any of you on prescribed meds?

[pitchshifter]

I'd try to avoid buying prescription meds online to be honest, you just don't know what you're getting. There's been some really good suggestions here though. If your Dr won't prescribe you a longer supply of medication, you could possibly try Hobo's idea of ordering the meds a little early each time until you have a small stock built up. That way if there was ever a time you would be unable to get your meds then you could use up your stock, if this was for a short time period you could just continue your current dose, but if you were unable to get your meds for longer then you could slowly reduce them using your stock to minimise the symptoms of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome you described. In the meantime, it would probably be worth trying Hamradioop's idea of approaching your GP to ask to be referred for therapy (bearing in mind the waiting lists for this are often quite long), which would hopefully enable you to stop the meds altogether. Whatever you decide to do, good luck with it!

[Wulfshead]

I'm on 19 tablets a day for my back and hate taking them.
I have some for depression and some for pain, the ones I really need is the sleep/pain control meds as I can't get off to sleep without either.
If I want to have a drink then I have to stay off the meds all day and then I can't get comfortable and drop off.
I can't drive on the amount of meds I'm on and I hate public transport.

One thing about prepping and depression, I find the positive attitude to catering for bad times actually helps to take me out of a depressive state rather than sinking me deeper into depression.

If and when the SHTF I'll take the night watch as once my meds run out I am sure I'll be wide awake

Wulfshead

[nickdutch]

I am no doctor or herbologist, however I have read some articles and St Jon Wort has some potential for the "treatment" of depression.

Might be worth reading up on it, I am also thinking of the phsycological side of things in that it may be better then nothing, and that may be all you need to help you through till the SHTF scenario has lessened a bit and other treatments are available.

Just another thought CBT has helped me no end, but once again YMMV.

There is a strange thing about St Johns Wort for depression. Its not like other depression medicines you can get. I don't have depression now, but I used to get it at this time of year (maybe the SAD light box is working on me?). There are some life conditions you can handle on Seroxat then you cant necessarily handle on a course for St Johns Wort and on top of that St Johns Wort takes about 60 days to "kick in" as opposed to the 21 - 30 of Seroxat, so you have to plan in advance for the treatment.

Small quantities of St Johns wort taken in the occasional tea, however does seem to have an almost instant mood enhancing effect, but it is relatively short lived, so maybe it becomes more of a comfort tea rather than a reliable source of recreational or therapeutic pleasure.

You might be better off stocking up on raw cacao nibs, coconut oil, nut butters (make your own from nuts in the blender!) and carob powder and make yourself a nice raw vegan freezer prepared chocolate which is also mood enhancing as well as being chocked full of antioxidants and nutrition that you can't get from normal chocolate at all. If you are serious about a temporary mood enhancer that is almost instant, maybe damiana is more of the route to go (regretfull I confess that I used to smoke it in my total failure to be a hippie days. it does put a smile on your face to be sure). maybe mixing that in with some honey or some home made natural chocolate would help in the short term temporary states of emotionality that one can get in moments of personal darkness.

On the "grow your own drugs for Christmas" show last year, there was a section on making truffles with Yerba Mate (which is a "tea" made from eh yerba mate plant that has both stimulant and antidepressant effects).

There is more than one way to solve the problem of human emotional disquiet.

[rik_uk3]

as a depressive myself my recommendation would be to wean off the drug and get counselling. I had several episodes in the past and lost several months at work due to depression/ stress. I found counselling to be more helpful and weaned off the Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Obviously you will need to talk to your GP about this.

Very good advice. SSRI's can be very helpful but try not to rely on them BUT DON'T JUST STOP TAKING THEM. Many NHS trusts now offer counselling and or therapy, my wife is a specialist therapy nurse and has had some remarkable and very positive results with the therapy sessions she runs both with groups and when working with individuals. Talk to your GP, ask what is available to you and do your own research; GP's may not be aware of just what is available.

Re: buying online... be very, very, very careful here, the box may look right, the meds may look right but they may well be little more than chalk powder.

As to the original post, yes I am, these days Ventolin, Serevent and Tramadol. Having been a smoker and having had TB my lungs are not functioning well but I take the least I can with the inhalers and don't take Tramadol often at all, maybe once or twice a month if my back is giving problems, I've found that paracetamol and Ibuprofen combined are pretty good day to day but still reorder my months supply of Tramadol and now have a good stock to hand.

[ticklemonkey]

Those who are type 1 diabetics have a challenge. Best way is probably just to add a bit extra each script to store.
Insulin has a best before date and loses its effect, in heat if the power goes off and the fridge is down in the summer.
Any thoughts?
I am aware, alcohol lowers blood sugar but long term vodka diet sounds unhealthy. Not sure the metabolism and energy efficiency would be overly effective.
A zombie apocalypse would not be ideal !

[Mad Scientist]

Hi everyone! I am on thyroxine. My thyroid packed in when I was 10. Quacks really strict about me ordering extra. Fortunately I was given extra thyroxine after a spell in hospital. I also need paracetomol and ibuprofen for endometriosis pain and an old back injury. I'm a few weeks ahead in thyroxine stockpile and working on it. For your information, St. John 's wort, Lavender and Skullcap tinctures are better not the pills.

[FEISTY]

Morphine based pain killers and anti inflamatories for a buggered back, got a couple of months supply in, but should the SHTF and law and order break down long term the only thing i could think of would be growing your own dope to act as a natural pain killer.
I have stopped a couple of times to see what the withdrawal effects were like and its managable although not nice, however the pain without them means I don't sleep at night....

Can't remember where I saw it, but you can legally buy the seeds - just not grow them. Many people keep seed banks for a variety of reasons - some in the hope the law will be changed and they can be in production very quickly .

[Wildfire]

Stock up by getting your GP to prescribe a higher dosage and just take the minimum you need, don't forget to rotate, I am a year ahead now

[Decaff]

Wulfshead have you tried a tens machine for your back? You can get mains/battery powered ones and they are great, in SHTF situation it would be very useful. I use mine a lit when my arm plays up an I have one that heats up and massages when on mains and massages when run on batteries.

[xfilion]

Prepared Kent.
I've been a qualified psychiatric nurse for almost 35 years and worked as a Community Nurse as well.

I would urge you strongly not to seek meds online as you will end up getting unreliable tablets that could do more harm. What I would suggest is ask your GP for a referral for CBT or CAT (cognitive analytical therapy). Try and regain control of your depression rather than it control you. Tablets taken for a long time tend to be not as effective as doing something like a therapy.

And to everyone who is considering buying medications online, please remember there is no control on the quality of medication, or if it really has any therapeutic medicine in each tablet.

Ask you GP about private prescriptions.