depression medications? the good and bad?

[connorlevismom]

Bumping to ask another question.

Thanks to everyone for your help last year. It helped me ask doctor for something and have been on Wellbutrin for a year now. It was working well, making just enough difference.

However our insurance plan changed and am now getting a generic. Didn't think it was working as well so did some research and found MANY saying the same thing! Including law suits and FDA investigations!

I've been taking 150XL a day but want to ask doctor about the SR, since those generics are said to be much better.

So anyone been changed from
150 XL once a day, to
100 SR twice a day?

Did it work about the same? Better, worse? Thanks.

I am currently in the same boat as you are. I am obn Wellbutrin XL and it has worked wonders for me. My insurance switched and I was put on the generic almost 2 months ago. It is horrible for me and the side effects are terrible.

I am in the process of trying to get my insurance to cover the name brand because the generic is not working. Call your inurance Co and see if there is anything you can do to get the name brand again. I will warn you, it is a PITA to deal with the Dr's to try and get them to help you out. They don't want to do anymore than have to write a perscription.

Kristine

 

[dawn1620]

I am taking Welbutrin XL 300 mg. It was 150mg until Katrina and due to other stuff I have needed to stay on it. I tried Effexor and Serafem (more for PMDD) before that and had the libido problems like you discussed--not so with the Welbutrin. I have known others who have had side effectes from Welbutrin. It will take a good 2-3 weeks to work. My medication just makes things that used to bother me seem like mere issues that last for a few moments. It is like one day you say, "You know that used to really make me mad but now--eehh, not so much".

I could have written this. I have been taking the same medication for going on five years. I started taking it for PMS but it just helps take the edge off for me. No libido problems - it actually helped a bit. It's the only med I found that did not kill it for me.

Depression medications are not something people hide anymore I think. It's a serious condition and if a medication helps it...so be it. I would rather take five seconds out of my day and take a pill than suffer through life without it.

But people have to realize and accept they need help before they will seek treatment. Some will deny, deny, deny. They think seeing a doctor and taking a medication will automatically put them in the "crazy" catagory. So far from the truth.

 

[disfan07]

I started taking zoloft when I was 15. I was on it for about 2 years combined with therapy and I was able to come off of it after 2 years.
Ive been in therapy for about 5 1/2 years and just recently (about 3 weeks ago) went back on zoloft. For me, the therapy alone was not working anymore. But that doesn't surprise me because I have depression, anxiety and OCD. Both my parents have depression and anxiety and my dad has OCD so I knew that I was probably going to end up back on meds sooner or later.

 

[C.Ann]

Cognitive behavior therapy works by helping you learn new behaviors and how to change your automatic thought patterns. It is usually described like this:an activating event (A), leads to a belief (B), which has a consequence (C). If this belief is unrealistic or irrational, the client must dispute (D) this belief and then the new belief has the effect (E) of creating a new feeling (F). Cognitive behavior therapy is the most researched form of therapy and has been shown to be effective in most cases.

Excellent explanation.. CBT is definitely the way to go - either with or without meds.. When I started CBT, I started Zoloft right around the same time.. Because I'm so sensitive to medications, my doctor put me on half of a childs dose - which was equal to 12.5 mgs.. I took mine at night and never had any problems sleeping.. Actually, I think it helped with my sleep..

The worse thing about taking meds for depression is the weaning off process - but with time and patience, it can be done with minimal side effects.. (Of course the longer you take them, the harder the weaning off will be..)

Another great thing about the CBT is that there are some excellent books out there and once you get the steps down pat, you can continue to use it for life - without having to pay to see a therapist.. If you find yourself taking a few steps backwards, just pick up your book, find the section that applies to your situation, and then put your plan back into action again..

To answer your general questions about the meds - many, many years ago I took Prozac for about 6 months.. It worked, but I was soooooo exhausted all the time I had to stop taking it..

Tried Wellbutrin about 5 years ago, but I lost a huge amount of weight in a very, very short time (2 weeks or so) - and since I'm underweight to begin with, the doctor had me stop taking it.. No terrible side effects that I can remember..

Zoloft was the best - for me.. The tiny dose worked fine - got me to a place where I could focus well enough to really understand the concepts of CBT (as well as putting them into practice) - and wasn't all that difficult to wean off of because I didn't take it all that long.. The only side effect I had while I was taking it was fatigue.. If at any time I feel the need to take meds again, Zoloft will be my first choice..

Of course every single person will react differently to these meds - and have different side effects - so it's really "trial and error".. Hopfully you'll get lucky and the first one that the doctor prescribes will work for you..

I can't express strongly enough though how beneficial the CBT is.. After seeing/feeling how well it works, I would never, ever go the route of "just" meds..

Good luck with your quest for help.. Recognizing that you need it (or want it) is a great step in the right direction!

 

[midwest-mom]

Excellent explanation.. CBT is definitely the way to go - either with or without meds.. When I started CBT, I started Zoloft right around the same time.. Because I'm so sensitive to medications, my doctor put me on half of a childs dose - which was equal to 12.5 mgs.. I took mine at night and never had any problems sleeping.. Actually, I think it helped with my sleep..

Another great thing about the CBT is that there are some excellent books out there and once you get the steps down pat, you can continue to use it for life - without having to pay to see a therapist.. If you find yourself taking a few steps backwards, just pick up your book, find the section that applies to your situation, and then put your plan back into action again..

[/B]

Can you suggest some specific books?

 

[Planogirl]

I took Zoloft for a while and it definitely helped me. I was gloomy and angry and couldn't control it. Zoloft took the edge off and I was able to get past my 'mood' with therapy. I was able to easily stop taking the Zoloft too.

 

[C.Ann]

Can you suggest some specific books?

Sending you a PM..

 

[kilee]

My husband has been on Zoloft for just over 3 years. It was the 3rd med they tried w/ him. He was doing counseling concurrently and started w/ Wellbutrin then on the Effexor. While in counseling and going through almost 3 months of those he became worse and eventually got to the point he was suicidal. They switched him to 150 mg daily of Zoloft.

It did the trick. Thing is he's not in counseling anymore. He stopped a few months after taking the Zoloft because he felt the meds worked and counseling wasn't for him. He says there was never anything he could pinpoint wrong, just felt like something switched in him one day and he got progressively worse.

Who know's........what works for one person doesn't for the next.

As for side effects.....he had no weight gain or loss. He did have some trouble sleeping the first few weeks and it took about 1 week to start making a noticeable difference. He did have some "intimacy" side effects. It wasn't a decrease in libido, nor the inability to you know, he just couldn't complete to put it in a delicate way. I researched everything I could get my hands on and found that taking Gingko ( I think it was 3 pills daily.....but advising anyone to talk to their doctor first about adding this). After about 6 weeks on the Gingko and about 3 months into the Zoloft the problem just ceased. Some of my research did say that in time the med starts to even out and the side effects diminish. He still has a slight problem w/ this, but not all the time.

To me those pills gave me my husband back. Everyone can preach CBT all they want but when you have to lay in bed at night unable to sleep because you're listening to make sure your husband doesn't get up to go to find the gun cabinet key. You just wouldn't understand. As he got worse he was more closed to getting help and there was no reasoning with him.

On a positive note, statistics claim that once you've suffered from severe depression and gotten better you are more likely to get help if it starts to get bad again. I hope dh and I never have to find out.

 

[midwest-mom]

I am currently in the same boat as you are. I am obn Wellbutrin XL and it has worked wonders for me. My insurance switched and I was put on the generic almost 2 months ago. It is horrible for me and the side effects are terrible.

I am in the process of trying to get my insurance to cover the name brand because the generic is not working. Call your inurance Co and see if there is anything you can do to get the name brand again. I will warn you, it is a PITA to deal with the Dr's to try and get them to help you out. They don't want to do anymore than have to write a perscription.

Kristine

Any updates on the insurance company? I'll give that a try, thanks.

I could have written this. I have been taking the same medication for going on five years. I started taking it for PMS but it just helps take the edge off for me. No libido problems - it actually helped a bit. It's the only med I found that did not kill it for me.

Depression medications are not something people hide anymore I think. It's a serious condition and if a medication helps it...so be it. I would rather take five seconds out of my day and take a pill than suffer through life without it.

But people have to realize and accept they need help before they will seek treatment. Some will deny, deny, deny. They think seeing a doctor and taking a medication will automatically put them in the "crazy" catagory. So far from the truth.

I agree but my family doesn't which is why I'm grateful for this forum.

Thanks all for the feedback. Here's to a better day for all !

 

[connorlevismom]

Any updates on the insurance company? I'll give that a try, thanks.




I agree but my family doesn't which is why I'm grateful for this forum.

Thanks all for the feedback. Here's to a better day for all !

Yes! The pharmacy actually called last and said that the insurance company is going to cover the name brand. My deductible will be $35.00 rather than the $12.00 for the generic, but I will be getting something that works! much better than the $288.00 per month I would have had to pay if insurance did not cover it.

I honestly would call you company and see what can be done to get the brand name. Explain to them that generic is not working and that you had been on name brand and that worked well. You will most likely have to have your Dr. fill out some paperwork saying that you have tried generic an it id not work. All in all it only took a week for the whole process for me.

Good luck and let me know how it goes! You can always PM me too, if you want.

Kristine

 

[dcentity2000]

I would say that it's very rare to get the one antidepressant that your body needs on first go. However, I'd urge you at the same time not to give up hope!



Rich::

 

[midwest-mom]

I am currently in the same boat as you are. I am obn Wellbutrin XL and it has worked wonders for me. My insurance switched and I was put on the generic almost 2 months ago. It is horrible for me and the side effects are terrible.
Kristine

Do you mind me asking what dose you're on? I'm taking 150XL a day and my doctor said I could take 300 mg a day, all at once in the morning, which bothers me.
I'm going to ask about taking 150 twice a day, every 12 hours instead. She's on vacation this week, so next week.
Know anybody taking it that way?

 

[connorlevismom]

Do you mind me asking what dose you're on? I'm taking 150XL a day and my doctor said I could take 300 mg a day, all at once in the morning, which bothers me.
I'm going to ask about taking 150 twice a day, every 12 hours instead. She's on vacation this week, so next week.
Know anybody taking it that way?

I take 1 300XL in the morning. I have never had a problem with it at all. I think if you want to do a 2X a day thing, you have to switch to SR. The XL is a time release pill which is why you can take it once a day.

Kristine

 

[Nette]

Do you mind me asking what dose you're on? I'm taking 150XL a day and my doctor said I could take 300 mg a day, all at once in the morning, which bothers me.
I'm going to ask about taking 150 twice a day, every 12 hours instead. She's on vacation this week, so next week.
Know anybody taking it that way?

I wouldn't recommend taking it at night either... it will definitely keep you awake. Maybe breakfast and afternoon... What problems are you having? Tummyache? I ALWAYS eat Bfast before... otherwise my stomach cramps like nobody's business.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

It's really interesting reading what everyone has tried and how it worked or didn't work. Some people praised Cymbalta, I tried to kill myself while on it and ended up in the hospital for about 11 days. I have been battling depression for years and years and years. Right now i am on Wellbutrin 450 mg, Celexa 80 mg and Klonopin 4 mgs.This is the combo I have felt the least amount of bad affects from. I have been put on everything from lithium to seraquel to prozac to effexor to so many different drugs I don't even remember. I am losing faith in anti-depressants for me. But for others, I'm sure they help. Just understand that what worked wonders for Jane Doe, may not help you at all. Unfortunately, it's a trial and error process. You may go thru several meds before you find one that helps. It took me over a decade to get on Wellbutrin, and then about 6 months to get to the max dosage and have the max of Cymbalta in the mix. I, however, have severe depression along with GAD and PTSD. So things are ok, but I am not ever going to be completely healthy. I guess what I want to add to this thread is to try and be patient.
I also wanted to point out that someone mentioned yawning as a side effect.
I have had this while going on EVERY anti depressant. When I mention it to dr's they look at me like i have 2 heads. Like I'm making it up. And yawning sounds like no big deal, but it can be really, really, really bothersome. Good luck

 

[mariolatry]

I've been on a few of them too.

My OB put me on 50 mg of Zoloft for post-partum depression. That's a pretty standard beginning dosage when prescribed by someone other than a psychiatrist. I took it for one year, weaned with no issues. I started it again 6 weeks after the birth of my second child, 50 mg again. After about 6 months, I developed a problem with severe compulsive behavior (binge eating disorder and neurotic excoriation). My OB washed his hands of me (rightly so) and I saw a psychiatrist, who upped my Zoloft to 200 mg. I felt really good for the first time in my life. Not overly happy, just not feeling crushed by life. I did lose the libido a bit though.

I was only Zoloft for about 12 months successfully, then I felt like it began losing its efficacy. Everyday life began to feel like it was too much for me again. I put on 40 lbs. and my compulsive behaviors came back.

My FIL, who is a psychiatrist, told me that it was very common to Zoloft to become less effective and cause weight gain the longer you were on it. He put me on 100 mg of Lamictal, typically a drug that treats seizure disorders. He also added 600 mg of Neurontin right before bed for insomnia. It's not a sedative, it works in a different way on the nervous system. It's also a very safe drug with minimal side effects. This combo didn't work as well as my beginning experiences with Zoloft had, although the compulsions went away. We ended up added 25 mg of Prozac, only three times a week. Now I'm pretty happy with where I'm at, and I don't notice any side effects.

What was my point with this totally long and self-absorbed post? I'm not sure exactly. Maybe that it takes a lot of trial and error to get the right combination of meds.

I will add that I have taken Omega 3 fatty acids and exercised regularly in the past, which have not improved my mood at all.


ETA: My insurance covers 12 sessions of therapy every two years. Not much, right? It's about $100 per 50 minute session otherwise.

 

[happybratpack]

I have Bipolar. If there's a med out there for depression I've tried it. I still haven't found one that works. I just made an appointment with a new doc because my old one said I was out of options. I can't spend the rest of my life feeling like this. There has got to be something out there that will work.

I was in the same boat, I had tried all the regular anti-depressents and finally was prescribed Symbyax last September. It really turned my life around, I can't believe how great it made me feel.

That said, I've gained over 25 pounds since I started it. I could work out, eat great, etc and still have weight gain. It finally has gotten to the point that I can't put any more weight on and have to get rid of this, I don't have the body frame to support the weight.

So this is my first week off of it and I'm going to have to try something else again.

 

[lovetonap]

I take Zoloft, but I take it for anxiety, not depression. I have been on it for a few months and it is working really well! I take 50 mg. a day and I'm hoping to start weaning off of it after 6 months or so. My libido is fine and I haven't gained weight. In fact, I have lost several pounds while on it.

I am also seeing a psychologist who specializes in CBT. I am hopeful that I'll be able to control my anxiety without drugs using these techniques.

I also really upped my exercise. I do think that it is helping with my anxiety as well. I'm reading a great book about controlling anxiety and depression though exercise. My psychiatrist said that she has a patient with fairly severe anxiety and depression who is able to control it with running. However, if she has an injury and can't exercise, she always needs to go back on medication.