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Thread: What antidepressants have worked for you?

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    Default What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I was on antidepressants for 8 years and quit cold turkey 8 years ago. I took them for OCD and depression. I took mostly prozac but tried celexa and paxil. So I've been off them like 9 years and got a prescription for paxil because it helped with my anxiety which I was experienceing. Well I've been hot with depression again to where I cant get out of bed so I've been taking it everyday since sept. Were as it worked before if I just took it a few weeks before a trip. So I started lexapro 5 days ago and yesterday I felt irritable and today I couldn't get out of bed. I feel like i want to kill someone and crawl out of my body. can everyone share their experiences? I read good things about lexapro. a lot of people say the first 3 weeks are horrible then they feel great. I don't know if maybe it's reacting with the prozac still in my body. Experiences appreciated. I need to be on my game as my biggest trip of my year is in 3 weeks and I need to feel normal. thanks.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I had a really horrible reaction to celexa, which I hear is basically the same thing as lexapro? Literally it made everything 282636384940437379 worse than it was before. Get your Dr to put you on something else, maybe Effexor? A low dose of Ativan helped me too.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    No effexor was aweful years ago. I tried celexa years ago. It was similar to paxil but weaker so i went with lexapro. I'm on kolonopin as needed and he gave me prosom for sleep. maybe that's it? I've taken that the last 5 nights.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    These meds can be tricky. Sometimes one will work for awhile then your body builds a tolerance. And sometimes is takes a combination of things as different drugs work on different neurotransmitters. And it sucks cause they take days or weeks to see any result.

    I liked Wellbutrin and cymbalta but I tapered off antidepressants in favor of natural remedies. However I do feel for anyone who has moderate to severe depression or anxiety. I know firsthand. And I have gotten prescriptions when seasonal affective disorder keeps me from being productive.
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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I also had a really awful reaction to Celexa - couldn't sleep/felt suicidal. What has finally worked for me is Lexapro for anxiety and the mood stabilizer Lamictal for depression. I've been doing this combo for 5 years now, and my whole world has changed. I never thought I'd be free from depression and crippling anxiety. I know everyone's bodys react differently, but don't give up hope!

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I'm 5 days on lexapro. Did you have bad effects at first?

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by miss.a.p1600 View Post
    These meds can be tricky. Sometimes one will work for awhile then your body builds a tolerance. And sometimes is takes a combination of things as different drugs work on different neurotransmitters. And it sucks cause they take days or weeks to see any result.

    I liked Wellbutrin and cymbalta but I tapered off antidepressants in favor of natural remedies. However I do feel for anyone who has moderate to severe depression or anxiety. I know firsthand. And I have gotten prescriptions when seasonal affective disorder keeps me from being productive.
    What natural things do you use? Believe me I hated my 8 years on prozac and different things. I was happy I didn't need to take anything until about 4 years and ony maybe a few weeks every so often. But since sept I haven't been able to function. I wish I was still able to do it like that because i can't gain weight normally and gained 8 pounds since I've had to take them everyday for 6 months.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    they all killed my sex drive and appetite but the one I'm one now, mirtazapene ( remeron). its an anti anxiety, anti depressant, and it's also a sleep med so you take it at night. i absolutely love it, although the one down side is a lot of people gain a lot of weight while on it..but you said you were naturally very tiny so it may not affect you whatsoever. i can still orgasm, eat, and function totally normally on this one

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I felt shaky and nervous my first few days on Lexapro, almost like I drank too much coffee. As for natural options, I've taken amino acids like Tyrosine and Inositol. The way it was described to me, those supplements can be depleted when going through depression. There's a homeopathic remedy called Ignatia Amara that's gotten me through rough patches as well. And the potassium in bananas can be helpful for resting. Eating one before bed can help the body wind down. One last natural option is called Cal-Mag (calcium magnesium that you dissolve in warm water). If your muscles tense up it helps calm your body down, which helps the mind feel better too

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by michele11 View Post
    What natural things do you use? Believe me I hated my 8 years on prozac and different things. I was happy I didn't need to take anything until about 4 years and ony maybe a few weeks every so often. But since sept I haven't been able to function. I wish I was still able to do it like that because i can't gain weight normally and gained 8 pounds since I've had to take them everyday for 6 months.
    Did you notice any type of triggers or just a gradual onset?

    Omega 3, vitamin D, and physical exercise was the main things that helped me and have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression.

    I do yoga, exercise, breathing techniques, and sauna therapy for anxiety.

    Light therapy is also known to reduce symptoms I'd depression so I'm looking to try this here soon.

    Yes I used Prozac too and with good results at first but I believe I developed a tolerance to it. after a while I felt neither happy nor sad I just felt like my emotions were on mute. Plus like many other women it killed my already non existent sex drive

    Wellbutrin was the only drug that didn't affect my sex drive negatively it actually boosted it.
    “Cook for him like a housewife, fuck him good like a nympho….pay the rent and the car note, he invests in me like crypto”

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I think you can build up a tolerance to some drugs like Prozac, but I don't think you do with lexapro. I've been on lexapro for years at the same dose. I initially was prescribed Paxil, which worked, but has bad sexual side effects. I think lexapro is more effective, and I haven't had any side effects with it. It can take a couple of weeks to reach full effect, and you must take it every day for it to be effective. I love lexapro! Hope it works for you!

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by michele11 View Post
    So I started lexapro 5 days ago and yesterday I felt irritable and today I couldn't get out of bed. I feel like i want to kill someone and crawl out of my body..
    Feeling tired is a common side effect of lexapro but you may want to mention these feelings to your doctor. Probably not the killing part I assume you're kidding there but if you're feeling irritable or your mood is worse then maybe your doctor can help tweak your treatment.
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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I'd recommend taking fish oil (Costco has a high-quality product) - I take two a day. Take a vitamin D supplement, for sure. And make sure you're getting magnesium, b-complex, iron, and zinc. Don't take all of them at once, always take them with food, and vary what you take throughout the week. Fish oil is the only one I take every day. I probably pee out 50% of the vitamins I take, but I definitely notice a positive difference in my energy and moods. And I'm not the type to be prone to placebo effects. When I stop taking vitamins for whatever reason (like if I run out), I'll find myself wondering, like, "Huh...I haven't been feeling the greatest lately...what have I changed? Oh...I stopped taking ____."

    I also eat very cleanly, and I eat a variety of foods to try to get as many vitamins / minerals / macronutrients naturally as possible. Making sure I get enough sleep is a big one, too (I seem to need closer to 10 hours to feel fully rested).

    I went through a circumstantial mini-depression recently and started taking Wellbutrin. That was an interesting experience. I seemed to have the opposite reaction to it that you're supposed to have. I took it for about a month and then stopped because of the side effects (and the fact that it wasn't making me any happier than I was before). I remember that it completely shut down my internal monologue, which made life much more simple, but far less enjoyable. I became bored much more easily because I didn't have my normal thoughts (I can see how this side effect would be good for people who experience unpleasant racing thoughts). I wouldn't second-guess myself as often as usual. Life was much more literal when I was on Wellbutrin. It completely shut down all of my creative tendencies - I stopped meditating, stopped writing, stopped reading. I'd sit around with no thoughts in my head, just feeling bored.

    I found it harder to concentrate in school, which seems to be the opposite effect the med has on other people. I'd read a test problem without understanding it; I'd have to read it multiple times, even though my concentration is normally incredible. It also messed with my memory (I have a near-photographic memory, so this was pretty scary for me). And I remember feeling like the drug wasn't healthy for me. My heart beat more quickly when I was taking it (because it affects your 'adrenaline' neurotransmitter, norepinephrine). I was worried that it was stressing my heart out.

    I was afraid that Wellbutrin would worsen my anxiety, but it actually didn't. I normally have panic attacks in certain situations, and I experience quite a bit of social anxiety, but it didn't make that worse at all. It also gave me slightly more energy for social interactions, which was nice, since I'm a huge introvert. It made me slightly nauseous after I'd take it, but I didn't lose any weight, since I could still eat despite the slight nausea.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    It sounds like you've mostly taken SSRIs. Have you tried older antidepressants or off-label meds?

    Doxepin helped my depression a lot, although I was on it for sleep. I stopped when it didn't work for sleep anymore. If you go that route, though, take it at night.

    As someone else mentioned, Lamictal can also be effective in treating major depression and anxiety although it's still an off label rx (meant for bipolar depression). The primary issue is that you need to titrate your dose slowly over a couple of weeks -- in very rare instances, starting out at a therapeutic dose can cause Steven-Johnsons syndrome.

    There are so many other options, though. I just haven't tried too many non-SSRIs specifically for depression. Lamictal's been my pill boyfriend for a long time now, although I guess that would make Ambien a fun but abusive lover who I cheat on Lamictal with every night . Ambien make me post the dumbest crap.

    Anyway, let us know what you decide and how it works. Sorry you're going through all of this.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Do you have a psychiatrist or a primary care doc managing your psychiatric medication?

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by miss.a.p1600 View Post
    Did you notice any type of triggers or just a gradual onset?

    Omega 3, vitamin D, and physical exercise was the main things that helped me and have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression.

    I do yoga, exercise, breathing techniques, and sauna therapy for anxiety.

    Light therapy is also known to reduce symptoms I'd depression so I'm looking to try this here soon.

    Yes I used Prozac too and with good results at first but I believe I developed a tolerance to it. after a while I felt neither happy nor sad I just felt like my emotions were on mute. Plus like many other women it killed my already non existent sex drive

    Wellbutrin was the only drug that didn't affect my sex drive negatively it actually boosted it.
    My sister had a seizure from welbutrin. I was thinking of that one but my sisters an addict and has done every drug known to man so I won't try it. It was a granmall ( sp) too.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by michele11 View Post
    My sister had a seizure from welbutrin. I was thinking of that one but my sisters an addict and has done every drug known to man so I won't try it. It was a granmall ( sp) too.
    If alcohol is mixed with Wellbutrin can cause seizures. Not sure if people are aware before taking it.

    But yeah definitely ask the doctor or pharmacist what the adverse interactions are before taking new medications or if they negatively interact with anything you're already taking.
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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by Hockogrocle View Post
    Do you have a psychiatrist or a primary care doc managing your psychiatric medication?
    He's a Psychiatrist but honestly he's an idiot. It's a place with like 20 of them and HE really doesn't listen. I went to him because he saw my aunt and my sister.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Thanks everyone. The last 3 days I'm trying to take half but they are hard to break perfectly. I'm on 10 mg. My main problem over the last 6 years has been insomnia and anxiety. Like I said I know you're not suppose to take as needed but if I got really bad before a trip I'd just take paxil for say a week or 2 before and it worked. all I can compare this to is the way I felt when I got on a certain birth control years ago( a popular one can;t remember the name). Missa.p1600 I didn't want to get out of bed not because I was tired ( surprisingly because it's a side effect) but because i couldn't make myself. I felt like this before but this is completely different. like I'm crazy. Idk. Charlie Nordic omegas have worked for me. I just ran oout.Hopefully this goes away soon or I'm going to switch back to paxil. I don't want to be on something long term or everyday. I was like a robot on the end on prozac and 15 pounds heavier too.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by lol1337a View Post
    It sounds like you've mostly taken SSRIs. Have you tried older antidepressants or off-label meds?

    Doxepin helped my depression a lot, although I was on it for sleep. I stopped when it didn't work for sleep anymore. If you go that route, though, take it at night.

    As someone else mentioned, Lamictal can also be effective in treating major depression and anxiety although it's still an off label rx (meant for bipolar depression). The primary issue is that you need to titrate your dose slowly over a couple of weeks -- in very rare instances, starting out at a therapeutic dose can cause Steven-Johnsons syndrome.

    There are so many other options, though. I just haven't tried too many non-SSRIs specifically for depression. Lamictal's been my pill boyfriend for a long time now, although I guess that would make Ambien a fun but abusive lover who I cheat on Lamictal with every night . Ambien make me post the dumbest crap.

    Anyway, let us know what you decide and how it works. Sorry you're going through all of this.
    Didn't you say it has bad withdrawal if you miss some days? Do you take it all the time?

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    With any of these drugs, alcohol will interfere with their effectiveness, and/or could have serious side effects. I would definitely ask your doctor before drinking while using any of these.

    I'd also mention that Lexapro is an SSRI. I'm not a doctor, but as I understand it, an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor) prevents the body from re-absorbing the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is believed to be one of the chemicals that promotes a feeling of happiness or well-being in people. So this drug prevents the body from re-cycling it as quickly. That's why it takes a couple of weeks to reach effectiveness. It allows the serotonin level to gradually increase to a level where it is effective in treating your depression. If you reduce taking it, or skip doses, you are interfering with the effectiveness.

    Other drugs like Xanax can have an impact with a single dose for a couple of hours, but Lexapro doesn't work that way.
    It almost sounds like you may be in withdrawal from the Prozac. But, if you aren't feeling well, I'd suggest going back to your doctor. Different anti-depressants work better for different people.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    I would also do some research on how taking SSRIs long-term can affect your neurotransmitters.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by gameover View Post
    With any of these drugs, alcohol will interfere with their effectiveness, and/or could have serious side effects. I would definitely ask your doctor before drinking while using any of these.

    I'd also mention that Lexapro is an SSRI. I'm not a doctor, but as I understand it, an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor) prevents the body from re-absorbing the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is believed to be one of the chemicals that promotes a feeling of happiness or well-being in people. So this drug prevents the body from re-cycling it as quickly. That's why it takes a couple of weeks to reach effectiveness. It allows the serotonin level to gradually increase to a level where it is effective in treating your depression. If you reduce taking it, or skip doses, you are interfering with the effectiveness.

    Other drugs like Xanax can have an impact with a single dose for a couple of hours, but Lexapro doesn't work that way.
    It almost sounds like you may be in withdrawal from the Prozac. But, if you aren't feeling well, I'd suggest going back to your doctor. Different anti-depressants work better for different people.
    I asked him if I should taper of the paxil before I start the lexapro and he said no. Idiot. I don't drink at all in between trips and I've been off 3 weeks so it's not an issue.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Oh my sister told me most antidepressants have atihistamines like effects that react with hormones hence weight gain.

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    Default Re: What antidepressants have worked for you?

    Quote Originally Posted by michele11 View Post
    I didn't want to get out of bed not because I was tired ( surprisingly because it's a side effect) but because i couldn't make myself. I felt like this before but this is completely different. like I'm crazy. Idk.
    You mean like not having motivation to get out of bed?
    “Cook for him like a housewife, fuck him good like a nympho….pay the rent and the car note, he invests in me like crypto”

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