Anyone care to share their experiences with anti-depressants (and going on/off them)

[Mreader]

I always tended toward anxious but never bad enough to take anything; that changed after having a baby/death of parent/move across the country all at the same time. What pushed me to finally take something was the extreme insomnia I got after baby sleep schedule wacked me out; that in conjunction with all the other stuff was too much. There were side effects though I did not like (weight gain of 10-15 lbs when I've always been pretty thin) that really bothered me. Fast forward 7 years of being on it and I finally I went off two months ago, but I feel like I'm gritting my teeth a bit...namely, the sleep stuff is creeping back. It's annoying bc anxiety I can live with, not insomnia. BUT it's all in my effing head and I know it. I think too much about not being able to sleep which makes me unable to sleep; it's like once the genie is out of the bottle I can put it back and go back to how I was before I had sleep issues. It's just frustrating that I may go back on for that specific reason even though I am sure the sleeplessness is mental, not chemical. Also I didn't lose the weight that I expected to lose...I am convinced that drug is what contributed though bc I put on those extra lbs as soon as I started taking it and working out 5x a week did nothing.

Anyway I have seen ppl mention taking antidepressants in various hangout threads, but I don't think there is a dedicated thread about it. I am curious about your experiences with them, good and bad, and also really wondering if anyone here has gone on them then quit taking them.

@Mrsz1ppy I hope you don't mind me tagging you, bc I think you have mentioned before that you take a med and have for a long time.

TIA

 

[elizat]

I currently take a medication for depression and have another PRN for anxiety. I didn't take anything for YEARS and it was not a minor issue for me and I also had physical symptoms with the mental.

I started treating with a psychiatrist and therapist coming up on a year now, I think, and it's made a huge world of difference. If you think it might help, I'd find a provider and see what they say.

Different meds are different for different people, like anything else. It may take different meds or different doses before you feel like it's helping. I understand that's normal and that was the experience for me.

I did gain some weight and we are in a stressful situation with moving, so it could be a lot of things. I'd rather gain some weight though and not feel miserable. It's worth it to me. I figure I can always work to lose the weight, but if I feel terrible, I am not gonig to be motivated to lose weight.

I don't know if you have intrusive thoughts and you don't have to say so, but I have always had that problem with very loud intrusive thoughts that are very negative. They are still there, but mostly quiet now. It's more peaceful. I hope that helps.

ETA: I previously was on meds years ago and then my pcp wouldn't renew the RX. So I went off without any low dosing. That was rough. I think every med may have different on and offloading times. I know that Zoloft and I did NOT agree either.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I was on medication for anxiety like 20 years ago, at the time I took Celexa and Risperdal. No idea why they put me on that second med because I am not bi-polar or schizophrenic, if I had to guess it’s probably because I have OCD tendencies and they were worse then. Thing is, I hated being on medication so I weaned myself off and didn’t have any issue but you have to be so careful about getting off of them.

Recently I was prescribed Klonopin because there was a chance I was going to have to testify as a witness in court and I was so stressed out that my blood pressure shot up and I couldn’t function. Didn’t end up having to go since they settled, but I did give the Klonopin a trial run and it did help to get my anxiety under control. I wouldn’t take it long term though because the risk for addiction with this drug is very high.

No idea what the answer is, I can’t imagine dealing with insomnia but I feel like once you start taking something your body starts to need it and it can become an endless cycle.

Have you considered a natural approach to the insomnia? Maybe there is a safe supplement you could take but you will probably need a naturopath because I feel like traditional doctors are not usually familiar with alternatives to prescription meds.

11/2/23

 

[elizat]

I was on medication for anxiety like 20 years ago, at the time I took Celexa and Risperdal. No idea why they put me on that second med because I am not bi-polar or schizophrenic, if I had to guess it’s probably because I have OCD tendencies and they were worse then. Thing is, I hated being on medication so I weaned myself off and didn’t have any issue but you have to be so careful about getting off of them.

Recently I was prescribed Klonopin because there was a chance I was going to have to testify as a witness in court and I was so stressed out that my blood pressure shot up and I couldn’t function. Didn’t end up having to go since they settled, but I did give the Klonopin a trial run and it did help to get my anxiety under control. I wouldn’t take it long term though because the risk for addiction with this drug is very high.

No idea what the answer is, I can’t imagine dealing with insomnia but I feel like once you start taking something your body starts to need it and it can become an endless cycle.

Have you considered a natural approach to the insomnia? Maybe there is a safe supplement you could take but you will probably need a naturopath because I feel like traditional doctors are not usually familiar with alternatives to prescription meds.

11/2/23

Klonopin did nothing for me. At most, it just made me go to sleep and that's it. It's always interesting to me about how certain drugs work, or don't work.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Klonopin did nothing for me. At most, it just made me go to sleep and that's it. It's always interesting to me about how certain drugs work, or don't work.

Yeah, I mean I kind of expected more from it to be honest. One of my co-workers was like “oh you got the good stuff” but I wasn’t impressed. The only positive is it doesn’t take weeks to build up in your system like an anti-depressant, it’s pretty fast acting. That’s why he prescribed it, I needed something that would get me through the trial which was only 2-3 days max.

 

[Ionysis]

I’m almost at the point now if asking for medication. My husband has been on anti anxiety / anti psychotic meds for years (complex ptsd) so I know a lot about the various different permutations. I am not comfortable with medications at all - even painkillers - I don’t really do doctors unless absolutely necessary. But I’m so stressed out with work that I don’t think I can cope any more. It’s relentless. And I cannot switch my brain off.

I feel constantly terrified that I’m doing things wrong and making mistakes and saying the wrong thing and it’s intruding into every waking (and sleeping!) moment of my life. I just want to run away and hole up in a place where I don’t have to interact with other humans - because I have to deal with so many *******s and so many challenging situations. I just don’t want to engage with anyone ever again. That’s not an option so I need something to help me cope. And yes the intrusive thoughts are a big problem.

It doesn’t help that I know that if I screw up at work that’s it. There is no back up plan. I am single-handedly responsible for everything and the only earner.

I’m thinking Wellbutrin as it has fewer unpleasant side effects and would also help my adhd.

 

[Ionysis]

I always tended toward anxious but never bad enough to take anything; that changed after having a baby/death of parent/move across the country all at the same time. What pushed me to finally take something was the extreme insomnia I got after baby sleep schedule wacked me out; that in conjunction with all the other stuff was too much. There were side effects though I did not like (weight gain of 10-15 lbs when I've always been pretty thin) that really bothered me. Fast forward 7 years of being on it and I finally I went off two months ago, but I feel like I'm gritting my teeth a bit...namely, the sleep stuff is creeping back. It's annoying bc anxiety I can live with, not insomnia. BUT it's all in my effing head and I know it. I think too much about not being able to sleep which makes me unable to sleep; it's like once the genie is out of the bottle I can put it back and go back to how I was before I had sleep issues. It's just frustrating that I may go back on for that specific reason even though I am sure the sleeplessness is mental, not chemical. Also I didn't lose the weight that I expected to lose...I am convinced that drug is what contributed though bc I put on those extra lbs as soon as I started taking it and working out 5x a week did nothing.

Anyway I have seen ppl mention taking antidepressants in various hangout threads, but I don't think there is a dedicated thread about it. I am curious about your experiences with them, good and bad, and also really wondering if anyone here has gone on them then quit taking them.

@Mrsz1ppy I hope you don't mind me tagging you, bc I think you have mentioned before that you take a med and have for a long time.

TIA

I really feel for you. I also cannot tolerate lack of sleep at all. Maybe mild sleeping pills rather than antidepressants to get you over the hump? I find zopicalm works for me if I am in extremis.

 

[Mreader]

I currently take a medication for depression and have another PRN for anxiety. I didn't take anything for YEARS and it was not a minor issue for me and I also had physical symptoms with the mental.

I started treating with a psychiatrist and therapist coming up on a year now, I think, and it's made a huge world of difference. If you think it might help, I'd find a provider and see what they say.

Different meds are different for different people, like anything else. It may take different meds or different doses before you feel like it's helping. I understand that's normal and that was the experience for me.

I did gain some weight and we are in a stressful situation with moving, so it could be a lot of things. I'd rather gain some weight though and not feel miserable. It's worth it to me. I figure I can always work to lose the weight, but if I feel terrible, I am not gonig to be motivated to lose weight.

I don't know if you have intrusive thoughts and you don't have to say so, but I have always had that problem with very loud intrusive thoughts that are very negative. They are still there, but mostly quiet now. It's more peaceful. I hope that helps.

ETA: I previously was on meds years ago and then my pcp wouldn't renew the RX. So I went off without any low dosing. That was rough. I think every med may have different on and offloading times. I know that Zoloft and I did NOT agree either.

Thanks so much for sharing. Sertraline, which is generic for Zoloft is what I was on. And the main side effect was the weight and nothing I could do would take it off. The thing is it works for everything else, so that’s why I hesitated to try different drugs, because it would mean I would have to taper down on one and taper up on another, and do the whole trial and error thing. So I decided to wean off totally just to see how I would feel and so far not too much at all in the way of withdrawal. Just a sleep, so yes, I am thinking of some sort of therapy since that’s the main issue to address and I don’t think that supplements etc. will work very well as I’ve tried those. Since I think it’s mind over matter with regard to sleep instead of a chemical Problem.

ETA - I can’t believe you were forced in a situation where you had to go cold turkey. Because withdrawal systems can be really severe if you don’t slowly wean. That seems really irresponsible on the part of the MD!

 

[Mreader]

I was on medication for anxiety like 20 years ago, at the time I took Celexa and Risperdal. No idea why they put me on that second med because I am not bi-polar or schizophrenic, if I had to guess it’s probably because I have OCD tendencies and they were worse then. Thing is, I hated being on medication so I weaned myself off and didn’t have any issue but you have to be so careful about getting off of them.

Recently I was prescribed Klonopin because there was a chance I was going to have to testify as a witness in court and I was so stressed out that my blood pressure shot up and I couldn’t function. Didn’t end up having to go since they settled, but I did give the Klonopin a trial run and it did help to get my anxiety under control. I wouldn’t take it long term though because the risk for addiction with this drug is very high.

No idea what the answer is, I can’t imagine dealing with insomnia but I feel like once you start taking something your body starts to need it and it can become an endless cycle.

Have you considered a natural approach to the insomnia? Maybe there is a safe supplement you could take but you will probably need a naturopath because I feel like traditional doctors are not usually familiar with alternatives to prescription meds.

11/2/23

Hi Yada! Thank you for sharing! I realize I responded to Elizat regarding the supplement when you’re the one who mentioned supplement for sleep so you can read above lol.

I’m familiar with Klonopin and other benzodiazepines and they’re very addictive, so I would not want to use that on a regular basis at all. But when I have, it definitely works to put me to sleep. At this point doctors will hardly prescribe it! It’s definitely for short term situations like when you were awaiting that court case rather than a long-term solution.

 

[Mreader]

I’m almost at the point now if asking for medication. My husband has been on anti anxiety / anti psychotic meds for years (complex ptsd) so I know a lot about the various different permutations. I am not comfortable with medications at all - even painkillers - I don’t really do doctors unless absolutely necessary. But I’m so stressed out with work that I don’t think I can cope any more. It’s relentless. And I cannot switch my brain off.

I feel constantly terrified that I’m doing things wrong and making mistakes and saying the wrong thing and it’s intruding into every waking (and sleeping!) moment of my life. I just want to run away and hole up in a place where I don’t have to interact with other humans - because I have to deal with so many *******s and so many challenging situations. I just don’t want to engage with anyone ever again. That’s not an option so I need something to help me cope. And yes the intrusive thoughts are a big problem.

It doesn’t help that I know that if I screw up at work that’s it. There is no back up plan. I am single-handedly responsible for everything and the only earner.

I’m thinking Wellbutrin as it has fewer unpleasant side effects and would also help my adhd.

That sounds like anxiety for sure. I’ve heard mixed results about Wellbutrin. Of course it all depends on the person but what my doctor told me is that it’s not the best choice for anxiety because it amps you up. It’s more for people who have a lethargic type of depression; in other words, people who want to sleep through the day or have trouble getting out of bed. And that is definitely not my issue. Lol. Again every person is different but it’s a consistent thing I’ve read and my doctor told me as well when I mentioned that as a possibility. I hope that you find something that will work for you well!

 

[Mreader]

I really feel for you. I also cannot tolerate lack of sleep at all. Maybe mild sleeping pills rather than antidepressants to get you over the hump? I find zopicalm works for me if I am in extremis.

The thing is, I’m over the hump in terms of weaning off. It’s been over two months and when I first weaned I didn’t have trouble. It’s only been creeping up the past two weeks with the sleep and I think it’s mainly mental.

 

[MamaBear]

Are you aware you can do genetic testing? That would tell your doctor what medicines work best for your makeup. I’ve done it, very simple cheek swab and a couple of weeks for the results to come back.

 

[Mreader]

Are you aware you can do genetic testing? That would tell your doctor what medicines work best for your makeup. I’ve done it, very simple cheek swab and a couple of weeks for the results to come back.

That’s interesting- did insurance cover?

 

[MamaBear]

That’s interesting- did insurance cover?

It didn't cover mine, at the time. We have since had some of our children and my husband done, and insurance covered some of theirs.

ETA: It was a terrific tool for me. I had been on various anti depressants for over 20 years with varying degrees of side effects. I always weaned off of them b/c I just hated the side effects! When I got my results, every anti depressant I'd been prescribed were on the poor reaction side! My doctor prescribed me one that was correct for my makeup and I've been on it about 7 years now. No intolerable side effects!

 

[rainydaze]

That’s interesting- did insurance cover?

I recently had this done. Insurance didn't cover, but it only cost like $200. (I had the impression that it was thousands.)

 

[Lschneids01]

I always tended toward anxious but never bad enough to take anything; that changed after having a baby/death of parent/move across the country all at the same time. What pushed me to finally take something was the extreme insomnia I got after baby sleep schedule wacked me out; that in conjunction with all the other stuff was too much. There were side effects though I did not like (weight gain of 10-15 lbs when I've always been pretty thin) that really bothered me. Fast forward 7 years of being on it and I finally I went off two months ago, but I feel like I'm gritting my teeth a bit...namely, the sleep stuff is creeping back. It's annoying bc anxiety I can live with, not insomnia. BUT it's all in my effing head and I know it. I think too much about not being able to sleep which makes me unable to sleep; it's like once the genie is out of the bottle I can put it back and go back to how I was before I had sleep issues. It's just frustrating that I may go back on for that specific reason even though I am sure the sleeplessness is mental, not chemical. Also I didn't lose the weight that I expected to lose...I am convinced that drug is what contributed though bc I put on those extra lbs as soon as I started taking it and working out 5x a week did nothing.

Anyway I have seen ppl mention taking antidepressants in various hangout threads, but I don't think there is a dedicated thread about it. I am curious about your experiences with them, good and bad, and also really wondering if anyone here has gone on them then quit taking them.

@Mrsz1ppy I hope you don't mind me tagging you, bc I think you have mentioned before that you take a med and have for a long time.

TIA

Hi! I think a lot of people can relate to what you’re going through. I was on Cymbalta for my Fibromyalgia 20mg per day, lowest dose, since 2019 when I went through a lot of change in my life as well. I had tried Lexapro which was a bitch to wait out the two and a half months before the side effects settled. Worst one I tried to get on but got off fine. Pristique I was on a couple years before that after my dad passed away in an accident when I was 28 years old. I got on that one so easy no side effects getting offf either. I then went on low dose 25mg of Amitriptyline which is a TCA cause I’m like you with my head spins out of control at night and can’t sleep. I really liked that one but did cause day hunger. You have to take it at night so it acted like a sleep aid/antidepressant too. You might want to try that one. No side effects going on or off. Fast forward back to getting off Cymbalta that I was on since 2019 when I found out I had fibromyalgia. Well even on the lowest dose 20mg only comes in capsules. And I tried for a year to get off it even opening the pills and counting the little beads and making new pills with less beads to wean off that way. It was way too much work so I cross tapered to 20 mg of the Prozac tablets that you can cut cause their not capsules. So I’m still on the 20mg tablets and next doctors appointment I will start cutting them. But I hate that I also have to take a 10mg Valium to sleep at night cause my mind races still. That’s why I liked the amitrytiline. It was a sleep aid antidepressant in one. But hated being hungry all day. The Cymbalta I sweat like a pig on all day. I hate that drug. Prozac has bn okay. But I want to try life without medications. I was on Wellbutrin on and off for years which is a different class of drug but so easy to
Get on and off with no side effects. I say I look at depression as a disease like cancer. So is insomnia and anxiety. We can’t help it nor do we want it but just like the rest of the world who has a disease, that’s what I have and need medicine for it too. So inshould not and you should not beat yourself up about needing medication for your anxiety or sleep. Did you ever try melatonin over the counter? My fiancé uses that with one Benadryl that makes me sleepy so maybe try that first. But if you’re having bad anxiety I know Zoloft is good for anxiety never tried it yet myself or because you’re not sleeping look into the amitryptyline 25mg. It was my savior when I couldn’t sleep. I did gain weight only on the Cymbalta though and I mean I’m twice the size I was. With the Prozac i don’t feel constantly hungry so I hope to lose the weight.

 

[Lschneids01]

I always tended toward anxious but never bad enough to take anything; that changed after having a baby/death of parent/move across the country all at the same time. What pushed me to finally take something was the extreme insomnia I got after baby sleep schedule wacked me out; that in conjunction with all the other stuff was too much. There were side effects though I did not like (weight gain of 10-15 lbs when I've always been pretty thin) that really bothered me. Fast forward 7 years of being on it and I finally I went off two months ago, but I feel like I'm gritting my teeth a bit...namely, the sleep stuff is creeping back. It's annoying bc anxiety I can live with, not insomnia. BUT it's all in my effing head and I know it. I think too much about not being able to sleep which makes me unable to sleep; it's like once the genie is out of the bottle I can put it back and go back to how I was before I had sleep issues. It's just frustrating that I may go back on for that specific reason even though I am sure the sleeplessness is mental, not chemical. Also I didn't lose the weight that I expected to lose...I am convinced that drug is what contributed though bc I put on those extra lbs as soon as I started taking it and working out 5x a week did nothing.

Anyway I have seen ppl mention taking antidepressants in various hangout threads, but I don't think there is a dedicated thread about it. I am curious about your experiences with them, good and bad, and also really wondering if anyone here has gone on them then quit taking them.

@Mrsz1ppy I hope you don't mind me tagging you, bc I think you have mentioned before that you take a med and have for a long time.

TIA

Oh and the 10mg Valium I can get stop without side effects unlike I had when I tried getting off Xanax 10 years ago (that I did get off thank goodness). Xanax is the worst in my opinion. So physical and mentally addictive.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Lschneids01, my doctor wouldn’t give me Xanax, he gave me Klonopin instead because he said Xanax is so dangerous.

 

[Mreader]

@Lschneids01, my doctor wouldn’t give me Xanax, he gave me Klonopin instead because he said Xanax is so dangerous.

I find that really strange because they’re both in the same class, both benzos and both very addictive. Again, not in a short term situation but not something that somebody would be taking on a daily basis.

 

[Mreader]

Oh and the 10mg Valium I can get stop without side effects unlike I had when I tried getting off Xanax 10 years ago (that I did get off thank goodness). Xanax is the worst in my opinion. So physical and mentally addictive.

Thank you for sharing all this info. It sounds like you have really been through the wringer at times! I have heard of this Amitriptyline before: I believe it’s been around for a very long time. How come you went off of it if it works for you? And what you say about Cymbalta as interesting as well because that’s the drug. I was thinking of trying if I have to go back on only because anecdotally at least people say it’s the best for weight. And some people say that helps with migraines which I also have.

 

[HS4S_2]

I am going to message you on IG.

 

[VRBeauty]

I’ve gone off and back on several times. My advice about going off or switching is to go slowly, and ramp on and off per the doctor’s orders. Chances are you won’t have a horrible reaction if you try to short-circuit the process - heaven knows I’ve done that a few times - but there is a slim chance that you will. I once inadvertently went off an anti-depressant cold turkey and inadvertently when my HMO switched me to the generic version of a popular anti-depressant without notifying me. Almost right away I spiraled down into a depression so deep, so quickly, that I couldn’t function, couldn’t see myself ever functioning again, and was thinking suicide was the only option. (The pharmacy said the generic drug works fine for something like 98% of patients, but I was clearly among the small percentage for whom it was ineffective.). My take-away is to be very careful when starting or stopping phychiatric drugs.

BTW even though my rational mind knows drugs are a legitimate response to a real medical problem, it took a long for me to really accept medication as a solution for me. As it is, I’m now on a very low dose, just enough to keep the worst of it at bay.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

I always tended toward anxious but never bad enough to take anything; that changed after having a baby/death of parent/move across the country all at the same time. What pushed me to finally take something was the extreme insomnia I got after baby sleep schedule wacked me out; that in conjunction with all the other stuff was too much. There were side effects though I did not like (weight gain of 10-15 lbs when I've always been pretty thin) that really bothered me. Fast forward 7 years of being on it and I finally I went off two months ago, but I feel like I'm gritting my teeth a bit...namely, the sleep stuff is creeping back. It's annoying bc anxiety I can live with, not insomnia. BUT it's all in my effing head and I know it. I think too much about not being able to sleep which makes me unable to sleep; it's like once the genie is out of the bottle I can put it back and go back to how I was before I had sleep issues. It's just frustrating that I may go back on for that specific reason even though I am sure the sleeplessness is mental, not chemical. Also I didn't lose the weight that I expected to lose...I am convinced that drug is what contributed though bc I put on those extra lbs as soon as I started taking it and working out 5x a week did nothing.

Anyway I have seen ppl mention taking antidepressants in various hangout threads, but I don't think there is a dedicated thread about it. I am curious about your experiences with them, good and bad, and also really wondering if anyone here has gone on them then quit taking them.

@Mrsz1ppy I hope you don't mind me tagging you, bc I think you have mentioned before that you take a med and have for a long time.

TIA

No, I don’t mind at all. You’ve been given lots of good information, and I’m happy to share what I know.

I have just started on clonazepam Because I started having panic attacks for the first time, due to my cancer diagnosis. 10 days after starting, I am much better, able to cope. Never taken it before, but its ok.

So my experience with SSRI started due to a situational depression. Both of my toddlers were diagnosed with disabling conditions (Infantile scoliosis and cp for my 2 1/2 year old son and autism for my 16 month old daughter. I started dreaming that I was diagnosed with cancer and I was happy about it! Called my mother and she said that meant I was depressed and needed therapy asap. So I started on Zoloft in 1995, and it did help, although I felt out of it, kind of under water. At the time I was of the mindset that needing medication for a mental health problem was a character flaw. After 9 months I thought I was better and stopped taking it. I was not better, I quickly realized, and went back on it, only to find that it didn’t work anymore. I confess to my psychiatrist and was switched to Paxil. Apparently if you stop taking an SSRI it won’t work for you anymore.

Paxil still took me 3 weeks to adjust to, like the Zoloft. Effexor came out a couple of years later, and my dr suggest we try it, because weight gain and low libido were not an issue with it. I switched and have never looked back. I didn’t have the underwater feeling, didn’t gain weight, and it doesn’t effect my libido.

I have gone up on dosages during stressful times, and then taper back down to 37.5 mg. Right now I am doubled to 75 mg. The benefits for me have been quick but also gradual. I used to have a lot of negative self-talk, and it has gradually disappeared, being on Effexor. I am so much more capable in my life, never even think about procrastinating, which was my worst habit, now. A friend told me to have a paradigm shift, to not think that I had a character flaw, but that my brain chemistry was different. If I was diabetic, I’d take insulin. Now I see it as the same thing.

Hope this helps. I was kind of forced into needing an SSRI initially, but it’s really improved the quality of my life. Of course, if I had the side effects I would not like it either, but I kept trying until I found one that didn’t have any I noticed.

Big hug across the inter webs.

 

[monarch64]

I find that really strange because they’re both in the same class, both benzos and both very addictive. Again, not in a short term situation but not something that somebody would be taking on a daily basis.

It’s because Xanax kicks in so fast and then it’s finished without a taper if that makes sense. Hence, it’s easier to become addicted because people tend to hit a “low” when the drug stops giving its intended feeling, and they crash and take another dose to continue the anti-anxiety effects.

 

[monarch64]

I’ve definitely talked about depression and how I’ve been coping here before. It’s been a couple years, so I don’t expect anyone to remember.

I have a family history of depression/anxiety, manic-depressive disorder, etc. I first noticed my own depression when I was 12 and my mentions of it were largely ignored. Fam did not want me to become my grandmother, who had been responsible enough to admit herself to hospitals for mental health issues several times. They treated her like she was nuts and a problem. But, she had the money; she could do whatever she liked.

High school, college, adulthood, pregnancy, post-partum, I resisted telling anyone how I felt because the men in my life insisted that women on pills were off limits and anyone who needed therapy was an idiot and weak, etc. I sought help a couple times, on the down low, but was never able to complete these “missions.” I just continued to suffer in silence.

In 2016, I’d had enough. I always knew there’d been something wrong and I took action because I knew I wanted to leave my 2nd husband. I asked my gyn for Wellbutrin and she gave me an rx. It was the absolute best thing I ever did for myself. It made a remarkable difference and changed my life completely.

AMA (ask me anything), I am happy to answer questions in hopes of helping anyone.

 

[Mreader]

No, I don’t mind at all. You’ve been given lots of good information, and I’m happy to share what I know.

I have just started on clonazepam Because I started having panic attacks for the first time, due to my cancer diagnosis. 10 days after starting, I am much better, able to cope. Never taken it before, but its ok.

So my experience with SSRI started due to a situational depression. Both of my toddlers were diagnosed with disabling conditions (Infantile scoliosis and cp for my 2 1/2 year old son and autism for my 16 month old daughter. I started dreaming that I was diagnosed with cancer and I was happy about it! Called my mother and she said that meant I was depressed and needed therapy asap. So I started on Zoloft in 1995, and it did help, although I felt out of it, kind of under water. At the time I was of the mindset that needing medication for a mental health problem was a character flaw. After 9 months I thought I was better and stopped taking it. I was not better, I quickly realized, and went back on it, only to find that it didn’t work anymore. I confess to my psychiatrist and was switched to Paxil. Apparently if you stop taking an SSRI it won’t work for you anymore.

Paxil still took me 3 weeks to adjust to, like the Zoloft. Effexor came out a couple of years later, and my dr suggest we try it, because weight gain and low libido were not an issue with it. I switched and have never looked back. I didn’t have the underwater feeling, didn’t gain weight, and it doesn’t effect my libido.

I have gone up on dosages during stressful times, and then taper back down to 37.5 mg. Right now I am doubled to 75 mg. The benefits for me have been quick but also gradual. I used to have a lot of negative self-talk, and it has gradually disappeared, being on Effexor. I am so much more capable in my life, never even think about procrastinating, which was my worst habit, now. A friend told me to have a paradigm shift, to not think that I had a character flaw, but that my brain chemistry was different. If I was diabetic, I’d take insulin. Now I see it as the same thing.

Hope this helps. I was kind of forced into needing an SSRI initially, but it’s really improved the quality of my life. Of course, if I had the side effects I would not like it either, but I kept trying until I found one that didn’t have any I noticed.

Big hug across the inter webs.

Thank you so much. And like you, I took it for a situational experience but it seems like it is sometimes that I need. Big big BIG hugs as you go through you treatment.

 

[autumngems]

Are you aware you can do genetic testing? That would tell your doctor what medicines work best for your makeup. I’ve done it, very simple cheek swab and a couple of weeks for the results to come back.

I had my daughter do this as we went through several anti-depressants that didn't work for her.

 

[elizat]

I’ve definitely talked about depression and how I’ve been coping here before. It’s been a couple years, so I don’t expect anyone to remember.

I have a family history of depression/anxiety, manic-depressive disorder, etc. I first noticed my own depression when I was 12 and my mentions of it were largely ignored. Fam did not want me to become my grandmother, who had been responsible enough to admit herself to hospitals for mental health issues several times. They treated her like she was nuts and a problem. But, she had the money; she could do whatever she liked.

High school, college, adulthood, pregnancy, post-partum, I resisted telling anyone how I felt because the men in my life insisted that women on pills were off limits and anyone who needed therapy was an idiot and weak, etc. I sought help a couple times, on the down low, but was never able to complete these “missions.” I just continued to suffer in silence.

In 2016, I’d had enough. I always knew there’d been something wrong and I took action because I knew I wanted to leave my 2nd husband. I asked my gyn for Wellbutrin and she gave me an rx. It was the absolute best thing I ever did for myself. It made a remarkable difference and changed my life completely.

AMA (ask me anything), I am happy to answer questions in hopes of helping anyone.

I have a nasty family history on my mom's side. I do not know anything about my biological father.

I think this is a great thread, because it shouldn't be a stigma and to many, it still is. Some things that are just "normal" to people aren't actually healthy and normal at all and I have learned that myself. Just because something is your baseline, doesn't mean that there are not tools to make it easier.

 

[autumngems]

I’ve definitely talked about depression and how I’ve been coping here before. It’s been a couple years, so I don’t expect anyone to remember.

I have a family history of depression/anxiety, manic-depressive disorder, etc. I first noticed my own depression when I was 12 and my mentions of it were largely ignored. Fam did not want me to become my grandmother, who had been responsible enough to admit herself to hospitals for mental health issues several times. They treated her like she was nuts and a problem. But, she had the money; she could do whatever she liked.

High school, college, adulthood, pregnancy, post-partum, I resisted telling anyone how I felt because the men in my life insisted that women on pills were off limits and anyone who needed therapy was an idiot and weak, etc. I sought help a couple times, on the down low, but was never able to complete these “missions.” I just continued to suffer in silence.

In 2016, I’d had enough. I always knew there’d been something wrong and I took action because I knew I wanted to leave my 2nd husband. I asked my gyn for Wellbutrin and she gave me an rx. It was the absolute best thing I ever did for myself. It made a remarkable difference and changed my life completely.

AMA (ask me anything), I am happy to answer questions in hopes of helping anyone.

I have a family history of depression as well. I had a bout around 2003 and doctor prescribed me something, I think it was Paxil, that was not good and I ended up going to the ER with (frightening thoughts). They prescribed me Wellbutrin. I asked how long I needed to wait to start taking the WB because the other was still in my system, they said it's ok just go ahead and take it now. Next day I was so bad I admitted myself to hospital. I am not sure it was the Wellbutrin but the doctor telling me to take it right away after I still had Paxil in my system. I have wanted to try Wellbutrin again, as I have that not want to get out of bed or do anything depression, but I am scared. Right now I am on Vibryd

 

[MamaBear]

I had my daughter do this as we went through several anti-depressants that didn't work for her.

Im so sorry you have gone through this. We have too. Nothing strikes fear as badly for me as when debilitating depression is affecting my children. It feels so helpless to see the suffering while trying to get them help that is ultimately not working! Im glad you were given this suggestion and I truly hope your daughter is doing well.