi polar, I would recommend one not take any of these that have to be in your system to "work" , unless you have a true chemical disorder.

Having anxiety is not a reason IMO to take a drug like you were prescribed. A simple valium or xanax is much better for a take as you need pill.
The problem with any of these drugs is the side effects. IMO. And then it takes two weeks to work, and two weeks to get it out of your system, and two weeks to try something else. I was on this roller coaster many times with my family. I blame them for more than I have seen them help anyone, including suicides and deaths. But then I am not a doctor, just someone who has more experience with people on these than I wish I did.

The problem is doctors want you on these drugs because they are not addictive per se, like valium or xanax is. No not addictive maybe but the side effects can be life threatening. Plus they get big money from drug companies for pushing them.

On your DOT, you must tell what medications you take. If you do not and have an accident, and then they find out, you lied on your dot. reason for termination I think.
Your records should be safe, and no you should tell no one at work, but hippa or not, soon the government controls your records and we have seen how they pick and choose with the info they have and what they do with it.

FTW works for me. citoprolam, or however its spelled, made my husband feel like he was crawling out of his skin. Ive known few who took it who got more than more problems, but I am biased against them all from what I have seen.
My feeling is a normal depression requires none of those drugs. A paxil script temporarily helps with anxiety attacks, but if something causes you so much anxiety and you cant resolve it, you need to get away from it.
Thats just my opinion all of it.
 
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