hello, my dr. is thinking of putting me on an antidepressant, and i am curious about which ones you all are on, and how it makes you feel? i have heard so many times an antidepressant makes a person feel "loony" or "wierd" and i just want to not feel so darn mean all the time!! i lately have been having fits of rage, and i have always been a depressed person. i also have anxiety attacks sometimes when my brain is thinking of a million things at once, and i want to go crazy. thanks for the help cysters. you girls never let me down...
jess
Well, I'm on 50mg of zoloft per day. After it got in my system, it was the best thing for me. I finally feel like the real me again. When I was talking with my gyn about my depression, she asked about family history and what antidepressant my family member was taking. When I first began zoloft, I noticed being a little spacey and having a dry mouth. That got better after my body adjusted to the med. Before I started zoloft, I was dealing with being depressed for no reason, not being able to enjoy life, anxiety, and just not being able to function well. I knew I needed help and I couldn't just get over it. Definitely talk to your Dr. to find the best thing for your depression and anxiety.
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I've had a long (well, 3 years, but it seems very long since I'm only 19) history with antidepressants. I'm currently not taking anything. Here's the story:
Age 16 started taking Zoloft (don't remember the dosage, sorry). At first it worked WONDERS for me - I had so much energy! I remember convincing my mom to help me start a garden, and I was out in the yard all the time digging and weeding. This from a person who had just had mono a couple months earlier and was EXHAUSTED most of the time. I also took a small dose of Elavil at night to help me sleep. However, after awhile (6mo. or so) the Zoloft started not working so well. I told the doctor and she upped my dose. Well, this was when things got weird, because I started getting manic and paranoid (which I've heard Zoloft can do to certain people). I would avoid going to school because I thought everyone was talking about me and conspiring against me and stuff. My doctor took me off the Zoloft, and put me on Buspar for anxiety. The Buspar made me suicidal. All I did was sit in my room and wonder why I was ever born. I'd listen to "Candle in the Wind" on repeat and just sob. I stopped taking the Buspar (without telling the doctor why) and I felt better. Later I went back to try and find a new antidepressant. I tried Paxil briefly (it didn't work for me) and Wellbutrin (I don't remember why I had a problem with that, but I know I wasn't on it long). Finally my doctor put me on Effexor-XR, which I was on for about a year. It worked great at first, handling both my depression and my angry outbursts that I had been suffering from since I was 14. After awhile, though, low-grade depression started creeping back in, though the outbursts didn't, and I was hesitant to stop the medication because I was afraid the outbursts would come back.
Finally last November I ran out suddenly and for some reason couldn't get to the doctor to get more. I went TOTALLY NUTS. You are never supposed to stop medication suddenly, and now I know why. I had a fit so bad when my BF couldn't come over one day that my mom got scared and called the psych place to ask for their advice. Now, my mom knows how terrible mental hospitals are because she's been in them, and she wouldn't risk me possibly being put in one (which I wasn't) unless something was VERY wrong. Even my stepmom was really sweet to me because she was so concerned, and my stepmom is usually not a demonstrative person. I would describe my behavior if I remembered it better. All I remember is I was kicking and screaming and didn't want to be left alone for any length of time. After that episode I have never taken any more antidepressants because, once my little breakdown was over, I actually felt BETTER without the Effexor. The outbursts have not come back, although they have been replaced by anxiety attacks.
I'm sorry you're having such a hard time Jess. You can PM me any time you need to talk because I've been through it all. ((hugs))
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I'm not currently on anything, but spent a couple of years on Zoloft for anxiety/panic. I started with 50 mg & moved up to 100. It definitely stabilized my moods - I was always unhappy and snapped at people for no reason, had a really short fuse - although I was tired all the time. Turns out that I'm tired all the time off it too. I've had success being off the meds b/c my lifestyle has changed so much, but I'm so glad I had it when I did. My mom takes Prozac for her panic disorder and likes it a lot better than the Zoloft.
When I had a recent bipolar type episode, I took xanax to mellow the mania and simply rode out the depression. We're waiting to see if that event was the result of some things that were happening in my life, or if it's the beginnings of something more. Even though my Zoloft experience was positive, I still avoid meds whenever possible.
My ex-husband takes Lexapro for severe depression and it's made him a new person. Within a couple of weeks of starting it, he was laughing and smiling again. He initially experienced the tiredness, but was able to ride it out and doesn't seem to have that problem any more.
Definitely give it some thought and know that it may take a few tries to find the medication that will work for you. You might also try counseling, if you aren't already going - that might help with the symptoms without the need for a drug.
__________________ Dayna
diagnosis so far: Submucosal Uterine Fibroid (4/05), IR (6/05), Panic Disorder (12/05) Back on Effexor XR To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
NEVER AGAIN TAKING LEXAPRO!!!
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I am on 100mg of Zoloft (for depression) and 25 mg of Elavil (daily chronic headaches). When I started the Zoloft (on 50 mg), I did not feel like myself for a week or two. I felt a little spacey, a bit nauseous, and just a bit weird. Once I got past that first adjustment stage, I noticed a difference (felt more like my old self). That levelled off rather quickly & I was getting down again, so it was upped to 100 (I started the Elavil then too). I did not notice as much change upping the dosage other than being tired. I might have stopped taking the Zoloft in that first week if my husband (who has suffered from depression for years) hadn't told me to give it a bit of time.
all i can say is thank you to all of you for your advice and support. i will hear from my dr. tomorrow on what she wants to do with me. i really feel that i need to be on something though. i think that it scares my dh that i would be on medication, but i really think he would see a new me, the person i was when we first met, and then he would appreciate it. im normally such a nice person when im around people, but deep inside i have a fire brewing, kwim?? thanks again girls!!
jess
ramble,but bear with me... hopefully you will get something out of it
just wanted to wish you luck, miss jess
i too have been on many that have been mentioned. wellbutrin xr seemed to level things out, for a while at least, i was on a drug study for zoloft while it was being fda approved, effexor xr did better for me than the regular. lithium was one of the worst things i have ever been put on and i would try different things and question it before taking it, lamictal-i was one of fortunate few who had an alleric reaction to it. i have been on paxil, it helped for a while then just did nothing.
i am now on adderal and risperdal and a new one nameal(something like that)-a drug for people with alzheimers, hopefully it will help with my thought processes.
needless to say i have been off and on drugs for many years...one of the most important things, make sure you communicate with your dr how you are feeling and keep an eye out for rashes or anything like that...mine from lamicatal was on my bra line and kind of hard for me to see, tmi probably but oh well.
life is so much better when you feel better, hopefully you would just be on something temporarily and get you through a hump in life, also remember they sometimes take a little while to work, very rarely, in my experience at least, will a pill work immediately..
sorry this went on for so long.................hopefully something will help
pm me or email me if i can help with anything, Lisa
Jess, I was put on Wellbutrin to elevate my norepinephrine levels (the energy, feel good, libido hormone) and Lexapro to increase my seratonin levels (the even keel, sleep cycle hormone) and I tell you what, I don't think I have ever felt this normal!!!! I have energy, my anger is no longer uncontrolable, Im more rational, not depressed, I can sleep and I get FRISKY!!! My recomendation to you is to accually see a Psychiatrist to determine what kinds of meds you need. In my experience, my regular doctors just used to put me on what ever "it" drug was out there without ever really examining my symptoms in depth. One put me on Zoloft (made me suicidal) one put me on Paxil (Felt better, but only controled my anxiety and made me tired all the time) and Serafem (did'nt do much of anything) the good thing about Wellbutrin and Lexapro is they work jointly, and there are no withdrawl symptoms if I need to stop for whatever reason. Good luck to you and I hope you are able to get what you need.
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Thanks for the advice all these years and good luck to all.
In my experience, my regular doctors just used to put me on what ever "it" drug was out there without ever really examining my symptoms in depth.
I had a sneaking suspicion that was what my NP was doing... as much as I love her, and as good as she usually is, she usually prescribed whatever drug she happened to have free samples and pamphlets for...
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I am on 20 mgs of celexa and it works pretty well for me! Still having lots of sex and waaaay less crying episodes than before.
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PCOS:Metformin 1500mgs daily(Oct/03). Rapid Cycling Bi-Polar Type II: Effexor 225 mgs, .5mgs clonazapam, and 900mgs Lithium daily. litebook therapy(Dec/04). Meniere's Disease: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 16mgs Serc and 10-20mgs Metoclop
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PCOS:Metformin 1500mgs daily(Oct/03). Rapid Cycling Bi-Polar Type II: Effexor 225 mgs, .5mgs clonazapam, and 900mgs Lithium daily. litebook therapy(Dec/04). Meniere's Disease: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 16mgs Serc and 10-20mgs Metoclop
I take 100 MGs of Zoloft. I have severe anxiety and paranoia and it helps!!!
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Married 7-25-02
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Bi Polar Diagnosed Feb 08'
Current meds~ Lithium&Celexa
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you girls are great! thanks again for so many responses! now, if my dr.'s office would just call me back. im having a much better day today, but it can all change with the drop of a hat, kwim? have a great day cysters!
what antidepressant are you on?? 
sounds good to me! 
i might just have to ask for that one!!! im all game for lots of sex!!! 
have a great day cysters!
