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Is my doctor lying to me?

mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
edited September 2013 in Help / Advice Forum
d

mooshoepork on

Posts

  • yurnamehereyurnamehere Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    According to Wikipedia, it can be used to treat depression, but it's also used for a host of GI disorders as well.

    yurnamehere on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    No, your doctor isn't lying to you. Medicines often have more than one use.

    In this case, the drug you're taking is used for both depression and IBS. That's actually rather common. A lot of the antidepressants of that family (tricyclic antidepressants) are used for IBS.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Well that's good.

    Will it also affect my mind at all? I don't know. I'm just kind of wary about taking them.

    edit: yes, these are things I should've said to my doctor but, I literally could not string a sentence together when I saw her for my colonoscopy. Hadn't eaten in two days. I actually forgot what the word for prescription was and I was trying to explain it to her. Hunger delirium :P I couldn't even explain why I was having the procedure.

    mooshoepork on
  • MetalbourneMetalbourne Inside a cluster b personalityRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    If you're worried about antidepressants changing your thought processes, you have two reasons to stop worrying:

    1. Antidepressants do not change your thought process or make you a zombie.
    2. Tricyclic antidepressants are barely antidepressants, and much better for what they've been repurposed as. I took cyclobenzaprene (another tricyclic antidepressant) for a while for muscle spasms and didn't notice any change at all in my mood.

    Metalbourne on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Will it also affect my mind at all?

    Maybe, but unlikely. They usually give these drugs for IBS at lower doses than they would for depression.

    They make some people drowsy.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • kragerbazukragerbazu __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2010
    A change in mood is pretty much impossible to detect anyway. You'd need a lot of training in metacognition.

    kragerbazu on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    The anti-depression medication bandwagon is part of the same train that claims immunizations cause Autism.

    Just as removed from reality and just as dangerous. And like everyone else said, medications have multiple uses.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • ThrillaGorillaThrillaGorilla Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I take that medication for IBS as well, except my doctor explained to me what the drug was originally used for beforehand. Odds are you are taking a very low dose (I take 20 mg a day, less than an M&M) which is why you shouldn't expect it to act as an effective anti-depressant. I am going to be switching up my medication next time I see my doctor because of some of the adverse side effects, but after 20 years of serious stomach issues I have never had anything work so well.

    ThrillaGorilla on
  • BoredomBoredom Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    The anti-depression medication bandwagon is part of the same train that claims immunizations cause Autism.

    Just as removed from reality and just as dangerous. And like everyone else said, medications have multiple uses.


    That's not a fair comparison at all. Benzodiazepine class antidepressants can ruin your life (and in my case, concealed a serious underlying illness). It's very common, look it up. Those things pack a nasty withdrawal syndrome, as do SSRIs. I've personally seen over 15 US board certified doctors who denied benzodiazepine withdrawal existed.

    My advice is to simply be aware of what you're getting into - whether there's withdrawal or the possibility of permanent side effects, while keeping in mind that it's not always bad to go on antidepressants; but it can be very bad - inform yourself so that you are able to exercise sound judgment.

    Boredom on
  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    As everyone has said, the dose for IBS is so insignificant in terms of anti-depression meds, there's not even a problem unless you're hyper sensitive to it.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • Bionic MonkeyBionic Monkey Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited May 2010
    If you're having serious side effects from a medication, talk to your doctor so they can either alter the dose, or switch you to a different medicine. Becoming anti-depression medication just because you had a bad experience is an over reaction.

    Bionic Monkey on
    sig_megas_armed.jpg
  • NotYouNotYou Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Find a doctor you can trust. If you can't trust what a doctor is telling you, then there's no point in going to him because you rely on him for all your information. However, it sounds to me like maybe you wouldn't trust any doctors. I can't really help you there...

    NotYou on
  • RobmanRobman Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Something something IBS something psychosomatic

    Anyways dude calm down, you won't have multiple doctors lying to you unless you're one of those patients who they just want to get out of their office. Go in informed, but don't do their job. And if you have multiple doctors telling you you're OK, you probably are.

    Robman on
  • mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I think it's 50 mg

    I thought I should ask anyway. I'll give it a shot. I haven't had any side effects yet. I think he said I'd get dry mouth though.

    mooshoepork on
  • Fuzzy Cumulonimbus CloudFuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    From analysis, it looks like Doxepin is the aspirin of the psychotropic world. Your medicine is a psychotropic but that doesn't mean its main causative agent is antidepressant. It inhibits certain receptors, including receptors in your GI tract. It's a multi-use drug, and one main use is for treating GI disorders.

    If you have any concerns, go back to your doctor. You may experience slight discomfort as your body adapts to the medicine, but this is the way it is with all psychotropic medicines. Also, I would take Boredom's advice with a grain of salt, since his claims have not been clinically verified. There's entire messageboards dedicated to overlyconcerned people who freak out about medication withdrawal symptoms. If you do have symptoms, go to your doctor.

    Finally, I am not a doctor, nor a pharmacist, so my advice is nothing compared to a person with a medical degree. In fact, if you want the best scoop on your medication, talk to your pharmacist.

    Fuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud on
  • BoredomBoredom Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    From analysis, it looks like Doxepin is the aspirin of the psychotropic world. Your medicine is a psychotropic but that doesn't mean its main causative agent is antidepressant. It inhibits certain receptors, including receptors in your GI tract. It's a multi-use drug, and one main use is for treating GI disorders.

    If you have any concerns, go back to your doctor. You may experience slight discomfort as your body adapts to the medicine, but this is the way it is with all psychotropic medicines. Also, I would take Boredom's advice with a grain of salt, since his claims have not been clinically verified. There's entire messageboards dedicated to overlyconcerned people who freak out about medication withdrawal symptoms. If you do have symptoms, go to your doctor.

    Finally, I am not a doctor, nor a pharmacist, so my advice is nothing compared to a person with a medical degree. In fact, if you want the best scoop on your medication, talk to your pharmacist.


    How typical of these forums. You didn't read the post at all.

    The stuff I mentioned is clinically verified and there is about 40 years of published medical research on it (the wikipedia pages alone refer to dozens of peer reviewed publications). It is not unreasonable to be informed of drugs you're going to be taking, and the associated risks. This was in response to the suggestion that antidepressant side effects are quackery. The OP should know that they are not.

    I'm curious - would you have him specifically not inform himself of anything?

    'Sides, I told him he should take them anyway, but that he should be aware. Reading comprehension goes a long way.

    Boredom on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Every drug has side effects, just like every drug has severe consequences when discontinued without doctor involvement. I don't believe anyone here has said or indicated there may not be side-effects, just like with ANY other medication.

    Your vendetta against anti-depressants is more a vendetta against how pharmaceuticals work, not the anti-depressants themselves.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • BoredomBoredom Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    Every drug has side effects, just like every drug has severe consequences when discontinued without doctor involvement. I don't believe anyone here has said or indicated there may not be side-effects, just like with ANY other medication.

    Your vendetta against anti-depressants is more a vendetta against how pharmaceuticals work, not the anti-depressants themselves.


    Yea, this is totally a vendetta
    My advice is to simply be aware of what you're getting into - whether there's withdrawal or the possibility of permanent side effects, while keeping in mind that it's not always bad to go on antidepressants; but it can be very bad - inform yourself so that you are able to exercise sound judgment.


    You people are loons who can't read. In the interest of not derailing this thread further, I'm not posting here anymore.

    Boredom on
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