Those on anti-depressants- a question

[mudnuri]

Just a question-

Last month i was put on 10mg Lexapro for depression. I had a couple side effects that I could not deal with- and went back to the doctors on Friday for a med check. She changed my Lexapro to 5mg, for 2 weeks. See how my mood is, and if the side effects go away. If my mood goes crappy, I add 150mg of Wellbutrin SR 2x a day.

She thinks I may have a sensativity to Seratonin, which is why she is adding a Dopamine drug.

My question is, how long did it take for you to find a med, or med combo that worked for you?

FYI, the side effects- were decrease libidio, and anorgasm....can't deal with those 2 side effects, in an attempt to help my mood!

Brandy

 

[NikiM20]

I have generalized Anxiety disorder, which they basically treat with the same drugs I was on lexapro, same side effects as you, then celexa, now they just switched me to Effexor XR. So it takes a few tries to get everything straight. Hopefully you will be feeling better soon

 

[mudnuri]

I have generalized Anxiety disorder, which they basically treat with the same drugs I was on lexapro, same side effects as you, then celexa, now they just switched me to Effexor XR. So it takes a few tries to get everything straight. Hopefully you will be feeling better soon

A friend of mine was on Celexa, and he had the SAME side effects- BAD! I'm hoping that the decrease in lexapro will stop them, and then the wellbutrin will alter the mood a bit!....I was feeling pretty good, except for those side effects!

Thanks
Brandy

 

[Chris2597]

My dr prescribed Effexor SR after my hysterectomy (studies have found it helps hot flashes )....I was much too young to be going through menopause and this helped greatly....well....2yrs later I decided to stop taking it as my body had adjusted....It was a nightmare...my dr told me to slowly decrease dosing...which I did, but it felt at times like my brain was literally floating in my head and I would get zingers through my body....Doc said this was normal getting off of this drug.... It took a good month to feel totally back to normal.

Anyone have any experience with the generic form of Wellbutrin SR? Does the generic work as well?

 

[mudnuri]

My dr prescribed Effexor SR after my hysterectomy (studies have found it helps hot flashes )....I was much too young to be going through menopause and this helped greatly....well....2yrs later I decided to stop taking it as my body had adjusted....It was a nightmare...my dr told me to slowly decrease dosing...which I did, but it felt at times like my brain was literally floating in my head and I would get zingers through my body....Doc said this was normal getting off of this drug.... It took a good month to feel totally back to normal.

Anyone have any experience with the generic form of Wellbutrin SR? Does the generic work as well?

Well, this is personal experience with my doc- but for what it's worth...

My insurance will NOT pay for Lexapro until you have gone through the generics...my doc does not believe the Lexapro generics work as well, and therefore gives me samples of Lexapro.

When I got my script for Wellbutrin SR, she gave me the script, and the "generic okay' box was checked, so I specifically asked. She said the generic works just as well in the case of Wellbutrin SR....

Hope that helps
Brandy

 

[Dee & Greg]

and had every side effect mentioned in the drug info. Took over 3 weeks to get through the headaches, nausea, diarrehea, and the "shakes".
Fast forward to one year later: now I can't get off it. Whenever I try to wean myself down (with doc's suggestions), I get the "brain shivers" and other lovely side effects. Plus I feel emotionally crappy when I try to wean down. So I guess I'm staying in SSRI land for the long term..

 

[Buttercup26]

I'm on Celexa now, was on Prozac. Took about 8 weeks to get it all figured out. I had bad side effects with Prozac almost right away - couldn't stay on it. Fewer side effects with Celexa that almost completely went away after 5 - 6 weeks.

 

[Chris2597]

I have also tried Celexa and loved it, but I gained 30 pound....at first it realy curbed my appetite but after a few months I didnt meet a carb I didnt like....I dropped the weight as soon as I stopped taking it....I didnt have one single withdrawl effect from Celexa.
I noticed with the generice Wellbutrin SR that I get a shaky inside feeling about an hour after taking it, sort of an unsettled feeling....it goes away but I almost feel better without it....the brand product didnt do this.

 

[JadenLayne]

I've been on Paxil FOREVER!!!!! About 15 years now and I can't come off of it either. The brain zaps are the worst. Of course my Dr. says it isn't hurting me and won't hurt to be on it the rest of my life so here I am.

Anyway I never had any of the side effects listed above even though they are listed as possible. The only thing I noticed which I hated was weight gain.

 

[EdiePA]

Lexapro isn't available as a generic. What prescription companies are doing is switching people to citalopram, the generic for Celexa, which is NOT Lexapro and don't let them tell you it is. The generic for Lexapro is escitalopram and not available in the US, yet.

I've been on Prozac, Lexapro, and citalopram. Now I'm on Cymbalta and doing well. It's a real balancing act and the Prozac, while it worked well for me in the beginning, after a year it didn't cover my depression.

Edie

 

[JVL1018]

I take Wellbutrin XL(300 mg once a day) and have had no side effects at all..I was seriously hoping for one of them..weight loss. LOL
But of course that didn't happen..not that I gained weight but I would have liked to have lost 5 lbs by doing nothing.

 

[OK!]

I noticed with the generice Wellbutrin SR that I get a shaky inside feeling about an hour after taking it, sort of an unsettled feeling....it goes away but I almost feel better without it....the brand product didnt do this.

OK, I was wondering if it was just me who had that shaky feeling sometimes with bupropion (generic Wellbutrin). I've noticed that the main times it affects me like that are when I don't take it with food, and I mean with food, not just before or just after eating. If I take it as I'm eating, though, all is well.

This is my 1st anti-depressant in about 10 years, and this combo's worked wonders for me. I tried it years ago and didn't notice much of an effect then, but I could have been ditzy with my dosage then, too. God knows I was about everything else.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I've been on Lexapro for 2 yrs (or has it been 3?) for anxiety attacks. I don't EVER want to go back to the way I was. Its been wonderful. I feel very normal, not drugged at all. I didn't know what normal was. I had been having anxiety attacks for 20 yrs....but they were really starting to control (or restrict) my life. People around me just cannot believe the difference in me. I'm not happy drugged; I'm just not always down & not anxious. Just very NORMAL!

At the beginning, it was 2 wks at 5mg. Then increased to 10mg. That worked for maybe 6-8 mths. Then I noticed I was getting crabby again before my cycle. We increased it to 20mg.....and about 10 days before cycle I increase to 30mg until cycle starts.

One GREAT side effect of Lexapro.... NO PMS!!! No moods, no cramps, no backache, no soreness. Heck sometimes I even forget I'm due & get surprised. It's AMAZING!!! Because I had all the PMS symptoms before.

Only thing I can remember at the beginning, was being very tired by 5pm...last maybe 4-6 wks. I would fall asleep when I got home from work. DH would get home & dinner wasn't made. Eventially, that wears off...and I was back to having to make dinner.

Decreased libido? well never had much of one since I was 25ish (I'm 42), but once I'm in the mood -- no problem.

A former co-worker has tried them all & has had problems with them all & all combinations. Sometimes I wonder if she didn't give it time; sometimes I wonder about her doctor. No idea what combo she's on now.

NOW, with all my raving review of Lexapro, I will say I've been in a bit of a funk for past 2 wks (yet today has been the best I've felt in those 2 wks, so maybe I'm coming out of it). I was starting to wonder if Lexapro was not working; but I've got 2 major life issues I've trying to get past; so hoping its that. Plan on talking to my dr about it.

Good luck.

 

[DMickey28]

I took Wellbutrin XL for about 10 months. It worked for me. For the last few months I thought my dose should go up b/c I was going back down hill again. I was taking 150 mg. Well, I went away in May for a week and I only had one pill left when I left, not good planning on my part. I basically went off it. I didn't have any side effects coming of it, granted it was on 150 mg. So I am starting it again, but we are moving RIGHT NOW, and I need to find a new doctor when I get there.... I think that's what I am doing... I don't know. I have noticed a, not good, difference now that I don't take it anymore which is why I think I should start again.

 

[Christine]

A former co-worker has tried them all & has had problems with them all & all combinations. Sometimes I wonder if she didn't give it time; sometimes I wonder about her doctor. No idea what combo she's on now.

Sounds like me. My side effects are so bad on them that I can't go to work. I think some people are very sensitive to seratonin.

 

[Chris2597]

OK, I was wondering if it was just me who had that shaky feeling sometimes with bupropion (generic Wellbutrin). I've noticed that the main times it affects me like that are when I don't take it with food, and I mean with food, not just before or just after eating. If I take it as I'm eating, though, all is well.

This is my 1st anti-depressant in about 10 years, and this combo's worked wonders for me. I tried it years ago and didn't notice much of an effect then, but I could have been ditzy with my dosage then, too. God knows I was about everything else.

I am going to call the pharmacist that I really trust at our local drugstore. There was a new pharm. there when I picked up the generic and he assured me that it was exactly the same....but I can feel a difference....not only with the shakiness but I just dont feel right about an hour after taking it....so there must be some slight difference that isnt clicking for me...

I have noticed when taking the Wellbutrin xl brand that my appetite was suppressed....but not on the generic....

 

[minkydog]

and had every side effect mentioned in the drug info. Took over 3 weeks to get through the headaches, nausea, diarrehea, and the "shakes".
Fast forward to one year later: now I can't get off it. Whenever I try to wean myself down (with doc's suggestions), I get the "brain shivers" and other lovely side effects. Plus I feel emotionally crappy when I try to wean down. So I guess I'm staying in SSRI land for the long term..

Sadly, I'm right there with you. I've been treated for depression on & off for about 18yrs. Almost every drug I've taken had side effects--Prozac made me wired 24hrs a day(I got a lot done ); Paxil made me a a little too laid back ; Celexa interfered with my sleep. Now I'm on Lexapro, and except for the fact that my emotions are calm(a good thing ) and I don't want to have sex it's working great.

I always have that--i foget what you call that reaction when you stop taking the anti-depressant. It gives me terrible vertigo, nausea,& "lighting in my brain." Withdrawal disorder I tried to stay off the meds, but I was threatening to kill the kids so we decided that maybe I really did need them. I guess I'll be on Lexapro forever. Poor hubby

 

[lbgraves]

I have been diagnosed with Anxiety disorder...thought that I was having a full blown heart attack a couple months ago. Everything has checked out...even the cardio cscan...so it is anxiety. The doctor has said that if I want to take something to help he recommends lexapro. I took prozac for 11 days during my first pregnancy when I couldn't stop crying or snapping at DH. It helped me so much but I had side effects after 10 days. I took 1 paxil & had a terrible time staying awake...took it in the morning & was home alone with 15 mo DS. The other one a couple years ago knocked me out with two kids at home so I only took that first pill. I simply can't take a week or two off from my kids to get adjusted to something. Reading your experiences makes me nervous about taking anything...yet I don't want to keep things the way they are now.

 

[dcentity2000]

Just a question-

Last month i was put on 10mg Lexapro for depression. I had a couple side effects that I could not deal with- and went back to the doctors on Friday for a med check. She changed my Lexapro to 5mg, for 2 weeks. See how my mood is, and if the side effects go away. If my mood goes crappy, I add 150mg of Wellbutrin SR 2x a day.

She thinks I may have a sensativity to Seratonin, which is why she is adding a Dopamine drug.

My question is, how long did it take for you to find a med, or med combo that worked for you?

FYI, the side effects- were decrease libidio, and anorgasm....can't deal with those 2 side effects, in an attempt to help my mood!

Brandy

The sad answer is that there's no typical timeframe with these things. One patient was treated with citalopram 10mg/day and was fine after the drug took a hold three weeks later. Another patient I know has been searching for about 7 years, has failed to respond adequately to rTMS and ECT and is now considering a vagus nerve implant.

You may be better off taking an SSRE or RIMA antidepressant, if you can get hold of either - the former may prove a miracle drug for you. Perhaps an SNaDRI such as amineptine or bupropion?



Rich::

 

[AZKathy]

I take Cymbalta and it works great. I think most of the antidepressants have some effects with libido, and I look at it that I would rather have that problem than not being able to get out of bed and cry all day.