Susan in TN Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Supposed you were a male and had been having some symptoms lately - mild anxiety, heat (like hot flashes, I think), weight-loss, muscle issues, moderately high blood pressure (systolic number only), poor sleep, etc. You stopped taking a allergy steriod medication a week ago and have found the symptoms disappearing significantly and you think many of these symptoms actually began 4 months ago when you began taking the allergy meds. But because your father and other relatives have had issues with hyperthyroidism and many of your symptoms are similar and sound hormonal in nature, you go to the doctor and get a round of blood tests and are scheduled for an ultrasound of your thyroid tomorrow. HOWEVER, at the same appointment, your doctor prescribes a mild antidepressant/anti-anxiety (buspar) for you to begin taking immediately, without waiting for any test results. Would you start taking the antidepressants? (Here, in my head, I'm saying NO WAY - for heavens sake at least wait until you get some bloodwork results back and then by all means FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR!) Am I completely off base? Would you start on the antidepressant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Did they do an assessment? Did they have you fill out worksheets rating things on different scales? If not I would not take an anti-depressant. Doctors keep trying to give me an anti-depressant. I only recently found on that said I wasn't depressed. Duh! I am just tired!! I only recently began thyroid meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 No, I would not take it without ruling out other issues first. For one thing, taking antidepressants affects your ability to get life or disability insurance. Doctors seem awful quick to prescribe antidepressants and similar meds. One of my past doctors put me on anti-anxiety medicine for what ended up being asthma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 No. not unless I felt like I actually needed an antidepressant. I had a doctor recently prescribe me an antidepressant before sending me off to a specialist. I didn't fill the prescription, because it didn't seem right. When I got in to see the specialist, I told him I had this script, and he said, "You haven't filled that have you?...Good. Here's what you really need instead." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 No way. You want to rule out other issues first. Then if you suspect mental health issues, see a mental health specialist, but be in talk therapy at the same time. Anti-depressants, while very useful for some people, are only a quick fix. For long-term healing, you need to mentally work through your issues, develop healthy coping mechanisms and/or change your lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 No way! And I have a history of needing those sorts of meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mona100 Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Buspar is more for anxiety issues than depression. I bet it is a low dose. Prolly something just to get him over the hump until blood work comes in for his hyperthyroidism. The blood work has been drawn correct? I can understand people not wanting to take anti depressants but I thought buspar was an anti anxiety medication only. I find that it doesn't take away from my personality at all like an anti depressant would. But I can understand your reservations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 I wouldn't take an antidepressant until results are back unless I felt it was absolutely necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Supposed you were a male and had been having some symptoms lately - mild anxiety, heat (like hot flashes, I think), weight-loss, muscle issues, moderately high blood pressure (systolic number only), poor sleep, etc. You stopped taking a allergy steriod medication a week ago and have found the symptoms disappearing significantly and you think many of these symptoms actually began 4 months ago when you began taking the allergy meds. But because your father and other relatives have had issues with hyperthyroidism and many of your symptoms are similar and sound hormonal in nature, you go to the doctor and get a round of blood tests and are scheduled for an ultrasound of your thyroid tomorrow. HOWEVER, at the same appointment, your doctor prescribes a mild antidepressant/anti-anxiety (buspar) for you to begin taking immediately, without waiting for any test results. Would you start taking the antidepressants? (Here, in my head, I'm saying NO WAY - for heavens sake at least wait until you get some bloodwork results back and then by all means FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR!) Am I completely off base? Would you start on the antidepressant? NO. Not until the test results were done that I was anticipating. Steroids are nasty things, from what I've heard, and can cause all kinds of effects. I hope you get it taken care of soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 Buspar is more for anxiety issues than depression. I bet it is a low dose. Prolly something just to get him over the hump until blood work comes in for his hyperthyroidism. The blood work has been drawn correct? I can understand people not wanting to take anti depressants but I thought buspar was an anti anxiety medication only. I find that it doesn't take away from my personality at all like an anti depressant would. But I can understand your reservations. Yes, you are right - it's a mild anti-anxiety - I had it wrong at first. I guess the concern is that if the anxiety is not debilitating (can still function at work, drive a car, etc., etc.,) and has actually improved a great deal since going off the allergy steriod, is it a good idea to go on a medication without knowing what else may be going on in the body? An appointment has been made with another MD (this one is more of a holistic/naturopathic dr.) to get a second opinion once the blood test/ultrasound results are in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Yes, Buspar is for anxiety only. You can just stop taking it, no need to be weaned. But, this is a drug for someone who has really bad anxiety(I know because I have been on it). I wouldn't start this drug until test results were back. And I would not start any anxiety medication unless it was prescribed by a Psych Dr. Buspar has a bad side effect of chest pain. I didn't know this. I thought one night I was having a heart attack. I came off the medication and never had that chest pain again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stayseeliz Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Always rule out physical issues first. I got a script at my dr appointment last month and waited until thyroid and blood sugar meds kicked in first and decided not to take the antidepressant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mona100 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Yes, you are right - it's a mild anti-anxiety - I had it wrong at first. I guess the concern is that if the anxiety is not debilitating (can still function at work, drive a car, etc., etc.,) and has actually improved a great deal since going off the allergy steriod, is it a good idea to go on a medication without knowing what else may be going on in the body? An appointment has been made with another MD (this one is more of a holistic/naturopathic dr.) to get a second opinion once the blood test/ultrasound results are in. If he has gotten better since he was taken off the steriods, I wouldn't worry about it. One less prescription to take and pay for. ;) Just because a doctor gives a prescription doesn't mean you have to take it. I remember one time a doctor gave me an antibiotic when I really didn't think I needed it. I had an ovarian cyst burst on me at work and an overzealous coworker made me go downstairs to the ER. He gave an antibiotic because he thought I had a UTI. No UTI, so no antibiotics. Basically, the point of my long winded post is that I am glad his symptoms are going away and if it was me and my anxiety symptoms went away, I wouldn't take it. I hope you guys find the answers you need for his thyroid issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 If he has gotten better since he was taken off the steriods, I wouldn't worry about it. One less prescription to take and pay for. ;) Just because a doctor gives a prescription doesn't mean you have to take it. I remember one time a doctor gave me an antibiotic when I really didn't think I needed it. I had an ovarian cyst burst on me at work and an overzealous coworker made me go downstairs to the ER. He gave an antibiotic because he thought I had a UTI. No UTI, so no antibiotics. Basically, the point of my long winded post is that I am glad his symptoms are going away and if it was me and my anxiety symptoms went away, I wouldn't take it. I hope you guys find the answers you need for his thyroid issues. This is what he was thinking - he told the dr. he was feeling much LESS anxiety lately, and wasn't feeling any stress or anxiety at all that day (aside from not really wanting to be at the dr.), but she still kept saying he SOUNDED stressed out "so here's a prescription for that." It's really hard to not simply follow dr.'s orders...but I'm glad he's waiting and will hopefully get some better idea of what is going on soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELITEANDLOVINGIT Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I guess since I have spent a bit of time around the medical community I would point blank ask the doctor what the reason for the prescription was, what he was considering for differential diagnosis (hypothyroidism, testosterone deficiency,lymphoma) request at minimum a CBC w/ Dif, Thyroid Panel, and an MHP (male hormone panel). You could basically just call this a comprehensive panel, though I am not sure if they would include the MHP. If I had any questions I would put a call into the nurse at clinic, state you concerns and ask for the doctor to get back with you. I would start taking any drug I had concerns about until I was sure why it was being prescribed. All that being said...IF my husband came home and said he was going to start taking BUSPAR, which would be difficult for most men to admit. If he didn't seem to have concerns I would fully support him. You never know what he feels comfortable talking about with his doctor. I would be honest about my thoughts...still I would support him. - Just read down a bit more, so they DID the tests? Are the results back? If you don't feel comfortable with the doc don't be afraid to see someone else. I would NOT like a doctor telling me I WAS feeling one way, when I was stating that I wasn't feeling that way at all. It seems like she isn't listening. Also, if its not depression/anxiety there are faster acting/short term use prescriptive she could have given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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