How long does it usually take to determine if a medication is working well for you or not?
1,5 months up to 3 months (if it's an antidepressant, SSRI/SNRI).
It depends on how sensitive you are and how self aware you are about the changes.
I can sense a feeling of altered mood state after a week or two though, but i'm really sensitive.
How to determine if it's working well for you is anyone's guess. Depending on why you're taking the medication (stabilizing mood swings) or just treating "common depression" it can be hard to really know.
Different SSRI's react quite similar to each other, with difference in strength of the side-effects and the same goes for SNRI's.
If you've been treated with something like zyprexa/mirtazapine (antipsychotic but also used as a stabilizer) you should feel the effects right after you've taken them. Same goes for "downers" (benzos and the like).
If it's an antidepressant you should feel the side effects in the first month, and it usually plans out after the initial month. Expect to feel a "better sense of coping with things" at about 3 months.
It's a double edged sword with antidepressants. it usually stabilize for normal persons within 3 months but after the 3 months you've become used to it (or "addicted" for lack of better word), so if the effect is not what you're looking for and you want to try another medication you have to expect at least a month (depending on the meds) to lower dosage until you're free from it and can start another treatment.
If you have hypochondriac tendencies i would be hesitant to read about all the side-effects but then again, it's really good to have that knowledge so you know it's actually doing something and what you're feeling (positive or negative) is normal.
Best bet is to consult with your psychiatrist/psychologist just to be sure. They're obligated (at least where i live) to tell you about the effects and side-effects.
It's been a few weeks since I stopped taking my medication. I can still hear my eyes move sometimes...
I hope you stepped down in dosage similar to what i described (and had consulted with your psychiatrist beforehand) before you decided to stop taking them. Going cold turkey is like playing with fire and for some individuals, lethal.
IIRC this can happen;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_syndrome
And, from personal experience, Effexor is really dangerous regarding to that.
I found that effexor works for me but many friends and people i've talked to get really nasty withdrawal symptom and that's why it's MANDATORY that you talk to your doctor before you decide to stop taking them.
I had a friend who had the brain zaps and other symptoms even after three years of stopping with effexor.
It scares me that doctors are not aware of the sever withdrawal effexor tends to have and i think it should be handle with a lot more care than other prescribed drugs. I did not experience any permanent side-effects after i quit the last time but like i said, i had a friend who went through hell even after three years and i've read and heard about that many people have had similar reactions.
I have only used two SNRI's (effexor and cymbalta) and iirc cymbalta didn't have quite the severe withdrawal as effexor but it still was quite unpleasant. I wonder if this is common in all SNRI's?
EDIT:
If anyone's considering taking antidepressants because they cannot cope with whatever the shit they're dealing with but are still functional (with no severe diagnoses) i remember that my doctor recommended Escitalopram.
The side-effects were pretty much non existent and it kind of stabilized the ups and downs for me. I have severe diagnoses (probably) so it didn't give me the effect i was looking for but that particular drug could possibly be what you need.
It was easy to stop taking it for me as well. Iirc, i just stopped cold turkey (this is never recommended, talk with your doctor before), but it could help. I remember that my doctor told me that it was much more efficient than citalopram (which tend to be the go-to drug for mild depression). Anecdotal reports from various friends and family have had great success with it.
ALSO
For anyone considering prescribed drugs, demand therapy and weekly contact. Just getting the drug prescribed will not change your situation. It sounds idiotic and silly but it really helps having someone from the outside to talk to.
For the more "severe" cases, demand KBT/DBT. Hell, if things are really shitty.. Consider writing yourself into a mental hospital (it usually is shit though, they just pump you full of benzos).. but if you have suicidal tendencies it could be the best course of actions.
And for the different armchair opinions inside this thread that is telling us that we just need to "buckle up and deal with it". Refrain from posting in here at all. It does not help AT ALL and it infuriates me to no end. I remember when i was 14 that they recommended me to take a walk 20 minutes a day for my mental problems. So i did. The positive thing was i got some sunlight and a small exercise. Didn't do shit about my situation.
Yes, exercise and eating healthy can help (somewhat). But for severe depression and for people with severe diagnoses it's just a fucking insult.
