Were The Old Ones Better?

mstimc · 04-19-2007, 12:02 PM

In the mid-80's, when I was still living at home, my father was diagnosed with Stage IV malignant melanoma. (from which he recovered and lived another 20+ years). As part of the treatment program, the entire family was brought in for counseling as a way of dealing with his illness. After a couple of sessions with a psychiatrist, I was prescribed Triavil, and old-line tri-cyclic anti-depressant (this was before SSRI's were on the market). The first does knocked me on my a$$, but after that it seemed to help with my depression dealing with my dad's illness.

After he recovered, I simply stopped taking the Triavil (About 6-10 months?) And surffered no side effects at all. I just got on with my life.

Do you think these older meds were safer for medium to long term use? Just curious.

Amaya's Nana · 04-19-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstimc

In the mid-80's, when I was still living at home, my father was diagnosed with Stage IV malignant melanoma. (from which he recovered and lived another 20+ years). As part of the treatment program, the entire family was brought in for counseling as a way of dealing with his illness. After a couple of sessions with a psychiatrist, I was prescribed Triavil, and old-line tri-cyclic anti-depressant (this was before SSRI's were on the market). The first does knocked me on my a$$, but after that it seemed to help with my depression dealing with my dad's illness.

After he recovered, I simply stopped taking the Triavil (About 6-10 months?) And surffered no side effects at all. I just got on with my life.

Do you think these older meds were safer for medium to long term use? Just curious.

I don't know much about the tricyclics nor the MAOI's. I just know there was a greater risk of overdose and dying from the older one's and they were very sedating. I had a friend on Elavil for years. He had to wean off of it. My dad took Elavil after his back surgery until he died and that was about 10 years or so.

mscece · 04-19-2007, 01:13 PM

My grandmother took elavil for many years maybe twelve or so for arthritis. One day her perscription ran out and she is in her late 70's and wasn't able to make it to the pharmacy for a refill. She never refilled her prescription and suffered no w/d after years of taking this med.

mstimc · 04-19-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mscece

My grandmother took elavil for many years maybe twelve or so for arthritis. One day her perscription ran out and she is in her late 70's and wasn't able to make it to the pharmacy for a refill. She never refilled her prescription and suffered no w/d after years of taking this med.

Great to hear from you, MS! How are you feeling?

Katesmom · 04-19-2007, 01:38 PM

All I know is that my MIL took a tricyclic when my hubby and BIL were babies. They were 15 months apart and all of her family lived in Western NY, so she had zero support network. She has told me multiple times that she really needed them and had no problems with them and just quit taking them.

I adore my MIL, but she tells this story EVERY time I talk about my w/d experience with her, so I feel completely invalidated by it.

LCrawford67 · 04-19-2007, 01:45 PM

I took Elavil, just before Paxil, and quit it with no problems. Of course, I didn't really feel it did anything for me, which is why my doc put me on Paxil.

All because of stomach problems....I could honest to God kick myself!!!

mstimc · 04-19-2007, 01:48 PM

My doctor prescribed serzone to me once. After a day or two I thought my brain was melting out my ears! Isn't that stuff banned now?

texgirl · 04-19-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katesmom

I adore my MIL, but she tells this story EVERY time I talk about my w/d experience with her, so I feel completely invalidated by it.

My SIL took Wellbutrin for a while a few years ago for postpartum depression and CT'd off it. She felt a little crummy for about a week and then was over it. She thinks my Paxil w/d experience and now my ultra-conservative, 7-month benzo taper are completely ridiculous. When I was trying to describe my problems with insomnia once, she told me I should do what she does when she can't sleep: wash down a Vicodin with a couple of glasses of red wine.

Chrysalis · 04-19-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texgirl

When I was trying to describe my problems with insomnia once, she told me I should do what she does when she can't sleep: wash down a Vicodin with a couple of glasses of red wine.

Now THERE'S a smart plan!

Margaret

Bruno · 04-19-2007, 05:03 PM

Years ago I used to take a tricyclic antidepressant called Prothiaden. Cold turkeying on it caused some problems for a few days, but after going back on it I had no trouble quitting in a few weeks and no side effects. Paxil has been hell.

Samalabear · 04-19-2007, 07:04 PM

I've never been on anything except Zoloft for that very, very brief period and then Paxil. It is interesting, though, that pharma has not come out with anything safer. The SSRIs are insidious, Zyprexa is turning out to be far worse than the older medications in that class, and benzos are bad, but Lunesta and Ambien are showing that they're not particularly safe.

Of course, the big pharma money grab is also super-heated-up. I think the greed is worse than it's ever been.

Then again, the biggest problem with these meds is that they're now given out so indicriminately with absolutely no support of any kind.

I'm going to start rambling because my favorite show on Thursday, "Ugly Betty" is on and it's now a rerun. This is part of my post-Paxil therapy

mapleleafgirl25 · 04-19-2007, 07:20 PM

my friend took prozac when it first came out..took it for six months then stopped and was just fine..maybe they were not as potent back then!

mscece · 04-19-2007, 08:05 PM

Im doing better Tim taking it one day at a time. Im back on my 10mg dosage. Im going to ask my Dr. for liquid Paxil so I can drop to 9mg 7.5mg is too much for me.

artkin · 04-20-2007, 03:19 AM

This is my first post here. I will write my recent story ASAP. But reading this thread I would like to share my experience with tofranil (a very old tricyclic) which I used for 2 years for panic attacks about 15 years ago. Well, it worked well (my max dose was 75mg/day) and I tapered in 3 weeks (50mg - 25mg - 10mg - zero) and, besides a bit of anxiety (but manegable) I was absolutely fine. Now reading all of yours stories about paxil and other SSRI I'm asking exactly the same question of mstimc

04-19-2007, 12:02 PM	#1
mstimc "Mr. EPPA" Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern Calif. Posts: 8,136	Were The Old Ones Better? In the mid-80's, when I was still living at home, my father was diagnosed with Stage IV malignant melanoma. (from which he recovered and lived another 20+ years). As part of the treatment program, the entire family was brought in for counseling as a way of dealing with his illness. After a couple of sessions with a psychiatrist, I was prescribed Triavil, and old-line tri-cyclic anti-depressant (this was before SSRI's were on the market). The first does knocked me on my a$$, but after that it seemed to help with my depression dealing with my dad's illness. After he recovered, I simply stopped taking the Triavil (About 6-10 months?) And surffered no side effects at all. I just got on with my life. Do you think these older meds were safer for medium to long term use? Just curious. __________________ MSTIMC --Tim C. "If there's no baseball in Heaven, then I ain't goin'! --Casey Stengel 20 mg per day since late 1999 November 2006--Found this site and right way to taper April 15, 2008 ZERO! Supplements: Prayer, Multi-vitamin, fish oil, Prayer!

04-19-2007, 01:13 PM	#3
mscece Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: antioch ca Posts: 299	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? My grandmother took elavil for many years maybe twelve or so for arthritis. One day her perscription ran out and she is in her late 70's and wasn't able to make it to the pharmacy for a refill. She never refilled her prescription and suffered no w/d after years of taking this med.

04-19-2007, 01:38 PM	#5
Katesmom Moderator Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 13,706	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? All I know is that my MIL took a tricyclic when my hubby and BIL were babies. They were 15 months apart and all of her family lived in Western NY, so she had zero support network. She has told me multiple times that she really needed them and had no problems with them and just quit taking them. I adore my MIL, but she tells this story EVERY time I talk about my w/d experience with her, so I feel completely invalidated by it. __________________ Katesmom aka Kim started Paxil Oct. 2003 for PIH Paxil free since 19 Jul 2005 ". . .the cruelest lies are often told without a word. . .the kindest truths are often spoken, never heard." -- Ben Folds

04-19-2007, 01:45 PM	#6
LCrawford67 Moderator "Everybody poops" Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 26,493	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? I took Elavil, just before Paxil, and quit it with no problems. Of course, I didn't really feel it did anything for me, which is why my doc put me on Paxil. All because of stomach problems....I could honest to God kick myself!!! __________________ aka LC aka Laurie C. Paxil, 20 mg since 1997, for IBS Two unsuccessful attempts to quit. Started tapering 11/27/06 PAXIL FREE 12/29/07 If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James

04-19-2007, 01:48 PM	#7
mstimc "Mr. EPPA" Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern Calif. Posts: 8,136	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? My doctor prescribed serzone to me once. After a day or two I thought my brain was melting out my ears! Isn't that stuff banned now? __________________ MSTIMC --Tim C. "If there's no baseball in Heaven, then I ain't goin'! --Casey Stengel 20 mg per day since late 1999 November 2006--Found this site and right way to taper April 15, 2008 ZERO! Supplements: Prayer, Multi-vitamin, fish oil, Prayer!

04-19-2007, 05:03 PM	#10
Bruno Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: London Posts: 29	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? Years ago I used to take a tricyclic antidepressant called Prothiaden. Cold turkeying on it caused some problems for a few days, but after going back on it I had no trouble quitting in a few weeks and no side effects. Paxil has been hell. __________________ Started taking Paxil (20 mg) in February 1997 Switched to the liquid form and started reducing in February 2006 Paxil free since November 2006 Suffered from serious withdrawal symptoms (anxiety, OCD) from December 2006 until April 2007.

04-19-2007, 07:04 PM	#11
Samalabear Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: East Setauket, NY Posts: 1,675	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? I've never been on anything except Zoloft for that very, very brief period and then Paxil. It is interesting, though, that pharma has not come out with anything safer. The SSRIs are insidious, Zyprexa is turning out to be far worse than the older medications in that class, and benzos are bad, but Lunesta and Ambien are showing that they're not particularly safe. Of course, the big pharma money grab is also super-heated-up. I think the greed is worse than it's ever been. Then again, the biggest problem with these meds is that they're now given out so indicriminately with absolutely no support of any kind. I'm going to start rambling because my favorite show on Thursday, "Ugly Betty" is on and it's now a rerun. This is part of my post-Paxil therapy __________________ Cathy Zoloft 150 mg. June '97, CT September '97, 2 wks brain zaps, then fine. Prescribed for "the blues" September '99 Paxil 20 mg - life problems Switched Paxil CR 2004 CR 2005 recalled Switch generic Paroxotine 2003 start poop-out April 21, 2006 CT September 21, 2009 Paxil-free 3.6 years! ADVICE: NEVER CT Looking for Angels and a Miracle Most persistent issues: Morning anxiety, depression and anhedonia

04-19-2007, 07:20 PM	#12
mapleleafgirl25 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 2,132	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? my friend took prozac when it first came out..took it for six months then stopped and was just fine..maybe they were not as potent back then! __________________ aka MICHELE My history with paxil is too long to write here..lol..but you can look at my old posts to see!

04-19-2007, 08:05 PM	#13
mscece Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: antioch ca Posts: 299	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? Im doing better Tim taking it one day at a time. Im back on my 10mg dosage. Im going to ask my Dr. for liquid Paxil so I can drop to 9mg 7.5mg is too much for me.

04-20-2007, 03:19 AM	#14
artkin Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4	Re: Were The Old Ones Better? This is my first post here. I will write my recent story ASAP. But reading this thread I would like to share my experience with tofranil (a very old tricyclic) which I used for 2 years for panic attacks about 15 years ago. Well, it worked well (my max dose was 75mg/day) and I tapered in 3 weeks (50mg - 25mg - 10mg - zero) and, besides a bit of anxiety (but manegable) I was absolutely fine. Now reading all of yours stories about paxil and other SSRI I'm asking exactly the same question of mstimc

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